lovenovelstory Chapter 207 Since you used to run a brothel, then help me teach a woman a lesson.
Chapter 207 Since you used to run a brothel, then help me teach a woman a lesson.
Qin Mu didn't say anything more, he just waved his hand.
The proprietress, feeling as if she had been granted a pardon, quickly got up and staggered away.
Her steps were unsteady, and she nearly fell several times, but she managed to steady herself and disappear at the end of the stairs.
Liu Bai frowned slightly as he watched this scene.
He looked at Qin Mu, opened his mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.
After all, this was a matter concerning the emperor, and as an old man who had just joined the regime, it was inconvenient for him to say much.
Qin Mu noticed his gaze, turned his head, and smiled:
"Is there anything you'd like to ask, Mr. Liu?"
Liu Bai paused for a moment before slowly speaking:
"That woman..."
He paused, seemingly considering his words:
"Has His Majesty made any arrangements for her?"
Qin Mu looked at him, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes.
This old man is quite caring.
"Yes," he said casually, "but not in the way you think."
Liu Bai was slightly taken aback.
He then nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
The two drank several more bowls of wine, and their effects gradually intensified.
Liu Bai stood up, cupped his hands, and said:
"Your Majesty, I take my leave."
Qin Mu nodded:
"Get some rest."
Liu Bai turned around and walked upstairs.
His steps were steady, showing no signs of drunkenness.
But when he reached the top of the stairs, he suddenly stopped and turned to look at Qin Mu.
Moonlight streamed through the window cracks, illuminating Qin Mu and casting a soft halo around his moon-white robe.
He leaned back in his chair, his posture languid, but his gaze was as deep as an abyss.
Liu Bai looked at him and suddenly remembered something.
He opened his mouth, wanting to warn her, "Be careful of the proprietress," but the words stuck in his throat.
With Your Majesty's power, even if that proprietress has extraordinary abilities, she is nothing more than an ant.
Why would I need him to remind me?
Liu Bai shook his head, turned around and went upstairs.
.......
Late at night.
One by one, the lights in the inn went out, leaving only one solitary lamp in the lobby, swaying gently in the night breeze.
Qin Mu stood up and went up the stairs.
His steps were unhurried, and his moon-white robe fluttered gently in the dim light, like a ray of cool moonlight.
He walked to the door of room number one and pushed it open to enter.
The candlelight in the room remained bright.
Yunluan stood by the door, her hand on the hilt of her sword, her eyes wary.
Upon seeing him enter, she bowed slightly and stepped aside.
Xiao Yu curled up on the bed, covering her head with the blanket, only her terrified eyes showing.
When she saw him come in, she trembled and quickly closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.
Qin Mu smiled and ignored her.
His gaze fell on the window.
Zhao Qingxue remained standing there, her back to him, gazing at the deep night outside the window.
Moonlight streamed in through the window, clearly outlining her slender figure.
The figure was straight and solitary, like a sword that refused to bend.
Qin Mu stopped behind her.
He didn't speak, but just quietly watched her back.
The candlelight flickered between the two, casting their shadows on the wall, one in front of the other, one tall and one short, yet they never overlapped.
Just then—
A knock came at the door.
Very light, very light, with a cautious, tentative approach.
"Come in."
The door was pushed open.
The proprietress stood at the door.
She had already changed her clothes.
She changed her pomegranate-red ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) into a semi-transparent gauze nightgown, which clung tightly to her body, outlining the voluptuous curves unique to mature women.
Her neckline was extremely low, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin and a deep cleavage, which rose and fell slightly with her breath.
Her long hair cascaded down, loosely draped over her shoulders, making her face, with its thick eyebrows and large eyes, even more charming and captivating.
She walked barefoot into the room, step by step, her feet touching the cold floor.
Those eyes, brimming with spring water, immediately fell on Qin Mu.
His gaze was intense and alluring, filled with naked desire and a desire to please.
Like prey eager to sacrifice itself.
But when her gaze swept across the room, over Yunluan, over Xiaoyu curled up on the bed, and finally landed on the pale white figure by the window—
She paused slightly in her steps.
That is……
That woman?
The woman who stepped down from the carriage, dressed in a moon-white dress, with an aloof and ethereal air?
The proprietress's gaze lingered on Zhao Qingxue for a moment, a hint of amazement flashing in her eyes.
What a beautiful woman.
She had only seen such a woman once before, when she was young—the daughter of a marquis from Jiangnan, who came to her brothel to "see the world." At that time, she stood in front of that young lady and didn't even dare to raise her head.
But now, this woman is also in this room.
and……
The proprietress's gaze swept over Zhao Qingxue's straight back, then over Qin Mu, a knowing glint in her eyes.
This emperor is indeed a man of great charm.
There were already two stunningly beautiful women in the room, and they'd picked up another one from outside, and now they were summoning her in as well...
The proprietress's heart started beating even faster.
If she serves this emperor well, she can truly rise to a high social status!
She took a deep breath, suppressed her excitement, and walked up to Qin Mu.
Then--
With a "thump".
She knelt down straight down.
His knee slammed onto the floor with a dull thud.
But she seemed not to feel any pain; she simply raised her head and gazed at Qin Mu with her spring-like eyes.
"His Majesty……"
Her voice was so sweet it could melt your heart, filled with an eager, ingratiating tone:
"This humble woman is here to serve you."
As she spoke, she raised her hand and began to untie the ties of her nightgown.
They moved quickly and urgently, as if afraid that if they were a step too slow, they would lose the opportunity.
The sheer fabric slipped off her shoulders, revealing her rounded shoulders and delicate collarbones.
But just then—
"No need to take it off."
Qin Mu's voice rang out.
It is plain and casual, yet carries an undeniable authority.
The proprietress's hand froze.
She looked up, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes.
No...no need to take it off?
What is she here for?
Qin Mu looked at her, a playful smile curving his lips.
"Answer a few questions for me," he said.
The proprietress was stunned.
problem?
So... so it's just answering questions?
A flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes, but she quickly suppressed it.
"Yes, yes..." she said repeatedly, "Your Majesty, please ask, and I will answer to the best of my knowledge!"
Qin Mu nodded and sat down in a round-backed chair next to the octagonal table.
He leaned back in his chair, his posture languid, but his gaze was sharp as a knife.
What did you do before?
The proprietress was slightly taken aback.
This question was unexpected.
She had expected the emperor to ask her how to run a shady business, how to commit murder and robbery, and how to deal with customers who fell into the trap.
Unexpectedly, the first question was what she used to do.
She paused for a moment, then lowered her head and answered honestly:
"Your Majesty... I used to run a brothel."
Qin Mu raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
The proprietress continued, her voice low and tinged with bitterness:
"It's been operating for seven or eight years in a small county town in Jiangnan. Business is pretty good. I have more than a dozen girls working for me, all of whom were sold from poor families, though some of them came voluntarily."
She paused, a complex light flashing in her eyes:
"Later... I offended someone."
Qin Mu looked at her:
"Who is it?"
The proprietress shook her head:
"I don't know either. I only know that the man was very powerful. With just one word, he got the county magistrate to shut down my brothel. The girls were taken away by the government, I was driven out of the county, and all my belongings were confiscated."
Her voice trailed off, filled with suppressed anger and resentment:
"From then on, I was forced to wander aimlessly. Later, I came to this desolate wilderness and found that this inn was in a good location, with many people coming and going, so..."
She didn't continue.
But the meaning is already quite clear.
Qin Mu listened quietly as she finished speaking, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.
He suddenly asked:
"Then you must be quite good at disciplining women, right?"
The proprietress was taken aback.
Then, she raised her head, a glint of light flashing in her eyes.
To teach a woman a lesson?
She's so good at it!
"Of course!"
Her voice suddenly rose a few decibels, carrying a hint of boastfulness and pride:
"Your Majesty, I've been in this brothel for seven or eight years. What kind of women haven't I seen? There are the newcomers who cry and scream and refuse to serve customers, the disobedient ones who sneak away and get caught, and the jealous ones who fight every day..."
She became more and more enthusiastic as she spoke, her eyes sparkling with excitement:
"I have plenty of ways to deal with them! If soft methods don't work, I'll use hard ones; if hard methods don't work, I'll use underhanded ones. Whips, paddles, leg clamps, and those specifically for women... Hehe, I can make them all submit!"
As she spoke, she looked at Qin Mu with anticipation in her eyes.
Why does Your Majesty ask this?
Is it...
Her gaze swept over the three women in the room, a knowing glint in her eyes.
These three women are definitely not going to listen to you!
Especially that moon-white one by the window—
Her demeanor and bearing clearly indicated that she was not an ordinary woman.
Such women are the most difficult to tame.
The harder something is to tame, the better she has ways to deal with it.
The proprietress's heart was beating faster and faster.
This is a great opportunity to impress the emperor!
As long as she can teach these three women a lesson and keep them obedient, thus satisfying the emperor—
Then she really did a great job!
Seeing her eager expression, Qin Mu's smile deepened.
He turned slightly to the side, stretched out his hand, and pointed to the pale white figure by the window.
"And what about her?" he said softly and casually, "could she teach her a lesson for me?"
The proprietress followed his finger and looked down at Zhao Qingxue.
The woman remained standing by the window, motionless.
Moonlight streamed in through the window, clearly outlining her slender figure.
That figure stood straight and solitary, like a sword that refused to bend.
The proprietress looked at her, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes.
Good temperament.
She had seen a woman like that when she was young—the daughter of a marquis, incredibly arrogant, but later…
The proprietress withdrew her gaze and looked at Qin Mu.
She smiled charmingly and nodded vigorously:
"sure!"
Her voice was full of confidence:
"Your Majesty, please rest assured, I've got this under control!"
She paused, her gaze sweeping over Zhao Qingxue again, a glint of determined brilliance flashing in her eyes:
"I will definitely make her submit and obey!"
Looking at her confident demeanor, Qin Mu's smile deepened.
"Alright." He nodded. "Then I look forward to your performance."
The proprietress nodded vigorously:
"Yes! I will certainly do my best!"
She felt an overwhelming surge of excitement and anticipation.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
As long as she can teach those three women a lesson and satisfy the emperor—
Then her life will be much easier from now on!
Who knows, the emperor might be so pleased that he'll take her back to the palace and bestow upon her some kind of imperial concubine title...
The proprietress became increasingly pleased with herself, her face beaming with a fawning smile.
But just then—
A question suddenly welled up in her mind.
She looked at Qin Mu and asked cautiously:
"Your Majesty... this humble woman dares to ask who this young lady is?"
She paused, then explained:
"Now that I know her identity, I can treat her more effectively."
The way you deal with the young ladies in those brothels is quite different from how you deal with the maids sold from poor families.
Qin Mu looked at her, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.
He leaned back in his chair, resting his chin on one hand, his posture languid.
Then he spoke.
The voice was soft and casual, as if it were just talking about the weather that night.
"Her—"
He paused, a meaningful smile curving his lips:
"It is Empress Li Yang."
The proprietress's smile froze on her face.
Her eyes widened suddenly in that instant.
His eyes were wide open.
His eyes were so wide they almost popped out of their sockets.
She opened her mouth as if to say something, but only a "clucking" sound came from her throat, like a hen being choked.
Her body began to tremble.
First the hands, then the feet, then the whole body.
Shaking like a leaf, shaking like a leaf in the wind, shaking like a drowned dog thrown into an ice cellar.
Her face drained of color at a visible speed.
From rosy, to pale, to deathly white, to grayish white.
Finally, it becomes almost transparent.
She looked at Qin Mu, at his smiling, handsome face.
My mind went completely blank.
Only one thought remained, echoing wildly in my mind:
Empress Liyang?
Empress Li Yang!!
The legendary Empress Li Yang, who ascended the throne as a woman, purged eight princes in five years, and whose power shook the Eastern Continent?!
The Empress of Liyang, who commanded the submission of countless heroes and made a million-strong army tremble in fear?!
That...that pale-faced figure standing by the window, with his back to her?!
The proprietress's legs went weak.