Chapter 272 The area under the peony flowers was sealed off.
The villagers also responded enthusiastically:
"We're all willing to join the patrol!"
"Yes, we can't let these bad guys steal our spring planting seeds!"
Even if someone is beaten to death by villagers for stealing seeds during the spring planting season, the government is unlikely to pursue the matter too much.
After all, in the agricultural era, this was the villagers' staple food for the whole year, and there was even a saying that they would rather starve their parents than eat the grain they grew.
Grandpa Zhao had two burly men escort the two thieves to the government office.
After this turmoil, the spring rain arrived as expected.
Fine, dense rain fell from the sky, nourishing the parched land.
The children hid in shacks by the fields, while the adults, wearing straw hats and raincoats, continued their work.
Spring rain is as precious as oil, and this rain has come at just the right time!
It saved the villagers so much trouble!
The afterglow of the setting sun bathed Jishui Village in a warm golden light, wisps of smoke rose from chimneys, and the air was filled with the aroma of families preparing dinner.
In Jiang Ling's backyard kitchen, a busy yet warm scene unfolded.
"Xiaoyi, help me wash the scallions."
"Okay!"
"Xiaoyi, add another piece of firewood to the stove, just keep the fire at this temperature."
Of course, only Xiao Ran and Xiao Yi were busy, while Jiang Ling was leisurely enjoying the sunset.
A freshly bought old hen was stewing in a pot, and its rich aroma filled the entire kitchen with the bubbling sound.
On the small table next to it were sliced cured meat, soaked dried mushrooms, tender green vegetables, and a small bowl of golden egg liquid.
It wasn't that Jiang Ling was lazy; it's just that she hadn't cooked since moving to this courtyard.
One reason is that the stove here is made of wood, and Jiang Ling doesn't know how to use it.
Secondly, every time Jiang Ling approached the kitchen, Xiao Ran would ask her to leave and not let her do any work.
Over time, Jiang Ling grew tired of putting on such a show.
So I just sat there leisurely and waited to eat.
"Is the chicken almost done? It smells so good!" Xiao Yi sniffed, gazing longingly at the steaming pot lid.
"Almost there, almost there, just add a little more heat to reduce the sauce," Xiao Ran replied while operating the machine.
Xiao Ran and Xiao Yi have been working together more and more seamlessly lately, and before long, a delicious and visually appealing meal was ready.
"Dinner's ready!" The last dish was served.
The small dining table was placed in a well-ventilated area near the kitchen door. At this time, it was not yet completely dark, and a beautiful sunset still lingered on the horizon.
It is indeed a beautiful sight.
On the table was a large pot of fragrant mushroom stewed chicken, a plate of glistening and tempting stir-fried cured pork with greens, a dish of stir-fried dried mushrooms with eggs, and a small basket of warm multigrain steamed buns.
Jiang Ling exclaimed: Xiao Ran's cooking skills are getting better and better!
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Spring plowing is in full swing in Jishui Village, while something incomprehensible happened in Ping'an County.
The largest brothel in Ping'an County, located under the peony blossoms, was raided and confiscated by the government!
Jiang Ling happened to be out shopping in town with Xiao Yi and Xiao Tao today. When the carriage stopped by the roadside, she overheard people discussing this topic.
"...They really plagiarized? My God, such a big brand, it just collapsed like that?"
"That's right! The officials surrounded that street early this morning! I heard they found something incredible inside!"
"What extraordinary thing?"
"Shh—keep your voice down! I heard...it's related to the Great Sheng Dynasty in the north! It's about...a spy from the Yan Yang Merchant Caravan!"
"The Yan Yang Caravan? That's the one with a terrible reputation on the border? How did Peony Pavilion get involved with them?"
"I heard that the madam is from the Yanyang Merchant Caravan!"
"Tsk tsk, the Great Sheng Dynasty is truly vicious, actually sending people to our country to open brothels! Aren't they just here to bring disaster to our people?!"
"The Yan Yang caravan has a notorious reputation; perhaps the girls inside were kidnapped from good families!"
"The madam was arrested on the spot by the authorities, and the girls inside were all taken away and questioned one by one!"
"Serves them right! These despicable places shouldn't exist..."
The whispers, like tiny waves, kept reaching Jiang Ling's ears.
Her expression was calm, as if she had everything under control.
Because this was originally her doing.
Xiao Tao, sitting in the carriage, naturally heard the discussions outside.
Her face was slightly pale, and she gripped the hem of her clothes tightly with both hands, her emotions a complex mix of feelings.
There was excitement, fear, and a sense of relief.
She was excited because that place had once been a quagmire where she struggled to survive, filled with unbearable memories. Now that it had suddenly collapsed, she felt a sense of satisfaction, as if she had finally gotten her revenge.
She was afraid that the authorities would find out that she had framed him herself.
Now, both of the things that Miss Jiang arranged have been resolved.
Through their time together, she realized that Miss Jiang was not a person who broke her word.
I said I would set her free, and I will definitely set her free.
The three got out of the car, ordered a pot of tea and some simple snacks, seemingly to rest, but in reality, they were focused on gathering more information.
In fact, no one knew the whole story better than Jiang Ling.
She did this today simply to confirm the final outcome.
Several days ago, Jiang Ling had already sent people to spread rumors about the Peony Flower Pavilion colluding with the Yan Yang Merchant Caravan of the Great Sheng Dynasty. As she expected, the rumors spread to every corner of Ping'an County in just two days, but they did not attract much attention.
As for the government, because they had been receiving tributes from the people under the peony tree for many years, they turned a blind eye to such rumors and even deliberately suppressed them.
Jiang Ling knew they wouldn't cut off their source of income for something like this.
Then I thought of Zhao Jingxing. Last year, when he was investigating a missing girl case in Ping'an County, he had interacted with the county magistrate of Ping'an County.
Moreover, Zhao Jingxing's official rank was far higher than that of the magistrate of Ping'an County.
Jiang Ling then wrote him a letter explaining the whole story.
Until yesterday, the magistrate of Ping'an County received a handwritten letter from Zhao Jingxing in the capital.
The government officials were mobilized before the sun even rose this morning.
The building under the peony flowers has now been sealed off.
The madam and several key managers were immediately arrested and imprisoned, while the others were detained pending trial.
The downfall of such brothels is naturally a cause for celebration!
"I never thought... it really worked..." Xiao Tao murmured as she listened to the tea drinkers' descriptions, her hand holding the teacup trembling slightly.
The look in his eyes as he looked at Jiang Ling now held a hint of fear.
Jiang Ling picked up her teacup and took a small sip.
The business under the peony flower was seized, and the girls in the building, once confirmed innocent, would be resold by the government, making it much easier to rescue Xiao Qiu.
Alternatively, you could have Grandpa Zhao make a call to the government beforehand and spend some money.
However, given the magnitude of the incident, it's unavoidable that they'll be detained for a few more days.
"Sister, are we still going to buy things?" Xiao Yi asked, looking up and interrupting Jiang Ling's thoughts.
"I'll buy it." Jiang Ling withdrew her gaze, put down the tea money, and left.
"Now that the business is done, I can finally focus on making the purchases."
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