Chapter 54: Zhao Ji Visits a Courtesan

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In fact, very few people cared that Zhao Mao was ill.

After all, not everyone was as anxious about Zhao Mao as Zhao Xu and Liu Qingjing were, nor did everyone know, like Zhao Yu, Zhang Chun, and the Dowager Empress, that Zhao Mao’s days were numbered.

To most people, Zhao Mao’s illness had nothing to do with them—songs still sang, dances still danced.

Zhao Ji was one of those many people.

After court that morning, Zhao Ji quickly forgot Zhao Xu’s gloomy face and headed home with Gao Qiu and other servants, ready to feast, drink, and amuse himself.

To be honest, it was no wonder Zhao Ji didn’t take Zhao Xu’s worries to heart.

Since taking personal control of government, Zhao Xu had often been morose and melancholy; Zhao Ji was long accustomed to it and saw nothing unusual in this instance.

Moreover, Zhao Ji was merely a carefree prince; Zhao Xu and his ministers only let him enjoy wealth and luxury, never entrusting him with any meaningful duties—so even if Zhao Xu truly had troubles, Zhao Ji could not help, and the ministers would never ask him to.

Thus, Zhao Ji’s mind was entirely occupied with one question: what fun thing should he do after returning home?

Passing the Imperial Clothing and Manufacturing Bureau, Zhao Ji saw Cai Jing’s eldest son, Cai You.

Cai You had dismounted, stood respectfully by the roadside, bowing with humble demeanor and upright posture, his features delicate and pleasing to behold.

This was not the first time Zhao Ji had seen Cai You.

In fact, Cai You frequently exploited his official duties to time his appearances precisely when ministers were leaving court, deliberately meeting Zhao Ji on his way home—seeking political leverage.

This frequent, predictable “coincidence” quickly drew Zhao Ji’s attention.

Zhao Ji had long been curious about Cai You’s handsome appearance and proper conduct; upon learning he was Cai Jing’s son, his impression deepened.

Having exchanged silent admiration for so long, Zhao Ji felt it was time to formally meet Cai You and become friends.

So Zhao Ji ordered Gao Qiu to invite Cai You over.

Zhao Ji and Cai You hit it off immediately, chatting merrily; Zhao Ji promptly invited Cai You to his mansion for food, drink, and amusement.

Coincidentally,

Soon after, Li Bangyan arrived at the Duan Prince’s mansion.

The three shared the same tastes, composing poetry and verses, turning street slang into songs they sang loudly.

Cai You even donned short tunic and tight trousers, painted his face red and blue, mingled among dancers, acrobats, and dwarves, and uttered countless vulgar, lewd jests to amuse Zhao Ji.

Gradually, their conversation turned to the famed courtesan Nie Shengqiong of Fanlou.

Zhao Ji had heard Nie Shengqiong’s “Zhègūtiān: Sent to Li Zhiwen,” praised her talent, and upon hearing the story of her romance with Li Zhiwen, he admired their love deeply.

Gao Qiu, Li Bangyan, and Cai You, however, lavished praise on Nie Shengqiong’s beauty; Li Bangyan even declared no woman in the Duan Prince’s mansion could match her.

Though Li Bangyan disparaged the Duan Prince’s women to elevate Nie Shengqiong, Zhao Ji did not take offense—he grew curious about her.

Cai You asked: “Is this Madam Nie truly that stunning?”

“Even more so,” said Li Bangyan.

“Why not visit Madam Nie before she retires from the trade? Otherwise we’ll regret it forever,” Gao Qiu suggested.

“How easily can one meet Madam Nie?”

“To win Madam Nie’s favor, one must outshine all the talented youths of Fanlou—only one man prevails; without peerless talent, it’s impossible.”

“Even I, let alone you two, have no chance.”

Here Li Bangyan looked at Zhao Ji: “Only His Highness himself might succeed.”

Cai You, ever eager for trouble, proposed: “Then let His Highness give it a try!”

Nie Shengqiong was the reigning courtesan of the age, her beauty renowned far and wide, adored by literati, nobles, and princes, and celebrated among officials and scholars.

Zhao Ji, stirred by Gao Qiu and the others, grew eager to see her for himself.

Gao Qiu and the others urged him on, swearing they would keep it secret.

Zhao Ji could not resist the temptation; he disguised himself, assumed a false name, and, accompanied by Gao Qiu and the others, went to Fanlou.

Zhao Ji’s literary talent was no joke—he composed poem after poem with ease, penned unmatched calligraphy, and spent gold lavishly; soon, he earned an audience with Nie Shengqiong, who sought one final fortune before retiring.

Yet as Zhao Ji lounged comfortably in Nie Shengqiong’s chamber, listening to music, the dissolute Cai You quarreled with another man over jealousy.

Song Dynasty regulations explicitly forbade courtesans from receiving officials, but this rule targeted the courtesans, not the guests.

Thus, officials or imperial family members visiting under private identities were not directly bound by it.

Precisely because of this, though they suspected Liang Shicheng might be trying to teach Zhao Ji a lesson, Gao Qiu and Li Bangyan chose to betray him—knowing that even if Zhao Ji were caught visiting a brothel, his punishment would be light, but refusing Liang Shicheng would mean losing their daily fortunes and risking the wrath of the man behind him, who dared punish even princes.

In truth, many powerful officials of this era used aliases or secrecy to visit brothels; Zhao Ji was not the first imperial member to do so, nor would he be the last.

Literati of the age also considered visiting brothels a refined pursuit; poets like Liu Yong and Zhou Bangyan maintained close ties with courtesans and composed countless poems and lyrics on the subject.

This cultural atmosphere lent Zhao Ji’s visit legitimacy.

Hence, Zhao Ji could not resist the temptation and followed Gao Qiu and the others to Fanlou.

Yet, despite society’s relative tolerance of brothel culture, if an imperial member openly frequented one, public criticism could still arise.

Worse still, if an imperial member were caught visiting a brothel, it would damage not only his personal image but also the imperial family’s reputation.

In short, the artistic prestige of high-end brothels provided Zhao Ji’s actions with a “refined” cover, making them socially tolerated—but they must avoid public scandal.

Put plainly: if Zhao Ji’s visit went unnoticed, everyone turned a blind eye; if caught, it would violate official norms and moral boundaries, triggering political risk.

Zhao Ji understood all this perfectly—he certainly did not want the matter to escalate.

So when he saw Cai You arguing, Zhao Ji rushed out to calm things down, hoping to prevent escalation and avoid negative consequences.

But the other side had no honor; seeing Zhao Ji appear, a sturdy young official stepped forward and punched him squarely in the left eye.

Fearing Zhao Ji might be seriously hurt, Gao Qiu and Li Bangyan rushed to shield him.

Both sides immediately erupted into a brawl, full-scale violence breaking out.

Surprisingly, Zhao Ji, with his excellent physical condition, proved quite valiant; in the chaos, he kicked over one of the young officials.

This was Zhao Ji’s first such experience—he found it thrilling, even exhilarating.

Just then, someone shouted: “That slender, refined man is the Duan Prince! Are you all mad? You dare strike the Duan Prince? Run, now!!”

Hearing the man was a prince, the group of young officials cried, “Oh no!” and scattered like birds and beasts.

Zhao Ji reacted quickly—he covered his face with his sleeve and fled.

But no matter how fast Zhao Ji ran, rumors spread faster.

The next day, the tale of the Duan Prince visiting a courtesan, quarreling over jealousy, and getting a black eye spread like wildfire—and a children’s rhyme appeared:

The Duan Prince loves his fun, slips out of his mansion to play with whores. Runs through flower streets and willow lanes, living life so carefree…

…

(End of Chapter)