Sisters in the Deep Forest Valley: Many Fun Things

Chapter 209 A Stroll Through the Paradise Hall

And just like that, another half a cup of tea's time passed.

Pedestrians passing by and customers coming and going from time to time would intentionally or unintentionally glance at them.

This made the three people, who were already hesitant and afraid to move forward, even more flustered.

They all had only one thought in their minds:

If we stay stuck here any longer, by tomorrow the whole county will probably know that three young women were visiting a brothel in broad daylight...

Then they'll become famous...

The three of them looked at each other in horror, trying to shake off the terrible thoughts that had been swirling in their minds.

Let's go! This time we're really going! We have to go!

What's there to be afraid of? It's just a brothel. So many men and women, young and old, can go in, so why can't they?

What kind of demons or monsters could there be!

As if to prevent each other from deserting, they held each other's hands tightly and walked together down the steps below the plaque.

If it were just the sound of guests walking, people inside the building might not be able to hear it.

But they were still leading a mule cart, the wheels and hooves making a loud noise on the stone pavement. Just as they reached the bottom of the steps, two smiling servants came out to greet them.

One of them stepped forward, bent down, and took the reins of the mule cart that Lin Chunyi was holding.

The other person bent down and stepped aside, gesturing for the three to come inside, saying, "Three distinguished guests, please come in."

His movements were practiced, and he wore a smile. He showed no surprise, nor did he ask any questions. He acted as if it were a proper dining place.

Were they dizzy and confused, and went to the wrong place?

Lin Lanshan couldn't help but look up at the signboard again: "Paradise Palace." The place was right.

Wow~ The Paradise Palace during the day is so serious it's scary.

The three followed the servant through the gate, observing the surroundings as they walked.

The Paradise Palace was truly breathtakingly beautiful. They had gained new insights into the place once again.

First, in the center of the hall, a huge chandelier hangs high.

The countless colored crystals and flower-shaped glass beads on the chandelier refracted the sunlight streaming in from the window, creating a dazzling and dreamlike effect.

Next, under the chandelier, near the middle of the stairs on both sides, is a rectangular performance stage with a giant wooden fan as its backdrop.

The stage was decorated with fresh flowers in full bloom and pretty little lanterns arranged in a circle, as well as several red ribbons hanging in the air for an unknown purpose.

Unfortunately, there was no one performing on stage at that moment.

Looking further up, the carved beams and painted pillars are adorned with vibrant colors such as vermilion, ochre, and bamboo green, making the facilities extremely luxurious.

Colorful ribbons and lanterns hung high all around, their colors and styles varied and bright, yet not at all gaudy.

And there were the rising bluestone steps, the unfamiliar embroidered screens on the walls, and the dark wooden stair railings on both sides carved with intricate patterns...

The second floor, of course, cost more and was much more luxurious. Several separate rooms had windows partially obscured by beaded curtains and draperies. Only a few rooms revealed glimpses of figures sitting inside.

However, although the building was decorated in a magnificent manner, it was somewhat different from the "bright lights and bustling nightlife" that Lin Chunyi and her sister had imagined in a brothel.

If they imagined brothels at night as havens of pleasure for lecherous men, then the pleasure quarters by day were elegant halls where scholars and poets gathered.

The melodious sounds of silk and bamboo instruments and the soothing sounds of zither and lute can be faintly heard from upstairs and downstairs and around the house, where guests are exchanging toasts, reciting poems and discussing literature with their friends.

Of course, there were also quite a few young women dressed elegantly and not "revealingly," smiling and keeping the guests company.

However, they were all just doing small things like bending over to pour wine, holding chopsticks to pick up food, chatting and agreeing.

This is completely different from the scene they saw at the door last night, where they were seen hugging and groping each other without any restraint...

The two sisters were stunned. This brothel was so high-class!

Ouch! They both felt their wrists being gripped tighter at the same time, and looked down.

Oh ~

Ning Linlan was so shocked by the scene that she unconsciously tightened her grip on their wrists.

She muttered to herself, "My goodness! This place is even more beautiful than Mingya Pavilion!"

Even the lowest-ranking servants in a brothel are sharp-witted and perceptive.

The servant smiled and said, "Our Paradise Inn is not only beautifully decorated and has superb music and dance, but its food and drinks are also among the best in the county. You three distinguished guests have come to the right place."

"You're all smiles and joking with our distinguished guest again, you shameless wretch, do you want another beating?" A middle-aged woman dressed in a long purple silk dress walked over, waving an embroidered fan in her hand.

Her makeup was exquisite, and she wore a purple peony silk flower in her hair. I don't remember her face very clearly, but she should be the madam I saw that night.

Just as the three were led into the center of the hall by the servant, the madam, with her sharp eyes, scurried over and caught the servant trying to be clever again.

She then bowed to them and said, "You three distinguished guests have come from afar. I am sorry for not welcoming you properly."

Before they could say anything, the madam, Fangniang, raised her hand and slapped the servant on the head with her fan, saying, "If you offend any distinguished guest, I'll make sure you get your clothes tightened!"

The teenage boy, facing the oncoming fan, wasn't angry at all. Instead, he grinned and shrank back, dodging some of the force.

He leaned closer to the madam and whispered a few words in her ear.

Ning Linlan didn't hear much, but Lin Chunyi and Lin Lanshan heard everything.

It simply means that these girls are visiting a place like this for the first time, and they seem innocent and naive, having never seen much of the world. They have a mule cart, and their clothes are fairly decent, so they probably have some money.

Well, in short, you can swindle some money.

The madam waved for the servants to leave, then glanced around, pondering how to coax these naive guests into taking out their money.

Lin Chunyi revealed an innocent smile and said, "Sister Fangniang, we heard that the pastries and fruits at Jilefang are the best in the whole county, so we want to come and try them."

Faced with such a place and such a madam, Ning Linlan was a little nervous and didn't know what to say, so she could only nod quickly.

Fangniang couldn't help but chuckle. Sure enough, they were still inexperienced young girls who ignored the handsome young men in the brothel and only cared about snacks.

“Sister Fangniang, I learned a line of poetry at home a few days ago, which goes like this: ‘No painting can capture her elegance, no flower can compare to her beauty.’”

"Sister Fangniang is so beautiful, this poem must be about her! Isn't that right?" Lin Lanshan blinked and said earnestly.

She was younger and more daring, so she ran around recklessly. Seeing that the madam was relatively easy to talk to, she started making small talk.

Fangniang, who had remained calm despite all the storms and waves that had passed, was stunned.

As women in brothels, how many could be lacking in literary skills? Fangniang, as a former top courtesan, was naturally proficient in everything from playing the zither and chess, calligraphy and painting, composing poems, to music, dance, and singing.

But she was already over thirty, even though she had once been incredibly beautiful and extremely popular.

But now, she can only be called "the madam" by her customers...