Chapter 37: Taking them all in one fell swoop brings back unpleasant memories.

This residence is located at the back gate of Sangjiawazi, backed by the city wall.

Nighttime is usually the busiest time for the brothels and theaters, but now it's eerily quiet.

The Ministry of Revenue announced that it was conducting a household registration review, and the entertainment district was temporarily sealed off, with no one allowed to enter or leave.

Bai Yan walked behind the Imperial Guards and entered the courtyard.

General Wang stood guard outside the courtyard.

The open space was a mess. A man who had been restrained by the guards trembled uncontrollably as he knelt at the sight of the scene, and a yellow liquid began to spread from his body.

It stirred up unpleasant memories for Bai Yan.

He always manages to run into us. "Take him away first, he's an eyesore."

"Yes." The guards, also disgusted, forced themselves to tie him up and carried him away.

"Ahhhhhh, don't grab me, don't grab me, ahhhhhh..." The terrified voice faded into the distance.

"Shut up, you're so noisy!" General Wang had a headache from the noise.

Ignoring Wang Zhiyi's warning, the man continued to scream, his sparse hair falling out as he walked.

Wang Zhiyi is a burly and honest man. If you don't listen to me, I'll find a way to make you listen to me.

A solid slap sent the man's face flying high into the air.

A normal person would have fainted long ago, but the man had just used the "miracle water" mixed with white stone powder, and his consciousness was still heightened. He managed to stay conscious, but he was dazed and kept muttering something, though his voice had become softer.

"Handkerchief? Who brought a handkerchief?!" Wang Zhiyi, a man in his thirties, had been fighting on the front lines until the emperor ascended the throne, after which he was transferred back to guard the capital. He was usually not particular about his appearance, and this was the first time he had been disgusted by the mixture of saliva, tears, snot, and blood on his hands.

There weren't many rules or regulations among the Imperial Guards.

Although the Imperial Guards included many sons of powerful and wealthy families, under General Wang's tutelage, they had long since stopped carrying handkerchiefs.

Having no other choice, Wang Zhiyi grabbed the nearest guard and carefully wiped his hands clean on the guard's body.

The unfortunate guard knew he couldn't escape, so he closed his eyes tightly, hating these villains to the core.

He may not be very bold, but he's done some pretty bad things.

Jiang Yuzhi was on the roof of the house and did not notice what was happening outside the courtyard.

Bai Yan watched as the imperial guards tied everyone up and took them out.

The hidden guards secretly added drugs to the elixir. Those who drank it all collapsed. The two who were still awake were the managers here. The first one to be taken out was the last one to arrive, and the guards didn't have time to add the drug to the freshly drawn water.

Bai Yan: "The rest of you go to the inner room to search, don't miss any corner."

The guards replied, "Yes, sir."

Several rooms had their doors wide open, and there were indeed some timid women and children inside.

Five or six slightly older women shielded the children behind them, stubborn and fearless, watching the newcomers warily.

The young woman leading the group had blood seeping from the corner of her mouth and a large bruise around her eye. "Don't even think about taking us away! Even if I die today, I won't let you corrupt officials succeed!"

Bai Yan was unusually dressed in a bright red flying fish robe, a gift personally bestowed by Emperor Huizong.

Previously, she had been wearing a black cloak, but the courtyard was more humid and hot than outside, so she took it off and draped it over her arm.

Jiang Yuzhi suddenly realized that he... was very suited to red.

"Pfft, young lady, don't be so mesmerized. They've already gone inside. What's so interesting about the stone path?"

Sui Gu loved to tease shy young ladies and gentlemen. Jiang Yuzhi wasn't shy, but when facing the unfamiliar Sui Gu, she said, "Fairy, please be careful with your words."

With her red eyes gently closed, Sui Gu saw that her ears were bright red, chuckled twice, and then said nothing more.

Her tall figure stopped in front of the group of people in the room. "Miss, why do you say that? The guards are here to rescue you all. What makes you say that there is such a thing as an evil official?"

The young woman sneered, "Ha, you hypocritical officials, haven't you taken away enough of us? Rescue? What tricks are you trying to pull now!"

Jiang Yuzhi and Suigu came down from the roof and, taking advantage of the fact that ordinary people couldn't see them, openly gathered around at the doorway to watch.

Upon hearing this, Bai Yan knew that his uncle's cleanup of the court was not yet thorough.

“If that’s what you think, you won’t believe anything I say. Seeing is believing. The bad guys outside have been apprehended. You can go home now.”

"Really?" The woman was still doubtful when the children began to whisper among themselves.

"It's true, you can tell at a glance."

Bai Yan clearly caught the fleeting glint of cold light from the woman's sleeve, but fearing she might hurt herself, he patiently comforted her.

"Alright, you all step back first." The woman no longer concealed herself, reaching out her hand from her sleeve and pressing a shard of porcelain against her neck. The people behind her followed suit without hesitation. "If you've lied to me, we swear we'll never obey!"

Bai Yan turned around and raised his hand to the guards, "Retreat outside the courtyard."

Before he could finish speaking, he saw his wife standing boldly at the door, staring intently at him.

Bai Yan paused for a second without making it obvious, then walked in front, brushing past Jiang Yuzhi.

Jiang Yuzhi and Suigu followed him out, not staying in the middle of the road to block the way.

"Di Ting and Fang Xiang Shi are not here?"

"Oh dear, I can sense them. Don't worry, young lady, those two are probably hiding."

Listening to his wife talking to Sui Gu as if no one else was around, Bai Yan's mind raced. He wondered if he had done anything inappropriate and whether he should laugh.

Bai Yan subconsciously believed that his wife was more attracted to gentle and kind men.

The people who came out later saw that the adult had changed from his previous expressionless face to a haughty one, and squeezed out a strange smile.

This is, of course, the guards' biased view of Bai Yan. Those who know him well, or whose families have done business with Bai Yan, know that whenever this ancestor smiles, nothing good will happen.

The young women and children were on high alert, and upon seeing this, they became even more suspicious, fearing it might be a trap.

As they walked to the outside of the courtyard, General Wang, with his righteous face and glaring eyes wide open, stared at the villains bound like worms all over the ground, which relieved the young ladies.

This man looked righteous and awe-inspiring, stepping on one and holding another in his hand, sizing up the trembling junior manager.

The porcelain shard was removed from her neck, and the young woman leading the group breathed a sigh of relief. She almost collapsed, but the children behind her caught her in time. Thank goodness, thank goodness, heaven has eyes.

The tension finally eased, and the children and young women hugged each other tightly, almost bursting into tears of joy.

General Wang couldn't stand the sound of women and children crying; it gave him a headache, and he didn't care about the aftermath.

Bai Yan: "Take them to settle in, then..."

The guards who were finishing up carried out several boxes and baskets, each one quite heavy, about the height of an adult man's knee.

The guards, still dressed as stall owners, stepped forward and said, "Young master, general, this is the stolen money we found."

Bai Yan: "Carry them to the government office. The orphanage should also be expanded. Send them to the orphanage as well."

"yes."

One-third of the guards left, leaving two hundred men.

The young woman who was leading the group turned back and walked up to the man in red.

Bai Yan took a step back. "What is it?"

Without thinking twice, the young woman said, "We are the lowest grade of goods. They also have better quality goods, which are hidden in the Sang family's entertainment district. I don't know exactly where they are. Please, sir, you must rescue them!" She knelt down and kowtowed deeply.

"It's my duty."

The young lady then stood up, bowed respectfully, and caught up with the group waiting for her not far away.

Bai Yan: "General Wang, did you not let anyone out of the Wazi?"

Wang Zhiyi: "So that's why the Emperor ordered the theaters to be surrounded. Now I understand. Young master, what's our next step?"

Bai Yan: "Send fifty men to escort the ones on the ground into the prison. The rest of you keep watch over the outer perimeter, and the rest of you come in with me to search."

Wang Zhiyi: "Okay." He liked going on official business with bookish people who didn't dawdle, so he didn't have to use his brain.

Jiang Yuzhi and Sui Gu followed closely behind Bai Yan, making it difficult for him to ignore them.

Sui Gu was very talkative. One moment she said that Di Ting must be in the Wazi, the next she said she would buy Fang Xiangshi two more sets of clothes, and then she thought of breakfast on the street and asked Jiang Yuzhi if she wanted to go eat together tomorrow.

Jiang Yuzhi didn't reply to a word, and Sui Gu didn't give her a chance to speak either.

Bai Yan chuckled inwardly, feeling both smug and triumphant. He controlled himself from looking at his wife, who would only dine with him. On their second meeting, she invited him to lunch.

She's a ghost, so she probably doesn't need to eat, yet she's bothering to keep me company.

The head of Sangjiawazi is named Sang Yulin, and he is only in his early twenties.

His family has been running a brothel for generations, producing all sorts of performers, from acrobats and storytellers to opera singers.

They are never short of money and understand the importance of keeping a low profile, abiding by the law, and avoiding offending powerful figures.

Sang Yulin was unaware of what he had done wrong. He waited nervously at the main gate, his back already soaked with cold sweat. Even the handkerchief offered to him by the maid was of no use.

He was fat and couldn't stand for long. As soon as he saw the two officials and the Imperial Guards coming over, he stood up straight, threw his handkerchief into the maid's hand, and bowed repeatedly, "Bai Bai Bai Bai Young Master, and General Wang Wang, has something happened?"

Bai Yan: "Someone reported you for trafficking women and people."

Sang Yulin knelt down in terror, his body trembling violently. He wailed loudly, managing to speak incoherently, "Young Master Bai! You know me! My Sang family is the most law-abiding! How could this be... General Wang! Miss Wang was just here watching a play a couple of days ago! I...I...I didn't offend her at all..."

The more he said it, the more inappropriate it sounded, as if he were implying that Wang Zhiyi was targeting him. "What nonsense are you talking about! My daughter isn't that petty!"

Sang Yulin wiped his sweat with his sleeve, trembling as he echoed, "Yes, yes, I misspoke."

None of the surrounding guests dared to approach; they didn't even dare to move.

"Oh, there's another one trying to run away?" Aunt Sui noticed.

Bai Yan naturally heard it and looked up at the second-floor corridor. There was indeed a man who carefully moved two steps, but stopped immediately when he saw Bai Yan looking over.

Bai Yan: "Whether Steward Sang is innocent or not, we will know after we search him. Everyone present should refrain from making any rash moves. If we are misunderstood, we may have to spend two days in jail."

It wasn't that there weren't any sons of high-ranking officials present, but everyone knew Bai Yan's status and position. Although he hadn't been granted a title, he wore a flying fish robe and entered the palace every day to help the emperor handle state affairs.

The emperor had no son, leaving the harem empty.

The meaning is self-evident.

Everyone obediently cooperated with the body search.

A small group of people entered the building with Bai Yan.

The building was brightly lit, with the middle section empty and used for performances.

Bai Yan went straight up to the two men.

Sui Gu: "Young Master Bai is very perceptive. He can tell that Di Ting and the others are probably on the second floor as well, their presence is very close."

Upon hearing this, Bai Yan, too lazy to open the doors one by one himself, stood on the second floor and raised his voice, "Send a team down here, arrest everyone on the second floor, don't let a single one escape."

"yes!"

Sang Yulin sensed something was wrong. Could it be that something really was going on? He truly didn't know!

He struggled to his knees and moved to Wang Zhiyi's feet, grabbed his strong calves, and cried out, "General! I'm innocent! I really didn't know!"

It was too heavy; even Wang Zhiyi couldn't kick it. "Sang Yulin! Let go!"

Sang Yulin: "No! General! I'm truly innocent!"

Wang Zhiyi: "Let go! We haven't even found out the problem yet, what's your rush? Don't you trust Young Master Bai? Hmm?"

Sang Yulin: "Let me hold you, General. Don't worry, if there really is a thief, I... I'll..."

Wang Zhiyi: "Tsk." Thinking that this fat man was actually quite sensible, since his daughter liked to come and he had treated her well, he would reluctantly accommodate him.

Bai Yan didn't linger. His wife was with him; he'd been having bad luck lately, and he didn't want to offend her eyes by seeing anything unclean.

All the tables and chairs outside the Wazilou were moved away, making room for a large open space.

The second floor was indeed a success; each room contained two or three men, and one or two women and children.

The women and children either had hatred on their faces or numbness in their eyes.

Anyone with eyes can see there's something wrong.

Sang Yulin hugged Wang Zhiyi's leg even tighter, "Second Brother! What are you doing here!"

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Author's Note: Bai Yan: My eyes are dirty again! I will protect my wife's eyes!

Jiang Yuzhi: He... is so different.

Sang Yulin: I'm really an honest man! You can believe me!

The cover is changed on the 9th! [Laughing out loud]