Chapter 96: 95 Who Would Have Thought the Abbess Also Loves Perfume (Big Chapter, Please Subscribe!)

Inside Hua Man Ge.

As the sky gradually brightened, the sound of roosters crowing began to rise along both banks of the Qintang River.

Tied to a wooden pillar, Ji Siniang's eyes gradually filled with fearful, unfocused dread.

"... I beg you, let me go!"

"Yu Rou, back then your father wanted to strangle you to death, but I took you in and even gave your father a sum of money. You were only seven years old then. Over all these years, the grace of raising you alone is no small figure. For the sake of this bond..."

"Shut up!" Yu Rou gave a cold shout, directly interrupting Ji Siniang's pleas.

She sat on a chair with a slightly rusted ox-tail saber resting on her lap, her eyes spirited and alert, keeping a constant watch on Ji Siniang for fear she might escape.

Seeing that Yu Rou could not be broken.

Ji Siniang's gaze immediately turned to the other side, looking at a woman leaning against the wall who was using a small knife to trim her nails.

"Qingdeng, do you still remember how you came here..."

The woman called Qingdeng glanced at her, then withdrew her gaze and said calmly, "I advise you to say less. Among the sisters present, count them one by one, who hasn't been cheated or harmed by you? You made us learn arts, you made us serve people; now, besides the ability to serve men, we can't do anything else. Do you think you have any justification?"

"..."

At this moment.

The servants pushed in a small cart; it was the food prepared in the kitchen.

Under Yu Linglong's arrangement, everything was still quite orderly.

The various singing girls and courtesans received their food in an orderly fashion, then walked to the side to eat.

After entering the door, Yu Linglong sniffed lightly.

She frowned, looked at Yu Rou, and said, "No, there is still a bloody stench. Soon the craftsmen will all arrive, and Young Master Ning might come too. We cannot let this filthy, bloody smell affect Young Master Ning!"

Yu Rou nodded, but did not know what to do.

Yu Linglong thought for a moment, clapped her hands, looked at everyone, and said, "Sisters, everyone eat quickly. Those who finish first, please work hard, let's clean up a bit more. Don't let Young Master Ning say we aren't meticulous, alright!"

"Fine, I'm full, I'll go fetch water!"

"I'll come too."

"..."

The courtesans responded one after another.

"Give me a bite to eat." Ji Siniang looked longingly at the food cart.

On it were some steamed buns and thin porridge; in the past, she wouldn't have even had the interest to glance at them.

But the exhaustion of this entire night had long since left her famished.

"Eat shit, you. You still want to eat? When Young Master Ning comes over, that will be the time of your death!"

Yu Linglong gave a cold snort and refused without mercy.

"Roar..."

Just at this moment.

A strange, giant roar suddenly sounded outside the door.

This roar was heart-palpitating.

Everyone stood up and looked up, gazing toward the outside of the door.

"It must be Young Master Ning arriving!"

Yu Linglong's expression turned joyful.

Hearing this, the others also had their eyes brighten up.

Only Ji Siniang was suddenly as if mourning her parents, her expression completely withered, disheveled and in a wretched state as she leaned against the pillar.

【Notification: Congratulations to the Host for completing Task Two. Reward: Nine-Turn Divine Origin Pill Fragment *0.5, Binding Companion Ning Mu Strategy Value increased by 3 points!】

【Notification: Congratulations to the Host for completing Task Three. Reward: Nine-Turn Divine Origin Pill Fragment *0.5, 200 Heroic Couple Points, Binding Companion Ning Mu Strategy Value increased by 5 points!】

【…Current Strategy Value: 16 points!】

Warehouse: 【Nine-Turn Divine Origin Pill Fragment *0.5】*2 as the task is completed.

Liuli immediately pushed Ning Mu away.

If not for the system's compulsion, she could not cause harm to Ning Mu, otherwise it would rebound upon herself; otherwise, she would have loved to kill this mischievous brat with a single palm strike!

Damn it, from childhood until now, for so many years, never had any man dared to reach out this mischievous hand toward her! If it were an ordinary person.

Let alone reaching out, even having the intention.

She would certainly have made the other party repent before the Buddha! But this brat Ning Mu was simply a rogue, completely incorrigible! She couldn't hit him, and she couldn't out-scold him.

Yet, in order to complete the task, she had to endure this brat's groping.

To her.

It was actually just an empty skin bag.

But that sensation was real nonetheless!

In those eyes that were usually as still as an ancient well, a flash of annoyance crossed; after glaring at Ning Mu, Liuli quickly checked the System Interface.

Seeing the Nine-Turn Divine Origin Pill fragments right there in the warehouse, she finally breathed a slight sigh of relief.

As for the Strategy Value, Heroic Couple Points, and such, she had no interest in even glancing at them.

Right in front of Liuli.

Ning Mu stood up very naturally, then placed that hand—stained with Buddhist cultivation and full of Zen Dao—under his nose and sniffed lightly.

He laughed: "Who would have thought the Abbess also loves perfume. This scent... tsk tsk, not bad, it suits the Abbess's temperament very well!"

Being teased by these incorrigible words, Liuli's face turned red, and she was just about to flare up in anger.

"If you use it up, come ask me for more."

Hearing Ning Mu suddenly change the subject, she frowned, her face displeased, but she had no choice but to let it go with a huff.

"Young Master Ning!"

Just at this moment.

A call came from outside the carriage.

Liuli hurriedly sat up straight, a trace of panic flashing across her expression as she hastily tidied the clothes that had been disheveled by this bad boy.

Once Liuli had finished tidying up, Ning Mu gave her a teasing look, then lifted the carriage curtain.

He saw Yu Linglong standing prettily at the entrance, not daring to approach due to the deterrence of the Old Driver, her eyes filled with excitement and fear.

The Old Driver stretched its neck forward and opened its big mouth, which was full of fangs.

It was about to let out a playful roar at Yu Linglong.

"Don't make trouble, Old Driver!"

Hearing Ning Mu's reprimand, the Old Driver blinked its copper-bell-like eyes with lingering desire, shook its head in mid-air, flicked its tongue, and gave Yu Linglong a gentle expression.

With this antic from the Old Driver, Yu Linglong's nervousness clearly dissipated quite a bit.

Her eyes were even filled with longing.

Such an obedient and well-behaved exotic beast, although it looked fierce and terrifying, was truly quite cute.

Young Master Ning is just too strong! In her heart, she couldn't help but admire Young Master Ning even more.

"Is everything alright in the pavilion?"

Ning Mu jumped off the carriage and looked at Yu Linglong as he asked.

Yu Linglong hurriedly stepped forward and respectfully reported: "Thanks to the timely arrival of the Shitai to help, three sisters died, but those evildoers were all killed by the Shitai."

While speaking, seeing Liuli Shitai get off the carriage, Yu Linglong felt a slight surprise in her eyes and cast a look of immense gratitude toward her.

In her heart, she was speculating what kind of relationship this Buddhist nun had with Young Master Ning.

Not only did they come and go together, but she even helped Young Master Ning kill people.

Is she really a nun?

"Give the deceased a proper burial."

Hearing about the dead, Ning Mu sighed and walked toward Phoenix Tower.

"Many thanks for your compassion, Young Master."

Yu Linglong expressed her gratitude and hurriedly followed.

Her eyes flickered, and she seemed to have something to say but hesitated.

"Speak if you have something to say."

Ning Mu did not look back, but he still sensed Yu Linglong's internal struggle.

"Replying to Young Master, it is like this: Ji Siniang confessed your identity; if it weren't for the Shitai being timely, I fear those evildoers from last night would have arrived at your residence..."

She didn't finish the rest of her words.

But one could imagine what would have happened.

Ning Mu paused his steps and turned to look at Yu Linglong.

Then he looked at Liuli.

Liuli, who had followed inside silently, saw Ning Mu looking at her, raised an eyebrow, and said calmly: "This poor nun didn't pay attention, but it should be as she says; afterwards, I left the cleanup matters to this female benefactor."

Liuli looked at Yu Linglong.

Ning Mu frowned, understanding the situation in his heart.

Without saying anything more, he walked straight into the main hall of Phoenix Tower.

"Young Master Ning." "Young Master..."

As he entered the door, the famous courtesans and singing girls bowed in an endless stream.

Ning Mu waved his hand and looked at Ji Siniang, who was tied to the thick wooden pillar in the center.

"Young Master, Young Master Ning... I am innocent, they forced me!"

Seeing Ning Mu, Ji Siniang immediately cried out her grievances loudly.

Ning Mu said nothing.

He just glanced at the wounds all over her body, then waved his hand and said to Yu Linglong: "Untie her, let her eat something."

"You all continue eating what you haven't finished."

Ning Mu said to the others as well.

They did not eat, but instead looked at the untied Ji Siniang with hidden hatred.

Yu Linglong dared not disobey Ning Mu's order.

And Ji Siniang, having been untied and thinking she could finally survive, felt a surge of intense joy on her face.

As soon as the ropes were loosened, she immediately crawled to Ning Mu's feet.

Clinging to his leg, she looked up and said: "Many thanks, Young Master Ning, many thanks for sparing my life... From now on, Si Niang will be a dog for Young Master Ning; whatever Young Master Ning says, Si Niang will do!"

After speaking, she prostrated herself on the ground and knocked her head three times with a loud thud.

A strong desire to survive stimulated her.

It made her even break the skin on her forehead.

At this moment, Ji Siniang had a somewhat disheveled beauty, and with her collar wide open, one could vaguely see the swaying contents within.

Ning Mu raised an eyebrow slightly, looked down at her, and said calmly: "Eat quickly; once you're full, I'll send you on your way."

"... Young Master!"

Ji Siniang was instantly stunned, looking at Ning Mu with a blank and helpless expression.

Ning Mu did not waste any more breath.

Instead, he turned his head to look at Yu Linglong.

"From now on, Hua Man Ge will be under your responsibility."

Yu Linglong was also stunned.

She was just a prostitute.

If she had any great expectation, it might be to become a top courtesan, earn a bit more silver, pocket some tips, and save up enough silver to redeem herself.

This sudden leap from being a prostitute to becoming a madam.

Although she was still in the same circle, the jump in status was not just a little bit.

This left her at a loss for what to do for a moment.

"I... I am afraid I will fail Young Master's trust."

She naturally wanted to.

But she was even more worried about her own ability.

"Just learn slowly. Also, stop calling it Hua Man Ge. Change the name; call it... Yichun Courtyard Top-Tier Leisure and Entertainment Club!"

Ning Mu thought for a moment and said.

"O-okay!" Yu Linglong nodded and hurriedly wrote it down.

Next.

Ning Mu gave a brief introduction to the planning and layout of the entire Yichun Courtyard, as well as its future business operations.

Yu Linglong also tried her best to understand and grasp it.

As the craftsmen arrived, Ning Mu also ended today's "lecture."

At this moment, Ji Siniang was frantically stuffing food into her mouth.

She shoved steamed buns in recklessly, and before swallowing, she drank porridge; her belly was visibly bulging, yet she was still desperately feeding her mouth.

Being a well-fed ghost is better than being a starving one.

Looking at her disheveled state, Ning Mu sighed and shook his head.

"Little friend, you are too soft-hearted!"

Seeing that Ning Mu seemed unable to make up his mind.

Liuli, who was to the side, shook her head. With a casual flick of her slender jade fingers, a faint, half-inch-long Qi sword manifested out of thin air at her fingertips.

Then.

She flicked her finger.

"Ugh..."

Only to see Ji Siniang suddenly stop her swallowing motion, as a very clear blood hole suddenly appeared between her eyebrows.

As blood seeped out from the hole, the focus in Ji Siniang's eyes gradually dissipated, and then she completely stopped breathing and fell to the ground.

???

Ning Mu couldn't help but turn his head to look at Liuli.

Good grief.

This nun kills without blinking! "Master, doesn't Buddhism emphasize compassion?"

He looked astonished.

It wasn't that he was pleading for Ji Siniang; even if Liuli hadn't acted, he would have killed her.

No one likes a traitor.

He was just surprised by Liuli's murderous nature! Is this really Buddhism? Liuli looked calm, composedly pressed her palms together, recited a Buddhist phrase, and said indifferently: "Virtuous! Or was little friend waiting for her next betrayal?"

"..."

You make a very good point! Ning Mu was rendered speechless by the retort and waved his hand to signal Yu Linglong to arrange for people to clear the corpse.

Seeing that Ji Siniang was finally dead.

Whether it was Yu Linglong or the other prostitutes, they all seemed to heave a sigh of relief.

"Young Master, wait!"

At this time.

Yu Linglong called out to him.

Then she turned and ran up the stairs with a clatter.

Ning Mu looked bewildered.

Before long.

Yu Linglong returned; the difference was that this time she had a wooden box in her hand.

"Young Master, these are the indentures of us sisters, as well as the property deeds for this land and the business registration."

Yu Linglong's eyes sparkled with admiration as she looked at Ning Mu.

She had gone to get these from Ji Siniang's room.

Only with these could one truly possess the ownership of this brothel!

Ning Mu was stunned for a moment, then reached out to take the wooden box.

And as Yu Linglong carried the wooden box down, it instantly attracted the gaze of all the prostitutes.

At this moment, they were all looking at Ning Mu with eager eyes.

As if hoping to redeem these indentures from Ning Mu's hands.

Ning Mu's expression was calm and unmoved.

Putting the box away, he looked at everyone and said: "Everyone, when the Yichun Courtyard club opens, this young master will announce news that will overturn the industry. At that time, it might not even be impossible for you to redeem your indentures after working hard for a few years. Alright, everyone work hard and strive for an early opening."

Ning Mu said to the women.

Then, she turned and left with a swish.

The veteran driver sensed the call, pulled the Lingxiao Wind-Riding Chariot directly into the courtyard, and lowered its body to wait for Ning Mu to board.

The words he left behind after departing immediately caused a strong reaction among the courtesans.

Liuli Shitai did not leave.

She still had to help them decoct the medicine.

After leaving Yichun Courtyard, Ning Mu went to the rented storefront for the Perfume shop in the East Market.

Jiang Fuling had gotten up early to rush over and busy herself with matters there.

Seeing there was nothing that required him, he left again.

In the following few days.

Ning Mu suddenly found himself idle.

Everyone had their own business to attend to; apart from teasing the maidservants, he would just toy with Liuli.

Yet Liu Qingmei had not appeared these past few days.

She had been busy transporting grain and dealing with matters at the Charity Porridge Shop outside the city.

However, looking at the System Interface and the two tasks Liu Qingmei had chosen, Ning Mu could not help but feel an itch in his heart.

He had not expected her choices to be so unexpected.

Ning Mu could not help but look forward to her completing the tasks soon! (End of chapter)