Chapter 441: Slave Village, Cornered, Su Xinger

In the 297th year of Cai Qiu, the 25th day of the first month, daytime

In the southern foothills of the Nine Towns, to the Four Fanzhen of Mo’ao River—at least before the eyes of Cai Qiu and Chen Cang—it was essentially transparent in one direction.

Moreover, the northern three towns’ high-ups maintained close ties with these two Fanzhen.

Xia Hong knew this even before he arrived.

But his assumptions were clearly still too simplistic.

During his time in Changqing Valley, he had noticed that Cai Qiu and the Nine Towns used the same calendar system—identical dates, differing only in year.

The Mo’ao calendar was originally adopted by the northern three towns, then gradually adopted by the other six towns through trade integration.

Different development timelines meant different years were normal; dates might be nearly identical due to vegetation cycles or coincidences, but perfect alignment was strange.

For example, the Great Xia calendar differed by four days from the Nine Towns—that was normal. Cai Qiu’s perfect alignment could only mean one thing: it had influenced the three towns from very early on.

This implied that the relationship between the three towns and Cai Qiu was far deeper than Xia Hong had previously imagined.

Though he reached this conclusion, the mountains were high and the roads long, with no means to send word back; Xia Hong could only silently memorize it, resolving to address it later upon returning to the Nine Towns.

Just as in Xia Cheng, he began his seclusion, becoming utterly indifferent to the outside world.

Zhou Qing and the other servants in the mansion, though curious about their new master, dared not disturb his meditation chamber due to hierarchy and Xia Hong’s explicit orders; any matter had to be referred to Su Jing and the other three.

This situation, oddly enough, was somewhat bizarre.

Xia Hong arrived in Qinghuacheng on the night of the 18th day of the first month; though he immediately became master of the mansion, that same night he was invited to the Chengzhu’s residence for a banquet, and upon returning, entered seclusion.

Thus, in the seven days since, Zhou Qing and the other servants had seen him only once—on the night he returned from the banquet.

Fortunately, they had seen him that once; otherwise, these servants would not even recognize their own master—an unthinkable scenario in the rigid hierarchy of Cai Qiu.

“Our new master is too diligent—he’s so young, already so powerful, yet still trains day and night, refusing every banquet invitation from the two deputy chengzhu and the four commanders for seven straight days…”

“Not just that—last night, a maid from the Chengzhu’s mansion came to Zhou the steward, delivering an invitation from Miss Mengya. It was turned down too.”

“Tsk tsk… To others, such invitations would be begged for; our master’s self-control is extraordinary!”

“What self-control? Haven’t you left the mansion these past few days?”

“I haven’t gone out. What are you getting at?”

At Hong Mansion’s gate, Du He and Wang Long, on duty today, were chatting idly.

Wang Long clearly knew more; upon hearing Du He’s answer, he glanced around, then leaned in close and whispered:

“It’s not self-control—our master doesn’t even care about the deputy chengzhu or the four commanders. I just heard outside: when our master entered the city seven days ago, he fought the Chengzhu. Their strength was evenly matched.”

“What?”

Du He immediately asked in disbelief; when Wang Long nodded, his pupils dilated with shock, his face filled with utter disbelief.

Fought the Chengzhu—and neither won nor lost…

“Not just strength—our master is young. Didn’t you see him seven days ago? He claimed to be the Heir of Da Qin. At the banquet, he described Da Qin’s splendor; not just the guests, even the Chengzhu was stunned. Now the nobles of the city are whispering that Da Qin’s power is unfathomable, likely far surpassing Cai Qiu.”

Du He’s pupils trembled; then he recalled the night he welcomed Xia Hong back to the mansion, and suddenly understood: “No wonder—Miss Mengya’s Purple Bell carriage: in all Qinghuacheng, fewer than ten people have the right to ride it. I’ve been wondering why our new master had such prestige.”

So young, so powerful, and with such a formidable background—no wonder he had the nerve to refuse so many powerful figures. Even the Chengzhu sent his favorite daughter to flatter him; what were two deputy chengzhu and four commanders?

An opportunity—a chance to rise instantly!

As all confusion lifted, Du He instantly realized, looked up at Wang Long, and his face brimmed with gratitude.

“Heh heh, Hezi, few in the mansion know this yet—we’re both from the same slave village. Don’t think I’m not looking out for you!”

Du He’s face overflowed with gratitude; after a moment’s thought, he bowed deeply to Wang Long, voice trembling: “Brother Wang, your kindness, Du He will remember forever. If I ever truly gain fortune and am transferred from slave status to your master’s personal retainer, I will repay you, Brother Wang.”

Slave Village, as the name implies, is the settlement where those registered as slaves—slaves—live.

Cai Qiu’s slaves typically come from three sources: first, those without status or of low status who voluntarily sell themselves into slavery—this is the largest group; second, those originally holding at least fourth-class civilian status who were demoted to slave status due to crimes; third, new captives taken during wars with outsiders or when exploring new territories, usually branded as slaves or Jianji .

As slaves, they naturally have masters.

But not all slaves are lucky enough to find a master who wants them; thus, most slaves’ first master is actually the jurisdictional office of each city in Cai Qiu.

Before finding a master, their slave registers remain under the jurisdictional office’s control, which manages their freedom, hunting, gathering—all activities.

Of course, the jurisdictional offices of each city won’t feed these slaves for free; mining, gathering, hunting, fishing—all these tasks fall to them.

Slave Villages are typically built around major cities or near large resource sites, managed uniformly by the jurisdictional office; all unclaimed slaves live and labor in these villages.

Cai Qiu has too many slaves!

The high officials and nobles have no shortage; except for the few with exceptional talent, beauty, or luck, most slaves spend their entire lives—from birth to death—in these Slave Villages.

But conversely, since they are property, each city’s jurisdictional office does provide minimal safeguards: at least their safety is guaranteed, and they receive certain rations, even some cultivation resources—far better than those forced into menial trades as Jianji .

The only way to escape the Slave Village is for someone to pay the jurisdictional office to buy your slave register—in plain terms, to be purchased by another.

Du He, Wang Long, and the other two hundred or so slaves in the mansion are merely temporarily assigned by the jurisdictional office to Hong Mansion; their registers still rest in the office’s hands. If Master Hong Yu never buys them, Hong Mansion must pay monthly rental fees to the jurisdictional office.

For slaves like Du He and Wang Long, the best path is to find a powerful master, faithfully serve him, and live far better than in the Slave Village; if the master is kind and generous, there may even be a chance to shed slave status and enter civilian registry.

“So powerful, such a formidable background—there are probably no more than a handful of masters like this in all of Cai Qiu. I must find a way to become his retainer…”

The Chengzhu of Qinghuacheng, Cai Qiu’s Sword Saint—even as a common slave, Du He knew the weight of the name Cai Yunzhou. To have fought him and received such respect, Hong Yu’s strength and background were obvious.

“The master seems hard to approach, and since returning, he’s been in seclusion—no chance to reach him. Only through the three young masters and the Fourth Young Lady can we try. Rou’er serves right beside the Fourth Young Lady—close at hand, perhaps an opportunity!”

Du He’s mind flashed with thoughts; remembering his sister Du Rou served as a personal maid to Fourth Young Lady Su Xinger, he instantly recognized this as a perfect opening.

“Who are you? Stop!”

As Du He pondered, Wang Long’s sudden shout startled him; he looked up to see a middle-aged man in blue robes, covered in wounds, carrying a long spear, charging straight toward the mansion gate.

“Breaking in during daylight? Are you mad?”

Du He didn’t dare slacken; he swiftly drew his blade and rushed forward to block him.

But neither he nor Wang Long needed to stop him—the blue-robed man had no intention of entering; five or six meters away, he collapsed to his knees with a thud.

“I am Hu Tiejiang; I have urgent business to see Master Hong! Please, Your Honors, deliver my plea—please, Your Honors…”

Hu Tiejiang’s expression was frantic; he knelt and immediately banged his head, ignoring his wounds, begging Du He and Wang Long to deliver his message.

Upon hearing this, Du He and Wang Long’s expressions darkened.

They had been assigned to guard the gate—clearly low-status among Hong Mansion’s servants; even seeing the steward Zhou Qing was difficult, let alone entering the inner quarters to meet Hong Yu.

“Get lost! Where did you come from? Do you think you can meet the Heir?”

Wang Long immediately drove him off—but as he spoke, over a dozen men in white robes sprinted down the street.

“Law Office!”

Seeing the group, Du He and Wang Long’s pupils tightened slightly.

Cai Qiu’s governance relies on Three Offices and One Pavilion: the One Pavilion is the Precious Pavilion; the Three Offices are the Jurisdictional Office, the Law Enforcement Office, and the Demon-Slaying Office.

The Law Enforcement Office, as the name implies, handles punishments—whether military, civilian, or slave—anyone violating Cai Qiu’s laws is hunted and punished by them.

Though Du He and Wang Long served in Hong Mansion, they were still slaves; seeing Law Enforcement Office personnel, they naturally felt uneasy.

But what happened next left them momentarily stunned.

The white-robed Law Enforcement team halted at the mansion gate; their leader, a middle-aged man, walked forward with extreme humility, bowing deeply to Du He and Wang Long, apologizing: “I am Zhang Yiping, Captain of the Fifth Inner City Law Enforcement Team. We’re chasing a fugitive here and have disturbed your mansion—I sincerely apologize!”

Du He and Wang Long froze for over ten breaths; finally, Wang Long recovered first, quickly returning the bow: “Captain Zhang, no trouble at all—we weren’t disturbed.”

Clearly unprepared for Wang Long’s politeness, Zhang Yiping showed a moment of surprise, then quickly smiled; he signaled to his men with his eyes, then said: “Thank you both for your understanding. Then I’ll take my men and return to report.”

Several Law Enforcement officers immediately rushed forward and seized Hu Tiejiang on the ground.

“I truly know Master Hong and Su Xing… um… um…”

The Law Enforcement officers acted with brutal efficiency; seeing Hu Tiejiang still babbling, one drew a dagger and drove it straight through his face, dragging him away.

Wang Long watched the Law Enforcement team leave, stunned for a long time; after finally calming himself, he turned and sighed: “I used to hear elders in the Slave Village say, ‘In noble mansions, there are no servants.’ I never understood—today, I finally do.”

The Law Enforcement team—its captain—just bowed to us.

If I told someone this, they’d think we were mad, wouldn’t they?”

Wang Long finished speaking, but received no reply from Du He; he turned and saw Du He staring down, deep in thought. He guessed immediately, his expression strange: “You don’t actually believe that guy really knew Master Hong, do you? Look at his clothes, his age—Fifth Rank Qi, weaker than us. He probably just heard the master’s and Fourth Young Lady’s names, panicked under Law Enforcement pressure, and came here to gamble.”

Du He nodded slowly, his brow relaxing.

………………