How to become a Taoist priest starting from a brothel

From Madam Liu's words, Liu Yin finally learned what earth-shattering changes had taken place in the red-light district during the month she had been engrossed in writing and competing in the competition.

That day, she returned home and cried bitterly in Madam Liu's arms. She still felt that she could not sit idly by and wait for death. After thinking for a long time in her room, she took out the token left by Yuan Mingyou from the box.

She rubbed the token in her hand for a long time before finally making up her mind and summoning Mei Wu: "Mei Wu, I have a task for you."

"Please speak, young lady." Seeing her serious tone, Mei Wu also became serious.

"Take this token to Guining Escort Agency and deliver this letter to a man called Master Zuo." She took out the letter she had prepared beforehand and handed it to her.

Although Mei Wu didn't know what she was doing, she was always kind and had a strong bias towards her young lady, believing that whatever her young lady did was good and right. So, after taking the letter and putting it away, she hurried out to take care of her business.

Long after the person left, Liu Yin stared motionlessly at the table. She didn't know if her decision was right or wrong, nor did she know if her ambiguous attitude towards Yuan Mingyou was right or wrong, but at this moment, she truly had no one she could trust.

The news came on the third day. People on the street were saying that Qingyintang seemed to have messed up something and was being retaliated against by the Prince of Anle. They said that Xu Mama not only lost a lot of money, but almost lost the entire Qingyintang.

Liu Yin knew that Qingyin Hall had nothing to offend the Anle Prince's Mansion except for the matter of those two children, and the fact that the Anle Prince's Mansion was furious meant that she had succeeded in asking Yuan Mingyou for help.

Sure enough, a letter was placed on her windowsill that very evening. It was left for her by Yuan Mingyou, which detailed how the two children had been rescued and that arrangements had been made for them.

Although she didn't know how the other party planned to handle things, Liu Yin was willing to offer them a bit of trust at this time.

Since then, the news of Qingyintang offending the Prince Anle's Mansion has spread like wildfire in Huaicheng. As a result, Qingyintang's business has plummeted. Helpless, Mama Xu listened to Yuening's advice and built a two-story pavilion in the backyard of Qingyintang. She also sent the ladies in the hall who had always had poor performance to live in the pavilion.

They then forced the women to go outside and solicit customers, and this tactic proved effective.

Later, Yuening suggested that, like in Yongcheng, the small buildings facing the street should be transformed into covered walkways, where women could stand and solicit customers. This would attract even more people, and this idea proved effective once again.

After that, it was as if it was out of control. Qingyintang gradually changed its appearance, losing the arrogance of a first-class brothel and gaining the lowliness of a second- or third-class brothel, although it was initially looked down upon by other first-class brothels.

However, as time went on, Qingyintang's methods were adopted by many second- and third-class brothels, and gradually other first-class brothels also started to learn them, which gradually led to this situation.

Liu Yin fell silent; this red-light district was becoming more and more like the brothels she had initially imagined.

"It's not their fault. Which brothel doesn't have some women who aren't doing very well, but it would be a waste to demote them to the second or third rank? Now it's great that they don't have to be demoted and can still make money. How could they not go?" Seeing that she was a little downcast, Madam Liu couldn't help but comfort her.

“I know my mother, I just can’t understand how Yuening could…” Liu Yin gently shook her head.

"I don't know. I only heard that she was a well-known courtesan in the red-light district. She was very skilled and had a bad temper. I don't know why, but one day she suddenly said that she wanted to become a courtesan. She didn't want to be a virgin anymore, but a full-fledged courtesan. A few days ago, she even opened a brothel. I heard that she made quite a lot of money that day." Madam Liu didn't know much about it either.

"Alright..." Seeing that she couldn't get any more information, Liu Yin had no choice but to shut up. She couldn't help everyone, especially since she had already explained the consequences to Yue Ning that day. Now it was Yue Ning's choice, and she had no room for doubt.

Of course, Liu Yin didn't know that this matter actually had something to do with her.

It turned out that after Madam Xue saw her young apprentice off in her room that day, she heard the voice of a third person in the room.

When she turned around, she saw a cold-faced man walk out from behind the screen. If Liu Yin had been there, she would have recognized him as Yuan Mingyou.

Yuan Mingyou looked at Yue Ning's departing figure with extreme disdain. That disdain was quite irritating to Madam Xue, who couldn't help but retort, "If you hadn't stirred things up, she wouldn't have done this."

Yuan Mingyou just smiled and didn't reply to her. Instead, he told her some news: "I've found the young master."

"Really!" Madam Xue sat up from the stool in shock, her face filled with disbelief. "Are you sure?"

“Of course, she looks exactly like the Empress, and her personality is just like the Princess Consort's—both intelligent and gentle.” Yuan Mingyou revealed a hint of pride on his face.

"That's wonderful, that's wonderful..." Madam Xue murmured, tears streaming down her face. "I have finally fulfilled the young master's expectations, I have finally... finally..."

Seeing her in such a distraught state, Yuan Mingyou's eyes reddened as well. He seemed to see the handsome, exceptionally talented young man again, and he seemed to see the regret of the man who died with his eyes wide open...

"By the way, where is the young master? Why didn't you bring her here?" Madam Xue wiped away her tears before asking repeatedly.

Yuan Mingyou came to his senses and looked at Madam Xue with disappointment: "Young Master... Young Master won't believe me."

"Why! You didn't tell me your identity?" Madam Xue asked incredulously.

"I told you, but the young master is quite wary of me." Yuan Mingyou's face showed a hint of grievance.

Madam Xue frowned, then seemed to remember something and asked, "If that's the case, where is the young master? I'll go see her!"

Yuan Mingyou pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "Let's leave it for now. The heir of the Anle Prince's Mansion is keeping an eye on Cui Heng. I think you also have eyes around you, and I've also arranged for people to protect my master."

"Who did you arrange?" Madam Xue was initially unhappy to hear that she had been reported, but after hearing Yuan Mingyou's reasoning, she had to admit that he was right. She was still nominally the Third Prince's man, and the ambitious Prince Anle's Mansion might have planted spies around her. Now was a critical moment.

The young master is the last bloodline of the Prince of Anning's mansion, so they must be extremely cautious no matter what.

Thinking of this, she shook her head again to stop Yuan Mingyou from speaking: "You don't need to tell me. It's fine for you to know alone. That way, our master will be safe."

Then, she added with concern, "Keep it a secret from Cui Heng as well. Unless we eliminate the Anle Prince's Mansion, neither of us should act rashly."

Seeing Yuan Mingyou nod in agreement, she suddenly realized and said, "Could it be that the young master is in the red-light district, so you encouraged Yuening to go there so you could arrange manpower?"

Yuan Mingyou neither admitted nor denied it, but looked at Madam Xue and said, "Yuening was not my suggestion. It was Cui Heng who hoped that Yuening could attract a lot of attention so that he could find the young master more easily."

Madam Xue nodded without saying anything more, secretly pleased that she had fulfilled the young master's last wish. Then, as if remembering something, her face paled, and she looked at Yuan Mingyou, asking cautiously, "Young master... is the young master... is she... alright?"

Yuan Mingyou naturally understood the meaning behind her words. He simply looked into her eyes and remained silent for a moment, but Madam Xue's face grew paler with his silence...