"My maidservant is still at the Fragrant Jade Pavilion. I beg Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager, to seek justice for me." Xu Zimo looked as if he had suffered a great grievance.
The ministers discussing state affairs with the Empress Dowager were all burning with anger.
"Under the emperor's very nose, there are those so audacious as to defy heaven. Your Majesty, this matter must be handled properly."
The Empress Dowager immediately ordered, "Summon the Valiant General and the Commander-in-Chief of the Five City Patrols."
Lu Dayong arrived quickly.
This Lu Dayong was the same famine refugee who had followed the Empress Dowager back when she went to provide disaster relief last time.
"Valiant General, muster two thousand troops to surround the residence of the Guardian General."
"Your subordinate receives the order."
"Commander Ma, take your men swiftly and follow the National Preceptor to conduct a search."
"Your servant obeys the decree."
With the two decrees issued, everyone waited for news.
Soon, the Commander-in-Chief of the Five City Patrols returned to report.
At the Fragrant Jade Pavilion, they had not only found the National Preceptor's maidservant but also other abducted women. The crime of forcing women into prostitution at the Fragrant Jade Pavilion was confirmed.
And it came to light that the backer behind the Fragrant Jade Pavilion was the Guardian General.
Moreover, someone had found evidence in the Guardian General's study of his collusion with Southern Chu and Northern Yan, plotting rebellion.
Rebellion warranted the execution of nine generations of the family.
The Empress Dowager, mindful of his past merits, ordered the Guardian General to be beheaded in public, all male members of his household exiled, and the womenfolk to serve as penal slaves.
On the day of the male exiles' departure, the streets were empty.
The entire capital had been buzzing about the Fragrant Jade Pavilion for the past two days.
"Have you heard? The Fragrant Jade Pavilion is truly despicable—they had专门的 kidnappers snatching young, beautiful women."
"I heard they even kidnapped their own eldest miss."
"Isn't that like the flood washing over the Dragon King's temple?"
"You don't know yet? That eldest miss was sold in by Yan Ji, the Guardian General's concubine."
"Really?"
"Of course. Yan Ji's daughter had her eye on the eldest miss's fiancé, so Yan Ji was clearing the way for her daughter."
"Haha, well, she cleared it all right—even the general's mansion got swept away."
"Is that Yan Ji? The fifth one."
"That's her, that's her."
Shen Yunyun, wearing a veiled hat, stood among the crowd eavesdropping, her gaze fixed on the fifth woman.
She was in her thirties, well-preserved, with a plump figure.
All the women of the general's household were being escorted out, each looking utterly despondent.
Seeing the once lofty nobles fall, now worse off than commoners, the ordinary folk inexplicably grew excited.
"Got any money? You could buy one to take home as a wife."
"I wouldn't want a lowly penal slave."
Shen Yunyun raised an eyebrow. It seemed penal slaves were indeed as low as could be—even men who couldn't afford a wife wouldn't take them.
These people would have no human rights from now on, and whether they could even keep their lives was another question.
So, finding a refuge for these penal slaves shouldn't be too much to ask, right?
Definitely not—this era even allowed the buying and selling of people.
After some mental self-assurance, she took her silver to buy people.
The Guardian General's household had over six hundred servants and laborers.
She bought two hundred young maids, blindfolded them, and led them to a secret chamber.
Then, like a diligent little bee, she hurried back to the trading center to find Karl.
"Karl, I've brought you wives," Shen Yunyun said cheerfully.
Karl was delighted to hear that Shen Yunyun had brought them wives.
"This time, I'm sending you two hundred."
"Good, I'll arrange a place for them to undergo quarantine."
Shen Yunyun: "..."
Quarantine.
That word sounded awful.
Why did it feel like they were being treated like animals?