Forced to be a concubine? I turned around and married the scumbag's father.

During dinner, Mu Junyan had not yet returned to his residence.

Dongmo came to report that the lord would be returning later than usual.

Gu Hua returned to the main courtyard and was about to take a bath when Dong Qing rushed over.

He whispered in her ear, "A message came from the kitchen that Yin Tao tampered with the desserts when she was making them."

Gu Hua's brow twitched. "I understand."

She guessed that Yin Tao would make a move, but Mu Junyan refused.

She spent the whole day thinking about what reason to find to separate Yin Tao and Yi Yun without arousing suspicion from the Empress's spies, allowing them to continue their actions.

Before she could figure it out, Dongmo came again, saying that the master had gone to the study and would return to his room after finishing his official business.

Gu Hua wanted to stand up and see if she should prepare some food for him, but suddenly, a strange feeling made her stop and wait patiently.

Sure enough, an hour later, the maidservant serving Wen Hanxuan came running over with a grim expression.

Gu Hua listened calmly as she heard that Yin Tao had delivered some snacks to the prince and hadn't come out for half an hour after going in.

Then, the prince came out and ordered his men to carry away the disheveled and dazed Yin Tao.

"Where is the prince?"

"They went to the old lady's courtyard."

Gu Hua sighed inwardly.

She really didn't let her hard work last night go to waste. Mu Junyan must feel disgusted, right?

But he still proceeded with the plan.

She forced a smile and stood up, instructing Yun'er, "Let's go to the kitchen and make some light dishes that the Prince likes."

When she arrived at the old lady's courtyard with the food box, a fierce argument broke out shortly afterward, and the food box was thrown out.

Then the princess left in a hurry with red eyes, and the prince spent the first night in a side room of the study.

The prince ordered his men to clean the study inside and out overnight. Presumably, the prince also resented Yin Tao for scheming against him.

After all, the prince and princess were a harmonious couple with a deep affection for each other, which was evident to everyone.

In no time, the news spread throughout the Prince's mansion, and most people didn't believe it.

The prince was always virtuous and did not care for women.

Apart from the princess, the prince never gave any other woman a second glance.

It must have been Yin Tao who used some underhanded methods, like administering some illicit drug.

But it seems the die is cast.

Soon, the old lady personally ordered that Yin Tao be elevated to the status of a concubine and that a separate courtyard be prepared for her to live in, which confirmed everyone's guess.

While in a daze, Yin Tao was carried into a small, separate courtyard in the backyard.

Yiyun was unaware of the matter concerning her aunt, let alone what had happened, so she quickly grabbed the maid who was tidying up Yin Tao's things.

"What's going on here?"

The maidservant's face was cold, and her tone was full of sarcasm: "Miss Yin Tao is so lucky. She's been favored by the master. Look, the old lady has spoken up and promoted her to a concubine, and even assigned her a separate courtyard. We're here to take her to enjoy a life of luxury."

Yiyun was stunned for a moment. "Where is the Princess? Does she know?"

The maid shook off her hand and glared at her angrily: "You two vixens, are you trying to harm the princess? Our princess is perfectly fine! You don't need to worry about her."

A group of people left in a flash, leaving Yiyun standing alone in the courtyard, stunned.

By the way, Yin Tao got permission from the princess to make desserts that day, and she's been very diligent these past few days, going to the kitchen every evening after dinner to make desserts, saying she'd send them to the princess to taste.

That day she asked the shopkeeper for something; could it be that she used some kind of trick?

Just as Yiyun was debating whether to go to the princess to get some answers, she saw someone sneakily peeking out with half their head.

"who!"

Yiyun was startled.

Their small courtyard was a very remote corner courtyard in the northwest. Servants would only come to clean and bring them food during the day, and there were no other servants to take care of them.

At night, there wasn't a soul in sight.

There weren't even any lights hanging outside the low courtyard wall, which was quite eerie.

So she and Yin Tao kept the courtyard gate tightly closed at night, and they didn't dare to go out.

A group of people just left in a flash, and Yiyun was still in a daze, forgetting to close the courtyard gate.

Yiyun glanced nervously at the dog-beating stick placed against the wall.

"Miss Yiyun, it's me."

It's a girl's voice.

As the person entered the courtyard, they closed the door behind them. The person, illuminated by the dim light in the courtyard, was a girl dressed in coarse cloth.

She was not a servant in the Prince's mansion.

"who are you?"

The girl approached mysteriously, grabbed her, and led her into the house. Yiyun was so frightened that she wanted to scream, but then she saw the girl touch the wooden hairpin on her head and point at Yiyun's hair.

Yiyun then noticed that her wooden hairpin was the same as the token given by the Empress, and immediately understood who she was.

The two entered Yiyun's room.

The woman smiled and said, "It's really difficult to see you. Last time I received the token, I managed to get into the manor and leave a message for you, arranging to meet the following evening. Who knew that the young master would find out? I thought we had been discovered, but luckily nothing happened. Fortunately, I had another chance to come into the manor to deliver flowers today. And just then, a big event happened in the manor, so I took the opportunity to come over."

Yiyun feigned surprise: "You're the Empress's person?"

"Hmm. The shopkeeper said you need to find a location for communications within the manor. Come with me."

As she spoke, she pulled Yiyun outside, and they walked along the west wall in the dark for a quarter of an hour before stopping under a pear tree.

"There's a hole here. Just put the wooden hairpin in."

The woman pointed to the wooden hairpin in her hair, "The one in my hair is exactly the same as the one in yours. We can exchange them in the cave later."

Yiyun reached out and touched it; there was a hole in the wall that could fit about three fingers, just enough to hold two wooden hairpins.

"Ok."

The woman looked around and said, "The Prince's mansion is under stricter control lately, so I'm afraid I won't be able to enter freely anymore. From now on, we can communicate using this method."

Yiyun nodded.

The woman suddenly smiled: "I didn't expect that prostitute to be so capable, actually managing to win over the prince. But the manager instructed me not to tell her about this position. That prostitute comes from a lowly background and is very ambitious. Be careful she doesn't betray you."

Yiyun hummed in agreement.

She was a little scared and hoped the woman would leave quickly. What if someone saw them? How could they continue this charade?

Fortunately, the woman was also a little scared and left in a hurry.

Yiyun quickly made her way back to her small courtyard.

A little while later, Yun'er arrived.

"The princess is calling you."

Yiyun's heart skipped a beat.

When I met the princess, she was wearing a loose pink robe and leisurely reading a book.

Hearing her footsteps, he put down his book, smiled, and waved to her.

Yiyun finally breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed Yin Tao hadn't succeeded.

Yiyun bowed and said, "Your Highness, Princess Consort."

"Please sit down, I have good news for you."

Yiyun's eyes lit up: "Daddy...you've been rescued?"

Gu Hua smiled and said, "Yes. We'll be in Juzhou in a couple of days. I was worried about how to arrange for you and your daughter to meet without alerting Yin Tao, but who knew Yin Tao would take action."

Yiyun suddenly remembered this and quickly asked, "She didn't succeed, did she? It's all my fault. Actually, I noticed her making a move but didn't report it to you in time."

"It's alright. We have people watching her every move."

Yiyun breathed a sigh of relief: "I was really worried."

Gu Hua changed the subject: "Did someone go to see you just now?"

Yiyun felt a pang of panic, but quickly calmed down: "Yes, just now. It was that flower farmer from before. She pointed out a location and asked me to pass on the message. Also, she was wearing the exact same hairpin."

Gu Hua glanced at the hairpin in her hair: "Let me see it."

Yiyun removed the hairpin and handed it to her with both hands.

Gu Hua looked at it and handed it to Sui'er: "Take this to the Prince and have someone draw it. Have the patrol battalion and the city guards check it strictly. If they find anyone wearing this hairpin, keep an eye on them."

Sui'er took the order and quickly ran towards Wen Hanxuan.

Gu Hua nodded to Yun'er, who turned and went into the inner room. A moment later, she came out carrying two new dresses and a wooden box.

"When your father arrives in Juzhou, dress up nicely so he won't worry about you."

Yiyun's eyes welled up with tears. She quickly accepted the gift, curtsied, and thanked Gu Hua with a sob in her voice.

"It's not easy being a woman in this world, so cherish the opportunities you've been given."

With tears in her eyes, Yiyun nodded: "This servant can distinguish right from wrong. My father is also an upright and honest official; otherwise, we wouldn't have been framed like this."

Gu Hua nodded: "We know."

A glint flashed in Yiyun's tearful eyes. Did the prince and princess know that her father was a good official?

"Your household registration certificate should be in the Empress's hands. I will give you the certificate of a good citizen when you meet with your father."

Yiyun was shocked: "A law-abiding citizen? Your Highness means I can become a law-abiding citizen again?"

Once a convicted slave is confined to the brothel, there is no hope of ever getting out of it. Even if a nobleman takes a liking to her, he cannot redeem her; at most, she can become a household prostitute.

Yiyun was actually very scared, afraid that her father would think she was dirty.

"Of course, your father is a good official, so you are not a slave. You don't want to make your father feel uneasy, right? After this matter is over, if you are willing to stay in Juzhou, I will arrange a courtyard for you. If you want to go back to your hometown, I will also help you make arrangements. Or perhaps, the Prince has made arrangements as well."

"Your Highness, you are my and my father's savior."

Yiyun could no longer hold back and knelt down on the ground, bursting into tears.

Gu Hua felt a pang of sadness.

She knows best the suffering of a woman who has nowhere else to turn.

Just like when she struggled desperately to break free from Mu An and rushed into the raging storm, she suddenly saw a ray of dawn amidst her despair and struggle.

It was Mu Junyan who gave her hope when she was at her most helpless.

She also wants to be a beacon of hope for more people.

There shouldn't be so much injustice in this world.

Yun'er helped Yiyun up, and Yiyun was crying so hard she could barely breathe.