This is the warning drum of the Bureau of Entertainment), which is rarely sounded.
Only in the face of a major crisis will someone sound the alarm.
Watching Qin Changming leave in a flurry, Ling Yi couldn't help but smile, "It seems the people from the Bureau of Entertainment ) have already discovered that the silver in the treasury is missing."
" Zhao Dongxue has probably already left the city; she's a good scapegoat."
The former courtesan, Qianxue, disappeared Shadowless, without a sound.
Just then, the two million taels of silver that had been given as a reward the night before vanished.
The two will inevitably be linked.
Furthermore, Zhao Dongxue will implicate the third princess of the Wu Kingdom behind her: Wu Yunxiao.
Zhao Dongxue is Wu Yunxiao's person, so ultimately the blame will fall on Wu Yunxiao.
"I wonder how Lü Yuan is doing now," Ling Yi murmured.
The Shadow beneath my feet flickered for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.
The third floor of the main building of the Bureau of Entertainment).
This is the top floor of the Bureau of Entertainment), which has only three rooms.
Rooms Number One and Number Two have been vacant.
No one has lived there for years.
These two rooms are reserved for a select group of people.
As for room Number Three, it is reserved exclusively for the courtesan.
Last night, after becoming the top courtesan, Lü Yuan moved here, while the previous top courtesan, Qianxue, went to the second floor, to Lü Yuan's original room.
The two have completely switched identities.
Lü Yuan is unaware that Qianxue has disappeared.
At this moment, she felt a little uneasy.
Having just become the top courtesan, she didn't know what she needed to do next.
However, all her food, clothing, cosmetics, and other necessities had already been arranged, so Lü Yuan was living a life of being waited on.
But that wasn't what Lü Yuan was really worried about.
Instead, she overheard some news from a servant Wanyi.
A courtesan can only reign for three years; if she does, she dies!
This means that within the Bureau of Entertainment), no one has ever been able to become the top courtesan for three consecutive years.
At most two years; once the third year arrives, they will inevitably die for various reasons.
If this happens once or twice, but it continues for so many years, then there's a big problem.
Although Lü Yuan still had some connections, once someone leaves, they're forgotten; once someone dies, the light goes out.
She had used all the available connections and resources she could, leaving no stone unturned.
Now, Lü Yuan can only leave everything to fate.
But this is not what Lü Yuan wanted.
She became the top courtesan in order to gain a sliver of freedom three years later.
To remain the top courtesan, one needs to...
" Ling Yi, that servant!"
She became the most beautiful courtesan because of that unexpected appearance of the servant boy.
And if he wants to become the next courtesan queen, he'll probably have to rely on this servant boy.
However, things are still not in order.
It's not a good time to go see that servant.
Instinctively, Lü Yuan didn't want anyone else to know about her deal with the servant.
At that moment, a wisp of pink mist appeared out of nowhere in the room.
This startled Lü Yuan Duck.
When the red smoke dissipated, a beautiful young woman wearing a pink veil and a pink long dress was already sitting at the tea table.
The woman crossed her legs and looked Lü Yuan up and down.
He clicked his tongue twice and said, "I doubt anyone expected you to become this year's top courtesan."
The woman's voice the Ethereal, like cotton, seemingly from beyond the heavens, yet also as if it were right beside her ear.
It sounds beautiful, yet it has a strange melody.
Hearing this sound instantly makes one feel relaxed and languid.
Lü Yuan Duck was, after all, a former rank-one Martial Practitioner.
Although his cultivation was sealed, his knowledge remained.
They were naturally aware of this sonic attack technique.
He pinched his thigh hard, using the pain to keep himself awake.
Perhaps because of the excessive force, Lü Yuan's body swayed.
The Shadow beneath my feet also became slightly distorted.
"Not bad, to become the top courtesan, one must have both luck and skill." The woman's voice returned to normal, clearly indicating that she had stopped her cultivation.
"Who are you?" Lü Yuan Duck asked warily.
The woman took two teacups from the tea table.
While pouring tea into two cups, he slowly began to speak, " Lin Qingyuan, former tutor to the Crown Prince, Lin Yuqing's only daughter."
"He became a rank-one Martial Practitioner at the age of thirteen, and Proficiency in everything from music and chess to calligraphy, painting, poetry, and prose."
"At fifteen, you reached the Seventh Pin of Martial Practitioner; you should have had a bright future. Unfortunately, your father was corrupt and took bribes, ultimately resulting in the exile of both the women and the men."
"My father was framed," said Lü Yuan, also known as Lin Qingyuan, angrily.
"I know, not just I know, everyone knows, but who made your father hold the title of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince!"
"That useless crown prince may be useless, but he still holds the title of crown prince. Your father, though only a Fourth Pin official with no real power, is famous throughout the land and has an immense network of connections."
"Some people are afraid. As long as the Crown Prince is alive and his position is not revoked, they won't be able to eat or sleep in peace!"
The woman picked up a cup of tea and gestured for Lü Yuan Duck to enter.
Lü Yuan hesitated for a moment, then sat down next to the woman, but did not touch the teacup.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" Lü Yuan asked.
Who I am is not important; what matters is that I can give you true freedom.
"No need. I can fight for my freedom myself." Lü Yuan Duck shook her head.
"Hehe!" the woman chuckled softly.
Do you think becoming a courtesan will grant you true freedom?
"If you can be the most beautiful courtesan this year, what about next year, and the year after?"
Lü Yuan didn't speak, but the image of the servant named Ling Yi lingered in her mind.
If, next year, and the year after, that servant can still sell her poems and musical scores of the same quality.
It's not impossible for her to be the top courtesan for three consecutive years.
"Being a courtesan is not the path to freedom, but rather an even heavier shackle."
"The most beautiful courtesan never reigns more than three times; after that, she dies. This isn't just a rumor," the woman said softly.
"You should have sensed it from last night's competition for the title of courtesan. Originally, the winner this year was a woman named Fangfei. You were the unexpected winner."
Do you think the person behind this will let you off the hook?
Lü Yuan Duck frowned, feeling a surge of frustration in her heart.
This feeling of being out of control of one's fate is truly awful.
"I don't believe in fate, I only believe in myself," Lü Yuan Duck said coldly.
"Hehe!" The woman clapped her hands.
"Your ability to say those words has certainly raised my opinion of you."
"But, in the face of absolute power, it's nothing but a joke."
Lü Yuan looked at the woman. "How can you guarantee that? Since all the top courtesans over the years have ultimately died, how can you guarantee that I won't?"
"My master is Wu Yunxiao." The woman's eyes were filled with adoration and Frenzy as she spoke.
"Your Highness, the Third Princess?"
"What do you need me to do?" Lü Yuan asked, taking a deep breath.
The woman was very satisfied with Lü Yuan's performance.
It is already quite remarkable to be able to remain calm at all times.
In the end, this Lü Yuan was just a sixteen-year-old girl, naive and inexperienced in the ways of the world.
"First, I will help you break the seal within your body, restoring your strength. I will also teach you two cultivation techniques," the woman said slowly.
"A top-tier internal energy cultivation technique, the Nine Revolutions Yin and Yang Art, can help one cultivate to the Innate. If you have enough good fortune, breaking through to the Master is not impossible."
Lü Yuan Duck's heart trembled.
Top-tier internal energy cultivation techniques are possessed only by the royal family in the entire Wu Kingdom.
If it's true, then that's quite a show of sincerity.
"Another technique is called the Hidden Dragon Art, which can conceal one's Aura, making it undetectable to anyone other than Grandmaster."
"And all you need to do is help me find out where last night's reward money went."