Fearing being killed for his overwhelming merits, the empress decided to marry him.

"Your Highness, please forgive me! I didn't know it was you, that's why I offended you. Please calm down."

When the thugs from the brothel learned that the person they had offended was Princess Changsun Ying, they were so frightened that they almost lost their souls and immediately prostrated themselves on the ground to kowtow and admit their mistake.

Changsun Ying: "Anyone who dares to offend the Prince's Mansion will be finished with a mere excuse of not knowing anything?"

The leader quickly raised his head, bowed, and said, "Your Highness, please calm your anger. We truly did not know Your Highness was here. It is this wretched woman who has committed a grave offense."

In my haste, I committed this offense. I implore Your Highness to show leniency and punish me lightly.

Changsun Ying glanced at the girl, only to see that the girl's beautiful peach blossom eyes were filled with tears, a sight that broke her heart.

"Your Highness, I am Chun Tao, I didn't mean it..."

Seeing that more and more onlookers were gathering around, Changsun Ying stopped the girl from speaking and ordered the group of brothel thugs: "Lead the way to your brothel."

Half an hour later, in a private room inside Chunfeng Tower, the manager and the madam didn't dare to breathe and knelt on the ground, waiting for Changsun Ying's decision.

Changsun Ying gently slid the tea lid aside before slowly asking, "Tell me, what exactly happened?"

The madam hurriedly replied, "Your Highness, it was this vile woman who caused Young Master Du to suffer severe loss of essence, almost dying in bed. Such a terrible thing happened..."

If this wasn't dealt with promptly, it would be difficult to explain to the Du family. Unexpectedly, this wretched woman, upon learning of her impending punishment, managed to escape while the gatekeepers weren't looking.

Those servants were in a hurry and offended the Princess; please forgive them, Your Highness.

"Is that so?"

Changsun Ying turned to look at Chun Tao.

With tears welling in her eyes, Chun Tao shook her head and whispered, "Your Highness, I did not intend to harm Young Master Du. It's just that he has been in my room for five days in a row..."

He tormented this woman daily with aphrodisiacs, until she became weak and injured her body. It was truly not her intention.

"You little slut, even at this point you still dare to make excuses for yourself!" the madam immediately scolded. "If you hadn't kept instigating and seducing him, would Young Master Du have become like that? You still dare to talk nonsense in front of the Princess!"

Chun Tao was so frightened that tears streamed down her face, and she involuntarily leaned closer to Changsun Ying: "Your Highness, I really didn't mean it. We make a living this way, and all we do is make sure our guests have a good time. What's wrong with that?"

The madam's eyes widened, and she was about to continue her tirade.

"enough!"

Changsun Ying made the final decision, stopping the farce.

At this moment, a wicked idea gradually formed in her mind.

"Bring me Peach Blossom's indenture; I want to redeem her."

Upon hearing Changsun Ying's words, both the shopkeeper and the madam were startled, and even Chun Tao showed an expression of disbelief.

The shopkeeper asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, what did you say? You want to redeem Chun Tao from her servitude?"

"What, is that not allowed?"

"No, no, no, Your Highness has misunderstood. Redemption is certainly possible."

The innkeeper sighed inwardly. This Chun Tao was naturally alluring, and the only one in Chunfeng Tower who could bewitch all the guests. She was a real money tree.

But since the Prince's Mansion had stepped in to redeem them, they had no choice but to accept it, no matter how unwilling they were.

So the shopkeeper quickly ordered someone to bring Chun Tao's indenture and hand it to Changsun Ying.

Changsun Ying glanced at it, put away the indenture, and said, "I'm taking Chun Tao away now. The money will be doubled and sent to your Chunfeng Tower tomorrow."

As for the Du family, you don't need to worry. With the name of my Prince's Mansion, I doubt they would dare to act recklessly towards you. However, from now on...

Everything concerning Chun Tao within the Spring Breeze Pavilion—you must keep all her actions a secret.

If I find out I still hear anything about her in Xiangyang City, then there's no point in keeping this Chunfeng Pavilion open. Do you understand what I mean?

"Your Highness, please rest assured, Chunfeng Tower knows what to do."

After hearing the reply, Changsun Ying left satisfied.

After leaving Chunfeng Tower, Chuntao immediately knelt before Changsun Ying: "Thank you, Your Highness. Your Highness is like my second parents. Chuntao will serve Your Highness for the rest of my life."

Changsun Ying glanced at Chun Tao and then said, "From now on, your name will no longer be Chun Tao, but Xiang Ling."

To the outside world, she claims to be my distant cousin who came to stay with me because of a family tragedy, you know?

Upon hearing this, Xiangling was overjoyed and quickly kowtowed to Changsun Ying to express her gratitude: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. Xiangling will serve Your Highness for the rest of her life."

"Alright, remember what you said. Get up and I'll take you to change your clothes. Even if you're a maid in the Prince's mansion, you still have to have more poise than others."

"Thank you, Princess."

……

An hour later, Xiangling, after being carefully dressed up, showed no trace of being a woman of the night, but rather had the air of a lady from a respectable family.

It was the first time in her life that Xiangling had worn Shu brocade, and she felt a gentle stream flowing through her heart.

She felt like she was dreaming about everything that happened today.

Sitting in the carriage on the way back to the Prince's Mansion, Changsun Ying took out a wooden box and handed it to Xiangling.

"Princess, this is..."

"From now on, you will be my personal maid. Here are some gold, silver and other valuables for you to keep by your side in case of need."

"Thank you, Princess."

"Also, from now on you can call me Madam. 'Princess' is what people outside the manor call me. Do you understand?"

"I understand, madam."

Xiangling accepted the wooden box, her heart filled with excitement.

But her remaining rationality told her that there is no such thing as a free lunch, and Changsun Ying would not be kind to her for no reason.

So she asked cautiously, "Madam, please tell me what you want me to do. I'm feeling very uneasy about how you treat me."

Changsun Ying: "I will tell you what to do when we get to the Prince's residence. Now..."

Call——

Suddenly, a horse neighed.

The carriage, which was moving, was suddenly forced to stop, causing Changsun Ying and her entourage inside to jolt.

Musk Moon, Changsun Ying's personal maid, immediately shouted out from behind the carriage curtain, "How did you drive that carriage? The Madam almost fell over!"

"Your Highness, please calm down. Someone suddenly rushed out into the street ahead and almost collided with the carriage."

Changsun Ying made a move to lift the carriage curtain to look.

Unexpectedly, a guard's voice came from outside the carriage: "Please, Your Highness and the young ladies, leave. The scene outside is extremely indecent."

"What's indecent about it?"

"A man and a woman were naked and being torn apart in the street. Judging from their arguing, it seemed that they had been caught having an affair."

Upon hearing this, Changsun Ying immediately released her grip on the carriage curtain: "Let's take another route. In broad daylight, this is truly an insult to civility."

"Yes."

Just as the carriage was about to change course, a woman's scream came from outside.

"Go ahead and hit me, kill me! Even if you kill me, I will stay with Pan Lang until I meet him again."

I've realized how joyful it is to be a woman. Even if he lies to me and deceives me, I'll still stay with him.

"Go ahead and divorce me if you dare! I'll be with him even if I have to die!"

Upon hearing this, Changsun Ying immediately said, "Stop the car."

He then said to Xiangling, "Go down and take a look at what's going on."

"Yes, ma'am."

Xiangling immediately obeyed and got off the carriage.

Listening to the noise outside the car, Changsun Ying simply closed her eyes and concentrated.

Before long, Xiangling returned to the carriage: "Madam, I understand now. It was Pan Shijun, that dissolute young master, who ruined another respectable family. This time, he was caught in bed with another woman, which led to the man's family coming to beat and scold her."

"Pan Shijun?"

"Haven't you heard, Madam? That Pan Shijun is dashing and extremely handsome."

However, their sole purpose was to seduce respectable young ladies or married women, and to profit from their advances.

It is said that women who have experienced his prowess still remember him fondly to this day.

Upon hearing this, Changsun Ying's eyes lit up, and she immediately said to Mushe Yue, "Go and bring Pan Shijun here, and take him back to the Prince's Mansion together."