Ships from Gao Family Village arrived in Anqing Prefecture one after another.
There was no way to hurry the process. Cai Xinzhi had to construct each river-sea vessel individually. After that came cannon installation, recruiting sailors, and training them. Only when all of that was finished could a ship begin its long voyage. Everything had to be done step by step.
Still, each arriving vessel strengthened Shi Kefa's hand.
The Gao Family Village Militia detachment stationed in Anqing steadily grew in combat power. At first they could only scatter the Huangmei river pirates. Later, they became capable of sealing off the river itself, sweeping for pirates as though casting a giant fishing net.
After a major naval battle at the Jiujiang Estuary, the main force of the Huangmei river pirates was wiped out. The survivors fled into Poyang Lake and scattered among its countless inlets. Once broken apart like that, they barely posed a threat, not even to ordinary villagers.
On land, the army was expanding as well.
With the continuous arrival of militia troops, Shi Kefa assembled a formidable force. Several hundred Gao Family Village Militia soldiers served as the backbone, supported by Anqing garrison troops and local militias. This combined army repeatedly defeated the Sweeping King and the Peaceful King when they attacked from land. In the final decisive battle, they destroyed the Heavenly Stockade the bandit army had built inside Anqing Prefecture.
The Sweeping King and the Peaceful King were both driven out of Anqing entirely.
"All aboard, ladies. We are heading to Shaanxi."
The Black Pearl was preparing to depart again. This time, it would carry Chen Yuanyuan and the other courtesans back to Shaanxi. Zhu Piaoling, who had also exhausted his funds, would be returning with them.
More than a hundred women boarded the ship in orderly lines.
Meanwhile, the ten women who had chosen to remain behind and manage the Anqing Yingjiang Sericulture Cooperative stood at the dock to see them off.
Xue'er waved toward Chen Yuanyuan. "Take care. Write to me if you ever get the chance."
"I will," Chen Yuanyuan replied.
Although they said it aloud, both understood the truth in their hearts. They would likely never meet again in this lifetime.
Strangely, neither of them felt afraid anymore.
Xue'er had truly regained her status as a civilian. No so called monsters had harmed her.
In fact, Shi Kefa relied heavily on her. When establishing the Sericulture Cooperative, he granted her significant authority and placed great value on her opinions.
Shi Kefa, as Right Vice Censor in Chief, already carried an overwhelming workload. Grain storage, military farms, military affairs, courier networks, water conservancy, and maintaining public order all demanded his attention.
Originally, these matters had fallen under Wang Gongbi, the Right Provincial Administration Commissioner. However, Wang Gongbi's distribution of eight thousand shi of grain to commoners had been reported to the Emperor. A few days earlier, an imperial decree arrived, demoting Wang Gongbi and transferring him to Nanjing.
The burden of responsibility therefore landed entirely on Shi Kefa.
There was no way he could spare time to personally manage a sericulture cooperative. Naturally, he entrusted the matter to Xue'er.
Now restored to civilian life, trusted with genuine responsibility, and no longer living in fear of being devoured or forcibly married off, Xue'er became more confident each day. She handled affairs decisively and without hesitation. The timid woman who once bowed and smiled submissively at powerful patrons in the Pear Garden seemed like a different person altogether.
Wearing plain but dignified clothing, her face bright with confidence, she waved vigorously toward the Black Pearl. "Sisters, we must find a way to meet again."
The Black Pearl slowly departed.
It first sailed from the Yangtze River into the open sea, then followed the coastline into the Huai River. From there, it carefully traveled upstream and eventually returned toward Xiaolangdi.
Fortunately, these women were not fragile flowers raised in comfort. Many had endured hardship and long journeys before. Some had been trafficked hundreds or even thousands of li from their homes to Suzhou.
They were capable of enduring such travel.
The sailors aboard also treated them with courtesy and respect, which eased their hearts and drove away lingering fear.
Several days later, Zhu Piaoling pointed toward the forward left.
"Xiaolangdi is almost here, ladies. This is one of our bases, but we will not disembark here. We still need to travel a little farther upstream."
Before he finished speaking, a small boat approached from the riverbank.
A camera was mounted aboard it. Zhou Daya, a war correspondent and disciple of Dao Xuan Tianzun, stood waving energetically at Zhu Piaoling.
"Heroic Brother," she called, "may this humble one come aboard for an interview?"
The moment she spoke, something felt strangely familiar.
A ripple of surprise spread among the women.
"Her manner of speech sounds very similar to ours."
Under their curious stares, Zhou Daya and her companions boarded the Black Pearl.
Her camera, nearly two meters wide, was hauled aboard with ropes by several sailors working together. It took considerable effort.
Once on deck, Zhou Daya set up the camera and turned it on. Then she smiled at Zhu Piaoling.
"Heroic Brother, your trip to Nanjing has produced quite a harvest. You have brought back so many ladies. Are these…"
"These are courtesans I redeemed from Suzhou and Nanjing," Zhu Piaoling said with a laugh.
Zhou Daya smiled. "Then they are just like this humble one."
At those words, the nearby women exchanged glances.
Just as they suspected. Her way of speaking felt familiar because she had also once been a redeemed courtesan.
Their attitudes toward her subtly changed.
Perhaps Zhou Daya represented the path that lay ahead for them.
Among them, Chen Yuanyuan watched especially closely. She wanted to know what kind of life awaited women who had been "bought" by these so called monsters.
Zhou Daya turned toward the group with a warm smile. "Sisters, by coming here, you have truly escaped a living hell. Your future lives will be good."
Gathering her courage, Chen Yuanyuan asked, "Elder Sister, we have just arrived from Jiangnan and know nothing about the customs here. How will our futures be arranged?"
"Arranged?" Zhou Daya gave a small laugh. "You will arrange them yourselves."
"Ourselves?" Chen Yuanyuan gasped.
Zhou Daya nodded. "No one will force you to do anything. You are free to choose the life you wish to live. However, you cannot return to your old profession. In Dao Xuan Tianzun's territory, brothels are illegal. Anyone discovered operating one will be punished."
The women collectively inhaled sharply.
In this place, the brothel trade was forbidden.
Chen Yuanyuan lowered her head slightly. "Elder Sister, may this humble one ask another question? If no one supervises us after arrival, must we earn our own food, clothing, and daily necessities?"
Zhou Daya smiled gently. "When you first arrive and have not yet found work, you will receive relief supplies and temporary housing. Once you find employment, you will not even care about those things anymore."
The women looked at one another, astonishment filling their eyes.