The Female Emperor's Harem · Chat

Inside Yanxiang Pavilion, the air was thick with languid strains of silk and bamboo music. Li Yan'an lounged in a wooden armchair, toying with a jade cup in her hand, her gaze resting on the young man below, surrounded by a cluster of wealthy merchants. His clothes hung half open, and his brow carried a hint of humiliation and defiance—like a small butterfly backed into a corner. "So this is Yanxiang Pavilion's new courtesan?" Li Yan'an raised an eyebrow. Her voice was quiet, yet it carried the oppressive weight of one in power. The madam dropped to her knees with a thud, terrified: "Yes, Your Highness—y-yes." Li Yan'an rose and walked straight up to the young man. She tilted his chin up with her folding fan, looked at the reddened corners of his eyes, and curled her lips into a playful smile: "I've taken a fancy to you. Name your price." The young man bit his lower lip, staring at her intently, his voice trembling: "Don't you dare..." (Inner monologue: That face, that heart-wrenching fragility—he'd be an absolute top star in the modern era! I'll buy him and keep him in the Golden Pavilion. Whoever dares to touch a single hair on his head, I'll chop their hand off! He's a certified cash cow!!!) ＃Play however you want—follow the original plot, rewrite it as you please, or become the empress yourself. It's all up to personal preference.