Song Yu strode in with powerful steps, and all the imperial guards and covert agents immediately dropped to their knees.
"Greetings, Prince Qin."
The commoners around them widened their eyes in shock and hastily knelt as well. Good heavens—they had actually laid eyes on the illustrious Prince Qin!
"Ahuan, are you alright?"
Song Yu first scrutinized Song Shihuan from head to toe, ensuring she was unharmed before turning his gaze to the unconscious Du Heng on the ground.
Meanwhile, Gu Zheng, who stood behind Song Yu, swiftly grabbed Gu Mingzhu by the collar and yanked her aside, his eyes bloodshot with fury just like Song Yu’s.
"Father, I’m fine," Song Shihuan said, her voice icy. "Du Ru claimed the Du family had the backing of Third Uncle, so they wielded unchecked power in Zhenling County. Over the years, who knows how many children they’ve abducted from all over using despicable means? Their crimes are unforgivable."
"Third Uncle?"
Song Yu’s lips curled in disdain as he signaled his men to rouse Du Heng by any means necessary.
"By the time I left the capital, the Sun family was already surrounded. And as for the so-called Prince Chu you mentioned—he’s now kneeling outside the Zichen Hall, begging for mercy."
At Song Yu’s words, Du Heng’s eyes rolled back as he nearly fainted again.
"If the Magistrate Du dares to faint once more, I’ll execute him first and report later."
Seeing Du Heng desperately pinching his philtrum to stay conscious, Song Yu smirked coldly and approached Du Ru.
"I heard you took a liking to my daughter?"
His voice carried the weight of a raging storm.
"I—I—I wouldn’t dare! Spare me, Your Highness! Please spare me!" Du Ru stammered incoherently, even slapping his own face like a beaten dog begging for mercy.
But Song Yu remained unmoved. He drew a dagger from his waist.
"Which finger did you use to point at my daughter?"
He crouched down, tapping the flat of the blade against Du Ru’s cheek, so close that he could hear the man’s teeth chattering.
"Your Highness, spare me—"
"If you don’t answer, I’ll cut off all ten fingers."
"Your Highness, don’t dirty your hands." Gu Zheng’s words briefly ignited a flicker of hope in Du Ru—only to snuff it out the next second. "Allow me to handle it for you."
Gu Zheng’s murderous gaze bore into Du Ru. How dare this wretch lay hands on his daughter? He had a death wish.
Moments later, Du Ru’s agonized screams echoed through the air like a slaughtered pig.
"Anyone who dares harm children within the borders of Great Qi will face my wrath without mercy."
Song Yu swept a cold glance around the brothel before uttering softly, "This filthy place—burn it to the ground."
In less than a day, the sky over Zhenling had changed.
The once-lively brothel was reduced to ashes.
The mighty Du family was stripped of its power, and over twenty abducted girls were rescued from their estate. Every member of the Du family was hauled off to the capital in chains.
At Song Shihuan’s insistence, the rescued girls were veiled in white gauze to conceal their identities, while the Du family faced the public’s fury—rotten eggs and spoiled vegetables hurled at them.
Yet even so, everyone knew this was far from over.
......
"To have sired a wretch like you shames our ancestors."
Outside Zichen Hall, Emperor Yuanyou struck Prince Chu across the face, leaving his cheek swollen.
"All these years—did you truly know nothing of the Du family’s crimes?" The emperor’s fury sent the palace servants trembling on their knees. "Those girls were so young, the same age as Xiling in your own household. I—I should beat you to death right now!"
"Father, please calm yourself!"
Prince Chu had cursed the Du family a thousand times in his heart. "I swear I knew nothing of their actions!"
"You knew nothing?"
Emperor Yuanyou was so enraged he could barely breathe. "You took their silver year after year, acting as their shield in Zhenling. Now that they’ve fallen, do you think you can wash your hands of this?"
The ledger Shen Qingping had submitted lay open on the imperial desk.
Prince Chu’s pupils shrank, his limbs going weak.
"Guards! Confine Prince Chu to Consort Hui’s palace. Seal off his estate—no one enters or leaves without my decree."
Still seething, Emperor Yuanyou delivered another slap.
How could his Song bloodline produce such a fool?
Meanwhile, at the Shen residence...
"You handed over the Du family’s ledger, dealing Prince Chu a fatal blow. What’s your next move?" Shen Mingwen studied Shen Qingping with grave intensity.
"Father, by my calculations, the grain should have reached Mobei by now. Sun You is surely racing back as we speak." Shen Qingping’s lips were chapped, his voice weary. "I’ll send men to Mobei under Yu Fan’s name, claiming the eldest Miss Gu sent gifts for his family."
"That way, we can verify if the grain reached the people."
"You intend to destroy the Sun family completely?" Even though Shen Mingwen had anticipated this, his heart still clenched. The Sun family was an entrenched noble house—a centipede that refused to die even when cut down.
"Father, the Suns deserve annihilation."
Shen Qingping met his father’s gaze without flinching.
This time, he would erase the Sun family from Great Qi’s noble ranks.
......
Once all suspects were imprisoned in the imperial jail, it became Shen Xiao’s domain.
Facing these cowards who feared death, Shen Xiao extracted full confessions within two days.
"So it wasn’t just the capital—other regions also had girls trafficked to Zhenling?" Inside Zichen Hall, before Emperor Yuanyou could speak, Song Yu slammed his fist on the table in fury.
"Correct. The Du family picked first, then other officials. Those unwanted were left in the brothel to earn profits."
Hence Zhenling’s reputation for beautiful women and decadent indulgence.
A soft sob broke the silence. Emperor Yuanyou gently wiped Song Shihuan’s tears.
"Grandfather, those girls were my age. They suffered so much."
"Don’t fear, Ahuan. Grandfather will protect them now."
The emperor held her close, hands trembling.
None knew the terror he’d felt upon learning Ahuan had been taken. Even with guards watching her, he’d wanted to slaughter those monsters on the spot.
"Investigate thoroughly. Every buyer and seller involved shall face death by a thousand cuts—no exceptions." Emperor Yuanyou’s voice was steel. "Burn every location where these crimes occurred."
"Order the Ministry of Justice to revise the laws."
"Henceforth, in Great Qi, trafficking underage girls warrants the extermination of entire clans."
