CHAPTER 59: CHAPTER 59: AFTERMATH (PART 2)

Jiang Shaohua felt heavy-hearted, unsure of what she was feeling. After a moment’s silence, she asked, "What is her name? Does she have any family?"

Lin Huiniang wiped her tears with her sleeve, choking out, "Her name is Shanxing. Her father and brother were killed by bandits, and her mother couldn’t withstand the torment, so she hanged herself last year. She’s the only one left. There was a deranged man among the bandits who targeted her every time... She wasn’t even ten at the time. After suffering for two or three years, she eventually turned out like this."

Shanxing still laughed foolishly.

Jiang Shaohua exhaled deeply, turning her head to instruct, "Yin Zhu, take her down the mountain later and bring her back to the Prince Mansion."

Yin Zhu’s eyes were already red, and she nodded vigorously.

Tu Bai’s eyes also shimmered with tears. Though they were slaves, they were born and raised in the Prince Mansion, well-fed and warmly clothed. Their biggest worry in life was being scolded by Mrs. Zhang for not doing their jobs properly. They had never witnessed such human suffering before.

The other women, seeing this, suddenly knelt down and repeatedly kowtowed, saying, "Commandery Princess, take us in too! We are willing to serve the Commandery Princess as oxen and horses, just please give us a place to stay."

"Please take us in, Commandery Princess."

"I kowtow to the Commandery Princess."

No one knew who started kowtowing first, but soon all the women were doing it. The rhythm of their kowtowing was so rapid that it couldn’t be stopped in time.

"Stop kowtowing." Jiang Shaohua’s slightly somber voice clearly reached the ears of all the women: "I personally came to exterminate the bandits, so I won’t leave you without care. I will find a way to settle you properly."

The women wiped their eyes, and their crying diminished significantly.

Only Kong Qingwan remained stationary, holding the Yijue Book.

Jiang Shaohua looked over: "Kong Qingwan, are you harboring a death wish, planning to end your life?"

Kong Qingwan’s lips moved, but she couldn’t utter a word.

"Your father, your brother, and even your own life were all saved by me." Jiang Shaohua said coldly, "You owe me three lives, and you must repay them by serving me like an ox or a horse. I forbid you to die, hence, you cannot die. Otherwise, I will lay all the debts upon your father and brother."

"They haven’t gone far; I can have them both killed right now!"

Kong Qingwan: "..."

Kong Qingwan’s pupils quivered, and her previously numb and blank limbs suddenly gained strength as she was about to kneel.

"No need to kneel," Jiang Shaohua’s face was stern, devoid of a smile, naturally exuding nobility and authority: "From today on, you all belong to me."

"I do not keep idle people; everyone must have a job to do."

"Have you been educated? Can you write?"

Kong Qingwan instinctively nodded, "Yes, I have been educated since childhood and have practiced calligraphy."

Jiang Shaohua acknowledged with a sound, "I need you to write down the names, ages, places of origin, and skills of all the women. In two hours, I will send Yin Zhu to collect it."

There were thirty-one women in total, with three having left with their husbands, leaving twenty-eight. To ask and record everything clearly in two hours was not an easy task.

Kong Qingwan had no time for grief or self-pity, quickly tucking the Yijue Book into her sleeve and accepting the thick paper and charcoal pen from Yin Zhu, she began to busy herself.

Before leaving, Jiang Shaohua reminded Lin Huiniang, "Take good care of Shanxing."

Lin Huiniang solemnly agreed, forcefully wiping her tear-reddened eyes and carefully folding and putting away the divorce letter written by her husband.

Thanks to the Commandery Princess, their husbands had written divorce papers instead of repudiation letters, preserving their final dignity and respect.

From today, their lives belonged to the Commandery Princess.

...

Jiang Shaohua then went to check on the spoils from the campaign against the bandits.

The Black Pine Village had been established for over ten years and had accumulated a lot of gold and silver. Apart from daily consumption, the rest was stored in the warehouse. Three storerooms were packed full.

Steward Cai was leading people to tally the goods, having somehow found an abacus, which he used to calculate rapidly.

Qin Zhan chuckled softly, "Commandery Princess, this Steward Cai is quite capable. He came straight here to inventory the storerooms early in the morning. He’s worth ten people."

The soldiers were adept at fighting, but when it came to accounting, each one had a headache.

Jiang Shaohua smiled approvingly.

At that moment, someone came to report, "Commandery Princess, while searching the village, we found one that slipped through the net. Shall we execute and expose the body immediately?"

Jiang Shaohua casually replied, "Bring the person here first, so I can ask some questions."

Soon, the one who slipped through was tightly bound with ropes and dragged over like a dead fish by Tao Da.

Jiang Shaohua didn’t rush to interrogate the bandit but first praised Tao Da with a smile: "You were the first to charge through the gate when attacking the Black Pine Village this time, achieving first merit. Tell me what reward you want!"

Tao Da, the simpleton, actually opened his mouth: "Commandery Princess, I want to get married."

Jiang Shaohua: "..."

The personal soldiers all burst into laughter.

Jiang Shaohua also smiled, "The Personal Guard Camp doesn’t prohibit marriage; at your unmarried age, you should indeed get married. I heard that your mother has been urging you to marry for years, but you refused. Why the sudden change of heart now?"

Tao Da rubbed his fingers, smiling foolishly, "My mother always wanted me to marry my cousin, but I don’t like her and don’t want to marry. Now I’ve met a girl I fancy, and I wish the Commandery Princess would make it happen."

Tao Da spent most of his time in the military camp, with little opportunity to meet women. For him to suddenly speak of a girl he fancies today, it was likely one of the poor women encountered while attacking the Black Pine Village yesterday...

Jiang Shaohua, sharp as ever, immediately caught on.

Under the scrutiny of everyone, she didn’t let Tao Da continue, "Let’s discuss this matter when there’s time. For now, the Commandery Princess will interrogate the bandit first."

Tao Da let out a small "oh" and backed away.

Jiang Shaohua cast her gaze over the bandit lying on the ground.

This bandit was over fifty, with half of his hair turned white. His hands and feet were bound together, his whole body bent, with a stinking rag stuffed in his mouth, his face flushed, and his eyes full of fear and pleading.

Qin Zhan personally removed the rag from the bandit’s mouth, "The Commandery Princess is asking questions, answer honestly to die quicker."

The bandit gasped for breath, tears streaming down, speaking in a tearful tone, "Commandery Princess, spare my life! Spare my life, Commandery Princess!"

"I know where the boss... No, I know where Zhu Yidao’s private treasure is hidden. I will offer it to the Commandery Princess! Also, I know where another bandit nest is in Li County, and I can lead the way for the Commandery Princess."

"As long as the Commandery Princess spares my life, I will be like a dog for the Commandery Princess. Whoever the Commandery Princess wants me to bite, I will bite."

Jiang Shaohua’s eyes flickered, and she asked quietly, "Where is the private stash?"

The bandit was overjoyed at the hint of hope, suddenly speaking fluently, "Zhu Yidao is the most greedy, and more than half of the loot from the village is secretly hidden by him. There is a secret passage beneath his bed, six feet below."

Jiang Shaohua signaled with her eyes, and Song Yuan nodded slightly, making arrangements.