Marrying a playboy? She turned the tables and used a magical talisman to become famous throughout th

Upon the arrival of the Empress, Yin Liuli and Gu Jinyan immediately became much more restrained, obediently stepping forward to pay their respects.

"This humble woman greets Your Majesty the Empress."

"Your subject greets Your Majesty!"

"You two children!"

The Empress's gentle phoenix eyes smiled as she raised her hand and poked their foreheads, playfully scolding them.

"They dare to disregard even the Emperor's dignity, defying imperial decrees—they're incredibly audacious!"

Gu Jinyan's face had a childlike quality, and he said in a muffled voice,

"It's not that I'm disrespecting my maternal grandfather, I just feel a little wronged..."

The Empress sighed softly and said earnestly,

"Your maternal grandfather had no choice; he had to give an explanation to the imperial family."

"Alright, I've come to invite you personally. Do you even care about giving me, your maternal grandmother, any face? Are you coming out or not?"

"Get out, get out! Liuli loves the Empress the most!"

Yin Liuli blinked her bright eyes and smiled innocently, "To tell you the truth, Your Majesty, I've been missing my mother for a long time!"

……

There are only three or four days left until the wedding day.

Yin Liuli was kept at the Princess's residence by her mother and Granny Jin, trying on wedding dresses and getting her makeup done all day long, and didn't even have time to leave the house.

Chu Lingyun stayed in the pavilion for most of the day, seemingly drinking tea, but actually gazing at her courtyard from afar.

He couldn't express his feelings—reluctance, helplessness, or sadness were all mixed together, making his heart feel heavy and suffocated.

"Senior Brother!"

As he was drinking tea in a sullen mood, Yin Liuli sneaked out of the courtyard and ran to his side in a flash.

"Junior sister, are you alright today?"

Chu Lingyun smiled, then suddenly seemed a little lost.

"My mother and Granny Jin helped me alter my wedding dress; it was a lot of trouble for me to escape."

Yin Liuli grabbed his wrist and said hurriedly, "Let's not talk about that now. Come with me for a walk. I'm so bored staying in the manor these past two days."

"Um."

Looking at that slender, white hand, Chu Lingyun's heart trembled involuntarily.

To outsiders, such physical contact between men and women was actually quite normal between the two of them, the senior and junior disciples.

But after she gets married, she won't pull him like that anymore, right?

Why am I trying to comfort myself, thinking that just being able to see her is enough? Why does my heart still feel like it's being stabbed with a knife?

……

"The streets are so much more lively!"

Once outside the Princess's residence, Yin Liuli was like a bird released from its cage, flying away with joy.

Chu Lingyun followed silently behind her, his cold eyes never leaving her for a moment.

A group of people were gathered not far ahead, arguing noisily.

"This girl was chosen by me, and you dare to steal her?"

"Why wouldn't I dare to rob you? Do you even know who I am?!"

"I don't care who you are! Try and take the girl I've set my sights on!"

"Oh ho, you're getting cocky! Let me tell you, this girl is mine! Tonight, we'll consummate our marriage..."

……

A burst of laughter immediately erupted from all around.

“Mmmmm…”

A woman's suppressed sobs could be heard from the crowd.

Chu Lingyun paused for a moment, as if he heard a familiar voice.

"How can human trafficking still exist in the capital?"

Yin Liuli frowned immediately. "Buying and selling people in broad daylight! Is there no justice in this world? Senior Brother, let's go take a look."

"Excuse me! Let me through!"

The crowd was so dense that Yin Liuli couldn't squeeze in no matter what she did, so she had to hop around to get a better look inside.

"What are you doing here, a young girl like you, getting involved in this?"

An older woman selling vegetables nearby quickly called out to her.

Yin Liuli asked curiously, "Auntie, is this a place where people are bought and sold?"

I guess so.

The old woman sighed and said, "This is a government-run brokerage firm. They sell the families of high-ranking officials who have been convicted of crimes. The women are sold to wealthy families as slaves or to brothels, while the men are sold off to be slaves. Ah... how pitiful."

Yin Liuli stared wide-eyed in surprise.

"Is that so? Who are they selling?"

The older woman said with a face full of sympathy,

"I heard that they were relatives of the Prime Minister. They offended the Emperor, so the man was exiled to a harsh and cold place, and the woman was sold into slavery."

"A perfectly good prime minister's residence, now completely ruined!"

A name flashed through Yin Liuli's mind: Shen Qingtang.

Chu Lingyun's heart sank for no apparent reason.

Pushing through the crowd, all the women of the Shen family, regardless of rank, had their hands bound and a straw stuck in their hair, standing in a row, trembling.

Shen Qingtang was among them, her mouth gagged with a cloth, her beautiful face filled with humiliation and despair.

"Senior Brother, look, it's Miss Shen."

Yin Liuli said in surprise.

All she knew was that the prime minister and the crown prince had been convicted of treason and both met tragic ends.

But I never expected it to be this bad...

Shen Qingtang was rescued by her and her senior brother. Unlike the Prime Minister, Yin Liuli's impression of her was not bad.

Moreover, Shen Qingtang seems to really like her senior brother...

A complex expression flashed across Chu Lingyun's usually cold face.

"This girl is really beautiful. I'll buy her and make her my concubine, so she can serve me well!"

A fat, burly businessman-looking man raised his hand, pinched her cheek, looked her over like he was inspecting livestock, and then laughed lewdly.

"Add another hundred taels of silver, and I'll take it, sir!"

"I already told you!"

The young master, dressed in fine clothes, sneered disdainfully, "Two hundred taels, I'll buy a maid to warm my bed!"

Chu Lingyun clenched her fists, a cold glint flashing in her clear eyes.

How could Shen Qingtang, who came from a noble family, tolerate such foul language?

She struggled desperately to break free from the merchant's grasp and ran away frantically.

But the broker grabbed him by the hair and dragged him back.

"You bitch, you think you can run away? You think you're still the young lady of the Prime Minister's mansion? Bah!"

“Mmmmm…”

Shen Qingtang fell to the ground, struggling desperately, her bloodshot eyes filled with despair.

"This little beauty has quite a temper, but the old man likes her!"

The businessman stepped forward, grabbed her hair and pulled it back, his rough fingers touching her face. "With such delicate skin, do you even know how to serve a man...?"

"Snap"

Before he could finish speaking, he received a resounding slap across the face.

Yin Liuli frowned coldly, "Let go of your dirty hands!"

“Mmmmm…”

Shen Qingtang trembled.

She saw Yin Liuli and Chu Lingyun, and tears instantly streamed down her face.

The bloodshot eyes lit up again the moment they saw Chu Lingyun.

"Save me! Brother Chu, save me... Please save me..."

She screamed desperately, but her voice was muffled by the cloth in her mouth, leaving only sobs.

The merchant, clutching his burning face, roared in fury.

"You brat, who do you think you are, daring to hit me, your master..."

"Bang……"

Before she could finish speaking, Yin Liuli flicked her fingers, and a beam of spiritual light sent his obese body flying.

"Miss Shen!"

Chu Lingyun quickly stepped forward and helped Shen Qingtang up.