Chapter 123: Zhang Jie

In the Water Margin World, in Bianliang, outside the examination hall for the Metropolitan Examination,

many of the scholars who had finished the exam were leaving in an orderly fashion.

Zhang Jie and Li Gang, who had also come to participate in the Metropolitan Examination, were among them.

After walking out of the examination hall, Zhang Jie looked at Li Gang, whose face bore undisguisable exhaustion, and suggested:

"Boji, shall we head back to Daxiangguo Temple now and get some proper rest?"

Just like the Provincial Examination, the Metropolitan Examination also took several days, testing classics and policy essays.

Furthermore, since those participating in the Metropolitan Examination were already considered the elite of the imperial examinations,

and they had to compete against the elite from the entire Great Song, the pressure of the Metropolitan Examination was unimaginably high.

Not to mention just being exhausted like Li Gang,

it would not be surprising if someone physically weak or unable to handle the pressure died right there in the examination hall.

Fortunately, Zhang Jie and the others were lucky this time and did not encounter such unfortunate events.

At this moment, Li Gang, who was usually serious, wore an expression that every man would understand:

"Renjie, we really should relax and unwind."

As he spoke, he winked at Zhang Jie, wearing that look every man understood.

"Uh..."

Studying Li Gang's inexplicably lewd expression, Zhang Jie asked with some uncertainty:

"The place you're talking about for relaxing wouldn't happen to be the Fan Tower, would it?"

This Fan Tower was the most famous red-light district in Bianliang City.

In 21st-century terms, the Fan Tower was essentially a high-end club,

only this club was extremely upscale and classy, the most famous in all of Great Song.

"Hehe!"

Li Gang chuckled twice, then said with a pained expression:

"You say we brothers have been in Bianliang for many days, yet we haven't even been to the most prosperous place in Bianliang.

Wouldn't that mean we came to Bianliang for nothing!"

'Just say you want to go whoring, no need to be so serious about it.'

Zhang Jie curled his lip, showing disdain for Li Gang's fake seriousness.

However, he didn't say anything, because unlike later dynasties,

our Great Song had no prohibitions against officials, scholars, or jinshi entering red-light districts.

Literati like Qin Guan, Su Shi, and Ouyang Xiu often frequented brothels.

And the affairs between Liu Yong, Liu Sanbian, and many beauties have been praised by people to this day.

Li Gang's idea of wanting to visit the Fan Tower was simply too common in Great Song.

After all, staying overnight in a brothel was considered an elegant pastime by the literati of our Great Song.

One by one, they were not ashamed of it; on the contrary, they took pride in it.

Zhang Jie could only say it was too... ptooey, it was too decadent and too corrupt.

"I heard that even the Emperor has patronized the Fan Tower; you and I, brothers, should go and see the world today."

Seeing that Zhang Jie was still hesitant, Li Gang leaned into his ear and whispered a persuasion.

Well, although the romantic affair between a certain Song Huizong and the famous Fan Tower courtesan Li Shishi was already known throughout Bianliang,

basically any well-informed scholar knew about it,

but such things were best discussed in private and could never be brought out into the open.

Although our Great Song had always had a policy of not punishing people for their speech,

if the Emperor took it to heart, one's future official career would likely be fraught with difficulties.

Zhang Jie spoke up directly to interrupt Li Gang's fantasy:

"Boji, do you still have money in your pocket?

The Fan Tower is a money pit; you want to live it up in there without a few hundred strings of cash?"

He knew that Li Gang was a "poor ghost" who had almost been unable to afford even a hostel in Bianliang.

If it weren't for his own righteous intervention, allowing him to stay at Daxiangguo Temple,

Li Gang would likely have had to squeeze into those communal dorms where several people shared a room.

And yet, he still wanted to go to the Fan Tower?

Could this be the legendary true nature of a man?

Also, although he and Li Gang were good brothers, he certainly wouldn't be paying for his whoring expenses.

"Hehe!

Isn't there still you, Renjie?

I've inquired before; Miss Li Shishi of the Fan Tower selects the people she meets based on their poetic talent.

And when it comes to poetry, how could anyone be a match for you, Renjie?"

A smug smile of having everything under control appeared on Li Gang's face.

'TOM! To want to freeload like this, you really are a talent!'

Zhang Jie gave Li Gang a strange glare.

'But, will I be beaten to death from afar by the sages of later generations for plagiarizing literature to go whoring?'

For a moment, Zhang Jie felt the star of death flickering above his head.

However, for some reason, there was actually a tiny bit of restless ambition in his heart.

After all, he had transmigrated for so many years,

and he hadn't yet inspected the characteristic industries of Great Song!

He hadn't been before he transmigrated, and he hadn't been after he transmigrated; wouldn't that mean he transmigrated for nothing?

"Renjie, are we going or not?"

Finally, Li Gang asked again.

'Hmm, I'm not going whoring, I'm just going to criticize the decadent and backward dregs of feudalism!'

After some mental preparation, Zhang Jie half-reluctantly followed Li Gang to the Fan Tower.

It must be said that the Fan Tower lived up to its reputation as the most high-end club in Great Song,

not to mention the carved beams and painted rafters, the colorful, extremely luxurious,

and exquisite decor and facilities; just the fact that it was five stories tall,

which was like the height of Yao Ming among ordinary people compared to other buildings, was enough to show its extraordinariness.

And as soon as they reached the vicinity of the Fan Tower, it immediately became lively.

There were many people coming and going, both old and young,

including young men who still had a childish air on their faces,

as well as old men with gray hair who looked like they didn't have many years left to live.

If there was one thing they all had in common, it was that they were all dressed in expensive clothes,

and followed by servants and pages, clearly all masters who were not short of money.

Well, if one didn't have immense wealth at home, who would dare to come to the Fan Tower to spend time?

And as Zhang Jie looked around, he even spotted several familiar faces:

They were all scholars who had just participated in the Metropolitan Examination.

It seemed that there were many scholars who, like Li Gang, had the same idea of coming to the Fan Tower to relax.

One could only say that although the scholars of our Great Song loved to engage in factional strife and didn't like to do practical things,

their ideas about this landmark building, the brothel, were largely consistent.

"Two masters, do you have a reservation?"

As soon as Zhang Jie and his companion approached the main gate, a page and a pimp immediately came up to greet them.

The curious Zhang Jie even took a special look at the pimp's head,

but discovered that he was not wearing a green hat as recorded in history.

'Oh, so this custom started in the Yuan Dynasty; that's fine then.'

Zhang Jie's enhanced brain turned and he immediately understood what was going on.

According to historical records, it was the "Yuan Dianzhang" of the Yuan Dynasty that clearly stipulated

that male relatives of prostitutes must wear a blue headscarf (blue is similar to green,

later called a green headscarf) to identify their lowly status,

and this regulation made wearing a green hat the exclusive symbol of a pimp.

The Ming Dynasty continued and strengthened the clothing regulations of the Yuan Dynasty,

gradually solidifying the derogatory meaning of "green hat" into a folk consensus.

Since then, the green hat has become a major taboo for the vast majority of male friends.

Of course, certain guys who have awakened strange hobbies should be excluded here.

Li Gang, as the initiator, stood out without hesitation; he took a step forward:

"No reservation, we came here just to see Miss Shishi."

The meaning of this reservation actually meant whether they had a regular companion.

If they did, the pimp could take them directly to find the woman they were seeing.

"Since you are admirers of Miss Shishi, please follow me, both of you."

The smiling pimp began to lead the way very skillfully,

clearly having done this kind of thing countless times.

But this was not surprising; who made Li Shishi the most popular courtesan in recent years?

Among the guests coming to the Fan Tower, not to say nine out of ten were here for her, but five or six out of ten certainly were.

Zhang Jie and his companion followed the leading page to the center of the main hall.

Here, a stage had been built with wood, covered with a bright red carpet,

and on it, an old procuress wearing bright red and green clothes, with a few crow's feet at the corners of her eyes,

but still retaining her charm, was saying something.

Zhang Jie looked around casually and saw that this place had the most people,

the crowd's clothing was the most expensive, and their temperament was the most extraordinary.

Clearly, the beautiful Li Shishi, who was the most famous in the capital, was the most capable of arousing the curiosity, or rather, the desire for conquest, of these high-ranking officials and nobles.

The procuress on the stage pointed to the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone placed on several tables on the stage and said loudly:

"Everyone here wants to see my Miss Shishi, so I won't beat around the bush.

Those interested, please come up and write a poem or lyric, which will be specially delivered to Miss Shishi by a maid.

If the poem or lyric catches Miss Shishi's eye, she will naturally meet this talented scholar."

"How about it? I didn't inquire wrong, did I?"

Offstage, Li Gang bumped into Zhang Jie smugly.

"Hmm, indeed not wrong." Zhang Jie nodded slightly.

What he said was not wrong had two meanings: one referred to Li Gang not having inquired wrong about the news.

The second was to express approval for the business model of Li Shishi, or rather, the Fan Tower.

For these people offstage who were either rich or noble, were they lacking that bit of female beauty?

What they lacked was spiritual resonance, the pleasure of showing off in front of others!

Moreover, most of the people present were from a scholarly background,

and how could scholars talk openly about things full of the stench of copper like money?

That would be too vulgar!

As scholars, of course, they had to discuss elegant poetry and books!

In this way, the Fan Tower and Li Shishi not only distanced themselves from those low-end places and prostitutes that could be had for money,

but also catered to the market demand of these people who considered themselves elegant.

Clearly, the Fan Tower's business model had been guided by an expert,

or this was the business secret summarized by high-end clubs like the Fan Tower themselves.

Zhang Jie could only say that in 360 trades, there is a master in every one...

"I'll do it!"

Over there, as soon as the procuress finished speaking, a young man walked onto the stage impatiently.

He picked up a brush, dipped it in ink, and then waved the brush to write,

writing down the masterpiece he had prepared in his heart for a long time.

Zhang Jie glanced at it casually and found that what he wrote was all praise for Li Shishi's beauty and gentleness,

and that he himself was very admiring and hoped to get a meeting.

'Young people are still too young.'

Zhang Jie shook his head slightly.

For Li Shishi, who was the most beautiful in the capital and even had the Emperor come out of the palace for secret meetings, did she lack this bit of praise?

Unless this young man had the realm of Li Bai writing about Yang Imperial Consort, his hope was not great.

And for Li Shishi, whose pursuers were like mountains and seas,

enough to circle Bianliang City several times, did she lack a pursuer?

Unless this pursuer was named Zhao Ji, the hope was not great.

Sure enough, not long after the young man's poem was taken up by the maid, it was sent back unchanged,

and the meaning of this was very obvious.

"Ugh!"

The young man, whose masterpiece failed and who lost face in front of the goddess and others, turned red in the face.

Looking at the expressions of others that seemed to be laughing,

he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into, and could only sneak off the stage,

finding a hidden corner to sit in, hoping to avoid the eyes of others.

And then several people who considered themselves talented and outstanding in poetry went on stage,

writing down their respective works, but all were sent back one by one.

"Miss Shishi's standards are too high!"

"It seems that none of us can catch Miss Shishi's eye today!"

There was a wail from the people present.

At the same time, there were some people who were gloating.

Zhang Jie looked a few times and found that although these people were dressed in expensive clothes, they did not have an obvious scholarly air.

After a little thought, he probably guessed the identity of these people: most of them were like Gao Yanei,

playboys who had people in high positions in their families but were themselves ignorant and incompetent.

For these guys, watching those self-righteous scholars lose face was really a good show. ===== CHAPTER 124 =====