How to become a Taoist priest starting from a brothel

Time flies, and summer is here again. This summer seems to have come quite late, but it is also quite passionate.

Liu Yin sat in the corridor with a fan in her hand, watching Duan An and the other little maids playing in the courtyard, and couldn't help but smile.

"Ever since you brought these girls back, our house has become even more lively." Madam Liu stood beside her with a smile, looking at the people in the courtyard.

"This is wonderful." Liu Yin didn't turn around, but looked at the children in the courtyard, and then at Luanqin, who had been carried out to join the fun. "Look, even Luanqin is much happier now."

“Yes…” Looking at the smile on Luanqin’s face, Madam Liu also smiled and said, “Ever since she came to our house, although she has things to do, she has never smiled.”

"Yes, these days have been full of good news." Liu Yin said with a smile, thinking about the books she sold under the name of Liu Jianniang.

"That's true." Liu's eyes brimmed with undisguised pride.

After Liu Yin decided to completely separate herself from the hermit, she wrote her first book, "The Tale of the Spirit Cat." From then on, she began to write love stories about gods, demons, ghosts, and monsters. These stories contained sadness, joy, mutual affection, and intrigue.

Therefore, people gave these books the name "Collection of Demonic Love".

The latest book, "Tiger Lady," has sparked heated discussions, especially the protagonist, Tiger Lady, who wears a plain white dress but insists on tying a tiger skin skirt around her waist. This style has inspired noble ladies from aristocratic families to imitate her, but they don't just use tiger skin; they take it to the extreme and use all kinds of animal fur.

While it may be a great harm to the animals, it also provides many skilled hunters with another way to survive.

Therefore, Liu Jianniang's name spread throughout the Li Dynasty, and people praised her talent.

Works imitating her writing style gradually flooded the streets and alleys, reminiscent of the flourishing of vernacular stories during the Ming and Qing dynasties in her previous life.

The advantage was that many students from lower-class families, poor families, and those with limited resources had a way to make money; the disadvantage was that traditional Confucian scholars criticized Liu Yin even more harshly.

They believed that Liu Yin's writing of vernacular stories was an attempt to entice people away from reading classical texts and to undermine the sanctity of learning.

These words often appeared at various poetry gatherings, but Liu Yin never went to those places, so they never reached her ears, and she couldn't be bothered to care.

"Sister." Duan'an, tired from playing, turned around and looked at Liu Yin. She ran over happily and knelt slightly when she was right in front of her. "Aunt Liu, An."

"Good girl." Madam Liu smiled and patted her head. Seeing that the sisters seemed to have something to talk about, she smiled and said, "Alright, you sisters chat by yourselves. I'm going back to my room to sit for a while."

"Mother/Aunt Liu, take care." Liu Yin and her companion said in unison as they saw Liu off.

"What's wrong?" Liu Yin smiled and took out a handkerchief to wipe Duan'an's face.

"Sister, have you heard about what happened in Wancheng?" Duan'an plopped down on the embroidered stool in front of her.

"I've just finished dealing with the book these past few days, so I haven't had time to inquire. But you've become our family's informant!" Liu Yin said with a smile.

"Sister~" Duan'an tugged at her sleeve, pouting with a hint of dissatisfaction.

"Alright, alright, go ahead and tell me." Liu Yin feigned helplessness as she urged the other party to continue sharing the information.

"Sister, you don't know, the news has spread far and wide that all the rebels in Wancheng have disappeared overnight. Isn't that terrifying?" Duan An said mysteriously.

“I see…” Liu Yin lowered her head and pondered for a moment before she understood. “Perhaps someone saw that they were useful and recruited them.”

"Gather a group of people?" Duan'an raised an eyebrow, about to retort, but suddenly realized, "Sister means... someone is planning a rebellion?"

“It’s not that we want to rebel, it’s that we’ve already rebelled…” Liu Yin smiled, then suddenly changed the subject, “Speaking of which, you’ve been here for quite a while now, how have you been?”

Duan An tilted her head, seemingly puzzled.

Seeing her like this, Liu Yin had no choice but to be more explicit: "I mean, what do you think of the lives of ordinary people?"

Duan An lowered his head and pondered for a moment before saying with some disappointment, "No, it's too bitter. Women suffer, and men suffer too."

"Yes, the rich feast while the poor freeze to death. In this world, the good days have always been enjoyed by the wealthy and powerful, while the common people suffer so much..." Liu Yin sighed deeply.

"Sister, do you think if he dies and his sons take over, the people will still suffer so much?" Duan'an frowned and asked, seemingly puzzled.

"Yes," Liu Yin replied affirmatively. "As long as there are powerful people, noble families, and social classes in this world, the common people will always be exploited."

In the *Tao Te Ching*, there is a saying: "Heaven and earth are ruthless; they treat all things like straw dogs. The sage is ruthless; he treats the people like straw dogs." This means that in the eyes of Heaven and Earth and the sage, the people are like straw dogs used in sacrifices—objects to be sacrificed and used.

"Therefore, the common people are born with the attribute of sacrifice. In the development of a country and the progress of a society, they will always be sacrificed. If a country needs population, they must reproduce. If a country does not need population, they must stop reproducing. It is the same principle."

"Then... how can we stop people from being oppressed?" Duan An's face showed even more confusion.

"Then let the people understand knowledge and have unquestionable rights. All of this requires a strong country and a suitable system, so that the people have the right to education. A strong country and sound laws will protect their dignity and rights," Liu Yin said solemnly.

“Laws…systems…” Duan An murmured Liu Yin’s words, her eyes shining even brighter.

“Yes, but all of this requires one or a group of strong people to establish leadership,” Liu Yin said, patting her head. “Which of that person’s sons do you think is suitable?”

“Neither is suitable,” Duan An replied simply.

"so……"

"What if you come? / What if I come?" Liu Yin and Duan An said in unison.

Liu Yin's smile deepened as she looked at Duan An: "Duan An, this path is difficult. Have you thought it through?"

"I've made up my mind, sister. I want to be the one who leads all this change." Duan An raised her head, pursed her lips, and looked at Liu Yin with unwavering determination in her eyes.

"Okay." Liu Yin smiled even more happily, "However, if you were a woman to climb to that position, the price you would have to pay would be far beyond your imagination."

"Sister, believe me, I won't give up." Duan An looked at her seriously.

“Then, the first thing is to find a place,” Liu Yin said, clapping her hands and looking at Duan An.

Duan'an was stunned. She thought her sister would teach her how to be a good monarch and how to improve the legal system, but she didn't expect her sister to say this first.