Volume 1, Chapter 23: Master Fan, My Door Is Unlatched

Fan Xiu lay on the large bed in the guest room of Magistrate Zhao’s residence, his hands tucked behind his head. It had to be said that the bed here, even in a mere guest room, was far more comfortable than the one at the Fan household. He couldn't help but chuckle as he recalled the stunned expression on Zhao Defu’s face earlier.

The business tactics he had just described were common, hackneyed marketing ploys in the world before his transmigration. From the moment he decided to enter commerce, Fan Xiu had been planning how to execute this. That was also why he had renamed his "tea eggs" to "Top Scholar’s Fragrance." No matter how good a product was, it could never compare to the power of story-driven marketing.

Why could a Rolex watch sell for over a million? Because it carried the story of a wandering orphan rising to become the Emperor of Watches, creating the perception that it was an essential accessory for successful people. As for quality and value for money? Who would care about such things if they were desperate to own one?

Then there was Mengniu, which launched the "Telunsu" line to sell milk to the wealthy. They used fifteen seconds of heartfelt emotion to tell a story about the natural grasslands of Telunsu; in reality, the nutritional value was barely ten percent higher, yet the price doubled. When Yili saw this, they mocked Mengniu, calling them delusional, asking how the wealthy could be so foolish as to pay twice the price for some "bullshit Su-Su." But in the end, Mengniu spent a year sweeping the high-end milk market, earning more profit than they had in the previous decade. And so, Yili’s "Jindian" was born.

That was the importance of a story! And his tea eggs were no longer just tea eggs; they were "Not Every Egg Is a Top Scholar’s Fragrance!" The Great Yin Dynasty was a nation built on literature. With the "Top Scholar" branding paired with a compelling story, he was confident they would sell out. They would surely earn more than the cold noodles; combined, he could easily make three hundred and fifty taels of silver within ten days.

After that, he could just sit back and rake in the money. With wealth, he could marry a few young wives—ideally, he’d even take Liu Yue, and make her wear a maid’s outfit and snap a whip for him every day. Just thinking about it made Fan Xiu grin.

He was still lost in these pleasant thoughts when—creak—the sound of the door being pushed open lightly echoed through the room. Guided by the moonlight, Fan Xiu saw a delicate figure slip into his room.

"Who’s there?" Fan Xiu exclaimed reflexively.

"Hush!" A soft, sweet voice replied. "Master Fan, it is I, Guo Xiulan, the seventh concubine of Magistrate Zhao."

With that, a faint, lingering fragrance wafted toward him, and Guo Xiulan approached the edge of his bed. In the hazy moonlight, she wore a translucent, gossamer gown. The neckline was cut low, revealing a vast expanse of snow-white skin, and as she moved, her shapely legs shimmered in and out of view, swaying with an alluring grace.

Fan Xiu swallowed hard. He had seen Guo Xiulan before when he visited the Zhao residence; she had been one of the two concubines accompanying Zhao Defu. Back then, her eyes had danced with interest, her fingers had brushed against her sash, and when she leaned over, the view inside her collar had been quite generous, only to be cut short by a cough from Zhao Defu. Fan Xiu had sighed to himself at the time, thinking how well Zhao Defu lived.

But now, in the middle of the night, for Guo Xiulan to sneak into his room dressed so provocatively—what could she possibly want?

"Lady... Lady Guo, what are you doing?" Fan Xiu asked, his voice raspy. His throat felt dry, as if it were on fire.

Guo Xiulan covered her mouth and giggled, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I have long heard that Master Fan is a man of great talent and learning. I find myself quite enamored and wish to have a deeper discussion with you."

As she spoke, her soft, supple body threw itself onto him. Fan Xiu’s heart skipped a beat. Damn it! When she said "deeper discussion," she really meant it! He certainly wanted to. After all, what hot-blooded man could resist such temptation? But this was hardly the place for it!

"No!" Fan Xiu pushed her away immediately. "Lady Guo, I am a close friend of Zhao Defu. How could I do such a thing?"

"You don't want to? Then why are your hands gripping me so tightly?" Guo Xiulan looked down at the large hands holding her, her breath fragrant as she whispered, subtly swaying her body.

"Ah!" Fan Xiu’s expression changed, and he quickly pulled his hands back. But no sooner had he done so than her soft body pressed against him once more.

"Master Fan," she whispered, her soft, red lips brushing against his ear. Her voice was bewitching, laced with a hint of grievance. "The Magistrate is... not capable in that department. Won't you satisfy me? Don't worry, I will never tell a soul."

Fan Xiu swallowed with difficulty. This woman knew exactly how to tease a man! He nearly lost control. Unfortunately, this was the Zhao residence; he didn't dare act recklessly here. Just then, Guo Xiulan smiled gently, reached out with a slender, orchid-like finger, and began to probe downward.

"Lady Guo!" Fan Xiu’s face shifted, and he scrambled off the bed and onto the floor. "Please, have some self-respect!" he shouted sternly.

At that exact moment—*THUD!*—the door to his room was flung wide open with a deafening crash. Zhao Defu walked in, a broad smile on his face, followed by Steward Wang and several servants holding torches, instantly flooding the room with light.

"Magistrate Zhao!" Fan Xiu’s face turned pale. "You... I... this has nothing to do with me!"

"I know," the Magistrate said, beaming. "Fan Xiu, you have passed my test."

"What?" Fan Xiu’s eyes widened in disbelief.

At that moment, Guo Xiulan tightened her revealing clothes, swayed her hips like a willow in the wind as she walked over to Fan Xiu, and giggled, "The Magistrate asked me to test you. I didn't expect you to be so innocent." She gave him a flirtatious wink.

Fan Xiu was stunned. Damn it! A test? You used your own wife as bait to test me? Are you insane? If I had slipped up, what would that even be called?

"Enough," the Magistrate said, his face darkening. "Xiao Lan, I redeemed you from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, you belong to me. Don't set your sights on Fan Xiu; he is for Yufei! Otherwise, don't blame me for being unkind."

"I know, I know." Guo Xiulan glanced at the Magistrate with a look of resentment before swaying out of the room. As she passed Fan Xiu, she whispered, "Master Fan, my door is unlocked." She walked to the doorway, looked back to give him one last sultry wink, and then drifted away with a giggle.

Fan Xiu asked tentatively, "Magistrate Zhao, if I hadn't held back, what would have been the consequences?"

The Magistrate narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint emerging from their depths. "What do you think?"

"Ahem." Fan Xiu put on a serious expression. "But that would have been impossible! I am not that kind of person!"

"Very well, Scholar Fan, get some rest," the Magistrate said before leading his men away.

Once they were gone, Fan Xiu lay back on the bed, his heart pounding. This Zhao residence was truly a den of tigers and snakes! That woman, Guo Xiulan, was far too bold. She even said the door was unlocked? Wasn't that just begging him to go over there?