“Did I say anything?”
After a dry cough, Shao Bowen looked at Han Mo innocently.
“You did!”
“I didn’t!”
“You did!”
“What did I say? I don’t remember.”
“You said that from now on, you’ll be relying on me for a living!” Han Mo said with a serious expression.
“Then how did the Lord reply?” Shao Bowen asked with a playful glint in his eyes.
“I said, ‘Nonsense!’” Han Mo, angered and embarrassed, shot back a harsh retort.
“Hahahaha, I don’t remember the Lord saying that?” Seeing Han Mo’s flustered state, Shao Bowen became even more smug.
“My Lord, I pay my respects!” As soon as the two entered, the madam of the Zuihong Tower personally came out to greet them.
“Hahahaha, our Lord Han doesn’t often visit places like this. Now that we’ve finally met, aren’t you going to call out your little lady Yun’er immediately!” Just hearing Shao Bowen’s words made Han Mo’s mouth twitch. This old rogue seemed unusually familiar with Zuihong Tower.
“My Lords, please come upstairs. Yun’er is already waiting for you,” the madam said. She wouldn’t have been so generous if it were just anyone. Gu Yun’er was her golden goose, the most expensive courtesan in Mingzhou City. Despite being a courtesan, she was still a virgin. It was precisely this virginity that attracted countless admirers who vied for her attention daily. Normally, just to listen to her play a song or play a game of chess with her, you wouldn’t even dream of it for less than one to two thousand guan. To enter her private chambers for a cup of tea and a chat, the price started at at least five thousand guan! But for the foremost talent of the Great Song Dynasty, such small amounts were truly nothing. If she could get Han Mo to leave behind a new poem or two, she wouldn’t only forgo payment but would even be willing to pay him. After all, merely exchanging poetry with the foremost talent of the Great Song Dynasty would quickly elevate Gu Yun’er’s fame throughout the entire dynasty. Of course, for these courtesans, greater fame meant a higher price in the future!
“It’s indeed your influence, my Lord. Last time I came here, that Yun’er girl didn’t even spare me a glance!” Shao Bowen said with a hearty laugh, hearing the madam’s words.
“Can you blame her? Just look at your appearance. And, if I’m not mistaken, you were using a pseudonym when you came last time, weren’t you? Otherwise, who would dare not give face to Mr. Anle, Shao Yaofu?”
“Shao Yaofu? The foremost divine calculator of the Great Song!” As soon as Han Mo finished speaking, someone in the crowd immediately interjected.
“Mr. Shao, I have some wealth, but I have no heirs. I am willing to pay five thousand guan to implore you to guide me. Please, have pity on me!”
“A mere five thousand guan to invite Mr. Shao? Sir, I am willing to pay ten thousand guan to invite you to select a dragon’s lair for my father!”
Indeed, compared to Han Mo’s title as the foremost talent of the Great Song, these men were clearly more interested in Shao Bowen. On the other hand, the women dressed in light gauze looked at Han Mo with affectionate gazes.
“My Lord, why don’t we leave tonight? I’m afraid if we stay here any longer, the situation might become difficult to control…” Shao Bowen couldn’t help but twitch his mouth as he watched the men’s frantic behavior.
“Leave? Why should I leave? Has Mr. forgotten what we are here for tonight? The night is long, and instead of lying alone in bed, wouldn’t it be better to experience the embrace of a gentle beauty!” Seeing Shao Bowen’s twitching mouth, Han Mo felt a sense of balance. Indeed, it was not the lack of good things, but the unequal distribution that caused unhappiness. Compared to Shao Bowen being harassed by these men, Han Mo suddenly felt that being harassed by these beautiful women wasn’t so unbearable. After all, with the title of the foremost talent of the Great Song to shield him, any young lady who wasn’t outstandingly beautiful wouldn’t dare to approach him at this moment. Otherwise, before he could even act, the onlookers beside him would have already dealt with them on his behalf.
“Look, look, Hu Xing’er is here too!”
“That’s Liu Han Yue!”
Just as Han Mo reached Gu Yun’er’s chamber door on the third floor, cheers erupted from downstairs.
“Tsk tsk tsk, I say, my Lord, we both have two shoulders and a head, why is your charm so great? Look, all the famous courtesans in Mingzhou City have come…” Hearing the cheers from below, Shao Bowen’s mouth twitched. Clearly, they were both renowned scholars, yet as soon as Han Mo’s reputation was revealed, all that flocked to him were famous courtesans. But for him, as soon as his presence was known, he would be followed by a bunch of wealthy merchants. Otherwise, they would be unfilial sons who didn’t respect their parents while alive but, after their deaths, insisted on spending exorbitant sums to find a dragon’s lair.
“Does Mr. not even know this?” Han Mo asked with a chuckle, looking at the envious expression on Shao Bowen’s face.
“Please enlighten me, my Lord!”
“Isn’t it simple? Mr., you are old! Hahahaha!”
“Little woman greets Lord Han!” Hearing the laughter and chatter from outside the door, Gu Yun’er opened the door and walked out.
“Beautiful, truly beautiful. I’ve long heard that Miss Yun’er outshines all others, and seeing you today, it’s indeed extraordinary!” Before Han Mo could speak, Shao Bowen couldn’t help but praise her.
“Mr. Anle flatters me. This humble woman is merely common, not worthy of such praise!” Although she didn’t receive Han Mo’s personal commendation, being praised by Shao Bowen made Gu Yun’er secretly pleased.
“Sister Yun’er, we heard that you have distinguished guests today, so we’ve come to visit. You won’t be angry, will you?” Just as the three were talking, two women dressed in light gauze with picturesque faces, smiling, walked in directly. To be honest, judging solely by their appearance, it was difficult to distinguish between the three of them. Even compared to Li Shishi and Wu Lian’er, the three of them were only slightly inferior. However, in terms of their demeanor, the three of them were still a significant distance behind Li Shishi, or even Liang Hongyu. But in a place like Mingzhou, seeing three such women at once was already remarkable.