I just want to be a princess, no, you want to be a queen

"I'm going to see Yuan'er." Old Madam Yu asked the carriage to turn around.

"Mother!" Duke Weiguo was on the verge of tears at his willful old lady. "You need to go to the Marquis Zhongxin's residence. You won't be able to leave the city today."

"Then we'll leave tomorrow! As soon as Lu Shao died, Chen Hong took in three concubines. If I don't support her, who will?"

"Mother, no matter how many concubines Zhongxin Bona has, she is still the wife of Zhongxin Bona, and she is pregnant. How can she bear any injustice? Besides, what right do you have to interfere in the affairs of a couple in their boudoir?"

"I, Yu Huaiying, have been a hero my whole life, but how could I have given birth to a loser like you?" Old Madam Yu was too lazy to talk to her son anymore and said disdainfully, "Go out and drive the car."

"Mother, I am at least a duke of a prefecture."

"What's wrong with being a Duke? Even Emperor Taizu was a pawn in the past. What's so precious about you?" Old Madam Yu kicked him on the leg.

Duke Weiguo couldn't persuade his mother, so he went out to drive the car in shame, looking extremely embarrassed.

Lu Mingyang turned and climbed the stairs. The steps of Xiangguo Temple were high and difficult to climb, but she walked with determination.

Now, not only do I have myself, but my sister as well. I can’t go on this trip even if it means death.

Seven more days!

After bathing and chanting scriptures, Lu Mingyang finished the day's routine, changed into men's clothes and went to Chunxiang Pavilion, which was the brothel she passed by when she came to the capital.

The woman he was looking for was Ningxiang, who was showing off a string of pearls at the door of Chunxiang Pavilion.

Ningxiang looked at the new guest, who was thin and not even as tall as herself, and gathered the veil that had slipped off her shoulders. She was surprised and asked, "Young Master, at your age, are you also here to have fun?"

"I just look too young for my age."

Lu Mingyang smiled to hide his embarrassment and stepped forward to insert a gilded phoenix hairpin into Ningxiang's hair. Although brothel customers were known to spend lavishly, it was rare to see someone so generous before engaging in sexual activity.

"Sir, are you here to deflower me?" Ningxiang threw herself softly into Lu Mingyang's arms.

The women in the brothel were so kind that it was hard to refuse them. No wonder all the men liked to come. Lu Mingyang had to maneuver for a long time before finally getting Ningxiang to sit down.

"Do you know what Prince Ningyuan likes?"

"Sir, are you asking about daily trivial matters or matters in bed?" Ningxiang hooked her slender jade fingers and tickled Lu Mingyang's neck. Lu Mingyang hurriedly threw a silver ingot into her hand.

"Ask everything, ask everything."

Ningxiang put the silver in her arms, her eyes full of tenderness: "Your Highness is frugal, only preparing thirty dishes for each meal. When dining, he likes to drink Autumn Dew White and watch the belly dance of the Western Region dancers. On other days, he probably likes wood carvings, and the yard is full of sawdust."

"As for matters in bed, His Highness likes cleanliness and always requires women to bathe with rose petals. He says it smells so good. And..." When she said this, Ningxiang covered her lips with her hands, showing a rare shyness.

"Your Highness loves to play with my slave's feet and lick them."

Hearing this, Lu Mingyang spat out a mouthful of tea.

"What's wrong?" Ningxiang looked at Lu Mingyang dissatisfiedly, "Your Highness said that slender feet are the most charming thing about a woman. Unlike those cucumbers who have never seen a woman before, they just like to stare at those two places."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Lu Mingyang quickly echoed, "Isn't Prince Ningyuan imprisoned? How can he still enjoy himself like this?"

"Although His Highness is imprisoned, he is still the Queen Mother's grandson. He has the Queen Mother's care, and he will have no shortage of food, clothing, and women."

So that's how it is. Seeing that he had asked enough questions, Lu Mingyang said goodbye and left.

Ningxiang watched the door close and rolled her eyes in disdain. "Knowing that the Queen Mother intends to choose a concubine for Prince Ningyuan, how dare any small family dare to covet it? If Prince Ningyuan wasn't in such a state now, you wouldn't have gotten a chance."

"What did you say?"

A young man in blue pushed the door open and walked in. The faint scent of herbs overwhelmed the fragrance of cosmetics in the room.

Ningxiang hurriedly stood up to greet her, "A concubine's daughter from a small family has come to inquire about Prince Ningyuan. Other families have servants and old maids come, but the real one is the first one to come, and she's crazy about becoming the prince's consort."

Leng Lingfeng asked, "How do you know she's a concubine's daughter from a small family?"

Ningxiang laughed and said, "Look at her rough hands. You can tell she's not having a happy life. If she had no servants at home, what young lady would come to a place like this in person?"

Leng Lingfeng walked into the corridor and saw a petite young man in white hurriedly leaving.

Under the cold moonlight, Lu Mingyang detoured to the back of the mountain, choosing a secluded path back to Xiangguo Temple. In the valley, the howling wind carried the howling of man-eating wolves.

There happened to be a small mountain temple halfway up the mountain, and Lu Mingyang hid inside out of fear.

"Who?"

A slight noise came from behind the stone statue of the mountain god.

Lu Mingyang leaned against the door panel, not daring to move forward or backward.

After a long time without any response, Lu Mingyang muttered, "Could it be a mouse?" and opened the tinderbox.

The mountain god enshrined on the temple platform is in the image of a great general, wearing a golden helmet, golden armor, and a red robe, holding a giant axe to split the mountain. The entire stone statue is towering to the top, with a pair of huge eyes looking down at the earth, ready to devour people's hearts at any time.

The tinderbox fell to the ground.

Lu Mingyang came back to his senses and quickly bowed three times to the mountain god before lighting a half-burnt red candle.

The temple lit up and the fear subsided a little.

There was a wooden door on each side of the stone statue of the mountain god. She was worried that wild wolves might get in, so she went to check.

"Young lady, please don't come in! A monk is resting here. His clothes are disheveled, so I dare not offend you."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was in there."

Lu Mingyang withdrew his hand and asked curiously, "Are you a monk from Xiangguo Temple? Why are you sleeping here?"

The voice from inside rang out again: "To be honest, young lady, I am a monk from Xiangguo Temple. I was kicked out by my master for violating the precepts of meat. I have nowhere else to go, and the weather is too cold, so I found this place to keep warm. I plan to wait until the nobles in the palace leave, and then ask my master for forgiveness. Please don't tell anyone."

The voice is crisp and a bit childish.

Lu Mingyang waved his hands repeatedly: "Don't worry, Master Little Monk, I won't tell anyone."

The voice asked again: "Why are you here, girl?"

"As for me, I can't sleep, so I walked around. I'll just stay for a while and leave soon. You go to sleep." Lu Mingyang sat down against the platform of the mountain temple.

The rush and the accidents that had happened during these days had exhausted her both physically and mentally, and she had a rare moment of relaxation. But when she thought about what she was about to do, she felt uneasy again.

"Master, can I ask you a question?"

"Girl, please tell me."

Lu Mingyang clasped his hands together and said, "If I plot against innocent people to save myself, will the gods and Buddhas punish me?"

"All things are empty, but karma is not empty. If you want to do something, go ahead and do it. But karma is your own responsibility. Don't ask gods or Buddhas for peace of mind."

"Thank you, Master Little Monk, for clearing up my doubts."

The wolf's howling gradually faded away, and Lu Mingyang got up and left.