Chapter 142: Found

Going ashore to conduct searches was not the specialty of the naval forces. Xie Yu thus returned to the Kaifeng Prefecture to dispatch replacements for Commander Sun and others, and began a thorough search along the northeastern route.

Ma Bing also joined the effort.

Before leaving, he still had to restrain the restless Xiao Huang and assigned him tasks.

“You and Qiutian each have a portion; I will test you on it when I come back.”

Xi Huang reluctantly agreed.

Gao Laoliu came to visit and, seeing how busy they were, asked a question and then readily dispatched a group of people to assist.

Yu Yin and others captured on the black ship were also brought to trial.

He and several attendants acted like clams that had become spirits, not uttering a single word.

However, the four so-called maids appeared confused and bewildered, with one quickly breaking down and secretly saying that there had indeed been people on the ship before, and that other girls were also being held captive.

But everyone had their own separate room and was not allowed to go out; they were unclear about exactly how many people were there.

“We didn’t know what was happening outside either, but one night we suddenly heard a commotion outside, as if many people were moving things and walking around. We faintly heard sounds of people being dragged with their mouths covered…”

Recalling this now, the girl couldn’t help but shudder all over.

The presiding official asked, “Did you know Yu Yin before? What was your relationship with him?”

The girl nodded and said they were indeed Yu Guanshi’s maids, serving him regularly.

However, if guests occasionally became interested, they would be sent to serve others.

Hearing this, the presiding official frowned, “Guests? What guests?”

The girl looked at him with a tilted head, speaking the cruelest words in the most innocent tone, “The guests who came for fun, of course.”

There was a moment of silence in the court, followed by a rapid spread of an indescribable oppression.

Everyone finally realized that these rescued girls were different from the victims they had encountered before.

Most of them had been sold at the age of three or five and then locked in the Prince’s mansion for special training. During this time, they were not allowed to go outside or communicate with others. Like birds raised in cages, they had no idea what the outside normal world and life should be like.

From the Prince’s mansion to the ship, it was merely moving from one room to another, from one prison to another.

They had barely seen the sunlight outside, spending their days with four walls and windows for company.

Eating, drinking, urinating, and defecating were all confined within limited space.

Only when guests came would they be briefly released for entertainment.

But by then it was often night, and looking around, there was no sunlight, only endless darkness and a sky full of stars.

The girl said that when those guests came, they wore masks and didn’t speak much, as if they were afraid of being recognized.

Some guests were very gentle, while others were very brutal. Sometimes she heard other girls crying from start to finish while serving their clients.

“They even bite people until they bleed.” The girl shrank her neck and covered her chest, as if in pain.

When the presiding official asked further, she said she didn’t know anything else.

She and the other three girls had only arrived in the past two months, had only served a few guests, and knew very little.

Otherwise, Yu Yin wouldn’t have left them behind.

But one thing was certain:

The black ship had indeed been engaged in illicit activities all along. After the news of the Prince’s mansion being surrounded spread, Yu Yin, the ship’s manager, began transferring people and goods. Now, the whereabouts of those girls and the valuable decorations and furnishings were unknown.

Perhaps, something even more crucial had disappeared along with them.

“Money and people might be secondary…”

Looking at the empty room before him, Xie Yu said softly.

This was the fifth suspicious house he had searched with his people, and even the stone floor tiles had been dug up and searched thoroughly, yet they still came up empty.

Ma Bing was also a bit anxious.

According to the girl from the black ship, at least several other women had been transferred. If they couldn’t find them soon, the next time they met might be as corpses.

As for other things…

“The Prince of Su never does anything without purpose,” Xie Yu slapped the door frame, instantly shaking up a layer of dust in the slightly chilly air. “He went to such great lengths to win people over, so he must have added a lock.”

Those courtiers or one or two princes who were courted might come and go secretly. Even if they promised solemnly at the time, what if they regretted it later? Wouldn’t that result in losing both money and people?

Therefore, there must be written evidence such as account books or sufficient tokens to reassure both parties.

“Could it still have gone by water?” Ma Bing asked.

Xie Yu said, “That’s possible, but the most important things must be kept within easy reach of the Prince of Su. Moreover, among the valuable furnishings on that ship, there were many bulky items. If they all had to be loaded onto boats, it would be too conspicuous.”

Besides, the woman who previously provided the clue also said she had indeed seen small boats transporting goods northeast.

But there were no girls on those boats.

At that time, the situation was tense, so it should not have been possible to kill them immediately.

But if they delayed for a few more days, that might not be the case.

Commander Sun had already taken the fleet south along the Bian River to pursue suspicious boats, hoping for good news soon.

“Sir, we’ve finished searching, nothing!”

Yuanpei jumped in, covered in cobwebs.

“Let’s go, to the next place!”

Xie Yu looked at Ma Bing, and the two turned and walked out together.

On the other side.

In a dim and cramped room, over a dozen young girls with blindfolds and gags lay scattered. The windows and doors were tightly shut, not a sliver of light visible.

Not long ago, they had been forcibly fed sedatives, and now some were beginning to wake up slowly.

Outside, it seemed several people had gathered, their tall and short silhouettes casting shadows on the window paper like monstrous creatures with claws and fangs.

An older voice muttered something softly, then hurried footsteps moved away.

After a while, a younger voice, unsure who he was asking, said, “Brother Liu, what should we do? Are we really going to kill them?”

The young girl, still half-dazed, heard this sentence and stiffened all over. Soon, the black cloth covering her eyes was soaked with tears.

Why is this happening?

What did we do wrong?

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone looked at the person at the front.

The one called Brother Liu was a square-faced man in his forties. Upon hearing the question, his brows furrowed into a knot, and he muttered in a deep voice, “Dogs relying on their master’s might!”

The sky was just beginning to lighten in the east, the horizon already tinged with white, but the thick fog prevented any light from penetrating, making the scene eerily ghostly.

“Brother Liu,” a young man in his early twenties swallowed hard, his voice slightly trembling, “I, I can’t…”

Before, what they did wasn’t exactly legitimate, but killing was something they had never done.

Brother Liu frowned for a moment, thinking, then gruffly said, “No, we can’t do it.”

Everyone let out a slight sigh of relief.

They didn’t regard themselves as virtuous individuals, but taking a life was something that severely tested their moral boundaries.

“But the manager definitely won’t agree,” the young man who had just spoken said nervously.

He was absolutely terrified of those managers.

“What’s there to be afraid of? How many of them are there, and how many of us?” Brother Liu kicked the young man, “Damn it, your father named you Huzi, but I see your guts are smaller than a sick cat’s.”

Huzi staggered from the kick, dared not speak, and struggled to stand straight.

“Brother Liu, that’s the Prince’s mansion…”

Someone was still afraid.

“To hell with the Prince’s mansion,” Brother Liu sneered, “A fallen phoenix is worse than a chicken. What’s the Prince’s mansion to us? Now, aren’t they being chased like dogs? The night before last, I heard that the old prince himself is like a clay idol crossing a river, clearly about to be finished. Probably in a few more days, the Prince’s mansion won’t even exist anymore!”

The black ship had existed for several years, and they had encountered minor troubles before, but when had they ever run away?

Now even abandoning their base meant they were doomed.

Everyone listened and felt it made sense, regaining a bit of courage.

“Brother Liu, whatever you say, we’ll do it. We’re with you!”

“Yeah, we’re with you!”

Brother Liu made a gesture, and everyone leaned in closer as he said, “Today they can order us to kill those girls to eliminate witnesses, who knows if tomorrow they might order someone else to kill us to cover their tracks…”

No one wanted to die.

Hearing this, the timid glances in everyone’s eyes gradually turned fierce.

Indeed.

The managers always cursed these girls as being a dime a dozen, but did that mean they themselves were any more valuable?

They were just trying to make a living.

Once they were all dead, in the future, with a bit more money, wouldn’t they just gather another batch?

“What are you doing? Have you finished the job already?!”

Just then, the manager returned and, seeing them huddled together as if conspiring, was very displeased.

At the sound of his voice, everyone scattered, and Brother Liu stepped forward, saying, “Master Song, they’re just a few little girls who don’t know anything. At worst, we could just sell them to another province. There’s no need to go this far, is there?”

Master Song narrowed his eyes and sneered, “In the past, you’ve done plenty of evil deeds. How come today you’re suddenly playing the good guy?”

He raised his hand, and several burly henchmen approached from behind, their waists bulging, clearly carrying weapons.

Brother Liu tilted his head, and behind him, Huzi and others gritted their teeth, standing up one by one and revealing their waist-length poniards.

“Doing evil deeds is one thing, but killing to eliminate witnesses is another,” Brother Liu quickly counted the numbers, gaining a bit more confidence, “There’s no reason why all the dirty and tiring work should fall on us brothers, only for us to end up taking the blame while your hands stay clean!”

Although the things they had done in the past were not seen in daylight, at most they were accomplices.

But if they followed Master Song’s orders and actually killed people, that would be a capital offense punishable by beheading!

This time, they were being used as pawns. If, in the future, something related to the Prince’s mansion came to light, who knew whether their families would still exist!

Master Song’s face changed, and he barked angrily, “You scoundrels, are you trying to rebel? Don’t you value your lives anymore by opposing the Prince’s mansion?”

In the past, when the Prince of Su was in power, the likes of Brother Liu, the lowly commoners, naturally dared not oppose the Prince’s mansion, being as obedient as dogs.

Master Song had been used to bullying others for years, often raising his hand to hit and his foot to kick when things didn’t go his way, never imagining they would dare to resist.

In his eyes, these people were barely considered human, nothing more than pigs and dogs wearing human skin.

So this time, when fleeing, he didn’t think much of it and only brought four trusted men.

But now, the puppet was actually showing signs of rebellion?!

“Go to hell with your Prince’s mansion!” Brother Liu finally couldn’t help but curse loudly.

He suddenly stepped forward, almost forcing himself into Master Song’s face, “You talk about the Prince’s mansion all day long, but what has become of the Prince’s mansion now? Where is the Prince’s authority now?”

He was originally a tall and strong man, used to heavy labor, like a moving iron tower. As soon as he approached, Master Song kept retreating, shocked, frightened, and angry all at once, shouting, “You!”

It was only at this moment that Master Song seemed to suddenly come to his senses, realizing that these were also living people.

“Come on, tie them up first!”

Brother Liu ordered.

The suppressed men were first taken aback, seemingly unaccustomed to the sudden change in identity, but soon someone began shouting and rushed forward.

“You dare?!”

“Reckless!”

“Ouch!”

Master Song’s henchmen were as weak as he was, and after a few punches and kicks, they were thrown to the ground, trembling like lambs awaiting slaughter.

“Brother Liu, what do we do now?”

After subduing Master Song and the others, these men were once again at a loss and turned to look at their new leader.

Brother Liu gritted his teeth, “Lock them in there.”

They couldn’t kill anyone, but what to do next?

If they fled now, they wouldn’t have much money, and they would probably be fugitives for life, which wasn’t a long-term solution.

He had rebelled on a whim because he didn’t want to kill, but he had no plan for what to do next.

What should they do, what should they do?

****

“Sir! Miss Ma!”

Ade, who had been sent ahead to gather information, rode up on horseback. Before the horse had even stopped, he rolled off and rushed forward in three big steps.

“Just now, the brothers went to ask around at several real estate agencies in this town, and one of them seems very suspicious!”

Xie Yu and Ma Bing both perked up, “How so?”

Ade said, “There is a two-courtyard compound that was bought about four years ago, but it seems like no one has lived there ever since…”

He had checked the documents. The person who rented the house probably used a fake name, but the rent was paid every year on time. Therefore, although it was strange, the real estate agents didn’t investigate further.

Xie Yu frowned, “We must thoroughly investigate this real estate agency later!”

How dare they rent out houses without clarifying the identity of the tenant!

Unforgivable!

Although the court had laws, renting a house was more flexible than buying one. The real estate agencies often prioritized money, helping to gloss over the procedures.

If nothing went wrong, it was fine. But once something happened, it was impossible to find anyone.

Ade agreed.

Because this situation was indeed rare, when they asked, the real estate agency remembered it immediately.

Later, they followed the address to find the house, which indeed looked very quiet, with weeds growing on the wall, as if no one lived there.

“But I quietly asked the night watchman and neighbors, and they said they had heard noises a few times at night and saw people coming and going… A few days ago, the watchman passed by and vaguely saw lights.”

Lights meant there were people, but they only did things secretly at night, which was obviously suspicious!

“Sir, should we wait for them like a farmer waiting for a rabbit?” Yuanpei asked.

“Or should we attack first?” Ma Bing had another concern, “They’ve been moving evidence and people for several days. What if they’re already destroying it or have already fled?”

Xie Yu nodded, “She makes a good point. We can’t wait anymore.”

He then turned to Yuanpei and asked, “How many people can you gather now?”

Yuanpei looked a bit troubled, “They’ve all been sent out. For those far away, we’ll need to send signal fireworks, which will take at least half an hour. Right now, there are only about ten people.”

“That’s enough.” Xie Yu thought for a moment, “Now we’ll go surround the courtyard, attack from all four sides at once, and set off fireworks as soon as we go in, so those outside can come to help in case anyone escapes.”

After all, it was just a small two-courtyard compound that had been quiet all along, with no signs of supplies or meals being delivered. Even if there were guards or ambushes, they wouldn’t be too many, and the numbers wouldn’t be too uneven.

“Sir, should we wait until it gets dark to set up an ambush?” Yuanpei asked.

“No need,” Xie Yu said, “The enemy is more familiar with the terrain here than we are. Acting at night would mean fighting on their terms, which would be more dangerous.”

Everyone first secured their horses and quietly surrounded the courtyard from front and back.

Even the east and west sides of the courtyard wall were covered by Xie Yu and Ma Bing, who each led people to the neighboring houses, briefly explained the situation, and prepared to climb over the walls later.

Meanwhile, Brother Liu was troubled when he suddenly heard a commotion, “What’s that noise!”

Before he could go out, he suddenly felt a violent tremor underfoot and fell down.

Then, the door was kicked open, and a big man in a naval officer’s robe rushed in with several fierce-looking soldiers, shouting, “Come on, seize them!”

Looking out from Brother Liu’s perspective, he saw that outside was actually a vast expanse of water, with tall reeds surrounding the ship like a wall.

It turned out they were on a boat!

Seeing the soldiers rapidly approaching, Brother Liu suddenly had an idea and knelt down, shouting loudly, “Officer, spare my life! I’ve already bound the culprit!”

Commander Sun was startled, “Hmm?!”

Brother Liu was pushed face-down onto the deck. Despite this, he still struggled to lift his head and smiled, saying, “Yes, yes, uh no, no, we were originally, but not anymore. Now, now I’m abandoning darkness for light, redeeming myself through merit!”

On the other side, Xie Yu led people into the courtyard, and indeed, there was some commotion inside.

But when everyone rushed in, there was no one.

“What the heck!”

Ade scratched his head.

“There’s a secret passage,” Ma Bing said.

But with so many places, where was the secret passage?

Xie Yu quickly scanned the area and his gaze landed on the ground, “Go get some water.”

Secret passages sounded simple, but they were difficult to construct. The indoor and outdoor furnishings were sparse, so there were limited places to install a secret passage.

He had already quickly glanced at the walls, which were of normal thickness.

So the most likely place was underground.

Soon, Ade and others brought a bucket of water from the courtyard well, as per Xie Yu’s instructions, and poured it onto the ground.

The clear water spread out instantly, but when it hit a certain stone slab, it seeped through the cracks!

“Here!”