Period drama: Old Cao's carefree life

Chapter 55 Helping You Cool Down
Cao Weida frowned as soon as he got off the bus, choked by the madam's words. Little Ear, standing nearby, immediately scolded him:
"How dare you talk like that? Who are you trying to talk back to? What, do you have a problem with the interrogation during the day?"

"That's an order from the Imperial Army. If you have any objections, I'll take you back and let you explain it to the Imperial Army."

"Tch, who are you trying to scare?" The madam, in her thirties, rolled her eyes gracefully. Her light makeup gave her a mature and alluring air.

"Let me tell you, we at Xiaguangyuan aren't without backers. If you're thinking of causing trouble for us, you'd better think twice before you speak."

Anyone who runs this kind of sex business, especially if they become one of the top players in the industry, simply can't do it without a powerful backer. Otherwise, they would have been devoured long ago.

So, she really has the confidence to say that.

Cao Weida naturally didn't think she was exaggerating. Putting everything else aside, if Zhu Tianxi really was hiding in Xiaguangyuan, then behind him might very well be the East Asian Academic Research Association, or even the great traitor Wang Kemin.

Otherwise, with so many brothels in the Eight Great Hutongs, why would they be hidden here?
Little Ears was about to say something when Cao Weida stopped him with a kind smile, saying, "Madam, you've misunderstood. We're not here to interrogate you. Does coming to your Xiaguang Garden mean we can only interrogate you, or can't we come here for entertainment?"

The madam's eyes held a mixture of suspicion and mockery: "You? Do you even know how much it costs to spend at Xiaguangyuan once?"

"With your meager salary, go to Zhujia Hutong or Li Shamao Hutong; there's plenty of shady business there."

"How dare you speak like that!" Little Ears roared, rolling up his wrists to lunge forward, but Cao Weida stopped him.
"Alright, don't be impulsive. We came here to have fun, not to hold a grudge."

Turning her head, she looked at the madam with a smile, "I heard that your courtesan Xinghong is out today. I came here because of her reputation. You can't just turn down money when you're in business, can you?"

"As for whether I have money or not, we'll find out when the prostitute comes out."

Many modern people think they are knowledgeable and well-informed, but they don't realize that what they are doing is something that the ancients had already done.

For example, many people think that brothels in ancient times were places where people engaged in prostitution, but in fact, brothels were primarily about "art" and also had social attributes, much like modern clubs and other social venues.

Although the business of prostitution became more prominent during the Ming and Qing dynasties, there were still differences.

Many people often confuse brothels with prostitutes, but in fact they are quite different.

Returning to the current courtesans, they are all selected from among the courtesans.

These courtesans not only had to be good-looking, but they also had to be able to play musical instruments and sing. Let me make it clear, the musical instruments and singing here are not what you're thinking of; they're the real deal.

Brothels like Xiaguangyuan would specially train a group of virgin courtesans. These courtesans were young women who had undergone rigorous training and had not yet lost their virginity. They mostly claimed to sell their art but not their bodies, and were professional entertainers in high-end brothels.

Their main tasks are to accompany guests for drinks, sing songs, chat, and other services.

If a courtesan wants to deflower a virgin, it's not something that can be done in one go.

The madam had to make arrangements first, requiring a wealthy, regular customer to pay a high "comfort fee" to deflower her. The process also had to follow complicated etiquette, such as holding a banquet and giving jewelry. It wasn't just anyone who could become her lover.

After losing her virginity, the "pure courtesan" becomes a "red courtesan," and can then accept clients' advances. However, she still maintains relationships with clients primarily through her talents, rather than simply making a living through her body.

The title of "Koukou" (or "Flower Queen") was awarded to a woman who was chosen through events such as poetry gatherings or musical performances, where self-proclaimed refined guests would score her performances and the winner would be elected as the Flower Queen.

Doesn't that sound very elegant?
But in reality, they're all just marketing tactics, and the principles are no different from those used by celebrities in later generations.

The so-called "selling art, not sex" principle ultimately leads to this step in every case.

And today, Xinghong's appearance naturally signifies that she is ready to be deflowered.

Oh, no, there's a difference. Most courtesans in this era did so out of necessity or desperation, while most celebrities in later generations did so voluntarily.

Judging from Cao Weida's demeanor, he seemed genuinely confident, and the madam couldn't help but wonder if she had misjudged him. Did he actually have some influence?
Could they be rich kids or children of officials experiencing life?

The madam's eyes darted around; there were plenty of people with unusual hobbies, just like no one knew which man in flip-flops was a landlord with several buildings. Forget about playing dumb to fool others; wealthy people who want to experience life have never been lacking in any era.

Especially seeing how protective Xiao Erduo was of Cao Wei Da, it really did seem like an experiential learning approach.
She couldn't help but linger on Xiao Erduo's face for a while longer before suddenly realizing, "Hey, it's someone I know!"
Isn't this Little Ear Lian Cuihua, the leader of the Little Ears group on Tianqiao Street?

Although Little Ear's gang wasn't large, the madam ran a brothel, so she would inevitably know all sorts of people, which further solidified her suspicions.

His initial contemptuous expression instantly transformed into a smile, a change of demeanor that was truly astonishing.

The madam waved her handkerchief gently and said with a coquettish smile, "Oh my, isn't this Master Lian? I was blind to your greatness just now."

Little Ears rolled her eyes and ignored her, instead grinning mischievously at Cao Weida, "Brother Cao, you'd better eat more tonight so you'll have the energy to sell."

"Tonight, the courtesan's deflowering fee is all on me, Brother Cao, just wait and enjoy!" "Master Lian, Master Lian, wait a minute." Hearing Little Ear's words, the madam awkwardly stopped her, "That...Apricot Red's appointment might have to wait another two days."

Upon hearing this, Cao Weida and Xiao Erduo's faces simultaneously darkened. Xiao Erduo looked at the madam with an ugly expression, his face grim, and said with a forced smile:

"You must be joking with me. I've already found out everything. Today is Xinghong's wedding day, and I went to great lengths to invite my older brother over. And now you're telling me Xinghong isn't going out today? Are you kidding me?!"

The madam hurriedly waved her hands: "How could I dare? Master Lian, please don't misunderstand. We're in business, and integrity is our top priority. How could we do something that damages our reputation?"

Although she wasn't afraid of Little Ears, he was just the leader of a medium-sized gang, not someone who could frighten her.

But as she said, reputation is the most important thing in doing business. If you change your mind frequently, your reputation will be ruined, and how can you do business again in the future?

People will easily talk behind their backs!
The Eight Great Hutongs aren't just one money pit; there are others that are no smaller than Xiaguangyuan. If this gives people something to talk about, those colleagues who are hoping for Xiaguangyuan's downfall might take the opportunity to kick it while it's down.

"Then I'd like to hear your explanation. I went to great lengths to get Big Brother here. If you don't give me a satisfactory answer, hmph, while I, Little Ear, may not be anyone important, I'm not one to be bullied!"

The madam glanced at Cao Weida, who was looking at her indifferently, and felt a little uneasy.

Someone who is so carefully served, even by the smallest ears, must be no ordinary person.

She wasn't afraid of offending Little Ear, but she really wasn't sure about this guy.

"Oh dear, look at you, why are you getting so worked up?" The madam giggled, covering her mouth with a handkerchief, and stepped forward to explain, putting her arm around Xiao Erduo's shoulder.
"It's not my fault, I had no choice."

"As you know, Master Lian, the checks were very strict today. The whole of Beiping was in turmoil, and many of our regular customers at Xiaguangyuan dared not go out."

"Xinghong was originally scheduled to appear today, but this just happened to happen. Who knew this would happen, right?"

As she spoke, she pulled away from Xiao Erduo and embraced Cao Weida's arm with captivating charm. The alluring fragrance made Cao Weida involuntarily sniffle.
"Sir, please calm down. This matter is not Master Lian's fault, it's my fault for not arranging things properly."

"How about this, tonight I'll arrange for two of the most popular girls to serve you and help you cool down. I guarantee you'll be satisfied. Is that alright?"

Those who can reach the position of madam are basically all very shrewd and worldly-wise, and they are masters of human relationships.

Although she didn't know Cao Weida's exact identity, it didn't stop her from showing goodwill.

If Cao Wei Da had no background, she wouldn't suffer any loss. But if he really had a powerful background, and if she could establish a connection with him, wouldn't Xia Guang Yuan have another trump card?
It's just sending two girls to keep me company for one night, I don't lose anything.

Upon hearing this, Cao Wei smirked, lifted the madam's chin with his finger, and looked at her mockingly.

You know what, this madam is only around thirty years old, in the prime of her life. With her delicate face, slender waist, and tender, watery eyes, she really has the allure of a mature woman, making people's hearts flutter.

"No wonder you were able to escape from the Eight Great Hutongs; your social skills are really impressive."

"However, I'm not someone who'll settle for just any woman. Don't try to fool me with those inferior ones."

"I came here because of Xinghong's reputation. You think you can make me leave disappointed? Not so easy."

"Just tell me straight, how much is Xinghong's escort fee? As long as it's not an exorbitant price, I won't haggle."

Well, this guy is definitely not short of money! The madam smiled bitterly to herself. The more money a guy has, the less she dares to offend him!

A courtesan's visit, regardless of the era, is an expensive affair. In a typical brothel, a courtesan's visit can cost anywhere from tens to hundreds of dollars.

Don't underestimate this number. Just look at Cao Weida's monthly salary: seven silver dollars a month!

Hundreds of dollars, even if you don't eat or drink for a year, it won't be enough!

This is just the average one. Xiaguangyuan is a top-tier brothel. The tea fee at the entrance alone is ten silver dollars, and the "greeting gift" for the girls, a Suzhou embroidered handkerchief, starts at eighty silver dollars.

Each song in the "red envelope" style cost twenty silver dollars, and each "night pass" cost two hundred silver dollars.

All things considered, it would cost at least 310 silver dollars.

Even so, this is assuming no one is competing with you. If someone else wants to gamble, the price becomes unpredictable.

They say that as long as you don't ask for an exorbitant price, they will never haggle. With that kind of confidence, who would dare to make such a boast if they didn't have some real strength?

(End of this chapter)