Chapter 135

Translator:

NovelMultiverse |

Editor:

NovelMultiverse

Soon, Zhao Lian brought in four or five women, all wearing gold and silver, each with their own style . Some were weak, some were beautiful, and some were enchanting . They were standing in a line and saluting Yu Linglong, saying: “We greet the princess, and hope the princess will be happy . ”

A burst of birdsong-like voices came . Yu Linglong looked up at the people standing there and sneered secretly in her heart .

It seemed that the people who sent these women to Lord Xu took a lot of time thinking about them . These women had outstanding appearances, but they were not all the same . As long as there were men, they would be happy when looking at these coquettish women .

Thinking of this, she somewhat admired Lord Xu’s for not being reckless . There was such a group of women in the house that he could not even look at, which was really rare .

Yu Linglong looked at these women, and these women were also eyeing her, but they couldn’t help lowering their heads when they met Yu Linglong’s gaze .

All these people were proud of their stunning looks, but when they saw Yu Linglong, they couldn’t help feeling ashamed .

Looking different from them, Yu Linglong is not only beautiful, but also more distinguished and exquisite in her gestures, with a compelling momentum, and she exuded a cold light from the inside out, making people afraid to look up . Compared with her, these women were as vulgar and tacky as the country women .

Glancing at these songbirds on the ground, Yu Linglong said faintly: “Get up . ”

They stood up and stood all together, but they did not speak . All of them either pretended to be delicate and weak or seemed docile and silent . Just based on their appearances, you couldn’t believe that it was this group of people who kept threatening to hang themselves at the gate of the Xu Palace .

It seemed that in this world, one thing was always true, that hooligans would descend on vixens . When these fierce women saw Yu Linglong, they couldn’t help but shrink, and they didn’t dare to fight to get ahead .

Yu Linglong waited for a while, and when no one was speaking, she said leisurely: “Tell me, why do you have to stay in the palace?”

Seeing that Yu Linglong was not upset or angry, even without a word of reprimand, these women were a little bolder . A woman in a red dress with pretty eyebrows took the lead and said: “We were rewarded by the prince, and we don’t dare leave without permission . ”

Yu Linglong glanced at her and asked faintly: “What is your name?”

The woman replied: “I am Yi Hong . ”

Yu Linglong lowered her eyes and took a sip of tea slowly, looking noncommittal .

It seemed that this was one of the prost.i.tutes awarded by the crown prince that Zhao Liandeng spoke of just now . She was really very powerful, and she used the prince’s name to suppress her when she came up . Was Yi Hong sure that she would not dare to offend the prince, so she would definitely keep herself, or did she think that she had just married into the Xu Palace and was unwilling to drive these prost.i.tutes away and make herself a shrewd and jealous woman?

No matter what they thought, they were wrong .

Yu Linglong was neither afraid of offending the prince nor would she be wronged for her reputation as an empty head . If she didn’t want to see what kind of people the prince rewarded Lord Xu, she wouldn’t even bother to see these people .

Putting down the teacup, Yu Linglong asked calmly: “Since you were awarded by His Royal Highness, what about your physical bond?”

Yi Hong was startled, but for a moment she hesitated .

When the prince sent someone to send them over, Butler Zhao naturally didn’t dare to ask for a physical bond . Later, Lord Xu ignored these women . Although they lived in the Royal Palace of Xu, they were completely decorated, and no one investigated the matter of their physical deeds .

But now the new princess opened her mouth and asked about their bondage . How did she respond?

Seeing that she didn’t answer, Yu Linglong snorted coldly, and said, “Since your Royal Highness has rewarded you to the prince, there is definitely no one who does not give you a personal bond . If you don’t have a physical bond, how can you prove your ident.i.ty?”

Yi Hong gritted her teeth, took out a neatly folded piece of paper from her chest, and held it up with both hands: “Princess, this is my physical bond . ”

This was given to them from the Prince’s mansion before they were sent over . Butler Zhao didn’t ask them for it, so they were naturally happy to keep them .

Since she was determined to stay in the palace, this deed was just a piece of paper, and it was not an important thing . But if she didn’t hand it over at this moment, then she would prove the princess right and she would refuse to take them in .

Mama Liu took it, opened the paper, and presented it to Yu Linglong .

Yu Linglong didn’t lift her eyelids, and said, “Read it . ”

Mama Liu read: “Letter of abandonment . The mother is Zhou née s.h.i.+ from Changshan County, Pingcheng . Because she is not mature, has no support, and has trouble feeding, she is willing to sell her eldest daughter, Zhou Cuiya, who was born in early October on the seventh day in the evening, to the Prince’s Mansion . Since then, she has no responsibilities, despite the master’s lessons, even if the plague is unexpected, for her entire life . Both sides are willing and will not go back on the deal, keep this forever as proof . Sold for twenty-two silver, and in case there is a dispute later, keep this as proof . ”

Yu Linglong listened to the long speech, but only heard a few important words, so she asked for the truth: “Who is Zhou Cuiya?”

Yi Hong’s face turned red, and she replied in a low voice: “It’s my name . The name Yi Hong came from the Prince’s Mansion . ”

Yu Linglong held back a smile with a stern look on her face and said: “This physical deed is clearly written, saying that you are a member of the Prince’s Mansion . Since you want to stay in the palace, the master of this deed needs to be changed . ”

Yi Hong hesitated .

Yu Linglong was right . She was bought by the Prince’s Mansion . Although she was in the Xu Palace, the master family written on the deed was still the Prince’s . Originally, this was not a big deal, as she was alone . A little prost.i.tute, whether in the Prince’s Mansion or the Xu Mansion, was insignificant, and no one cared about her life, let alone the master of the deed .

These princes were too powerful, and they didn’t care about these trivial matters at all . Even if they thought about it, these women entering the palace was like going from h.e.l.l to heaven, where could they escape? They couldn’t even be beaten, and these physical deeds were nothing more than an empty piece of paper .

However, Yu Linglong just used this physical bond to make a fuss, causing a dilemma . If she changed the master, she would be a member of the Xu Palace from now on . She could no longer use the prince’s name to suppress others . If she did not change, Yu Linglong could use this as a reason to expel her from the Xu Palace in a fair manner .

Yi Hong thought for a moment and made a decisive choice .

Yi Hong said to Yu Linglong in a crisp voice: “As long as the princess is willing to take me in, I will obey the princess’s arrangements . From then on, the prince and the princess will be my master . ”

If she didn’t agree to change her deed, Yu Linglong would not take her in . Even if she held the deed of the Prince’s Mansion, she would not be able to return to the Prince’s Mansion . After all, she was personally rewarded by the prince to Lord Xu . If she held it herself, what’s the matter with the deed being revised?

At that time, neither the Prince’s Mansion nor Lord Xu’s Mansion would take her in, but her deeds were still on record, and she was not even a free person .

She might as well seize this opportunity now and stay in the Xu Palace obediently .

Yi Hong’s decision was completely expected by Yu Linglong . She took over from Mama Liu and shook it lightly, saying, “Okay, then you can stay . ”

Seeing that Yu Linglong was so easily relieved, another woman in a willow green spring s.h.i.+rt also hurried forward and said hurriedly: “Princess, my name is Ban Lü, I came with sister Yi Hong . I am also willing to re-establish the contract and stay in the palace…”

She raised her eyes to meet Yu Linglong’s cold gaze and she almost bit her tongue . She hurriedly changed her words and said: “…Stay in the palace and serve the prince and princess . ”

Yu Linglong couldn’t help feeling a bit amused and she smiled, which added a touch of softness to her glamorous face .

“Okay, then you can stay too . ”

Yu Linglong’s response was so refres.h.i.+ng that the remaining women rushed forward immediately, saying: “Princess, I also want to stay, please take me in!”

“Princess, I am helpless, there is nowhere to go except the palace, please, I’m begging you—”

“Princess, if you are willing to keep me, I will do my best to serve the prince and concubine!”

Yu Linglong waved her hand generously: “You all can stay . ”

Hearing her affirmative words, Yi Hong, Ban Lü, and the others were all overjoyed: “Thank you, princess!”

Seeing these women twisting their waists and following Mother Liu to re-establish the contract, Ling’er on the side couldn’t help but say: “Princess, why do you want to keep these women? If it’s the prince…”

Ling’er wanted to say something but stopped, but Yu Linglong didn’t explain, she just smiled faintly, as if she had just bought a few little maids .

Yes, in her heart, these people were willing to re-establish the contract; for her, it was a few more maids to wait on her, or, they might as well be maids .

Looking at these happy women, you would think she just said she would take them in . They were really naive .

Even if the elder sister gives you a piece of meat, there will be poison in it!

Just wait and see .

After about fifteen minutes, Mama Liu brought five women into the room, and gave a few pieces of paper to Yu Linglong: “Princess, this is a newly established bond . ”

Yu Linglong took a look and saw it clearly stated that these women would be members of the Xu Palace from now on, and it still used words such as bearing the master’s lessons and not going back on it forever .

These words had only literal meanings . Everyone knew them well, but Yu Linglong had decided to deal with these women who didn’t know what was good or bad according to the above words .

Wasn’t it just taking the master’s lessons? Wasn’t it not going back on the deal? She would let these people deeply realize the true meaning of these words .

These five brand-new physical deeds had the ink still dripping, and the scarlet stamps were not yet dry . Yu Linglong gently blew the ink and put it on the table with a smile .

“From now on, you are members of the palace . ”

The five women concealed the joy on their faces and were blessed: “Yes, thank you, princess . ”

Yu Linglong sat down and asked calmly, “Let’s talk about it first, what will you do?”

Seeing Yu Linglong talk so casually, several people were much more courageous . Yi Hong first said: “I can play the pipa . ”

Ban Lü also said: “I can dance the long sleeve dance . ”

Some of the remaining three were good at singing, some were good at playing the Guzheng, and all of them were proud of themselves .

Looking at these women, Yu Linglong felt a little regret in her heart . These people have outstanding looks and skills . Why can’t they go out to make a living, why did they want to stay in the Xu Palace as slaves? Was it more shameful to be poor and free than to be a servant in fine clothes? Why did they refuse to take control of their own destiny, but leave their entire lives to others to deal with?

She really had no way to understand this behavior, but there were really many people in this world who would rather serve others humbly in exchange for a prosperous life rather than raise their heads and be a self-respecting poor person .

It’s just that when they met Yu Linglong, they could only be bound to their dreams of wealth, which was only a short dream after all .

After listening to their introductions, Yu Linglong nodded faintly and said: “Since you have become members of the mansion, you must obey the rules of the mansion . First, you must call yourselves servants . ”

The expressions of Yi Hong, Ban Lü, and others changed suddenly: “Princess—”

They keep calling themselves courtesans, just to draw a line with those servants . They were courtesans serving the prince, not servants serving tea and water!

Yu Linglong ignored them at all and continued: “Secondly, my people must listen to me . If you violate my instructions, don’t blame me for not being affectionate . ”

The five women looked at each other but were speechless .

They did not expect that Yu Linglong turned her face faster than she turned pages in a book . Just now she was kind enough and readily agreed to keep them in the house . As soon as she signed the contract, the ink was not yet dry, she began to scold them with the rules .

Before they could adapt to Yu Linglong’s new att.i.tude, something more terrifying came .

“There are so many jobs in the palace . When we need people, you sold yourselves into the palace, but that wasn’t good enough . Starting today, you will be third-cla.s.s maids . If you do it well, two years later, you will be second cla.s.s . ”

Yu Linglong spoke calmly, but it sounded like a bolt from the sky in the ears of several women .

What, a third-cla.s.s maid? Isn’t that just a servant who does rough work? That’s the cheapest person in the palace!

They were all singers and dancers . They all had slender fingers . They didn’t see the sun and handle water, let alone do rough work . They had never even done things like serving tea and pouring water!

Yi Hong was the first to recover, and when she refused, she blurted out: “Princess, I am a courtesan, not a maid! I will not do these tasks!”

Yi Hong was desperate, she indeed had the ident.i.ty of a third-cla.s.s maid, and her dream of becoming a concubine of the Lord Xu was too far away! If she really became a maid, what about her hands? Could she still play the pipa? Could she still please a man?

Hearing her words, Yu Linglong didn’t lift her eyelids, and said two words faintly: “Slap her . ”

Ling’er stepped forward, slapped her twice . She gave Yi Hong two big slaps on the left and right, and her white face immediately became red and swollen .

Ling’er scolded her crisply: “Bold! The princess didn’t allow you to call yourself a courtesan . How dare you not listen to the princess!?”