Chapter (10): The Great Hunter's Infiltration of the Brothel
The largest brothel in the Port City was a branch of the capital's famous pleasure house, Huanhua, and it was far from insignificant.
While the Port City could not compare to the capital, the maritime trade and ships arriving from various lands to pay tribute meant that wealthy merchants and high-ranking nobles were frequent sights in the city streets. Consequently, the premier brothel of such a city was no laughing matter.
The original Bai Li, given his low standing, never had the chance to cause trouble there, nor could he afford to amuse himself at Huanhua. However, the brothel in the small town near their village was also an affiliate of this establishment. While the town's house wasn't a direct branch, it maintained close ties and operated under Huanhua's shadow.
The original Bai Li spent nearly all his time in the gambling dens and brothels of that small town. As a result, the dregs of the town's underworld knew this "human trash" well. Furthermore, because the villagers of Nanchang often went to the town to shop, word had spread that Bai Li possessed two incredibly adorable little Ge'ers. Rumors also flew about how the original Bai Li despised and neglected his family.
Huanhua did more than just offer pleasure; they also engaged in human trafficking. Although the country was at peace, the system of servitude still existed. While the Emperor strictly forbade forced enslavement, voluntary self-sale or parents selling their children remained legal. Thus, Huanhua's branches throughout the provinces would often purchase young girls and Ge'ers at a tender age. After training them, the most talented were sent to the capital, while those remaining in the provinces became local courtesans.
The children sent to the capital became top-tier courtesans or "playthings" for powerful households. Some were even sought specifically for childbirth, and in such cases, Ge'ers were highly valued. While a woman's fertility was often unpredictable, a Ge'er's potential for conception could be estimated by examining the vibrancy of their pregnancy mole.
Xiaofu and Xiaowu possessed exceptionally beautiful pregnancy moles that were impossible to hide, and their features were strikingly lovely. This prompted the town's brothel to send word to the main branch in the Port City. Subsequently, Huanhua had secretly dispatched scouts to Nanchang Village. They were beyond satisfied with what they saw.
It must be noted that because the laws against forced servitude were so draconian, Huanhua could not simply seize children they liked. However, seeing that the original Bai Li was a notorious gambler and profligate, they saw a golden opportunity. They offered him one hundred silver taels and a night of pleasure at their establishment in exchange for the two children.
One hundred silver taels was a significant sum, but if one ever wanted to buy those children back from Huanhua, one hundred gold bars wouldn't suffice. The original, heartless Bai Li had been overjoyed by the offer, even thinking he had "recouped" the hundred taels spent to marry Xiao Han.
In this land, children were considered the property of their parents; if the parents agreed, a sale was legal. The original Bai Li sold Xiaofu and Xiaowu without a second thought, and he had even asked if they wanted to buy Xiao Han as well. Strictly speaking, wives were also considered property, but selling a wife fell into a legal gray area—not entirely illegal, but not quite sanctioned either. Because Xiao Han had been "bought" for such a high price, he could theoretically be resold, but Huanhua declined, fearing the potential social complications. This had actually made the original Bai Li quite angry.
Although Huanhua had secured the life contracts for the two children, they stated they would only come to collect them when the children turned seven. However, since they held the contracts, they could come at any time they pleased.
This was precisely what haunted the new Bai Li. As long as those contracts remained in Huanhua's hands, he could never truly be at peace. He would live in constant fear of the day they came to take the children. Moreover, Huanhua's ironclad rule was to never sell back anyone once their contract was signed—no matter the amount offered, they prioritized their reputation with their "clients." Thus, Bai Li had no choice. He had to break in.
Bai Li approached the rear of the Port City's Huanhua branch with calculated stealth. For a place that thrived at night, this was peak business hours. The Madam in charge would be busy introducing courtesans to guests. From the original Bai Li's memories of when he signed the papers, he could pinpoint the location of the Madam's private chambers.
The pavilion was two stories high and quite grand, but the rear remained silent and shrouded in darkness. Bai Li silently scaled the wall. This was no feat for him; in his previous life, he had been an avid mountain climber and practiced wall-scaling as a sport.
In his past life, though his family was wealthy, only his eldest brother was groomed as the heir. His parents had wanted Bai Li to remain a "useless" second son who merely spent money. One thing he never understood was that while they wanted him to be a profligate, they couldn't accept the fact that he was gay.
However, Bai Li was naturally inquisitive and a quick learner. Even in school, his results surpassed his brother's, which only unsettled his parents. Eventually, Bai Li understood their wishes and began to hide his talents, spending his time learning various skills in secret—far from his parents' prying eyes. He never expected those skills to be so vital here.
The original Bai Li's actions made him burn with rage, but it didn't matter. He could take those contracts back. He knew martial arts and was skilled in climbing. Even if there were guards at the Madam's room, he was not afraid.
Bai Li reached the second floor and poked a hole in the paper window with his finger to peer inside. Whenever he saw a "battle" in progress, he moved on. Finding a vacant room, he carefully broke the window latch and slipped inside. The wood groaned, but the boisterous music from the floor below masked the sound.
He knew where the Madam's room was, but he didn't head there directly through the corridors. Guards would likely be stationed at her door. While he could break a window without being heard from afar, a struggle at the door would alert the entire city.
He moved like a shadow through the dark, empty rooms until he reached the corner near her chambers. He saw two burly men standing guard. Retreating into the darkness, he tore a piece of cloth to mask his face. He made a slight noise to lure one guard away; as the man approached, Bai Li knocked him unconscious with a single, precise blow. When the second guard came to investigate, he met the same fate. Bai Li dragged both men into the Madam's room and whispered a soft apology.
"Brothers, there is no personal enmity between us, but I am in a difficult position."
If the villagers ever found out the children were sold, the Bai family and Xiao Han would be devastated. He cherished this new life too much to let that happen.
Inside the room, Bai Li lit a small lamp and began rifling through the cabinets. Aside from boxes of jewelry, he found a small chest containing nearly a hundred life contracts. The boxes were locked, but Bai Li knew the art of lock-picking. He used a few hairpins found in the room to spring the mechanism.
Searching through the papers, he found the two contracts bearing the names of Xiaofu and Xiaowu. He prepared to leave but hesitated. If he only took two, their absence would be noticed immediately since those two children were "special" picks. The Madam would realize they were missing very quickly.
Bai Li looked back and forth between the gold and the box of contracts. Finally, he picked up the entire chest of contracts. He had no desire for stolen gold, but these papers represented scores of children purchased by Huanhua. Most were sold by "trash" parents like the original Bai Li, though some were likely sold due to genuine family tragedies.
Alright. Poor little ones, Uncle Bai Li will save you this once. If your trash parents sell you again, then that is your fate.
Bai Li leaped from the Madam's window and vanished into the night. Having arrived in this body as a hunter, he had now become a thief. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he ran.
"Huanhua... I know these cost you a lot of money, but consider it a mandatory act of charity."
Once he was a safe distance away, he built a small fire. He checked the names of his children one last time to be certain, then cast the entire chest into the flames. After ensuring the ashes were scattered and no evidence remained, he hurried back to the inn. The entire operation had taken very little time.
The Bai and Jiang families occupied separate rooms. When he slipped back in, his father and eldest brother were fast asleep. Just as he tried to lie down quietly, Father Bai stirred.
"Second son... are you only just going to sleep? I told you those 'scraps' (the offal) weren't worth the effort... Go to sleep, go to sleep. We have to head back to the village early in the morning."
Bai Li replied with a warm smile, "Yes, Father." As he lay down, the smile lingered on his lips for a long time.
The children's life contracts had been like a fishbone stuck in his throat. Now that they were gone, there was nothing left to fear. Even if his parents or Xiao Han ever found out about the past, there was no physical proof. Without the contracts, the children could never be taken away. He fell into a peaceful sleep.
While things were progressing smoothly for Bai Li, back in the village, Xiao Han and his two sons were facing a difficult time.
After the men left, Lei Shi had come to cause trouble. Though she started politely, she soon showed her fangs, openly stating that when Bai Li returned with the silver, they should be given a portion. Mother Bai (Mo Hua) was incensed. If the Xiao family had ever been kind to them, she wouldn't have minded, but they had treated Bai Li and Xiao Han as if they didn't exist for three years—until there was money involved. Did Lei Shi have no shame?
Though the silver hadn't even reached the village yet, a massive row broke out between Mo Hua and Lei Shi. Eventually, Du Shi had to intervene, using the Village Head's name to stop the fight. On her way out, Lei Shi loudly cursed Xiao Han for not speaking up in her favor.
Mo Hua took Xiao Han and the little ones to the main Bai house, letting Bai Mei sleep in her room and giving Bai Mei's room to Xiao Han and the little ge'ers. But the trouble didn't end there. At dinner, the eldest daughter-in-law, Zhou Shi, started a conflict. Xiaofu and Xiaowu had each been given a whole boiled pheasant egg, while the rest of them had only a thin soup with a few scraps of egg mixed with vegetables.
Zhou Shi complained that Mother Bai was being biased, arguing that since she was carrying a Bai grandchild, she shouldn't be treated unfairly. Mo Hua, already stressed from the encounter with Lei Shi, snapped at her. Normally, she was gentle with Zhou Shi because of her difficulty conceiving, but these eggs had come from Bai Li's own house. Before leaving, Bai Li had specifically told her to eat the eggs with his family.
To avoid a scene, Mo Hua hadn't even given eggs to the ailing Xiao Han or the youngest daughter, Bai Mein. She never expected Zhou Shi to pick a fight with two-year-old children. Seeing that the third daughter-in-law, Su Shi, was also silently supporting Zhou Shi by refusing to touch his rice, Mother Bai's blood pressure soared. She realized she had perhaps spoiled her daughters-in-law too much.
Mo Hua told them bluntly that if they didn't want to eat, they could go hungry. The two women fell silent, but after Mother Bai went to bed, they crept into Xiao Han's room. Xiao Han was just about to sleep when these sisters-in-law, who had never once been friendly, appeared. He was stunned when they began to insult and belittle him.
"Second's family is so lucky," Zhou Shi sneered. "No matter how much trouble you cause the family, you're still the favorites. If you have some secret tricks, do share them with us. We're tired of being treated like second-class citizens."
Su Shi added, "Eldest Sister-in-law, what are you saying? Can't you see how 'lucky' Second Brother-in-law's wife is? Tomorrow, Second Brother-in-law will return with hundreds of silver taels. But... well, whatever. It's true they can make a lot of money now."
This was a blatant mockery. Everyone knew the original Bai Li didn't care for his family; the idea of him letting Xiao Han touch the money was laughable. Xiao Han didn't understand why they were attacking him with such words, but if their goal was to hurt him, they succeeded. His face grew pale.
In a marriage, if you aren't loved by your husband, you are nothing but a joke to others.
Hearing Su Shi, Zhou Shi let out a mocking laugh.
"Su Shi, you know how Second Brother-in-law is. He loves women. Now that he has all that money, he'll probably buy a second or third wife from the city. Poor ge'er and his children won't even be able to catch his eye anymore. Who knows? He might even just sell them off."
Su Shi's cold laughter rang out, but Xiao Han turned as white as a ghost. He had heard rumors in the village—that once Bai Li ran out of money, he would sell him and the sons. Since then, he had lived in constant terror. The word "sell" was the greatest nightmare of his life.
Seeing Xiao Han's deathly pale face, Zhou Shi and Su Shi felt a sense of satisfaction and left. But Xiao Han couldn't sleep a wink that night.
He often wondered what he would do if Bai Li sold the children. Realizing he was powerless to stop it felt like a thin blade was slicing through his heart, layer by layer.
It was a pain beyond words.