Chapter 008: Qingluo Courtyard, Miss Bai

Mr. An grew increasingly troubled as he thought about it. Just then, a servant from his hometown approached him, leading a young man in a blue robe with a bamboo hat, and said: "My lord, this is a servant from the residence of Young Master Yang, who has a letter to deliver to you."

The young lady, filled with joy, gracefully took Mr. An's arm and entered her boudoir as if in triumph. With her hands gently closing the door behind her, she cast a lingering glance at him with her sparkling eyes, lightly biting her full lower lip, her face flushed with springtime emotions, exuding an alluring charm.

The family from my hometown tentatively called out: "Sir..."

Mr. An seemed as if he had seen a ghost, suddenly sitting up straight. It was only then that he realized this Yang Xu was the same as Xia Xun. He hurriedly took the letter, opened it, and read it through, slowly revealing a trace of helpless wry smile on his face

The young lady, filled with joy, became even more eager to please. She twisted her waist and gracefully leaned into the embrace of Master An, sweetly saying: "If Master wishes to indulge in some playful teasing, I am more than willing, but I do ask that you be gentle and not truly harm my body."

This is a placeholder text and does not contain any translatable content.

Yang Xu

During this season, especially during the day, the business in the brothel is sluggish, with few customers and a desolate scene in front of the entrance. The old man, feeling extremely bored, has crusted eyes and is lazily seeking shade under the eaves, barely hanging on. After the donkey cart comes to a stop in front of the brothel, Mr. An, with his plump body, awkwardly dismounts. He climbs the steps, panting, and upon seeing the old man still lost in slumber, he kicks him in the rear with irritation.

The private brothels operate with relatively more freedom in terms of employment and withdrawal, allowing them to draw in a large influx of fresh talent from the community. As a result, their business is much more prosperous compared to that of the official courtesan houses. Mr. An is a long-time patron of this "Qingluo Courtyard," but after the onset of summer, the excessively hot weather has dampened his interest in seeking out pleasures, and he has not visited for a while.

Before the turtle master even opened his eyes, he instinctively let out a loud call. Mr. An snorted and strode inside. The turtle master opened his eyes and saw only a robust figure, quite imposing.

"Yes, the one with the fairest skin shall be called."

In the afternoon, the sound of cicadas was woven like a tapestry. Under the shade of the trees in the backyard, Fat An lay on a bamboo pillow, unable to sleep as he tossed and turned, wearing only a sleeveless shirt that exposed his large, fleshy arms. Two young maids knelt beside him, fanning him vigorously, but the breeze from the fans did not bring any relief; instead, it only added to his irritation.

Only a calm heart can be cool, but Mr. An's heart is not calm at all

During the Ming Dynasty, only officials of the third rank and above in the capital were permitted to ride in sedan chairs, while those of the fourth rank and below, as well as officials from other regions, were only allowed to ride horses and not permitted to use sedan chairs. Over time, the system gradually became more formalized, but in the early Ming period, the regulations were still enforced quite strictly. The cowherd Zhu Chongba was fiercer than a tiger, and Officer An did not dare to provoke such trouble. He instructed someone to prepare a donkey cart and took some money from the accounts office before heading out.

Mr. An shouted irritably: "Nonsense, do you think I, your master, ran out in this hot weather for no reason? It is precisely for the matter entrusted to me by your young master! You should wait patiently in my house's front room."

Mr. An indeed knows the tricks of the rabbit lord's seduction, but he has never been fond of such matters, so naturally, he is unaware of the metaphors used in the brothel. At this moment, realizing the situation, he couldn't help but feel both angry and amused. He withdrew his hand, straightened his chubby face, and said: "On such a hot day, don't cling to me. Go sit properly over there. I did not come to the Qingluo Courtyard today to look for a girl."

Mr. An decisively stated: "It is her."

It was the body of a man, a naked man, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, muscular and robust, his physique solid and well-defined, with strong and powerful arms, resembling a sculpture of an ancient Greek warrior...

A servant rushed over quickly and deftly poured a cup of cool tea for Mr. An. Mr. An squeezed his hefty backside into the chair with effort, waved his hand, and said: "Alright, alright, this is not my first time here. Spare me the useless chatter, hurry up, hurry up and get your... your courtyard... gurgling..." Before he could finish his sentence, he downed the cup of cool tea like a cow.

Mr. An waved his hand and said weakly: "Prepare the carriage, change my clothes, I am going out."

The sun shone brightly over Qingzhou City. After a heavy rain the previous day, as soon as the sun emerged today, the mist began to rise, making the weather particularly sultry. Such weather was especially unbearable for a corpulent man like Mr. An, who wished he could shed his own skin and immerse himself in well water to feel any sense of relief

Unfortunately, the flirtatious glances were wasted on a blind man; Mr. An did not notice her pretentiousness at all. As soon as he entered the room, Mr. An headed straight for the teapot.

Since the guard returned from Qingzhou with a letter and a large bundle of items, Xia Xun has had an additional task to attend to every day

Moreover, the figure of the young lady is somewhat plump, with a round and full bottom, and striking curves. If she were in the countryside, such a physique would be considered ideal for bringing prosperity and children, making her a rare find for elderly women selecting daughters-in-law. However, in a place where only fleeting romances occur, she is far less popular than the slender maidens who resemble the delicate moon.

Ah, a guest has arrived, please come in, sir

Mother Feng exclaimed with a laugh: "Of course there are those with good skin; which girl in our Qingluo Courtyard isn't born with a radiant complexion? However, if we are to speak of the fairest, it would be Miss Xiu'er. Yet, in my Qingluo Courtyard, she cannot be considered the top-tier beauty."

Mr. An was taken aback again: "What is a waterway and a dry road?"

Mr. An glared and said: "For no reason at all, why would I harm your body?"

Xia Xun, who considered himself to be open-minded and as clear as the moonlight after rain, couldn't help but shiver, instinctively tightening his six well-defined abdominal muscles, while the striated muscles on his thighs also tensed up, resulting in... his buttocks becoming even more pert.

Yang's family guard smiled and said, "Master An, my young master is still waiting for your reply."

Beauty

This is a placeholder text and does not contain any translatable content.

"Qingluo" is the largest brothel in Qingzhou. This brothel is privately owned, while the Jiaofangsi is state-run. The private brothels and the Jiaofangsi together constitute the main body of the Ming Dynasty's prostitution industry. As for the half-hidden courtesans and clandestine prostitutes, they are strictly suppressed by the authorities and do not fall within the legal category, thus are not included in this context

A screen divides the dormitory into two parts, with a lamp placed at the head of the bed in the inner room, casting the silhouettes of the people in the room clearly onto the screen

In fact, Miss Xiu'er was not at all unattractive; her skin was fair and tender, with beautiful brows and bright eyes. However, her eyebrows were somewhat too thick, and at that time, women considered thin eyebrows to be beautiful, emphasizing that eyebrows should resemble distant mountains. Miss Xiu'er endured the pain of plucking her eyebrows for the sake of beauty, yet her brows seemed to grow back like wildfires that could not be extinguished, springing forth again with the gentle breeze. Despite her efforts to pluck them repeatedly, her eyebrows did not become finer; instead, they became less pleasing to the eye than before.

Madam Feng lightly waved her silk fan and covered her mouth with a smile, saying: "Why is the gentleman so impatient today? I wonder which young lady you wish to have serve you. If not, I could call out all the beautiful young ladies from our courtyard for you to see. Recently, several new ladies have arrived at our Qingluo Courtyard, each more charming than the last..."

A single lamp, like a bean, casts a dim yellow glow that fills the room

Xiu'er initially thought he had some peculiar preferences, wanting to engage in acts such as whipping and powdering the buttocks, or applying fragrance to the breasts. She was also concerned that the red card girls would not agree, which is why he spent the price of a red girl to seek her out. Upon hearing him say this, Xiu'er felt relieved and even more delighted, and thus replied: "Since that is the case, what kind of tricks does the gentleman wish to play? If it is to explore the depths of water routes or to seek wonders along the land, I shall certainly accompany you and ensure your satisfaction."

Ah?

Crying to the heavens yields no response, calling to the earth brings no relief. It was already unfortunate enough, and now I have been dispatched to Qingzhou. Under the guise of a merchant, I have opened a business here to secretly carry out tasks for the Assistant Prefect Luo. Now that Yang Xu has been assassinated, can that country bumpkin named Xia Xun really impersonate Yang Xu? If my identity is exposed, it would lead to the crime of confiscation of property and execution. Why abandon the life of a wealthy gentleman to become a member of the Jinyiwei? What a futile endeavor this is

The sleeve pulled his hand ambiguously towards her backside, and she chuckled, saying: "In our Ming Dynasty, gentlemen indulge in romance; if they do not advance and retreat together, and do not open a venue for both land and water, how can they be considered heroes in the realm of romance and gallants amidst the crowd of courtesans? Master Yuan, whether good or bad, is clearly a frequent visitor to the pleasure quarters, yet he still pretends to be coy with me"

Under the care of his elder brother, An Litong prospered in the silk business, truly earning a fortune. However, no matter how much money he made, he remained an uncredentialed merchant. When it came to pursuing an official title, his education was insufficient. Observing the imposing presence of the Jinyiwei, he lamented that he had missed such an opportunity simply because he was born a few years later than his brother. An Yuanwai was envious and desired an official status for himself, so he spent money to ask his elder brother to facilitate this for him. In the end, he finally achieved his wish and was appointed as a Jinyi Xiaowei.

Xia hetushu .com .com Xun remained motionless, standing there, completely naked, with a fit body radiating a bright, glossy yellow light

Xiu'er was taken aback and asked in surprise, "Why has the gentleman come, if not in search of pleasure?"

The An family is a hereditary household of the Jinyiwei, but his father's position in the Jinyiwei was inherited by his elder brother. As the second son, he was left with the status of a military household's surplus manpower and had to seek his own path. Thus, he leveraged his brother's influence to engage in business. Although his elder brother held a minor official position, those years were precisely when the Jinyiwei was at its peak. As long as one was part of the Jinyiwei, even a lowly officer or a strongman could walk through the capital city of Ying Tian with an air of authority.

Mr. An interrupted her by slamming the teacup down and said, "No, no, I only want the fairest and most beautiful girl from your courtyard. Do you have any?"

Zhang Shisan stood behind him, his hands resting flat against his back, slowly moving along the firm and smooth muscles of his back. The pressure of his palms was very even, and he patiently continued to massage, until Xia Xun's back showed a faint red hue. Only then did his hands slide down along the slender waist, after which he withdrew his hands and walked to the basin in the corner, wiping his hands with soapwort and washing them leisurely.

At this time, the circulating currency was still the Great Ming Treasure Note, and the court prohibited transactions in silver; otherwise, being caught would result in a death penalty. Fortunately, the devaluation of the Treasure Note occurred in the mid to late Ming Dynasty, and currently, the Great Ming Treasure Note still held its value as a legitimate currency. When Miss Xiu'er cast her keen eyes upon the stack of Treasure Notes, she noticed that they were all of the same denomination, with at least ten pieces. She could not help but feel overjoyed, as ten strings of Treasure Notes represented a sum that even the most sought-after courtesan in the Qingluo Courtyard would not surpass in value. Currently, the Great Ming Treasure Note still held its value as a legitimate currency, and when Miss Xiu'er cast her keen eyes upon the stack of Treasure Notes, she noticed that they were all of the same denomination, with at least ten pieces. She could not help but feel overjoyed, as ten strings of Treasure Notes represented a sum that even the most sought-after courtesan in the Qingluo Courtyard would not surpass in value.

Once the courtesans and musicians of the Jiao Fang Si are registered, their identities can no longer be changed. The sources of the courtesans and performers are primarily twofold: first, daughters who take over the profession from their mothers; second, the family members of convicts who are sent here. Due to the limited sources and the generally poor quality, the business is usually mediocre

"Please come in, sir."

Madam Feng, the matron of Qingluo Courtyard, hurried out upon hearing the shouts. This Madam Feng is not very old, only about thirty-five or thirty-six years of age. Her figure and skin are well-maintained, and coupled with her appropriate attire, she resembles a beauty in her teens. Her appearance, demeanor, and graceful charm reveal no trace of a woman of the world.

Then, another figure appeared, and from his build, it was also a man. He bent down and scooped something from a round basin on the low table, which seemed to be a viscous liquid, dripping continuously. He applied that liquid to his palm and walked behind the tall man, ... gently placing both palms on his back, slowly, slowly sliding down ...

The waist is cinched, and further down is a round, perky, and robustly sensual backside, followed by a pair of straight, strong thighs

Upon seeing Mr. An, Mother Feng greeted him with a charming smile, saying: "Mr. An, it has been quite some time since you last visited. The daughters have been very concerned about you. Please, come in quickly. It is a hot day; Mr. An, please take a seat inside. Where is everyone? Hurry, someone come over and serve Mr. An a cup of good tea."

As he slightly turned his body, two large and well-defined pectoral muscles were prominently reflected on the screen, firm and sculpted

In this season, business in the courtyard is quite slow, and even the courtesans have few visitors. However, Mr. An specifically requested her service. Miss Xiu'er felt quite proud and flaunted her presence as she made her way through the streets. Once she entered her room, she promptly closed the door behind her, contemplating how to employ her seductive tactics, hoping to captivate Mr. An to the point of obsession, so that he would become a regular patron. Mr. An, having filled his stomach, was already seated at the table, saying nothing, and casually pulled out a stack of banknotes from his sleeve and placed it on the table.

Mr. An regrets, lamenting that he should not have been so bewitched at the beginning, desperately joining the Jinyiwei.

Mr. An, with a dignified demeanor, said: "Only because the young lady's skin is as white as snow, she can be considered the best in the Qingluo Courtyard. I would like to know, what methods do you use for your skincare?"

This text appears to be a placeholder or a series of symbols without specific meaning. Please provide a complete sentence or context for translation.

It is unfortunate; his luck is truly poor. He has just been appointed as a school lieutenant, yet the power of the Jinyiwei has been significantly curtailed, rendering it a mere empty office. Moreover, he also holds the identity of a merchant. The reason for his recruitment was that he was deemed suitable to serve as a covert agent for the Jinyiwei. Even though the Jinyiwei is currently in a position of power, it is still not his turn to don the flying fish uniform and wield the embroidered spring knife to display authority on the streets of Yingtianfu

This is too bizarre! This scene is truly overwhelming with intense emotions!

Mother Feng exclaimed, "The fairest and best skin?"