The two chatted for a long time. After leaving the brothel, Prince Wu accompanied Tian Yu all the way to the clinic. When Tian Yu saw that they had arrived, she bowed slightly and said, "Your Highness, I have arrived. Your Highness, don't forget what we talked about today."
"Rest assured, I will not forget."
"Don't let him know."
“Okay, it’s a deal. It’s really fun chatting with you. If you really don’t want to come to me, I can make you my queen.”
"Let's forget it. We're better suited to be friends or business partners. If I became your princess, we'd probably fight to the death."
"Alright! But if you ever change your mind, remember that I've reserved a place for you here."
"Thank you, Your Highness. I know that if you want it, no one can stop you, but I am very grateful that Your Highness said that. I will definitely repay Your Highness's kindness in not marrying me in the future."
"The grace of not marrying you!? Interesting. I'm very curious to know how you will repay this favor." Prince Wu laughed and said. Tian Yu did not answer and bid farewell to the prince before returning to the clinic.
After Tian Yu went inside, Prince Wu stood with his hands behind his back and said, "Come out, Marquis of Zhenbei!"
"Your humble servant greets Your Highness," Zhao Moyan said, emerging from the shadows and bowing to Prince Wu.
"Why did the Marquis refuse to show himself just now?"
"I just happened to be passing by and saw that you were having a very engaging conversation, so I didn't want to disturb you."
"You heard what we just said. Doesn't Your Excellency want to know what we discussed?"
"I don't want to. Since she doesn't want me to know, it's better for me not to know either."
"Oh? Really? I think you'll know before dawn tomorrow!"
"Your Highness is too kind."
"Alright, my lord, you don't need to be so polite with me. You'd better keep your wife well hidden, or someone else might snatch her away one day, and then it will be too late to regret it. She wants to open a brothel and I need your help."
"Your Highness agreed?" Zhao Moyan was somewhat surprised, but soon seemed to understand.
"I've agreed, but don't tell anyone I told you. I promise I won't let you know."
What are the conditions?
"You'll have to ask her yourself."
After Prince Wu finished speaking, he left. Zhao Moyan stood there for a long time. Today, he deliberately brought Tangyuan back, wanting to see them, but when he arrived, he didn't dare to go in. He didn't know how to face her. He was planning to leave, but halfway there, he didn't want to leave like that. He thought to himself, "I haven't seen her for so many days. Is she doing well?" So he turned back and lingered outside the door for a long time, still not having the courage to go in.
Seeing her chatting and laughing with Prince Wu, he hid, somewhat angry. It seemed he had overthought things; she had no feelings for him at all. Even after being gone for so long, she was still doing very well, going out to drink and carouse, completely ignoring his words, living a carefree life. It seemed he was the only one heartbroken and unable to eat or sleep, tormented by unrequited love. Zhao Moyan looked down at his feet, his heart filled with mixed emotions. How could he possibly keep Tian Yu, make her have only him in her heart, forget that other person, and only feel sorrow and grief for him?
Tian Yu returned to her room. If she wasn't mistaken, Chen Chong might return within three months. Before that, she needed to make all the necessary preparations to help him leave safely; it was the only thing she could do for him. Looking at Tangyuan, who was already asleep on the bed, she thought Li Yong might have brought her back that night. Li Xingyun knocked on the door and asked why she had been out for so long. Tian Yu was tired, so she gave a few perfunctory answers and went back to her room to rest.
The next day at noon, Prince Wu sent someone to deliver the property deeds and land deed for Yanyu Tower. Looking at the deeds in her hand, Tian Yu thought that the prince was indeed useful, having handled things so quickly. After carefully putting away the deeds, Tian Yu that afternoon found someone from the county town specializing in house repairs to inspect Yanyu Tower inside and out, noting down all the areas that needed renovation. After agreeing on a price, the person in charge went back to prepare. Tian Yu offered more money, hoping to speed things up. The owner initially refused, but eventually succumbed to the temptation of money and agreed.
For the next two weeks, Tian Yu stayed at Yanyu Tower. During the day, she supervised the work, buying decorations and scouring the streets and alleys of Shancheng County. After the workers left at night, she personally checked everything before resting. She also spoke with Mudan many times. If Mudan really wanted to be a courtesan, Tian Yu hoped she would come here, on the condition that she wouldn't sign a contract of servitude. Customer tips would belong entirely to her, and she could decide whether or not to accept clients without interference from others. If she didn't want to continue, she could leave at any time, or stay; the tower would take them in until they grew old. All she had to do was sign a contract that she couldn't go anywhere else while working here, and if she left, she couldn't use anything she had learned here. Mudan immediately agreed. Thanks to Mudan's promotion, many courtesans came looking for her, expressing their willingness to come, but they had to redeem their contracts of servitude first. During this time, everyone had to keep it a secret.
Tian Yu prepared for the brothel day and night, while Tang Yuan stayed in the military camp to practice martial arts and archery with a group of men. Of course, she didn't neglect the lessons left by Tian Yu, and Zhao Moyan would give her some guidance when he had time.
While Tian Yu worked tirelessly through the night at the brothel, Zhao Moyan was not idle either. He handled official business during the day and returned to the city at night to watch over Tian Yu. Not wanting Tian Yu to find out, he always hid in the shadows and would only come to her bedside to watch her when she fell asleep.
Li often visited Tian Yu. Although she wasn't very supportive of Tian Yu's plan to open a brothel, she eventually accepted it after Tian Yu's repeated explanations and insistence. Li Xingyun was even more opposed to Tian Yu opening a brothel, but her opposition was ineffective. Out of spite, she refused to visit Tian Yu. Tian Yu was too busy to explain to everyone, and she believed that those who understood her didn't need explanations, and those who didn't understand her wouldn't be helped by them anyway.
The renovation, which was originally scheduled to take half a month, was still overdue and ultimately took twenty days to complete. Prince Wu was very curious and always wanted to come and see it, but Tian Yu declined all guests and kept it a secret from the outside world. In addition, she herself dressed up as a man to avoid being recognized. Apart from a few people around her, everyone only knew that a young man surnamed Tian was going to reopen Yanyu Tower, and did not know that she was a woman.
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