When Du Yan Ran wakes up, she realizes that she has magnificently travelled back in time just like that.

 

 

A thousand years ago, in the Nation of Qin Yue……

 

Du Yan Ran wakes up on a hard, wooden bed in a flowery-fragrant room. Brushing some of her hair off her face with the tips of her fingers, she sits up and looks around, taking in her new surroundings. She then looks down to see herself wearing a thick, pink jacket with white fur around the collar. It all feels like a dream to her. She finds it extremely difficult to believe that this is really happening, but the fact is that it isn't a dream. She has really travelled back to a thousand years ago. The windows are circular with strange, maze-like patterns, and there are tall, white pillars in her room, holding up the roof above.

 

 

A sudden knocking on the room door interrupts her inspection. "Who is it?" Yan Ran asks instinctively.

 

"Miss Yan, it's me, Mo Mo," replies a woman's voice from the other side of the door.

 

…Mo Mo? Yan Ran wonders. Suddenly, she recalls the Deity of the Life Charts' voice that had reached her mind while she was knocked out. He had told her that she will be working in a brothel. She doesn't like the sound of that, but her only option is to accept it. This is a brothel, so could it be that she is an old bustard from the legends? Yan Ran opens the door to see a woman who's probably around her forties. She wears gold earrings and several gold hair accessories along with red clothes.

 

 

(Note- Mo Mo is how you address a procuress in ancient China. A procuress is a female who controls es and arranges clients for them, taking part of their earnings in return. They were informally known as Old Bustards.)

 

The woman laughs light-heartedly. "It's me. Have you come round about the matter I told you last time?"

 

Yan Ran blinks, clueless. Since she has only just time-travelled into this brothel, she has no memories of this place, or any memories of this century for that matter. "Last time?" she asks. "What was it? I forgot……"

 

The procuress shakes her head slightly. "Just look at you, girl. You even managed to forget about that. It's the matter of accepting clients that I told you about last time!"

 

Yan Ran's heart nearly pops out of her chest. "Accept-Accepting clients?!"

 

The procuress' face suddenly becomes stern. "I'm telling you, you can't keep selling your arts and not selling your body like this anymore. Our Drunken Red Brothel does not keep idlers!"

 

(Note- Selling Arts and Not Selling Body is a saying that means what it says. In ancient China, there were usually two kinds of brothel girls. One kind that participates in ual activity with their clients, and one kind that only entertains the clients with their arts (singing, dancing, playing music, etc.), but does not participate in ual activity. Many brothel girls who prefer not to engage in ual activity with their clients resort to entertaining the clients with their talented art skills. However, some brothels do not allow that.)

 

Yan Ran can't imagine having her body violated. "But……" she starts, but doesn't know how to continue. 

 

"Don't "but" anymore," the procuress says. "Ministry Councillor Wu of the eastern street has long specified on wanting you. He has even sent the silver over. You figure it out yourself."

 

Yan Ran holds back a sigh. "Let me think about it a bit more."

 

"Alright then, I'll give you another three days' time to think about it. If you still haven't thought it through after three days, then you'll have no choice." The procuress turns and leaves.

 

Yan Ran watches as the procuress disappears. Just look at this Mo Mo and you can tell that she doesn't seem like a person who will be easy to get along with, she thinks to herself. If I act against her, I'm afraid I'll have to endure adverse consequences. I must make clear of the circumstances here first.

 

Three days later……

 

After some deep consideration, Yan Ran gives Mo Mo Li a suggestion.

 

"What? A plum blossom competition?"

 

Yan Ran nods to Mo Mo Li. "Yes! If Mo Mo wants to make more money, I guarantee that a plum blossom competition can make even more money for you."

 

(Note- In ancient China, plum blossoms is a metaphor for popular female es.)

 

"Is there really such a good thing?" Mo Mo Li asks, uncertain of the idea. 

 

Yan Ran elaborates the plum blossom competition's plan to the old bustard……

 

"That's wonderful!" Mo Mo Li exclaims in excitement. "We'll earn popularity, and we'll also earn money! Let's try it!"

 

Several days later……

 

The official notice for the Plum Blossom Competition is out. In a moment, this news spread from one person to ten and ten to a hundred. The ladies in the Drunken Red Brothel and clients looking for entertainment are all extremely interested. Not only will the brothel girl who becomes the plum blossom have her monthly silver salary go up greatly, she will also be able to possess the right to refuse to accept clients.

 

However, Du Yan Ran's opponents are pretty powerful.

 

 

Shang Guan Jiu Hong, famous for her glamour, is romantic, coquettish, and shows desirable looks and lovely expressions with as much effort as possible.

 

 

Lin Zi Yan, famous for her elegance and beauty, is a waterlily out of water, pure, fresh, and attractive.

 

(Note- A Waterlily Out of Water is an idiom used to describe a naturally gorgeous girl.)

 

 

Yang Mi Er, famous for her tenderness and charm, is innocent, cute, and has a pretty appearance.

 

 

Those three ladies are all strong competitors, Yan Ran thinks. I'll have to carefully consider how to beat them.

 

The next day……

 

"Today's weather's really not bad!" Yan Ran announces to herself. "What should I do?"

 

Yan Ran eventually decides to take a walk through the guests hall. Incidentally, she sees Shang Guan Jiu Hong, wearing a red stomacher and several hair accessories as usual, standing in the hall. Jiu Hong catches sight of Yan Ran.

 

"Oh!" Jiu Hong exclaims, surprised to see Yan Ran. "It's rare for Miss Yan to tread her superior feet on cheap grounds!"

 

"Big Sister, you are joking……" Yan Ran replies politely.

 

"How am I joking? Haven't you always been selling your arts and not your body, and don't ever come to the guests hall?"

 

"Today's weather's nice, so I came out to get some fresh air," Yan Ran says, trying to ignore the satire in Jiu Hong's voice.

 

"Ah, I heard that the plum blossom competition was your idea?"

 

"Yes, how are Big Sister's preparations going?"

 

"I'm really too grateful to you; you gave me this chance to enjoy great popularity," Jiu Hong remarks arrogantly. "Just watch, the title of Plum Blossom will definitely be mine! I will not allow you to rob my limelight!"

"……" Yan Ran decides not to respond to Shang Guan Jiu Hong. She leaves the guests hall. The plum blossom competition is almost here, I better practice my talents properly, she thinks. She then goes to the music office to practice her talents earnestly. There is not a single person in the music office at this time. Yan Ran ends up practicing in there for the entire day.