Chapter 98: Beauty Portraits

"It's just that the price is a bit expensive."

He Zixuan reminded him.

Lv Fang took the beauty portraits and looked at them, nodding: "All three are quite good; the one in the middle even has the temperament of Nie Xiaoqian. Don't be afraid of the cost; as long as we can find suitable ones, that's fine. I'll find a time to go see them."

Finding the right people at the start was certainly not simple.

Moreover, one couldn't tell much from just the portraits; he still felt he needed to go see them in person.

He Zixuan nodded: "I will take you to see them tomorrow. These three are all daughters of wealthy families whose fortunes have fallen; they had no other choice. Some were about to become courtesans, and others were to be bought as concubines. I happened to encounter them, so I stopped it."

The next day.

A two-story pavilion on the left bank of the Nanyunhe.

Wang Huachu sat by the window, distracted, looking at the frozen river water, her heart filled with anxiety; she hadn't even heard the *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* that her maid was reading to her.

About to sell herself to another, how could she not feel heartbroken.

Dong dong dong!

A knocking sound rang out.

"Is Sister Wang here?"

A pleasant female voice rang out.

Wang Huachu responded, signaling her maid Huan'er to open the door, while she smiled and stood up to welcome her.

The door opened, and a young girl walked in, about sixteen or seventeen years old, with a round face and bright, lively eyes, giving people a feeling of being clever and mischievous.

Huan'er smiled: "Miss Tong, if only our Miss were as happy as you."

"You've really been spoiled rotten. Go and pour tea for Sister Tong quickly." Wang Huachu glared at Huan'er and pulled Tong Wan'er: "It's so cold; aren't you cold wearing so little, sister?"

Tong Wan'er wrinkled her nose cutely and smiled: "I'm not cold; I'm just afraid of being bored staying in the room alone."

"Cough cough cough!"

A coughing sound came from the doorway.

An eighteen or nineteen-year-old woman with curled bangs leaned against the door, eating melon seeds:

"Isn't that so? We don't even have a maid, and there's no one to talk to; it's not like you, Sister Wang, who is so wealthy!"

Wang Huachu gave a bitter smile: "Sister Zhong is joking."

Zhong Xin walked into the room, picked up the embroidery on the table, shook her head, and said: "Don't say that I'm speaking unpleasantly; that fatty from two days ago looked like a playboy at first glance. Embroidery alone probably won't win his heart."

"I knew what he was planning just by looking at his small eyes; he must want to take us as concubines."

"I don't really care, but it's a pity for Sister Wang. I don't know how much the matchmaker received; she clearly promised to sell you into the Red Sleeve Song and Dance House, but then suddenly changed her mind."

Tong Wan'er shook her head, not believing it: "Yesterday I asked Young Master He; he said it wasn't to take us as concubines, but that there was something better than becoming a courtesan."

"Pah!" Zhong Xin pinched Tong Wan'er's chin with great charm and teased: "You believe a man's words?"

Tong Wan'er frowned and knocked her hand away: "Sister Zhong is so knowledgeable?"

Zhong Xin laughed happily: "Haven't you seen a pig run even if you haven't tasted pork? Just watch; didn't the old woman say yesterday to dress up because we are meeting an important person today? You'll understand then."

"We have no choice now."

"If we meet someone slightly better, maybe we can barely live a good life; if we meet someone bad, then it will be miserable."

"So annoying." Tong Wan'er stomped her feet in frustration: "I thought I could be a courtesan; maybe I could even meet Lord Wenguan."

Zhong Xin had just picked up her teacup to take a sip; hearing this, she sprayed it all over Tong Wan'er's face. She gave a bitter smile and hurriedly helped wipe it off: "Sorry, I really couldn't help it."

Tong Wan'er said angrily: "Sister Zhong, you are too much."

Wang Huachu was amused and giggled: "Sister, you are the one who is too much. So many popular courtesans confess their love to Lord Wenguan every day, and none of them have had the chance to meet him once."

Zhong Xin teased: "I'm not that excessive; as long as I can meet Lord Wenguan once, I'll be happy; I wouldn't dare think of being his concubine."

"I didn't say that." Tong Wan'er's face turned bright red.

Zhong Xin smiled gently: "You didn't say it, but that's what you're thinking in your heart; what's the difference?"

"I'll fight you; you keep teasing me." Tong Wan'er went to tickle Zhong Xin's ticklish spots angrily.

"Stop! I'm ticklish... Hahaha, stop it... Good sister, I was wrong, okay... Hahaha..."

After a while of commotion, Zhong Xin straightened her messy dress and panted: "You bad girl, I told you I'm ticklish."

"Blehh!" Tong Wan'er made a face.

A rush of footsteps sounded, and an old woman with a matchmaker's mole walked up:

"Oh my, my three little ancestors, the noble guest has already arrived. Hurry up and touch up your makeup, and follow me down quickly, lest you make him angry."

Wang Huachu said: "Granny, we are already prepared."

Tong Wan'er wrinkled her nose: "I don't need to touch up my makeup; it's fine if he doesn't like me."

Zhong Xin smiled: "Granny, don't worry; the look that Young Master He gave us last time, I guarantee it's foolproof. By the way, how old is the noble guest? Is he fat or thin?"

Granny glared at her: "With a face full of pockmarks, he looks quite wealthy; he's probably a rich merchant. Oh my, you're even being picky; do you have any reason to be picky?"

Under Granny's urging, the three finally touched up their makeup and walked down one after another.

"So many pockmarks."

Although Tong Wan'er's personality was a bit lively, she wasn't so outspoken; at least she didn't say it to his face, just complaining in her heart.

"Young Master He!"

Zhong Xin bowed.

Wang Huachu also bowed.

She didn't really like being looked at like merchandise, so she just glanced at He Zixuan and the pockmarked middle-aged man and lowered her head.

Granny pulled Zhong Xin and said:

"Two young masters, how is it? These three are rare beauties. Although they are a bit expensive, they are absolutely worth it. For this matter, I even specifically refused the manager of the Red Sleeve Song and Dance House."

"Look, they have the looks, and they have the figure."

He Zixuan looked at Lv Fang: "Is this okay?"

Lv Fang didn't answer directly, but said: "Introduce yourselves in one sentence; I'll listen."

Tong Wan'er, who was standing slightly behind, stomped her feet and pouted: "How are we supposed to introduce ourselves?"

Zhong Xin smiled: "Young master, don't be offended; Sister Tong is a bit young and doesn't know how to speak well."

Lv Fang reached out to stop her from continuing: "Alright, you two don't need to introduce yourselves; the last one."

Wang Huachu bowed and introduced herself in a standard manner.

Lv Fang nodded with satisfaction: "Three different personalities, all quite representative. Good, buy them. Buy a residence and let them live there first."

After saying this, he left directly.

Granny looked at He Zixuan: "This... the price hasn't been discussed yet."

He Zixuan took out some silver notes and handed them to her: "Just according to the price you said before. Alright, I'm taking the people; you all tidy up, and I'll take you to the place where you'll live." ===== CHAPTER 99 =====