Gu Chen ascended to the loft and was led to the private room he had previously pointed out. Along the way, many women gave him the eye, and even those with a bit more audacity stealthily grabbed his palm, tracing circles on it.
Of course, all of that was ignored by Gu Chen.
What a joke, how could he, Gu Chen, possibly be such a shallow person?
Lust is a bone-scraping knife; feminine allure only hinders the speed of his sword drawing.
"Young Master, we are here. Please, just go inside," said the heavily made-up woman in her middle years with a fawning expression.
Gu Chen let out a soft "hmm," pushed open the large door to the private room, and walked inside.
Inside the brothel, more than a dozen guests were already seated, intertwined with wine cups, creating quite a lively scene.
These people, without exception, were dressed in dazzling attire, each one from a prominent family in Ning City. Those without money could not even enter this place.
The room's atmosphere was quite pleasant, and the temperature was just right. Of course, the most enticing was the woman seated at the center. With her almond-shaped eyes and rosy cheeks, her luscious lips below brows framing a sprightly gaze, she radiated an indescribable charm.
Even Gu Chen, who had seen his fair share of artificially and naturally beautiful women in his previous life, couldn't help but inwardly admire her beauty.
Kneeling there with a winsome smile, she was dressed boldly in a sheer gown that left her shoulders bare, her fair skin glowing, and her sleek figure highlighted, her delicate collarbones clearly visible.
To think that Ning City, merely a county under Qingyang County, would have such a stunningly beautiful woman.
Indeed, placed in the pleasure district of Tiandu, this top courtesan could easily hold her own.
And in Ning City, not to mention others, just with this courtesan alone, Yi Xiang Building would have no problem being the best.
"Another young master has arrived. I wonder if this new young master would introduce himself?" The courtesan, brimming with smiles, turned her gaze toward Gu Chen who had just entered, her voice sweet and mellow, the kind that would involuntarily stir a protective instinct from deep within the listener.
Gu Chen, with a smile on his lips, gave a slight bow and said, "I am Gu Chen. Greetings to everyone."
"So it's Young Master Gu. Please take a seat. We are playing a drinking game here – please feel free to join," said the courtesan Yin Yin with a soft laugh, her pale and translucent skin gleaming, every move seemingly capable of ensnaring souls.
Indeed, it was the case: the guests within the brothel were all fixated on her, not daring to even blink, as if they feared that with a single blink, the courtesan would vanish.
Gu Chen chuckled and nodded, finding a corner to sit down to watch them, led by the courtesan, playing the drinking game.
If not, it equated to making a wasted trip that day.
All the customers in the tavern were staring intently in the direction the courtesan had left, each one full of eager anticipation, hoping to be tonight's lucky man.
Shortly, as a quarter of an hour passed and everyone was beginning to despair, thinking no one had been chosen tonight, a maid emerged from the inner room.
Seeing this, the guests' eyes lit up, eager to find out who would be graced with the courtesan's favor tonight.
The young maid scanned the room and set her eyes on a corner, sweetly saying, "My mistress invites Young Master Gu to join her for a private word."
Hearing that it wasn't them, the crowd was filled with disappointment, their gaze simultaneously turning towards Gu Chen in the corner.
Gu Chen's expression remained composed, a smile playing on his lips. He rose to his full height upon hearing the maid call for him and followed her into the inner room, leaving the onlookers with the sight of his tall, retreating figure.
After Gu Chen left, sighs echoed around the outer room, the crowd heaved long and short breaths of resignation.
Guided by the maid, Gu Chen made his way into the main bedroom of the inner chamber, where accents of peach adorned the room and incense wafted an enticing scent. A painting of a woman bathing, unabashedly revealing, adorned the wall by the bed.
The entire room was suffused with the essence of desire.
"Please wait a moment, Young Master Gu, my mistress is still bathing," said the maid.
Gu Chen nodded. After bowing, the maid withdrew.
Of course, according to the rules of the Yi Xiang Building, Gu Chen was welcome to call for the company of the maid and the courtesan together in his bed, should he desire it.
And Gu Chen knew that the courtesan Yin Yin had three maids.
In any world, a woman's bathing time is quite extensive. Gu Chen waited for quite a while, and finally, the courtesan Yin Yin came in.
The freshly bathed Yin Yin carried a special allure; her almond-shaped eyes were seductive, her hair was draped loosely, her skin was as smooth as jade, and her figure undulated with curves. Embracing a faint fragrance, which lingered at the tip of the nose and combined with the room's incense, it incited an involuntary stirring of lust.
After her bath, the courtesan Yin Yin changed into a transparent silk dress. Under the candlelight, her slender form appeared both concealed and revealed, exuding irresistible temptation.
She walked towards Gu Chen with measured steps, lifting her long, jade-like leg and gently placing it upon his thigh. Leaning forward, her delicate features drew ever closer in intimate proximity. Looking into each other's eyes, they could both clearly hear one another's breathing.
Then, with her lips parting and her breath as fragrant as orchids, she asked, "My lord, do you find me beautiful?"