After traveling through time, I was raised by a little brat

Wait, Chunfengfang can't be that kind of place, right? She thought to herself, a hint of doubt and uneasiness in her eyes.

The prince nodded slightly in affirmation. Her expression was serious yet calm, as if she had anticipated this question. "It's just as you think," she said softly, a hint of resignation in her tone.

"After redeeming yourself, how do you want to live? Wouldn't it be better to follow Young Master Wang?" Tang Wenshu asked, his eyes fixed on her, as if trying to find the answer in her eyes. Tang Wenshu thought that in ancient times, women, especially those in brothels, finding a good man was their lifelong pursuit. Why wouldn't she be willing to accept someone as a concubine?

Li Niang sat there quietly, her thoughts surging like a tide. She recalled her past life, those days of confinement and repression. Now, at last, she had the chance to choose her own path again. She felt both excited and bewildered.

"I think..." she murmured to herself, her voice full of anticipation and longing for the future.

Li Niang took a deep breath and quickly regained her composure: "I want to establish a household as a daughter and comb my own hair."

"Ah!" Tang Wenshu couldn't help but exclaim. Although she wasn't entirely clear on the specific meaning of combing one's own hair, she did have some understanding of the concept of a female household. In this male-dominated era, it was no easy feat for a woman to establish her own household.

Li Niang gritted her teeth, a determined glint in her eyes. "I'm good at embroidery, and I can support myself with this craft. Furthermore, I have some artistic talent, and I can make a living by performing. I can't say I'm proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, or painting, but I do have some knowledge."

"Please, sir, make the decision for me!" Li Niang's voice trembled, knowing her fate rested in the hands of this young man. She resolutely knelt before the prince, her eyes filled with earnestness and anticipation. Although it was Tang Wenshu who had asked the question, the atmosphere between them clearly indicated that the man before her was the one who could make the decision.

Tang Wenshu was still young and too lively to shoulder such a responsibility. This young man, on the other hand, appeared steady and dignified, making people unconsciously place their hopes on him. "Please, sir, help me escape the clutches of Prince Wang." Li Niang's voice was filled with deep fear and despair, as if she had reached a desperate situation.

The prince frowned slightly, staring at Li Niang sharply, and asked a key question: "Since you have sold yourself to Qingfengfang, it means that you have become a slave. If you want to start your own business, you must at least be a good citizen. But with your status, this is impossible."

This reality hit Li Niang like a bolt from the blue. Her face turned pale and her body trembled. She had originally thought that as long as she had money, she could redeem herself and gain freedom, but she had not expected that there would be a difficulty in her identity.

Her eyes gradually lost their vitality, tears blurred her vision. She didn't understand why she worked so hard to save money to redeem herself, to break free from bondage, but ended up being trapped by an identity.

She had never imagined such a scenario before, always thinking that as long as she could redeem herself, she would have overcome the biggest difficulty. However, she now realized that the real difficulty lay in her identity. In this era, transcending the social class barrier was almost impossible.

"Is becoming Young Master Wang's concubine really my only hope?" Li Niang murmured, looking dejected and helpless. "If that happens, my children will only be illegitimate sons and daughters, with no status in the mansion, and will be bullied at will, just like I was in the past." The more Li Niang thought about it, the more bleak her future seemed, and despair gradually spread in her heart.

Suddenly, Li Niang's eyes hardened, as if she had made up her mind. "No, I will never accept this fate!" she cried, her voice filled with determination and unyielding power. "I will not marry anyone else! And I will not let my children repeat the same mistakes, becoming helpless creatures at the mercy of others!" A fire of defiance ignited within Li Niang, and she resolved to fight for a better future.

"Please help me, sir. I will do my best to help you, but I cannot go against my conscience and morality." Li Niang kowtowed to the prince again, her forehead hitting the ground with a loud sound. Her eyes were firm, full of determination and sincerity.

The Crown Prince looked at Li Niang quietly, his lips curling up slightly in a barely perceptible smile. She slowly said, "Tell me about your worth." Her voice was low, as if carrying an invisible pressure.

Li Niang raised her head, looked at His Royal Highness the Crown Prince with a firm gaze, and said, "I know the secrets of many officials in the imperial city." After saying this, Li Niang looked at Tang Wenshu who was standing beside her, and then kept silent again.

Tang Wenshu stood aside, secretly surprised. She hadn't expected Li Niang to possess such important information. It seemed she couldn't underestimate anyone.

The Crown Prince looked at Li Niang, a shrewd look in his eyes. She revealed her identity again and said calmly, "It's okay, you can tell me. Just give me a rough outline first, and I'll reassign you a new identity."

Li Niang trembled with excitement when she heard the Crown Prince's promise. She knew that meeting the Crown Prince finally offered hope of resolving her problems. So, she took a deep breath and began to tell him her secrets...

Hidden in the study of the Minister of Rites was a mysterious account book, which was the important evidence of his bribery and he had always kept it tightly in his hand. With this account book, he constantly threatened several officials who had helped him.

Hearing this, Tang Wenshu couldn't help but recall what had happened in the palace, the sordid affairs involving the Marquis of Jingyang's mansion. She frowned, thought for a moment, and then said, "The Minister of Rites was dismissed long ago, and his family's house has been raided. Are there any other cases?"

After a moment's thought, Li Niang replied, "The Minister of Personnel maintains an account book detailing the names of officials who accepted bribes and the amounts they paid. These officials bribed themselves to secure promotions, while those who didn't, even if they had meritorious service, were only transferred or demoted. Therefore, the appointment and dismissal of officials became a source of bribery in his hands."

"There are three Vice Ministers of the Ministry of Personnel. Are you referring to Lord Qian Tingjian?" The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity in his tone. He was well-informed about court affairs, and as soon as Li Niang mentioned it, he immediately guessed who it was.

Li Niang nodded slightly, with a hint of surprise in her eyes: "Yes, they call him Lord Qian."

The Crown Prince raised the corner of his mouth slightly, revealing a faint smile: "It seems that you are impressed by this Lord Qian."

Li Niang quickly shook her head and explained, "I just heard them mention this name." Then, she thought of the other masters and continued, "There are also Master Huang, Master Shi, Master Gao..."

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince listened quietly to Li Niang's story, his eyes deep and focused, as if he was thinking about something.

"Okay, this is my young master. He will arrange a new identity for you." The prince looked at Li Niang and said, "Live a good life from now on."

After Li Niang left, Tang Wenshu blinked his eyes and asked curiously, "Brother Crown Prince, what will Li Niang's status be in the future?"

The prince smiled slightly, a hint of tenderness flashed in his eyes, and he said softly: "In the future, she will be a widow in Qingyun Town, Jingzhou. Her husband was a centurion who died in battle in Jingzhou."

When Tang Wenshu heard this answer, his eyes lit up and he clapped his hands in approval, "That's great. This way no one can bully her."