Isn’t a Delicate, Supple Beauty a Dream Come True? - Chapter 6

Chu Wan: “This Oiran title must be held by someone registered in a brothel’s registry. Do you think just anyone can participate? You’re acting like a child, doing whatever pops into your head on a whim.“

Chu Gui: “Isn’t registering simple enough? Second Sister, wouldn’t it be enough if you just hung my nameplate up in your establishment?“

The moment he finished speaking, he realized something was wrong and quickly changed his tune: “Actually, let’s hang it somewhere else. If what I’m doing is exposed, I can’t let it implicate you.“

Chu Wan’s beautiful face dropped, and she said firmly: “No. You are the only root of our Chu family. You cannot enter the ‘mean’ registry of entertainers. Even if you don’t consider yourself, what about your future children and grandchildren? They wouldn’t be able to lift their heads for generations. Do you have the heart for that?“

As for children and grandchildren, Chu Gui hadn’t thought about them at all, nor did he know if he’d even be alive to think of them in the future.

This cousin, ten years his senior, was his sister in name but treated him like a mother would. Ever since he found her, whether it was pleading with Liu Fu to take him as an apprentice, helping him plan and gather information before every mission, or the tiny details of daily life, she had always been completely compliant. He hadn’t expected her to show such maternal dominance over this matter.

But he didn’t want to back down either.

Perhaps due to being an orphan in his previous life, his style of doing things was always goal-oriented. He would never stop until the objective was met. As for the means used in the process, as long as they didn’t violate the laws of heaven or his own conscience, anything could be ignored—including his body and his reputation.

But he couldn’t just confront her head-on. Chu Gui’s mind spun for a moment, and he immediately had an idea.

The muscles in his legs tensed, causing the wounds that had just begun to close to tear open again. With a “hiss,” a frown and a very painful expression appeared on his face.

Chu Wan asked with concern: “What’s wrong?“

Chu Gui replied nonchalantly: “It’s nothing. My self-recommendation failed this afternoon, so I just broke into the Imperial City. This time I ran into the patrolling Imperial Guards. The archers on the corner tower are truly formidable; I just added a few new wounds, but it’s no big deal. Once I’m healed up, I’ll go try again.“

Chu Wan looked down and saw two patches of crimson soaking through his clothes on his thighs, slowly spreading outward. Her heart immediately ached. However, because of the location, it was truly inconvenient for her to help apply medicine. She could only quickly pull out the medicine box and urge her brother to go tend to his injuries.

Chu Gui obediently went into the inner room. She sat by the table, staring blankly at the candle flame.

Silently, she weighed the priorities once more and had to admit that using Prince An’s estate as a springboard to enter the palace was likely the fastest and most achievable path.

Otherwise, if he kept forcing his way in like this time after time, he would likely be lost within the dense web of Dingding City before he could even see a corner of the Emperor’s sleeve.

When Chu Gui returned to the outer room after applying the medicine and changing his clothes, his cousin had, as he expected, compromised.

“If you want to hang your plate with this identity, you’ll still have to go to a Nanfeng House (male brothel). But, have you really thought this through? Even if you participate as you wish, is the title of Oiran really that easy to obtain? The characters who can enter the Famous Flower Feast are all of city-toppling beauty and possess outstanding skills. For all these years, your mind has only held the words ‘martial arts’ and ‘revenge.‘ What other talents do you have to show?“

The moment Chu Wan’s tone softened, Chu Gui was immediately filled with confidence. It was true he had focused on killing techniques for the past decade, but his gold medal in acrobatics from his previous life wasn’t for nothing. Not to mention his specialties in contortion and hand-balancing; to enhance his physical expressiveness, he had practiced classical and modern dance to a professional level.

Furthermore, with the addition of internal power and Qinggong now, performing the strenuous poses and movements of the past was even more effortless and graceful.

It was time to let the ancients feel what a Dance Storm really was.

While he was full of ambition in his heart, Chu Wan still had a face full of worry.

“The Famous Flower Feast has been held for over twenty sessions, and a male Oiran has never appeared! The rise of this Nanfeng trend in our dynasty has only been around for a decade or so; not everyone can accept it. Besides, since it is a contest for an Oiran, those delicate women who are like tender flowers will always evoke more pity. A male entertainer who is too affected or artificial will only invite disgust. Do you know how to strike the right balance?“

Chu Gui wasn’t blindly confident. He had seen the top-tier performances in the Yuruyi House. From his perspective, having been baptized by the various gimmicks of the modern entertainment industry, they were merely mediocre.

He only cared about revenge and his heart wasn’t in it; otherwise, if he just brought out a few ideas, he would certainly be a man capable of creating an entire entertainment empire.

Without bragging pointlessly, he simply said calmly: “Second Sister, I am certain of it. Just trust me.“

Early the next morning, Xinyi, the manager of the Spring Grass Hall, was woken up by his personal attendant, Guo’er. He opened his half-awake eyes and complained unpleasantly: “What hour is it? Why all the fuss?“

Guo’er: “Manager, Wan-niang from the Yuruyi House next door is here. She brought a tall, thin man and says she wants to see you.“

Xinyi and Wan-niang had never gotten along. Logically, running a Nanfeng House didn’t put him in direct competition with a standard brothel, but perhaps proximity breeds contempt; he and the madam next door were at a level of mutual loathing. On the rare occasions they crossed paths, they couldn’t exchange half a sentence without disagreeing.

What kind of wind was blowing today? Coming to pick a fight so early in the morning?

Thinking back, he asked: “There’s a man too? What does he look like?“

Guo’er replied: “Can’t see clearly, he’s wearing a veiled hat. His figure is very elegant, though.“

“Fine, invite them to the Upper Garden Hall. I’ll be there shortly.” Xinyi wasn’t sure of their intention, so he gave the order and got up to change. Regardless, a facade of peace had to be maintained.

Once he had tidied himself up, making sure he wouldn’t lose face, he leisurely arrived at the Upper Garden guest room.

This was the Spring Grass Hall’s dedicated pavilion for VIPs. Every object and utensil was exquisite, refined, and unconventional—completely different from the decadent style of ordinary brothels. Bringing people here was, in a way, an attempt to intimidate them.

At first glance upon entering the hall, he saw the man wearing the veiled hat that Guo’er had mentioned. The thick veil hung down to his chest, making his features completely invisible. Yet, just by standing there quietly, he was like a luminous pearl in the night. His upright posture and otherworldly aura silently announced his extraordinary nature.

Turning his gaze to Wan-niang beside him, Xinyi’s gums couldn’t help but itch with annoyance.

This woman must be nearly thirty, an age where beauty usually fades, yet her face showed not a single wrinkle. Her skin was smooth and radiant, as if she were a young girl. Heaven truly favored her; it was enough to make one’s eyes burn with jealousy.

He swallowed his envy and spoke: “Oh, so early in the morning. To what do I owe the honor of your grand visit? This one behind you—is he your lover?”

These words were actually quite unfriendly. Chu Wan acted as if she hadn’t heard them, a cold smile hanging on her face: “I wouldn’t dare offer instructions. Considering we’ve been neighbors for years, a good opportunity has come to our door today. I’m letting you have it cheap.”

Xinyi looked bewildered: “A good opportunity? What kind of good opportunity would make you think of me?”

Chu Wan began her performance: “Two days ago, while going out of the city for ancestral offerings, I happened to encounter a beauty selling himself to bury his mother. My own mother passed away early, and I can’t stand to see such human tragedies. So, in a moment of kindness, I helped him settle the matter.

Who would have thought this poor child was so honest? He came to my door insisting on repaying the debt with his body. Mine is a proper brothel; I can’t have a male entertainer cluttering things up. I had no choice but to let him seek another path. Since your place is the closest, I brought him here to take a look first. If you don’t fancy him, I’ll take him to the Huanshui Tower to try there.”

Xinyi glanced at the man in white. This height—he was nearly a head taller than him—yet he wanted to register as a male entertainer? It was almost laughable.

His aura was indeed good, but like a crane landing among a huddle of rabbits, it would look strange no matter what.

However, since the person was already here, he didn’t mind taking a look. He was indeed curious about what kind of appearance could lead Wan-niang to call someone a “beauty.”

“Fine, let’s inspect the goods then. See the quality.”

As soon as Xinyi’s words landed, the man across from him briskly lifted the veil. A pair of phoenix eyes looked over, and Xinyi was instantly stunned.

After a moment, he snapped out of it. As if discovering a rare treasure, he greedily stared at the man from head to toe.

His long hair reached his hips, jet black and smooth. His skin was whiter than snow, like a pearl emitting a faint glow, naturally carrying a delicate and lustrous radiance. His lips were neither thick nor thin, red without needing rouge. His entire silhouette was like autumn rain on a desolate mountain—even without heavy ink, he achieved ten-tenths of color.

The most memorable feature was those long, narrow phoenix eyes. Between the shifts of his gaze, there was a sense of breathtaking magnificence. It was as if Great Duke Jiang’s straight fishing hook had taken human form—seductive without knowing it, while everyone else was simply a willing fish throwing themselves onto the hook.

Such an appearance truly deserved the word “beauty.” Not only that, the praise of “city-toppling and country-ruining” had to be added beforehand for it to be considered fair.

Xinyi had already made up his mind in his heart, but on the surface, he remained expressionless, planning to be a bit more critical.

“How old?”

Chu Gui informed him truthfully: “Eighteen.”

Xinyi frowned. That face was so small he couldn’t tell he was that old. Most men in this dynasty were already married with children by sixteen or seventeen. He asked urgently: “Are you still a virgin?”

After asking, he felt that for this person’s appearance, the conditions could be a bit more flexible. He added: “I don’t care about the front; I’m talking about the back.”

Chu Gui was somewhat speechless, but he knew this was an inevitable part of the interview process. Fortunately, whether it was the front or the back, he could calmly answer “yes,” and he could even add a modifier: “through two lifetimes.”

Thinking about it that way, did he seem a bit pathetic?

The manager, having received a satisfactory answer, let out a “tsk.” He picked up the tea bowl in his hand and commented with feigned indifference: “The person is watchable. The age is a bit high, and as for this height, it’s really a bit too tall. With you looking like this as a male entertainer, how many customers would actually take a fancy to you?”

Then he began to act coy toward Chu Wan: “I’m only doing this for the sake of being neighbors, treating it as a daily good deed. How much is the selling price? If it’s reasonable, I’ll take him in, so you don’t have to go running to the next place.”

Chu Wan had spent many years rolling through the crowds of the pleasure quarters; she naturally saw through this man’s true intentions. He was simply criticizing the goods because he wanted to buy them—trying to suppress the price.

She had been reluctant to agree to this matter in the first place. At this moment, she wished for the deal to fail. Opening her mouth like a lion, she demanded five hundred gold.

Xinyi’s apricot-shaped eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. He slammed the tea bowl onto the table: “Five hundred gold? Why don’t you just go out and rob someone? Buying from a human trafficker, five hundred gold could get me dozens of top-grade goods.”

Chu Wan gave a sneer: “Don’t talk about dozens of top-grade goods. Even if you searched through hundreds or thousands, are you sure you’d ever encounter one like this? What is five hundred gold? This child is going to participate in the Famous Flower Feast. If he can take the top prize, the only male Oiran in the world will be in your hands, Xinyi. Forget five hundred; even for five thousand or fifty thousand, there will be plenty of people lining up just to get a taste of his fragrance.”

“He wants to enter the Oiran competition?” Xinyi was somewhat surprised.