Pei Liang turned around and saw a breathtakingly handsome man standing there, dressed in magnificent robes.
The moment he appeared, the entire Flower Street seemed to dim, reduced to mere scattered ornamentation behind him.
His charm had bloomed to its utmost extreme—a beauty that held nothing back, like a flower on the eve of withering. At a single glance, it was enough to leave one dazed and distracted.
In that brief moment, several women passing by collided with one another or stumbled and fell because they were not watching where they were going.
He did not spare anyone else so much as an extra glance. His eyes rested only on Pei Liang, carrying a faint, aggrieved reproach.
As though her refusal to enter now would be an unforgivable crime.
Without exaggeration, some of the patrons nearby were already glaring angrily at her.
Still, those with sharp eyes could see that she was dressed in finery and that the specifications of her carriage were anything but ordinary. And among the regulars of these pleasure quarters, there were certainly those who had witnessed the Eldest Imperial Daughter’s extravagant displays of wealth.
Though they pitied the beauty in their hearts, none dared speak out of turn.
Whenever Pei Liang had transmigrated into the bodies of characters from a story before, there had usually been a considerable gap between them in every respect.
Otherwise, they would not have been selected as targets by the cannon-fodder system.
But this time, Pei Liang genuinely felt as though she had lost.
Damn, the original owner had really been living well.
In less than a single day, she had encountered three exceptional beauties: a passionate and fiery young stepfather, a fiancé as aloof and flawless as a mountain flower, and now this resentful, affectionate courtesan. Every one of them was stunning beyond compare.
How old had the original owner been again? She had only just passed her coming-of-age year, hadn’t she?
Given how flirtatious and uninhibited she had been, Pei Liang did not imagine the woman had exercised much restraint in ordinary times.
It truly fit the saying: You may laugh that Prince Liang died young, but Prince Liang laughs that you’ve fucked too little.
Prince Liang was one formidable woman.
Even in death, she could still look down upon the world with such disdain. Perhaps the only person comparable to her was the Third Imperial Daughter—the original novel’s protagonist—whose life had been magnificent and turbulent, and who had gathered all the beauties under heaven into her palace.
But Pei Liang truly was not in a convenient position today.
Just as she was about to ask him to come back another day, Hongxiu leaned close and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear—
“Your Highness, I’m afraid there has been progress on the matter you previously asked Master Fang to investigate.”
So this was not merely a brothel; it was also one of the Eldest Imperial Daughter’s intelligence networks?
She had underestimated the original owner. It seemed the woman’s sense of vigilance had been stronger than Pei Liang had thought.
Since that was the case, Pei Liang naturally changed her mind.
She said to him, “The Crown Princess is traveling incognito to observe the lives of the common people and see how the citizens of Great Liang relax and entertain themselves in their daily lives.”
“Do not draw attention to her. Go make the necessary arrangements, so that Her Highness may witness the simple, leisurely spirit with which the people amuse themselves.”
When Master Fang learned that the little maid standing beside Prince Liang was the Crown Princess—the very same Crown Princess whose arrival had been reported that afternoon—he was startled.
His status was lowly, so Prince Liang had never needed to conceal her true nature before him.
At a time like this, Prince Liang could still stand beside the Crown Princess so calmly?
At first, Master Fang had thought as Hongxiu did: that she might be sweet-tongued but malicious at heart, intending to lead the Crown Princess into a house of pleasure and corrupt her.
But personally bringing her here would be far too crude and unbecoming.
His thoughts raced, and then he heard Pei Liang’s further instructions.
Even though Master Fang had long known her moods were unpredictable, he was somewhat bewildered now.
Was she saying what he thought she was saying?
Master Fang was not sure, and looked once more at Prince Liang.
She nodded with a perfectly righteous expression, jerking her chin toward the interior and urging him to hurry up and make the arrangements.
Master Fang could only turn back in a daze and head into Lianyi House.
The Crown Princess’s identity could not be casually revealed, but Prince Liang was another matter. Who among Lianyi House’s regular patrons did not recognize her?
All it took was a call of “His Highness Prince Liang has arrived,” and everyone else would naturally know to make themselves scarce.
After a few more preparations, the entire main hall of Lianyi House was transformed.
The Third Imperial Daughter was growing anxious as she waited in the carriage. She looked up at Pei Liang. “Elder Sister, there really isn’t any need to make such a fuss.”
“From that beautiful master’s reaction, you clearly don’t usually make such a grand entrance when you come here. So why is it that when I go in—”
Her voice grew quieter and quieter, until she finally muttered, “I don’t want this.”
It had not been easy for Elder Sister to take her out for a day of fun. She had bought so many interesting little things and eaten such a delicious dinner. All along the way, Elder Sister had neither blamed her over the matter of the Crown Princess nor taken her anger out on her, nor treated her coldly.
But these deliberate arrangements now seemed to draw another line between the two sisters.
The Third Imperial Daughter might not yet understand the rules of power and politics, but she was not insensitive.
All at once, she felt that if everything were to be like this in the future, Elder Sister would seem to drift farther and farther away from her.
She did not want that. She wanted Elder Sister to treat her just as she had that afternoon.
Just as an inexplicable panic began to rise in her heart, she felt a hand settle atop her head.
Her elder sister ruffled her hair. “You’re still young. The world inside is too early for you.”
Nor did she truly try to fob her off as a child. “From now on, don’t come here with anyone else. When I think you’re ready, I’ll bring you here to see it for yourself.”
The Third Imperial Daughter’s eyes immediately lit up. She only caught the latter half of the sentence. “Elder Sister, you’ll still take me out of the palace to have fun?”
Pei Liang could not explain the Crown Princess’s rights and responsibilities all at once. Nor did she know what arrangements the Empress would make for her next.
In the original story, she had initially only been confined and made to study relentlessly. As the protagonist of a coming-of-age tale, she naturally spent quite some time at the beginning as an innocent, naive girl.
Through the Third Imperial Daughter’s ascent to the position of Crown Princess, the sisters’ secret schemes against one another, the Empress’s effortless manipulations, and the attentions and flattery of those around her, the once-neglected, timid young princess suddenly found her prospects with handsome men improving overnight.
Her marriage became the focus of a tug-of-war among several factions at court. Whether at palace banquets, during the Crown Princess’s outings, or through the machinations of her two elder sisters and the imperial consorts...
In short, the foolish little girl, still too young to understand anything, was like a piece of meat coveted by a pack of wolves.
In any case, before she knew what the Empress intended to arrange next, Pei Liang could not be sure when the Third Imperial Daughter would be allowed the freedom to leave the palace.
Still, taking her out occasionally herself would not be much of a problem.
So she nodded. “As long as I have the time.”
Sure enough, the Third Imperial Daughter’s earlier gloom was swept away at once.
By then, Lianyi House had finished its preparations.
Only then did Pei Liang take the Third Imperial Daughter by the hand and step down from the carriage again. Amid a reception of humble, nervous attendants, they entered the main hall of Lianyi House.
Lianyi House was the largest pleasure house in the entertainment district, steeped in history and long-established prestige. Its most popular courtesans were all breathtakingly beautiful, and Master Fang, who now managed Lianyi House, had once been the foremost courtesan of the capital’s famed pleasure quarter.
In truth, given his age, it was still somewhat early for him to have withdrawn behind the scenes.
But he had been lucky. The moment he debuted, he caught the Eldest Imperial Daughter’s eye. She had paid an astronomical price for his first night with her—breaking every record in history.
After that, the Eldest Imperial Daughter kept him at Lianyi House. Apart from the usual street processions and performances that displayed the splendor of the courtesan king, he need concern himself with nothing else.
No matter how powerful or distinguished one might be, even catching a glimpse of his beauty depended on whether he was in the mood. This was entirely unlike the lofty reserve of ordinary courtesan kings, who merely waited for the highest bidder.
He had truly found a patron no one could possibly shake.
Two years ago, when Lianyi House’s previous master stepped down due to his age, it was said that the Eldest Imperial Daughter could not bear to see Master Fang drifting through life without roots, forever entertaining and receiving guests. So she had directly placed him in the position of master of the house.
Who would not praise the Eldest Imperial Daughter as romantic and affectionate, generous and compassionate toward the men who had served her?
But the truth was—
Pei Liang glanced around Lianyi House, with its lavish, extravagant décor.
With Pei Liang’s professional eye, she could tell at a glance the caliber of its clientele and estimate its average daily traffic.
Her earlier instruction for Master Fang to go in and make preparations had not merely been meant to brush off the Third Imperial Daughter, who was still too young to enter the world of adults. It had also tested his command over the entire establishment and the speed of his response.
Faced with so many high-ranking and distinguished guests, Pei Liang’s name might carry weight, but it would still take time to act—and to make all those guests cooperate without exposing the Crown Princess—
Pei Liang smiled as she took in the scenes throughout the hall, as though they had stepped straight out of a painting of gifted scholars and beautiful companions.
The original owner of this body had gotten quite a bargain. Master Fang was certainly a capable man, though whether he was truly loyal remained to be seen.
After all—
It was the Third Imperial Daughter’s first visit to a pleasure house, and everything she saw was novel.
There were quite a few people in the main hall. They gathered in groups of four to six, with plates of fruit, drinks, brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones arranged on their tables.
Beautiful, alluring young men bared long stretches of snowy-white arms as they ground ink, while the guests wielded their brushes and wrote with sweeping flourish.
Others looked on, and whenever a stroke proved particularly inspired, applause and praise rang out.
Some raised their heads to recite poetry; others played pitch-pot or polo. At every side, handsome young men entertained them.
Judging from this alone, aside from the men’s more revealing and flamboyant attire, what resemblance did this place bear to a brothel?
The Third Imperial Daughter’s eyes widened in amazement. Clicking her tongue in appreciation, she said, “Sister, no wonder Hongxiu said this was where you came to relax.”
“With lovely attendants at your side, celestial music in your ears, and breathtaking dances upon the stage, I suddenly feel that studying might not be quite so painful after all.”
She nodded repeatedly as she spoke. “People outside the palace really know how to enjoy themselves. No one in the palace would ever think of this.”
“Elder Sister, do you think I—”
“Don’t say another word.” Pei Liang replied expressionlessly. “Royal studies are not merely for acquiring knowledge. They are meant to temper one’s mind, cultivate perseverance, and build resolve.”
“This method may be more pleasant, but it yields half the result for twice the effort. If someone is playing music beside you while you are trying to memorize texts, when would you ever manage to learn a single poem? In the end, this is simply entertainment and relaxation—a way to soften the dreary impression of studying. You must not become overly fond of it.”
The Third Imperial Daughter wore an expression that plainly said: Elder Sister is right. Elder Sister makes perfect sense. How had I not thought of that?
It left Pei Liang, who was cynically fooling a child, feeling a little embarrassed.
At that moment, Master Fang approached. Leaning intimately against Pei Liang’s side, he spoke in a tone of plaintive grievance. “I heard that Your Highness is to be married in three days.”
“Today, after finally passing by, you could not even be bothered to come in. I hear that Young Master Su is not only famed throughout the realm for his talent, but possesses beauty fit for a heavenly being.”
“Your Highness has been so preoccupied with the one in your heart that you forgot there was still a besotted soul like me here at Lianyi Pavilion. I am but lowly and insignificant; naturally, I would not dare complain.
“I only hope that next time, when you come, you will not merely drop by to glance at this living corpse of mine.”
The Third Imperial Daughter’s heart thrilled at once. Young as she was, she found this incredibly exciting.
Though she knew little of such matters, she had grown up in the imperial palace and had witnessed plenty of the Empress’s consorts fighting for favor.
This was exactly the sort of thing—no, even better than the palace’s most skilled contenders for affection.
After all, the men in the palace would never dare say anything so bold in public.
The Third Imperial Daughter’s eyes gleamed with gossip as she looked from the beautiful master of the house to her imperial sister.
Her elder sister was about to marry, after all. Did Young Master Su know that Master Fang existed?
Seeing the child’s eyes darting about, Pei Liang covered them with one hand. “Keep making that face, and I’ll send you back to the palace.”
The Third Imperial Daughter immediately behaved herself, turning to stare fixedly at the courtesan’s dance on the stage.
The dancer was called Young Master Lianyi. Lianyi Pavilion had not been named after him; rather, the reigning courtesan of the establishment automatically inherited that title.
The previous Young Master Lianyi had naturally been Master Fang.
Young Master Lianyi appeared to have Western blood. His features were especially deep and striking, his figure supple and graceful. He wore a crimson costume rich with Western flair.
Golden ornaments adorned his neck, wrists, and ankles, chiming crisply in time with his movements.
A veil covered his face, yet his gaze never left Pei Liang.
His eyes were utterly bewitching, his charm displayed to its fullest—if that gaze could have taken tangible form, it would have hauled Prince Liang straight over to him.
Pei Liang raised an eyebrow. Now this was what genuine seduction looked like.
Unlike Master Fang, who might put on an air of resentful yearning in his expression and voice, while his eyes and every inch of his bearing screamed resistance.
Young Master Lianyi’s attire somewhat resembled Situ Zhuo’s from the world before last, though their temperaments could not have been more different.
Still, that did not stop Pei Liang from showing a little appreciation for a beauty.
She pulled a thumb ring straight from her hand and passed it to Hongxiu. “A reward.”
In a pleasure house, patrons’ gifts were naturally announced aloud: first, to demonstrate that a courtesan was worth a king’s ransom; second, to stir up the guests’ vanity and competitive instincts.
And as a personal possession of Prince Liang, what item of hers was not priceless?
When the sharp-eyed, experienced madam accepted it, her hands trembled.
Young Master Lianyi was naturally overjoyed, as though the powerful support behind Master Fang—so difficult to dislodge—had finally begun to waver.
Amid his delight, he cast Master Fang a sidelong glance, the arrogant triumph of a courtesan basking in unrivaled glory utterly undisguised.
Master Fang tightened his grip on his fan. A faintly mocking smile curved his lips.
If Young Master Lianyi could truly lure her away, then he would be doing him an immense favor.
Master Fang knew that he had spoken impulsively just now, but the opportunity was simply too rare.
Young Master Su was such a proud man, unable to tolerate even the slightest blemish in his sight. Although Prince Liang’s frequent visits to brothels were no secret—
given his pride, could he tolerate hearing of someone as lowly as Master Fang from the Crown Princess herself? And if Prince Liang brought the Crown Princess to meet someone like him, what did that make of her lawful husband?
The hope was slim, but perhaps it would work.
As he was musing carelessly, he suddenly heard the sound of wood snapping.
Everyone looked up. The overhead platform above the stage—the place used for suspending ropes and hanging curtains—had collapsed.
To put it simply, it was a load-bearing structure used for simple stage effects.
A small figure plummeted from above.
Master Fang had not seen the person’s face clearly, but from the figure’s build and clothing alone, he recognized who it was.
A look of alarm crossed his face. But before he could cry out, a powerful gust of wind swept past him, stinging his cheeks.
In the blink of an eye, Prince Liang had vanished from his side. The next moment, she had appeared beneath the broken platform.
She caught the falling figure in one arm. Then, with a speed too fast for the eye to follow, she swung her arm several times. The chunks of wood and the stone weights that came crashing down with the figure were all sent flying.
Dressed in splendid robes, noble and peerless, her presence imposing yet her movements effortless—
Compared with those ordinary, vulgar men, what manner of heavenly beauty was this?
Every male courtesan in Lianyi Tower gazed at Prince Liang with shining eyes and lovestruck expressions. They no longer cared whether their customers were still at their sides; not one of them retained a shred of professional composure.
Pei Liang lifted the child in her arms by the scruff of his clothes. He looked about the same age as the Third Imperial Daughter, still a young boy whose slender bones had yet to fully grow.
“A-Shi!” Master Fang’s voice rang out, still shaken by the narrow escape.
His face was still deathly pale. He hurried over three steps at a time and anxiously examined the boy from head to toe. Only after confirming that he was unharmed did Master Fang finally let out a breath.
Then, as though he had suddenly realized something, his expression changed dramatically. When he looked at Pei Liang, his entire face twisted.
Pei Liang found his reaction intriguing. Before she could say anything, however, pain shot through her hand.
The boy had slapped her hand away and leapt out of her arms.
His face flushed slightly as he glared at her, his whole body tense with wariness.
Master Fang hurriedly pulled him into his arms, hiding that insolent expression from Prince Liang.
Forcing a smile onto his face, he said, “The child is a little mischievous. I’m afraid His Highness has been inconvenienced. This servant deserves death a thousand times over.”
“Your Highness struck the stones away with your bare hands just now. You may have injured your arm. Won’t Your Highness come upstairs with this servant so I can examine it?”
What an interesting reaction.
Pei Liang smiled and nodded. “Very well.”
Master Fang released an imperceptible sigh of relief and was just about to order the boy to leave when Prince Liang said, “But if we do that, my little sister will have no one to keep her company.”
“The beauties around us are lovely, of course, but they aren’t suitable. This boy, on the other hand, is lively and active, and unlike the others. Let him play with my little sister.”
Master Fang naturally understood what Prince Liang meant. The Crown Princess was still an innocent child who knew nothing of such matters.
Prince Liang was worried that the clingy little foxes in the tower might lead her astray. A-Shi, however, seemed far more trustworthy.
Master Fang tightened his grip on the fan in his hand, then relaxed it again without betraying a hint of his thoughts.
Anything was acceptable, so long as it wasn’t Prince Liang. The Crown Princess still had the temperament of a child, so he could treat this as ordinary amusement.
He smoothed A-Shi’s hair, which had been mussed by the fall, and instructed him, “His Highness has given an order. How could we disobey?”
“A-Shi, don’t neglect our guests.”
The Third Imperial Daughter would have preferred to stay with her imperial sister, but she was also worried about her sister’s injuries. Being sensible, she went along with the companion assigned to her.
Master Fang went upstairs first to make preparations, while Pei Liang and the others followed at an unhurried pace.
Hongxiu followed behind with a derisive snort, sidling up to flatter her. “Fang Jiu is becoming more and more ungrateful.”
“His Highness taking an interest in his younger brother is a blessing for both brothers, yet he acts as though His Highness were some savage beast. How outrageous.”
“Sooner or later, Fang Shi will be His Highness’s—”
Pei Liang barely registered the rest.
So that was it. No wonder. Now everything made sense.
Still, the name Fang Shi sounded familiar.
Wasn’t he one of the heroine’s harem members in the original novel?
In the original story, the heroine did not truly begin gathering men around her until several years later.
By then, Fang Shi had become the top courtesan of Lianyi House. As one of the male leads, he indeed had an elder brother who died young.
It seemed that in the original story, Master Fang had ultimately failed to protect his younger brother. He had not lived to see Fang Shi walk out of this pleasure quarter.
Of course, as a member of Prince Liang’s intelligence network, he would hardly have escaped the purge that followed Prince Liang’s downfall.
Pei Liang went upstairs, instructing Hongxiu to keep an eye on the Third Imperial Daughter, before entering alone.
Master Fang had long been prepared. The moment Pei Liang entered, he clung to her dependently.
“Your Highness, I was terrified just now.”
The man carried a delicate fragrance. Though he came from a pleasure house, he did not smell of the cloying, vulgar powders common to such places.
Pei Liang leaned in and sniffed at his neck. “So you really haven’t used any at all.”
Master Fang’s body stiffened slightly at her words, assuming Prince Liang was displeased.
He hurriedly smiled. “It is not that I do not cherish the scented powder Your Highness bestowed upon me. It is only that Lianyi has been competing on stage these past few days, and naturally the entire house is supporting him.”
“He is precious and finicky by nature. After smelling Your Highness’s fragrance powder, he found all other common products beneath his notice. No matter how I tried to persuade him, I could only lend it to him for a few days.”
“If he is pleased, he will naturally give a more spirited performance. Did Your Highness not praise his dance just now? Please forgive me this once. Everything Your Highness gives me, I treasure as dearly as life itself. I would never dare lend it out again.”
As for Master Fang—whenever his younger brother was involved, concern made him lose his composure and reveal flaws again and again. But when alone with her, he was utterly impeccable.
With that gentle, obedient manner of his, if even one of the pretty boys Pei Liang had kept in the past had been half as docile, she would have burned incense in celebration.
Yet it was hardly something to be pleased about. Master Fang’s compliance and submissiveness were built upon the misery and bitterness of his circumstances.
On her way upstairs, Pei Liang had casually coaxed a few details out of Hongxiu.
Young Master Fang had not been born into a lowly family. He had originally been the legitimate son of a high-ranking court official. Someone from his family had even entered the imperial harem and enjoyed favor for a time.
But that utterly brainless fool, in her desperation to compete for the Emperor’s favor, had attempted to use witchcraft. In the end, she brought ruin upon the entire family.
All the women were executed; the men were reduced to slavery.
Because of his peerless beauty, Young Master Fang had been bought by Lianyi House at the time.
Yet there had always been something suspicious about it. The son of a high official, beautiful as he was, and already betrothed—no matter what, he should never have ended up in a brothel.
For the moment, there was no way to verify the doubts surrounding the matter. Fortunately, the former master of the house had bought both brothers.
Most of the Fang family had died. His younger brother, Fang Shi, had become Fang Jiu’s sole emotional anchor.
And as anyone in this trade could tell at a glance, as Fang Shi gradually grew older and his features matured, he revealed beauty that faintly rivaled even his elder brother’s.
The original owner must have formed some kind of plan long ago—she had likely already come to regard both brothers as her possessions.
The thought filled Fang Jiu with despair. All he had ever hoped was to work for Prince Liang in exchange for her protection, so that one day he could get his younger brother out of this filthy place and let him live an ordinary life.
That was why, regardless of whether the timing was appropriate, he had exposed his unusual status before the Crown Princess. He had also, openly and subtly, tried to use Young Master Lianyi to divert Prince Liang’s attention.
He was simply doing whatever little he could to draw Prince Liang’s interest away from his younger brother.
Fang Jiu had not acted discreetly, but neither was he afraid of Prince Liang noticing.
Someone as arrogant as her—so arrogant that she believed every man in the world ought to consider it an honor to be favored by her—how could she possibly suspect that he was deliberately pushing her toward someone else?
Yet just as he was thinking this, Prince Liang gave a mocking laugh.
“What? Are you that eager to push me into someone else’s arms?”
Fang Jiu’s face went pale at once, and a faint sheen of sweat appeared on his brow.
Then he smiled as though nothing had happened. Beneath the cover of his wide sleeves, his hands clung tightly to her. There was a note of plaintive grievance in his voice.
“Your Highness has neglected this servant several times today.”
“How can you still wound this servant’s heart so?”
“Is that so? Then prove it to me.” Pei Liang smiled, though her expression was not quite a smile.
She did not particularly care what Master Fang was thinking. Still, capable people were best kept firmly in hand. After today, she feared she would be unable to spare much attention for this side of things for quite some time.
Anyone she deemed useful naturally deserved a little extra effort.
Pei Liang was considering how to gradually ease the needless wariness of this man, tense as a startled bird. Better to guide than to suppress, she decided; she might as well speak openly.
But upon hearing her words, Fang Jiu released her and took a step back.
He looked at Pei Liang, then pulled out his hairpin. His glossy black hair spilled down like a waterfall.
Pei Liang was just admiring the quality of his hair—dark, lustrous, silky smooth, without a single crease, gleaming with the rich sheen of black gemstones.
If he were brought into the modern world, he could film a shampoo commercial without any special effects.
Her appreciative gaze had only just begun to drift downward when she realized something was wrong.
Wait a second—man, when did your clothes disappear?
And where did those ropes come from? How did you even manage that all by yourself?
Pei Liang was utterly bewildered.
Then she saw the corners of his eyes redden, his breath misting as though shrouded in fog—
“Your Highness~~”
