Ming Tan’s tendency to side with outsiders before even marrying into the family seemed incurable to Bai Minmin. As the wedding date drew near, Ming Tan’s eagerness to marry became increasingly difficult to conceal.

While she maintained decorum in public, during private conversations, she often spoke shamelessly about her plans “after the wedding.” Occasionally, she would cup her face, sigh, and mutter, “It’s not even the New Year yet!”

Bai Minmin and Zhou Jingwan found it unbearable to watch.

Time passed steadily. The Dragon Boat Festival, which Ming Tan had hoped would bring a chance to meet her future husband, had come and gone with great fanfare. Now, the Qixi Festival on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month approached.

The Qixi Festival, a time for young women to pray for skills, was always highly regarded. Noble families would erect colorful pavilions in their courtyards for their daughters to showcase their talents, burn incense, and make sincere wishes.

The city buzzed with excitement. As Qixi neared, the capital teemed with carriages and horses. The streets were lined with shops offering an array of unique and ingenious items not typically seen.

On this day, Ming Tan, who had rarely left home due to wedding preparations, stepped out of the Jingan Marquis’s mansion.

In the Great Xian Dynasty, it was customary for young ladies to exchange small gifts on Qixi. Ming Tan, idle at home preparing for her wedding, had spent much time crafting embroidered sachets and handkerchiefs for Bai Minmin, Zhou Jingwan, Shen Hua, and other noble ladies she was close to in the capital.

Though Ming Tan wasn’t particularly passionate about needlework, finding it time-consuming and hard on the eyes, she had honed her skills to a respectable level to maintain her status among the capital’s elite. Her creations, made with fine materials and featuring novel designs, were quite exquisite and adorable, even if her embroidery wasn’t as outstanding as some more skilled young ladies. She also included small accessories, cosmetics, and delicate wood carvings in the sachets.

Bai Minmin received a sachet and an intricately crafted Kong Ming lock, brought back by Ming Tan’s elder brother who served in Pangshan.

Pangshan, though small, was near important trade routes and bustling with merchants. It offered many novel items, and her brother frequently sent interesting objects to the capital.

Zhou Jingwan received a sachet and a small round fan. The fan was made of high-quality silk with embroidered camellia buds that suited her well. It also featured two lines of her camellia poem, embroidered to mimic her handwriting. The handle was pierced and adorned with a translucent jade tassel.

Zhou Jingwan was delighted and immediately began using the fan.

Ming Tan’s thoughtful gifts made Bai Minmin and Zhou Jingwan feel a bit embarrassed about their preparations, which now seemed inadequate in comparison.

As Bai Minmin fiddled with the Kong Ming lock, lost in thought, Ming Tan continued to mutter about whether her complexion had improved recently and if her future husband would like her appearance after the wedding.

Suddenly, Bai Minmin put down the lock and beckoned Ming Tan mysteriously, lowering her voice excitedly, “Tonight, Bie Yu Tower will be lively. Want to go see the excitement?”

At the mention of Bie Yu Tower, both Ming Tan and Zhou Jingwan widened their eyes in surprise.

Ming Tan exclaimed, “Have you lost your mind? Why on earth would we go there?”

Zhou Jingwan, covering her mouth with her fan, added, “You’ve always been mischievous, but the revelry at Bie Yu Tower is not something young ladies should participate in. Don’t speak of it anymore.”

“Atan, I’m thinking of you,” Bai Minmin insisted. “My second brother has some connection with Miss Shuiying from Bie Yu Tower. You must have heard of her famous name. Don’t you want your future husband to like you? Your pretty face doesn’t need more work, but perhaps you could improve in other areas.”

Bie Yu Tower was the premier brothel in the capital. Its preeminent status indicated powerful backing and unique qualities.

Although a brothel, most of the women at Bie Yu Tower were courtesans who sold their artistic talents rather than their bodies. They were not only beautiful but also highly accomplished. The capital’s officials and nobles often lavished them with attention and gifts, even without becoming intimate.

Miss Shuiying was the most prominent among them.

It was said that Miss Shuiying came from an official family but fell into slavery when her family was convicted of crimes. Her beauty was captivating, her figure graceful, and she excelled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Most importantly, countless men had fallen at her feet.

Those truly seeking physical pleasure wouldn’t fixate on Bie Yu Tower, as there were many such places in the capital. The nobles who frequented Bie Yu Tower mostly sought refined entertainment.

This Miss Shuiying not only engaged in poetry and tea ceremonies with famous scholars but also caused several young masters of the capital to fight over her, nearly resulting in deaths. Her allure must have been extraordinary.

For well-bred young ladies to visit a brothel was highly improper. If discovered, it would be indefensible. Bai Minmin’s bold suggestion was only possible because every year on this day, Bie Yu Tower closed its doors to celebrate the Qixi Festival.

Although they didn’t receive guests inside, they erected a special pavilion outside for the festival. There, they held banquets, and the courtesans performed traditional Qixi customs like threading needles by moonlight and weaving spider silk nets. They burned incense and prayed, transforming ordinary women’s Qixi activities into an elegant spectacle. Of course, there would also be newly choreographed songs and dances, with performances under the moon creating a poetic atmosphere.

Every Qixi, crowds packed the area outside Bie Yu Tower to admire the beauties, creating quite a spectacle. To observe the courtesans up close, one needed connections to secure a private room.

“Bie Yu Tower is celebrating Qixi today, with so many people watching. What’s wrong with us going to look? We’re not entering the brothel, just observing from the festival pavilion outside. We can see what makes Miss Shuiying so captivating. It’s not too much. We’ll sit in a private room behind a screen; no one will discover us,” Bai Minmin assured confidently.

“So you want me to learn how to entice my husband from this Miss Shuiying?” Ming Tan asked hesitantly.

Bai Minmin was taken aback by the bluntness of the interpretation.

She explained more delicately, “I mean, we can observe why she’s so appealing and how she interacts with men.”

This explanation was somewhat more palatable to Ming Tan.

Young ladies like them rarely encountered men outside their families, let alone spoke with them or learned how to interact. High-born matrons are only taught how to manage a household and earn a husband’s respect, not how to build a relationship or cultivate affection with a husband.

Ming Tan found herself persuaded.

After all, they would only be watching from afar.

While Ming Tan was convinced and interested, Zhou Jingwan refused to go. Given her frail constitution, Bai Minmin didn’t insist on her joining their escapade.

As night fell on Qixi, the capital city glowed with lanterns and surged with crowds. Outside Bie Yu Tower on the north bank of the Xian River, the newly erected festival pavilion was filled with intricate objects. The courtesans of Bie Yu Tower, holding round fans, chatted and laughed, their movements graceful and ethereal, seeming to stir up fragrant breezes as they walked.

Ming Tan and Bai Minmin, wearing veiled hats, discreetly alighted from their sedan chairs away from the crowd. They headed directly to the back of the festival pavilion, where a servant led them to a private room.

“Which one is Miss Shuiying?” Ming Tan whispered.

Just then, they saw a graceful beauty ascending the stairs, her face hidden behind a round fan. Each step was poised yet alluring, her charm standing out among the other young women.

This must be the renowned Miss Shuiying. Her demeanor alone, alluring yet refined, was enough to captivate.

As Shuiying appeared, many emerged from behind the screens of their private rooms to greet her warmly. Bai Minmin’s second cousin, who had brought them, also rushed out eagerly.

Bai’s second cousin was indeed familiar with Shuiying, who smiled gently as she listened to him speak, honoring their acquaintance.

“…My sister and cousin have come especially to admire you today,” Bai’s second cousin said with a smile.

Cousin?

Shuiying paused briefly.

In her profession, knowledge of the family connections of the capital’s officials and nobles was essential. This young master Bai had many relatives, but among his cousins in the capital, there was only one who… Shuiying suddenly smiled.

Her smile seemed to outshine the bright moon, momentarily dazzling Bai’s second cousin.

Shuiying spoke softly, “The young ladies are still innocent and lively at their age.” She smiled again, “In that case, I must offer a cup of fruit wine to the two young ladies to thank them for their esteem.”

Bai Minmin and Ming Tan, sitting behind the screen, were whispering about Miss Shuiying’s demeanor when suddenly she had wine brought up and personally came around the temporary screen to pour for them!

The two hadn’t even had time to put their veiled hats back on and looked utterly shocked, wondering what Bai’s second cousin had said to Miss Shuiying.

When Shuiying caught a glimpse of Ming Tan’s face, she confirmed her earlier guess about her identity. When their master had been granted a marriage, his subordinates naturally needed to know their future mistress. A portrait of the fourth Miss Ming had long been circulated among them.

Seeing her now, she was even more beautiful than her portrait.

As for why a bride-to-be would sneak into a brothel to observe, Shuiying didn’t need to guess to understand clearly.

While the matriarchs of great families outwardly maintained propriety, they knew well that propriety alone wasn’t enough to please a husband. Fearing their daughters might lose out to concubines after marriage, in recent years, quite a few families had privately asked her to teach their soon-to-be-married daughters about matters of intimacy.

However, she hadn’t expected their future mistress to be so different, coming to observe in person.