Chapter 212: Money-burning Game
After the second prince became conscious, he pointed to the seat next to him and said to Liu Chenglong, “Sit.”
Liu Chenglong replied respectfully. “Before Your Highness, there is no position for me. I had better stand.”
The second prince nodded and did not insist. He sighed. “Back then, you were wronged.”
“I don’t feel wronged when doing things for Your Highness.” Liu Chenglong replied respectfully.
The second prince smiled, and on his handsome face showed a kind of intoxicating charm. He said, “When we finish missions in Chang’an City, Chenglong, you follow me back to Qin City. Although Chang’an scenery is good, it is so peaceful that people may easily forget their ambitions. You have been here for six years, and you should go back to astound others.”
On Liu Chenglong’s face showed a trace of pleasure, and he knelt on the ground suddenly, then said, “I obey to Your Highness’ orders.”
“Stand up,” as the second prince said, his eyes were cast on the main stage for Top Beauty Competition outside the window, “Is the next performer Master Hua of Holy House, who is described to be extremely beautiful in Beauty Poem?”
Liu Chenglong stood up and respectfully said, “Yes. Hua Xiangrong is the top beauty of Holy House, who is quite famous. Besides, supported by Li Yu in his two pieces of century-long poetry, this time, she is very likely to win the title of Top Beauty.”
The second prince smiled and nodded, then asked, “Which House is the girl who is giving thanks on the stage from?”
Liu Chenglong was shocked and glanced through the window. Then he said, “She is Girl Lu, Lu Hongshou, from Yi Cui House, who is also a popular favorite one in this Top Beauty Competition. She is good at sleeve dancing and playing the vertical flute, quite talented. She is originally considered to be the most popular one in this contest. However, nowadays, because of Li Mu, Hua Xiangrong seems to surpass her. Thus, it is difficult to predict.”
“Send 100,000 flower baskets to the girl,” the second prince said.
Upon hearing the words, Liu Chenglong was shocked, but for a moment, he understood the mind of His Highness.
“Supporting other girls means just trying to suppress Hua Xiangrong.”
“But a girl from a brothel is not worthy of being suppressed by the second prince. He is against Li Mu, isn’t he?”
“In a word, he is angry.”
“It’s no wonder. Nowadays, the second prince is in full swing. Since this spring hunting, the first prince remains in name only, so the second prince seems always to become the first potential king. All parties come to support him. However, he fails to invite Li Mu, a county magistrate, out three times. No matter how tolerable he is, he might feel unpleasant somehow.”
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“Miss, Miss, Master Lu of Yi Cui House has already been acknowledging the applause, and it will soon be your turn to be on the stage.” Inside the temporary tent behind the main stage, Xin’er ran back with a look of excitement.
“I know it,” Hua Xiangrong answered calmly.
She wore a simple white palace dress tonight and slightly powdered, not dressing as delicately as other famous whores. But her temperament was pure and she was like a fairy, who was surrounded by a kind of fairy atmosphere and presented a kind of thrilling beauty.
She was not nervous at all, but quite calm.
However, Bai Xuan on one side said with a nervous look, “Sister Hua, how about it? Are you confident in this match? Don’t be nervous, and just be yourself. Will you sing Beauty Poem or Hua Xiangrong later…?” She was also one of the thirty professional judges, who found time to go backstage to root for Hua Xiangrong.
Hua Xiangrong burst into laughter and said, “Mother Bai, if you say this, I will be really nervous.”
Bai Xuan was shocked and knew the meaning. She said, rolling eyes, “In the words of Young Master Li, I must be having purpose shaking because I’m about to realize my decade-long dream, and how can I not be nervous? Yes, my silly sister. Has Young Master Li prepared poems for you? In the last competition, poetry is very important…”
Hua Xiangrong replied, “I don’t know this. I have never asked Brother Mu, and I think he might have done so.”
“Hey, you, you, you, you haven’t redeemed your freedom or become his wife, but your heart has been completely tied to Li Mu. Now, if Young Master Li sells you, will you still help him count the money…” Bai Xuan joked her, then said, “My silly sister, you should reserve a little bit to leave him at large in order to get him. For the methods that I taught you to hook men, have you forgotten them?”
Hua Xiangrong just laughed and did not refute.
She knew that Mother Bai was actually worried about her and thinking for her.
But she firmly believed that her Brother Mu was definitely not the kind of person who forsook after having dallied with her.
“You just smirk,” Bai Xuan reluctantly rolled her eyes, and then said joyfully, “Among the first several performers, Master Si Yuhua received the most flower baskets, which reached just more than 31,000. Huaer, with present fame, plus the reputation of Young Master Li Mu, you must receive at least 30,000 flower baskets. Mother Bai also prepared some for you, so Huaer, you must receive the most flower baskets, and you will also get a high score from those scholars. If Young Master Li can prepare a century-long poem for you, Top Beauty must be you…”
Before the voice died away, they heard in the direction of the main stage outside a sudden exclamation.
Then, the voice of a leader from Musical House, supported by the magical technique, spread throughout the street, “Congratulations to Master Lu. She received 136,000 flower baskets…”
Bai Xuan suddenly was stunned.
She thought she had got it wrong and looked at the maid, Xin’er, next to her.
Xin’er was also stunned with an open mouth, “130,000 flower baskets… How… how is it possible?”
A flower basket cost 100 pounds of silver, and 10,000 flower baskets 100,000 pounds of silver, equivalent to 10,000 pounds of gold. More than 130,000 flower baskets were 130,000 pounds of gold. This number was too crazy, and all of a sudden, she became the center.
The face of Bai Xuan showed embarrassment.
On the main stage, of course, it was impossible to really stack up to 130,000 flower baskets. More than one hundred flower baskets would be changed into gold bills and the number was directly claimed. Lu Hongxiu from Yi Cui House was very famous, who was admired by a lot of people and was supported by several consortiums of commerce chamber behind her. There were also business opportunities in the contest, in which businessmen could compete for fame and benefits. But which chamber of commerce could spend so much money?
Impossible. It was impossible for her not to know this shocking move in advance.
Bai Xuan suddenly felt that the development of this Top Beauty Competition tonight would gradually be out of her expectations and control.
This was an extremely bad sign.
“Is it tonight that there are powerful people want to support Lu Hongxiu?”
“Or… In fact, are they simply targeting Hua Xiangrong?”
“After all, at this time, among the hot figures for the title of Top Beauty, Hua Xiangrong ranks first.”
After a series of campaigns by Bai Xuan, Hua Xiangrong was supported by most people, especially the consortiums of commerce chamber in Changan City. They claimed that they would support Hua Xiangrong and offer flower baskets. Roughly counted, the number of flower baskets Hua Xiangrong could get was between 40,000 and 50,000, which basically ensured that she could win the championship, but now…
A flower basket was a pound of gold.
With more money, one could change the final result, and it could also kill people heavily.
When pondering, she heard a burst of cheers come from outside the tent.
She saw Lu Hongxiu, who had just finished performing, coming down from the stage and a group of people from Yi Cui House immediately rushing towards her.
A group of people passed through Hua Xiangrong’s tent, and the middle-aged Lu Hongxiu in the crowd was excited and surprised. Accompanied by the sisters and moms of Yi Cui House, she went over and became the center of attention.
Especially, the mother named Lu Xue was not in harmony with Bai Xuan all the time. When she walked over the tent, she deliberately said loudly, “Haha, I heard that in this year, someone took many efforts and prepared a lot to win the championship, and even shamelessly accompanied the rich merchants in drinking just to get a few more flowers baskets. It’s really hard… Unfortunately, our Hongxiu received 130,000 flower baskets with one piece of dance. Hoho, I’m not afraid to tell you. To be Top Beauty requires the true ability, and what do we call the people with dirty tricks? Shameless.”
She clearly ridiculed Bai Xuan.
In order to let Hua Xiangrong become the top one, Bai Xuan had taken a lot of efforts and mind these days and had shamelessly done a lot of things.
However, everyone was doing this, which was within the scope of the rules of the game.
Why did it become so unbearable within the words of Lu Xue from Yi Cui House?
Bai Xuan shivered out of anger.
“Heyhey, that’s it. I heard that Hua Xiangrong has had sex with Li Mu, but she even came to compete for Top Beauty. Doesn’t she go against the rule? Without virginity, she even dares to appear here.”
“In order to get Li Mu, she uses all kinds of means, and she made all the famous whores lose face.”
There was some gossip that came from far away, which could be just heard by the people in the tent.
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“The thinking of rich people really can’t be guessed in common sense.”
When Li Mu heard that Lu Hongxiu got 130,000 flower baskets, he was also stunned.
This reminded him of some live broadcast platforms on the earth. There were girls with good looks, who could make indoors men crazy for them by giggling and flirting. These men even didn’t hesitate to use huge amounts of public funds to reward them… It seemed that in this world, there were also some people who were rich but silly.
“Someone directly rewarded 100,000 flower baskets,” Zheng Cunjian walked in from outside the door, and said with astonishment and puzzlement, “It is done by the distinguished guest in the private room, named No.1 in Heaven, in the opposite Moon-hugging House, whose origin is mysterious and unknown.” His reaction was extremely fast and he had found a lot of information.
Li Mu nodded.
“I will order people to arrange for raising money, but it is a sudden incident. Master Hua will perform soon, so, within a short period, I am afraid that it is too late to get more than 100,000 flower baskets…” He certainly knew that Li Mu was to support Hua Xiangrong, so he had some preparations in advance. At least, 30,000 flower baskets were available.
In Chang’an City, Zheng Cunjian had such a kind of power.
However, he did not expect that Yi Cui House should actually act so historically shockingly, so he was a bit surprised and nervous.
Li Mu shook his head and said, “No need to do that. Let’s wait and see.”
There was not much technical content to burn money for the reward.
Who knew if Yi Cui House was cooperating with Musical House to act?
For the live broadcast of the election show, the power of the public was also very important.
Li Mu had confidence in Hua Xiangrong.