cold clothes

Leng Yi's fierceness was reignited. She was struggling with herself when someone suddenly yelled at her, and she couldn't help but speak with barbs. As soon as she said it, her strength dissipated, and she suddenly came to her senses.

Oh no, she seems to have said something offensive again...

Lengyi, you're so stupid! Have you really turned into a child?

The old woman was indeed enraged by Leng Yi's words. Before the old woman could explode, Leng Yi desperately searched for a way to save herself. Finally, she pretended to be crazy and cried, "Zhao Ergou, I never want to be bullied by you again!" Then she suddenly collapsed.

Everyone was bewildered by Leng Yi's crying and collapse. Nong Yue wanted to help Leng Yi up, but hesitated because of the nanny's unpredictable expression. The nanny couldn't figure out if Leng Yi was faking it, but she had heard that this girl was unruly and cunning, and that she did whatever she wanted because of the madam's favor. It was very likely that she was pretending. Hmph, what a useless little brat. She must report this to the madam.

"Ningbi was disrespectful to the headmistress in her very first class. She was audacious and reckless. Drag her to the discipline hall and let Mama Hu decide her fate." After saying this, the headmistress instructed her maids to take Lengyi away.

Leng Yi, who was pretending to be unconscious, exclaimed that she was doomed, but she didn't care anymore. It wasn't like she hadn't been locked in a dark room before...

After a bumpy ride, Leng Yi was thrown heavily to the ground, hitting her tailbone and almost crying out in pain.

The door was closed. Leng Yi opened her eyes and was stunned by the dazzling array of torture instruments in front of her.

On the table in front of her were long needles, whips, and finger-crushing tools; on the iron rack by the wall hung shackles and barbs; and on the wall were all sorts of iron weapons... Who would have thought that the bright and clean room would look like this? She had never seen such a scene in the dungeon!

Seeing the torture instruments, Leng Yi finally started to panic. She dared to confront them head-on because she knew she was useful to Madam Hu, and Madam Hu wouldn't easily hurt her. However, the fact that Zhuoyu Pavilion had a torture chamber meant that even if she was a promising courtesan, Madam Hu could be ruthless.

Fortunately, someone came to release her soon after, otherwise the longer she faced the room full of torture instruments alone, the stronger her paranoia would become. But the maid's words, "Mother Hu wants to see you," poured cold water on her spirits.

Calm down, cold clothes... Aunt Hu has seen it all before. As long as you play the part well, she won't do anything to you. Yes, as long as you play the part well...

They soon arrived at Zhuoyu Pavilion. Even with her head down, Leng Yi could feel the chilly atmosphere in the first-floor hall.

Leng Yi lowered her head and walked in, kneeling down beside the other four girls without saying a word.

Seeing this, Mrs. Hu raised an eyebrow with interest and asked, "Ningbi, why don't you look me in the eye? Is there no more stubbornness and hatred in your blue eyes?"

"Were you scared by the torture instruments in the torture chamber? Don't worry, those aren't for you, but for guests with special fetishes."

A guest with unusual fetishes… Leng Yi instantly thought of Liang Shuyun’s sanctimonious face and Yun Mei’s bloodstained body, and trembled slightly with anger.

Calm down... If things get out of control, that'll be exactly what Mrs. Hu wants...

But how should we deal with this now...?

After a moment's thought, Leng Yi's gaze hardened, and she looked up at Mama Hu. Mama Hu sat alone, standing like a bright peacock among a group of servants in somber clothes.

Leng Yi said, "I always thought my mother wasn't a bad person..."

"Hmm?" Mrs. Hu hummed lazily, as if preparing to enjoy Leng Yi's performance.

After a moment of deep thought, Leng Yi tried to keep her voice steady as she said, "In the beginning, my mother didn't mind that I was so slovenly. She adopted me and always treated me very well, providing me with good food and clothes and feeding me lots of tonics..."

“I was locked up in the dungeon because I acted too impulsively when I learned of Yunmei’s death, which hindered Fengxianglou’s business. I thought about it carefully, and what Mother said in the dungeon that day was for my own good. Moreover, you never really hurt me, and you even put high hopes on me by letting me join Zhuoyuge. So…” Lengyi paused, and said sincerely, “I don’t think Mother is a bad person. Everything you did was for our growth.”

These words were resounding, and the four girls beside Leng Yi couldn't help but glance at her. A hint of surprise flashed in Xia Hua's eyes, and then she fell into deep thought.

After hearing this, Mrs. Hu chuckled and said, "It seems you've learned your lesson quite a bit in the past two weeks, but you're wrong. I am a bad person."

"All four of you, raise your heads," said Madam Hu to the four girls who had bowed their heads. Then, looking at the faces of the five girls, she announced the rules of the game as if she were a master manipulator: "My main purpose in coming here today is to announce the new rules for the grand examination. I've been thinking lately that since our Jade Carving Pavilion has an unprecedented fifth person, it's time to change the rules for the examination. So I've decided to change the grand examination from three times a year to four times a year, and the reward and punishment system will be changed to a first-place and last-place reward and punishment system."

These words shocked everyone. Even Granny Qin was unaware that Madam Hu had such thoughts. Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, Madam Hu continued, "The content and scoring of the assessment will be decided by me and the other instructors. The first-place girl will naturally receive a generous reward. As for the specific punishment..." Madam Hu's gaze locked onto Leng Yi, "...we'll let you experience the instruments of torture in the torture chamber."

Leng Yi felt a chill run down her spine as she was locked onto by Madam Hu's gaze. She didn't know what the assessment rules were like before the changes, but the new last-place punishment system was clearly aimed at her! Last place gets punished? Might as well just kill her now and skip the assessment. Besides, her arrival made the assessment even more brutal, and the other four girls would definitely ostracize her even more, even Nong Yue… Sure enough, four very aggressive gazes were already fixed on her.

Madam Hu suddenly sighed, "Children, I don't want to be so cruel to you, but the threat to us is growing. The reputations of the courtesans in other brothels are becoming increasingly renowned. Yue Niang of Xiaoxiang Pavilion even claims to be the most beautiful woman in the capital." She stood up agitatedly, her anger and imposing presence overwhelming. "Fengxiang Pavilion is renowned as the number one brothel in the capital precisely because the beauty and talent of its four top courtesans are unmatched. Children, you are the foundation of Fengxiang Pavilion. If Fengxiang Pavilion loses its number one position, then our reputation, our money, our aspirations, and our future will all be gone."

"I believe you all understand."

“…Okay, Mom.” After a moment of silence, Xia Hua spoke first, and the other girls followed suit, only Leng Yi was puzzled.

Leng Yi seemed like an outsider, yet she was passively drawn into the situation, so she had to be told something. It was infuriating that she was the only one who knew nothing.

Noticing Leng Yi's burning gaze, Madam Hu narrowed her eyes and said, "Ningbi, only by becoming the most beautiful courtesan in Fengxiang Pavilion can you avoid becoming like Yun Mei. Do you understand? But I can't protect you. Only you can protect yourself."

What a well-intentioned but "loving" admonition! But Leng Yi had no choice but to speak in a hoarse voice:

"...Okay, Mom."