Shen Youyu was unaware of Lin's mother's vicious scheme; she had already gone back to her room to change and dress.
Xiao Yu did not follow Shen Youyu back to her room.
Although Shen Youyu had promised to marry Xiao Yu...
However, it was just a verbal promise. It's fine to call someone "wife" verbally, but one still needs to maintain proper etiquette.
Just like how the four women still addressed Madam Xiao as "Madam," instead of "Mother" or "Mother-in-law"!
Xiao Yu decided to go for a stroll on the first floor.
First floor.
The person originally in charge of this poetry competition was a pretty young woman named Hongmei.
After Xiao Yu went downstairs, he saw the young lady leave. Then, Madam Lin stood on the stage and announced, "Today's poetry competition will be hosted by Shen Youyu, the number one courtesan in the capital!"
Upon hearing this, the audience immediately cheered.
Those stunning young ladies are also very beautiful, but they still pale in comparison to Shen Youyu!
Just as everyone was getting excited, Lin's mother spoke up again: "Whoever wins the championship in this poetry competition will become the first guest of the young fish!"
"What?"
"The...the first guest?!"
"Did I hear that right?"
"Mother Lin isn't joking, is she? I offered 100,000 taels of silver before and still couldn't sleep with the courtesan... This time, the champion of the poetry competition... can sleep with the courtesan?!"
"First visitor... This is Shen Youyu's first time!"
The audience below the stage became excited, shouting that they wanted to sign up for the poetry competition.
"The entrance fee for this poetry competition is twenty taels of gold!"
At the height of everyone's emotions, Lin's mother suddenly spoke up.
Previously, participating in a poetry competition only cost ten taels of silver, but now it has increased so much... Mother Lin is really going all in!
In this world, the exchange rate between gold and silver is approximately 1:10.
Twenty taels of gold would be equivalent to two hundred taels of silver!
"That madam was definitely up to no good!" Xiao Yu frowned.
He had long suspected it wouldn't be that simple, but he still underestimated Lin's mother's cunning.
She wanted to squeeze every last bit of value out of Shen Youyu before she left Baoyue Tower!
"Twenty taels of gold?"
"This is too expensive!"
"Mrs. Lin, you're not joking, are you?"
"Where are we going to get so much money all at once?"
Those talented men who didn't have enough money complained.
But most people were happy and excited.
Most of the customers at Baoyuelou were wealthy people, including many high-ranking officials and nobles with vast fortunes; they were not short of money at all.
Among these people, there were several who spent lavishly to obtain Shen Youyu's virginity!
They may not be cultured, but that doesn't matter...
These people all had servants, and since they themselves lacked poetic talent, they could have their servants write poems for them.
It doesn't matter if the servants lose; in their eyes, everyone has a price tag.
If someone wins the poetry competition and becomes Shen Youyu's first guest... they can simply make an offer and buy the opportunity from that person!
Therefore, what appears to be a fair poetry competition actually hides a secret!
This is also the source of Lin's mother's confidence to ask for twenty taels of gold!
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the first time the top courtesan in the capital has done this. Is a mere twenty taels of gold really that expensive?"
Standing on the stage, Lin's mother swayed her graceful figure and said with a smile, "If there were a price tag, let alone twenty taels of gold, even two thousand taels of gold would be enough to make people scramble to become the first customer of the number one courtesan in the capital!"
"Yes, this mere twenty taels of gold is not expensive at all!"
"I'm signing up!"
"I'm signing up too!"
Before Lin's mother could finish speaking, people in the audience had already started scrambling to sign up, grabbing their banknotes and rushing to register their names.
Some people didn't bring enough money, so they quickly ran home to get more.
Instantly, the entire Baoyue Tower was abuzz with excitement as everyone rushed to sign up, dreaming of becoming Shen Youyu's first guest.
"We must win, there is no turning back!"
Xiao Yu frowned and muttered to himself.
"hehe."
Seeing everyone eagerly signing up, Lin's mother smiled charmingly, looking smug.
She muttered to herself softly, "Leaving Baoyue Tower isn't that easy. Once you've lost your virginity, will the Xiao Prince's Mansion still look favorably upon you?"
In her view, the reason why the Xiao Prince's Mansion could accept Shen Youyu was because she was still a virgin and possessed enormous wealth.
Xiao Yu is an idiot, and I heard that he was even jilted by the Chu family!
So... only then could the Xiao Royal Mansion accept Shen Youyu and Xiao Yu being together, right?
"Even if the Xiao Prince's Mansion falls into ruin, it will never allow Xiao Yu to marry a prostitute with a dirty body! After you are kicked out of the Xiao Prince's Mansion, won't you still have to obediently return to Baoyue Tower and continue to make money for me?"
Lin's mother was making plans in her mind, and she was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling.
She was smiling when she suddenly saw Xiao Yu take out a silver note from his pocket and go to register.
"A fool who actually thinks he can win?"
Lin's mother snorted lightly, not taking Xiao Yu seriously.
News of this poetry competition spread quickly.
In just over ten minutes, many more people arrived, scrambling to sign up.
The first floor was already quite crowded, but people were still coming in one after another...
"They made a killing."
As Lin's mother watched the increasing number of silver notes on the table, she beamed with joy, swaying her plump hips, and instructed the servants to keep a close eye on the money.
Time passed by, minute by minute.
After much anticipation, the young fish finally appeared!
The moment she appeared, the entire Baoyue Tower fell silent, and all eyes were focused on Shen Youyu.
Even Xiao Yu was stunned. He had never imagined that a woman could be so beautiful!
Shen Youyu was dressed in a magnificent gown, with a red skirt trailing behind her, which accentuated her tall and graceful figure, making her look like a fairy in a painting.
Looking further up, Shen Youyu also has a great figure, with a petite frame and skin as white as fresh snow.
What was most captivating about her was not her figure, but her stunningly beautiful face. Perhaps it was the makeup, but at first glance, Xiao Yu felt that Shen Youyu's face was flushed with spring, and her brows were full of alluring charm.
However, that alluring charm was also very subtle, unlike Lin Mama's... Lin Mama's charm was fiery, while Shen Youyu's charm was the delicate beauty and restraint between her brows.
Shen Youyu was not only dressed in gorgeous clothes, but also wore an exquisite gold hairpin on her head, which swayed gracefully as she walked, showing off her elegant demeanor.
"She's so beautiful! How can there be such a beautiful woman in the world!"
This was everyone's first thought upon seeing Shen Youyu, regardless of whether they were men or women.
"My wife is so beautiful!"
Xiao Yu licked his lips and muttered to himself, "Such a beautiful wife, I can't let her be with other men... Damn it, I have to win this championship!!"
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