Secrets of Yuqing Palace

The market in the outer city is prosperous and bustling, presenting a thriving scene.

Wanyu and her group walked slowly among the crowd, enjoying the bustle brought by the city's atmosphere.

Behind them were their maids and guards following closely.

Suddenly, a soft and sad piano sound broke the surrounding noise.

The three of them followed the sound of the piano and came to a relatively quiet corner and stood there.

On a crowded street corner not far away, there was a young woman in a plain dress and two small white flowers on her head. She was sitting on the ground with her head slightly lowered and a sad face.

Next to her was a tattered straw mat, on which there should be a person lying, but the person was covered tightly by a rag.

In front of the straw mat was a tattered wooden sign with the words "Sell myself to bury my father" written on it.

The woman's hair was slightly loose and her face looked haggard and weak, but it still couldn't hide her delicate features.

Her eyes were red and swollen, obviously she had just cried.

The tears left two obvious marks on her cheeks, making her look even more pitiful.

In front of the woman was a small, simple wooden table.

There was a worn-out guqin placed on the wooden table, and the sound of the guqin was flowing from this guqin.

Her fingers slid lightly across the strings, and every time the strings touched, it seemed to tell of her sadness, helplessness and pity.

The pedestrians around were infected by the sad piano music. Some stopped to watch, while others shook their heads and sighed with sympathy.

But most people just took a quick glance and left as if nothing had happened.

Wanyu and Huang Cheng looked at the woman's sad face, which remained expressionless and without any fluctuation.

It was obvious that it had nothing to do with them, so they didn't care and were not prepared to intervene.

Unexpectedly, Shi Mujin looked at the woman's miserable face and her admirable filial piety, and couldn't help but look at Wanyu with an expression of pity.

"Third sister, this girl is truly pitiful. I'll ask Mu Ke to give her a few ounces of silver so she can bury her father first, shall I?"

Wanyu looked down at her brother and said jokingly, "My silly brother."

"Today, Third Sister will tell you one thing. You must always keep it in mind."

"Hmm?" Shi Mujin asked in confusion.

"Aren't you supposed to help the woman in front? Why are you suddenly saying this?"

But he still nodded obediently, "Sister, please speak."

Huang Cheng looked at the brother and sister in front of him, and a smile flashed quickly in his eyes.

[Is this a sign of something? ]

【Really smart.】

Wanyu touched her brother's bald forehead and said gently, "Mu Jin, you have to remember this."

"The more beautiful the woman is, the less trustworthy she is!"

"what?"

"Pfft~"

Shi Mujin looked at Brother Huang who was laughing beside him, confusion evident in his eyes.

Huang Cheng put away the smile on his face and shook his head helplessly.

"Your sister means that the woman is a liar!"

"Silly boy, don't be fooled."

There was a flash of surprise in Wanyu's eyes, but she did not stop Huang Cheng.

Shi Mujin asked, "Are you lying?"

"Her father's body is right there. How could that woman deceive others?"

Huang Cheng looked sharply at the place not far away: "Don't be impatient, just wait and see."

Seeing that no one could help him solve his doubts, Shi Mujin had no choice but to be obedient and continue waiting.

They didn't wait too long.

In less than a cup of tea, a young man, who was dressed in coarse cloth clothes that were washed white, but clean and tidy, slowly approached the woman.

His face was full of traces of time and his hands were rough, obviously he had experienced countless hardships.

He carefully took out a dime from his pocket and gently placed it on the worn wooden table in front of the woman.

He said in a hoarse and hesitant voice, "Girl, although this amount of silver is not much, it is enough to bury your father. Please accept it."

The woman first looked at the change on the table, then looked up at the man in front of her, and a flash of disappointment passed through her eyes.

But she did not speak, she just lowered her head with a sad look on her face, and continued to pluck the strings in her hand.

Just when everyone was puzzled, there was a "bang" sound of a heavy object falling onto the table in front of the woman.

The woman's hands playing the piano also stopped.

Looking down, I saw the sound of a bag of silver hitting the table.

A greasy middle-aged man with a wretched face and a face full of fat walked over in a swagger and entered everyone's sight.

He was wearing a gorgeous brocade robe, but the features on his face were not very flattering.

At this time, he was playing with a string of golden prayer beads in his hand, which made a "rustling" sound when he walked, which was particularly harsh to the listeners.

The man stopped and his eyes lingered on the woman's exquisite body for a moment, salivating.

Then he looked with contempt at the poor boy beside him and the lonely piece of silver next to the purse of silver and money that he had casually thrown over.

"Miss, if you want to prepare a coffin for your father's burial, a dime of silver is of no use."

"And girl, you seem to need more than just this." The fat man's voice was rough and arrogant.

"This money from me is enough to give your father a decent burial, and the rest can also buy you some nice clothes and jewelry."

"I don't have much, but I have plenty of money. If you're willing, I'm happy to serve you."

As the man spoke, his lustful eyes lingered on the woman's face.

The woman's eyes lit up immediately.

She gently put the silver into her arms, a rare smile on her face.

She stood up and bowed deeply to the fat man, saying in a delicate voice, "Thank you for your generosity."

"I have no way to repay you, so I am willing to serve you like a slave and work like a cow to repay your great kindness!"

After hearing what the woman said, the man laughed triumphantly, and then his eyes wandered over the woman even more unscrupulously.

It was as if the other person was already in his hands and he could still play with him.

"Hahaha... This young master is the most compassionate and considerate of women."

"How can I bear to see such a delicate girl being treated like a slave?"

"Don't worry, young lady. I bought you with my money and will make sure you live a life of deity."

Looking at the scenes not far away, Huang Cheng and Wanyu still had no expression on their faces, while Shi Mujin was obviously stunned by the scene before him.

"This, this, this..." He was a little incoherent and turned to look at Wanyu, "Sister?"

Wanyu patted his forehead and said, "Silly boy, do you understand now?"

"It can be considered as a practical education lesson for this kid, which is really good."

Although he was a little disappointed that he had misjudged the person, he still asked curiously.

"Sister and Huang Erge knew about this a long time ago? How did you figure it out?"

Wanyu was also a little curious that a young man like Huang Cheng was not deceived by the woman's appearance at the beginning.

You know, the woman's performance before was quite remarkable.

If I didn't have the experience of my previous life, and if I didn't read too many novels, watch too much TV, and read too much information on the Internet, I would probably have been deceived.

Huang Cheng saw that he still didn't understand, and the little princess beside him looked at him curiously.

He pointed to a place not far away and said, "Look at what that woman is wearing."

Shi Mujin frowned. Didn’t he find any problem?

Huang Cheng continued, "Since she's been reduced to selling herself to bury her father, she must be extremely poor and have no money, right?"

Shi Mujin nodded.

"Then look at her clothes. Although they are simple and elegant, they don't look worn out at all."

Shi Mujin immediately understood.

Huang Cheng continued, "And that woman can play the piano."

"Well, what happened?"

"Do you think a poor family would have the money to send their daughter to learn the piano?"

"Even if there is this money, it will be kept for the men in the family to study and take the imperial examinations, or for the men to marry into the family."

"Not only that, how do you think a weak woman like her could move a man's body here?"

Shi Mujin asked in shock, "Brother Huang, do you mean someone is helping her?"

Huang Cheng just smiled.

Wanyu has a new respect for Huang Chengzhen today.

Wanyu looked at a man who could justify himself as a green tea in an ancient society with three wives and four concubines as if he were a rare animal.

Huang Cheng said with a smile: "What's wrong with you?"

Wanyu shook her head, gave him a thumbs up, and said with great admiration and sincerity.

“Brother Huang, you are this!”

Looking at her eyes that were as bright as stars, Huang Cheng remained expressionless.

But now I was laughing out loud with pride in my heart.

【Hmph~ You have good taste.】

【I am such a smart person! 】