Furthermore, the fact that they were able to create indentures for these girls indicates that some of these people were working in the government office, and perhaps even held high positions.
He Jiuniang felt that this matter was a little troublesome.
First of all, this matter must be handled without the knowledge of the royal family, otherwise the person behind it will definitely shift the blame and pin it all on Prince Chen.
Prince Chen was already out of favor, and if he were to be slandered, the emperor would surely take back his power.
He Jiuniang just couldn't understand what the old emperor was thinking. His son was so outstanding, so why did he act like he was blind?
"Alright, now that you're here, do your jobs well from now on, and I won't treat you unfairly."
He Jiuniang waved her hand to signal them to leave, and asked Wang Sao and Li Sao to take them to their lodgings. Now the number of people in the mansion had increased instantly, and they could truly live a life where everything was done for them.
It's manageable when there are banquets at the manor, but usually there's really no need for so many people. It seems she needs to create some more business opportunities and have these girls manage them for her.
A short while later, Aunt Xu and Lu Baichuan returned together. Lu Baichuan was in a hurry and asked as soon as he came in, "Did you suddenly ask me to send someone to investigate that brokerage firm because you found something? Aunt Xu didn't explain it very clearly. I'm worried that some important points might have been overlooked, so I came back to ask you before I tell you."
"Yes, Aunt Xu, you've worked hard. Go and rest."
He Jiuniang waved her hand, signaling Xu Sao to leave first, and then she got up and walked out, saying, "Let's talk in the study."
Lu Baichuan knew the seriousness of the matter, so he didn't say anything and quickly followed her to the study, closing the door behind him.
"This matter is far more serious than we thought."
He Jiuniang said, “The girls I saw at the brokerage today were all survivors of that organization. They were not locals, but ordinary girls from good families. After being abducted, they suffered all kinds of hardships, but they were still sent to the brokerage and sold as ordinary slaves. Their indentures were all clean and there was nothing wrong with them.”
As she spoke, she took out all the indentures she had just put away and showed them to Lu Baichuan.
Lu Baichuan checked it carefully several times, but still couldn't find any problems.
The biggest problem is that there are no problems. If what these women say is true, then there must be inside agents in the government office who specialize in arranging indentures for these victimized girls to make their behavior seem legitimate, so that no matter how much others investigate, they can't find any fault with it.
Jingzhou City, seemingly second only to the capital in prosperity, is actually riddled with problems. Countless eyes are watching all of this. If it weren't for the series of changes triggered by Gou'er's arrest, they probably wouldn't have known about these people's plans.
"I've already sent people to stake out the brokerage. If there's any news, they'll definitely let me know immediately."
Lu Baichuan was still able to control his emotions while speaking, which means that the previous incident at Danzhulou had already alerted them. Even so, they still recklessly engaged in such immoral business.
“It’s not just this brokerage firm that has problems. I think the most problematic person is its owner, Master Liu. I’ve inquired with the brokers, and the owner of the brokerage firm and the Fa Cai Gambling House are the same person. Anyone who dares to do this kind of business must have someone behind them. You should start by investigating Master Liu, and then follow the clues to find out who’s controlling him.”
He Jiuniang spoke for a while, and then said, "Of course, this is just my suggestion. You can decide for yourselves how to investigate."
He Jiuniang knew that women did not have a high status in this era, and men did not like women to get involved in these matters. She also disliked meddling, so she kept quiet in time.
But Lu Baichuan didn't think so. Hearing He Jiuniang's arrangement, he actually thought it made a lot of sense and said, "No, no, what you said makes a lot of sense. It's just that when we raided Danzhu Tower before, we caused quite a stir. We've already alerted the enemy. It might not be easy to find out the big fish behind it this time. I even think of luring the snake out of its hole."
He Jiuniang, however, did not think so, saying, "If they take the matter of Danzhu Tower seriously, I'll admit defeat."
Before Lu Baichuan could even ask, He Jiuniang continued to explain, "Danzhu Tower might just be a pretext they put out in the open, to make us think that after that Taoist temple, they only have Danzhu Tower. In reality, they have a much larger power behind them, and the destruction of Danzhu Tower is just a better cover for their shady dealings."
"In this way, we can actually turn the tables and create the illusion that we've fallen into their trap. This way, we can change the course of the game. With the enemy in the open and us in the shadows, we're more likely to expose the biggest mastermind behind this."
After hearing what she said, Lu Baichuan felt enlightened. He had always thought he was quite smart, so why did he become so stupid when it came to his wife?
“That’s a good idea. I’ll immediately have Qin Jian keep an eye on Master Liu of the Fortune Gambling House.”
Lu Baichuan's mood also became heavy. Back when they were undercover agents in Nantai, they also ran a gambling den. They had the powerful backing of Prince Chen, and everything they did went smoothly. If the forces behind that gambling den were also from the Eastern Court royal family, then things would get interesting.
Many times, he didn't want to look at these things with the worst eyes, but the truth is often so unexpected. If you don't take precautions in advance, you really don't know when you will die, let alone that your country has long become someone else's meal.
He turned and walked out, saying as he went, "I won't be back for dinner. Don't wait for me. Go to bed early tonight."
This matter involves too many issues, so he needs to keep a close eye on it personally. He also needs to report the situation here to Prince Chen, so that Prince Chen can be careful not to be framed in the capital.
He Jiuniang responded but didn't say anything more.
This is his job, and he has to do it even if he's covered in injuries.
He Jiuniang instructed the kitchen to prepare more dishes and send them to the Huoyun Division office for him and his brothers to eat in a while.
During this period, Qin Jian and Lou Chong often came to our house for meals. If we were to send food directly to Lu Baichuan, we would also bring them a portion.
After giving these instructions, He Jiuniang felt a little tired and was about to lie down for a while when Qiu Tian brought in the young apprentice from the clinic and said, "Third Madam, a letter has arrived from the village!"
He Jiuniang took the letter and read it, a smile instantly spreading across her face.
It was about Qin's pregnancy. Before, she was not allowed to talk about it until she was three months pregnant, but now that she is three months pregnant, she wrote a letter to tell her.
He also mentioned that business at his home is doing very well, and they are considering opening a second branch.
In addition, when Old Man Lu returned home, he told her that He Jiuniang was planning to find someone to buy cattle from the grasslands. Lu Lao Er and the Zhang brothers were very interested and wanted to go along to broaden their horizons. This matter really worried Sun Shi.
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