How to become a Taoist priest starting from a brothel

The sound of the door closing was quite noticeable in the quiet night. Zuo Mingyuan, who was staring blankly at the tree in the courtyard, heard the sound and quickly turned to look at Liu Yin. Before she could speak, he knelt down in front of her just like he had that afternoon: "Your subordinate Yuan Mingyou greets the young princess. Your subordinate is late in coming to her rescue. Please punish me, young master."

Liu Yin was stunned when she heard his real name. The words she had planned to say to test whether he was friend or foe were stuck in her throat. The air became quiet for a moment, but Yuan Mingyou did not think much of it and just assumed that his young master was intentionally punishing him.

Liu Yin unconsciously touched her rapidly beating heart, her heart filled with resistance and fear towards this name. Although she didn't know what exactly happened in the original owner's lost memories, Liu Yin knew that the original owner would never want to admit her identity to the person in front of her.

She lowered her head and pondered for a long time. When she saw that Yuan Mingyou was looking at her with some doubt, she looked at him with a frightened expression and said, "Master Zuo... I said this afternoon that you may have mistaken me for someone else. I am Liu Jianniang, the daughter of the Liu family."

Yuan Mingyou was shocked that Liu Yin refused to admit her identity. He immediately stood up and retorted, "Young Master, I won't harm you. Believe me, I've investigated. That Liu family's daughter died long ago. You were originally from Qingyin Hall..."

He didn't say the rest, but Liu Yin's heart was pounding. She never expected that in just one afternoon, the other party would be able to find out her and the original Liu Jianniang's identities. However, she still calmed herself down and looked at him with feigned grievance: "Master Zuo, don't talk nonsense. I have always grown up in this courtyard. Everyone in this courtyard can testify to this."

"Impossible. I'm in the business of buying and selling information. There's no way my information could be wrong. Liu Jianniang, no, I should call you Lady Qingyin." Yuan Mingyou was only focused on proving his loyalty at this moment and didn't care about the murderous intent in Liu Yin's eyes.

How could Liu Yin allow a stranger to know her identity information? Naturally, she wanted to get rid of this person. However, when she thought of her own powerlessness and the fact that her only fighting ability, Mei Wu, was lying in the room, she immediately lost her temper. She couldn't help but feel a little fortunate that she had sent Madam Liu and the others away. Otherwise, if she had acted impulsively, it was not impossible that the other party would have killed everyone in the house.

Thinking of this, she could only force a smile and say to Yuan Mingyou, "Even if I was the bride of the Qingyin family back then, Master Zuo, you can't think of me as some kind of princess. How could someone as lowly as me possibly have the right to touch such a high-ranking person as a princess?"

Upon hearing Liu Yin's change in self-address, Yuan Mingyou suddenly realized that the look in Liu Yin's eyes was no longer just wary, but brimming with hostility. He then realized that he might have said something wrong again. Remembering his master's instructions, he composed himself and organized his thoughts before explaining, "Princess... no, Miss Liu, whether you believe me or not, I really have no ill intentions. I have been searching for the little princess for ten years. Believe me, you are definitely the little princess."

"Alright, Master Zuo, since you've found out I was Qingyin's wife back then, you must have found out my real name is Zhang Qiao'er, and that I was sold into Qingyin Hall by a gambler father." Liu Yin stared at him, and before he could speak, she continued, "Even if I resemble the princess you speak of, there are many similar people in the world. Why are you so persistent in pursuing me? My background is perfectly clean. It's just a matter of changing from a lowly status to a commoner status. Even if this matter is taken to the authorities, considering my current reputation, I doubt the prefect will give a harsh sentence. I can just use some money, and it will be fine."

Yuan Mingyou looked at Liu Yin with a sorrowful expression. Listening to Liu Yin's explanation, he felt as if his heart was being stabbed with needles. He lowered his head and looked at the gray-white bluestone road illuminated by the moonlight. Tears welled up in his eyes. Perhaps it would take a long time or perhaps it would be very soon, but he finally managed to compose himself.

He looked up at the familiar face and, in a daze, saw a face that was more mature and gentle than hers. He turned around as if he was about to leave. Just as Liu Yin felt a little sad because of his expression, he suddenly spoke up: "Miss Liu, I have always been a bit slow-witted. Every time I go on a mission, my master tells me to talk less and make fewer expressions. He even explains to me word by word how to communicate with the client."

Liu Yin was puzzled by what he said, but seeing the figure that seemed to be soaked in sadness, she did not interrupt. Yuan Mingyou continued, "I may not have much else, but I have always had a very good intuition. Back when the Prince's Mansion was still there, I was often assigned by the young master to keep an eye on people because of this. So I am sure that you are the little princess."

Hearing the barely perceptible sorrow in his voice, Liu Yin was also moved by him. However, remembering the original owner's resistance to this person's name, she didn't dare to say anything. Yuan Mingyou continued, "I know you don't believe me. I came here today just to tell you that you can trust Cui Heng of Shengyuan Trading Company. If you need anything, you can go to him. Also, the young master Cui may suspect you because of my recklessness today, but don't worry, they won't be together for long. Young master, please take care. I will always protect you, I swear on my life."

Having said that, he was no longer willing to wait for Liu Yin's refusal. He placed a token on the table and carefully instructed her, "Young Master, this is the token of Guining Hall. Please keep it. In the future, if you need anything, any Guining Escort Agency will obey your orders with this token." After saying that, he left without lingering.

Watching his departing figure, and glancing at the token on the table, Liu Yin sighed deeply, touching her chest and muttering, "Why are you so resistant to someone who seems so loyal? And why did you, as a princess, escape and end up in Qingyin Hall in Huaicheng, thousands of miles away? Why did you take Zhang Qiao'er's identity? What exactly happened back then?"

Prince Cui looked at the coachman in front of him with a puzzled expression. He glanced at Steward Zhao, then pointed at the coachman kneeling before him and asked, "What? Are you sure?"

Steward Zhao respectfully replied, "That's right, Master. Our men followed the carriage and confirmed that it turned into an alley midway, but we don't know how long it stayed there. When the men arrived, they only saw it coming out of there."

"A dead end?" Prince Cui raised an eyebrow and continued to ask.

"I'm not sure, the alleys over there are so intricate and complicated." Butler Zhao didn't dare to hide anything.

"Tell me about it," Prince Cui said, turning his gaze to the coachman and tapping the whip in his hand.

"Reporting to... Your Highness... It was... it was Lady Liu who turned in, saying she was picking up a pipa she had ordered earlier." The coachman, trembling with fear, gave the excuse he had prepared beforehand.

"Oh?" Prince Cui looked at him thoughtfully, then turned and gave Steward Zhao a look.

Butler Zhao quickly bowed and replied, "Yes, that's right. There is indeed a private custom musical instrument shop near the alley that you turn out of."

Although he said that, Prince Cui still felt that something was wrong. Since Liu Yin was going back in the Prince's carriage, why would she suddenly ask for musical instruments? Even if she was going to take them for a performance, she should have done so on the way there, not on the way there. Moreover... when he thought about it afterward, he felt that it was really strange that Zuo Mingyuan turned back to find him.

Prince Cui stared intently at the coachman for a long time, tapping his whip on the carriage. The carriage was still shaking. It all seemed to be just a coincidence. Liu Yin just happened to be passing by and just happened to think of it. It just happened to be a gift from Zuo Mingyuan.

However, to ensure that nothing went wrong and that his father's plans were not disrupted, he still gave Steward Zhao a look.

The other party immediately bowed and withdrew. Soon after, they brought two men in black, stuffed a wad of cloth into the groom's mouth, and dragged him away.

"I don't care whether he's dead or alive, I just want the truth from his mouth, understand?" Prince Cui glanced at the steward indifferently.

The steward nodded repeatedly in agreement, then cautiously asked Prince Cui, "What about Lady Liu...?"

After thinking for a moment, Prince Cui instructed him, "Go and bring two young girls. Since our Lady Liu is so fond of those courtesans, why don't you send those girls to Qingyin Hall tomorrow? Isn't she the instructor there? Send them there and let her train them well before sending them to me. I want to see how this chivalrous Lady Liu will train them for me."

"Would you like someone to serve you tonight, Master?" Butler Zhao nodded in agreement and was about to leave when he remembered something and asked again.

"Send two over from Jicao Pavilion." Prince Cui listlessly selected two male servants from his household, then waved for them to leave.

He looked up at the moon outside the window, smiled knowingly, and muttered to himself, "Little cousin, oh little cousin, a high and mighty pearl, a lowly whore, this is quite a rare life experience, isn't it? You should thank your cousin properly..."