How to become a Taoist priest starting from a brothel

Liu Yin looked at the box, her brows furrowing slightly. She asked the other person with some confusion, "What's this?"

With tears in her eyes, Xu Yueling looked at the box and said, "These are the land deeds and shop deeds of Qingyin Hall, as well as the indentures of the ladies in the hall."

"You're giving it to me?" Liu Yin asked incredulously.

“Yes, my mother asked me to give this to you before she passed away.” Xu Yueling said, placing the box on the table.

Liu Yin looked at the box and then at her before continuing, "What was the matter that Madam Xu went there for?"

Xu Yueling hesitated for a moment before speaking softly: "As you all have seen, the government has been investigating prostitution recently."

"I have heard of it at least once," Liu Yin nodded.

"Because of this, I don't know where the rumor came from, it was said that the hermit was hiding in the red-light district, using the red-light district to conceal his whereabouts, so the government started to investigate, and took the opportunity to find out about the unpaid prostitutes as well." Xu Yueling wiped the tears from her face and continued.

“They found us here a couple of days ago. They should have just asked each person if there were any suspicious people, but people like us don’t respect us at all. They…” Xu Yueling couldn’t finish her sentence.

But Liu Yin thought of the fate of the brothels she had seen from afar on the street, and she already understood. She sighed deeply and said, "Keeping your life is more important than anything else."

Xu Yueling nodded before continuing, "If that's how it is... it's not that the sisters can't accept it, but these people are too greedy, trying to take away all the money the sisters have to live on."

"If that's the case, based on my understanding of your mother, she wouldn't have any conflict with the other party, would she? How could this be?" Liu Yin frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled.

When her mother's money-loving and selfish nature was so bluntly stated, Xu Yueling couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. She quickly explained, "Although Mother doesn't usually protect the sisters, this time it was thanks to Mother's mediation that the matter was resolved with just a little money."

“However, when Mother first dealt with the other party, the leading official had her beaten up.” Before Liu Yin could ask any more questions, she continued, “Later, that official was called away by another person, which led to us buying peace with money.”

Liu Yin nodded: "If that's the case, why did Madam Xu leave Qingyin Hall to me? Wouldn't it have been better to hand it over to you?"

Xu Yueling shook her head: "I don't know either, but since Mother said so, we naturally have no objection."

Liu Yin lowered her head and pondered for a moment before saying, "I have now left the red-light district and have no intention of going back to run it. You can handle Qingyin Hall."

Xu Yueling had anticipated that Liu Yin might not agree before she came, so she told her her plan: "In that case, I will run Qingyintang, and I will give 30% of the profits to everyone, just like the owner and manager of an ordinary shop, how about that?"

“I know that everyone is unwilling to continue taking over the brothels in Hualiu Lane, but we do want to rely on a powerful force. The Liu family behind you has a certain status in Huai Prefecture, and you also have the Liu family in the capital behind you. Moreover, you are all kind-hearted and will surely protect us.” Xu Yueling continued to explain when she saw that she did not answer.

"Alright then." Liu Yin thought about her plan, which would definitely require a lot of money, so she could only nod in agreement.

Xu Yueling breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on her face: "Then it's settled."

She stood up to leave, and Liu Yin also stood up to see her off. Then she suddenly remembered something and said, "By the way, there are quite a few new people in the hall now. If you have time, why don't you stay in the hall for the next couple of days and help me sort out the accounts?"

Liu Yin knew that she was worried that she might have objections to the accounts later, so it would be better to organize them together this time and divide the money.

Remembering Yuan Mingyou's reminder and considering the inconvenience she was in, she didn't refuse and nodded directly, "Alright."

Xu Yueling nodded happily: "Okay, I'll go back and tidy up the rooms for everyone. You can move in tomorrow."

Liu Yin nodded: "Alright."

After seeing the person off, Liu Yin sighed deeply, looking at the empty courtyard and listening to the distant cries and screams: "It really is..."

She went into the room, took out some paper, and immediately wrote a few words—"Qingming Yue" (a poem titled "Joy of Qingming").

The next day, Liu Yin waited until noon, ate the food delivered by a nearby restaurant, packed her luggage, and boarded the carriage that Qingyin Hall had come to pick her up.

Along the way, through the car window, she saw that the streets around her were no longer filled with the usual joy and laughter, but instead had a tranquility that had never been seen in the red-light district before.

The beautiful and elegant alleyway, lined with various buildings, was given an unprecedented sense of peace and prosperity.

Along the way, screams and cries of terror occasionally emanated from various brothels, mingling with the laughter and shouts of the men, adding a touch of desolation to this otherwise peaceful beauty.

The carriage soon stopped in front of Qingyin Hall.

Liu Yin got out of the car and looked at the beautiful gatehouse. She thought that she had never walked through the main gate before. The few times she had walked through it, she had always gone from the inside to the outside, but never from the outside to the inside.

As she was marveling at this experience, the door to Qingyin Hall was gently opened, making a creaking sound.

A little girl with her hair in two buns peeked at her and said, "Who are you? We're closed. You'll have to go somewhere else."

Liu Yin smiled and looked at her, saying, "My name is Liu Jianniang, and I made an appointment with Lady Yueling."

The little girl's eyes lit up when she saw the luggage beside her, and she quickly pushed open the door: "It's Ms. Liu! Come in, come in!"

No sooner had she finished speaking than she turned around and shouted, "Someone come here! Lady Liu is here! Quickly help me move her luggage!"

Before anyone could come over, she nimbly stepped out again, carrying a small box, and went inside.

Liu Yin quickly stepped forward to stop her, saying, "Let me do it."

The little girl didn't even turn her head: "I'll take care of it, everyone rest."

"By the way, everyone, my name is Lingling."

After the girl finished her introduction, she nimbly carried the small box up to a room on the third floor.

Before she could return, several strongmen came from the back room, jogging over with smiles: "Everyone's here, please rest, we're here."

After saying that, he carried the two large suitcases containing his luggage to the third floor.

Seeing that she couldn't help, Liu Yin had no choice but to follow behind her to the third floor.

Xu Yueling now occupies the room that was originally Xu's mother, while another room next door has been cleaned up.

Liu Yin stood at the door, looking at Qiao Gu Lingling and several maids who were helping to pack their luggage inside the house.

After carefully examining the room, I noticed the furniture inlaid with mother-of-pearl and jade, and the exquisite ornaments. The room was decorated with a sense of wealth and elegance, which showed the care taken in its arrangement.

"How about it? I haven't misremembered your preferences, have I?" Xu Yueling's voice rang out from behind.