Falling into the mortal world

Listening to the merriment outside, I felt nauseous; I had been living in this Dream Pavilion for five years.

Five years is enough time to smooth out a person's rough edges. She was sold into this brothel by her stepmother when she was twelve years old.

The idea of ​​escaping came one after another, but in the end, they never managed to escape.

He had attempted suicide by hanging, jumping into a river, and banging his head against a wall. He tried one method of suicide after another.

But in the end, he neither escaped nor died, for a simple reason: Mrs. He in the building kept a close watch on him.

I am now the most beautiful courtesan here. My name is Honglian. I don't even know what my original name was.

When your heart grows cold, it doesn't matter what name you're called.

At the age of twelve, she was already showing signs of stunning beauty. Taking advantage of the family's inattention, her stepmother secretly contacted a human trafficker in the prefectural city and sold her to Menghualou for a high price of fifty taels of silver.

The madam, captivated by her beauty, plotted to mold her into another Peony. Peony was the most beautiful courtesan at the Dream Pavilion at the time.

As time went by, I accepted my fate and stopped thinking about running away. Maybe this is fate. Once I accepted my fate, I stopped being so upset.

Madam He in the building specially hired tutors. They ensured the students learned everything from music, chess, calligraphy, painting, song lyrics, and poetry.

Mother He wanted to create a courtesan who would be famous far and wide.

I was beaten countless times because I didn't like to smile, didn't know how to flatter, and was too aloof.

What Mrs. He wanted was a charming and alluring woman, not an icy, unsmiling face.

It was also because of her icy demeanor. To avoid being beaten, the scholars and gentlemen who entered all compared themselves to see who could win a smile from Lady Honglian. Seeing that business was actually getting better and better as a result, Madam He let her be.

Now she has a nickname, Ice Beauty. In five years, He's mother has successfully made a name for herself.

The entire city of Hongcheng knew that the young lady Honglian in Menghua Tower was stunningly beautiful and exceptionally talented. People would spend thousands of dollars just to catch a glimpse of her.

Some people would go bankrupt just to see her. Mother He forbade her to entertain clients, not out of love, but because it was a publicity stunt.

Some would offer their entire fortune just for a single night of passion.

Even Mrs. He never agreed to let her take clients. It wasn't that she wasn't tempted; it was that she wanted to earn more money on her own. Countless men were willing to offer their entire fortune just for a glimpse of her.

If she were to solicit clients, she could only make a quick profit once. After that, the money-making opportunity wouldn't be as plentiful. Scholars and refined gentlemen prefer this kind of incorruptible official.

Because the most beautiful courtesan at Menghua Tower was an upright official, it attracted countless literati and scholars. It also drew a large number of镖客 (bodyguards/martial arts practitioners), all hoping to catch a glimpse of the legendary courtesan.

Menghualou now enjoys a monopoly in Hongcheng. As a result, many other brothels have had to close down.

Honglian knew perfectly well that this was just a way for Madam He to make money. If one day her honest official could no longer bring her profit, Madam He would not hesitate to make her a prostitute.

I used to always feel like I'd forgotten something, but I could never quite remember what it was. Since coming here, I've never thought about what I'd forgotten.

Maybe one day I'll remember. But just now, I remembered it in my dream. Who am I? In my past life, I lived in Fu Yao's family.

How could I, in the 21st century, be living such a miserable life? I was reincarnated, but my stepmother was so vicious, finding fault with everything I did. She'd slap me whenever she saw me crying all the time, probably because of the blood clots in my brain, causing me to forget everything from my past life. I was just Lan Daya. Now, the blood clots in my brain are slowly dissipating, and my memories are returning.

In her previous life, she was called Lan Qingqing, a wealthy heiress who was the apple of her family's eye.

Good times don't last long. An accident happened in the family, both parents died, and the uncle forcibly seized the family property.

Orphaned and alone, she was taken away by the organization and trained to be a top assassin. She was given the alias "Blue Enchantress."

In order to find a suitable profession to cover up his identity as an assassin.

She entered the entertainment industry on her own. With her stunning beauty and amazing talent, she quickly became an international superstar. Her stage name was Lan Wanwan.

He couldn't bring himself to harm the child while on a mission, and was shot dead by his organization.

So I came here directly. Here I am the most beautiful courtesan, how ridiculous! A rich heiress, a top assassin, an international superstar, the most famous courtesan in the city.

She can become famous anywhere. She truly admires herself, considering she was once the most beautiful courtesan in ancient times.

Who am I? Am I Lan Daya from Pear Blossom Village?

Where can I go if I leave here? All the indenture contracts here are registered with the government.

She was sold to a brothel, and that marked her as a courtesan in the government records. This was a fact that could never be changed.

This means they are destined not to live as freely as ordinary people.

The management of identity information here is extremely strict. No matter where you are, you need a household registration. Identity information is carefully verified before you can enter or leave the city; you can't simply change your name to go to an unfamiliar place.

"Girl, Mama He is here to ask when you can perform," Xiao Tao asked softly.

Xiao Tao was her personal maid; here, no one was more noble than anyone else.

If a customer takes a liking to a particular customer, the maid will also be required to serve him.

Lan Qingqing glanced at Xiao Tao and said coldly, "I'll go right away."

After receiving the message, Xiao Tao went out to report back to Mother He.

Lan Qingqing picked up a red dress from the side and put it on. Although it was very revealing, it was nothing to modern people. It was just a shoulder and a leg showing.

In feudal ancient society, showing an arm was considered immoral, and holding hands could get you thrown into a pond. Only prostitutes would dress like that.

The red dress makes her look even more alluring.