Chapter 1

“Sister Diao, that Officer Pei is down. I locked him in the woodshed.”

Fan Biao, our freshly eighteen and exceptionally chubby guard, delivered his report with a cheerful grin.

My maid Xiaoyun rolled her eyes at him.

“And you’re proud of that? I told you to use knockout powder, but you gave him an aphrodisiac! When it kicks in after midnight, who knows how we’re supposed to deal with him?”

Fan Biao scratched his head with a sheepish smile. “Heh. All the packets look alike. I grabbed the wrong one.”

Xiaoyun sucked in an exasperated breath.

Long accustomed to this sort of thing, I said, “Never mind him for now. When is our distinguished guest arriving?”

“After midnight,” Xiaoyun said. “About two more hours.”

“Who did she request this time?”

“Her maid said she wants the new Number Sixty-Six.”

I frowned.

“Number Sixty-Six? Ye Qingyao?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Absolutely not. He just arrived, and he’s still a virgin. How can he take a client?”

Xiaoyun sighed. “I turned her down too, but you know that lady’s temper. Even her maid is impossible. She gave me an earful and said she had to have the newcomer tonight.”

“Fine. Fan Biao, keep an eye on Pei Lingyi. I’ll go give Ye Qingyao some instruction.”

“You got it, Sister Diao!”

When I entered, Ye Qingyao was sitting beneath the window, lost in thought.

He was tall and slender, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, a straight nose, elegant eyes, and skin as pale as snow.

He looked almost otherworldly. A fine specimen indeed.

I had heard he was the son of an aristocratic family. When his father and elder brother were convicted, he was implicated as well. After passing through several hands, he had ended up being sold to me.

I once asked him, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

I run an honest business: every transaction is voluntary, and I never force anyone.

Besides, a delicate, refined man like him wasn’t the sort who usually sold well in a brothel.

“I’m sure.”

“I’m the only member of the Ye family left. Even if all I can do is cling to life, I have to survive.”

…

I cleared my throat.

Ye Qingyao turned and saw me.

He immediately rose.

“Sister Sai.” He bowed to me with his hands clasped.

Looking at his exquisitely sculpted face and the bearing of a young nobleman, then thinking of what we were about to do, I—a brothel madam, of all people—felt a long-dead sense of modesty stir back to life.

I cleared my throat again, awkwardly this time.

“Well… you’ve been here for a while now. Sooner or later, you’ll have to, ah… take clients.”

Ye Qingyao lowered his head.

I pressed on despite my embarrassment. “A client asked for you tonight.”

He bit his soft pink lower lip. “All right.”

“The thing is… you’re new, and there are certain rules in bed you don’t know yet.”

“By custom, someone has to teach you.”

That someone was, naturally, me.

Every newcomer was trained by yours truly.

Putting them to the test personally, on behalf of my esteemed clients, was part of my duty as the owner.

I had to evaluate them on every front: their physical endowments, stamina, ability to set the mood, skill at making a partner feel cherished, and so on.

Only those who passed my inspection could be recommended to clients.

And when someone proved exceptionally gifted, I put him through repeated training, lest he grow complacent on account of his natural advantages.

To be perfectly honest, I had mastered the art of taking advantage of my privileged position.

Ye Qingyao’s face reddened before my eyes. In a low voice, he said, “I leave myself in your hands, Sister.”

Good. We were both willing, so there was no reason to delay.

I pulled him down beside me on the bed and gently slipped off his outer robe.

“Take mine off too.” I smiled seductively.

His hands trembling, he carefully undressed me.

The instant his fingers brushed my smooth skin, his face turned as red as the coals in the incense burner beside us.

I ran a practiced hand over his chest, down his abdomen, and lower still.

Excellent. He was already hard and burning hot.

I reached for him.

“Good boy. Show your sister what you can do,” I panted into his ear.

As though he had received an imperial decree, Ye Qingyao drew several ragged breaths and launched a fierce assault.

…

“Sister, you’re so soft… and you smell so good…”

“Sister, keep your voice down. I can’t hold back much longer…”