Chapter 1010: Chapter 306: Wei Zhe and Miss Xiangxiang (Part 1)
"When you come over tonight, I will be waiting for you in the darkness, with the lantern at the entrance extinguished."
The meaning of extinguishing the lantern is straightforward. When the girls in the blue house have guests arranged, they extinguish a lantern at the entrance. This lantern tradition is passed down among the women of the brothel through a story from ancient times.
The story is quite simple. It speaks of a loving couple, where every time the husband went out, the wife would light a lantern outside the fence. The lantern not only guided her husband home but also signified to neighbors that her husband was away.
Cough, cough.
That’s how it is.
Though the couple loved each other deeply, neither stopped the other from pursuing their desires. The women did business at home, and the men worked outside, coming together for meals and tea in the evenings.
So, when others saw the lit lantern, they knew guests were welcome; but if the lantern was extinguished, it meant the husband had returned, and others should respect their privacy.
This story naturally spread among the women in the brothel.
The madam of the brothel, seeing the extinguished lantern at the door, understood that the girl already had a guest and did not need to be made available.
Conversely, when seeing lanterns lit at other doors, she knew those spots were free and could accommodate guests.
Wei Zhe was deeply moved after hearing this. He held Xiangxiang’s hand tightly and said earnestly, "It’s alright; there are many people in the guild helping now."
"So even if I can’t go to the guild because of some important matters right now, there won’t be any issues. Xufu Town is different from before; it’s gradually growing up."
"A seemingly troublesome adult, but at least it’s taking care of itself now."
True to the scholarly nature of Wei Zhe, who initially seemed uninterested in the girls, now, after some time, even though his eloquence was not quite as good as Old Wei’s, his skill in charming the girls had greatly improved.
Seeing Xiangxiang’s gentle smile, he couldn’t help but ask, "So, Xiangxiang, what’s happened with you? Why didn’t you leave with the Courtesan? Wasn’t it your dream to become a Courtesan? What stopped you from achieving your dream?"
Wei Zhe remembered clearly, but Xiangxiang firmly stated that she wanted to become a Courtesan, claiming it was her most important goal, and she wouldn’t give up until she achieved it. Now, it has only been a few months since she left, not even a year.
It couldn’t be possible that within just a year, she has already become a Courtesan, right?
The speed shouldn’t be so fast.
Xiangxiang lifted a small teacup with both hands, and when Wei Zhe, slightly anxious, accepted it, she smiled and asked, "Wei Zhe, do you know why I wanted to become a Courtesan?"
Why want to become a Courtesan?
Wei Zhe thought for a moment, then shook his head: "I might know, but if you could share your thoughts with me, I’d be very happy."
The man in front of her was becoming more understanding... Xiangxiang chuckled and nodded: "The matter is quite simple. Why would I follow a Courtesan, and why want to become one later? Mostly because there’s a title of Courtesan."
Wei Zhe mused, "The title of Courtesan, right? People see the Courtesan as impressive."
Xufu Town has never had a Courtesan. If one appeared one day, Xufu Town would explode in excitement, plunging into chaos, as the Courtesan in Xufu Town’s eyes would be revered like a deity, even Wei Zhe himself, if he were Xiangxiang, would aspire to become a Courtesan.
"Yes, yes, being a Courtesan is something to be proud of for me."
Xiangxiang’s gaze gradually filled with aspiration, as she sat on the stool, her eyes were ablaze with intense hope, as if she envisioned a beautiful life.
"Though I’m in the blue house and didn’t have many choices initially, with relentless effort, we can always progress further down this path. Now, I’ve earned the title of Xiangxiang, already a decent woman."
"Moreover, if I have the identity of a Courtesan, mere wealth is secondary; the difference in status is what matters—from anyone being able to bully me initially to me regaining control of my life, being able to choose my guests, to choose my future."
"I could even choose with whom to leave; the identity of Xiangxiang is still lacking. If I choose to leave with a prominent figure, they might still be apprehensive. But if I am a Courtesan, not only would prominent figures but others would admire a prominent figure marrying a Courtesan."
