Actually, the lines are already clearly drawn in Hong’en Hall now. Everyone sitting on the first floor are major merchants from various places, as well as Chief Officers from the Government Offices or Military under the jurisdiction of Fengri City.

And seated on the second floor are all the prominent figures of Fengri City—Hundred Households with Real Power, Deputy Thousand Households, Thousand Households...

The standout officials from the Local Government Office have all come, including the Chief Officer of Fengri City, Xie Youlin. However, not many of the bosses from the Military and Xuanqing Guard Thousand Households Station showed up. For instance, Wu Changhe and Tang Qingyuan – neither of them came. They must have taken the holiday opportunity to visit their hometowns, since their wives and children didn’t follow them to Fengri City.

Not many people from the Military came either.

So, in this setting, the refined and cultured types made up the overwhelming majority in Hong’en Hall.

After a brief rest, the interlude between Shen Hao and the older young masters was quickly replaced by the restart of singing and dancing, only adding a bit more anticipation for the evening’s "flower picking".

Gan Lin and Zhang Qian were the most excited—they loved a lively scene, and now not only did they have entertainment to watch, but they could join in themselves, which made it all the more interesting, especially if they’d get to see those pretentious snobs eat humble pie.

"Shen, little brother, how is it? Are you confident?"

"I think those four young masters from the Imperial City aren’t easy to mess with either. You’d better start thinking something up—so long as you can come up with a poem later, that’ll be enough."

Anyway, Gan Lin and Zhang Qian weren’t too optimistic about Shen Hao, mostly because the reputations of those four were just too big.

"Heh, big brothers, have a little confidence in me, will you? Isn’t it just composing poetry? That’s not difficult at all." Shen Hao was already considering which poem to use tonight to impress these people.

Seeing Shen Hao so confident, Zhang and Gan dropped the subject. The three continued drinking, and time passed quickly—soon it was evening.

Third floor, the Flower Room.

Usually, this was the most upscale Warm Pavilion in Hong’en Hall, where Fengri City’s top notables drank and dined in style. Now it had been repurposed as the lounge for tonight’s Songstresses participating in the Courtesan Competition.

Since before dawn today, the Songstresses selected from various Flower Houses to compete had already arrived in the lounge. Their preparations were equally complicated and numerous.

Just fixing their makeup would take one or two hours, then they’d have to warm up their voices, choose their costumes, bathe, and so on. Don’t be fooled by the seven or eight maids serving them; even so, completing the whole process left the Songstresses exhausted.

As the host of this Blue Moon Association, Hong’en Hall put forward three Songstresses—besides the top courtesan Lian Xiang, there were two unfamiliar faces, both young, secretly groomed by Hong’en Hall over recent years as cash cows. Whether they could reach Lian Xiang’s level depended on whether they could shine tonight.

In addition to Hong’en Hall’s three Songstresses, fifteen more from other Flower Houses would perform tonight. At this moment, all of them were busy getting ready in the private rooms on the third floor.

"Miss, what are you doing?"

"Don’t you think I look better with a flower tucked here?"

In the largest private room, Lian Xiang looked in the mirror at her finalized makeup, not only with the hair ornaments the maids gave her but also a delicate Blue Moon Flower tucked to the left—especially eye-catching.

"Yes, yes, this flower is just gorgeous!"

"Of course it is! Lord Shen gave it to me—it’s totally different from ordinary Blue Moon Flowers, right?"

The two maids were used to clowning with Lian Xiang, and it was their first time seeing someone give her flowers; others usually gifted rouge, powder, or exquisite jewelry. Flowers? Only that amusing Lord Shen would offer such a simple gift.

But it seemed Lian Xiang liked it. She’d held it in her hands all along, and now she’d pinned a blossom in her hair, even forgoing a gold ornament just for it.

"Pfft! Are you two itching for a pinch again?" Lian Xiang’s pretty face flushed; she reached out to twist her maid’s ear, but the latter giggled and ran off. There were others in the room, so she couldn’t chase the troublemakers.

Still, Lian Xiang genuinely liked that bouquet. Thinking carefully, it seemed this was her first time ever receiving flowers.

"Just now when I went out, I heard plenty about Lord Shen! Miss, do you want to hear?"

Lian Xiang rolled her eyes flirtatiously, sat down with annoyance, and said, "Hurry and tell!"

"Hehe, Lord Shen came over at noon today. At the door, Liu Hengyi’s servant provoked him. Two slaps—one crippled, one dead. Liu Hengyi got so scared he publicly apologized. But Lord Shen didn’t press further; instead, he drank and chatted with Liu Hengyi for quite a while.

Later, somehow, Young Master Xiao from the Imperial City and Lord Shen ended up at odds. Lord Shen gave them quite a talking-to—completely put them in their place. It took Chief Officer Xie Youlin stepping in to smooth things over.

Miss, why do you think Young Master Xiao and his crew target Lord Shen?"

Before Lian Xiang could reply, another maid pouted and said, "Why else? The Imperial City’s Seventh Young Master carries such a name, but last year Lord Shen’s three playful poems stole all their thunder. Their reputations matter most to them. How could they stand Lord Shen?"

If you ask me, tonight when it’s time to pick flowers, those guys will definitely jump out to give Lord Shen trouble."

Lian Xiang frowned slightly at that. Both maids shared her tastes, and she already disliked those so-called Seven Young Masters from the Imperial City. Each one, well past their prime, acted as if they were the height of charm and talent, always nitpicking others in the Flower House, sometimes saying really nasty things. Plus, they valued poetry highly, never as generous as Shen Hao, who’d give verses freely; their words always required the Flower House or Songstresses to pay a price. Their behavior in private was anything but "free-spirited and unrestrained."

"Xiao Qi? Why did they come?"

"Apparently, the Master paid to get them here—probably hoping they’d produce a couple of quality poems."

Lian Xiang nodded and said no more. Besides her two maids, there were others present; in situations like this, she kept her words to a minimum. But inside, she had it all clear.

The Flower House depended on talented men to boost their Songstresses’ reputations, while those men used the Flower Houses to raise their own fame and earn silver on the side.

So don’t think talented men visiting the Flower House are wasting their lives—they might not spend a single coin, but end up with pockets full.

Actually, aside from the talented men, the "Baihua Workshop," the top of the Songstress circle, also sent people. This bunch are even more purely out for gold than any scholar. Of course, they’re tough—the Songstress’s skills had better be good; otherwise, no amount of money would buy you a higher ranking.

The evening came quickly. Lian Xiang just ate a bit of Blue Moon Cake and began dressing—by early 7 p.m., all preparations were finally complete.

Outside, the drums sounded, musicians struck up a grand tune, and the most important Courtesan Competition was about to begin.