Chapter 36: Returning to the Old Trade (Part 2)

The private rooms in the teahouse are decorated in a fresh and elegant style.

While waiting for the male prostitute, Shen Tang toyed with the teacups on the tea table. As someone with mild ADHD, she wasn't used to overly quiet environments. Seeing that the shopkeeper was also daydreaming and killing time, she couldn't help but ask the question that had been bothering her for a while.

"Shopkeeper, I have a question. I wonder if you can answer it?"

Upon hearing her words, the shopkeeper's thoughts, which had not yet drifted away, were immediately pulled back to his body. He joked, "There's nothing I can or cannot answer, as long as you don't ask about this old man and my wife."

Shen Tang: "..."

She didn't want to understand immediately either.

(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

Who wants to know the fun and interesting things between you and your wife!

Seeing Shen Tang's strange and complicated expression, the shopkeeper suddenly realized that the painter in front of him was still a young lady of eleven or twelve. No matter how exquisite his painting skills were or how proficient he was in depicting erotic scenes, he shouldn't have made such a suggestive joke. He could only quickly skip over the topic and ask, "What did you say just now, young lady? You have questions, right? Please ask, and I will answer them to the best of my knowledge."

Shen Tang then asked, "How could the prefectural government encourage this kind of business? Shouldn't public officials avoid suspicion?"

To actually lead the development of this kind of industry is unheard of.

The shopkeeper thought it was some kind of problem.

Upon hearing that it was a trivial matter of common sense, he was somewhat surprised by Shen Tang's "naiveté," as it was common knowledge. Then he thought about it again: this young woman was beautiful, had an elegant demeanor, showed no signs of manual labor, and possessed excellent painting skills; she must have come from a wealthy family before her downfall. It was normal for her relatives to protect her from knowing these sordid matters.

Thinking of this, he looked at Shen Tang with a touch of pity—this young lady must be struggling financially to have run out to find work making erotic illustrations. If this business deal goes smoothly, the bookstore can reserve other commissions for her in the future.

He took a sip of tea and sighed deeply, "Well, that's a long story. These past few years have been filled with natural disasters and wars, making it hard for ordinary people to survive. Those with land dare not cultivate it for fear of being robbed by bandits, while those without land are starving. Tell me, if adults can't even get enough to eat and wear, how can they support a large family?"

Shen Tang shook her head: "Of course we can't afford to raise them."

The shopkeeper said, "That's why, if they can't afford to raise them, they either abandon them or sell them. The prefectural government saw that this wouldn't work, so they suggested building more brothels and entertainment venues, with singing, dancing, and entertainment. Firstly, this would attract more merchants from outside and make money; secondly, it would also provide a place for these children; and thirdly, with such heavy taxes, it would help fill the gap. Otherwise, if the higher-ups demanded tax revenue, the prefectural government wouldn't be able to explain itself. They've done this, saying it's... killing two birds with one stone."

Shen Tang's expression changed upon hearing this.

I tried to hold it in, but all I felt was disgust.

She asked, "Is that really what the prefectural government means?"

The shopkeeper pointed in the direction of the center of Xiaocheng.

He lowered his voice and leaned closer, saying, "Of course, that's how the notices are posted. What are these nobles thinking? What can we ordinary people say? To be honest—nothing would have happened if there hadn't been a war! Now that things have gotten so complicated, selling our sons and daughters into brothels is actually a favor to these nobles."

Due to the special circumstances and the county government's strong encouragement, other businesses in Xiaocheng were not doing well, but the entertainment venues were making a fortune, with business booming every day.

Those who couldn't survive were forced to sell their children, but the money they received wasn't even enough to cover a family's monthly expenses. Instead, it enriched the traffickers and brothel owners. As more children were sold, these people had a wider range of choices and could be more selective, so they conspired to drive down the price, leaving the parents with no choice but to sell their children at a pittance.

A child with a decent appearance can be taken away for at most a hundred or two coins, and his future fate is entirely up to fate.

After finishing his sentence, the shopkeeper sighed with great indignation. He caught a glimpse of Shen Tang lost in thought and suddenly realized that he had said something he shouldn't have to a child. He immediately tried to make amends: "Sigh, all of that is in the past. In this world, it's not easy to even survive."

Whether they endure hunger and hardship, or remain in brothels and entertainment venues, their choice is not in the hands of the poor. Their lives are worth less than grass; they have no choice whatsoever.

Staying in brothels at least meant you had a chance to live—if God was kind enough to grant you beauty and make you a top courtesan, living a life of luxury, even if you died young, you could still say you'd "enjoyed happiness"—the real fear was being brutally murdered by thugs, dragged to the battlefield as cannon fodder, or forced to frantically tend a few acres of barren farmland, working hard all year round and relying on the weather for your livelihood, only to have your whole family starve to death in the end.

Shen Tang felt it was too heavy.

Seeing her sad expression, the shopkeeper tried to change the subject and asked her, "Guess how many male brothels and how many female brothels are in these five long streets of brothels?"

Shen Tang had no idea.

He casually replied, "Half and half?"

The shopkeeper shook his head: "The men's section accounts for this number!"

He gestured the number seven.

It means 70%.

Shen Tang: "..."

The shopkeeper started asking and answering his own questions.

"You must be wondering why this is so, right? The answer isn't hard to find. Do you know that the one currently sitting above us was once the 'favorite concubine' of the King of Xin? She had a nickname, 'Nüjiao,' and as soon as she appeared out of nowhere, she attracted countless envious glances. Male brothels sprang up everywhere, and business boomed. Look at her now, she's the ruler of a country!" He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "How amazing!"

The only thing missing is to award Zheng Qiao the "Most Inspirational Male Consort in History" award.

When a male concubine reaches this level, everyone who sees it will say it's awesome!

Zheng Qiao has also become an idol and male god among male escorts.

Shen Tang: "..."

A short while later, rhythmic knocking came from outside the private room.

The innkeeper got up and opened the door. Three strangers stood outside, two tall and one short. The one in the middle wore a veil and a black gauze covering his face, while two tall, fierce-looking guards stood to his left and right.

Needless to say, the one in the middle is the main character.

Once inside the private room, he removed the curtain, revealing a fair, delicate face with a somewhat harsh look. He appeared more like a slightly immature young man than a man. His gaze swept over Shen Tang, and seeing no one else present, he asked the innkeeper, "Where is the painter?"

Shen Tang raised her hand: "Here!"

He didn't even glance at Shen Tang, instead venting his anger on the shopkeeper: "Did you not pay enough? How dare you send me such a greenhorn? Do you know how important that map is?"

The shopkeeper hadn't expected this young man to have such a temper, but for the sake of business, he had no choice but to bow down and flatter him, vouching for Shen Tang: "Don't underestimate this young man, his painting skills are no worse than those of the previous painters."

Shen Tang nodded in agreement.

After all, she used to make a living with this skill.

Trust in her professional abilities!

Upon hearing this, the man carefully examined Shen Tang.

At this moment, Shen Tang had already stood up, the Wenxin seal hanging from her waist drooping with her movement, the transparent seal faintly displaying iridescent colors under the light. The young man was taken aback, then suddenly changed his tune: "Alright, let this person give it a try. If he doesn't satisfy me, we'll find someone else! However, I have a request!"

Shen Tang said confidently, "Go ahead and say it."

The boy said, "You must use the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone I provide to paint."

Upon hearing this, Shen Tang thought it was a good thing and immediately agreed.

The sky was dark and the stars seemed to be boiling.

Qi Shan felt like something was missing that day.

Hearing the footsteps coming from next door again, he knew that Young Master Shen had returned. He glanced at the new books he had collected on the desk, thought for a moment, and then knocked on Shen Tang's door with them in his arms.

Shen Tang had just finished drafting and was about to start writing.

"Wait a moment, it'll be right there."

Shen Tang got up to open the door.

"Yuanliang, is something the matter?"

He then stepped aside to let Qi Shan in.

"I borrowed a few manuscripts from a friend, see if there's anything you need..." Before she could finish speaking, and before she could put the book down, she saw the works spread out on Shen Tang's table and exclaimed, "Young Master Shen, which 'master' taught you 'painting' among the four arts of qin, qi, shu, hua?"

The paper depicts a person with a large, round, black head and a body drawn with a few crooked strokes, resembling a twisted rope, lying on what might be a "recliner".

A bulge sits atop her head, whether it's a hair bun or a flower pinned to her temples is hard to tell. Her "right hand" is gripping a round fan, while her left hand hangs down... She must be someone lying on a chaise lounge, striking a pose, with the bulge protruding and the concave areas defined.

It's sloppy and bizarre, with an inexplicable air of sultryness about it.

The key point is that there is more than one "person" on the blank paper. When viewed in sequence, the figure's actions range from undressing to climbing onto the bed and striking a pose. The scene that is not yet finished should be the arrival of a second strange "person"... He sensed an inexplicable "anxious" atmosphere.

Pray for good...

He found it very difficult to lie and call it a "painting".

Something came up today. I left the window open when I went out, and a heavy rainstorm flooded the study, soaking my computer and ruining my mouse. I had to use my unfamiliar gaming laptop to type, so I missed the deadline. I'll finish the remaining few hundred words later.

PS: Seeing this sentence means the revision is complete. I added 500 more words to describe Tang Mei's artwork, so the update is a bit late.

(End of this chapter)