Chapter 71: Battle of Boats Magnificence
When they all—Huangfu Jie as well as Yuan Zhuang and the several other officers—heard that, they couldn’t help but give Fang Chen an odd look. He had never been here before?
How was that possible...?
The Grand Xia boats were well known for their array of exquisite and alluring beauties. Rumor has it that even the emperor himself had secretly visited this place. The loyal, more frequent visitors of such places, however, were the young masters of the various families in the capital. Even the crown prince would sometimes come over in disguise to enjoy a night of leisure every now and then.
So, it was clear that unless one lacked silver, they would at least come here once in their lives, and the Fang Manor couldn’t possibly be lacking in money, so the only other reason could be that...!
Everyone's thoughts whirled, and they couldn’t help but think of another possibility.
Noticing the strange atmosphere, Fang Chen could only crack a smile. “I considered coming here many times before, but unfortunately, I usually don’t end up finding the time to. All I’ve been doing these past few years is running around and fighting. I had focused all my energy and attention on the battlefield.”
Upon hearing that, they suddenly felt deep respect for Fang Chen. Now that they thought about it, it did make sense; except for the past five years, where Fang Chen had mostly stayed in the Fang Manor, and only occasionally went out for a stroll or a cup of tea, most of his time had been spent in battles—or on his way to one. He indeed didn’t have the time to visit such places.
Eventually, they were brought to the central hall of the Jade Immortal boat by a servant.
Entering the hall, Fang Chen felt like he had stepped into a bar; tables were arranged in a disorderly manner, the aroma of fine wine filled the air, and waitresses and servants weaved in and out. There were many beautiful girls wearing make-ups, embalmed with perfume.
The air was filled with the pungent fragrance of cologne.
After taking their seats, Xu Ge, who seemed familiar with the place, waved his hand for a waitress. She came over, and he ordered. The waitress nodded repeatedly and then left.
Before long, the table was filled with appetizers and fine wine. After that, several girls walked over, shooting Huangfu Jie and the others smiles.
Seeing Fang Chen’s tightly closed eyes, the girls turned puzzled. Why does this handsome young man have his eyes closed?
Yuan Zhuang's face turned aflame. Taking a quick peek at Fang Chen, he turned to Xu Ge hastily and said, “Brother Xu, I’ll pass.”
Xu Ge didn’t buy that, and he insisted, "You must enjoy yourself since we’re here!"
“Exactly, Officer Yuan! Since you're here, you must show the lord some respect by enjoying yourself to the fullest, even if you don’t like it! ” After one of the officials said that, each of them waved a girl they fancied over.
The girls immediately approached and sat down with them, occasionally letting out laughter akin to chimes of silver bells. Seeing them enjoying themselves, Yuan Zhuang eventually gave in, choosing one of the girls.
Huangfu Jie was clearly a player, but in the southern region, where could one find such high-quality women? He looked really excited to be there as he sat sandwiched between two girls who fed him grapes. Whenever his eyes came to rest on Fang Chen, his eyes would show clear gratitude. It was obvious the man was in bliss.
"Hmph. A gal on his left, and another on his right. One really can’t feel the pinch spending other people’s money," grumbled Xu Ge under his breath; Fang Chen was the one covering the expenses. Huangfu Jie was way too thick skinned to be splurging like that!
When one of the women at the table, beside Xu Ge, saw that Fang Chen, who took the host’s seat, had his eyes closed and sat in silence, she couldn’t help but tease him, saying, “Hey, why don't you call one of the sisters here to accompany you for a drink and have a bit of fun? Want me to arrange one for you?”
“I suggest you just take care of your husband here[1]. Don’t stick your nose into my lord’s business,” retorted Xu Ge jokingly.
Hearing that, the woman with enchanting eyes took a sip of her wine in a sultry manner and gave Xu Ge a seductive look. “Oh, my! Yes, my husband, forgive me. Here, let me pour some wine for you.”
Downing the wine she poured in one full swing, Xu Ge smacked down his cup and wiped his mouth clean with his sleeve. Satisfied, he laughed heartily. "How fun!"
When Fang Chen saw that, his mouth couldn’t help but rise into a strange smile, and he joked, "What, playing house now?"
After a few glasses of wine, Yuan Zhuang, who had been reserved all along, gradually loosened up. He even learned a few common toasts used on the boat, thoroughly enjoying himself with the ladies.
At that moment, a cheer rang out. "Baron Xian from Longdu is treating everyone to a drink tonight! Each table will receive a bottle of Drunken Immortal Wine!"
"The nobles from Longdu are truly generous!" Everyone praised in unison. However, Xu Ge and the others only revealed contempt.
Not far away, Baron Xian and Ye Qinghe were having a great time. They frequently flinged a piece of silver over to the girls around them, even bestowing gifts upon the maidservants serving them.
At one point, Baron Xian put down his cup of wine and asked Ye Qinghe impatiently, "Sir Ye, when will Fairy Yu arrive?”
Ye Qinghe smiled. "There's no need to hurry. She should be here soon. Today, there will be a Battle of Boats Magnificence. At that time, you’ll be able to witness the stunning dance of Fairy Yu.”
Baron Xian showed an excited smile. “Battle of Boats Magnificence? Interesting.”
At some point, brightly lit pleasure boats had gathered in the center of Great Xia River, forming a circle with their decks facing each other.
The servants on the Jade Immortal Boat immediately opened the huge curtains, allowing everyone to not only see the deck and scenery outside, but also observe the guests on the other boats.
Many guests became excited. Those who had experienced the Battle of Boats Magnificence before were silently cheering for the dazzling performance tonight.
In the next moment, graceful figures stepped onto the decks of each boat and started to dance elegantly. Each boat had a uniqueness to it, so guests were able to witness the distinctive dances of dozens of top pleasure boats on Grand Xia River in one go.
The atmosphere began to rise and gradually reached its climax with the appearance of the top courtesans. All of them danced gracefully along with the beautiful music and the guest’s cheers.
On the Jade Immortal Boat, the guests could see Fairy Yu covered with a light veil. She exuded an otherworldly aura, displaying a seductive figure and a pair of feet so fair and translucent that they seemed radiant even when barefoot. As soon as she appeared, she overshadowed all the other courtesans present, instantly capturing the attention of every spectator.
“She has reached the Qi Manipulation Stage, it seems that the Bone Tempering Pill played a crucial role...” Fang Chen commented as he admired the dance of Fairy Yu.
The woman beside Xu Ge noticed that Fang Chen was nodding occasionally with his eyes closed, which she found weird. How could he see with his eyes closed?
Just then, a shout came from an opposite boat, "Two thousand taels, please let Fairy Yu come over for a cup of wine!"
"Boss Zhao is generous indeed! But two thousand taels seems a little low. I'll offer three thousand taels to invite Fairy Yu over so we can get to know each other over a cup of wine!”
"Don’t even think about having a drink with Fairy Yu if you hadn’t even prepared at least five thousand taels! The two of you better stay where you are; I’m offering five thousand tales!”
“These guys have really deep pockets” was the thought that Xu Ge, Huangfu Jie, and the others shared as they exchanged glances.
Several thousand taels were not something they could easily produce unless they robbed someone.
"Hehe..." Baron Xian chuckled lightly, sipping his wine. Then, he glanced at Ye Qinghe.
Ye Qinghe understood his meaning and said calmly, "Baron Xian from Longdu offers five thousand five hundred taels to invite Fairy Yu for a cup of wine."
Using his internal qi, his voice spread across all the boats. Even though his bid wasn’t exactly high, the entire area fell silent after he spoke. No one dared to compete with him.
Baron Xian showed a triumphant look, raised his cup, and smiled at Fairy Yu not far away. "Fairy Yu, I've long since heard of your unparalleled beauty. Could you please come over and have a cup of wine with me?"
1. Xu Ge is referring to himself as the “husband” in a flirtatious manner ?
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