Great Zhou Empire: Kill Zhao Kuangyin at the beginning

Chapter 565: The Oiran of "Yan Gui Pavilion" (Special thanks to book friend lansie 570 for the 3 monthly tickets!)

Chai Zongxun looked up and saw that "Yan Gui Pavilion" was a large mansion with more than ten two- or three-story pavilions in the courtyard.

The southwest part of the inner city of Bianjing was where the nobles lived and where most of the civil servants lived.

Chai Zongxun looked around casually and saw that the gate of "Yan Gui Pavilion" was crowded with people, presumably all coming for the annual "selection of the flower queen" event.

Chai Zongxun took a step forward, and a group of people surrounded him and walked towards the gate.

An old procuress at the door had sharp eyes. She saw Chai Zongxun was very imposing, noble and with many followers. She quickly came up with two eunuchs and said flatteringly:

"Sir, what brings you here? You are a wealthy and powerful person. Your presence brings honor to our "Yan Gui Pavilion"! Please come in quickly."

As Chai Zongxun followed the madam into the courtyard, he asked:
"I heard that the most popular girl in your Yan Gui Pavilion this year is getting married today, right? What's her name and her background?"

The madam said happily:

"This sir, that's right!
This year's courtesan is named Li Qingluo, who comes from the prime minister's family in Angkor. She is a real lady from a noble family!
She is only sixteen years old, with such beauty and talent, this gentleman must not miss the opportunity to have Na Luoer enter the mansion, today is the only day!"

When Chai Zongxun sent two Longxiang Army corps to capture the Angkor Dynasty, more than a thousand beauties from the harem were captured. Because it was a long distance to escort them back to Bianliang and Chai Zongxun was busy dealing with the "Lu Zhao Rebellion" and sending troops to conquer Kievan Rus at the time, he had no intention of taking beauties into the palace. So he issued an order to reward these more than a thousand beauties on the spot to the soldiers who had made meritorious contributions in the expedition.

Many Angkor ministers and generals who resisted the Great Zhou had their property confiscated and were enslaved.

Angkor, as a country that had just recently transformed from a slave society to a feudal dynasty, was quite backward, and many people had no surnames, only names.

When the Tang Dynasty was at its peak, it sent envoys to Angkor to enthrone its king and give him the surname Li.

Therefore, the Angkor royal family and many noble ministers took "Li" as their surname.

After walking for half a quarter of an hour, Chai Zongxun and his party were led by the brothel owner into a large two-story wooden building.

The madam laughed and said:

"Sir, at 2:00 pm, this year's beauties selection will be held in this building. Sir, you must prepare enough money. If you miss Luo'er, she will go to someone else!

Where do you think we can take a break?"

After the madam finished speaking, she looked at Chai Zongxun with a smile, wanting to see his financial strength.

Chai Zongxun turned his eyes to look inside the building and saw

Under the illumination of dozens of red lanterns, the large space in the building was as bright as day, and there were already dozens of tables of people sitting on the first floor.

The second floor is full of private rooms with large windows.

Chai Zongxun said:

"Then give us three private rooms in the middle of the second floor."

He raised his foot and led his followers towards the stairs.

He Yao, the chief eunuch in front of the palace, immediately took out a silver note of 1,000 taels from his pocket, handed it to the madam, and said:

"No need to look for it. Bring up the good wine and food quickly, and don't bother my master unless you have something to do."

The madam was overjoyed, her eyes sparkled and she grabbed the banknotes tightly, saying:
"Yes, yes! I understand. Please eat and drink well, sirs!"

A eunuch quickly followed up to the second floor and led Chai Zongxun and his group into the private room in the middle of the three rooms. Soon, wine, food and snacks were served like water. Chai Zongxun sat by the open window and heard the discussions of the people in the lobby on the first floor.

“I heard that this year’s most popular flower girl, Li Qingluo, is the granddaughter of the prime minister of Angkor, and was taken as a slave by our Great Zhou army.

When she was eight years old, the owner of "Yan Gui Pavilion" bought her from the government and brought her up in a deep courtyard. She was proficient in everything from playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

"In the brothels of Bianjing, the later the annual 'calling of the courtesan' is held, the more powerful they are and the more beautiful the courtesan is.

This year's most popular lady in Yan Gui Pavilion seems to be an extremely beautiful lady."

"A few days ago, the courtesan of Xiaoxiang Pavilion was bought by the second son of Duke Jingguo for a whopping 6,000 taels of silver. I'm afraid that the courtesan of Yan Gui Pavilion will set a new record today!"

After a while, there was a commotion among the crowd downstairs. It turned out that Xiang Chuanfan, the eldest son of Shangshu Zuo Pushe Xiang Minzhong, had arrived.

Xiang Minzhong served as the Minister of Punishments and entered the Cabinet. After completing his ten-year term in the 45th year of Kaixi (1004), he was promoted by Chai Zongxun to the second-rank honorary position of Shangshu Zuo Pushe. He is 63 years old this year.

Xiang Minzhong had two sons. The eldest son, Xiang Chuanfan, passed the imperial examination but failed to become a Jinshi. He ran a clothing business in Bianjing, owning more than ten shops and three businesses. He was known as the richest man in Bianjing.

The second son, Xiang Chuanliang, passed the imperial examination in the 43rd year of Kaixi and is currently serving as an official in the Ministry of Revenue, holding the fifth rank.

Xiang Chuanliang had naturally met Emperor Chai Zongxun, but Xiang Chuanfan had not become a Jinshi, so naturally he had never seen the emperor.

Xiang Chuanfan was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old. As soon as he entered the building, many people greeted him warmly. He also responded frequently, feeling quite proud.

After some commotion, Xiang Chuanfan also chose a private room on the second floor, which was just to the right of the three private rooms occupied by Chai Zongxun and others.

By 1:05 pm, the first and second floors of the building were already full, and everyone knew that the annual "selection of the courtesan" at Yan Gui Pavilion was about to begin.

After a while, a pleasant sound of stringed instruments was heard, and six maids in their prime pushed open the door of the master room on the second floor and filed out. After placing a xylophone and a wooden stool, they stood on both sides of the railing on the second floor.

More than ten breaths later, a beautiful girl in elegant clothes walked out of the main room with her head slightly lowered.

It was Li Qingluo, the courtesan of "Yan Gui Ge".

Li Qingluo's face was filled with sadness. After bowing to the guests, she sat down on a wooden stool, stretched out her hands, and began to play the piano.

Chai Zongxun only felt that in the quiet sound of the piano there was a layer of inextricable longing, sadness for himself, and a hint of indignation and resistance to fate.

After the song was over, the guests in the attic were all immersed in the thoughts brought about by the sound of the piano. After a long while, a wave of applause rang out.

Li Qingluo stood up from the piano, bowed to the guests, and walked into the main room. Six maids in their prime packed up the piano stool and walked into the room.

Most of the guests in the attic looked disappointed.

A heavily made-up woman in her thirties appeared at the railing in front of the main room on the second floor and said with a smile:

"Dear guests, I am the owner of this "Yan Gui Pavilion", my surname is Wen.

Thank you all for coming to support us today! Luoer was carefully cultivated by our "Yan Gui Ge" at great expense for nearly ten years. Her appearance, talent, and personality are all top-notch.

Please all the guests who like Luoer, please write a poem or a line. If you can impress my Luoer, you can enter the next round: redeem Luoer, and the one who bids the highest will be the most beautiful woman! "

Most of the people in the building looked at each other in bewilderment. Although when it came to poetry, the literary culture in the Great Zhou was flourishing and everyone present could recite a few lines, but when it came to composing poetry, most people were stumped.

(End of this chapter)