At the hour of the dog, Liang Zhen finally accompanied Wei Changtian to the “Flower Chart Competition” scene a decorated tower by the river.
Eight long red silk streamers hung from the top of the tower to the bottom, with lanterns shining brightly inside and flowers blooming outside.
Countless literati, wealthy merchants, and high-ranking officials sat or stood inside the tower, creating a lively atmosphere that was hard to describe.
“Was the selection of the flower queen as grand as this back then?”
Wei Changtian looked around and asked Yang Liu Shi, who was hiding behind a veil.
Yes, ever since Wei Changtian mentioned it, she had really started wearing a veil, putting it on every time she went to crowded places.
“The grandeur of the capital city naturally surpasses this place.”
Yang Liu Shi smiled, “However, this place is not bad either. At the very least, the flowers surrounding the decorated tower can be considered a gathering of a hundred beauties.”
“A hundred beauties? Does that mean a hundred types of flowers?”
Wei Changtian was taken aback, realizing that the flowers surrounding the decorated tower seemed to be of different varieties indeed.
“Is that so.”
Yang Liu Shi explained, “Since we’re evaluating the top beauty, it’s only natural to have a hundred flowers competing. However, most places can’t even gather this many varieties, usually only a few dozen.”
“Therefore, being able to gather a hundred here, although many are unknown wildflowers, is indeed a remarkable feat.”
Good grief, it’s not easy.
By this time, it was already late winter, and who knows where these flowers were sourced from.
Wei Chang Tian let out a subtle sigh, “Truly, you’re skilled at playing the game,” and shifted his gaze to Liang Zhen, who was walking beside him.
At the moment, Liang Zhen was chatting with the fat county magistrate, his brain probably already filled with thoughts of the “young lady” he had yet to meet.
Under the circumstances, where his own daughter was already aware of the situation, Liang Zhen still insisted on “sympathizing with the common folk.” Wei Chang Tian couldn’t help but admire Liang Zhen, although he knew that ancient people were indeed more tolerant in this regard.
Men strolling through the pleasure quarters were basically like going to wash their feet in their past lives, and most women could accept it.
For instance, wasn’t he himself used to swaggering in front of Lu Jing Yao to find Yang Liu Shi?
…
The “Flower Evaluation Chart” activity originally stemmed from the malicious hobbies of literati.
Perhaps they were so bored that they had nothing better to do, and these literati, who frequented the pleasure quarters, besides releasing their desires, also wanted to vent their pent-up poetic talents. Thus, they would write erotic poems to evaluate the beauty and talents of the courtesans.
However, as their experience grew, they began to feel dissatisfied with this simple evaluation method and desired a “comprehensive, objective, and fair” scoring system.
In the end, they imitated the imperial examinations and created the so-called “Flower Evaluation Chart.”
Initially, the “Flower Evaluation Chart” only evaluated physical appearance, but this was like comparing apples and oranges, making it difficult to select an absolute first place.
To increase the credibility of the evaluation results, they later added assessments of temperament, language, poetry, music, and painting, making it as challenging as the imperial examinations of the past.
Good grief, it really lived up to the saying—
Three hundred and sixty professions, each producing a top scorer.
“…Gentlemen, I’ve finished writing, please don’t mock me.”
When Wei Chang Tian and the others sat down in the VIP area of the pavilion, the woman on stage had just finished the “talent showcase” segment.
Poetry, books, songs, instruments, and painting.
It seemed she had drawn “books.”
Several maidservants went on stage, holding up the woman’s freshly written calligraphy, and the audience erupted in applause, with over a dozen red peonies thrown at her feet.
This must be the voting mechanism.
Wei Chang Tian looked up at the calligraphy, which was a poem:
The wind and sun linger, gently caressing the flowers. The fragrance of the hidden path flows. After Qingming, it’s unbearable to look back, with the clouds locking the vermilion tower. The window awakens to the clever voice of the oriole, where is the call to spring sorrow? In the green willow shade, by the sea-duck branch, the red apricot blossoms.
With Wei Chang Tian’s level of calligraphy, he couldn’t evaluate how well the poem was written, but it did look quite pleasing, making him want to throw some flowers in support.
“Come, bring me ten.”
He waved over the servant carrying the flower basket and pulled out a hundred silver taels.
However, the servant’s quoted price left him stunned.
“Sir, one flower is fifty silver taels, so ten would be five hundred silver taels.”
“…”
Five hundred silver taels?
Good grief, why not just rob him?
These peonies, no matter how out of season, weren’t worth this price!
Wei Chang Tian, of course, could afford the five hundred silver taels, but simply felt it wasn’t worth it.
So, without feeling embarrassed, he immediately changed his mind, saying, “I’ll just take two.”
“Very well, sir.”
The servant didn’t show any disdain due to his “frugality,” handing over the two large peonies and respectfully asking:
“Dare to ask, sir, what is your esteemed surname and title? Where is your residence?”
“My surname is Wei.”
Wei Changtian took the flowers and casually tossed them onto the stage, shaking his head and only revealing his surname.
“I understand,” the servant replied.
The servant knew that Wei Changtian was reluctant to disclose too much personal information, so he didn’t ask further and instead loudly announced, “Mr. Wei, bestowing two peonies to Miss Yu Meng!”
Many people turned to look their way, and the woman called Yu Meng on the stage immediately turned around, gracefully curtsying.
The experience wasn’t bad.
Wei Changtian smacked his lips, suddenly understanding why so many wealthy patrons would lavish gifts in live streaming rooms.
After he threw the two peonies, no one else tossed flowers, and the stagehand waited for a few moments before collecting the flowers and following the woman offstage.
Wei Changtian thought the matter was settled, but just as he took two sips of tea, someone presented him with a small handkerchief.
Was this a souvenir?
Wei Changtian looked bewildered, while Yang Liu Shi chuckled beside him, “Congratulations, sir, on being the top flower-giver tonight, earning an invitation to Miss Yu Meng’s private chambers!”
“Huh?”
Wei Changtian instantly guessed that he might be receiving the “top patron” treatment, but he was still somewhat puzzled.
“But isn’t it true that many people gave her flowers? Why did I, with only two, become the top giver?”
“Hehehe, sir, you don’t know…”
Yang Liu Shi explained, “Miss Yu Meng might be a top-ranked lady in her own residence, but in this flower-assessment gathering, she’s probably still outdone by others.”
“But the lady’s family still needs to save face, so…”
“So she bought the flowers herself?”
Wei Changtian exclaimed in surprise, “Isn’t this just pretending to be a big shot?”
“Pretending to be a big…shot?”
Yang Liu Shi blinked twice, her eyes visible outside her veil, seemingly very puzzled.
Wei Changtian quickly glossed over it, “Cough, my point is…what’s the significance of doing this?”
“Sir, you still don’t understand a woman’s heart.”
Yang Liu Shi didn’t bother to clarify what “big shot” meant, covering her mouth as she laughed, “For us, some things, even if fake, can’t be absent.”
“Vanity.”
Wei Changtian rolled his eyes, about to watch the next performer’s program, but suddenly remembered something.
“By the way, how many flowers did you receive when you were crowned the flower queen?”
“Hmm…this many.”
Yang Liu Shi extended one finger.
“One hundred?” Wei Changtian asked.
“Quack quack quack, sir, do you look down on me that much?”
Yang Liu Shi laughed, then proudly declared, “It was one thousand flowers.”
“One thousand?”
Wei Changtian’s eyes widened in shock: “How much does each flower cost?”
“It’s also fifty taels.”
Fifty, multiplied by one thousand…
This was insane!
Did he just rake in fifty thousand taels in one night?!
If calculated this way…hadn’t he already earned tens of thousands of taels by now?