The haggling went on for a while. Once the group of thugs had been sent off, Hong Xiao walked forward, glanced at the girls, and carelessly waved her fan, covering her nose with disgust as she took a step back. “Wash them clean. Keep a close watch over the next few days—don’t let anyone try anything stupid.”
The people below were clearly used to this routine and responded promptly.
Hong Xiao turned to leave, but just then, a girl on one of the carts suddenly woke up. She leapt down and clutched Hong Xiao’s leg tightly. “Sister, I was kidnapped! Please, I beg you, let me go! My parents are still waiting for me back home, and I have younger siblings…”
Hong Xiao crouched down, smiling faintly as if she were showing some pity. “Such a pitiful child.”
The girl sobbed uncontrollably when she heard that, hope springing up in her heart. “Please, Sister, please have mercy. I’ll never forget your kindness—”
But the smile on Hong Xiao’s face vanished abruptly. Her sharp fingernails dug into the girl’s chin as a mocking sneer spread across her face. “As if you’re the only one with parents. You’re the loudest—must mean you’re in pretty good shape. Wash her up and have her take clients. We don’t keep freeloaders here!”
Her face turned faster than flipping a page. The girl hadn’t even had time to react before she was dragged off by others.
Xiao Yunting’s expression darkened.
He wasn’t an idiot—he knew perfectly well what this meant.
Even brothels and pleasure houses were supposed to maintain a pretense of voluntariness, at least on the surface. Buying people required proper procedures and legal documents.
But what was happening at Yihong Courtyard was blatant human trafficking.
A serious crime.
Qi Yuan, seeing him lost in thought, tugged the corner of her lips coldly. “Your Highness, can’t bear to watch anymore?”
Xiao Yunting snapped back to focus and asked in a low voice, “This Yihong Courtyard… it’s Zhan Wenhui’s property, isn’t it?”
He suddenly recalled how Qi Yuan had gritted her teeth when she mentioned Zhan Wenhui before—and now, realizing she had brought him here specifically to confront Hong Xiao, he instantly understood her intention.
Zhan Wenhui was a court official, a proper Hanlin scholar, supposedly one of the cleanest of the clean!
But this is how such people build their reputations—running brothels, trafficking girls, forcing decent women into prostitution!
Just like Qi Yuan had said… he deserved to die!
In fact, death was too easy.
Xiao Yunting clenched his jaw. “And you thought letting Qi Wang silence him was your sin? That you killed him? Don’t be ridiculous.”
He said grimly, “That was letting him off easy!”
Qi Yuan wanted to laugh, but couldn’t. Her heart ached. She lowered her eyes and pulled him along the corridor on the first floor.
The brothel was bustling—people coming and going, noise and confusion—but the two of them didn’t stand out. Especially since Qi Yuan seemed to know this place well and avoided all the patrolling guards.
She led Xiao Yunting around to the rear courtyards of the Yihong Courtyard. Standing in the shadows, she said softly, “Your Highness, did you think what we just saw was already a glimpse of h*ll?”
Xiao Yunting’s face was grave. “So this… is the real part?”
“That’s right,” Qi Yuan said wearily, leaning against a jujube tree. She pointed at the courtyard ahead. “The girls you saw earlier—all under twelve. These girls will never be put out front to take clients.”
Xiao Yunting’s heart skipped a beat.
Qi Yuan turned to him, locking eyes, and enunciated each word clearly: “These underage girls are used by Zhan Wenhui to please adults with… certain preferences. Some work in the Ministry of Revenue, some in the Transport Bureau—whoever might be useful, they all get a piece. After all, they’re just worthless girls, right…”
As she said this, a dull pain spread in her chest.
Why must Qi Wang die?
Because he deserved it.
This high-and-mighty noble, who looked down on the world from the clouds, snuffing out lives as if they were ants—he was the one who most deserved to die.
Xiao Yunting was so unnerved by her gaze that he felt his scalp tingle. He was just about to speak when suddenly, a scream rang out from the courtyard ahead. Hong Xiao, with a group of people, rushed inside.
Qi Yuan instinctively took two steps forward.
But the brothel’s guards were sharp—one immediately turned and barked, “Who’s there?!”
The situation was tense. Xiao Yunting acted instantly, yanking her back and pressing her head tightly against his chest. Then he strode forward, boldly confronting the guard. “What the h*ll kind of business are you running here? It’s pitch dark back here!”
The man before them wore fine robes and was holding a woman—it was obvious he was just here for pleasure. The guard scowled and pointed away. “This area’s not open to guests. Go back to the front!”
Hong Xiao’s voice rang out again from inside, summoning people, so the guard didn’t pursue it further and turned away.
Xiao Yunting finally relaxed. His hand, which had been hovering over his waist—ready to draw a weapon—fell away. Looking down at Qi Yuan, he said, “So you had me come here to find Hong Xiao…”
Back in the private room, Qi Yuan raised an eyebrow and said flatly, “To remind Your Highness—this is the moment to act. Didn’t the corruption case fail to take down Qi Wang last time? Then keep going. If this brothel’s scandal blows up, even the Noble Consort might not be able to protect him.”
Indeed, this matter was serious. If it exploded, even someone of the Noble Consort’s rank would face consequences.
But since Zhan Wenhui was the mastermind, wouldn’t Qi Wang just push all the blame onto him again?
Xiao Yunting frowned. “Zhan Wenhui’s already dead. Any crime now would be pinned on a dead man…”
Qi Yuan laughed. “True, but isn’t Hong Xiao still alive? For all these years, she’s run Yihong Courtyard front and back. No one knows more clearly than she does who Zhan Wenhui really worked for.”
Xiao Yunting immediately understood. “So you knew Qi Wang would try to silence him, and did nothing—because you wanted him to?”
Qi Yuan nodded as if it were obvious. “Isn’t that right? Zhan Wenhui should’ve died long ago. But now, even in death, he can still do something useful. If his death can make Hong Xiao bite down on Qi Wang and refuse to let go—wouldn’t that life be worth it?”
Xiao Yunting turned to Babao and ordered, “Go tell Magistrate Sun Wencai of Baodi County that Yihong Courtyard is on fire.”
On fire?
Babao was still stunned when Liujin gave him a swift kick. “He said go, so go! His Highness will make sure that fire starts!”
Babao scrambled out without another word, not even daring to ask how the fire would start.
Qi Yuan, meanwhile, stood quietly, staring at the shadowed courtyards under the night sky, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.
