Volume Two: The Noble and the Knave Chapter Seventeen: Stirring Up Hype and Climbing the Charts—A Double Triumph

Huang Ming’s methods, if placed in the internet era of the twenty-first century, would appear all too commonplace and clumsy. It was nothing more than generating hype and traffic, crafting a persona for some celebrity influencer, then buying a few trending topics on social media—whether normal or scandalous. Such obvious publicity stunts would hardly catch the eye of any netizen in later generations.

Yet, when these same tactics are set in the Ming Dynasty, centuries ago, their impact becomes overwhelming—so much so that upon hearing and imagining it, the brothel owners present could not help but feel a surge of excitement!

“If we really do as he suggests, this could very well cause quite a sensation…” someone whispered to a friend nearby.

The other nodded in agreement. “But the expenses may not be light.”

Hiring musicians and carriages to parade advertisements throughout the capital would not cost much, but commissioning painters and writers to produce quality artworks and stories in a short time would require generous rewards as motivation.

Then there was the matter of smoothing relations with taverns, teahouses, and storytellers, not to mention maintaining good terms with the authorities—all of which would entail considerable expense.

And this was only the initial stage of promotion; the real event had not even begun.

But upon further thought, they realized the returns on such spending were rather promising—at the very least, regardless of how well the girls from their establishments fared in the courtesan competition, their names would have spread far and wide, known throughout the capital and beyond.

“It’s just as Young Master Huang said—this is not a one-off deal, but something that will yield benefits for a long time. And it’s not just one or two girls who will profit; everyone will gain great renown!”

This sentiment resonated with the group. They nodded repeatedly, their admiration for Huang Ming growing. “Young Master Huang, your plan is truly brilliant—this money will be well spent!”

Huang Ming laughed heartily. “I told you, I’m not deceiving you with empty words; these are real benefits. Oh, and one more thing you must remember: among our establishments, we are not enemies, but partners. Even if there is competition, it should be healthy.”

“In other words, when promoting your own girls, you must never slander others to make yourselves look better.”

The owners all nodded in earnest agreement. “Naturally—we wouldn’t ruin our good relations over a trifle.”

Huang Ming breathed a slight sigh of relief. In the entertainment circles of later times, such competition would inevitably devolve into mudslinging and infighting, leaving everyone worse off; that was an outcome he did not wish to see.

“Of course, this is just the beginning. Once the girls have made their names, the next step is to solidify their personas, and then have them step out from behind closed doors into the public eye—let the people of the capital see them as living, breathing individuals.”

Some were puzzled at this. “What do you mean, Young Master Huang? Could you explain more clearly?”

“It’s simple: have the girls go out more often, and, according to their personas, do good deeds. If one is gentle and kind, let her help people on the street—whether it’s aiding an injured passerby or giving alms to someone in distress. The point is for everyone to witness firsthand what sort of person she is, to see her alive and present in their daily lives.”

“But how can this be accomplished? One cannot always find someone in need of help,” someone questioned.

Before Huang Ming could respond, a clever man interjected, “That’s easy—we arrange it ourselves! We set up the scenes however we wish, and the girls from our establishments will be quickly recognized.”

It must be said, these brothel owners had a knack for publicity; they simply hadn’t been shown the way before.

Huang Ming smiled. “That’s correct, but let me remind you—neither the people in need of help nor the ‘accidental passersby’ who recognize the girls should be from your own establishments or have any connection to you. It’s better to spend a little more and hire outsiders for these performances. Since we’re already spending so much, there’s no need to be stingy with these minor expenses.”

“Well said!” Master Xu was the first to agree. “There must be no mistakes with these details, or it will affect not just one establishment, but all of us.”

The others voiced their agreement as well, and the atmosphere in the hall grew more spirited. Their gazes toward Huang Ming brimmed with admiration and warmth.

Comparing these new methods to their previous ways of promoting their own girls, it was clear now just how outdated and crude their old tactics had been.

Huang Ming listened with a smile, sipping wine to moisten his throat.

When the discussion died down, he spoke again, “There is one more crucial point: during the upcoming courtesan competition, all participating girls must refrain from accepting guests lightly, no matter how much silver is offered. If they can politely decline, they must do so. Only in this way can their reputations truly soar…”

This was what later generations would call “cultivating stardom”—the difference between a celebrity and an influencer. The latter could be bought with money, but the former was not just about wealth.

At this, the owners hesitated. They were willing to spend money and effort to build up the girls, but their real aim was not just to give them a good name—it was to make money.

Huang Ming saw their thoughts and immediately continued, “Gentlemen, sometimes having a girl keep her clothes on is more profitable than having her take them off at every opportunity.

“What I’m about to explain is how to turn their fame and prestige in the capital into real profit. It’s quite simple: make the courtesan ranking list visible to everyone, erect it on major streets like Zhengyang Gate, Xuanwu Gate, and Chongwen Gate. Then, assign people to update the girls’ rankings on the list in real-time.

“As for how to raise a girl’s ranking on the list—that’s simple, too. Have patrons present gifts to the chosen girls. Of course, these aren’t ordinary gifts, but custom items we agree upon together. For example, a piece of jade could be worth twenty points, a flower basket five points, a bolt of silk ten points…

“And these items can only be purchased from your establishments, then given to the girls, whose rankings on the courtesan list will be fully quantified. We can even arrange for someone at the ranking boards to announce which young master or gentleman spent how much to support which girl…”

His explanation was straightforward, but it left the owners deep in thought. When they finally grasped the implications, their eyes shone with excitement, growing ever more exhilarated as the possibilities unfolded before them!