The nighttime Western White City was more lively, with bustling traffic and crowds of people, filled with merchants and peddlers calling out their wares.

Yan Xun’s carriage weaved through the crowded throngs. Lanterns flickered throughout the streets, and all kinds of rare items were displayed everywhere, many imported from Huaisong, Biantang, and other places. This area was already close to the border city, with prosperous trade, and the common people’s lives were increasingly comfortable.

“Young Master,” Ajing said in a deep voice, “We need to replenish some dried provisions, and the horses also need to be replaced. Hirui has already gone to prepare. We’ll need to wait here for a while. What do you think, should we find lodging first?”

“No need,” Yan Xun said. “We’ll continue through the night.”

“Yes.” Ajing didn’t object. His suggestion had been merely a small proposal. Since leaving Shangshen, Yan Xun had been traveling quickly, rarely resting. Having followed Yan Xun for so many years, Ajing naturally understood the deeper meaning. Though on the surface this trip was to scout Biantang’s situation and meet with that person to ally, he knew very well what the Young Master was thinking.

Hope the lady is safe and sound!

Ajing silently wished once more in his heart.

They had been walking for a long time but still hadn’t left the market for craft jewelry. The horse market positioned at the eastern end seemed even more distant. Hirui and the others should wait a bit longer, so Ajing drove the carriage slowly, looking around leisurely, appearing very much like a genuine tourist.

Just then, a sudden heart-rending scream came from the western side of the market. Inside the carriage, there was no reaction, completely unperturbed. A man dressed like a scholar unobtrusively approached Ajing and said, “This subordinate will go take a look.”

“Elder Yue, stop going around in circles. I want this woman. Either name your price so we can discuss it or if you keep wasting the young master’s time, I’ll just take her by force.”

A man dressed in white robes, holding a fan, spoke slowly and deliberately under the protection of several servants. Judging by his luxurious clothing, he must be from a wealthy family, but his face was quite repulsive, full of lewd and shameless expressions. Though he spoke in such a manner, his eyes remained fixed on the woman sitting on the ground covered in wounds, emanating greedy radiance.

The surrounding onlookers, seeing that there was a spectacle to watch, all laughed and cheered, showing that such incidents happened frequently here. People had become numb and didn’t feel there was anything improper about it.

The woman had a head of jet-black hair, and a pale complexion, and sat motionless on the ground with her head bowed, hands and feet bound. But even though she kept her head down, people could still see her beautiful features from her smooth skin and perfectly curved chin. The loose, ill-fitting, and wet robe draped over her body only emphasized her delicate figure and shapely curves. Her exposed arms were covered with dense whip marks, evidence that she had suffered considerable beating and abuse.

Elder Yue waved a sheet of white paper in front of the white-robed man, saying arrogantly, “Young Master Wang, look carefully. Is this an ordinary woman? This is the biological daughter of Grand Duke Zhaoming of the Empire’s Council of Elders, one of the Great Xia’s top noble ladies. Under normal circumstances, forget about buying her for your private collection, if you ever wanted to look at her, someone would be ready to gouge out your eyeballs. If this lady hadn’t fallen on hard times, how would there be a chance for us brothers? Given her status, her position, and her appearance, is two hundred gold pieces too much to ask?”

At these words, the crowd was shocked. Yan Xun in the carriage slightly furrowed his brow, pulled aside the curtain, and said to Ajing in a deep voice, “Ajing, go take a look.”

With that, he jumped down from the carriage and walked toward the center of the crowd.

The guards hidden in the crowd immediately pushed their way in, clearing a path for him.

At that moment, the woman suddenly raised her head, looking defiantly at Elder Yue, and said word by word in a deep voice, “You will face retribution!”

At this, everyone saw her full appearance and let out a collective gasp of surprise. The woman was extremely beautiful, with almond eyes and willow eyebrows, red lips and snow-white skin, and a long neck as graceful as a swan’s. Despite her disheveled state, her beauty remained undimmed, with eyes like autumn waters that, although cold and hateful, possessed an unavoidable charm.

Young Master Wang heard her speak for the first time and felt her voice was sweet like silver bells. He didn’t even notice what she had said, staring at her with his eyes almost popping out. Suddenly, he gritted his teeth and said fiercely, “Not expensive, I’ll buy her!”

Elder Yue was extremely pleased upon hearing this and smiled, saying, “Then it’s a deal! Let’s exchange money for goods, shall we?”

Young Master Wang was about to take out his bank notes excitedly when his eyes shifted. He chuckled and stroked his chin, saying, “Elder Yue, I’m spending so much money. Don’t you think I should inspect the goods to feel at ease?”

The onlookers heard this and immediately erupted in an uproar. Elder Yue was taken aback, then punched Young Master Wang hard in the chest, laughing and cursing, “You dirty thief, if you want to inspect the goods right here, I won’t stop you.”

Everyone understood what he meant, and all began to cheer loudly, as if afraid Young Master Wang wouldn’t inspect the goods here. The woman finally showed a look of terror, tears welling up in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall. She bit her lower lip hard, breathing rapidly, wishing she could bash her head against something and die, but unable to move.

A nearby slave trader who was guarding her saw this and whipped her, shouting, “Behave yourself!”

Young Master Wang saw this and pushed away the man whipping her, saying, “Get away! I’m about to buy her, and you’re still beating her. Don’t you have any respect for me?” Then he turned to Elder Yue and said, “This won’t do here. Let’s find an inn, and inspect the goods there. You can watch if you don’t trust me.”

Elder Yue laughed mockingly, “You eat while I watch? Do I look like a fool? Forget it, considering our years of friendship, let’s go to the Returning Geese Inn just ahead.”

Young Master Wang snickered and gave a few instructions to his attendant, then stepped toward the woman, laughing as he went, “Don’t be afraid, beautiful. The young master will take good care of you.”

The woman’s gaze was like dead ashes, but she defiantly said in a deep voice, “Just kill me, I won’t submit to you.”

Though she spoke firmly, her voice was as crisp as a nightingale’s. Young Master Wang grinned even wider and laughed lewdly, “Don’t be afraid! How could I bear to kill you? You’re the treasure I bought with a lot of money. I’m eager to cherish you! As for submitting or not, that’s not for you to decide!”

“You pack of beasts! The Huaiyin warriors will not let you get away with this!”

“Haha! Huaiyin? Huaiyin was destroyed by the Emperor long ago. Do you know what the charges were? Betraying the Empire, and colluding with enemies. No one can save you. No one can help you now, even if the Lion of Yan Bei came, I could crush him like an ant!”

“Boom!” Suddenly, everyone saw a flash of cyan, and the arrogant white-robed Young Master Wang flew through the air like a kite, soaring seven or eight meters before crashing heavily to the ground.

“Young Master,” the scholar coldly glanced at Young Master Wang, then respectfully turned and walked back. From behind the crowd, a man wearing a dark green robe slowly emerged. His steps were unhurried, his expression cold, showing no hint of emotion.

His gaze passed indifferently over the crowd, looking at Young Master Wang struggling awkwardly to his feet, then pointed at the disheveled woman sitting on the ground and said, “Take her away.”

Elder Yue looked at Young Master Wang sprawled on the ground, unable to get up, and trembled as he said, “Who are you? Are you trying to snatch her? How dare you! Aren’t you afraid I’ll report you to the authorities?”

After hearing Elder Yue mutter for so long, only to come up with such a statement, the crowd burst into laughter. It was well known that Elder Yue had been recruiting and selling slaves in Western White City for quite some time. He was always a bully who would pinch and squeeze any easy target to death, but when facing formidable figures, he would report to the authorities and let them handle it. Seeing him frightened like this now, it was clear he had sensed something.

Yan Xun turned his head indifferently, slightly furrowing his brow, and said in a low tone, “Merchant, this lady is the daughter of the He Lian family of Huaiyin. With such a status, you dare to touch her? Isn’t your courage a bit too great?”

Elder Yue boldly shouted, “What about the He Lian family? Huaiyin has been defeated, anyone can trample on them. Not just her, even the King of Yan Bei was once despised by all when he was in Zhenhuang. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—these so-called noble people are worse than dogs once their fortunes fail. This is a legal business transaction, what’s wrong with it?”

Yan Xun said nothing. He merely narrowed his eyes slowly, looking indifferently at the man, his eyes gleaming with a mysterious light.

Elder Yue felt a bit uneasy under his gaze, but pretended to be calm and said, “The road is wide, everyone has their own path. Brother, let’s not interfere with each other and become friends. I won’t pursue this matter with you, how about that?”

Yan Xun looked at him askance, the corner of his mouth twitching, suddenly finding it somewhat amusing.

“Damn it all, what are you all standing around for? Get him, kill the bastard!” Young Master Wang, who had finally risen from the ground with stars swimming before his eyes, shouted frantically at his followers.

Yan Xun seemed not to hear him and walked straight toward the woman.

Elder Yue gritted his teeth and waved his hand vigorously, and his followers also stepped forward, rolling up their sleeves ready to fight. But at that moment, some of the ordinary onlookers surrounding them suddenly sprang forward with agile movements and engaged with these men. In a few swift moves, they had knocked down Young Master Wang and Elder Yue’s men. In an instant, the ground was covered with moaning men sprawled in all directions.

Yan Xun stood before the woman, looking down at her. Seeing her tattered clothes, he turned to Ajing and said, “Bring a robe.”

Ajing was taken aback, but quickly took off his own outer robe. Yan Xun took it and handed it down to the woman, saying, “Put this on.”

The He Lian family’s young lady was stunned. She looked up incredulously, her fingers trembling, seemingly unable to take the robe. Days of torment and hardship, drifting with no fixed abode, the shame and humiliation of being sold from one person to another, and hardships she had never endured before had left this woman physically and mentally exhausted. She had been holding back, not crying or making a fuss, striving to maintain the last dignity of the He Lian family, but now her eyes suddenly reddened. She pressed her lips together, took the robe, and quickly lowered her head. A tear fell onto the back of her hand with a soft pat.

Young Master Wang’s face changed dramatically when he saw this. He hadn’t expected that his undefeated bodyguards in Western White City would collapse in disarray with just a wave of someone’s hand. Young Master Wang was so frightened that his teeth chattered, and he trembled as he said, “Just you wait if you’ve got any guts, don’t run away.” With that, he was the first to flee, disappearing in just a few steps.

Elder Yue saw that Young Master Wang had fled and completely fell apart. Gone was his previous toughness. He suddenly fell to his knees in front of Yan Xun and cried loudly, “Please, great hero, considering I have an eighty-year-old mother above and eighteen wives below, spare my life!”

Yan Xun was taken aback, looking at this man crying so dramatically that one might think it was he who was about to be sold into slavery. Hearing his familiar excuses, he felt a surge of disgust. He calmly said, “Do you want money? How much did you sell her for to that scoundrel?”

Elder Yue was overjoyed, not expecting this man to truly have a hero’s magnanimity, accepting softness but not hardness. While crying, he explained that he had been forced by life’s circumstances, with nowhere to turn, and had risked everything for his parents, relatives, wives, and children by taking this thorny, difficult path. Most of his fellow workers had died in the wars, and countless elderly, women, and children were waiting for him to care for and support them. He made himself sound like a public servant caring for widows and orphans. Finally, seeming indifferent, he mentioned that the woman’s price was two hundred gold pieces. Of course, he wouldn’t dare charge the hero so much, but for the sake of his brothers’ parents living comfortably and their children receiving a good education, he didn’t mind becoming the most shameless scoundrel in the world. So he decided to offer a discount, only charging Yan Xun one hundred and ninety-nine gold pieces.

Just as all the onlookers could no longer stand to listen, Yan Xun finally mercifully interrupted this fellow’s long speech that sounded like a talk from a wayward youth and said something that caused Elder Yue unbearable pain.

“Why are you talking so much nonsense? Besides, I don’t have any money.”

Elder Yue’s expression froze instantly, and he stood stunned like a wooden chicken, nearly fainting. His eyes kept darting toward the woman, just short of saying “If you don’t have money, put her down.”

Yan Xun looked at his greedy appearance and smiled coldly, saying, “But I have gold. See if this is enough.”

As he spoke, he glanced at a tall foreign woman with blue eyes standing nearby. The woman smiled sweetly, her gaze like honey, casting a peach blossom-like glance at the surrounding crowd, then took out a bundle from the carriage behind and poured out everything inside with a crash.

A small mountain of gold suddenly spilled down with a clattering sound. Elder Yue and everyone present froze in shock, all staring dumbfounded at the pile of glittering gold that covered the ground. The entire marketplace fell silent.

Yan Xun smiled faintly and said, “It seems to be enough. Then I’ll be going.”

Elder Yue had lost the ability to speak. So much money, enough to buy an entire Western White City, just to purchase a small female slave? Watching Yan Xun’s subordinates pick up the woman and walk toward the other end of the street, he finally realized he wasn’t dreaming.

When Yan Xun had walked far away, the onlookers finally reacted and collectively pounced on the shining gold with a roar, afraid of being left behind. From a distance, Yan Xun could still hear Elder Yue screaming desperately, “This is mine, get away all of you!”

A cold smile slowly crept onto Yan Xun’s lips. A bunch of greedy fellows, turning a blind eye to tragic calamities. Well, he should teach them a lesson.

The He Lian family’s young lady was covered in wounds and was helped by Ajing. Later, she sat with Yan Xun in the carriage. Looking up, she said, “Thank you for your rescue, young master. This humble woman has no way to repay you.”

Yan Xun did not respond. He leaned back, seemingly lost in thought. Seeing his silence, the woman did not dare to speak and just sat beside him.

“How did Grand Duke Zhaoming die?”

The low voice suddenly sounded, startling the He Lian young lady. She quickly asked with excitement, “Does the young master know my father? Are you my father’s friend?”

“No,” Yan Xun shook his head. “I’m just curious.”

The light in the He Lian young lady’s face instantly faded. She bit her lower lip lightly, pondered for a moment, and said, “Father was betrayed by his subordinates. His head was cut off before the city fell. My second uncle took Huaiyin’s token and defected to the Fourteenth Prince, surrendering the city.”

“Fourteenth?” Yan Xun’s eyes slightly narrowed, murmuring, “Zhao Yang?”

Trying hard to recall this person, he barely had any impression. It seemed Heaven truly didn’t want to destroy the Zhao family. If not for Zhao Che stabilizing Zhenhuang and calming the people, if not for Zhao Yang sending troops to subdue the defiant vassal kings, this unrest alone would have completely ended the Zhao dynasty. After all, this turmoil wasn’t just a disturbance in the imperial capital; it was like a fuse igniting Yan Bei’s eight years of hatred and anger, igniting the Great Unity Society’s reforms planned for decades, igniting the common people’s grief and anger under the Great Xia Dynasty’s three-hundred-year oppressive rule, and even igniting the slave system that had plagued the entire Western Meng land for thousands of years!

“My name is He Lian Ling. Young master has saved me, from now on, I am yours.” The woman’s tender voice slowly said, but Yan Xun showed no reaction, still absorbed in his thoughts, with no reply.

He Lian Ling sighed softly, feeling a sudden sourness in her heart for unknown reasons. Just then, a sudden heart-rending scream came from outside, as if many people were crying out together, piercing to the core, extremely tragic.

He Lian Ling was startled and was about to lift the window curtain to look outside.

But Yan Xun reached out and pressed her head down, covering her eyes with his palm, saying solemnly, “Don’t look.”

He Lian Ling was startled, her body instantly stiffening, but two traces of blush slowly rose on her cheeks. She obediently didn’t move, compliantly allowing Yan Xun to cover her eyes without resistance. She only kept blinking under his large hand, her long eyelashes repeatedly brushing against his palm, causing a slight tingling sensation.

“These people dream of money, so I give it to them. I’m just afraid they don’t have the fortune to enjoy it.”

Yan Xun spoke in a deep voice, the corner of his mouth pulling into a cold smile.

There are too many evil-intentioned people in this world; they deserve to die and be replaced.

The year 775 was destined to be a chaotic time that should be remembered by future generations. At the very least, Wang Shouyi, the city guardian of the Great Xia’s southeastern stronghold, Western White City, believed so. After hearing that his son had been humiliated in the marketplace, the city guardian Wang brought a large number of government soldiers to the scene. However, what he saw was enough to make him wake up screaming from nightmares for countless nights to come.

On top of a pile of glittering gold lay numerous corpses, completely corroded and rotting. These bodies were utterly disfigured, their original appearances unrecognizable. Some people’s eyes had been gouged out by themselves, showing what terrible torture they must have endured before death. In front of them, the winding fresh blood had gathered to form several blood-red, eye-piercing characters: “For those who have lost all conscience, Heaven’s punishment!”

Everyone standing before these large characters felt a chill creeping up their spines. Wang Shouyi’s son’s legs were trembling uncontrollably. Suddenly he jumped up, and a small blue venomous insect emerged from a tiny wound on his body. The insect grew and multiplied at a visible speed, and within a quarter of an hour, it had spread all over his body. In the blink of an eye, the city guardian’s son, who had been swaggering just moments before, was transformed from a living person into a skeleton devoid of life. Even as his last eyeball was being consumed by the insects, he was still letting out terrible screams.

Everyone at the scene was deeply shocked by this sight. Wang Shouyi didn’t even order anyone to save his son. The Great Xia and the northwestern ethnic groups were separated by the fierce Quanrong army, and for over three hundred years, they had no contact with foreign tribes beyond the border. These southeastern regions especially did not know such cruel methods from the cold northwestern continent. Such things were beyond human power in their eyes.

So after learning about the whole incident, all the slave traders in Western White City fled overnight, not even remembering to take their slaves. That evening, City Guardian Wang Shouyi led all officials in releasing the slaves. They burned incense and prayed to heaven for forgiveness. He had eighteen sons, so losing one didn’t matter much. With such self-consolation, the matter was left unresolved. No one dared to investigate, and the pile of gold placed on the street remained untouched, gradually covered by yellow sand. One day, several three or four-year-old children ran there and found a pile of round gold beads in the sand. The children happily used these gold beads as slingshot ammunition, unknowingly clearing away all the gold beads that the people of Wind Cliff County regarded as catastrophic.

People of later generations only knew that in the history of the Western Meng land, Yan Bei was the first to raise the great banner of abolishing slavery and promoting equality for all, pioneering a great empire of renewal for future generations. They didn’t know that before this, the southeastern Western White City had already abolished slavery. The city’s chronicle recorded: “The wise, benevolent, ritually proper, talented, and intelligent City Guardian Wang Shouyi, compassionate toward heaven and sympathetic to people, showed concern for the lower-class slaves, had a far-sighted vision, was thoughtful and cautious, bravely risked great danger to abolish slavery, and can be called a model of the age, a great historical figure, an imperial…”

But that’s a story for another time. On August 17th, 775 of the Baicang calendar, the ancient capital Tangjing of Biantang, which dominated the southeast and had a historical heritage spanning thousands of years, finally announced to the world on this stormy night: On the ninth day of the ninth month, Crown Prince Li Ce would marry the Great Xia’s Ninth Princess Zhao Yan, granting amnesty to all, with nationwide celebration.

When he heard this news, Yan Xun was still on the road. Ajing lifted the carriage curtain and said in a deep voice, “Young Master, that woman is still following behind.”

Outside, heavy rain was pouring, the sky was dark, and everything seemed desolate.

Yan Xun frowned slightly, his face somewhat pale. He furrowed his brow and slowly opened his eyes, saying gravely, “Did you give her everything?”

“Forged identity documents, over a hundred gold beads, and bank notes, along with provisions and luggage. But she stubbornly refused to stay in the city and keeps following behind.”

“Then there’s nothing we can do.” Yan Xun said slowly. Days of travel had left him looking unwell. He leaned back in the carriage and lowered the curtain.

Ajing looked back and saw the noble lady stumbling step by step in the distant heavy rain, nearly falling several times. He couldn’t help but sigh softly.

“Ajing,” Yan Xun suddenly called, “Give her a straw rain cape, and tell her not to follow us anymore.”

Ajing was startled, quickly agreed and instructed a servant with the same words.

After a while, the heavy rain gradually lessened. The sky was darkening; though it was only afternoon, everything was already dim.

There was a teahouse ahead, and everyone dismounted to rest. Ajing had been puzzled all along the way, occasionally glancing questioningly at Yan Xun. Yan Xun quietly drank his tea, then suddenly said in a deep voice, “What do you want to say?”

Ajing was startled, scratched his head, and laughed, “Young Master, I’m just curious. You usually don’t like to meddle in others’ affairs, so why this He Lian young lady?”

The implication was clear, but Yan Xun didn’t refute it. He fell silent, and Ajing secretly thought he had said too much. The Young Master was also a man and a powerful one in his prime. With the lady absent for so long, what was strange about him looking at another woman? Why did he have to mention it?

“Ajing, do you believe in ghosts and spirits?”

Yan Xun suddenly asked, startling Ajing, who opened his mouth foolishly and asked, “Huh? What did you say, Young Master?”

Yan Xun continued on his own, “I didn’t believe before, but now I somewhat believe in cause and effect, retribution, and such things.”

He put down his teacup, suddenly smiled lightly, raised his head to look in the southeastern direction, and slowly took a deep breath.

“A Chu is wandering alone outside. If she encounters something like this, I hope someone will also lend her a helping hand.”

Yan Xun’s gaze was distant, carrying indescribable weariness, like deep sea waters.

At the edge of the sky, the dark clouds dispersed, and after the rain came sunshine. Biantang was no longer far away.

Don’t say I’m neglecting Zhuge; it’s just that he’s not in today’s chapter. I’m not tired yet, so I’ll try to write another chapter today, though I’m not sure when I’ll post it.

Also, don’t worry that I’m randomly pairing someone with Yan Xun. As a female supporting character, there must be one, as the plot requires.