The capital was the wealthiest place in the Great Yin Dynasty, a gathering place for the most powerful and affluent individuals in the land.
While the men schemed and manipulated in the imperial courts, the women in their inner courtyards found no peace either. All sorts of schemes were employed, and throwing opponents into brothels to ruin their reputations and chastity was a common occurrence.
The courtesans in the brothels had long grown accustomed to this, only exercising extra caution when new girls were brought in, lest they be used as pawns.
Lu Nianfu lowered her head, looking at the coarse, old cotton shirt and skirt she wore. She thought that whoever had framed her had been quite thorough. With the fabric of her clothes, even Aunt Cui would likely deem them unsuitable.
Liu Rumei stared at Lu Nianfu's face, then exclaimed with a tut, "Even if bought from the countryside, this color can't be cheap. Buying two at once this time; Madam Jin must have struck some windfall."
In the past two years, their fortunes had declined. Not only did the sisters who had lost their beauty struggle to earn money, but they also fell ill from time to time. Ling Yan Pavilion could only be said to be barely holding on.
Hua Qian Yue spread her hands, "As for what windfall, only Madam Jin knows."
Speak of the devil, as soon as Hua Qian Yue finished speaking, another person entered. She had a long face, high cheekbones, and slanted eyes, with a bright red mouth. She looked sharp and severe, yet Lu Nianfu knew this sharp-featured madam possessed an extremely soft heart.
Although Ling Yan Pavilion was somewhat aged, it was situated in a prime location. If she wished, she could easily sell it for a large sum and live comfortably for the rest of her days. Yet, she chose to maintain it with great effort, solely to provide a place of refuge for these aging courtesans.
Unfortunately, as the number of former courtesans taken in by the pavilion increased, the days of Ling Yan Pavilion inevitably grew harder.
By the time Lu Nianfu was sold here in her previous life, Madam Jin had already begun pawning her jewelry.
Now, three years later than that, Lu Nianfu looked at Madam Jin, who appeared much older than in her memories. Without even thinking, she knew that after enduring these difficult three years, they would likely be penniless, with nothing left but Ling Yan Pavilion.
Brothels periodically acquired young girls. Regardless of how they entered, screams and cries were inevitable, as no woman willingly descended into a life of debauchery.
The two who arrived today were unusual. Though young, they were remarkably calm.
The one with the darker complexion at least had a flicker of wariness in her eyes. The prettier one, however, was even more extraordinary. Her face, sculpted like jade, showed no fear; instead, there was a hint of nostalgia, as if she had encountered an old friend not seen for years, rather than being abducted.
Madam Jin felt a stir of unease. The country folk who sold them was a farmer, pushing a cart, with the two girls stuffed into sacks. He claimed they were his daughters and that he had knocked them out for fear they wouldn't behave.
But now, these two girls' composed demeanor did not seem like anything that could be nurtured in the countryside.
However, at this point, giving up was out of the question.
The money spent on them was her last remaining savings. She pulled a stern face, making her high cheekbones and sharp features appear even more pronounced. "Do you know where you are?"
Lu Nianfu nodded indifferently, "Didn't Aunt Rong just say it? This is Ling Yan Pavilion."
"Do you know what business Ling Yan Pavilion is in?"
"Mm, I have a general idea."
Madam Jin grew more certain that their identities could not possibly be that of village girls. "You are quite composed."
Lu Nianfu's smile deepened. Why wouldn't she be composed? In her previous life, with nothing, she had still managed to persuade Madam Jin to give her a chance, and then, little by little, she had made this dilapidated brothel flourish. In this life, she had status and wealth; what fear would she have of failing to persuade her?