Murong Qingyan refused to submit, preferring death, so Li Niang had her locked away and deprived of food and water. In that cramped room, Murong Qingyan wept incessantly, wondering who she had offended to be sold to such a place, and why her father had not yet realized she was missing and come to find her.
After Murong Qingyan was imprisoned, Li Niang revealed to several wealthy patrons that Enze Pavilion had acquired a beauty named Fuliu, who was even more exquisite than Huangying, the reigning star of the house. She claimed the girl was currently undergoing training and that her maidenhood would be auctioned off at Enze Pavilion in three days. Upon hearing of a woman more beautiful than Huangying—and a virgin at that—the patrons all expressed great interest, promising to attend and show their support. Li Niang beamed with joy at their responses, confident that the auction of Fuliu’s first night would bring her a small fortune.
At Kangping Medical Hall in Qingping County, Chu Hengyuan was meticulously applying medicine to Aran’s face. This was his fourth day there, and Aran had yet to wake. If it weren't for Leng Zhan’s constant assurances that she was improving, he would have feared she might pass away at any moment; he had even prepared himself to follow her to the grave.
Chapter 143