After copying a few poems, Lady Chenshuang asked, “Aunt Xue, one of Jiangnan’s Four Great Scholars, Yu Bai, has been in Guangling County for several days now. I imagine many courtesans have tried to meet him. Do you know if he has favored anyone yet?”
Historically, the Jiang and Qian regions have been called Jiangnan, a land of cultural refinement with an abundance of scholars.
The Four Great Scholars of Jiangnan are renowned throughout the land, adored by courtesans. Many would waive their fees or even spend their own money to entertain such luminaries. Some would go so far as to offer themselves to these men.
“I haven’t heard anything yet,” Aunt Xue replied. “I’ve had Lao Shen keeping an eye on it.”
“Hmm.”
Lady Chenshuang furrowed her elegant brows. “This distinguished scholar arrived in Guangling precisely during the Flower Queen contest. Either he’s here to involve himself in the event for some benefit, or it’s just a coincidence.”
“Would someone of his stature really care about a local contest?” Aunt Xue asked, skeptical.
“If he has ulterior motives, persuading him to help me will be difficult,” Chenshuang said. “But if it’s truly just a coincidence, there’s still hope he might lend a hand.”
She let out a mocking laugh. “Those courtesans, despite years in this trade, remain na?ve. Winning over a scholar of such renown is not as simple as batting their lashes and offering companionship.”
“Keep Lao Shen monitoring him. Report back on his every move,” Chenshuang instructed.
“Understood.” Aunt Xue nodded.
Under the evening sky, Qin Yun and Tian Bo rode their horses back toward town.
As they passed a stone bridge, Qin Yun noticed a painting boat on the quiet Huayang River below. The boat was lively with the sounds of music and chatter, and two men could be seen drinking with women attending them.
“That’s Yu Bai, the great scholar,” Tian Bo remarked.
“Yu Bai? One of Jiangnan’s Four Great Scholars? He’s from Nanming County, isn’t he? What’s he doing here in Guangling?” Qin Yun asked. Unlike cultivators, who were rare and shrouded in mystery, scholars were more commonplace, though renowned ones like Yu Bai were a cut above the rest.
“Who knows why he’s here? But the courtesans in Guangling have gone mad over him,” Tian Bo said with a grin. “For men like us, seeing a courtesan costs silver. But for a scholar like him, it’s the other way around. They’d pay him for the privilege! Some even offer themselves for free.”This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Jiangnan’s Four Great Scholars—admired by many. It’s no wonder the courtesans are enamored,” Qin Yun remarked.
“You don’t see the bigger picture, Yun,” Tian Bo said with a knowing smile. “These scholars have fame that transcends borders. If a courtesan could ensnare someone like Yu Bai in a grand tale of love and heartbreak, her name would spread far and wide, just like his. She’d no longer be confined to local fame but become a legend across the land! Imagine the prices she could command—a single meeting might cost two to three hundred taels!”
“Such a dramatic tale? Surely Yu Bai wouldn’t involve himself in something so undignified,” Qin Yun said, doubtful.
“When it comes to matters of the heart, who can say?” Tian Bo countered. “Even if it doesn’t turn into a grand romance, a single poem written for her by Yu Bai would elevate her fame. And if not even a poem, just being seen with him for a month or two could do the trick. People would talk: ‘Yu Bai, the great scholar, was captivated by this courtesan, lingering for months before returning home.’ That alone would be enough to make her name.”
“Fame is everything for a courtesan. The greater her fame, the more people will pay to see her,” Tian Bo explained. “That’s why they’re all scrambling to win him over.”
Qin Yun chuckled. “You’ve turned something as beautiful as ‘talented scholar and charming lady’ into a tale of pure profit.”
“It’s not just profit—it’s survival,” Tian Bo said earnestly. “I used to believe in lofty ideals like loyalty and passion. But after taking over some of my father’s taverns, experiencing setbacks, and learning the harsh realities of the world, I realized one thing: ‘All the hustle and bustle of the world revolves around profit.’ In this world, nine out of ten things are driven by self-interest.”
“I won’t deny it,” Qin Yun replied with a smile. “But I still believe true loyalty and passion exist.”
“Exactly. That’s what makes them so precious,” Tian Bo agreed.
Qin Yun glanced at his old friend. The shy, earnest boy who used to follow him around had matured into a pragmatic man.
“By the way,” Qin Yun said, a thought crossing his mind. “If this great scholar were to help Chenshuang, could she win the Flower Queen title?”
Tian Bo considered it. “It depends on how much effort he puts in. If he genuinely supports her, she’d almost certainly make it to the top ten, and maybe even the top three. But as for winning? That’s tough. Courtesans like Qingqiu Fairy and Fragrant Garment are already well-known. Surpassing them won’t be easy.”
“The top three, huh?” Qin Yun mused, deep in thought.
“If he does help her, though, meeting her might cost fifty taels instead of twenty in the future,” Tian Bo joked. “But someone like Yu Bai treasures his reputation and wouldn’t easily entangle himself with a courtesan. I’ve heard that even Qingqiu Fairy sent an invitation, and he ignored it.”
Qin Yun nodded slightly but thought to himself, Since Chenshuang enjoys the life of a courtesan, I’ll help her rise in this world. At least she’ll have an easier time.
A courtesan’s status depends entirely on her fame. Without it, she’d fall from grace, perhaps even end up in a sordid brothel. It was a tragic fate Qin Yun didn’t want for her.
“She’s like a little sister to me,” Qin Yun thought. “Though it pains me to see her in this life, all I can do now is support her.”
At the Huayang River, the painting boat continued to drift under the moonlight, its laughter and music filling the night.