Inside Kyoto city, the sky had just turned dark. Modest households had closed their doors early, and at street corners, there were scattered, still-smoldering ashes. These were offerings to the ancestors, just like any ordinary family, ensuring the ancestors enjoyed good food during festivals.

The officials and wealthy merchants of Kyoto were accustomed to the night bustle of the city and didn't pay much attention to the Hungry Ghost Festival. In previous years, it was just a matter of the black-robed Yin Wardens patrolling the streets, not hindering their revelry. Moreover, the renowned Yanzi Street had organized a courtesan competition, a rare spectacle.

Such lively scenes were usually found in the prosperous regions of Jiangnan; Kyoto rarely experienced such festivities. This was an opportunity not to be missed.

If one didn't take the time to appreciate it, they would lose face when chatting with colleagues and friends the next day. For nearly three hundred years, despite internal and external troubles, the people of Kyoto could not afford to lose face. Even if heads could be severed and blood could flow, the men of Kyoto, under the banner of Daliang, could not lose their dignity.

Even if one couldn't afford to play with the courtesans due to financial constraints, it was essential to at least glance at and evaluate them. It was all about the excitement.

It was rumored that the thin horses from Yangzhou had already arrived in Kyoto, and the talented beauties from the Qinhuai River, Clear Streams Maiden, were also brought in by a prominent brothel. Additionally, the brothel with exceptional skills had brought in many golden-haired and blue-eyed horses from Qingzhou in the west.

The men of Kyoto were already restless. Officials, wealthy merchants, and the sons of large families had already secured their positions, waiting eagerly for the grand event to commence.

However, what truly excited the common people was when the new brothel, Qinxin Tianzhu, announced that tonight, they would select ten lucky individuals to be exempt from the overnight fees with the courtesans.

Everyone knew that this courtesan competition was initiated by Qinxin Tianzhu, and the girls in this brothel were renowned for their enticing figures, capable of enchanting any man.

...

The round moon had already hung in the sky early on, and the ancient city walls seemed to be covered with a layer of silver gauze. The moon and stars were sparse, with not a single cloud in sight. As the lanterns were lit, the Rouge River became exceptionally vibrant.

On both sides of the riverbank, each brothel had set up high platforms. This large-scale event received strong support from the Five Cities Military Command, led by Commander Liu.

The organization of this event was also overseen by Ningdelou, a business under the command of Prince Ning. On the platforms of each brothel, Ningdelou's servants sold fresh bouquets, not expensive at all, just two taels of silver each.

This practice was brought over from Jiangnan. If someone fancied a girl from a particular brothel, they could pay for a certain number of bouquets. The guards from the military command would then throw the corresponding number of bouquets onto the flower boats.

Once all the flower boats completed a round, Commander Liu would announce the ranking of the first Kyoto courtesan competition. The silver spent on competing for the courtesans would go to the military command and Ningdelou.

Afterward, it would be the time for the spectators to showcase their financial prowess, determining who could take the lead and become an honored guest, enjoying the blessings of men and earning the envy of the masses.

Under the guise of a courtesan auction, within a radius of two hundred miles around Kyoto, officials, wealthy merchants, and scholars from all corners of the country, each with some family wealth, had already ascended the high platforms along the Rouge River bank.

Beneath these platforms were ordinary citizens lacking the financial means and those aspiring to be lucky participants, densely packed together, shoulder to shoulder, forming an immense, undulating crowd. The scene was a sea of people, easily numbering over ten thousand.

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A procession of brightly decorated flower boats, numbering twenty or more, set off in sequence from the eight major alleys in the western part of the city, heading directly towards the vicinity of Yanzi Street in the southeast.

Each boat had a unique appearance—some adorned with blooming flowers, others featuring eighteen accompanying dancers, and some even displaying a group of muscular men kneeling as if in worship.

Every boat carried performers from the Clear Streams People, and as the hour of the Pig approached, Commander Liu of the Five Cities Military Command gently waved his hand. A red flare shot straight into the sky with a resounding "bang."

Prepared flower boats slowly entered the Rouge River behind Yanzi Street, welcoming the admiration of thousands.

There were performances ranging from gentle singing and dancing, ethereal veils covering faces, poetic recitations and paintings, to the soft melodies of the qin. Most of the top performers were surrounded by delicate veils on the top floor.

Only at this moment, when the veils fell, did the girls' enchanting faces become even more captivating under the lantern light. It was as if they were playing the pipa while holding it half-covered, leaving little to the imagination.

Under the veils were scantily clad figures, with subtle and alluring aspects subtly revealed, eliciting cheers from the audience.

For these Clear Streams People participating in the event, there was no talk of selling skills without selling oneself. The courtesan competition had begun.

...

At the Yin Warden Bureau, silence prevailed. In previous years at this time, Units One and Two of the Yellow Section would have already begun their nightly patrols, while Lord Wang and Deputy Lord Qiu would be guarding the entrance to the Yellow Springs Road deep within the Yin Warden Bureau.

The entire Yin Warden Bureau would be brightly lit throughout the night, illuminating the night sky in the southeast of Kyoto. This year, however, there was no such spectacular scene.

Lord Wang and Deputy Lord Qiu, positioned to the east and west respectively, floated in the air above Kyoto. Their eyes were tightly shut as they continuously sensed the movement of Yin energy during the Ghost Festival.

In the whole of Kyoto, only the southeast corner near the Rouge River sparkled brilliantly with lights and fireworks, forming a stark contrast with the pitch-dark and tranquil Yin Warden Bureau. Even the Imperial Palace had only scattered lights.

...

The flower boat from Qinxin Tianzhu was scheduled to be the last to appear. At the top of the three-tiered boat was a young girl with waist-length white hair. She seemed quite young, perhaps fourteen or fifteen years old, dressed in a tightly wrapped white brocade.

With a melon-seed face and snow-white skin, her eyes were tightly closed. Petite and delicate, she sat cross-legged in front of an ancient qin.

This girl had not appeared before in Qinxin Tianzhu. Her expressions were entirely different from the typical snake demons—there was a hint of charm mixed with innocence, a unique charm enhanced by her special bloodline, making her proficient in enchanting techniques.

The wealthy guests on both sides of the high platforms, having experienced the excitement of the previous twenty or more performers, were eagerly anticipating the finale. However, when this last performer appeared, wrapped up so tightly, it was a bit disappointing.

Just as complaints and dissatisfaction were beginning to sound, a beautiful melody emerged from the qin, accompanied by an immersive atmosphere that seemed to possess a magical quality. Despite the low volume, the enchanting melody enveloped the tens of thousands of people by the Rouge River, captivating them all.

The restless audience on the high platforms gradually fell silent. The crowd, originally lively, became entranced.

Unbeknownst to them, the melody was being played by someone else.

Soon, the clear and melodious voice of a fairy-like maiden joined the enchanting qin music, drifting into the ears of the onlookers.

The calming qin music, blended with the singing, made the faces of the watching men flush. At this moment, as the first flower boat just passed the Yin Warden Bureau, still two li away from the eastern city gate, a shadow over twenty meters long swiftly entered the water from the western gate of the Rouge River. It then rapidly traversed the riverbed, reaching the underside of Qinxin Tianzhu's flower boat.

Pausing for a moment, the girl who had appeared in Qinxin Tianzhu and was hiding in a corner of the high platform whispered to the white-clad girl, "Qian Qian, begin." Her tone carried encouragement, urgency, and a hint of threat.

The girl on the high platform slowly opened her eyes, revealing vertical pupils. She gave a glance to the girl who had spoken. Following that, the crisp and gentle singing suddenly turned eerie and terrifying. Strangely, those mesmerized by the song remained blissfully ignorant, seemingly transported to a heavenly realm with celestial maidens.

Before long, the filthy aura from both sides of the river, mixed with the Yin energy, quickly gathered around the green shadow. The entire northwest, north, and northeast third of the Yin Warden Bureau's walls were tightly enveloped by this winding, black Yin energy, forming an intricate dragon array that capitalized on the Yin energy surging during the Ghost Festival.