While in the carriage, Mei Yingying was awakened by the shaking. She looked at the shaking roof and knew that they were heading to Zhang Yinhang's outer residence.

She moved her arms and loosened her hair a little. A few strands of hair hung down from her ears, adding a fluffy and lazy beauty. She looked the most deceptive in this way.

The car drove for half an hour and then stopped. A hand lifted the curtain, revealing a mature and handsome man's face. It was Zhang Yinhang.

He is exactly thirty years old this year, the best age for a man. He occasionally has the liveliness of a teenager and the calmness of a middle-aged man. Compared with nine years ago, his eyebrows are deeper, his nose is straighter, and his face is more delicate. He looks like a mellow old wine, and his every move exudes mature charm.

Mei Yingying didn't recognize him. In fact, she had only seen Zhang Yinhang once, when she was six years old. It was a long time ago and she had long forgotten it.

At this time, Fan Shiyi Niang's words rang out, if you can't act, then just be yourself.

Mei Yingying cried out, sat up from the carriage, covered her collar, and said helplessly, "Who are you? Where is this? Where are my husband and mother-in-law?"

Her clear eyes sparkled brightly in the dim carriage, revealing a spiritual aura, and her voice was as beautiful as the singing of a yellow oriole.

Zhang Yinhang was stunned. These eyes looked very much like Mei Lingyue's, yet not the same.

Mei Lingyue's eyes are always gentle, docile and calm, but her eyes are lively and jumping, and her voice is crisp and soft, very pleasant to the ear.

It's 70% similar.

Mei Yingying became even more frightened when she saw that he didn't say anything. After being a court prostitute for several years, she was actually very afraid of men, especially the aggressive look in men's eyes when they were aroused.

She clutched her collar, dodged backward, and said in a trembling voice, "Who are you? Where are my husband and mother-in-law?"

Zhang Yinhang came back to his senses. He slowed down his voice, seeming to pour all his tenderness into Mei Yingying. "Your name is Yang Qiniang?"

"...Yes, how did you know?"

"Don't be afraid, Qi Niang. Your husband and your mother-in-law have sold you to me. From today on, you belong to my family."

"what?"

Mei Yingying cried out, tears streaming down her face. "Why did they sell me? I'm a hard worker! I cook delicious food, too!"

Zhang Yinhang laughed. He thought Mei Yingying was very interesting, and also thought she was silly and cute. A man wanted to sell his woman, but he didn't care whether she could work or not. It was really stupid and ridiculous. A man could sell her if he wanted to.

But he wouldn't say it directly. Hypocrisy and affectation have penetrated into his bones.

He patiently explained, "Come down. From today on, you are mine and must obey my orders."

Zhang Yinhang had a calm expression, but carried a certain official authority, and there was a hidden storm in his eyes.

Mei Yingying suddenly became afraid. How could someone who could murder 120 members of their Mei family at the young age be someone to be dealt with easily?

She quickly climbed down from the car, tied her hands together, lowered her head awkwardly, and did not dare to look at Zhang Yinhang.

Zhang Yinhang lifted her chin and looked at her inch by inch. They looked alike, so alike. The resemblance did not lie in the facial features and stature, but in the expression and temperament. If one squinted and could not see the whole person clearly, it was as if the young Mei Lingyue was standing in front of him.

He blurted out, "Mei Lingyue?"

Mei Yingying frowned and said in a daze with her petal-like mouth, "My dear, what are you talking about, Mei Lingyue and Mei Lingri?"

Zhang Yinhang carefully observed Mei Yingying's expression. She looked at him with her round eyes. He smiled. He was really confused. How could he think that Mei Lingyue had come back? She had been dead for a long time, and her bones were rotten.

"nothing."

Zhang Yinhang breathed a sigh of relief, put down his hand, and said, "From today on, you will live here."

"Yes."

The housekeeper of the outer house was a woman named Sun. According to Zhang Yinhang's request, she arranged for Mei Yingying to stay in a side room. Outside the side room, a piece of white paper was posted with a number written on it: "Seventeen."

Mei Yingying didn't understand what this meant, and Sun Shi didn't hide it from her. She would know it sooner or later anyway. "I am the housekeeper of this house. You can just call me Nanny Sun. The people living in this house are all the adults' women. You are the seventeenth."

"Ah? Seventeen, that's a lot."

"Correct."

Sun looked at Mei Yingying's head. There were two copper-covered silver hairpins on her head. It was bald and it was obvious that she didn't have much money. Here came another poor person, who looked somewhat similar to those dozen others.

Having been in charge of Zhang Yinhang's household for such a long time, Sun also understood that the master was probably obsessed with a certain lady, so the women he found all looked somewhat similar.

Mei Yingying entered the room. Everything was in place, as if someone had lived there. She asked in confusion, "Madam Sun, is there anyone living in this room?"

Sun gave her a half-smile and said, "There's no one here now, you can stay here."

After saying that, she ignored Mei Yingying and turned away.

Mei Yingying stood there without moving for a long time. When she heard the footsteps outside fade away, she slowly raised her head. The timid look in her eyes disappeared, replaced by a sense of vigilance and alertness.

She first walked around the room. There were bedding on the bed, a teapot and teacups on the table, women's jewelry and rouge and powder on the dressing table, some women's clothes in the box, and a few pairs of women's shoes on the floor against the wall.

It is obvious that someone lives in this house, but Sun said that no one lives in this house. There is only one possibility: the woman in this house has either been sold or died.

Mei Yingying lifted the quilt and bed sheet, and sure enough, she found some fresh bloodstains on them, covering them in patches.

An idea immediately came to her mind: Zhang Yinhang, could it be that he has some bad habits in bed, so all women who have sex with him will die?

It’s no wonder Mei Yingying thought so. She had seen many women being forced to death in the official prostitute camp, and she was also very scared. Could it be that Zhang Yinhang looked gentle, but was actually like that?

There were footsteps outside, and Mei Yingying quickly sat back on the bed, clasping her hands obediently.

The door opened, and Sun led a maid in. "Yang Qiniang, this is Madam Zheng. She knows some medical skills. Let her examine you."

"it is good."

Mrs. Zheng asked Mei Yingying to take off all her clothes. She first searched her clothes to see if there was anything unsafe inside. Then she checked her skin and lower body to see if she had any syphilis or skin disease. She also took her pulse to see if she was pregnant.

This was all instructed by Zhang Yinhang. Zhang Yinhang was very afraid of death, and the origins of these women were too mixed, so he specially hired Zheng Pozi to regularly check these women to prevent them from infecting him with diseases.

Mrs. Zheng said, "She is clean, without any disease, and not pregnant. However, she is not a virgin."

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