So many things just got skipped! Brief summary of the skips:
1 - He has a eunuch, who works in the palace, as an information broker.
2 - He's distributing his own money, via the eunuch, to a high number of low paid servants.
3 - He heard about the songstress from the eunuch.
4 - IIrc he left unnoticed, which is why he has no entourage.
Probably missed some other details.