Lan Hua sat in the main chamber of the Red Lantern House, sleeves folded neatly over her lap. The girls trickled in one by one, summoned by Madam's order. Some came reluctantly, some curious, others whispering behind their hands.
The room buzzed with gossip.
"Why does she call us here?"
"Another clever verse to brag about?"
"She thinks she's a queen already."
Lan Hua ignored the whispers, her gaze steady as the women gathered. At last, Madam entered and sat at the head of the room, her fan snapping open with a sharp crack.
"Lan Hua insists she has something to say," Madam announced, her tone cool. "So listen."
Dozens of painted faces turned toward her. Some curious, some mocking, some openly hostile.
Lan Hua rose gracefully, her crimson robe pooling around her feet. She gave them a smile that was all courtesan charm—but her words rang with the clarity of a boardroom executive.
"Sisters," she began, "our house shines bright, but within that brightness, shadows grow. We fight one another for patrons. We tear at each other's sleeves, sabotage one another's names. But tell me—does this make us stronger, or weaker?"
Silence. Then soft laughter from the back.
Yue Niang stepped forward, emerald silk rustling, her smile sharp as a knife. "Weaker, perhaps. But what of it? This is our life. Men choose, we compete. That is the way of the world."
Lan Hua tilted her head, her own smile never faltering. "That may be the way of the world. But must it be the way of us?"
Yue Niang's eyes narrowed. "Careful, Sister. You speak as though you would change the laws of heaven."
Murmurs rippled through the room.
Lan Hua lifted her scroll and unrolled it onto the table. Bold ink spread across the parchment in three neat columns.
"Not heaven," she said calmly. "Only this house. Look."
The courtesans leaned forward reluctantly.
"First," Lan Hua pointed to the left column, "Contracts. Every patron who seeks our matchmaking must sign a binding agreement—payment, conditions, outcomes. No more broken promises. No more nobles cheating us."
One courtesan frowned. "But nobles will not like being bound."
"They like what profits them," Lan Hua replied smoothly. "If we ensure their sons and daughters marry well, they will sign. And once they sign, they cannot betray us without shame."
She tapped the second column. "Second—Secrecy. Too many words slip from our lips and find their way into rival houses. We will swear loyalty, not only to Madam but to each other. No gossip leaves these walls."
Some courtesans shifted uneasily, muttering.
Finally, she pointed to the last column. "Third—Profit-sharing. Instead of clawing at each other for scraps, we share. A portion of every successful match goes to all of us. Your sister's success becomes your success. Rivalry becomes loyalty."
The room erupted.
"This is madness!"
"Why should I share what I earn with her?"
"She only wants to bind us under her thumb!"
Yue Niang laughed, covering her mouth with her sleeve. "Contracts, secrecy, profit-sharing? Listen to her. She thinks she is Madam already. Do you mean to wear the red sash next, Lan Hua?"
The girls laughed with her, some out of fear, some out of spite.
Lan Hua's gaze swept the room, unshaken. "No. I do not seek Madam's seat. I seek to strengthen ours. How many of you cry at night because you were betrayed by a sister's gossip? How many of you bleed because you fought over the same patron? How many of you dream of safety, but find none?"
The laughter faltered. Some courtesans lowered their eyes.
Yue Niang's smile stiffened.
Madam closed her fan with a snap. "Enough. You stir rebellion in my house, Lan Hua."
Lan Hua bowed. "No, Madam. I offer structure. A way to turn chaos into stability, and stability into greater profit. Allow me to prove it."
Madam's eyes narrowed. "And if you fail?"
Lan Hua lifted her chin. "Then I will bow my head and drink whatever tea you serve me next."
The room gasped.
For a long moment, Madam studied her, weighing the risk. She saw the way the younger girls looked at Lan Hua with hope, the way even the older ones hesitated in their scorn. The woman was dangerous—but also brilliant.
At last, Madam exhaled. "Very well. Take a handful of girls. Not all. Let us see if your schemes can survive a week."
Lan Hua inclined her head, hiding the victorious spark in her eyes. "Thank you, Madam."
*****
After the meeting, as the courtesans dispersed, Yue Niang swept past her, whispering low enough only Lan Hua could hear.
"You think yourself clever, but your little reforms will strangle you. I will watch and laugh when you fail."
Lan Hua's smile was serene. "Then watch closely, Sister. You might learn something."
Yue Niang's eyes flashed with fury as she stormed away.
Lan Hua turned back toward the courtyard, her gaze drifting over the timid girls who lingered by the door, waiting for her signal. Already, they looked at her not as rival, but as leader.
The trial begins, she thought, her lips curving. And trials are what I was born to win.