Chapter 54

Fifty-Four: Selecting Female Servants

“Young Master, please take a look—this delicate maid comes from the small island nation across the sea, Japan. Her skin is pale with a rosy tint, her black hair thick and lustrous, her eyes melancholic, her demeanor gentle and frail… clearly a docile beauty, perfectly matching our Gan people’s aesthetic, ideal as a personal attendant. She costs only thirty strings of cash.”

The Arab merchant Li Yan pulled a rope, leading forward a black-haired girl dressed in silk, smiling as he introduced her to Ouyang Rong, Zhen Shi, and others.

Zhen Shi smiled and turned to ask Ouyang Rong’s opinion, but his attention was oddly distracted—he asked:

“Are you also a Gan man, Master Li?”

Li Yan immediately looked flustered and replied:

“Though I’m a foreign merchant, I am a Gan man—my mother is a Gan woman, and my father was naturalized in Guangzhou during the joint rule of the Two Holy Emperors. My family are true, loyal subjects of the Great Zhou, not those uncivilized foreign guests still clinging to their barbarian ways.”

Ouyang Rong chuckled: “I see. No offense meant—no wonder your elegant speech is better than mine.”

Li Yan smiled proudly and asked again: “What do you think of this delicate maid? All the girls we offer are pure and healthy foreign women.”

Ouyang Rong glanced at the Japanese slave girl, who bore a slight resemblance to one of his teachers.

But her makeup was unnaturally pale, her eyebrows oddly shaped… perhaps her homeland considered that beautiful; he couldn’t appreciate the customs of such a tiny nation.

Ouyang Rong shook his head.

“Then bring the next one.”

Li Yan turned and gave an order; the Kunlun slave nodded and went to the back, soon returning with another tall girl, strikingly different in style.

“Young Master, please look—this delicate maid is a Western barbarian woman. Her skin is very fair, her hair golden, her eyes blue, her figure elegant and striking, her gaze alluring, her temperament warm and lively—she can sing and dance… This is a hot commodity right now. Training one takes great effort; she can serve as a personal maid, or even as a singer or dancer. Price: only fifty strings of cash.”

Zhen Shi glanced at the Western girl’s high nose and deep-set eyes and frowned slightly. “Her figure and talents are fine, but why does she look like a ghost? What if she frightens the Young Master late at night?”

Li Yan cleared his throat:

“She does deviate somewhat from our ancestors’ tastes, but in Chang’an and Luoyang’s taverns, this style is quite popular. Many men in the Great Zhou enjoy such exotic aesthetics.”

“Madam, please observe—though golden hair isn’t as noble or elegant as black, it looks festive and auspicious, full of foreign charm. We, as the Celestial Nation, embrace diversity and inclusiveness.”

Thinking of her Young Master’s possible peculiar tastes, Zhen Shi swallowed her words and fell silent, leaving the choice entirely to him.

Facing the Western barbarian girl’s flirtatious glances, the man remained expressionless and shook his head.

The Arab merchant noticed Ouyang Rong barely glanced before shaking his head—so picky? He frowned inwardly, yet kept smiling and called out:

“No matter. Next one—bring her forward.”

At that moment, a junior steward entered from the doorway, peering in with an anxious expression, as if he had news to report. But seeing Li Yan entertaining esteemed guests, he wisely halted outside, waiting respectfully.

Li Yan glanced at the steward outside but did not act immediately.

Soon, the third and fourth delicate maids were brought forward in turn:

There was the voluptuous and seductive Persian beauty, the gentle new slave girl from the Eastern Yi, and the fallen noblewoman from the fallen kingdom of Goguryeo.

Especially the latter—she had read poetry and studied needlework; she could serve as a chambermaid and even be entrusted with managing household affairs. Zhen Shi grew increasingly pleased—this was a major plus. A half-delicate maid was too foolish. Hmm… sixty strings? Expensive, but worth it…

The half-delicate maid waiting nearby clenched her fingers together, her small face tense. She hadn’t expected today’s outing to be a job interview—and a losing one at that.

The woman in the silk skirt subtly signaled her nephew, but Ouyang Rong ignored her completely—just shaking his head, shaking his head, again and again.

And he did so immediately after every introduction, decisively, without even glancing twice.

The Arab merchant began to doubt himself—were their Jin Xiao Trading House’s maids truly this bad? In the past, even the most lavish patrons from brothels, bombarded by these exotic beauties in turn, had been visibly awestruck.

Yet today, this young master didn’t even blink—his expression calm, as if he’d seen all these maids before and found them utterly unremarkable.

Wait—could he be here to cause trouble? Or… is his standard impossibly high?

Li Yan gritted his teeth inwardly—he’d have to raise the stakes. He couldn’t let Jin Xiao Trading House’s reputation suffer.

Just as the Arab merchant was about to turn and give another order, the long-waiting steward could no longer hold back. He slipped quietly into the hall, bowed apologetically to the guests, and whispered to Li Yan:

“Master, the cargo ship is waiting at Peng Lang Ferry. Should we load it now?”

Li Yan frowned: “Can’t you see we’re busy with esteemed guests? Those goods are losses—what’s the rush? Load them later. Don’t interfere while the guests choose their maids.”

“Yes, yes, of course.” The steward bowed deeply.

Li Yan turned back and apologized. Ouyang Rong and Zhen Shi shook their heads, unconcerned.

The former continued instructing the Kunlun slave behind him: “Next—bring up the Pusa Man.”

Ouyang Rong was curious. Zhen Shi explained: under Empress Wei’s influence, Buddhism had grown popular in the Great Zhou, and beautiful women were now called “female Bodhisattvas.” Thus, “Pusa Man” referred to beautiful barbarian women.

Finally, when the maid named “Pusa Man” was brought forth, Ouyang Rong raised an eyebrow and took a second look.

Mainly because, despite his vast experience, he’d never seen a barbarian woman of this type.

In the hall stood a Pusa Man maid—her hair piled high in a golden crown, jewels strung across her body… her towering coiffure adorned with glittering, translucent gems. At first glance, she was stunning. Ouyang Rong couldn’t place her ethnic origin.

Li Yan, watching Ouyang Rong’s expression, exhaled slightly in relief. Hmph, young pup—still couldn’t resist this? I told you—you like the expensive ones. Everyone wins.

He smiled faintly: “Young Master, observe—this maid comes from the Kingdom of Nuoman. It’s a strange land; Pusa Man women are usually only sent as tribute to the imperial families of Chang’an and Luoyang. But our trading house managed to acquire a few…”

Ouyang Rong shook his head immediately.

Li Yan, mid-speech, choked. He couldn’t help asking: “Young Master, you don’t like this one? Then what do you like?”

Ouyang Rong’s face flushed slightly with embarrassment. “She clearly costs a fortune. Let’s skip these.” This Pusa Man’s attire screamed “pay-to-win.”

Zhen Shi patted his hand. “If you like her, price is no issue.”

Ouyang Rong stubbornly shook his head.

Li Yan was momentarily stunned. He thought, then said: “This Pusa Man is a hundred strings… ten thousand cash is indeed expensive, but worth every bit. How about this—”

He sighed, feigning hesitation: “I’ll knock off ten strings. Ninety strings—how’s that?”

The Arab merchant hoped the handsome young master would haggle further, then he’d pretend to reluctantly agree—solidifying a friendship.

Unfortunately, he didn’t realize this man didn’t lack ninety strings—he lacked even friendship.

Ouyang Rong spoke sincerely: “Actually, I don’t have ten strings. My salary can’t afford this. At most, I have one string. Even one is too much—I must live within my means. Do you have any maids for a few hundred cash? I have no other demands—just one who can serve. Oh, can I pay on credit? I only have sixty cash left—I just bought rice.” He pointed to the rice on Liu Ashan’s back.

Listening, Li Yan’s eyes rolled back—he nearly fainted.

The nearby steward rushed to support the merchant, frantically pinching his philtrum.

Zhen Shi stared in shock. “What nonsense are you speaking? Today’s money is my responsibility—I can still scrape together a hundred strings!”

Ouyang Rong replied seriously: “I agreed to come with you to choose a maid, but I never said I’d spend your money, nor that I’d buy an expensive one. Can’t I just pick one I find agreeable?”

Zhen Shi snapped: “My money is your money! This household is yours! Are you being so formal with me?”

“Fine. Then lend me a few hundred cash first. I’ll go pick one I like.” Ouyang Rong’s tone was final, his face stern—the demeanor of a household master.

“...” Zhen Shi. The half-delicate maid, nearly unemployed, smiled faintly.

Ouyang Rong nodded: “Master Li, do you have any cheap maids? If not, we’ll go elsewhere.”

Li Yan took a deep breath to recover, pushed away the steward, and stared in disbelief at the elegant young master before him—how had he encountered such a miser? All this wasted breath!

The nearby steward couldn’t help interjecting: “Master, aren’t there a batch of useless mouths in the back courtyard? They’ve sat unsold for ages. With rice prices so high, feeding them is a waste. Let the young master pick one—saves on shipping costs.”

Li Yan stared, speechless. He weakly waved his hand toward the back courtyard, signaling him to go himself.

Ouyang Rong smiled, unconcerned, and walked toward the back courtyard with Liu Ashan carrying the rice.

That day, his junior sister had a point. But he thought again: those expensive, high-quality maids didn’t need saving—they were likely bought by wealthy families and lived well. It was the cheap slaves who suffered most.

Jin Xiao Trading House, at least, hadn’t completely ignored propriety—they sent the steward to show some face. The steward led Ouyang Rong to the back courtyard and said politely:

“Young Master, the maids in the back courtyard are what remain after countless customers have picked through them. They’ve sat unsold for years. Even the shipping cost is too high for the master to bother. Pick freely—none cost more than two hundred cash. I’ll speak to him later for a discount.”

“Two hundred cash? Perfect. Let’s be friends.” Ouyang Rong nodded lightly, hands behind his back, stepping into the courtyard. It was open-air, filthy, filled entirely with iron cages—nothing like the polished elegance of the front hall.

Yet before he’d even taken a full turn, his eyes were struck by a blindingly white figure in the corner. He froze, wondering if lack of sleep had made him hallucinate—but after repeated scrutiny, his expression turned even more stunned than when he’d seen the Pusa Man.

Ouyang Rong pointed at a filthy little cage and asked seriously: “She… really costs less than two hundred cash?”