Chapter 104: Jealous Rivalry

As Madam Ruchun’s voice rang out, the eyes of many patrons fell upon Private Room Three.

"Twenty taels of silver right off the bat? Who is the guest in Private Room Three? So extravagant!"

"No idea. Anyone who can get a private room upstairs has to be rich or noble!"

"..."

Hearing the reward of twenty taels of patterned silver, Miss Yu Lan, who was standing on the high stage, smiled brightly toward Chen Ping’an’s private room.

Peony and Mengdie, standing to the side, exchanged a glance. They still wore faint smiles, their thoughts unreadable.

Twenty taels of patterned silver! That was several years’ savings for an ordinary family, spent just for a single toast from Miss Yu Lan. It was an absolutely grand gesture.

"As expected of you, Young Master. Truly extraordinary."

Peony said with a beaming smile.

After all, this wasn’t a competition for the top Courtesan; it was simply the Spring Rain Tower’s routine nightly talent rewards. Therefore, a price of twenty taels of patterned silver was enough for the young masters and patrons present to accept that Private Room Three had won the right to a toast from Miss Yu Lan.

The young masters and patrons with deeper pockets turned their attention to the other two ladies.

"Young Master Han from Private Room Seven on the second floor rewards Miss Peony with five taels of patterned silver!"

"Master Mu from Private Room One on the second floor rewards Miss Mengdie with six taels of patterned silver!"

"..."

"Congratulations, Young Master," the servant inside the private room said to Chen Ping’an cheerfully.

Judging by the situation outside, it was clear that Chen Ping’an had already won the opportunity to have Miss Yu Lan’s company for the night.

He had the opportunity. As for whether he could spend the night in her fragrant chambers, that would depend on Chen Ping’an’s own abilities.

"Just one Miss Yu Lan isn’t nearly enough! Go reward Miss Peony and Miss Mengdie with twenty taels of patterned silver each!"

Chen Ping’an said dismissively.

Hearing this, the servant was stunned for a moment. Then, his face lit up with joy as he understood.

’He’d truly met a big spender today!’

"Young Master Chen from Private Room Three on the second floor rewards Miss Peony with twenty taels of patterned silver!"

"Young Master Chen from Private Room Three on the second floor rewards Miss Mengdie with twenty taels of patterned silver!"

Madam Ruchun announced jubilantly from the high stage, causing an uproar among the many patrons in the tower.

"What? It’s that Young Master Chen again!"

"What’s going on!? Is he trying to win all three beauties at once?"

"How outrageous! Is he treating us like we’re not even here?"

"...."

Places of pleasure and romance have always been the quickest to stir a man’s competitive spirit.

Chen Ping’an’s actions undoubtedly caused a massive stir, sending the entire hall into an uproar.

Seeing how brazen Chen Ping’an was, the patrons on the first floor, who ultimately lacked the means to compete, could only fume and make empty boasts. The patrons in the second-floor private rooms, however, had real financial muscle.

"Young Master Meng from Private Room Five on the second floor rewards Miss Mengdie with twenty-five taels of patterned silver!"

"Master Mu from Private Room One on the second floor rewards Miss Peony with thirty taels of patterned silver!"

It wasn’t that these patrons lacked money, they just hadn’t seen a reason to spend it. Provoked by Chen Ping’an, they all started increasing their bids.

"Does that guy in Private Room Three know the rules?! We already let him have Miss Yu Lan, what more does he want? Trying to hoard all three ladies for himself—does he even see us?"

"Exactly! He’s unbelievably audacious!"

"Master Mu, get him!"

"..."

Now, the competition wasn’t just for the other two ladies. Patrons from the private rooms began bidding for Miss Yu Lan, who they had previously conceded to Chen Ping’an, raising her price to twenty-five taels.

Listening to the impassioned uproar in the tower, Chen Ping’an remained perfectly nonchalant.

"Sixty taels! Sixty taels for each of the three ladies."

"Yes, sir."

The servant’s face was a mask of respect, his eyes filled with awe.

’Sixty taels per person... that’s one hundred and eighty taels! To spend such a sum so casually... This Young Master Chen’s background must be anything but ordinary!’

In their eyes, while both were big spenders, a young master was always more remarkable than an older one.

"How outrageous!"

"He’s provoking us!"

"..."

In the second-floor private rooms, Master Mu, Young Master Meng, and Young Master Han were enraged by Chen Ping’an’s move. With a tacit understanding, each started bidding for one of the ladies, determined to leave the young master from Private Room Three empty-handed.

"Master Mu from Private Room One on the second floor rewards Miss Peony with eighty taels of patterned silver!"

Madam Ruchun announced with a smile.

’For her, there was nothing to fear from patrons fighting over the tower’s ladies. The fiercer their rivalry, the greater her profits.’

"Thank you to all the young masters and sirs for your favor."

The ladies on the high stage beamed and bowed toward the patrons who had placed bids.

"Two hundred taels!" Chen Ping’an said calmly, holding up two fingers.

"Reward each of the three ladies two hundred taels!"

What!

This time, it wasn’t just the servant relaying the messages; even Peony, who was attending to him, was stunned by Chen Ping’an’s sheer extravagance.

’Jumping straight from eighty taels to two hundred!?’

Th-this...

’What kind of family is this!?’

’Two hundred taels each... that’s six hundred taels in total!’

’That’s enough to buy a very nice mansion in Nanquan Lane!’

Chen Ping’an’s overwhelming display of reward silver demonstrated his absolute determination to win. This level of boldness and extravagance caused the other competing patrons to withdraw one by one.

"Damn, what kind of person is this! Spending money so aggressively!"

"Where did this Young Master Chen come from? He’s insane!"

"I’m convinced. He went straight to two hundred taels!"

"..."

The two-hundred-tael bids made it clear to the three ladies on the high stage that a truly big spender had arrived tonight.

"Our thanks to Young Master Chen for his reward," Madam Ruchun added, her beaming smile fueling the atmosphere.

Inside Private Room One, Master Mu’s face was a shifting canvas of anger and dismay.

"What’s the background of this Young Master Chen?"

’He was always the one crushing others with his money. Tonight, *he* was the one being crushed.’

Seeing the ingratiating looks the ladies on the high stage were giving, Master Mu was ultimately not ready to give up.

"Two hundred and fifty taels!"

When Madam Ruchun heard the servant shout Master Mu’s bid—"Master Mu from Private Room One on the second floor rewards Miss Peony with two hundred and fifty taels of patterned silver"—her face was wreathed in smiles.

"On behalf of Miss Peony, I thank Master Mu for his reward."

"We can always count on Master Mu."

"As expected of Master Mu."

Hearing the adoring words from below, Master Mu’s expression eased slightly.

However, before his expression could fully relax, a voice drifted out from Private Room Three.

"Five hundred taels! Reward each of the three ladies five hundred taels!"

WHAT!?

Five hundred taels!

Bidding for Miss Peony was one thing, but he’d raised the bid for the other two uncontested ladies as well.

Compared to Master Mu’s stinginess, Young Master Chen from Private Room Three displayed an inhumanly extravagant Tyrant Dao.

Master Mu’s face completely fell.

’Five hundred taels per person? What kind of joke is this?’

’No matter how rich your family is, you don’t just throw money around like that!’

’Is this Young Master Chen from Private Room Three just toying with me for his own amusement?’

Madam Ruchun and the ladies were also stunned.

This price was far beyond their expectations. It was simply outrageous!

Even Madam Ruchun couldn’t help but wonder if this Young Master Chen was here just to cause trouble.

’Who raises the bid like that!?’

"Kid, where are you from! Are you making sport of this old man?"

Master Mu stuck his head right out the window, glaring toward Chen Ping’an’s room.