Shan Xiao Ya walked forward, curiously observing the group approaching her… A woman saw Shan Xiao Ya walking boldly in the middle of the road and kindly pulled her aside. “Those people are trouble. Quickly move, don’t block their way.”
Shan Xiao Ya, who didn’t like causing trouble, retreated to the side following the woman’s guidance.
Her eyes remained fixed on the group. “Who are they?” she asked curiously.
The woman whispered, “Oh, you don’t know? No wonder you dared walk in the middle of the road. They’re thugs from Chun Xiang Yuan. Have you heard of Chun Xiang Yuan?”
Shan Xiao Ya, hearing the name, immediately knew it wasn’t a good place. She blurted out, “It’s not a brothel, is it?!”
The woman continued talking. “Let me tell you, Chun Xiang Yuan is the largest brothel in An City. Do you know who its behind-the-scenes boss is? It’s the famous Prince Jing. In An City, who would dare to disrespect Prince Jing? His subordinates are all top-notch. See that woman they’re dragging? She’s escaped several times in the past few days, and each time she’s caught, she’s beaten mercilessly. Her miserable screams can be heard far away.”
Shan Xiao Ya asked, “Why are they catching her?”
The woman leaned close to Shan Xiao Ya’s ear and said, “I heard she was Prince Jing’s concubine who was caught cheating. The man was killed on the spot, and she was sent to Chun Xiang Yuan by Prince Jing. She deserves it! How could she be so shameless? If you ask me, she should be thrown in a pig cage. Serves her right!”
Shan Xiao Ya recalled the strange man who had forced her to accept the token with his sword and asked, “Prince Jing? Are there multiple Prince Jings in An City?”
The woman looked at Shan Xiao Ya as if she were strange. “Of course there’s only one Prince Jing. How many do you think there are?”
“No, no. I was just asking casually.” Shan Xiao Ya thought to herself: This Prince Jing is really strange. He would even send his own wife to such a place? It seems best to avoid him and hope never to see him again.
