Chapter 364: Seven Girls

Master, having you as their host is their blessing.

Bai Zhi gazed at that woman—her master, the one she had sworn to serve loyally all her life—and to be able to follow behind her and press on was such a happiness.

Jiang Yunchu saw her little admirer's look and smiled helplessly.

People give and take; her generosity is expensive, but only because these people deserve it.

This time she opened a new workshop, though simple—just using floral dew, adding the white powder she had taken out, mixing according to the ratio bit by bit, then placing it on the mask cloth, covering it with a white porcelain box, then laying a layer of pale pink cloth, doing **, and finally arranging them on a side shelf.

On her second uncle's side, he had already found suitable people for her, and she also needed to begin training; the three experience stores in Jingdu had already been renovated.

Now, as long as the staff are in place, we can officially open.

After leaving the workshop, Jiang Yunchu went to the Zhuang clan's villa, where a hundred girls were kept; at first they were all apprehensive—some had been sold by their parents, pitiful souls; others had no home to begin with and had sold themselves just to have something to eat.

They didn't know their future, and they never even dared to hope for one.

"Right here, there are a hundred girls; I know you need many people. In another courtyard there are fifty more, and those fifty women haven't finished etiquette lessons yet—they may still need some time." Zhuang Wei gave a bitter smile.

"For these people, your second aunt has been nagging me for ages; from now on you'd better speak well of me to her."

Thinking back to those days, even the lady of the house wouldn't let him near her, suspecting he kept someone outside—how wronged he must feel.

Poor him—his heart held only the lady of the house, yet she favored beauties; just trying to win her affection exhausted him, and still she doubted him—wasn't he wronged?

Jiang Yunchu looked at her second uncle and couldn't help laughing hysterically: "Second uncle, listen to the lady and you'll prosper!"

"Believe me—don't think the second aunt's fondness for beauties means anything; her intuition is spot‑on, and anyone she lets close will be of good character."

Feng Xiangxiang seemed to like beauties, but her mind was very keen—or rather, her innate intuition had always been protecting her.

Don't compete with someone on intuition, and don't think a person is stupid.

"That's natural—once you marry the lady, you ought to treat her well; this much the second uncle still knows." Zhuang Wei said this, and never thought there was anything wrong with treating the lady well.

Loving one's lady is the Zhuang clan's tradition; the Zhuang men have no concubines, and once they set their hearts on someone, it's for life.

Zhuang Miao had grown up hearing this; from the start she told Kang Lian that if he ever fell for another—or even harbored such a thought—she would leave without hesitation.

Likewise, the Kang clan rose only from Kang Mengxian's generation; they had few relatives, Kang Mengxian being a poor scholar who climbed step by step to high office, then, to preserve the clan and shield the children, he retired from the currents.

That was his great wisdom—he protected many, allowing these juniors to grow step by step.

"Second uncle, great talent." Jiang Yunchu praised him in a sentence.

Looking at those hundred girls, though each was fearful, their etiquette showed no mistake whatsoever.

Her second uncle had already hired people to give them special instruction.

As for their future destinations, the Zhuang clan knew well; since no error was allowed in etiquette, they had taught them in advance.

This saved them a great deal of trouble.

"Rest easy—I won't sell you to a brothel, nor will I make you entertain clients." Jiang Yunchu gave a light smile; after her words, many girls' eyes lit up and they let out a relieved breath.

Although they had braced for the worst, hearing the host's words finally let them relax.

"Let me explain why I need so many people."

As she spoke, she sized up each person, watching their eyes; some gazes darted about, revealing ulterior motives, and she had those individuals step aside—she didn't want people like that.

In the end, ninety‑three remained.

Seven people were eliminated right then.

"Second uncle, however we bought these seven, let's sell them the same way." She said it softly, but it struck the hearts of those seven, and each panicked.

"Host, why are you selling us?"

"Host, we are utterly loyal."

……

Seven girls knelt on the ground, each panicking; if they failed to complete the task, the days awaiting them would be worse than death.

"Why?"

Jiang Yunchu smiled, looked at the seven, and said, "Let me guess who sent you."

"Could it be the Yan clan?"

Five girls stared blankly for a moment—being young, they couldn't help but be shocked.

"It seems not all of them; there appear to be others with ulterior motives."

She clapped her hands and said, "I don't mind if you have ulterior motives, and I don't mind the Yan clan either."

"But…"

She lifted her head, looked at the ninety‑three girls, and said, "When you betray me, don't let me find out."

"A brothel isn't a good place, but I think I can still arrange for you to be military prostitutes."

As her words fell, every girl's face turned pale—especially the seven kneeling, whose faces were as white as paper, devoid of any color.

Brothel……

They had already braced themselves; after all, bought at such a high price and specially selected for looks, they were surely meant to earn back the silver.

But military prostitutes…… are for soldiers to vent their lust; they are the lowest slaves, unable to flee or escape, until death.

That place is a nightmare, a purgatory on earth.

The ninety‑three girls looked at the young man who had just been graceful as jade, now resembling a demon.

"Of course……"

At that moment she spoke softly, yet it made every girl's heart tremble.

"If you are loyal, then you are mine, and I will naturally protect you."

"Do you understand?"

She smiled lightly, looking at all the girls; there were too many, so she had to suppress them from the start, otherwise the crowd would get noisy and no one knew what might happen.

Of course, she wasn't joking; her methods against traitors were never soft, and "worse than death" was already her greatest leniency.

"Understood."

Intermittently, back and forth, not at all orderly.

Jiang Yunchu's expression turned grave, the gentleness from just now gone, "I'll ask again."

She glanced around; everyone she saw unconsciously straightened their bodies and lifted their chests.

"Do you understand?"

"Understood!"

This time, it was much more orderly.