How to become a Taoist priest starting from a brothel

As soon as Madam Xu finished speaking, she stepped aside and saw Luanqin, who had removed her armor, walk forward gracefully. She clasped her hands in a salute, then spread her arms and slowly turned around a few times. She then lifted her skirt to reveal a pair of black boots, and finally performed a lady's salute before ending the ceremony.

As soon as the meeting ended, a wealthy young man in the corner waved his hand, and the pimp standing beside him announced loudly, "Young Master Liu, 200 taels!"

This sound was like a switch, and the room erupted in a constant stream of bids. If you bid three hundred taels, I'd bid four hundred taels; if you bid five hundred taels, I'd dare to bid six hundred taels.

In less than a quarter of an hour, the price of Luanqin's hair comb had already risen steadily, heading towards four thousand taels. This made Madam Xu extremely happy, knowing that Qingyin's hair comb, which won the title of the most beautiful courtesan and was exceptionally talented, only cost three thousand taels.

Since its establishment, the only time Yin Yue in this red-light district has fetched such a high price is twenty years ago, when she was auctioned off for seven thousand taels. Other auctions have only reached one or two thousand taels, and Qing Yin's three thousand taels is already a rare sight. She never imagined that Luan Qin, whom she considered useless, could command such a price. Thinking of the dozen or so maids still being trained by Liu Yin, she felt as if money was raining down on her, and couldn't help but gasp, "This Qing Yin is truly remarkable. Letting her go this time isn't a bad deal." Thinking this, the resentment she felt from being controlled by Liu Yin dissipated somewhat. Remembering her relationship with Madam Liu, the remaining bitterness slowly faded away.

When the price reached 5,300 taels, almost no one else bid. After all, Luanqin's style was rare, but it was just something to look at. Only a few people really liked this style. Most men still hoped to see a gentle and obedient confidante in the red-light district.

Although it couldn't reach the grandeur of twenty years ago, it still delighted Madam Xu, not to mention Luanqin herself. She had thought her mother would sell her to the lowest-class brothel, but she never expected to have such an opportunity. She knew in her heart that after tonight, she would no longer be a courtesan who could be discarded at will. She hoped that this scene could last longer and longer, so that she could save more money and have something to rely on when she got old.

The one who bought Luanqin was a burly man, eight feet tall, dressed in a silk martial robe. He threw down the silver notes, jumped onto the stage, hoisted Luanqin onto his shoulder, and laughed loudly at Madam Xu, saying, "I was afraid that those delicate ladies in your building wouldn't be enough for me to torment. Now this one is perfect. Quickly take me inside."

Seeing this, Madam Xu smiled obsequiously: "Sir, today is Luanqin's wedding day, so we must observe proper etiquette." As she spoke, she waved her hand to signal the maidservant beside her to bring out the wedding clothes and veils for the couple to change into.

"I hate all those formalities. Why make things so complicated? Just point to the room." The man frowned impatiently. As soon as he finished speaking, he bounced the lute on his shoulder, causing the lute to exclaim in surprise, which made him laugh.

"I know you're anxious, sir, but you should also cherish Luanqin. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Following the rules is also to save face for her." Madam Xu naturally didn't want to break the rules of the brothel for the sake of this brute, but she also didn't want to offend the God of Wealth, so she could only try to persuade her repeatedly.

The burly man scratched his head, thoroughly annoyed. He turned to look at the man who had come with him, seemingly asking if there was no exception here. The man shook his head with a smile, indicating that the man should listen to Xu's mother's advice. Seeing his friend's attitude, the man had no choice but to agree.

The ceremony was actually not complicated. Luanqin changed into a red gauze robe, her head was covered with a veil, and then the man lifted the veil. After drinking the nuptial wine, the ceremony was considered complete. Afterwards, the man carried Luanqin to the bridal chamber under the guidance of the pimp.

With the main character gone, the others naturally stopped paying attention to the matter and started drinking with their friends. Those who were familiar with the place would ask their regular patrons to keep them company, while those who were not frequent visitors and did not want to hire patrons would ask Xu Mama to find some girls from second-rate brothels to accompany them.

The lobby was bustling with noise and excitement. The downstairs was lively, and the upstairs was not quiet either. Some couldn't wait to pull their lovers into the room for a sweet talk, while others held back and laughed and joked with their lovers in the corridor. Some were discussing business and calling for the maids to bring out the wine.

As the moon rose high in the sky and the crowd was already slightly tipsy, a group of girls dressed in red and wearing red veils walked onto the stage in the middle. Their hair ornaments swayed in the breeze, and each girl had an exceptionally beautiful face. Unfortunately, the red veils covered their faces, which only added to their mysterious charm, making people want to explore them.

Some, sober, others, intrigued, all turned to look at the stage, filled with curiosity. The girls sat on either side of the stage in a V-shape, with a lady in the center dressed in red, but her red dress was trimmed with gold, and the hem embroidered with intricate patterns in gold thread. Her face mask was replaced with a thin red veil embroidered with gold thread, through which one could see her flawless skin and cherry-like lips. Her hairstyle was far more elaborate than the others, adorned with a peony hairpin and pearl earrings, making her appear like a goddess. She and the other women moved with flowing robes, their hands moving in a flurry, producing the melodious strains of a zither, like the cry of a phoenix. This was the highlight of the day, "Pitying Jade," a piece jointly composed by Liu Yin and Madam Liu.

The sound of the pipa begins, but it is not the lurking danger and murderous intent of "Ambush from Ten Sides", nor the lingering sentimentality of past pieces, nor the desolate and melodious "Pipa Language". This piece is pretty and clear at first listen, but upon second listen, it is hesitant and unspoken, as if leading the listener step by step into a young girl's life.

As the pipa music began, the woman in the middle sang in a clear and melodious voice: "Willow branches stretch far, red sleeves shine brightly, I see you off on your journey, I'll wait for you for a lifetime..."

The piece was short and lacked the elaborate sword dance that followed the music of the Luanqin. The simple melody and lyrics captivated everyone present, who were reluctant to interrupt. In a short while, the piece came to an end.

It was as if everyone had accompanied the girl in the song through her life, from adolescence to old age, watching her go through her confusion, first love, farewell, waiting, from innocence to happiness and then to heartache and relief.

Those with sensitive hearts already had tears streaming down their faces, while the older ones seemed to recall the regrets of their youth, sighing deeply.

Only when Madam Xu stepped onto the stage did the crowd's worries subside, and they looked at the lady on the stage. They had actually come today specifically for this lady, the one Madam Xu had spent a fortune to promote. Luanqin was merely a warm-up performer strongly recommended by Liu Yin. However, even this warm-up performer brought a series of surprises, almost breaking the record for the highest auction price in the red-light district. Not only did it make Madam Xu a fortune, but it also established a great reputation for Qingyin Hall.

Liu Yin did want Luanqin to have her own performance, but she also knew that the aesthetic of this era was still mainly based on women's gentleness and charm. A woman as heroic as Luanqin could only attract some men who liked these qualities. To completely replace her influence, she would have to promote a woman who was more charming and talented than Luanqin and who fit the aesthetic of the times.

After much selection and training, and through various communications and efforts with Xu's mother, she finally decided to give this opportunity to Xu's mother's second daughter, Xu Yinling.

Although Xu Yinling was the same age as Qingyin, Xu's mother always doted on her and couldn't bear to see her start taking customers too early, so she kept her in the business. She was thinking of finding an opportunity to make her the top courtesan, but first there was Hongyu and then Qingyin, who made her unable to rise to the top. In addition, her elder sister Xu Yueling was always arrogant and liked to suppress her.

The three mountains had already made it hard for her to breathe, but she never expected that Qingyin would be disfigured and Hongyu would redeem herself. She finally had an opportunity. When she met Liuyin who changed her identity and was willing to play a song to train her, she naturally had to take this opportunity to promote herself.

Unfortunately, her pipa skills were not good, and her appearance was not as beautiful as the current emperor's. Only her eyes were slightly outstanding. But Liu Yin would naturally come up with a solution for her, which is why she is now playing the pipa with someone else. In addition, the new makeup designed by Liu Yin made her look even more beautiful.

Naturally, tonight's auction price for her was comparable to that of Silver Moon twenty years ago, reaching a high of 6,800 taels, and she was also won by the heir of the Duke of Protectorate, second only to the Prince's Mansion.