"Is Miss Yao Tao using the young lord to pressure us? That’s really underestimating us. Tonight, I insist on having you accompany me! Madam, I’m offering one thousand taels!" A contemptuous voice rang from one of the rooms on the second floor, seemingly right opposite Shao Fatty’s room.
"Hey, what a temper I have! How dare this kid show up?" Shao Fatty was immediately displeased upon hearing this voice!
Mu Qingge turned her gaze to him and asked, "What’s the grudge?"
Shao Fatty mumbled for a long time but didn’t utter a word.
Mu Qingge furrowed her brows, and he quickly replied, "I don’t know where this kid came from, suddenly rich, only arrived in Luodu after you left last time. Once here, he was extremely arrogant, acting as if he wanted to outshine the two famous rakes of Luodu. I definitely wouldn’t stand for it! I competed with him a few times..."
"Lost?" Mu Qingge calmly remarked, seeing his awkward expression.
"Ah? Ah." Shao Fatty deflated like a punctured balloon, lowering his head.
In such a state, the two young ladies had never seen Shao Fatty before, and couldn’t help but look at Mu Qingge with more admiration.
"Have you investigated his background?" Mu Qingge asked.
Shao Fatty hesitated, "Yes, it seems he’s the son of a merchant from Peng City, and his family has nothing but money. A few months ago, his sister married into the Great General Mansion in Luodu, so the whole family moved here and plans to settle down. Once here, they almost bought half the shops on North Street. With money and the Great General’s signboard, he indeed has the capital to be a rake. If I weren’t unwilling to oppress him with family background, would he still have a chance to show off?" After speaking, he let out a defiant snort.
"What were you competing in? How did you lose?" Mu Qingge continued to ask.
Shao Fatty rubbed his hands sheepishly, "Just those rake things? Competing in style, face, beauties, fine wines, and who knows how to play better. Boss, don’t underestimate him; though he’s not good at anything else, he’s a master at all that rake stuff. Relying on his family’s wealth, he’s put me in difficult spots several times. Sigh, what’s my family compared to a moneylender?"
"Doesn’t he know who you are?" Mu Qingge raised an eyebrow.
This time, Shao Fatty raised his head proudly and said, "He knows." But then he deflated again, "But he said the competition is about real stuff, not about who’s close to the young lord."
He pouted and complained to Mu Qingge, "I just feel that this kid comes from a small place and has never personally experienced how formidable you are! He’s used to being self-conceited."
Mu Qingge smiled without saying a word.
From this newly rising rake in Luodu, she indeed sensed a hint of disdain towards her.
"Fatty, go bid," Mu Qingge suddenly said.
"Huh?" Shao Fatty looked at her in surprise.
Mu Qingge glanced at him and smiled, "What? Didn’t you want to win the beauty?"
Shao Fatty gave an ambiguous smile and then said seriously, "Initially, I was interested, but now... I just want to have a few drinks with you, boss, and catch up."
Mu Qingge smiled, lifting her chin, "Go bid."
At this moment, due to the one thousand taels bid, the originally quiet scene started buzzing with discussions.
They were all discussing who was so fearless to dare snatch a girl from the young lord!
On the stage, Yao Tao turned pale, seemingly not expecting the current situation to go beyond her control. She initially thought that mentioning the young lord’s name would scare off any further bids.
Yet unexpectedly, someone wasn’t afraid of the young lord’s reputation and shouted a high price of one thousand taels.
"One... one thousand taels?" The madam held up a finger, stuttering in shock.
The initial high price of one thousand taels made the madam feel very excited. However, seeing that this dead girl mentioned the young lord, she wondered if she would live to enjoy this money.
"What? Not enough? Then I’ll add another thousand taels!" The arrogant voice sounded again.
This time, he simply doubled the bid.
His voice fell, making Yao Tao’s face grow even paler.
"What? Just a young lord scares you like this? Who knows where he is now, whether he’s alive or dead, and today I’ll sleep with his woman, and what can he do to me?" No one dared to bid, and the voice grew increasingly smug.
Hiss—!
Daring to talk about the young lord like this in Luodu, this was the first.
Many people cast mourning glances at him.
"I bid three thousand taels!" Suddenly, a sharp voice due to excitement shouted a price.
Hiss? Who was this again?
The crowd looked up one after another, only to see Shao Fatty’s round body rolling out like a ball, standing by the railing.
"So it’s Young Master Shao!"
"It’s Young Master Shao!"
"Considering his relationship with the young lord, what’s a single woman?"
"Exactly! In the old days, the young lord and Young Master Shao were the top two rakes of Luodu. They wouldn’t let a woman harm their friendship."
"You’re right! Among us, besides that reckless fool, only Young Master Shao dares to bid. Let’s just sit back and enjoy the show!"
The chatter buzzed, and Shao Fatty held his hands behind his back with great effort, chest out, putting on a true rake posture!
"Shao, you’re against me!" An angry voice immediately came from the opposite room.
The cubicles on the second floor of the Drunken Red House were actually not as the madam said, allowing those on the stage to see the people inside.
For certain privacy, these cubicles were quite deep.
Therefore, unless people inside voluntarily stood by the railing, those outside couldn’t see the situation inside. Just like now, from the stage, the madam could only see the shadows behind Shao Fatty.
Seeing Shao Fatty stand up, the madam felt relieved.
After all, the relationship between Shao Fatty and Mu Qingge was well-known in Luodu. Seeing Shao Fatty stand out to bid, the madam felt her money was coming back, and her life was safe.
Immediately, she said with a beaming smile, "Young Master Shao is generous, bidding three thousand. Is there any higher offer?"
Upon hearing this, everyone sneered. Who didn’t know that asking for a higher bid was just asking that reckless fool if he wanted to continue bidding?
"Zhou Wuwei, tonight is the auction of Yao Tao’s first night. You can bid, so why can’t I? What do you mean by opposing you? Besides, so what if I am?" Shao Fatty sneered.
With Mu Qingge backing him up, he was determined to turn the tables today!
"You! Fine, you want to play with me? Let’s see how much money you have to play with me!" Zhou Wuwei gritted his teeth in anger and stood up from his cubicle, walking to the railing.
He raised his pretentious folding fan towards the stage and shouted, "I bid three thousand taels!"
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"Oh, it’s Young Master Shao!"
"It’s really Young Master Shao!"
"Considering his friendship with the little lord, what’s a mere woman?"
"Exactly! Back in the day, the little lord and Young Master Shao were the top two rakes in Luodu. A woman shouldn’t get in the way of their friendship."
"Yes, yes, I agree! Besides that reckless fool, only Young Master Shao has the stomach to bid."
Shao Fatty stood up, again putting on that roguish air!
"Three thousand and one hundred taels!" An excited voice from nowhere added to the bidding.
Ah? Everyone was looking, if the young master could, he must try his best to leave a good impression!
It was Mu Qingge who said with admiration, "It’s the Great General Mansion’s little brother. He dared to bid against Shao Yueze!"
"I have to say, he’s got some guts."
"""
Yao Tao didn’t dare to think about it, she could only let tears fall from her eyes, soaking her veil and revealing her delicate facial features.
Yao Tao’s appearance was a combination of charm within demureness, and grace with a touch of liveliness.
At this moment, her silent tears added an extra layer of sympathy.
Zhou Wuwei, who was squabbling with Shao Fatty, felt a stir in his heart upon witnessing this scene.
At this time, Shao Fatty shouted again, "I’ll bid ten thousand taels!"
These words were like a bucket of cold water pouring over Zhou Wuwei’s head. He leaned on the railing and shouted at Shao Fatty, "Shao Yueze, you’re using ten thousand taels to block me for a woman!"
Shao Fatty gave him a contemptuous look, full of kingly energy, and said, "Why are you yelling at me? Aren’t you rich? Keep bidding higher!"
Zhou Wuwei suddenly relaxed and smirked coldly, "Oh, yes, I have money. However, do you really have money?"
Shao Fatty wasn’t angered by him, instead, he responded with ease, "That’s none of your business."
These words made Zhou Wuwei’s face instantly darken.
In the time he had been in Luodu, he had never been so humiliated! Even when he had clashed with this damned fatty a few times, he had always won! How could he concede now?
"Fine! You want to compare wealth? I bid fifteen thousand taels!" Zhou Wuwei gritted his teeth.
"Heavens! Is this man insane? Spending fifteen thousand taels for a night at Flower Street!"
"I’m afraid it’s no longer about the woman; it’s about pride."
"Heh, so you can see that too? Let’s wager and see whether the seasoned dandy of Luodu or the rising one has the upper hand?"
"What’s the matter? Afraid to bid more?" Zhou Wuwei sneered disdainfully at Shao Fatty.
In his eyes, he wanted nothing more than to spill Shao Fatty’s blood.
Shao Fatty glanced at him from the corner of his eye and said with composure, "I’ll bid twenty thousand taels!"
"Twenty thousand taels! Oh my God!" The madam was either shocked or overly delighted and fell back onto the ground.
Yao Tao was already numb, standing there like a puppet with strings.
The madam’s antics made many people burst out laughing.
However, the laughter turned into mockery in Zhou Wuwei’s ears.
Zhou Wuwei demanded menacingly at Shao Fatty, "Shao, you want to see this to the end tonight, don’t you?"
Shao Fatty grinned, a smile so bright it was infuriating. "Rest assured, I don’t have as much money as you. I certainly can’t beat you. If you bid higher than twenty thousand, I won’t compete."
Oh? Is he backing out?
The crowd was just getting excited when they heard Shao Fatty’s words and felt a little let down, and somewhat confused. If he didn’t intend to see it through, why did he join in the first place?
Could it be just to make that Zhou spend more money in vain?
The world of dandies, they really didn’t understand!
"Are you serious?" Zhou Wuwei squinted suspiciously.
Shao Fatty raised his chubby neck, snorted from his nose, and said, "Of course! This young lord never goes back on his word!"
"Fine! I believe you!" Zhou Wuwei’s icy gaze swept over Shao Fatty, seemingly remembering Shao Fatty’s deliberate attempt to make him overspend. With a vicious look at Shao Fatty, Zhou Wuwei turned his gaze to the stage, ogled Yao Tao for a moment, and then shouted, "I bid twenty-one thousand taels!"
His voice trembled a little.
The others thought it was excitement. But in reality, he himself knew that spending twenty-one thousand taels for the first night of a courtesan, even if his family had the money, he would have to shed a layer of skin when he got home.
Of course, this would be blamed on Shao Fatty.
"Twenty-one thousand taels!" The madam was overjoyed, sitting on the ground, counting with her fingers, but couldn’t grasp what twenty-one thousand taels meant.
At this moment, her gaze towards Yao Tao was like seeing a money-making tree, filled with delight!
She didn’t bother to get up from the ground, lifting the hand holding the handkerchief and waving it, "Master Zhou bids twenty-one thousand taels, is there any higher? If not, our beauty Yao Tao will belong to Master Zhou tonight!"
Twenty-one thousand taels, only a fool would raise the bid!
The onlookers thought disdainfully to themselves.
This Yao Tao wasn’t some exceptionally rare beauty, not worth this price. Her price was unprecedentedly high only because two dandies were competing out of spite.
After shouting, the madam looked expectantly at Shao Fatty, seemingly hoping he would raise the bid again so she could earn more.
But Shao Fatty remained indifferent, unmoved.
He appeared to observe his promise to Zhou Wuwei, genuinely not raising the bid anymore.
The madam was slightly disappointed, wishing these two wealthy fools would keep bidding.
"Why are you wasting words? I don’t believe anyone dares to offer more! Who dares to court disaster?" The madam’s greediness irked Zhou Wuwei, prompting him to urge repeatedly.
"Ah ah!" The madam picked up her skirt and climbed up from the floor.
But before she stood firm, a calm voice drifted from the second floor, "I bid one tael."
Poof!
Poof poof!
In the hall, and in the second-floor compartments, many people spat their tea and wine out.
They seemed severely surprised.
The madam was stunned, immediately straightening her back, akimbo, and looking around while shouting, "Who? Who’s causing trouble here?"
Zhou Wuwei’s cold voice also came, "Who the hell dares to mess with me? Don’t want to live?"
"It’s me." The same calm two words followed.
However, this time both the madam and Zhou Wuwei, as well as the surrounding onlookers, heard it clearly; the voice came from Shao Fatty’s compartment.
"Shao Fatty, what trick are you playing!" Zhou Wuwei asked with a frown.
But the madam and the others guessed a possibility, falling silent, slowly standing up. The madam’s face turned ashen.
An obscure figure came out leisurely from the shadows behind Shao Fatty, hands behind their back.
When her bright red robe appeared, the entire Drunken Red House fell so silent that you could hear a pin drop.
Yao Tao, in a daze, raised her eyes to look at that coquettish red figure on the second floor.
And when her appearance emerged in people’s view, everyone present seemed extremely shocked. The madam’s face went pale, and she screamed, "Oh my God!" and fell back onto the ground.
"It’s Little Lord!"
"It’s truly Little Lord!"
"Little Lord has returned!"
The crowd awoke from the madam’s screams.
Subsequently, everyone in Drunken Red House, be they commoners or nobility, men or women, young or old, knelt on the ground, shouting in unison, "Welcome back to the capital, Little Lord! May Little Lord live long and prosper!"
Little Lord!
Yao Tao’s eyes widened, her vision went dark, and she fainted on the spot.
Mu Qingge’s clear gaze lightly swept over everyone present, lingering on Zhou Wuwei’s face, which was alternating between darkness and pallor for a few moments, then finally looked at the madam, "One tael of silver, the indenture contract."
The madam dared not defy Mu Qingge, trembling all over, ordered, "Quick, go and bring the indenture!"
"Quick, prepare her to be sent to the Little Lord’s place."
Zhou Wuwei was seething with anger, having spent twenty-one thousand taels to buy the first night with someone, only for her to be handed over for free like that?
What infuriated him more was the latent rivalry he harbored, wanting to have a showdown with Little Lord himself.
But he thought better of it now as he asked, "But what does this mean?"
"""
The people he painstakingly spent money to contend for, the moment he speaks, others eagerly send them away. Isn’t this humiliating him?
What’s there to compete for?



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