Chapter 327: Hundred Boat Ferry
Fu Xiao understood her meaning. Actually, Mei Yi, compared with quite a few brothel keepers, was already considered very humane. Her saying this, appear to be giving herself a reason of having no choice but to let go, but how was it not necessary a show of being softhearted. Although somewhat contradicting, but at certain times, her feelings of hoping that Fu Xiao can be well nevertheless will take the upper hand.
Even so, Fu Xiao still didn’t have any emotions on her face, picking up the pipa again, absentmindedly strumming. “For me, naturally it’s good, but the one that’ll be hurt will probably be Jin w.a.n.gfei. In the end, a woman whose fate is toyed with by men, how is she not innocent.”
“You’ve already fallen to this stage, yet still thinking of others? Fu Xiao, how many years has it been, yet you’re still like this. It’s probably because I’ve been too good to you. If one were to let you suffer hards.h.i.+ps, letting you experience the taste of being ridden by a thousand, even encountering the maltreatment of those with special fetishes, you probably won’t be this naive. When that time comes, if you encounter a good opportunity, perhaps even if it’s devouring the so called original wife alive, you’ll still want to take their place.” Mei Yi mockingly said. Just, exactly what she was thinking inside, only she herself knew.
“Perhaps.” Fu Xiao still indifferently replied, “Aunt Mei doesn’t need to do anything, just let nature take its course.”
Even if Fu Xiao says this, Mei Yi still intend on opening the door of convenience for her. Moreover, from her standpoint, the matter this time was fully given to her to handle. Her giving a girl under her a better opportunity was completely reasonable. Even if others mock her out of jealousy, saying she was using her position for personal gain. In their hearts, they would still feel this was the natural thing to do.
Tossing aside this matter, in a certain sense, between Mei Yi and Fu Xiao, there really was that tiny bit of mother-daughter friends.h.i.+p inside. The two of them casually chatted about some trivial matters, all the way until the servants came to report that the people the boat owner invited have arrived, did Mei Yi finally got up to leave.
After Mei Yi left, Fu Xiao was somewhat blankly lost in thought, not knowing if it was thinking of something, or purely just in a daze.
Mei Yi held a circular fan in hand, half covering her face. Because it was summer, for people like them, out of ten, at least nine were all dressed relatively light. In front of Fu Xiao, Mei Yi still had the appearance of an elder, but now, she was carrying the airs and smile that the people in this profession of theirs should have. Even if not meeting her ‘esteemed patron’, but facing these old rivals, she still needed to bring out ample loftiness, gracefully appearing, greeting with a delicate smile. The girls below them competed for the spotlight, and they, these people, naturally weren’t an exception.
Don’t look at how in terms of age, they were already middle-aged women. For the most part, they were all people that came through walking the same path, and if occasionally encountering those whose taste was relatively particular, and they themselves were also willing, then receiving customers at this age also wasn’t anything unusual.
“The reason for inviting everyone, probably don’t need for me to say.” To avoid having these people procrastinate, she’d already stated clearly on the invitation card. By having that kind of big banner, won’t these people just rush over swiftly? Although it was borrowing Jin Qinw.a.n.g’s name that made her win this time, she didn’t feel there was anything wrong in the slightest, deliberately revealing a victorious smile.
The eleven others angrily clenched their teeth at her. However, it couldn’t be helped, who let them not occupy the first place t.i.tle. For someone who wasn’t familiar with Chuanzhou Fu’s situation, if having enough ‘money’, the first choice certainly will be the ‘best’, and this so called ‘best’ naturally was just the establishment holding the ‘number one’ t.i.tle.
“Enough Mei Yi, for us, who doesn’t know who? If you have something to say, just directly say it, don’t beat around the bush. What a qinw.a.n.g signifies, we are all clear. No matter what the other party demands, we’ll just nicely serve. As long as he’s happy, naturally everyone will all be happy. If he’s unhappy, then naturally everyone all won’t be well off.” Someone couldn’t stand seeing her ‘smug’ appearance.
Mei Yi sat down, “Since that’s the case, then I’ll directly say it……….” Mei Yi had Eunuch Mu’s wishes recounted one by one. Of course, it won’t just be the original words. A portion of the things were at least twelve times more exaggerated. Moreover, in her words, it was letting Luoxie hold absolute control. “Basically it’s like this.”
Everyone all knew that there were elements of exaggeration inside, but exactly how much more exaggerated, they had no way of finding out. That’s why, even if unsatisfied, there was nowhere to object, “Since it’s Mei Yi, you, that’s in charge, then exactly what to do, why don’t you directly tell us, we’ll just listen.” When there’s nothing to discuss, it was just directly throwing up one’s hands. As long as overall, there’s no problem, they won’t argue about anything either, and it was also impossible to have them stepped on too ruthlessly.
“Utilizing the Thousand Flower Stage to coordinate a hundred boat ferry, what do you all think?” It was obvious, Mei Yi already had an idea inside.
Everyone momentarily fell silent.
“Hundred boat parade? Even for this generation of ours, it was also just hearing about it before. Between us, it has always been competing openly and fighting secretly. Even for the Lantern Festival, or the Mid Autumn Festival, these types of holidays, we all never once cooperated before for a hundred boat parade. This time, borrowing the excuse of trying to please Jin Qinw.a.n.g, we can also experience with our own eyes too.”
The others didn’t say anything, but clearly, they also agreed to this idea.
Regardless whether it’s the Thousand Flower Stage, or the hundred boat parade, these all have a process to follow. Mainly, it was still the problems with the details.
“Everything else aside, each establishment’s head courtesan certainly have to be the leading role, just is it combining together, or performing separately? If combining together, how should it be combined, if separate, how should it be split?”
After roughly deciding on the process, it was just taking concrete action. First was naturally having each establishment’s people and pleasure boats all recalled in the quickest speed. Because they don’t know how long Jin Qinw.a.n.g’s patience and interest can last for, that’s why, they needed to have preparations on all sides be as complete as possible, the programs also needed to be numerous enough. The girls of their respective brothels and pleasure boats, for the most part, were all within the schedule.
Everyday on Linchuan River, there were always pleasure boats. When there were less, perhaps it was just one every couple hundred of feet. When there were a lot, it was connecting from head to tail. Just, today, it was somewhat strange. Seemingly, more than two hours have pa.s.sed, yet still not a single one in sight. What kind of situation was this? All the rich people simultaneously changed their interest?
Of course, this was the thought of those who weren’t in the know. For those who were in the know, for instance, the customers that got ‘kicked off the pleasure boats’, facing the various brothels and pleasure boats’ polite and humble apologies, even getting quite a bit of money returned, in addition to learning the matter’s whole story, they could only pinch their nose and accept it, rather having a bit of ‘daring to get angry but not daring to speak’ feeling.
And the news of Louxie’s head courtesan Miss Fu Xiao’s boudoir leaving ceremony getting cancelled naturally also spread increasingly wide.
There were some that felt indifferent, and naturally there were also some that were extremely bitter, for instance those who were determined to win Fu Xiao. Among these people, there were perhaps those that just took a fancy to Fu Xiao’s appearance, but naturally, there were also no lack of those that have deep feelings towards her. After all, wealthy family young masters falling for a girl from a brothel or entertainment house, desperately wanting to marry back home, although weren’t considered many, but would still appear from time to time. Fu Xiao just happened to have also encountered such a person, and even a young master from an official family. His family had already gotten sorted out very miserably by Jin Qinw.a.n.g to begin with, and now, even the girl he liked was all about to be taken by the other party. The resentment inside was practically about to solidify, yet he was unable to do anything. Thus, this hatred was also directed at himself, restlessly burning in pain.
That’s right, in these people’s eyes, Fu Xiao certainly will become Jin Qinw.a.n.g’s.
Of course, among these people, there also exist such a group of people, for instance, in a certain secret room:
“This Jin Qinw.a.n.g really is the same as rumored, excessively extravagant, and moreover, even the definition of ‘just allowing officials to set fire, not allowing the commoners to light lanterns[1]‘, even having that kind of insatiably greedy w.a.n.gfei.”
“What qinw.a.n.g, nothing more than a lowly commoner of peasant birth that stole the Huan clan’s mountains and rivers. Mud fish are just mud fish, think sitting on the throne for a few years they can just become true dragons? Keep dreaming!”
Towards his words, the others declined to comment. This while, it was sharply cursing with the mouth, but after leaving this place, dare to utter a sound? And exactly what condition the Li imperial clan was in, actually, they were all well aware inside.
“Everything else aside, this is actually a hard to come by opportunity. If he were to continuously remain holed up, not leaving the gates, even if we want to get close, we all won’t have a way. Now that he’s voluntarily come out, there’s no reason to let this opportunity slip by.
“Is there even a need to say this, just been waiting for this day to come. A loose and l.u.s.tful man coming to Chuanzhou Fu, this kind of place, what reason is there to not come out?”
“That’s why, the opportunity to eliminate an evil for the people has come.”
[1] I have the anecdote for this idiom posted under idioms on the historical notes page.