Chapter 71: Is This Any Way to Play?

Du Biao?

It's this Du Biao again!

Liu Zheng felt a chill in his heart, as if facing a formidable enemy, but he immediately raised his wine cup and toasted him from afar.

"Brother Liu, have you seen the beauty on the Lanxiang Troupe's flower float?"

Zheng Yue Ru said from the side.

Liu Zheng nodded. There were over a dozen people on that flower float, but the most eye-catching one was the beautiful woman in the center. Even from a distance, her skin was like jade, her eyes bright and teeth white, appearing like a red lotus just emerging from the water, full of infinite charm. At a glance, one could tell this woman was definitely not from these flower houses; she was likely like Shen Manqing, a woman from a prominent family who had fallen on hard times and ended up here.

"This woman has a high chance of winning the title this year. She is the daughter of the former Minister of War of the current dynasty. Because of the repeated defeats and the plea for peace at the border, she was made a scapegoat and punished. This Xiao Ruozhi was then bought by the Baiya Army with a large sum of money specifically to compete in this Top Courtesan Competition! Xiao Ruozhi is also a well-known talented woman in Jinghua, with excellent zither skills, once on par with Miss Manqing."

Zheng Yuru explained in detail.

Liu Zheng smiled upon hearing this. This year, the northern war was tight, with both the Eastern and Western Xiongnu causing trouble simultaneously. The Longyan Dynasty was exhausted from dealing with it and could only shamefully sue for peace and pay reparations. It seemed this Minister of War was the one who went to negotiate for peace; how could he have a good outcome upon returning? How could the common people allow it? The imperial court could only make him a scapegoat and exile him to the border.

"So, she is Manqing's greatest rival this time?"

Liu Zheng laughed.

Zheng Yue Ru said: "This year's Top Courtesan Competition is extraordinary. Even the Empress is very interested in this year's top courtesan. Perhaps if this Xiao Ruozhi wins, she could win the Empress's favor!"

Liu Zheng glanced at Zheng Yue Ru and gave a bitter smile in his heart. It seemed that Zheng Yue Ru still felt that the Empress, who came from their Zheng Family, was a model of motherhood for the world and kind-hearted. But Liu Zheng could not really tell Zheng Yue Ru about the assassination attempt.

Just at this moment.

"The top courtesan of Fengming Tower is here!"

"Fengming Tower, everyone look! It's Miss Manqing!"

At this time, the flower float of Fengming Tower arrived late. Within Liangzhou, many of Shen Manqing's supporters began to get excited and waved their arms.

"Eh? Why are the top courtesans of Fengming Tower different today?"

"Ah, they aren't wearing any makeup!"

"What is going on? Wasn't it supposed to be a grand dress rehearsal?"

However, when people looked closely, they discovered that the Fengming Tower girls on the flower float today did not have that rouge on their faces, no blood-red lips, and no terrifyingly white faces—this was likely the common impression of a top courtesan in this era.

Everyone was stunned.

"This, this, this..."

"This must not be! The night wind is cold; wouldn't this ruin these faces?"

"Why are those red lips pink, and shimmering with light?"

People were dumbfounded. A grand dress rehearsal, yet no heavy makeup? What was Fengming Tower doing? However, looking at them like this, these top courtesans still had faces like jade, delicate and dripping, and with their plain faces, they were still full of infinite charm.

This was another one of Liu Zheng's masterpieces.

He had thought it over and could only put some effort into this aspect. The level of makeup in this ancient era... was simply unbearable. Using cinnabar on lips, spreading powder on faces, and even using arsenic as foundation to become white—was this not a joke?

The key was that with such makeup, every face looked terrifyingly white.

Although the ancients revered "whiteness covering a hundred uglinesses," what was the use of such unnatural whiteness?

There was no need to mention rouge; using rouge in this ancient era required a layer of lead powder... Arsenic, lead powder—which of these was not a deadly thing? Then add yellow forehead paint, drawn eyebrows... A ghost face just appeared like that.

So why not use his own daily necessities?

Lip balm, he had it; Snow Cream, he had it; Skin Care Products, he had them!

Even the products made when making tofu—soy milk, tofu pudding, stinky tofu—were countless. Using these things for makeup appeared more natural and could even better outline and highlight a woman's rounded or graceful contours.

Thus, a group of plain-faced beauties appeared just like that.

"Boom!"

The whole scene was in an uproar, with people discussing it heatedly.

"This..."

"Who plays like this!"

"Is this Fengming Tower truly not afraid of losing?"

This was simply too inconsistent with their aesthetics! The crowd was angry. One by one, they started cursing.

Zheng Yue Ru smiled bitterly: "Brother Liu, look, I said this wouldn't do..."

Liu Zheng, however, did not care and smiled faintly: "What is wrong with it? Only when the ten layers of armor are swept from the face can the brows and eyes be seen without disgust. Only when the dust of several pecks is washed from the heart can the language be felt as having flavor. Miss Zheng, what is beauty?"

Zheng Yue Ru was slightly taken aback. Reciting Liu Zheng's words in her mouth, her eyes suddenly lit up.

Liu Zheng laughed loudly: "The jade of He is not decorated with five colors, and Sui Hou's Pearl is not decorated with silver and yellow; the beauty of their quality is not something objects can decorate. Don't you think that if we were to act like those flower houses, posturing and following the crowd, we would truly be falling into the inferior class?"

"But, but Brother Liu..."

Zheng Yue Ru gave a bitter smile: "Manqing she..."

Liu Zheng smiled confidently: "I have my own Method to make her win!"

Over there, Du Biao, seeing the scene fall into chaos and cursing because of the appearance of these Fengming Tower top courtesans, could not help but smile bitterly: "This Young Master Liu is truly never idle for a day! Although I also feel that these top courtesans look a few degrees more real and beautiful at this moment, but, but..."

The servants laughed loudly.

They all felt that it was Liu Zheng's act of automatically admitting defeat after seeing Xiao Ruozhi's style.

"Hahahaha, does he really want this kind of makeup?"

Over there, Guo Yu was also laughing until he fell over.

"Young Master Guo, this playboy of the Liu Family will definitely offend the Empress because of this!"

The ancients valued etiquette the most. If you greet the Empress with a plain face, how could she not blame you for being rude?

"No, why is there no smell of powder on the Fengming Tower flower float?"

Just at this moment, people suddenly realized a problem.

Not only that, not only was there no pungent smell of powder, but there was also a fragrance of roses wafting over. The crowd was immediately shocked, searching for the source of this scent, and only after a moment did they confirm that this faint fragrance was coming from the top courtesans of Fengming Tower, carried by the wind!

Now everyone was stunned.

In this era, people had no concept of whether the body was fragrant or smelly. In a place like Liangzhou, who could take a bath a few times a year? Since these top courtesans were in the flesh trade, most used Pig Pancreas Soap to bathe, and then used powder and rouge to cover up the smell of the Pig Pancreas Soap. Therefore, every courtesan was usually pungent with heavy perfume, and people were used to it.

But today...

A clear fragrance teased the nose, elegant as water; those who had just been spouting filth were suddenly entranced, one after another closing their mouths.

"What is this scent?"

"Could it be, this is the scent of a woman?"

Once these words were out, the crowd burst into laughter.

But it had to be said, this move by Liu Zheng today was truly brilliant. The most natural is the most feminine, especially compared to the heavy, thick cosmetics of ancient times that only cared for color and ignored the cloying scent; this soap fragrance was something people were happy to accept.

Natural.

For today's grand rehearsal, what he wanted to highlight was precisely naturalness.

Although he knew that wanting to completely change the aesthetic views of these ancients was certainly unrealistic, he also wanted to tell them that true beauty—at least true beauty of the exterior—should not be credited to those heavy, toxic cosmetics, but to the woman herself.

He also wanted to tell people that different styles and different temperaments are what constitute true beauty.

Just at this moment.

A "ding-dong" sound rang out.

On the flower float, Shen Manqing, surrounded by the other women, sat upright by the zither and plucked the strings.

The entire venue suddenly went silent.

A song, "Snow Before the Pear Blossoms," echoed through the rehearsal site, and everyone's gaze was drawn to the peerless Shen Manqing.

Was she beautiful?

Yes!

This was beyond doubt, something everyone had to admit.

Was she beautiful today?

When this "Snow Before the Pear Blossoms" began to play, people had already forgotten to argue about this question. From beginning to end, the song was: a few drifting snowflakes, a few pear leaves, lightly plucking at the color of the grass, half a life of wind and snow... yet it was so clear and refined, elegant and unique, lingering and moving.

Just like Shen Manqing at this moment.

No exaggerated makeup, no heavy cosmetics.

With one smile, a clear breeze brushed her face.

With one song, her voice was melodious and moving.

Meanwhile, the other top courtesans of Fengming Tower were already sitting around, appearing to listen intently.

People were entranced by the sound, and entranced by the sight.

A new song, an old friend, a clear fragrance brushing past.

The jeers and the questioning came to an abrupt halt.

It was as if only this current appearance was worthy of such a divine song.

"Wonderful!"

"Good!"

"Such a song should only exist in heaven; how often can one hear it in the human world! Miss Manqing has great talent! A true Beauty indeed!"

"Reward!"

The scene erupted with a bang; those scholars and poets were all going crazy, shaking their heads and swaying.

Guo Yu looked on, dumbfounded.

Du Biao looked on, stunned.

This is only the first rehearsal, you Fengming Tower, are you really going all out like this?

How is this supposed to let others play!

Zheng Yue Ru also stared blankly at Liu Zheng beside her, unable to stop her bitter smile.

So this Young Master Liu, just as he said, treated every performance as an advertisement.

"Don't push!"

"I was here first! If I can't buy soap today, my wife definitely won't let me sleep!"

"Don't grab, don't grab, there's enough for everyone!"

Over here, the first rehearsal of the Top Courtesan Competition hadn't even ended, and the shops of the Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce were already packed with people. Someone had leaked that the reason the top courtesans of Fengming Tower had such a natural floral scent was because they used soap from the Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce!

How could people not go crazy?

As soon as Shen Manqing's song ended, people had already rushed over here like madmen to snap it up.

In an instant, soap became the most discussed word among the people.

"Did you manage to buy soap?"

"Hahahaha, I bought three bars!"

"I like the Peony scent best! I washed with it yesterday, and my husband, oh my, it's too embarrassing to say..."

"Only after using soap did I realize how smelly I was before; my apologies, my apologies!"

"Likewise, likewise..."

And this situation, which at first only spread among the wealthy, young masters, and daughters of rich families, was soon discovered by the common people, who realized that the Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce had also prepared soap that they could afford!

Ten coins a piece!

This allowed the common people to follow the trend as well; although it didn't have a floral scent, it was refreshing after washing, and there was no longer that greasy smell of Pig Pancreas Soap.

The entire city was swept by a wave of fresh, natural-look style!

"I'm so angry, I'm so angry!"

Back home, Guo Yu was furious: "All the limelight today was stolen by that Fengming Tower!"

"Viscount, this Liu Family playboy is not playing by the rules!"

"Exactly, exactly..."

"Why don't we have our top courtesans go bare-faced tomorrow too? It will surely stun the whole city!"

"Good!"

Over on Du Biao's side.

Upon returning to his Lanxiang Troupe, Xiao Ruozhi had already walked over.

Du Biao asked with a bitter smile: "Ruozhi, what do you think of that Shen Manqing?"

Xiao Ruozhi curtsied slightly: "Third Leader, Manqing's zither skills are exquisite; she is truly worthy of being called a master!"

Du Biao sighed: "Doesn't that mean we have no hope for this Top Courtesan Competition again?"

Xiao Ruozhi smiled faintly: "Not necessarily. Third Leader, since Fengming Tower is focusing on the bare-faced look, why don't you let me try it tomorrow?"

"Good!"

However, on the second day of the grand dress rehearsal.

Everyone was stunned again.

Today, it was the Fengming Tower's parade float that arrived first.

What happened to the bare-faced look we agreed on?

Why have you all put on makeup again? And today, these young women from Fengming Tower really did appear in full regalia, wearing every possible decoration on their bodies: yellow forehead ornaments, darkened brows, vermilion lips, face powder, earrings, necklaces...

Luxurious!

Magnificent!

Although it had been improved quite a bit by Liu Zheng, this appearance and formation were no worse than the imperial concubines in the palace.

Guo Yu vomited blood.

Du Biao also vomited blood.

Damn it!

Are they even going to let people play!

They did not know that what Liu Zheng intended to promote today was Perfume.

For this kind of luxury item, how could it work without playing the luxury card?