Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 224 A Feast for the Eyes: A Multitude of Beauties Welcome You

The spring breeze is proud of horseshoe disease, seeing Chang'an flowers in one day.

This is probably the most famous poem among those related to passing the imperial examination, vividly depicting the joy and splendid situation after passing the exam.

Although Luoyang was the eastern capital and once served as the capital of the Wu Zhou dynasty, after the Shenlong Revolution, the central government returned to Chang'an, and the imperial examinations were mostly held in Chang'an. Therefore, the personnel arrangements for the imperial examinations in Luoyang were far less comprehensive than those in Chang'an, and activities such as the Qujiang Banquet and the Wild Goose Pagoda Inscription were not held there.

But this may not be a bad thing. At least you won't encounter the kind of troublesome situation that the Jinshi group had to deal with, where you had to copy books for two months to pay off your debts and redeem yourself. Just thinking about it makes you feel miserable.

Without the constraints of those customs and rituals, these guys who had been honorably promoted to the rank of rank 10 were free to celebrate and play as they pleased.

At Li Yi's enthusiastic recommendation, the group headed straight for Chengfu Lane next to Xintan after leaving the eastern city of Luoyang Palace. This guy had repeatedly invited Zhang Dai there for entertainment during the provincial examinations, and the first place he thought of after the exams ended was this place; he truly loved it, his original intention unchanged!
Compared to Chang'an, Luoyang was much more livable, especially since the city was full of moisture. The neighborhoods and gardens built around the lakes and ponds were also very pleasant. Unlike Chang'an, which was vast, only a few places like Qujiang could be considered tourist attractions.

Xintan in Luobei is not only a place where the world's treasures gather, but also a scenic spot in Luoyang known for its romantic atmosphere. After all, where money is, there is happiness.

The group exited through Chengfu Gate. Li Yi sent his servant ahead to inform the courtesans to prepare to receive guests, while he enthusiastically introduced the renowned actresses and courtesans of Chengfu Ward to his companions.

Of course, this was mainly meant for Zhang Dai, because after several encounters, he discovered that although the young man was a native of Luoyang, he had a very limited understanding of matters of love and romance.

As for the others, they had all come here a few times, more or less. Even Wang Changling, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, came up to say that the wine brewed by the Nanquqi Pavilion in Chengfufang was the best, and the Hu girls selling wine at the counter were also very delicious. It was clear that he had been here many times.

So Zhang Dai, like a complete novice, was bombarded with all sorts of knowledge along the way and learned about many eccentricities. And when the others talked about these things, they were all beaming with excitement, far more so than when discussing poetry and literature!
Chengfu Archway is located on the south side of Xintan. Large lanterns still stand inside and outside the archway gate, which were probably set up during the Lantern Festival. However, due to proper maintenance, they still look brand new and have not been removed.

As you enter the neighborhood, a strong scent of perfume wafts over you, mixed with other complex aromas of fermented wine. The scent is rich but not unpleasant; in fact, it's quite alluring. You're already feeling a bit tipsy even before you enter a shop.

The neighborhoods surrounding Xintan each have their own unique characteristics: Qinghua neighborhood is full of inns, Lide neighborhood is full of warehouses and shops, and Chengfu neighborhood is full of brothels.

These brothels didn't have overly extravagant decorations. From the outside, they looked similar to ordinary residences. Since they couldn't open onto the street, the canals along both sides of the street were mostly two- or three-story pavilions with small windows, and colorful lanterns hung outside the windows.

"My lord, my lord, I have just received some fat fish from a fisherman. Please come, my lord, I will cook it for you as soon as I finish my makeup!"

Li Yi, a wealthy man with a penny to his name and a penchant for romance, was naturally a big patron of Chengfu Ward. As soon as he entered the ward, women would call out to him from the street.

"Today, I came to the neighborhood with many friends for fun. Your courtyard is too small to accommodate too many people. Let's go another day!"

Li Yi waved and answered as he walked, while Zhang Dai and the others seemed like lackeys following behind the top leader, their numbers were considerable but their presence was hardly noticeable.

Zhang Dai was originally a handsome young man, but compared to Li Yi's image as a valiant and romantic hero built up with countless hours of hard work and money, he was undoubtedly overshadowed.

However, they weren't ignored for long. Soon someone called out again, "Didn't Seventeenth Master go to take the Ministry of Personnel's examination today? Now that he's back, he must have already obtained an official position! The other talented people with him must all be newly appointed officials who passed the spring examination!"

This guy's mouth is looser than the belts of the local actors. He has to promote himself here before he goes to take the imperial examination. As the passerby shouted this, everyone else immediately showed a look of surprise.

At the same time, women in colorful skirts and servants in plain clothes suddenly emerged from the winding alleys on both sides of the street. Their eyes gleamed, and they rushed towards the group. The servants did not dare to step forward to pull them away, but the women enthusiastically surrounded and pestered them, making it difficult for the group to move an inch.

"My lord, you are truly talented! I will prepare fine wine and food to entertain you all! The women in my household are skilled in playing all kinds of instruments, and I am sure you will enjoy yourselves to the fullest and linger there!"

Nestled in Zhang Dai's arms was a woman in her early twenties, heavily made up. Beneath her strapless bodice, she exuded a powerful and intimidating aura, her attitude so passionate it was almost overwhelming. Before Zhang Dai could escape, another pair of jade-like arms wrapped around his waist, as if he were trapped in a warm, fragrant jade bed, surrounded by a dense, impenetrable embrace. He turned to look at his other companions; their situations were largely similar, and they too were unable to spare a moment to help him.

The brothers Jin Huan and Yin Huan chuckled awkwardly to the side, not daring to come closer. Ding Qing, on the other hand, cheekily lowered his head and nudged in, muttering, "Sisters, don't make things difficult for my young master..."

These layers of fleshy fences were impossible to pass through. All the actors wanted to snatch a new official to their own courtyards, and even Li Yi, the long-time favorite of the top performers, stopped listening to their calls.

"How dare you filthy prostitutes offend our distinguished guest!"

Just then, a group of strong and burly servants rushed out of the neighborhood, shouting loudly and roughly pulling the men and women who were enthusiastically soliciting customers apart.

Although these people were pushed aside, they still refused to disperse. Some of the more aggressive ones pointed at the servants and cursed, "The officials come to the brothel to seek pleasure. They can go find whatever is interesting on their own. Why do you need to hold them hostage, you scoundrels born from the wombs of prostitutes!"

Although those powerful slaves were strong and robust, their numbers were not large, and after being attacked with scratches and spitting on their faces, they were quickly overwhelmed.

"The stage and boats at Song San Niang's house are the largest, and we have already made reservations to go. You all are also very enthusiastic, so you may each bring your daughters to join us! Whether or not they win the favor of my fellow student, they will all receive a reward for their makeup and cosmetics!"

Seeing that the scene was about to continue to be chaotic, Li Yi immediately shouted loudly. He then pulled Zhang Dai to his side and continued, "This is the top scholar in this year's spring examination, Zhang Yan Gongsun Zhang Liulang, the most outstanding young man in your Luoyang city! You each bring your own actors who are both beautiful and talented, and the rest should not come to tarnish Zhang Lang's sight and hearing!"

"It's Young Master Zhang, the flower picker! Quickly, quickly go home and tell the women to carefully apply their makeup so they can serve Young Master Zhang!"

Upon hearing this, the crowd on the street became even more alert. They stopped making noise and carefully examined Zhang Dai before hurrying back home to bring their best actors.

As for the servants from Song San Niang's household who came out to greet him, their demeanor became even more respectful after learning Zhang Dai's identity. They stepped forward, clasped their hands, and said, "Zhang Yan Gong, a esteemed scholar from Luoyang, and Young Master Zhang, a renowned figure from the capital, are honored to grace you with your presence! We are here to guide Young Master Zhang through the streets and invite you and your fellow scholars to enjoy yourselves in the pleasure quarters!"

Originally, Li Yi was the most eye-catching guy on the street, but when he called out Zhang Dai's name, his spotlight was immediately stolen, and Zhang Dai became the center of attention. The group was able to continue their journey and soon arrived at the northeast corner of the neighborhood. Turning into the alley, they saw many men and women standing inside to welcome and wait for them.

"Song San Niang is showing favoritism. In the past, when I visited your house, I was never greeted with such a grand welcome!"

Seeing this display, Li Yi was immediately displeased and pointed to a plump lady at the head of the line.

This woman was none other than Song Sanniang, the owner of the art academy. She appeared to be around forty or fifty years old. Although she was no longer youthful and beautiful, she still had a dignified appearance and a serene demeanor. Upon hearing Li Yi's words, Song Sanniang bowed slightly and said with a smile, "Young Master Li is indeed a benefactor of our academy. Thanks to your help, the men and women in my family are able to live without worry about food and clothing and enjoy learning the arts. But Young Master Zhang is a fellow townsman of ours. It is an honor for us, though we are lowly, to have you grace our humble abode with your presence. How could we not treat you with utmost sincerity!"

As she spoke, Song Sanniang led the men and women behind her to bow to Zhang Dai and said, "The other day, your family's sons and daughters came to the brothel to invite you, but you were nowhere to be seen, Sixth Master. Your daughters and daughters were heartbroken and disappointed, and for days they wondered if they were not good enough for Sixth Master. Fortunately, Sixth Master has passed the imperial examination and come here to seek pleasure. Today, the entire household is at Sixth Master's behest to choose, and we respectfully await Sixth Master's entry to see if any of the ladies in our household are worthy of your favor?"

People in the Tang Dynasty had a strong sense of local identity, so prominent families and clans wielded considerable influence in their hometowns. Zhang Dai was not only a renowned young scholar who achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations, but also a native of Luoyang. His first visit to a brothel after passing the examinations naturally excited the group of people indulging in pleasure.

No one dislikes flattery, especially when all the beautiful women behind Song San Niang are looking up at Zhang Dai with eager eyes and pleading expressions, hoping to win his favor and have a taste of his charm. This scene is naturally even more captivating.

"In the past, I focused on practicing my art at home and had no time to appreciate the pleasures of the city. Now, I have finally surpassed Li Shiqi to pass the imperial examination and brought honor to my hometown. I have long heard of Song San Niang's artistic reputation. She has established a school here to spread her wonderful art. All the beauties here are so beautiful that I am dazzled."

Although Zhang Dai was a novice in the ways of the world, anyone could say nice things. His gaze swept over the faces of the beautiful and passionate women, and then he said with a smile, "The other day I was too lazy to move, and was neglected because of my infatuation. I didn't expect that you would secretly resent me and lean against the door, heartbroken. What a blessing! I'm so sorry that I came too late! You are so affectionate in this land of gentle pleasures, how can you bear to hurt me again? Today I am in this situation, let the beauties punish this heartlessness!"

As he spoke, he smiled and stepped into the alleyway filled with women. Li Yi and the others hadn't expected the young man to blend in so quickly and so naturally, making them look like complete greenhorns in comparison. By the time they realized what was happening, Zhang Dai had already been ushered into the hall by the group of beauties.

(End of this chapter)