Chapter 92: Buying Out a Courtesan for a Profit, an Unofficial Concubine
Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Buying Out a Courtesan for a Profit, an Unofficial Concubine
Pei Shaoqing was never stingy with his money.
Because his money came too easily.
But he had to feel the money was well spent.
To buy out the permanent rights to the star courtesan Jiang Xue, whose fame echoed throughout Jin Guan City, would undoubtedly cost a fortune.
He didn’t think it was worth it, so he didn’t want to spend the money.
On the contrary, he even wanted to make a profit from it.
"Baron Pingyang, this is Jiang Xue’s indenture contract. For just ten thousand taels of silver, Jiang Xue will be yours."
Nanny Liu took out a deed of sale from a box, a smile on her face as she spoke through gritted teeth.
This price was undeniably steep. In his previous life, the buyout for Dong Xiaowan, one of the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai, was only three thousand taels.
"Nanny Liu, how much silver does it cost just to meet Jiang Xue?" Pei Shaoqing asked nonchalantly.
Nanny Liu was a little confused. He had already become Jiang Xue’s guest for the night, so why was he asking this? Still, she answered truthfully, "Ten taels of silver. If you want her to perform a dance or a song, that’s a different price, usually over a hundred taels."
After all, most of the people who could ask Jiang Xue to accompany them were either rich or noble, and they wouldn’t possibly spend only the minimum.
"What year did Jiang Xue start receiving guests?" Pei Shaoqing nodded slightly, raising his teacup for a sip as he asked.
Nanny Liu answered, "At the age of sixteen."
"And her age now?" Young Master Pei asked again.
Nanny Liu replied, "She just turned nineteen."
"So she’s been receiving guests for three years." Pei Shaoqing set down his teacup and said flatly, "There are three hundred and sixty-five days in a year. Jiang Xue has the right to choose her clients, so let’s say she receives guests for one hundred days. At an average of one hundred taels each time, that’s ten thousand taels a year. Over three years, that comes to thirty thousand taels of silver."
"Her buyout is ten thousand. So by my calculation, Nanny Liu, you just need to give me twenty thousand taels of silver."
"What?" Nanny Liu was dumbfounded. Her eyes wide with disbelief, she asked, "Baron Pingyang, are you saying that not only am I to give my daughter to you, but I also have to pay you twenty thousand taels?"
"Of course! Once I’ve bought Jiang Xue’s freedom, she becomes my person. Shouldn’t the silver Nanny Liu earned using my person be returned to its rightful owner?" Pei Shaoqing nodded. His tone was nonchalant, yet his logic was brazenly self-righteous.
"Th-th-this... How outrageous! I’ve never heard of such logic!" Nanny Liu was so angry she repeatedly slapped her chest. Suppressing her fury, she said, "If the Baron of Pingyang County wants to use his power to bully people, then just say so plainly!"
"This is what you call using my power to bully you? I haven’t even mentioned Jiang Xue’s dowry yet," Pei Shaoqing said, shaking his head.
Nanny Liu’s eyes bulged like a fish’s, and her voice cracked with shock and anger. "A dowry, too?"
"A daughter is getting married, and to an illustrious figure such as myself, yet her mother provides no dowry. Could it be that you look down on me? That you look down on the Marquis Wei Yuan’s Mansion? In that case, I might just have to get angry!" Pei Shaoqing said with a cold expression.
Nanny Liu: "..."
"Oh, merciful heavens! How am I supposed to live!" She plopped right down on the floor, waving a handkerchief and wailing to the high heavens. "This is too much, Baron Pingyang, you’ve gone too far! Luring away my most profitable daughter, and you still want me to pay you on top of it! Where is the justice in that?"
"Nanny Liu, you are far too shortsighted." Pei Shaoqing shook his head, poured himself another cup of tea, and said in a slow, deliberate manner, "If I buy her, then from this day forward, Jiang Xue will be a stranger to the Furong Pavilion, with no further connection."
"But if you, her mother, truly treat this as her marrying out like a daughter, would she forget your kindness? In the future, if the Furong Pavilion runs into the kind of trouble it saw last night and comes to her for help, and she whispers a little... pillow talk in my ear, could I possibly refuse to help?"
Heh, and guess what? He really could refuse to help.
After all, he was only a decent human being on an intermittent basis.
Nanny Liu’s wailing came to an abrupt stop. Her eyes darted back and forth as she mulled over whether this deal was worth it.
Pei Shaoqing said bluntly, "What is there to consider? If you don’t agree, do you think I’m suddenly going to pay up? Nanny Liu, know when to quit while you’re ahead. Otherwise, if you really force me to throw my weight around, things will get ugly."
Looking at his brazen, self-righteous face, Nanny Liu was so angry she could grind her teeth. It was true. If Pei Shaoqing was dead set on not paying and simply decided to take the girl, what could she possibly do?
Go to the Government Office and file a complaint?
Young Master Pei might end up sitting beside the Prefect to judge her case himself.
Besides, if she could really use this to build a connection with Pei Shaoqing, then the deal wouldn’t be a total loss.
She immediately scrambled to her feet, her old face beaming like a sunflower. "Aiyo, Baron Pingyang, rest assured! Jiang Xue is my dearest, most beloved daughter. Now that she’s found such a wonderful match in marriage, of course her mother will prepare a dowry."
"Then the buyout silver..." Pei Shaoqing said slowly.
"What buyout silver?" Nanny Liu interrupted, saying with a smile, "Jiang Xue performs her art, she doesn’t sell her body. I, her mother, am marrying off a daughter, not selling one! You two are so in love; how could I possibly stand in the way of a happy couple? Of course, I’m overjoyed to help you fulfill your love."
"Now isn’t that a much broader path you’re walking, Nanny Liu? I see that with you in charge, the Furong Pavilion will surely flourish in Jin Guan City for a long, long time." Pei Shaoqing laughed heartily, then added, "In that case, I’ll be taking Jiang Xue with me today."
"Ah, Young Master, please wait a moment. I’ll call Jiang Xue to accompany you first, then I’ll immediately go and prepare my daughter’s dowry," Nanny Liu said, beaming as she scurried out.
Pei Shaoqing quickly called out, "Wait."
"Does the Baron of Pingyang have any other instructions?" Nanny Liu stopped in her tracks and turned her head to ask.
Pei Shaoqing said casually, "Do me a favor and find a small but exquisite courtyard for me to house Jiang Xue in."
Nanny Liu instantly felt a pang of toothache. ’If I help him find a courtyard, there’s no way I can ask him for reimbursement. This means the courtyard will have to be a freebie, too.’
"I actually happen to have a few residences on hand. There’s one in particular that Xue’Er will definitely love, and the Baron of Pingyang will surely be satisfied with," Nanny Liu said, forcing a smile.
It was clear the Furong Pavilion was a veritable gold mine.
Pei Shaoqing added, "And find a few servants."
Nanny Liu: "..."
’I’ve already given away so much, what’s a little more?’
"Yes," she answered, then turned and fled.
She was afraid Pei Shaoqing would continue to press his advantage.
A moment later, Jiang Xue, dressed in a red gown and walking a bit unnaturally, pushed open the door. She came right in and sat smoothly in Pei Shaoqing’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Young Master, you really bought my freedom," she said, her big eyes glistening as her voice turned sweet and coy.
She had been genuinely afraid that Pei Shaoqing would discard her after he had his fun.
Things like that happened far too often in brothels.
Pei Shaoqing reached out and pinched her soft, plump, pale face. "My dear Xue’Er, you certainly don’t come cheap!"
Even though he hadn’t spent a single coin and had actually made a profit.
But that didn’t stop him from complaining about the price.
"I have saved some silver myself. I’m willing to contribute," Jiang Xue said softly, lightly biting her red lip.
Women are always generous with men who don’t lack money.
And they haggle over every penny with men who do.
Pei Shaoqing laughed. "I have that much money, at least. How could I spend your private savings? From now on, just focus on figuring out how to serve me well."
"I will make sure that every time the Young Master visits me, he’ll never want to leave. I still had a few tricks I didn’t get to use yesterday, you know," Jiang Xue said, her eyes full of seductive charm.
A top courtesan, even if she were a virgin, would never be shy about this sort of thing like a girl from a good family. From a young age, they are taught how to please a man.
Shy? That’s just an act they put on because they know some men like it. Pei Shaoqing clearly didn’t, so she naturally went with whatever was most seductive.
In her line of work, Jiang Xue could at least be ranked a professor.
Nanny Liu found two carriages. One was specially for loading Jiang Xue’s dowry, clothes, and jewelry.
Pei Shaoqing and Jiang Xue rode in the other.
"Xue’Er, come back and visit your mother often!"
At the entrance of the Furong Pavilion, Nanny Liu and a crowd of her "daughters" watched the carriage depart, crying their hearts out.
"Nanny’s affection for Jiang Xue runs so deep."
Nanny Liu’s tears fell like rain. She wasn’t sad to lose Jiang Xue; she was sad to lose all that silver!
"Jiang Xue! Miss Jiang Xue! Xue’Er, wait!"
Pei Shaoqing heard someone shouting outside the carriage.
He lifted the curtain to look.
A young scholar with handsome features, a tall build, and noticeably old clothes was chasing after the carriage.
"Who is he?" Pei Shaoqing asked Jiang Xue.
Jiang Xue glanced outside, then remained silent for a moment before lowering the curtain. Biting her red lip, she said, "He’s no one important."
"Xue’Er! How can I live without you!"
"You said you would wait for me to buy your freedom! You said you’d wait for me to return as the Champion Scholar and marry you!"
"Xue’Er! Xue’Er! I can’t be without you!"
The young scholar fell to the ground, watching helplessly as the carriage disappeared into the distance. He beat his chest, stomped his feet, and wailed in despair.
Many onlookers by the roadside pointed and whispered about him.
"A poor scholar in love with a top courtesan... a story straight out of a novel. Doesn’t that make me the villainous rich young master who steals his love away?" Pei Shaoqing said with a laugh.
’The guy’s a damn poor scholar, so how does he have the money to visit a brothel?’
Afraid that Pei Shaoqing would misunderstand, Jiang Xue hurriedly explained, "Please don’t be angry, Young Master. Xue’Er only admired his literary talent and wanted to sponsor his trip to the capital for the imperial exams. We have no other relationship."
Brothel women loved sponsoring poor scholars. If just one of their investments paid off, they could be "washed clean" and come ashore to a respectable life.
Of course, in most cases, after the poor scholar successfully "came ashore," the first person they’d cut ties with was their sweetheart.
"Prove it to me," Pei Shaoqing said.
A moment later, Jiang Xue leaned the upper half of her body out of the window, waving to the people seeing her off. Her face was flushed like a sunset, her breathing was ragged, and the ornaments in her hair swayed constantly as if from the carriage’s jolting.
"Congratulations to Miss Jiang Xue on finding a good home!"
"Miss Jiang Xue! Look at me! Look at me!"
Seeing their goddess wave at them, the "simps" lining both sides of the street grew excited and waved back enthusiastically.
But what they couldn’t see was that inside the carriage, Jiang Xue’s lower body was completely bare, her hair being pulled as someone "put out."
...
Because of Jiang Xue, Pei Shaoqing stayed in Jin Guan City for an extra day. He couldn’t help it; she was just too skilled.
’In the future, when I have more wives and concubines, I’ll have to invite Nanny Liu to give them all some focused training in this area.’
Before he left, he told Jiang Xue that if she ran into any trouble, she should send someone to find Lu Dingchuan or Xu Jing.
It was also from Jiang Xue that Pei Shaoqing learned of Xu Jing’s identity: the second son of the Prefect of Shuzhou.
The members of the Furong Poetry Society were just like him—worthless sons from various prominent families, unqualified to inherit the family business, who loved poetry and song but were utterly ignorant and unskilled.
Their average level of education was "private school dropout."
Xu Jing, who was still just a local exam candidate, was the best of the bunch.
According to Jiang Xue, the Furong Poetry Society was just a joke in Jin Guan City—a little echo chamber where Xu Jing and his friends could feel good about themselves.
True literary scholars looked down on them completely, had their own circles, and disdained any association with them.
They couldn’t break into the real literary circles, so they formed their own group to band together and disgust the entire literary scene of Shu State.
Together, they were a pile of shit; scattered, they were a sky full of maggots.
Jiang Xue’s words were filled with contempt for these people.
After all, she was a master of the four arts—zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting—and skilled in all forms of music and song. Her learning was deep enough that she could discuss poetry with Scholars and scholars, giving her every right to be proud.
A top student looking down on a slacker. Nothing more to say.
But Pei Shaoqing thought this group of people was just fine.
’At least they don’t use their power to bully people or take bribes like me. What’s wrong with writing some trash poetry to cultivate their sentiments?’
After settling his unofficial concubine.
Pei Shaoqing rode swiftly back to Tongzhou City.
And no sooner had he left than a charming, still-beautiful nun appeared at Jiang Xue’s door, begging for alms.