"Do any of our families own a restaurant?" Qin Mu asked.
“I don’t have any at home, but it seems like you do,” Yuchi Baolin said after thinking for a moment.
Do I have any at home?
"Yes, your family has some. It's in the East Market. Huaiyu took us out to eat there once," Yuchi Baoqing replied.
"Oh! I'll go back and ask."
"Are you thinking of opening a restaurant?" Yuchi Baolin asked.
“That’s right. If restaurants are so profitable, it’s better for us to do it ourselves than to let others make money.” Qin Mu nodded.
"It's not that simple. To establish a restaurant, you need good chefs. Besides, there are so many restaurants in Chang'an, and people don't necessarily have to go to your place to eat," Yuchi Baolin said, shaking his head.
Qin Mu glanced at Yuchi Baolin and thought to himself, "You're not stupid!"
"I know all that. I have a way of making unique dishes that taste great," Qin Mu said. He was confident in opening a good restaurant. Not just because of the food, but also because of the layout of Deyuelou that he had seen today. Compared to the other world, Deyuelou was really nothing; it couldn't even compare to a farmhouse restaurant. Both its layout and service were rather low-class.
"Really?" Yuchi Baolin asked in surprise.
"Of course, tomorrow you make me a pot first, and I'll have someone make it for you to try and you'll know." Qin Mu nodded and said.
“Making pots is no problem. Just tell me what style you want,” Yuchi Baolin nodded.
"Well, we'll consider whether to add it after you've tried it."
"I don't have any money! So I won't participate," Yuchi Baolin said, shaking his head.
"Not having money is a minor issue; your family must have some kind of retainers, right?" Qin Mu asked.
"Of course there are. Every military officer has a retainer."
"That's fine then. If you don't have money, you can contribute your labor. We can form our own hunting team, and the restaurant also needs security personnel, as well as the equipment the restaurant needs. Your family can also help make those. All of these can be considered as equity contributions," Qin Mu said with a smile.
"Security isn't necessary, is it? With your reputation, who would dare to cause trouble?"
"There will always be people who dare to disrespect us, and there are also those who are drunk. How can we not arrange to keep an eye on them?"
“You don’t need to give me any money. If you need someone to lend you some, that’s fine. As for making things, any company can do it. Just pay me.” Yu Chi Baolin shook his head and said.
"Why worry about these details when our two families are related? Wouldn't it be better to make money together?" Qin Mu said, patting Yuchi Baolin.
Yuchi Baolin was somewhat tempted. After all, money was a valuable thing, and it didn't seem right to always ask his family for it.
"It's settled then. Let's go check out the location of the restaurant first. Baoqing, do you remember where it is?"
"Remember!"
Yuchi Baoqing agreed, and the three of them turned and headed towards the East Market. The three men, with their three folding fans, swayed as they walked towards the East Market. The Yuchi brothers showed no impatience because they attracted countless glances along the way; while Qin Mu was there to admire the city of Chang'an.
Along the way, Qin Mu discovered another business opportunity. Chang'an was a large city, and many places were inaccessible, so there were many horse-drawn carriages on the road, but many people walked like them. He thought of tricycles. Although most of the roads in the city were dirt roads, it wouldn't be a problem for tricycles at all.
Wealthy people travel for convenience, and Chang'an has no shortage of wealthy people. Making a batch of tricycles and deploying them in areas with the highest foot traffic should work well; crucially, tricycles are more convenient than horse-drawn carriages. Qin Mu secretly noted this idea down, hoping to have the Yuchi brothers make one and try it out when the opportunity arose.
"This should be it!" After walking for more than half an hour, Yuchi Baoqing pointed to the side and said. It was a two-story building, occupying a considerable area. Walking around it, Qin Mu estimated that it was at least several thousand square meters. There were quite a few people coming and going, so business seemed to be doing well. The next street was one of the entrances to the East Market, and the location was also quite good.
The East Market truly lived up to its reputation as one of the two largest markets in Chang'an, with two parallel east-west streets and a north-south street. The four main streets intersected in the center of the market, forming a grid pattern and dividing the entire city into nine rectangles. The shops in the market were lined up one after another, all with their doors open, unlike other markets that were mostly residential.
"Things are more expensive in the East Market, so ordinary people don't come here to buy things. If you want something lively, you have to go to the West Market," Yuchi Baolin explained.
Qin Mu and the Yuchi brothers walked along the main street, covering the entire East Market. It truly broadened his horizons; gold and silver jewelry, rouge and powder, weapons and furniture, spices and porcelain—everything imaginable was available.
The bustling marketplace was filled with people: servants hurrying by, young ladies in carriages, wandering knights on horseback, and elegant scholars. Of course, the most eye-catching were Qin Mu and his two companions.
He strolled down the street with a folding fan swaying gracefully, his elegant demeanor drawing inquiries from passersby who wondered whose young master he was.
Of course! This was Qin Mu's own feeling; he did inquire, but it wasn't necessarily because of his dashing demeanor. The Yuchi Baolin brothers had lived in Chang'an for many years, and people from some prominent families knew them. So, when someone suddenly appeared walking with them, they naturally wanted to find out more.
People from powerful families and influential groups always place great importance on information gathering. In the complex web of relationships in Chang'an, one can't even know how they offended someone without understanding the intricacies of the situation. Perhaps they think that simply being on good terms with everyone is enough? That's impossible.
With many forces involved, there will inevitably be those with good relationships and those with bad relationships. When making friends with someone, you must also consider their adversaries; otherwise, you might unknowingly make more enemies.
"Come on, brother, I'll take you to a great place." Stepping out of the market gate, Yuchi Baolin looked at the sky and said excitedly.
Qin Mu glanced at them curiously and saw that the two brothers looked excited, so he followed them out of curiosity.
Turning a corner and seeing the three characters "Pingkangfang" above the market, Qin Mu knew what place this was. It was a place as famous as the Qinhuai River, renowned throughout history.
"Brother, do you know what's so special about Pingkangfang?" Yuchi Baolin asked with a broad smile.
"I really don't know," Qin Mu replied calmly, shaking his head.
"Pingkang Ward is one of the largest wards in Chang'an, housing not only numerous high-ranking officials but also the liaison offices of the eighteen prefectures and counties across the country. Of course! That's not the main point. Pingkang Ward is also known as a place of elegance and romance. Entering through the North Gate, there are three bends to the east, called the South Bend, the Middle Bend, and the North Bend; these bends have nine turns, with a total of eighteen large buildings and thirty-six small buildings. It's the place where the people of Chang'an linger the most." Yuchi Baolin's eyes widened as he introduced the place with great enthusiasm.
“It’s a place that men from Chang’an linger and never want to leave!” Yuchi Baoqing added.
"Hehe! You know what I mean, brother!" Yu Chi Baolin raised an eyebrow and said with a smile.
"I don't understand!" Qin Mu pretended not to understand and shook his head blankly.
"It's a brothel!" Yuchi Baoqing warned.
"A place for fireworks? Is that where they sell firecrackers?" Qin Mu asked with innocent eyes.
"Really? Brother, you don't even know about brothels? You've never been to a brothel?" Yu Chi Baolin asked in surprise.
"So this place is a brothel! No, no, I can't go." Qin Mu pretended to suddenly realize something and shook his head repeatedly.
"It's alright, let's go, I'll show you around." Yu Chi Baolin said, pulling Qin Mu along.
"No, my dad will definitely be angry if he finds out," Qin Mu said, shaking his head.
"It's alright, it's alright. If you don't tell and I don't tell, how would the Duke of Yi know? Besides, we're just going to drink and watch the singing and dancing," Yuchi Baolin advised.
"Really just to see the song and dance?" Qin Mu asked hesitantly. Of course! He was just pretending. To be honest, he was still very curious about brothels, just pure curiosity, wanting to see for himself.
"Of course! We'll just sneak in and watch the song and dance performance from a corner," Yuchi Baolin assured, patting his chest.
“My elder brother likes Miss Su Su from the Rouge Pavilion, but unfortunately Miss Su Su doesn’t reciprocate his feelings; however, he never gives up, so he only watches the singing and dancing each time, that’s true.” Yuchi Baoqing nodded in agreement.
Yuchi Baolin looked at his younger brother, opened his mouth as if to speak but couldn't, as if he had been hit where it hurt, and his interest had not been as high as before.
"I never imagined Brother Yuchi was such a loyal and devoted person. I admire him greatly," Qin Mu said, cupping his hands in respect.
"Hey! Brother, don't make fun of me. This is just wishful thinking on my part," Yuchi Baolin said, waving his hand.
"Brother Yuchi, don't be discouraged. As the saying goes, where there's a will, there's a way. With determination, even the mighty Qin Pass will eventually fall to Chu. Heaven helps those who help themselves; with perseverance, even the mighty Yue army can conquer Wu. As long as you keep going, one day you will achieve your goal," Qin Mu encouraged.
"Yes! Thank you, brother, you're absolutely right! I'm sure I can win over Miss Su!" Yu Chi Baolin was so excited by Qin Mu's words that he clenched his fist and said forcefully.
"It will definitely work!" Qin Mu nodded.
"Let's go! Let's go in!" Yuchi Baolin said, and strode forward.
"If my elder brother really wants to marry Miss Su, my father will definitely beat him to death." Yuchi Baoqing said with a hint of schadenfreude as he looked at his elder brother's back.
"What? Does your father look down on women in brothels?" Qin Mu asked curiously.
“No, that’s not it. If she were really good, my father probably wouldn’t object. But this Su Su, how should I put it! I don’t feel like she’s a good person!” Yu Chi Baoqing said.
"Oh! I'd like to see it!" Qin Mu raised an eyebrow. The two of them then followed.
Pingkangfang truly lived up to its reputation as a place of entertainment. Even though it was still some time before sunset, many people and carriages were already entering and passing by.
The pavilions on both sides varied in size, but without exception, each had a beautiful young woman leaning against the railing, smiling and beckoning to passersby.
The doors of Rouge Pavilion were wide open. Yu Chi Baolin waited excitedly for Qin Mu and the other person to catch up, then turned around and called out, "This is it. Let's go in. Today is the 20th, and Su Su will be performing a dance."
"Oh! Gentlemen, please come in!" Before they even entered, a man greeted them with a bow and a smile.
Yuchi Baolin ignored him, strode forward, and went inside.
"Oh my! Young Master Yuchi! You've arrived! It's been quite a while since I've seen you!" As soon as she entered the door, a middle-aged woman walked over, her voice sweet and coquettish, swaying her hips.
Qin Mu rolled his eyes speechlessly and said to Yuchi Baoqing, "Is this what your older brother meant by 'coming secretly'?"
Although it was still early, the Rouge Pavilion had already lit lanterns. The red candlelight filled the pavilion with a slightly ambiguous atmosphere, and the sounds of women's voices, accompanied by men's loud laughter, made it seem very lively.
"This guest looks unfamiliar!" Before Yuchi Baoqing could answer, the woman released Yuchi Baolin and reached out to pull Qin Mu.
Qin Mu subtly stepped back, avoiding her hand. To be honest, Qin Mu wasn't against physical contact with her, but her makeup was eerie—too red and too white—that he simply couldn't accept.
“This is my brother. It’s his first time here, so just treat him to good wine,” said Yuchi Baolin, tossing out a string of copper coins.
"Alright! Young master, please come upstairs!" The woman, who must have been the brothel madam, smiled as soon as she saw the copper coins. She quickly turned around, swaying her hips as she headed upstairs.
The layout upstairs is like another world. The hotel booths are separated by screens, but once you sit down, you can still see most of the first floor.
"Go! Call a few girls to serve you!" After sitting down, Yuchi Baolin waved his hand and gave the order.
"Alright! Young master, please wait a moment!" For the sake of the money, the madam quickly walked away.
Yu Chi Baolin pulled a curtain down, obscuring their view. This made it impossible for those downstairs or across the street to see them. His practiced movements and familiar methods showed this wasn't his first time there.
"The most lively places in this Rouge Pavilion are the first and second floors, where you can really enjoy the show. The private rooms on the second and third floors are nice, but they're not suitable for watching singing and dancing. They're only for banquets or when you want some peace and quiet."
"As for the backyard, that's the residence of the most sought-after courtesans at the Rouge Pavilion. Without the means, one can't even go there," Yuchi Baolin explained.
"Is that Miss Su Su also a top courtesan here? Why don't you go directly to the back courtyard? Is it because you don't have any money?" Qin Mu asked.
“How can Miss Su Su be a top courtesan! She’s the star of the Rouge Pavilion! No one has ever spent the night in her room. If you want to enter her Rouge Pavilion, you have to impress her!” Yu Chi Baolin said, his eyes wide.
"I understand! This is called feigning indifference to lure customers, deliberately raising the price to make people scramble for it, which also boosts the business of Rouge Pavilion." Qin Mu nodded and said.
“Brother, how can you say that? Miss Su Su is proficient in poetry, song and dance, one of the three beauties of Pingkang Ward, and a hot candidate for next year’s courtesan queen. How could an ordinary person catch her eye! In my opinion, no ordinary person is good enough for her.” Yu Chi Baolin said excitedly.
"Next year's top courtesan?"
“Every year, on the twentieth day of the first lunar month, the fifty-four brothels in Pingkang Ward will select a courtesan to be the most beautiful,” said Yuchi Baolin.
"Oh! So that's creating hype in advance! Preparing for the competition to become the top courtesan. Not a bad tactic." Qin Mu nodded slightly.
“That’s not how it is. Miss Su Su’s fame is due to her talent and beauty, which have earned her recognition,” Yu Chi Baolin explained.
“I think Brother Qin is right,” Yuchi Baoqing nodded.
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