Chapter 960: An Unreasonable Request
"Cai Xinzhi, Cai Xinzhi! Place a boat order!" Li Daoxuan called Cai Xinzhi again.
"What kind of boats do you need this time?" Cai Xinzhi asked curiously. "Why the sudden obsession with boats recently?"
Li Daoxuan replied, "Men, their interests come and go in phases."
There was some truth to that.
Cai Xinzhi didn't press further. "So, what kind of boats do you need?"
Li Daoxuan said, "A large quantity of river-sea vessels. The big ones, make them like that 70-meter one we got last time, the Wanli Sunshine. As for the smaller ones, anything from twenty to fifty meters, various sizes. It would be best to put together a huge mixed fleet."
Cai Xinzhi chuckled, scolding him, "A mixed fleet in your own swimming pool? I swear, Old Li, you're acting more and more like a child. Take a page from my book, have some proper pursuits for a middle-aged man. Women, I'm telling you, women are a man's—"
He didn't even finish his sentence before a yelp of pain erupted.
Then, a little girl's voice came over the phone: "Uncle, Daddy got hit again."
The little girl replied, "Daddy was talking about women just now, and he was drooling, so Mommy hit him. I don't know why."
Li Daoxuan roared with laughter. Knowing he had a formidable wife at home, why did he keep running his mouth? He was practically asking for a beating!
Hanging up, his consciousness co-sensed back into the box, where he saw Shi Kefa already busy organizing the militia.
Shi Kefa's situation was rather complex; he not only had to recruit land-based militia to counter Zhang Xianzhong's forces but also water-based militia to deal with the pirates of Huangmei. He had to tackle both land and water, needing firm control over both fronts.
Jiang Cheng, with his experience in establishing naval forces, tried his best to assist him. The Wanli Sunshine was constantly deployed, chasing down pirates day in and day out.
It was too busy!
Li Daoxuan knew that immediate reinforcements from their main village were essential, bringing large quantities of gunpowder, bullets, and military provisions to resupply the Wanli Sunshine. Otherwise, once the ammunition ran out, the Gao Family Village Militia's close-quarters combat strength wasn't necessarily much better than the imperial soldiers'.
Oh, right, he hadn't checked on Zhu Piaoling in days. Where was that guy now?
With a swift mental command, he "cut" to the embroidery on Zhu Piaoling.
Just as he transitioned...
He saw Zhu Piaoling sitting in the main hall of the Pear Garden, still in his bamboo hat and black scarf, his face hidden. But from his movements, his posture, and the aura that permeated his entire being, it was clear this guy was thoroughly pleased with himself, reveling in his own swagger.
The madam of the Pear Garden knelt before him, and the Suzhou Prefect actually stood respectfully to the side, looking surprisingly docile.
In the center of the hall also stood a man in a Daoist robe, plump and pale, beardless and delicately frail, making it almost instantly recognizable that he was a eunuch.
Zhu Piaoling said sarcastically, "Didn't you say she wasn't for sale? Why have you invited this grand hero back today, saying you're willing to sell?"
The madam's face was flushed with embarrassment. "My lord, you... you didn't say earlier that you were from the Prince of Qin's residence, otherwise... how would this humble servant dare utter a single 'no' in your presence?"
Zhu Piaoling snorted twice. "Say earlier? Would it have helped? Your esteemed Suzhou Prefect here wasn't planning on showing any respect to our Prince of Qin's residence, not to mention I'm not the Prince of Qin's heir himself, just a mere steward under him. When has the Prefect ever shown respect to someone like me?"
The Suzhou Prefect cleared his throat, stammering, "Ahem... well..."
Zhu Piaoling was about to continue his act when the pale, beardless eunuch suddenly spoke, saying meaningfully, "The Emperor said to handle this discreetly."
To be discreet, of course, meant to stop him from causing a commotion.
Zhu Piaoling snorted, dropping the act.
The madam breathed a sigh of relief and quickly called out all the girls from the Pear Garden. There were indeed many girls in this place, thirty or forty of them, big and small. The oldest were already thirty, while the youngest were not even ten.
Chen Yuanyuan was mixed in with this group of women, her eyes wide, nervously watching the group of people before her.
Although still young, she had been in the Pear Garden for several years and had witnessed all sorts of sordid affairs. She had also gained some understanding of the vile behaviors of various high-ranking officials and nobles.
She could tell that her future fate likely rested on this masked man in the bamboo hat. Entering the Prince of Qin's residence sounded quite intimidating, but upon careful thought, it was much better than being in the Pear Garden. At least she would only need to please the Prince of Qin's heir, not a large group of disorderly guests of unknown origin.
Just as she thought of this, she suddenly noticed that a divine figure embroidered on the masked man's chest seemed to smile at her.
This startled her greatly. She rubbed her eyes and looked again, only to find that the embroidery hadn't moved; it was probably just her imagination.
Zhu Piaoling told the madam, "I'm not snatching your girls; just give me a total price for these women. The Emperor's representative is also present today, and our princely residence must not break the rules."
The madam said with a slight tremble, "Two thousand... two thousand five hundred taels."
Hearing that number, Li Daoxuan couldn't help but sigh inwardly: "So expensive!" Not long ago, he had bought eighteen girls from pirates for only four taels of silver each. Yet, buying thirty or forty girls here in the Pear Garden cost two thousand five hundred taels.
They were all young women, yet their value differed by worlds apart!
However, despite these girls being worth more, they seemed to be in a more pitiful state. Clearly, sometimes, a high price didn't necessarily mean a good life.
Zhu Piaoling said, "The price is reasonable enough. Pay up."
His accompanying bodyguard stepped forward, holding a small box filled with gold ingots.
Zhu Piaoling added, "There's more than two thousand five hundred taels worth of gold here. Take it."
The madam profusely thanked him as she eagerly accepted it.
Only then did Zhu Piaoling beckon to the large group of girls. "Ladies, come here with me. We're returning to the princely residence."
The women slowly walked toward him, their expressions rather peculiar. They didn't know they were about to be saved; they still believed they were merely leaping from one hellhole to another, just hoping the fire in the new one would burn less intensely.
Just then, the Suzhou Prefect suddenly spoke. "Steward, I have an unreasonable request."
Zhu Piaoling asked, "Just how unreasonable?"
The Suzhou Prefect replied, "Surely the princely residence wouldn't need so many concubines and maids. Could you... leave one for the Pear Garden? Just one, please. Xue'er... she and I have been fond of each other for many years. To part like this, I can't bear it."
Zhu Piaoling exclaimed, "Oh, a loverboy!"
Li Daoxuan muttered, *Huh?*
Everyone present was stunned, unexpected by the Prefect's sudden display.
The Prefect's gaze was fixed on a courtesan in her early twenties, and tears actually streamed from his eyes. "Xue'er."
The girl named Xue'er turned to look at the Prefect, her eyes also glistening with tears, her face filled with sorrow. "Please don't dwell on your humble servant, Your Excellency. The Emperor himself has issued an imperial decree; defying it means confiscation of property and execution... We are fated to be apart in this life. Your Excellency, please forget your humble servant."
Comments