Volume Two: The Great and the Small Chapter Thirteen: We Can Work Together

In the side hall of the Huang residence, Huang Ming met Zhao Jian, who had come early that morning to pay his respects. Zhao Jian was not alone; two other middle-aged men, their faces warm and humble, accompanied him, seated in guest chairs.

When Huang Ming entered, all three quickly rose to greet him, apologizing, “We’ve disturbed you so early, Young Master Huang. Please pardon us.”

“It’s of no consequence. Please, be seated. Bring tea,” Huang Ming replied with a cheerful smile, showing no sign of the fatigue from his sleepless night.

Zhao Jian then offered a brief introduction, “This is Shen Qingzhou, proprietor of Gentle Breeze, and this is Fang Tong, owner of Fragrant Cloud Pavilion.”

“So, it’s Master Shen and Master Fang,” Huang Ming said, nodding with a smile. The two responded with respectful bows.

As tea and refreshments were served, the conversation remained light, none of them eager to broach the main topic. It was obvious that Zhao Jian had recruited these two overnight, and they were deeply intrigued by Huang Ming’s fresh ideas about the Flower Queen Competition.

The young master before them, not yet of age, had far exceeded their expectations; during their conversation, they discreetly studied his words and manners, seeking deeper understanding, even trying to probe him subtly.

Yet Huang Ming handled their inquiries with ease, revealing nothing, never overstepping decorum.

That alone was sufficient—before long, Shen and Fang looked at him with newfound respect. “When Brother Zhao first mentioned your idea, Young Master Huang, we were skeptical. Now, we see truly that heroes can emerge from youth.”

“You flatter me,” Huang Ming replied calmly.

Zhao Jian, however, could no longer contain himself. “Young Master Huang, let us discuss business. To be frank, I reviewed your proposal again last night, and it opened my eyes. The competitions we’ve held for years pale in comparison.”

“Indeed, we think so too,” Shen Qingzhou quickly added. “Even at this early stage, your strategy for a new Flower Queen election will surely take the capital by storm, perhaps all of Ming.”

“Yes, once this succeeds, the Flower Queens will owe you their gratitude. You’ll be the beloved of every girl in the capital; even if Liu Sanbian were to return, he could not rival you,” Fang Tong chimed in, offering praise.

Faced with their effusive flattery, Huang Ming merely smiled mildly. “At the end of the day, it’s just a whimsical thought of mine. Whether it can succeed, no one can say without trying.”

“You’re too modest, Young Master,” they replied. “We discussed it through the night—this will surely succeed, and succeed greatly.”

“True, but the subsequent arrangements and operations must follow. Surely you’ve considered everything, Young Master Huang; perhaps you can enlighten us, and become the benefactor of the brothel trade.”

At this, Huang Ming gave an enigmatic smile, sipping his tea slowly before replying, “There’s a saying: ‘Methods are not lightly divulged.’”

The three exchanged glances, then nodded, smiling. “You’re right, Young Master. We were too forward, didn’t make ourselves clear.”

With that, each withdrew a thin stack of silver notes from their sleeves, rising solemnly and placing them on the tea table beside Huang Ming. “A small token of our appreciation, Young Master Huang. If this venture succeeds, there will be further rewards, and all three brothels will honor you as a distinguished guest—your expenses will be fully covered. What do you say?”

Having spoken, they looked at him with eager anticipation, certain he would be tempted.

Indeed, their early visit showed sincerity and gave Huang Ming ample face. Coupled with a reward of ten thousand taels from each, plus the promise of guest privileges—they had done everything right. For a youth, or even for themselves, such an offer would be hard to refuse.

But Huang Ming’s response astonished them. He flipped through the silver notes with a smile. “You three are generous—thirty thousand taels could buy a mansion in the capital.”

They were about to speak, but he waved them silent. “But I cannot accept this money. Not only will I not take it, but I’m willing to invest fifty thousand taels myself.”

“What?” The three were truly stunned, unsure if they had heard correctly.

Zhao Jian could not help but protest, “Young Master Huang, you must be joking. How can we accept your money…”

“I never jest about business. And the money is not a gift, but my investment. To put it simply, if you’re willing, we can collaborate and make the Flower Queen Competition bigger and better together.”

The three proprietors were dumbfounded, staring in disbelief. After a moment, Shen Qingzhou stammered, “Are you serious? But what’s in it for you?”

“You seek something through flattery and gifts; so do I,” Huang Ming replied without pretense. “I have great confidence in my plan. If everyone follows my instructions, we’ll all profit handsomely…”

“But…”

“I know—without the cooperation of your brothels, my scheme is nothing but empty talk. But by the same token, without my guidance in planning, things will remain unchanged; you’ll profit, but not nearly as much as my proposal promises.

“This is a mutually beneficial, collaborative endeavor. I won’t force you, nor will I accept your offerings for nothing. I’ll create new opportunities, open new prospects, devise fresh strategies, and provide part of the operating capital.

“So, my participation to claim my share of the profits is perfectly reasonable. What do you think?”

The three fell silent, exchanging glances, unsure how to respond.

They thought they had offered enough, but the young man’s appetite was far greater than expected.

“But Young Master Huang, are you certain your plan will succeed?” Zhao Jian finally asked.

“I have every confidence. And didn’t you just say, Zhao, that even my initial outline was convincing enough to bring these two here at dawn? Isn’t that proof enough?”

The three exchanged another look, unable to voice further doubts. “This is a major undertaking—we can’t decide immediately.”

“I can wait,” Huang Ming said, gesturing politely. “But if I may, your vision is still too narrow. My plan is to unite all the major brothels in the capital for a grand Flower Queen festival.

“And I’ll reveal this: the competition can be extended, at least until Mid-Autumn, before its conclusion!”