Chapter 36: New Events at the Trade Fair (Part 2)

A long, soft sigh still echoed as a white figure appeared upstairs. Everyone saw a side view, with one hand raised to cover the face. The sleeves were long, fluttering in the wind, and the skirt was long, trailing on the red carpet.

Suddenly, a melodious flute sound came, the tune gentle and lingering, as if a soft sigh was whispered in the ear. Accompanied by the low sound, the white figure slowly turned, revealing a delicate and gentle face. She slowly walked down, like a cloud floating above the red mist. Just as everyone was stunned, Wan Yu opened her mouth and softly sang:

"If only life were as beautiful as our first meeting, why would the autumn wind mourn the painted fan? The old heart changes so easily, yet they say the old heart is fickle. After a night of talking on Lishan, the tears and rain of the bell do not cease. How can I bear the heartless man in brocade, who once vowed to be together forever?"

She sang a line, took a step, sang another line, and took another step. Her voice was filled with sorrow, and she wore a simple white long dress, a pure white cloak, and a white fox fur scarf. Apart from her full head of black hair, there was no other color on Wan Yu. She did not need a gold hairpin or a waist belt, and she slowly descended, evoking pity amidst the flute and song.

Every gesture and movement perfectly embodied the word "elegant." If that were all, it would be fine, but many of the people present were secretaries and advisors from various government offices, all with a deep cultural background. After the song, even those who were not moved by the melody were touched by the lyrics. The scene was dead silent, and several literati were moved to tears, unaware of their own state.

Wan Yu slowly turned and bowed, saying softly, "I apologize for my tardiness. I offer my apologies to all the distinguished guests here!"

At this moment, Wan Yu appeared like a noble lady fallen on hard times, and no one would doubt it.

"Not at all! Not at all!" The guests seemed to forget where they were, all putting away their casual attitudes and looking solemn. Those who resonated or had read a few years of books all bowed in return.

"Just now, I was fixing my appearance in the mirror upstairs. When I came out, I couldn't help but think of my past. I should have introduced the products to the distinguished guests, but I couldn't help singing along with the flute. I hope Mr. Liu, the manager of the United Merchant House, will not laugh at me!" Wan Yu bowed again to Mr. Liu, implying that the flute sound was pre-arranged, and the song was a spontaneous expression of her feelings.

"Miss Wan Yu, I dare not accept your apology. I have long heard that your voice is like a heavenly melody, but I have never had the chance to hear it. Today, I have the honor to hear it thanks to the distinguished guests." Mr. Liu was also a skilled actor, perfectly complementing the scene.

At this moment, two young girls, each holding a makeup box, slowly descended from upstairs. No one noticed them until they stood on either side of Wan Yu, revealing that these two little girls, like Wan Yu, were dressed in pure white, complementing each other.

Standing on the high platform, Mr. Liu's admiration for Chen Xie was overwhelming. They were all in business, but how did Chen Xie do it? Well, Chen Xie forgave Mr. Liu for being a bumpkin, not knowing that these gimmicks were already overused in modern society. In modern commercial activities, it was almost a necessity to have beautiful women on stage. In the entertainment industry, which handsome and beautiful people didn't yearn for fame, hoping that merchants would pay a high price to hire them for advertisements and commercial performances?

The entertainment industry in the Ming Dynasty couldn't compare to modern times, but this place was definitely a major stronghold. The influence of popular courtesans was absolutely significant. In a society where literati held absolute power, the best way for a courtesan to become famous was to have a group of literati support her. The famous "Eight Beauties of Qinhuai" were all praised by well-known literati. So, the essence of many things was the same.

Chen Xie's business tactics were nothing special in modern society, but in the Ming Dynasty, they were absolutely shocking. Commercial activities in the Ming Dynasty were still based on the principle that "good wine needs no bush." They relied on reputation and word of mouth, gradually accumulating. Chen Xie didn't have the time to wait, so he directly used promotional methods to quickly build a reputation.

After the makeup boxes were opened, attention shifted again. The mirror no longer captivated, but inside lay a bottle of floral water, a bottle of shampoo, rouge, powder, eyebrow pencils, and eyebrow tweezers, each item neatly placed. When the bottom drawer was pulled out, various pieces of jewelry dazzled the eyes. These pieces looked shiny and valuable.

Wan Yu's appearance reached a climax, and the trade fair was a great success.

The next part was the afterglow. The three beauties apologized and neatly exited. The guests then ascended the high platform in turn, admiring the goods on the tables. It was said that these items were the main products of the trade fair, and the other items were just for display, not for sale.

However, the treatment for officials was different. In the governor's office, the governor's favorite concubine was using a makeup box to fix her appearance. On the table were various items from the trade fair. When the bottom drawer of the makeup box was opened, it revealed two pearl chains, one a black pearl necklace and the other a pink pearl bracelet. For these gifts, Sun Guozhen could not neglect the United Merchant House's trade fair.

Of course, the bottle that Zhang Yao secretly slipped into his sleeve was the most important for Sun Guozhen. The blue little pills, if taken in half, made the 18-year-old concubine scream in ecstasy until her voice was hoarse. For a man, there was nothing more satisfying than this.

The second phase of the trade fair was led by Mr. Liu, who held a wine glass and chatted with everyone. This free-form style was quickly accepted. Without a formal meal, it didn't matter; it didn't affect the guests' enjoyment. At this point, the presence of the girls was not important. Representatives from large households and merchant houses surrounded Mr. Liu.

Soon, everyone heard a new term: "agency!" Everyone asked questions, but Mr. Liu didn't explain. He just waved his hand, and the girls appeared with a shiny tray. The tray contained booklets of agency regulations, one for each person to take home and read.

"Our principle is to make money together. Eating alone won't make you fat; it will only make you sick. Everyone, keep the booklets. Now, enjoy the food and drinks. If any of the girls are willing, our merchant house will not set any obstacles. The United Merchant House's main store will officially open tomorrow. If you have any matters to discuss, we can talk tomorrow. All business-related activities for today are over."

What is being impressive? The current Mr. Liu was the perfect example! Despite the guests' eager eyes, he refused to talk business.

Many guests were unwilling to leave, staying until it was dark. There was still a large number of guests who hadn't left. With food and drinks available, and no force, if the girls were willing, they could go upstairs to the rooms. This was most appealing to the literati, who were not in business and could enjoy themselves without interference. As literati, they were naturally liked by some less popular girls, who, for the sake of future business, would invite them upstairs even without force.

Once the men and women went upstairs and closed the door, whether they talked about life or ideals was not known to outsiders.

The three final stars did not appear again, as Chen Xie had instructed Ying Niang. They were bored in the back courtyard, playing mahjong and chatting to pass the time.

Although the three were competitors, they shared the same topic at this moment.

"Have you heard that the short-haired doctor is out at sea again? He's been gone for almost a month, right?" Lvyu mentioned Chen Xie.

"What short-haired? He has a name, Chen Xie, styled Si Hua. Mr. Chen!" This was said by Wan Yu, who had the greatest fame and the best treatment. But now Lvyu had something she didn't, which made her feel a bit unbalanced. She also prided herself on being a courtesan, unlike the other two who had been "combed" (a term for being taken as a lover). Being clean and having the greatest fame naturally made her the most competitive.

Wan Yu thought this way, but it didn't mean others agreed. During the afternoons Chen Xie spent at Chunxiang Lou, did he ever show any special treatment to Wan Yu?

"Calling him short-haired isn't bad. Mr. Chen is short-haired, and I like his short hair." Ziyu usually didn't talk much, but when she did, it was sharp. At today's trade fair, she had the least performance opportunity, but she didn't hate Chen Xie. The short-haired doctor had said, "You are suited for the icy beauty route." Indeed, after saying a few words, she felt the heat of many gazes as she left the scene.

Unfortunately, these gazes did not belong to the short-haired Chen Xie. If he were there, just a gentle hook of his finger would make her willing to open her arms to him, allowing him to do as he pleased.

"Enough!" Wan Yu threw down her mahjong tiles and left, her face full of frustration, slamming the door.

Seeing her leave, Lvyu sighed, "Why bother? We are all in the same boat, and it's not easy. I heard that in Mr. Chen's hospital, the sisters' illnesses were all cured. Yesterday, I secretly went to see, and I met Hongguo. She said the sisters could stay and learn medicine from the doctor, who needed some assistants called nurses. I'm thinking about redeeming myself and learning some medical skills from the short-haired doctor, so I have a skill to rely on when I'm old."

Ziyu was silent for a long time, then said softly, "Forget it, the madam won't let you redeem yourself."

Lvyu replied, "I know, but I can dream. We three, who doesn't hope for Mr. Chen to visit our chambers? We all have the same thoughts. You just want to use him to escape this life, while Wan Yu is truly attached to him. If you can't see him, don't fight over him."

"Hmph, what's so great? Who didn't start as a courtesan? The lyrics she sang, do you think I don't know who wrote them?" Ziyu stood up and smiled at Lvyu, "Sister, if you really can't stand it, come to my room, and I'll help you scratch your itch!"

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