Time flies, and Chen Mo and his group have already spent ten days on the merchant ship.

During this period, the ship stopped a few times along the way, and people got on and off. Some people on board changed, even the storyteller, but Chen Mo and the others stayed on the ship and never went ashore.

The new storyteller had a slightly shrunken face, holding something like a gavel used in a government office. He tapped it lightly on the table in front of him, quieting the noise in the hall slightly, and said:

"Today, we won’t talk about the imperial court, nor about those Jianghu heroes or cultivation techniques."

"Then what will you talk about?" someone heckled. After all, storytelling often involves such content, and if it were about domestic affairs, no one would want to listen.

"Talk about something everyone likes..." At this point, the storyteller deliberately paused for a moment to pique everyone’s interest, then continued lightly, "In a few days, we will arrive in the Jiangnan region. Today, I will tell you about the beauties of Jiangnan."

"Wow..."

Everyone’s necks stretched a bit longer. Compared to hearing about those Jianghu heroes, they preferred to listen to talks about beauties, as if by hearing about them, they could spend a night with the mentioned beauties.

Like a treasure, the storyteller took out a flower scroll from his luggage, saying, "This flower scroll is three zhang and one chi long, depicting all the famous beauties of Jiangnan."

Upon seeing the scroll, everyone’s necks stretched much longer, faces slightly flushed. The impatient ones urged the storyteller to open it quickly.

The storyteller chuckled, "The beauty portraits on this scroll were all painted by painters I hired for a hefty price, not easy to come by. If you want a look, it’s certainly possible, just for a little tea money..."

Saying this, he took out a jar one chi high and as wide as a bowl from his luggage and placed it in front of everyone, the meaning clear without words.

This infuriated everyone. Someone rolled up their sleeves, ready to teach the storyteller a lesson.

But soon, a deep voice came from the entrance of the hall. It was a black-clad strong man at the door, a guard on the merchant ship, a Fifth Grade Martial Artist, "Fighting is strictly prohibited on the ship; if you want a fight, you can disembark."

The crowd fell silent.

To get off now, with the ship in the middle of the river, is akin to feeding the fish.

Those who had rolled up their sleeves sat back down, reluctantly pulling out a few copper coins from their bosoms and tossing them into the jar, saying, "If I find out you’re bluffing later, you’ll have it coming."

Those who can travel on such a chaotic world by ship must have strong backing, not to be trifled with.

The storyteller kept a smile, calm and composed. This was not the first time he had encountered such a situation. He was adept at swimming, planning to jump into the water at night after making enough money.

"This brother here is generous." Seeing the jar nearly full of copper coins, a streak of light shot in from afar, landing firmly in the jar. The storyteller squinted, seeing it was a silver ingot, and immediately cast his gaze toward Chen Mo in the corner.

Chen Mo and his group were all in disguise, appearing quite ordinary, so the storyteller couldn’t recognize them.

"Hurry and open it." Chen Mo urged, causing Jiang Ruoqing and Wu Xin’Er beside him to give him a reproachful glance, while Ji Xi’Er, under the influence of the Charm Skill, and the ever-drinking Old He, remained silent.

Chen Mo purely out of curiosity.

He was not short of this ingot of silver.

"Alright then." The storyteller slowly opened the flower scroll, revealing the first beauty on the canvas.

Amid the pavilion and towers sketched in ink and wash, stood a girl in a pink gauze dress, tall and slender, with half of her fragrant shoulder exposed, holding a round fan partially covering her face, leaning against the window, gazing into the distance.

This angle clearly was a candid shot, not drawn directly.

And with great enthusiasm, the storyteller said, "This lady is named Feng Shuang, the courtesan of Bai Hua Lou in Hang City, Jiangnan, adored by the local literati and wealthy young masters, but unfortunately, she’s already married, thus placed at the end of the scroll."

The audience tut-tutted in admiration.

"So beautiful, yet a woman of the night."

"What a pity. Why would she choose this path?"

"So young, why not do something else rather than this?"

Quite a few people sighed regretfully.

Men in general like to pull good women into vice while advising women of vice to lead a good life.

"Just average." Chen Mo also gave his comment, far inferior to Lian Yi.

Wu Xin’Er glanced distantly and nodded too.

Soon, the storyteller continued unfolding the flower scroll, revealing the second beauty.

This woman was evidently more charming than the previous, Feng Shuang, possessing a pair of captivating eyes.

"Her name is Ling Long, the former courtesan of Fengxue Tower in Yan City, Jiangnan. She has redeemed herself and is now the third concubine of Liu in Yan City," the storyteller said.

Once more, many expressed regret.

"What a pity. I was planning to visit Fengxue Tower to pay respect to her business, didn’t expect her to clean up."

"That Liu is not fair, hogging her all to himself."

"..."

"Ahem." The storyteller lightly cleared his throat, continued pulling down, slowly revealing the true face of the third beauty, "She is the newly selected courtesan of Fengxue Tower, yet to be married. If any among you present is wealthy, you might attempt to win the beauty home."

The scroll depicted eight beauties in total.

Besides the first two, the others were maidens.

Soon, the storyteller revealed the last beauty’s true face before everyone.

On the rippling lake outlined with ink and wash, a small boat rocked gently. On the boat sat a woman in a green gauze dress, veiled, exposing only her eyes, which seemed to speak with intelligence. Her jade-like feet dipped into the lake water, embodying the epitome of Jiangnan beauty.

"It’s her." Upon seeing the painting, Wu Xin’Er suddenly remembered something.

Meanwhile, the storyteller also began to narrate slowly, "This lady is the only daughter of County Magistrate Cao of Jiangyin County, Cao Xiyue, a renowned talented female scholar of Jiangyin County."

"Due to being a woman, despite passing the imperial examination, she cannot be a government official. Due to upheaval in the court, she cannot partake in the national exam," Wu Xin’Er said to Chen Mo.

On the rippling lake outlined with ink and wash, a small boat rocked gently. On the boat sat a woman in a green gauze dress, veiled, exposing only her eyes, which seemed to speak with wisdom. Her jade-like feet dipped into the lake water, emblematic of Jiangnan beauty.

"It’s her." Upon seeing the painting, Wu Xin’Er suddenly recalled something.

Meanwhile, the storyteller also began to narrate slowly, "This lady is the only daughter of County Magistrate Cao of Jiangyin County, Cao Xiyue, a renowned talented female scholar of Jiangyin County."