Yihong Brothel—
Yun Feiwan was hauled into the fragrant, sprawling hall by a man in black, his grip leaving her wanting to cry but unable to shed a tear. Dressed in a vibrant red wedding gown, she looked utterly out of place.
The good news: she hadn’t been misunderstood by the male lead; she’d explained the reason for the arranged marriage and kept her position as the Prince’s consort.
The bad news: not only had she infuriated the male lead on their wedding night, she’d had the wretched luck of being dumped into a brothel!
In this ancient setting, what a colossal insult!
According to the original plot, her pride would prevent her from defending herself, leading to her being locked in a dark room for three days, starving, followed by abuse and humiliation from the madam and the patrons.
Fortunately, as she was still a prince’s woman, her virtue remained intact, though her body was covered in whip marks and her hands had grown rough and swollen.
In the future, this experience would frequently be used by her legitimate elder sister and the male lead to mock her.
Damn that male lead! I’ll kill him sooner or later!
Yun Feiwan sighed. At that moment, she was locked in a staring contest with a heavily made-up, alluring, and still-ravishing young woman.
"Oh my, this new little lady is truly fresh and lovely. I never expected Mother could receive such a stunning beauty."
The woman scanned Yun Feiwan’s petite face as if assessing a piece of merchandise. After whispering a few words into the woman’s ear, the man in black simply dropped her there and vanished without a trace.
The person before her appeared to be the madam of Yihong Brothel. Adopting the principle of taking things one step at a time, Yun Feiwan spoke softly:
"Mother, how should I address you?"
"Just call me Mother Wang. If you work hard here, you won't go hungry."
Though her name sounded a bit rustic, Mother Wang’s voice was pure, captivating, and sultry. She had long legs, a slender waist, and a curvaceous figure—a far cry from the image of an elderly matron.
As Yun Feiwan thought this, the Truth System caused her to blurt out her true feelings:
"Oh my god—what a young and beautiful madam! She is exactly the kind of pretty big sister I’ve always wanted! I bet if she said she was twenty, people would actually believe her! Big sister is so gorgeous, I just want to cuddle with her!"
At these words, Mother Wang’s charming face flushed instantly. She fanned herself frantically, her eyes crinkling into slits as she beamed.
"My, oh my! This little girl isn't just fresh and lovely; she speaks the absolute truth! Come along, my dear sister. Treat this place as your own home."
Mother Wang affectionately patted Yun Feiwan’s fair, delicate hand. "What is your name?"
"Just call me Wanwan, Sister. What exactly did that man in black tell you?"
Yun Feiwan rolled her eyes. She wasn't foolish enough to give her full name.
"Ding! Detected that the host has spoken the truth *2. Reward: 40 points."
"Action: Force the other party to speak the truth. Cost: 30 points per use. Current points: 30. Use now?"
"If the host does not respond within three seconds, this will be used automatically."
The system’s sudden intrusion stunned Yun Feiwan. Before she could react, she heard Mother Wang reply with a smile:
"Oh, he just gave me some silver so I would take good care of you. As for how I take care of you, isn't that up to me... I mean, up to your big sister?"
With that, she swayed her hips as she led Yun Feiwan to a room that looked decent enough. "It was all very sudden, so this will do. Don’t worry, little sister, you can stay here comfortably. Tomorrow, you can start earning money for Yihong Brothel. If you need anything, come find me. I’m off!"
With a nod, she left, and the door slammed shut with a "clatter."
Just like that, for reasons she couldn't fathom, Yun Feiwan had escaped the tragic plot of being locked in a dark room and had successfully secured her own private quarters! She stood dazed for a few seconds. After confirming via the Truth System that Mother Wang wouldn’t harm her, she let out a long sigh of relief.
She had survived without sustaining any injuries!
Thinking that she should just make the best of things, a weary Yun Feiwan flopped onto the small bed, deciding to get some rest.
Suddenly—
"Hiss!"
A sharp intake of breath came from beneath her. There was something on the bed!
"Who's there?"
Yun Feiwan sprang up like a carp, clutching a pillow defensively as she glared at the bedding.
"Mmm..."
The mattress shifted slightly, and a man’s low groan emerged from within. There was actually a man here! But then again, men in a brothel weren't exactly unusual. Could it be a patron who had wandered into the wrong room?
With this thought, Yun Feiwan inched toward the bed and threw back the quilt.
The smell of blood hit her instantly. Lying on her small bed was a handsome man with long, dark hair!
His raven-black hair spread across the mattress like silk. His face was pale, his picturesque brows knitted tight, his thin lips slightly parted as he murmured in his sleep. He wore a green robe, clearly the attire of a wealthy family. His collar was torn open, and beads of sweat rolled down his throat into his collarbone. His left arm was soaked in blood, with an arrow embedded deep inside—a truly gruesome sight.
Men in a brothel were normal, but a dying man was anything but! According to the laws of novels, this person was either the villain or a secondary male character. She had to stay away!
Clutching her pounding heart, Yun Feiwan retreated inch by inch. She had to tell Mother Wang!
"Wait... wait a moment!"
Before she could take two steps, the man’s weak voice brushed against her ears. His beautiful phoenix eyes opened slightly, his dark pupils clear yet profound, as if thousands of stars were falling into them.
Before she knew it, her wrist was grabbed, and she fell into a firm, hard embrace. She tried to struggle, but her slender neck was immediately clamped by a large, warm hand!
Do people in this world just love grabbing people by the throat?
"Don't be afraid, miss. Help me pull out the arrow. As long as you don't struggle, I won't hurt you..."
The man’s voice was raspy, his cool tone veiled in mist, heavy with uneven breaths that warmed her neck and made her skin tingle. Even wounded, his voice was heart-wrenchingly beautiful. What a seductive beauty!
Yun Feiwan was dazed for a moment, then shook her head vigorously, grumbling inwardly:
*What a cliché scenario! Is it true that every transmigrator who ends up in a brothel must encounter an injured man?*
"What 'cliché'? What do you mean, miss?"
Oh no, she’d forgotten she was bound to the Truth System! This man looked dangerous. The three golden rules of transmigration: never save a strange, injured man, even if he is incredibly handsome!
Swallowing hard, not daring to move, Yun Feiwan spoke carefully:
"Young master, perhaps I should go find someone to help you..."
"Shh! Be quiet..."
The man interrupted before she could finish. His calloused fingers pressed against her neck, his thin lips hovering by her ear: "Help me."
With her mind filled with inappropriate thoughts, Yun Feiwan blurted out:
"If I help you, can you repay me with your body?"
Feeling the man’s breath hitch behind her, she wanted to bite off her own tongue the moment the words left her lips! Damn this Truth System! He was clearly wounded—even a fool would know he just wanted her to help him dress his wounds!
"Ha..."
The corners of the man’s mouth seemed to curl upward, and a low chuckle escaped from the depths of his throat.
"If you can save me today, miss, repaying you with my body is not out of the question..."
"Ah... ah?"
Her brain crashed instantly. Was he talking about the same kind of repayment she was thinking of?