No sooner had he finished speaking than a group of people entered from outside, surrounding the room so tightly that not even a fly could get in.

The dim light made it difficult to discern each unfamiliar face, but the fair-skinned foreign man who walked in from the very back caught Song He'er's attention.

This person was the one we met during the day who was called "Your Highness." If I'm not mistaken, he should be the son of the King of Xizhou.

Song He'er was never one to be infatuated with men, but she had lived through this world, and although she had traveled from the future, she had never seen a man with such a handsome appearance.

He possesses an aura of righteousness, refusing to entangle himself with corrupt things, and stands proudly between heaven and earth. If such a man were placed in modern times, he would surely be chased by girls.

Song Song'er breathed a sigh of relief, pretending to be calm as she continued to sit in her seat without saying another word.

A pair of clear eyes met those eyes that were trying to dodge and weave, and for a moment, an awkwardness burned on Song He'er's cheeks.

Instantly, her face turned as red as her red bottom, making her look incredibly endearing.

The man's lips curled into a wicked smile before he returned to his serious demeanor.

"You've been staring at me for a long time."

"Huh? I..."

"What is your relationship with the woman being held next to you?"

Without a second thought, Song He'er replied decisively, "It doesn't matter, I don't know her."

The man's expression remained unchanged, as if he had already anticipated this answer.

"Then why did she suddenly accuse you? Of all the merchants who come and go in the city, why did she choose you out of all of them?"

He really is the leader of this group of henchmen; his questioning is much more subtle and indirect than the one before.

“She asked my mother for money, but my mother said she didn’t have any change for her, so she framed her.”

The man smiled, his gaze fixed intently on her. "You're quite clever, and your words are sharp. Have you ever been to any school?"

Song He'er pondered for a long time and felt that she absolutely could not tell him that she had hired a tutor at home when she was a child. This would definitely expose her identity, because what ordinary family could afford to hire a tutor in the capital?

Thinking of this, Song He'er shook her head, "I know a few words, all taught by my mother."

“I heard someone in your group call your mother ‘Xiao Niang’. I know that ‘Xiao Niang’ is a term for a concubine in the Central Plains. May I ask which family your Xiao Niang is a concubine in?”

Song He'er was speechless for a moment. This man was indeed difficult to deal with; every question he asked was like a knife.

If you can't answer, just don't answer.

Seeing that she didn't speak, the man asked the same question again.

"Please answer my question directly."

Song He'er raised her head, her resolute eyes revealing a chilling light.

"What? Is it illegal to become someone's concubine?"

"Of course it's not illegal."

“That’s it. My mother’s family was poor, so she had to be sold to a merchant’s family who had a decent business to be a concubine. But this was out of necessity and is a matter of personal privacy. Your Highness has no right to interfere.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than the soldiers beside her raised their hands to lash her with their whips!

"How dare you speak to our Prince like that! Are you courting death?!"

The long whip ripped through the tender skin, leaving a striking bloodstain.

Song He'er frowned, forcing herself not to shed tears.

But it hurts...it really hurts...

"Outrageous! Who gave you permission to use torture!"

"Your Highness, she is spouting nonsense!"

"So you're not allowed to use torture without my order?"

The officers and soldiers were so frightened that they retreated repeatedly, saying, "Yes, sir, I understand. I will never dare to do it again!"

"Get out of here, all of you!"

The officers and soldiers exchanged glances, then left the dimly lit room, looking disheveled.

Song He'er hadn't expected that this foreign prince would have such a soft heart.

After the soldiers left, the man on the platform asked again, "Now it's just you and me, are you still not going to tell the truth?"

Song He'er would never reveal everything just because this person had shown her mercy. She wanted to live, to survive, and to reach Xinzhou safely!

She also wants those two vile mother and daughter to suffer a terrible death!

“Your Highness, what I have said is true. My father traded medicinal herbs in the capital. Due to the new emperor’s ascension to the throne and the unstable situation, merchants have a low social status. To avoid a life of leisure, my father went to another place. My stepmother brought us to Xizhou to make a living, intending to do some small business, earn some money, and find another place to live.”

"Then why didn't your stepmother travel with your father?"

Song He'er smiled and said, "Didn't Your Highness see at a glance that my mother was a concubine? Since she is a concubine, she has to be at the mercy of the principal wife and be ordered around like a servant. If she goes with them, will my mother and I still have a good life?"

Upon hearing this, the person on the stage laughed, a laugh that held a profound meaning.

After a long silence, he slowly spoke, "You are young, but you are the smartest among these people. I like you very much. Stay and be my maid. I will not mistreat you and your family. I will find them a good place to live and arrange a good job for them!"

Working as a maid for the young prince?

Normally, everyone would rush to stay, especially since this young prince is so handsome; it wouldn't be bad to have him by the side to feast one's eyes on.

But reality wouldn't allow her to do that. The deadline given by the imperial court was fast approaching, and if she couldn't register truthfully in Xinzhou, it would be a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of her family.

Exterminating my father's entire family is nothing!

But her stepmother's family members were few and scattered all over the country. If someone with ulterior motives found them, wouldn't that wipe out her maternal family line?

No, no! This is absolutely unacceptable!

"I know what you're thinking. You're thinking of refusing me, aren't you?"

Song He'er chuckled, "Your Highness, I am clumsy and may not be able to serve you as your maid. Perhaps I should go back and do the chores with my mistress and the others!"

The man stared at her with interest. "No, I prefer young and clever girls. I feel good working with people like that! It's settled then. In a little while, I will send your family to the inn to rest."

Song He'er knew that he had ulterior motives and did not genuinely want to keep her by his side.

He simply wanted to stall for time and find another way to get more information from her that he wanted to know.

The two of them now have their own ulterior motives. Song He'er is determined to escape, while the other wants to keep her around to gather information about the Central Plains.

Rather than a stalemate, it's better to cater to their preferences; at least a post station is much more comfortable than a prison cell.

"Very well, Your Highness, but I have a request."

"My younger brother is still small. Could you please find him a wet nurse? He's not even a year old yet. Because my stepmother is in poor health, he's been eating coarse food for a long time!"