Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 410 A Lesson of Enlightenment

Qin Keqing had just discussed with him the day before whether or not to restart the newspaper. Unexpectedly, it was Yue Ling who brought it up first today, and even wanted them to carry forward the old style.

But after all, the capital is not Jiangnan.

Unlike the boat girls in West Lake and the skinny horses in Yangzhou, the atmosphere there is not so open, but Yue Ling wants to use this to promote his new business, which makes Xue Baochai think more.

"Qin Keqing is really lucky. If the Marquis has really made up his mind, then he will do as she wishes."

Sighing softly and raising her eyebrows slightly, Xue Baochai asked tentatively, "What kind of business does the Marquis want to do?"

Yue Ling tapped his fingers on the table, feeling quite excited about coming up with a plan that killed two birds with one stone. He said, "When I entered the palace today, His Majesty gave me a difficult problem, which is about the shortage of population in the three auxiliary areas of the capital. The purpose of this business is, first, to solve this problem, and second, to increase the income of the palace."

Xue Baochai couldn't understand Yue Ling's mysterious words anymore, so she couldn't help asking, "Population? How does the Marquis plan to solve such a complicated matter through business?"

Yue Ling smiled and shook his head, "It's not as complicated as you think."

As he spoke, Yue Ling noticed that Xue Baochai was quite restrained today. Since entering the room, she had not even sat opposite him at the desk. Instead, she just stood aside, keeping a distance of three steps from him.

This made Yue Ling feel a little puzzled. He hooked his finger and said, "This is a big business, which concerns the national economy and people's livelihood. Miss Xue, why don't you sit down and talk?"

Unable to refuse the kind invitation, Xue Baochai had to suppress her shyness and nodded, then walked towards Yue Ling step by step.

As soon as he sat down, he heard Yue Ling say, "The business I want to do is exactly what Miss Xue has."

Xue Baochai was in a trance for a moment, and had a bad feeling. Before she even sat down, her butt was hanging straight in the air.

"Using pornographic articles as propaganda to sell the items I have, the Marquis will not..."

Xue Baochai stood up suddenly, hugged her chest with both hands, and couldn't bear to look back at the closed door, "Marquis... Marquis, are you really here to discuss business with me?"

Yue Ling blinked and said incoherently: "Why? Do you think I'm here to tease you?"

"It's better not..."

"Ah, what did you say?"

Xue Baochai shook her head repeatedly, "It's okay, it's okay, Lord, please continue to talk about this business you came up with."

Although he felt a little puzzled, Yue Ling still spoke out his idea to his former best business partner without disguising it, "What I'm talking about is the bellyband."

"But the bellybands we want to make are not ordinary square and diamond-shaped bellybands. I named them "interesting things". They have to be both romantic and interesting. If we design bellybands with rich styles to add to the fun of sex, wouldn't it allow more people to have the harmony of sex instead of lingering in brothels and wine shops?"

"what?"

Xue Baochai's mouth slowly opened wider, as if it was big enough to swallow an egg.

Xue Baochai was shocked and thought: "It is indeed a bellyband? Could it be that what Xiangling did just now was not instigated by Sister Keqing, but the Marquis was the instigator?"

"Could it be that I gave the Marquis an inspiration, so he came up with this business?"

"But, but Lord Marquis, you actually want to sell this kind of thing. Aren't you too shameless... And, is my bellyband so fascinating to you, Lord Marquis?"

After a long silence, Xue Baochai was unable to come back to her senses. She even felt as if her head was filled with lead and could not move at all.

"My Lord, you don't know. Most of these underwear for women are cut and sewn by themselves, not purchased outside. And..."

Xue Baochai's cheeks flushed, and she stammered, "Besides, this is just your hobby, Lord. How can you be sure that others have the same hobbies as you?"

Normally, Xue Baochai never questioned Yue Ling's decision, but this time, she really couldn't help it.

Yue Ling spat lightly and said, "Bah, what do you mean by my hobby? How can I have such a hobby?"

"You..." Xue Baochai hesitated to speak, but in the end she was too embarrassed to speak and lowered her head again, "Forget it, Lord Marquis, please speak."

Yue Ling nodded, "Miss Xue, don't underestimate this business. Although it is not very popular nowadays, it is indeed something that can be used by everyone and has a broad market prospect."

"Besides, you think the bellyband is for women. But I say this bellyband is for men."

Xue Baochai opened her mouth and couldn't help saying, "That's even more strange... Only naughty children would wear bellybands..."

Yue Ling stood up and tapped Xue Baochai's head impatiently, "I say, why are you so stupid today?"

"This bellyband is not that bellyband. Your bellyband is worn to keep warm, while the bellyband I'm talking about is worn by women to please men. There are many similar garments, and I call them all pleasure items."

"It is precisely because my home is not as good as the wine shops and brothels in terms of romance, and having this item will definitely narrow the gap between the two."

"Doesn't this create good conditions for giving birth to offspring?"

Xue Baochai covered her forehead with her hands, and her face turned red with embarrassment when she heard Yue Ling say that bellybands were used to please men.

"My Lord, this... I still feel something is wrong."

"What's wrong?"

Xue Baochai bit her lip, her cheeks seemed to be dripping with blood. "Nowadays, there is no custom like what the Marquis said. As for love between men and women, it is indeed natural, but there is no such desecration of being dignified, just for love... This is not decent."

Yue Ling raised his eyebrows and was about to turn around, but then he turned back and approached Xue Baochai and asked, "Do you have any experience?"

Xue Baochai waved her hands and stepped back, "My Lord, what are you talking about? I am still an unmarried girl."

Yue Ling spread his hands and said, "Yes, since you didn't, how do you know that sex wouldn't be like this? Only the people in the bedroom know what happens in the bedroom, and they won't comment on it with outsiders. How can it be considered as a disgrace?"

"You have to know that according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory, in addition to the necessary living conditions, sex life is also the most basic need. When this need cannot be met at home, it will definitely push people to indecent places such as brothels and bars."

"Doing shameful things in a place like this is not a disgrace to society? Hiding at home, unknown to outsiders, is it a disgrace to society?"

Thinking about what Qin Keqing had done in the room, Xue Baochai found it hard to refute her. She turned her head away and stammered, "I...I can't argue with the Marquis..."

After a pause, Xue Baochai added, "Does the Marquis have a friend named Ma? In the future, the Marquis should have less contact with him. He doesn't sound like a decent person."

Yue Ling was determined to solve the problem, and he always regarded Xue Baochai as his best partner. In his eagerness, he did not care about what Xue Baochai was thinking at the moment, and further explained: "Nowadays, people often regard concealment as beauty, giving people room for reverie. But in fact, this kind of clothing is far from enough for visual impact. Hollowing out or carving patterns, or simply revealing half and hiding the other half, to show the woman's figure is the best."

"Men often put what they see first. Trying to grasp that feeling through fantasy in the mind is not a good choice."

"Nowadays, it is precisely because no one is doing it that we need to fill this gap."

"Here is my plan. To make this clothing, we need to have household registration certification, and only married women are allowed to buy it. This will ensure that this item will not be excessively circulated."

"And after the marriage certificate is signed, the newlyweds can get two items for free from the government office according to the document, so that their married life can be more comfortable. It can also be regarded as promoting our brand reputation." After talking for a while, when Yue Ling looked at Xue Baochai again, he found that there seemed to be white mist coming out of her head, her hands were tightly clasped in front of her, and her body was leaning against the bookcase.

Yue Ling had always thought that Xue Baochai was a strong business woman who would be able to put aside some worldly concerns and explore the possibilities of this business with him. But now that he looked at her carefully, he realized that she was just an unmarried little girl.

That pitiful look seemed to say that she would rather die than wear that kind of thing.

Yue Ling had no choice but to calm her down and said, "Miss Xue, please don't misunderstand me. The things I'm talking about are not prepared for you. Besides, the saints also said that food and sex are human nature. The prospects of this business are probably unprecedentedly broad."

"Just think about how your little article can sell so well. And this bellyband, which can only be purchased by women with their real names, is not it a good medicine for the couple's life?"

Xue Baochai pursed her lips tightly, and after a long pause, she said, "Since the Marquis is so sure that this can be accomplished, the Xue family will not refuse... But, I still have a few things I want to ask."

With the response, Yue Ling felt relieved. He let out a sigh and said, "Okay, go ahead and ask."

Xue Baochai raised her head slightly, as if she had considered it for a while before she spoke: "The Marquis wants more married men, and is more attached to his family, rather than the prostitutes outside. But if the Marquis's bellyband really has such a miraculous effect, wouldn't it be more beneficial to women in the world?"

"They already know how to please men better than decent women. If they wear these clothes, wouldn't that be like adding wings to a tiger?"

"Even if the Marquis requires women to purchase with their real names, there is still a risk of private circulation of such items that are scarce from the beginning, no matter how careful we are."

"At that time, perhaps the brothel will commission the purchase from ordinary people at a high price, and this is not something the government can control."

At this time, Xue Baochai's cheeks were as pink as peach blossoms because of her extreme shyness.

Even so, she still managed to analyze the situation calmly. This stubborn side of her was so charming and attractive.

Yue Ling couldn't help but pick up the teacup on the tea table, took a big sip, suppressed his restless mood, and answered: "This is the back-up plan."

Xue Baochai was slightly surprised. She didn't expect that Yue Ling really had a way to deal with this matter.

Exhaling, Yue Ling said truthfully: "We should not throw the baby out with the bathwater. However, if there are brothels that really use this to attract customers, then it is foreseeable that the prices of brothels will only rise."

"As a result, only the wealthy can afford to spend money in this area, so they can only return home. And we have added fuel to the fire of prostitution, making it even more rampant."

"To be honest, Your Majesty has long been dissatisfied with the current trend. In a brothel, people spend a fortune to win a night's sleep, and yet they are sought after by everyone."

"Your Majesty wants to intervene, but he has no idea where to start. He lacks a legitimate reason, and we have given His Majesty that reason."

"Think about it carefully. Aren't the people who benefit from the brothels in the capital city the wealthy families, or even those who have backers in the imperial court?"

"Otherwise, how can a brothel, a place that harbors filth and corruption and where it is common to force decent families to become prostitutes, open one in the capital?"

"Fatting their pockets is like fattening pigs. When Your Majesty wants to kill them, you can do so."

Yue Ling made a decisive gesture, which made Xue Baochai's heart tremble.

"Not only is the Marquis lustful, he also has a dark heart..."

Xue Baochai muttered.

Yue Ling frowned and spread his hands helplessly, "You have misunderstood me so much. Rumors are fine, but we live together every day. Don't you know how I treat you?"

"Besides, shouldn't we be ruthless to those who do evil?"

Xue Baochai nodded slightly and said, "I agree with the latter sentence, sir, but the former sentence..."

Xue Baochai turned away and didn't want to continue talking.

"I've already let Xiangling wear my bellyband to please us during sex, but you still say you're not lustful. Lord, you're really shameless..."

Enduring the criticism in her heart, Xue Baochai had no choice but to agree, "Well, I'll listen to you this time, but your reputation may be misunderstood even more in the future."

Yue Ling smiled and shook his head. "What does it matter if my reputation is good or bad? I never care about a name. As long as I do what I think is right and follow my heart, that's all."

Xue Baochai also agreed with this statement, nodded, and said, "What kind of bellyband do you want to make first, my Lord?"

JK, OL, nurse uniform, maid uniform, all have their own uses in later generations, but these directions are too strong, without sufficient background stories to pave the way, in fact, it is difficult for ancient people to understand this aesthetic.

This would definitely not work in ancient times, and perhaps it would be more marketable if sold to Westerners.

Right now, Yue Ling still plans to start with the simplest one.

"What do most of the things you are wearing now look like? Can you take one and have a look first?"

"what?"

Xue Baochai had just regained some of her peace of mind, but now she was in a state of uproar again, "My Lord, haven't you seen enough of this?"

This time it was not a complaint from the bottom of her heart, Xue Baochai couldn't help but say it out loud.

After he finished speaking, he realized that he had said the wrong thing and covered his mouth in panic.

Yue Ling scratched his head and said, "I have seen it before, but I didn't pay much attention to the style. It feels very good, smooth and delicate. Maybe the materials you use to make bellybands are quite good."

"However, the bellyband I want to make cannot be made of such fine quality. This is a consumable item and must be easy to tear, so I have to refer to the current bellybands and make improvements."

Xue Baochai closed her eyes tightly and clenched her teeth. "After all, it was the Marquis who came up with this business because of me. So, I can't escape responsibility. If other sisters knew that the Marquis had this shameful idea because Xiangling wore my bellyband, and then asked for other people's bellybands to use in business, then I...where would my face be?"

Thinking of this, Xue Baochai had no choice but to raise her hand and gently untie the tie at her neck. She put her other hand into her bosom and, suppressing her great shame, took out a red lotus which still had its body temperature.

"Then... Lord Marquis, if you don't mind, I'll give you this as a reference..."

Yue Ling swallowed and was stunned watching this erotic scene.

His original intention was to get some clothes that were passed down by the maids in the mansion, just to see the styles, but he didn't want the ones that Xue Baochai wore.

But Xue Baochai misunderstood his meaning and took it out so blatantly.

Looking at the red lotus, it was embroidered like carp hidden in a lotus pond, emitting a faint fragrance that went straight into one's nostrils, and it seemed as if it was radiating a thousand-foot-high light all over its body.

Just ask, who can resist such temptation? Yue Ling is also a normal person.

He raised his hand to answer it, and heard hurried footsteps outside the door. "Brother Yue, you're back? I just have something to tell you."

(End of this chapter)