Shen Jintang reached out and took the hairpin without saying a word, leaving it impossible to tell what she was thinking.

However, when her gaze met that of the female slave, a subtle, unfathomable meaning flashed in both of their eyes.

“In that case, this maid will be yours.” Lu Huaijin quickly took out the roster and crossed out the woman’s name.

He breathed a sigh of relief. He had been observing the young man for a long time and originally planned to buy him after the case of King You was closed and raise him in his mansion. He was sure that the young man would be of great use in the future.

Unexpectedly, Gu Zhixing was one step ahead and wanted to come and select servants.

If he deliberately took this person away instead of letting Gu Zhixing choose, it would be too intentional.

If this displeases Gu Zhixing, then things will get complicated.

Fortunately, he didn't choose the young man at the last moment, otherwise he would have ended up with nothing.

Shen Jintang turned slightly to the side, her posture dignified. She nodded gently to Lu Huaijin, her voice clear and melodious: "Then I will trouble Commander Lu."

But when she raised her head, her eyes inadvertently swept over the woman, and her originally gentle gaze instantly sharpened, becoming as sharp as a sword.

The woman instantly noticed Shen Jintang's gaze, a flicker of panic crossing her eyes. She immediately knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly, pleading, "Please, young lady, have mercy..."

All eyes immediately turned to Shen Jintang.

Shen Jintang stood there, her posture upright and her demeanor composed, as if everything around her was irrelevant to her.

She frowned slightly, a hint of thought in her eyes, but her expression remained dignified. Her voice was neither hurried nor slow as she asked calmly, "What do you want from me?"

Upon hearing this, the woman trembled. She quickly lowered her head, tears welling in her eyes, and said in a choked voice, "Please have mercy, young lady. I have lived with my brother since I was a child, and he is my only family in the world. If we are separated now, I am afraid we will never see each other again."

"Please, young lady, have mercy and buy both me and my brother!"

"This servant will work harder in the future to repay your kindness in saving me! Please, Miss!"

As she spoke, she kept kowtowing, her forehead hitting the ground with a "thump, thump" sound. Tears streamed down her cheeks, dripping onto the ground and splashing up tiny water droplets.

The woman's voice was choked with sobs, making her seem incredibly pitiful, and it was hard to refuse her.

Shen Jintang's brows furrowed slightly, like a ripple on the surface of a lake, gently stirred by the wind.

Her eyes flickered slightly, and she subconsciously tugged at the hem of her clothes, a small gesture that betrayed her inner struggle.

After a while, she turned to Gu Zhixing, her voice soft and with a hint of negotiation: "Your Highness, this woman and her brother depend on each other for survival. It would be pitiful if they were separated. Why not take them with you? It would be a good deed."

Gu Zhixing's gaze fell on Shen Jintang's slightly furrowed brows; he noticed her inner turmoil.

It's just a matter of spending a little more money, is it really worth all that she's so conflicted?

You should know that the one thing he has no shortage of is money.

If spending a little money can make everyone happy, that would be wonderful.

“Since you’ve already asked, then let’s bring one more along,” Gu Zhixing said with a smile.

He already felt guilty towards Shen Jintang, so naturally he wouldn't refuse such a small favor.

For him, whether there are one more or one less is just a number.

"Your Highness, we initially agreed on one person, but now you've taken two. I'm not sure how to explain this to my superiors!" Lu Huaijin looked troubled, his tone tinged with helplessness, clearly trying to squeeze out as much money as possible.

Everyone knows that in Kyoto, the Crown Prince is the most generous.

Even a little bit of money that slips through their fingers can keep them well for a long time.

"Double the amount," Gu Zhixing said calmly.

“Your Highness…” Lu Huaijin was still somewhat embarrassed, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes.

"Five times the amount. Go to the Princess's residence tonight to collect the money." Gu Zhixing's voice was even colder, his tone carrying an unquestionable decisiveness.

Lu Huaijin remained silent for a moment, then finally nodded "helplessly" with a "bitter smile" on his face: "Yes, Your Highness."

After Gu Zhixing had finished handling the matter, Shen Jintang asked, "Who is your elder brother?"

Her voice was soft and gentle, like a pebble gently thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

The woman turned her head, and Shen Jintang followed her gaze, his eyes calm yet filled with a hint of inquiry as he swept over everyone present.

The people who had been standing in the open space looked at each other, and the atmosphere became somewhat tense for a moment.

Suddenly, the nine-foot-tall youth stepped forward, his voice deep and powerful: "Reporting to Your Excellency, it is this servant!"

Upon seeing that it was the nine-foot-tall young man, Lu Huaijin's expression instantly turned somewhat unpleasant.

He had originally set his sights on that young man, thinking that Gu Zhixing and the others wouldn't choose him, but to his surprise, he still couldn't escape it.

Lu Huaijin sighed and cursed his bad luck inwardly.

But the words had already been spoken and couldn't be taken back. He could only accept his bad luck and force a smile to hide his displeasure.

Gu Zhixing and Shen Jintang didn't react as strongly as Lu Huaijin; they simply said, "Let's go."

They were able to bring the two out without any problems.

The carriage started slowly, its wheels making a soft rolling sound on the stone road.

The surrounding environment gradually quieted down, and the backyard of the government office appeared somewhat empty. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the wooden fence, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

The carriage slowly drove out of the backyard and disappeared at the end of the official road, leaving only tranquility behind.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!