The String Moon Princess, Mu Rong Ru Yin?
Why would a dignified princess become a courtesan at the Xiuhua Tower? Could it be that Shangguan Hao, that man, sold her to the brothel?
Qing Yao walked unobtrusively at the rear, following a group of people across the long corridor and pathways of Xiuhua Tower, all the way to the high platform ahead.
The entire hall erupted in earth-shattering cheers and screams. Qing Yao frowned slightly, keeping pace with the steps ahead without falling behind. By the side of the stage, maids from various households stood waiting.
In the center of the high platform stood a burly old madam. Smiling at the commotion below, she waited until the twenty courtesans were seated according to their positions. Then, holding an eight-treasure fan in one hand and raising the other, the hall instantly fell silent.
"Esteemed gentlemen, young and old, the right to speak in today's Flower Queen competition rests in your hands. According to last year's rules, this competition will have three rounds. Each of you gentlemen has three tokens. If you fancy any of the young ladies, throw your token onto the stage. Whichever lady receives the most tokens will be the first place winner in the courtesan competition, and the first place prize is substantial. Ladies, you must also work hard."
After the old madam finished speaking, she smiled and turned to look at the more than twenty courtesans behind her, scanning each one. Finally, her gaze landed on Mu Qing Yao, a fleeting sharpness in her eyes. When did Spring Breeze Tower acquire such a valuable commodity? She was no less remarkable than the performers at Xiuhua Tower. However, the competition had already begun, leaving her no time to ponder.
"Alright, the competition is about to begin. Besides the gentlemen in the main hall, there are also many people in the private rooms on the second and third floors. They are all VIP guests and also have tokens. However, their tokens are not yellow, but red. Each red token counts as three. Everything will be tallied together at the end."
Thunderous applause erupted from the hall once more.
Everyone understood implicitly that those VIP guests must be high-ranking officials from the court, or members of the royal family, who would naturally not show their faces in public. However, they dared not challenge such esteemed individuals, hence the cheers from below.
"Begin, begin!"
Everyone shouted, eager. They had paid fifty taels of silver to see these charming young men, not this old madam smeared with thick makeup.
Seeing the crowd stir, the old madam pressed her eight-treasure fan and spoke in a deep voice, "Very well, the competition begins. For the first round, please observe the demeanor of each courtesan."
After the old madam finished speaking, she retreated.
The so-called demeanor meant each courtesan would go on stage to showcase their looks, figure, and taste, much like modern models. They would walk around the stage twice for everyone to see more clearly.
Amidst the applause, a young man at the front stood up. Amidst the clamor, the woman seemed a little nervous, her face flushed pink. Shyly, she walked onto the stage.
Below the high platform, there was silence. The men's eyes widened as they gazed at the graceful woman on stage. Although she lacked the bearing of royalty, she possessed the charm of a humble village maiden, her eyes timid, like a little rabbit, evoking pity.
Soon, she captured the imaginations of the men below. As she walked, she slowly turned, and some began to throw tokens onto the stage, though not many, only a scattering.
When she had walked two laps and returned, several maids from Xiuhua Tower, holding trays, collected the yellow tokens and placed them in the brocade boxes beside the ladies.
Then the second person came on stage. Qing Yao scanned the scene coldly, uninterested in these proceedings. She was positioned behind more than ten people, so there was no rush.
A pair of beautiful, watery eyes quietly swept over the three courtesans from Xiuhua Tower. Their postures were elegant and captivating. The first two women's eyes flashed with determination as they closely watched the unfolding events. The last one, however, kept her head bowed, her expression exceptionally indifferent.
What exactly was going on?
A princess had become a male courtesan in a brothel. If it was truly her, why hadn't she returned to String Moon? Even if the Empress Dowager and Prince Bei Jin were gone, she was still a princess of the imperial family. It was far better than being a prostitute on the streets.
Or was this not the princess at all, but someone else entirely?
Yet, they looked exactly the same. The only difference was that their demeanor now was unlike before. The former arrogance and haughtiness were gone, replaced only by indifference, coldness, and a hint of sorrow in their eyes.
If she were indeed the princess, then that man Shangguan Hao was truly worse than a beast. After all, she was his woman; how could he send her to a brothel?
Just as Qing Yao was lost in thought, thunderous applause once again echoed through the hall. It turned out that while she was lost in thought, many people ahead had already performed. It was now the turn of the people from Xiuhua Tower, and she would be up soon.
The first woman from Xiuhua Tower, clad in a pale brocade dress with subtle floral patterns, her black hair elaborately styled and adorned with a delicate fresh flower on her temple, exuded a charming and delicate allure. As soon as she stepped onto the stage, she drew cheers from the crowd, and tokens were thrown onto the stage one after another.
In terms of beauty, the girls from Xiuhua Tower were not necessarily more beautiful than those from other brothels. Women's beauty came in all forms and variations. Moreover, the women from every brothel were all meticulously trained and skilled. How could they possibly be inferior?
The difference lay in the lack of confidence that each person possessed from the outset. Everyone felt that the Flower Queen would undoubtedly be from Xiuhua Tower. This greatly impacted and demoralized themselves, while the women of Xiuhua Tower exuded an air of determination, further enhancing their brilliance.
Soon, the woman descended, and another took her place. After that, it was the turn of the woman who looked so much like Ru Yin. Seeing her, Qing Yao's doubts resurfaced. Was she truly the princess?
However, whether she was the princess or not, Mu Rong Ru Yin had always been at odds with her, plotting against her at every turn, and even devising schemes to harm Mu Qing Xiang and Mu Qing Zhu. If it was truly her today, then it was her just desserts.
Mu Rong Ru Yin was dressed in opulent attire, with a tall, voluptuous figure and captivating curves. She seemed to possess an innate nobility that lent an unignorable radiance to her every movement.
Her appearance immediately captivated many men, and tokens were thrown onto the stage one after another. By the time she had completed her two laps and descended, the area below the high platform was filled not only with applause but also with cheers, which grew louder and louder until she gracefully walked off the stage.
Qing Yao sighed.
To be honest, this woman was indeed breathtakingly beautiful, and based on her observations just now, she seemed to truly be Ru Yin.
The nobility that emanated from her very being could not be faked. The noble bloodline of royalty made her every action possess a noble demeanor.
Looking at her in such a predicament, Qing Yao couldn't quite articulate her feelings. In any case, these matters no longer concerned her.
The only reason she was here was to avenge Mei Xin. After avenging her, she would return to Wushou Valley, and if there were no further disturbances, she would be too lazy to leave the valley again.
Following Ru Yin, two more individuals went on stage. However, after the three courtesans from Xiuhua Tower, the men below seemed to have lost most of their enthusiasm.
Even when someone went on stage, the applause was sparse, and tokens were thrown only occasionally, causing the two young men's faces to flush crimson as they fled the stage in embarrassment.