Ground Rabbit wore an expression of frustration and shouted at the people ahead, “Look at you! As heroes destined to save the world, how can you let your bones turn soft from a woman’s words? Worthless, all of you worthless trash!”
Scolded by him, the group snapped to attention, their gazes instantly becoming clear and focused. They straightened their backs, marched forward in unison, gathered around Gao Yiye, and walked past the brothel without looking back.
Li Daoxuan shook his head with a smile. Alright then, this fellow beca useful in such monts—full of flaws yet also virtues, a truly complex character. Humans, indeed, were fascinating creatures.
The group walked down half the street before Li Daoxuan sighed, “Yiye, go handle this matter…”
So, Gao Yiye turned back. But the militia soldiers didn’t follow—only Gao Yiye stood alone at the entrance of the brothel.
She didn’t dare enter. Ordinary girls didn’t step into such places, so she just stood outside and called loudly inside, “Are you really that hungry?”
One brothel girl cried, “We’ve had nothing to eat! It’s been so long since we had any business.”
Another also wept, “No patrons co to us anymore.”
Gao Yiye asked, “Can any of you play instrunts, arrange chess? Or write and paint?”
Several brothel girls exchanged glances. After several awkward seconds, one replied hesitantly, “We know a little bit of each.”
The question ca too abruptly—who went to a brothel to ask if the girls had such skills? Those were essentials! Without them, they’d be stuck in low-ranking dens, not a respectable brothel.
Gao Yiye said, “Good that you can. Follow .”
A middle-aged plump woman pushed open the door on the first floor and ca out, eyeing Gao Yiye with a strange look. Though not dressed in silks, her cotton clothes were neat and clean, practically shouting “I’m not poor” in her posture.
The woman—Mada—didn’t dare to confront her. Instead, she spoke softly, “Young lady, I see you’re kind-hearted, but these brothel girls have contracts here. They can’t just leave with anybody.”
After listening to Li Daoxuan’s guidance, Gao Yiye responded, “Are you the Mada?”
The middle-aged plump woman nodded, “Yes.”
Gao Yiye stated, “I want to buy all the girls from this place. How much?”
The Mada was stunned. “They’re not ordinary—each is talented in music, gas, writing. They’re worth quite… quite a big sum…”
Gao Yiye offered, “How about ten dan of flour?”
One dan equaled ten dou; one dou was a thousand coins. Ten dan of flour translated to one hundred taels.
In these tis of famine, with no patrons arriving, the brothel ceased to earn a thing. The Mada had to feed the girls constantly to prevent starvation. Hesitating for even a second would be foolish. “Sold! From now on, they’re yours.”
Several girls still leaning at the window froze. They never thought real living humans—four of them, collectively weighing hundreds of pounds—could be exchanged for just ten dan of flour.
They knew their lives were cheap. Just hadn’t realized how cheap.
Gao Yiye instructed, “I’ll send soone with you to Chengcheng Bookstore. We’ll hand over the goods as we get the flour. You all wait at the bookstore; I’ll arrange things after I return.”
Overjoyed, the Mada hustled the four girls along, trailing another militia mber on their way to the bookstore.
Gao Yiye sighed and continued leading the militia toward the City God Temple.
Reaching a quiet, deserted stretch of street before the City God Temple, Gao Yiye couldn’t hold back. She looked up at Li Daoxuans guidance and asked, “Deity, buying those brothel girls… were you going to… gift them to the militia?”
“Pfft!” Li Daoxuan nearly spat out his ice dumplings. This girl had a perverse imagination—how did she leap to that? “Of course not.”
“Whew! Good it’s not—gave quite a jolt,” Gao Yiye murmured. “I thought you wanted to… well… you know…”
Li Daoxuan explained softly, “Most of these brothel girls ended up there by fate—sold by their parents and victim to hardship. They learned music, gas, painting since childhood; they possess talents. But these skills languished in degradation, which is a waste. With their value plumting, now’s the ti to scoop them up cheaply. That way, they can serve a higher purpose.”
Gao Yiye wondered, “Higher purpose?”
Li Daoxuan clarified, “I plan to make them your female secretaries!”
Gao Yiye gasped in confusion, “Female secretaries? What’s that?”
Li Daoxuan chuckled, “A female secretary is like Dong Weng but for won—just helping their master with tasks. We can’t call won ‘Advisor’; what an awkward term! Thus, ‘female secretary’ exists.”
Gao Yiye had an epiphany. “But I’ve got nothing needing help. I don’t need others assisting .”
“Oh, you certainly do,” countered Li Daoxuan. “In The Dao Xuan Deity Volu 2, when you drew slaying the Supre Bright King, you accidentally snapped his arm in the panel.”
Gao Yiye blushed prettily. “My… drawing skills are…”
Li Daoxuan stressed, “They can draw. They can handle that sort of detail—you focus on storylines; let them refine the pictures. Besides, they’re literate. They can add small annotations in your comic books. And weren’t you leading village won to open a cotton fabric shop in the Gaojia Business Circle?”
Gao Yiye nodded, “Yes.”
“Aren’t its sales and profits utter chaos?”
At this question, Gao Yiye flushed with embarrassnt.
Indeed—a store run by won was truly a ss of accounts, never once tidied.
Li Daoxuan stated plainly, “The village lacks literate, capable won! Only Third Miss learned anything substantial, but we’ve got heavier duties for her; she can’t waste talent on such chores. But these brothel girls can. They’ll beco indispensable.”
Finally, Gao Yiye understood.
The Deity pondered far ahead—deeper than this country girl could fathom. But no matter what, obeying the Deity was never wrong. Plus, recalling those girls weeping at the window had pained her heart. Could she save a few from such suffering? If possible, she must.
Such pity!
Li Daoxuan advised, “Take them back to the village without revealing their past. Seriously warn today’s militia squad too—none should speak of this. Only by respecting them first can you earn their respect in return.”
Gao Yiye quickly agreed, “Understood.”
Reviews
All reviews (0)