Do You Like Me That Much? Miss Villainess-Chapter 44 : Heyang's Pleasure Quarter, Tianyin Ward

"Lady Lou, how did it go?"
In the Crown Prince's mansion, after listening to his subordinate's , the Crown Prince expressionlessly glanced at the demon clan woman sitting across from him.
"Acceptable..."
The demon woman nodded slightly:
"Although the unexpected leak caught us off guard initially, thanks to Your Highness's assistance, our losses weren't too great, and our scheme wasn't discovered."
Not discovered?
Several important advisors exchanged glances. Good that it wasn't discovered—this was a life-or-death matter.
The Crown Prince's tightly furrowed brow also relaxed somewhat:
"What about Skyreach Tower?"
"We lost a few low-ranking assassins. Those uninjured are fine, and that fifth-rank one only suffered minor injuries—at most a month to recover." Lady Lou said.
"Still acceptable."
The Crown Prince said nothing more.
Although this loss pained him somewhat, compared to the risk of demon clan exposure, he could still distinguish priorities.
He just knew this matter definitely wasn't over yet.
If everything was resolved, that demon woman would only send subordinates to notify him. But since she came personally, there must be important matters to discuss.
"Your Highness, Guanyue has a request."
The demon woman across from him suddenly became serious.
The Crown Prince's face darkened: "Speak."
"Those who knew of this matter were all eliminated last night, but things were done too hastily. When my demon clan children acted, they seem to have missed something—the evidence wasn't cleaned up properly."
"Evidence?"
The Crown Prince's expression immediately turned grim, making several advisors beside him tremble inwardly.
"Just minor oversights. They were also eager to serve Your Highness well."
"What do you propose?"
"I heard Your Highness has good relations with a certain constable in the Six Bureaus? I worry this evidence might fall into Six Bureaus hands, which could be detrimental to Your Highness. So I'd like to trouble that distinguished person of yours to help cover for Guanyue."
"Cover for you?"
The Crown Prince's gaze turned cold.
Although that constable was his person, they absolutely weren't a piece that could be casually sacrificed.
Everyone knew there were only nine constables in the Six Bureaus, and all nine were strong candidates to succeed as the next Chief Constable.
So their status was naturally different.
But demon clan traces were also extremely important, even relating to the Crown Prince's own life...
"Six Bureaus..."
The Crown Prince took a deep breath and looked at her grimly:
"I'll help you demons this one more time. I hope your schemes won't disappoint me when the time comes!"
"But of course."
Lady Lou smiled charmingly.
○
"Saint!"
In eastern Heyang City, in the pleasure district, atop a luxuriously decorated tower, Lou Guanyue gently sipped her tea:
"What about the matter I asked you to handle?"
Her subordinate respectfully replied:
"All taken care of, except for that person at Xihong Courtyard in the eastern district. Things were done too hastily last night—the evidence wasn't destroyed. The items have now fallen into Xihong Courtyard's hands, but they don't know the importance of these things yet, treating them as ordinary relics."
Lou Guanyue frowned slightly:
"The Crown Prince can worry about that matter. I'm asking about that evil fox!"
Hearing this, the subordinate's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly responded:
"Someone said they saw a white fox outside the city two weeks ago. I've already sent people to investigate—we should catch her soon!"
"Hurry up."
Lou Guanyue said indifferently:
"We spent great cost to infiltrate Heyang for that evil fox. Helping that ambitious Crown Prince was just a minor matter, but now this minor matter is becoming major, and you still haven't found clues..."
The subordinate was terrified and knelt to beg forgiveness:
"Saint, please understand—we are utterly loyal! Within a week at most, we'll definitely find clues about that evil fox!"
Crash!
A gust of wind knocked him head over heels, leaving him sprawled embarrassingly on the floor.
"I say evil fox because I am the Saint," Lou Guanyue's gaze was indifferent. "What right do you impure-blooded creatures have to show such disrespect to a Qingqiu fox?"
"Spare my life, my lord!"
"Get lost."
Lou Guanyue stood atop the tower, gazing at the massive gray shadow on the distant horizon, silent for a long time.
After a while, she finally sighed:
"[Nine-Tailed Heart Fox]..."
○
While the Crown Prince and Lou Guanyue each harbored their own concerns.
Accompanied by urgent hoofbeats,
Mu Qinglan's group had set out.
The place the little girl was going to this time was Tianyin Ward in the eastern district. Because of its numerous brothels, taverns, and merchant establishments, it was also known as the pleasure quarter.
Wards were administrative divisions within Heyang City, somewhat similar to districts in large cities from her previous life, though naturally much smaller.
North of Tianyin Ward stood Xihong Courtyard.
That was also their destination.
Xihong Courtyard was the residence of some courtesans with minor fame in the city. Naturally more restrained than ordinary brothels and taverns, it only opened for customers during meal times and late night snacks. But this aloofness made many vulgar men who fancied themselves romantic even more eager to pursue it.
After all, people are like that...
The more someone doesn't want to let you see something, the more you want to persist in visiting.
Although the sun was almost scorching when Mu Qinglan left home, even after the three arrived at Tianyin Ward, there was still some time before meal time.
So they simply began strolling through Tianyin Ward.
Mu Qinglan had done plenty of shopping in her previous life—pedestrian streets, malls, plazas, she'd been to them all. But strolling through an ancient marketplace was definitely a first.
Today Mu Qinglan was dressed particularly beautifully.
To showcase her sickly beauty style, she still chose a black and red dress, but the collar was white, giving an overall wonderful sense of youthfulness.
However, different from previous days,
Today she wore a small black veil hat that added several touches of cuteness.
She perfectly embodied the concept of sickly cuteness.
Bai Yuyu's eyes were practically sparkling with little stars, almost ready to pick up Mu Qinglan and spin her around while sweetly calling out "Whose little sister is this?" before cackling coldly.
Mu Qinglan knew clearly that the little girl liked exactly this style.
This was also what she had deliberately dressed up as.
In Tianyin Ward, crowds surged.
Bai Yuyu pushed the wheelchair with the girl through the crowds, her smile radiant, occasionally pointing excitedly at candied hawthorns by the roadside, saying she remembered the taste of candied hawthorns from when she came here as a child, and that one must try them when visiting here.
Mu Qinglan smiled lightly and accepted the candied hawthorn the little girl handed her.
She gently took a bite.
Smiling, she said:
"It is a bit sweet."
"I can't help but want to eat it all up."