Profligate

Zhou Chen felt rather foolish. Truly. To think he had actually believed this lust-crazed fiend of a Third Young Master would abstain from women for the sake of bitter cultivation. Then again, this was probably the true Third Young Master. Cupping his hands slightly, Zhou Chen asked softly, "Third Young Master, do you need me to accompany you?" Standing at the top of the stairs, Xu Yuan looked back with a smile. "Didn't you want those two sisters earlier, Mister Zhou—Ziye and Zihua?" Xu Yuan had always been generous toward capable people. He did not lack money. "..." Zhou Chen's eyelids twitched. Xu Yuan patted his shoulder and laughed aloud. "Let's go. I've already had someone inform the madam to wait downstairs." Zhou Chen remained silent for a moment, then gave a sly chuckle. "In that case, I shall thank the Third Young Master in advance." With that, he followed right behind Xu Yuan. As they descended, a faint, delicate fragrance suffused Zuixian Tower. This scent carried a trace of intoxication, likely the product of alchemy; with careful perception, one could detect its subtle aphrodisiac effect. Along the way, countless glamorous courtesans fluttered about like swallows and orioles. Occasionally, they came across neatly dressed young noblemen standing outside the doors of private chambers, exchanging lingering farewells with the courtesans inside. A few courtesans who did not know any better saw Xu Yuan coming down from the top floor and took the initiative to come forward, chatting, laughing, and flirtatiously teasing him with faint enticements. After all, the Third Young Master was famous for being an extravagant dupe. Rumor among the sisters had it that if one served him well, the Third Young Master would sometimes toss around a hundred taels of silver in a single breath. Any courtesan who possessed a private chamber in Zuixian Tower was top-tier in looks and figure, and Xu Yuan was more than happy to flirt with these lovely ladies. Appetite for food and sex was human nature. Since he had already come to this pleasure quarter, there was no need to be prudish. By the time he reached the back hall on the ground floor, Xu Yuan was already steeped in the scent of rouge and powder. Beyond the back hall of Zuixian Tower lay several large courtyards. The madam and the top courtesans of the establishment all resided here. These leading courtesans held immense autonomy. Not only were their looks supreme, but they were also well-versed in poetry, song, and music. Some of the poetry gatherings and musical soirees held in Zuixian Tower were hosted by them. To become an honored guest in their private chambers, one needed more than just money; one had to be willing to squander lavishly, look handsome, and possess literary talent. It was a matter of them picking the guests, rather than the guests picking them. It was an old marketing gimmick, but these young masters who fancied themselves refined and cultured fell for it every time. The courtyard district behind Zuixian Tower was vast—calling them courtyards was an understatement; they were more like landscaped gardens. The residence of each top courtesan was built to specifications capable of hosting a poetry and song gathering. Pavilions, towers, rippling lake waters—pure luxury. Yet this was only natural. Without building it extravagantly, how could they entice those young masters to pour out their gold and silver? However, compared to the courtyards of these top courtesans, the courtyard where the madam lived appeared somewhat small. It was merely a standard small villa. Arriving before the gate of the madam's courtyard, Xu Yuan pushed the door open and walked straight inside. He could have knocked, but there was no need. Rockeries, a small pond, trickling streams, stone benches, and a stone table—a scene filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers, quite tasteful in design. Seemingly hearing the sound at the gate, a smiling voice rang out from inside the house: "My, my, Third Young Master, you've arrived so early! This humble woman hasn't even finished dressing yet~" Her tone carried that peculiar coquettish charm unique to the pleasure quarters. As she spoke, a woman with an alluring figure pushed open the door and stepped out. A golden hairpin was tucked into her coiffure, and a simple beige gown hugged her mature, voluptuous body. Xu Yuan remembered that this madam was named Madam Yue—a formidable woman. The original host couldn't even survive three moves against her. Upon stepping outside, Madam Yue's smiling gaze first swept over Xu Yuan, and then she gave Zhou Chen behind him a deep, meaningful look, her lips curling into a smile. "Third Young Master, you sent Little Jiu to notify me. What might be the matter? If it's for two people, this humble woman's frail bones..." Hearing this, a playful smirk appeared at the corner of Zhou Chen's mouth. Xu Yuan, however, cut her off directly: "Two things." Having her words interrupted did not bother Madam Yue in the slightest. With graceful lotus steps, her enchanting figure glided up to the two men, and she inclined her head with a smile. "Speak, Third Young Master. This humble woman is listening." "First, send Ziye and Zihua up to the top floor." "Oh dear, this... this depends on my two daughters' own wishes..." Madam Yue began in a preening tone, but after glancing at Xu Yuan, she immediately switched to a smile and said, "Since it's the Third Young Master who needs them, we won't mind the rules. Please wait a moment, and this humble woman will arrange it right away. But I wonder, what is the Third Young Master's second request?" Xu Yuan shook his head and chuckled. He walked over to a stone stool in the courtyard, sat down, tapped on the stone table, and squinted with a smile. "Second, send the new top courtesan of your Zuixian Tower to my room." Madam Yue's eyes flickered for a moment. She walked over to the other side of the table, gathered the hem of her skirt, and slowly sat down opposite Xu Yuan, saying with a charming laugh: "Third Young Master, tomorrow evening a poetry gathering will be held in the Bamboo Courtyard. My daughter will naturally appear there when the time comes. Why be in such a hurry~" "A poetry gathering?" Xu Yuan murmured. "Indeed. My other daughters from these courtyards will also go over to assist. When the time comes and you display your splendid talent, won't all my daughters be smitten with you? Why rush things right now~" Madam Yue offered a tactful rejection. After listening intently, Xu Yuan tapped the table again and smiled. "How much silver? Speak plainly." A trace of helplessness flashed through Madam Yue's eyes, and she said hurriedly, "Third Young Master, this isn't a matter of silver. The invitations for my daughter's debut have already been sent out. Moreover, my daughter is a pure courtesan; it depends on her own willingness." Xu Yuan frowned. He stared at the glamorous woman before him, remaining silent for a long moment. "In other words, there's no room for discussion?" The smile on Madam Yue's face did not diminish in the least. She lightly drifted over to sit beside Xu Yuan, draping one arm over his while stroking his thigh. "Calm your anger, Third Young Master. How about this: tomorrow at the poetry gathering, regardless of the outcome, I will arrange for you to meet with my daughter. How does that sound?" Xu Yuan glanced at Madam Yue's ample bosom and quietly drew his hand back. Madam Yue sat up straight with a chuckle, looking at Xu Yuan with curving, smiling eyes. Xu Yuan, meanwhile, wore a thoughtful look. Have him attend a poetry gathering... Carefully recalling the poems from his past life that had been passed down through the millennia... Hmm... that actually sounded like a decent suggestion. It seemed like a good opportunity to show off. Yet as soon as the thought flashed through his mind, Xu Yuan shook his head slightly. He was Xu Changtian now. Knowing poetry? He didn't know jack shit! Expecting someone who couldn't even compose doggerel to jump straight into writing timeless masterpieces, was she? Taking a deep breath, Xu Yuan retrieved a ten-thousand-tael banknote from his Sumeru ring and slapped it onto the stone table. Madam Yue's pupils constricted slightly. She was astonished by the ten-thousand-tael note, but even more shocked by the ring on Xu Yuan's finger. Ignoring the astonishment in Madam Yue's eyes, Xu Yuan stared at her. "Last time: are you sending her, or not?" Ten thousand taels to buy the maidenhood of a debuting courtesan was already high—so high it bordered on absurd. Taking sisters like Ziye and Zihua together, a night cost only about forty taels; booking one individually might only cost a little over fifteen taels. As for the hundred-tael-a-night price for the top floor of Zuixian Tower, others mostly used it for gatherings where the cost was split; only an outrageous young master like Xu Yuan would reside there long-term. Paying tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of taels of fine silver for a courtesan's maidenhood existed only in storybooks. Madam Yue glanced at the ten-thousand-tael banknote and pursed her lips with an air of delicate pity. "Third Young Master, the invitations have already been sent out. Can't you just wait a little longer?" Judging by the Third Young Master's past impatience when lust took hold, perhaps he could be pushed to raise his price even further. Since he possessed a Sumeru ring, he could certainly afford to add more. After a moment of silence, Xu Yuan took back the ten-thousand-tael banknote, placed three one-thousand-tael banknotes on the table instead, and said to Zhou Chen as he walked toward the exit: "Mister Zhou, accompany me to the Bamboo Courtyard." "Heh, right away..." Zhou Chen responded, casting a glance at Madam Yue with the look of someone eager to watch a good show, and silently followed behind Xu Yuan. The Third Young Master could have simply taken her by force, yet she refused a ten-thousand-tael note... heh. "..." Madam Yue looked at the three one-thousand-tael banknotes on the stone table, stood up, and called out with a smile toward Xu Yuan's departing back: "Oh my~ Since the Third Young Master dotes on my daughter so dearly, ten thousand taels it is!" The stream trickled quietly; the courtyard was serene. Xu Yuan's pace remained steady and unhurried; he paid her no further heed. The money had already been offered. If she refused ten thousand, then so be it. Three thousand taels was already the going market rate in his memories; if a young master possessed poetic talent, it might even be reduced by half. Reaching the gate, Madam Yue's smiling voice lost some of its warmth, floating over in a chilly tone: "Third Young Master, one must always abide by the rules in all things. Forcing a transaction is hardly reasonable." Hearing these words, Xu Yuan glanced back at Madam Yue, let out a soft chuckle, and closed the courtyard gate. With the courtyard closed, total silence fell. Sitting on the stone stool, Madam Yue's eyes flickered for a moment. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Source Qi surged around her body, and her figure suddenly blurred, vanishing on the spot in an instant. Yet the moment her silhouette disappeared— *BANG!* A dull, explosive sound erupted in the alleyway outside the courtyard! The dust and smoke cleared. Xu Yuan looked with amused eyes at the glamorous mature woman who had suddenly materialized before him, only to be seized instantly by the throat by Zhou Chen and slammed into the stone wall beside them. After several breaths, Xu Yuan sighed and asked with a chuckle: "Madam Yue, what kind of act are you trying to pull here?"