Chapter 88

“Why is Yan Zihao in Jiangling City?” After his initial shock, Rong Mo frowned and asked in a low voice.

Yan Zihao was his little wife’s former fiancé. Fortunately, he couldn’t even be considered a formidable rival; at most, he had held a nominal status for over ten years. His little wife harbored no special feelings for him.

Cheng Ruyi shook her head and murmured: “That, I do not know. However, it must be deeply connected to Yan Zixuan. I truly didn’t expect this Peony Women’s Caravan to be a hotbed of vice and filth behind the scenes.”

Rong Mo caught the peculiar meaning in his little wife’s words, and his handsome face darkened. For this Peony Women’s Caravan to smoothly travel back and forth among various nations, they relied on more than just their formidable guards; they relied on feminine beauty. Of course, the most important factor was that the emperors of the various nations felt they couldn’t stir up any significant trouble. To the world, they were merely a pimping caravan.

Cheng Ruyi finished the delicious lamb skewer in her hand. Pulling Rong Mo along, she wove swiftly through the crowd to shake off several vague gazes that seemed to follow them. She then quietly brought Rong Mo to a magnificent residence.

A glittering golden plaque hung over this residence, with two large words coming into view: “Chen Residence.” Needless to say, this was the home of Jiangling City’s wealthiest man—the residence where Miss Chen Shuangshuang, who had thrown the silk ball for marriage selection, lived.

Rong Mo narrowed his eyes, a trace of murderous intent unconsciously surfacing within them. His voice was bone-chillingly cold: “Ruyi, the children are all inside here?”

Cheng Ruyi let out a soft murmur of agreement, the excitement in her eyes impossible to conceal. She was also highly surprised; she hadn’t expected that an underground palace used as a dungeon existed beneath the Chen Residence, serving as a secret stronghold for the Peony Women’s Caravan.

“Ah Mo, Chen Dagui, the wealthiest man in Jiangling City, is in league with the Peony Women’s Caravan. Inside the underground palace beneath the Chen Residence, quite a few children are imprisoned. The oldest of these children is only five or six, while the youngest is just one or two. Some of them are dressed in fine silks and satins, clearly belonging to wealthy or noble families. The babies are all inside.”

“Only Yan Zihao and the two guards we brought along are adults; the rest are people guarding the underground palace.”

“Who would have thought that this Chen Dagui was secretly a heinous human trafficker?”

“Ah Mo, don’t worry, the babies are merely pretending to be unconscious.” Sensing a sliver of murderous intent leaking from Rong Mo, Cheng Ruyi quickly grasped his hand to soothe him.

“Truly lawless! A pack of utterly unscrupulous creatures. Both Chen Dagui and the Peony Women’s Caravan deserve to die ten thousand deaths.” Rong Mo calmed down, restraining the murderous intent on his person, his tone thoroughly icy.

If it weren’t for this excursion where the babies suddenly vanished, they would never have known that this pimping women’s caravan traveling across nations harbored such a massive secret.

“Ah Mo, let’s return to the Jixiang Inn first. The babies will handle it well.” Cheng Ruyi decided to use Chen Dagui and the Peony Women’s Caravan to let the babies practice their skills.

“Alright!” Rong Mo pursed his lips and agreed. Previously, he had been blinded by worry, forgetting that the triplets possessed remarkable abilities; for these people to capture the triplets was simply courting death. Moreover, at this moment, they truly shouldn’t alert the enemy. They would wait until nightfall to secretly investigate the Peony Women’s Caravan. Perhaps they would unearth an even greater secret.

The two quickly returned to the Jixiang Inn and made a massive fuss to summon the local authorities, ordering the constables to search the entire city. With Rong Mo and Cheng Ruyi’s statuses, the Prefect of Jiangling City was frightened half to death upon learning that the triplets of these two grand figures had vanished. For a time, a strict curfew was imposed on the entire city, and rumors flew everywhere.

If they were going to cause a scene, they might as well make it as big as possible.

While there was widespread panic outside, Cheng Ruyi and Rong Mo remained in the special courtyard of the Jixiang Inn, leisurely sipping tea. Cheng Ruyi constantly monitored the triplets’ progress with her spiritual energy, occasionally reporting their advancements to Rong Mo.

Originally, Rong Mo had planned to wait for the dark, windy night to investigate the Peony Manor where the Peony Women’s Caravan resided. The Peony Manors were spread across various nations, which showed just how incredibly wealthy and powerful they were. To everyone else, Chen Dagui, the wealthiest man in Jiangling City, and the Peony Women’s Caravan appeared to have absolutely no overlap on the surface, with any evidence completely wiped clean. If it weren’t for his little wife’s extraordinary ability, it would certainly have gone unnoticed.

“Ah Mo, the leader of this Peony Women’s Caravan is a woman named Yueniang. Right now, this Yueniang is telling someone to dispose of our babies as soon as possible.” Cheng Ruyi sneered, fit to burst with rage. This Yueniang was exactly what people called a scorpion beauty; who could have guessed that a seemingly gentle, beautiful, and endlessly charming woman could be so vicious? Truly, appearances were deceiving.

“Courting death!” The teacup in Rong Mo’s hand shattered with a loud pop. At this moment, he had already resolved in his heart to thoroughly uproot the Peony Women’s Caravan’s forces within the Great Zhou Dynasty.

“Ruyi, King Pingnan has a military camp stationed here; I am going to make a trip over.” At a time like this, they could only borrow King Pingnan’s deterrent power and military strength. Otherwise, certain officials who shared mutual interests with the Peony Women’s Caravan might secretly cause obstructions or even allow the caravan to slip away.

Cheng Ruyi nodded understandingly. The babies were not only her reverse scale but also Ah Mo’s. This Yueniang had crossed her bottom line. This Peony Women’s Caravan no longer had any reason to exist within the Great Zhou Dynasty.

After Rong Mo left, Cheng Ruyi continued to monitor the triplets and the women’s caravan.

The Underground Palace of the Chen Residence

Inside the underground palace, Eldest Baby, the leader of the triplets, immediately opened his eyes after the guards departed. He woke Second Baby and Third Baby.

“It’s our turn to display our great skills.” With that, the triplets openly threw wide the door of the palace cell. The so-called massive lock was merely a decoration in their eyes, entirely useless.

This underground palace was lined with torches everywhere, not appearing dismal or eerie in the slightest. As for the guards of the underground palace, they were all easily bypassed by the triplets. Three toddlers under four years old strolled through the underground palace as grandly as if they were wandering through their own back garden.

“Brother, I discovered Uncle Yan Zihao… he’s so pitiful, tied up like a rice dumpling.” Sweeping his spiritual energy, Second Baby discovered the heavily bound Yan Zihao and spoke up with instant schadenfreude.

Eldest Baby placed his tiny hands behind his back, adopting the stance of a big boss: “…Pitiful indeed. Let’s first rescue this uncle and Ah Da and Ah Er. I like the food they cook; it’s very delicious.”

“Brother, I discovered a lot of children here who are the same age as us. I feel like we’ve entered a human traffickers’ den,” Third Baby concluded, wrinkling her tiny nose.

Eldest Baby clenched his tiny fists solemnly: “Third Sister’s intuition is correct; this is indeed a human traffickers’ den. Our being drugged was no accident; these children were all abducted.”

Chatting along the way, the triplets arrived at the cell where Yan Zihao was imprisoned. At this moment, Yan Zihao was in a very wretched state, his robes covered in stains, yet being heavily bound could not conceal the noble aura on his person.

The triplets appeared grandly before him. A trace of astonishment flashed through Yan Zihao’s cold eyes.

“You… why are you here?”

“Uncle Zihao, we came to rescue you,” Second Baby spoke cheerfully. After speaking, he pulled over a stool he had found, stood upon it, and grabbed the massive iron chain with his chubby little hands. With a sharp tug and a loud clatter , the chain snapped.

Yan Zihao: “…” He had always known these triplets were powerful, but he hadn’t expected them to break a thick iron chain so easily. No wonder the people of the capital called them ‘Little Demon Kings.’

Second Baby jumped down from the stool with satisfaction, taking small, rapid steps to stand before Eldest Baby to claim credit. “Brother, the lock to the cell is open.”

“Mm, Second Baby is truly capable!” As the eldest brother, Eldest Baby praised his younger brother. Imitating the manner of the Changle Marquis, he placed his hands behind his back and walked inside. This was Eldest Baby’s favorite posture; he felt it carried more presence.

Third Baby bounced and skipped until she stood in front of Yan Zihao. Placing her hands on her hips, she sized him up from head to toe for a moment, her tone carrying a hint of disdain. “Uncle Zihao, you are too weak.”

Yan Zihao, disdained by three tiny toddlers: “…” It wasn’t that he was weak; it was that these three little rascals were too brutal.

“Second Baby, help Uncle Zihao untie the ropes,” Eldest Baby directed calmly.

Second Baby immediately stepped forward, snapping the ropes binding Yan Zihao in just a few quick motions. Having regained his freedom, Yan Zihao stood up and gently patted the triplets’ heads: “Thank you!”

Eldest Baby waved his hand: “No need for thanks! Uncle Zihao, we are currently inside a human traffickers’ den. Second Baby, Third Baby, and I are preparing to rescue these pitiful children and expose Chen Dagui’s evil deeds to the world.”

“Seeing injustice on the road, one draws a sword to help!” Second Baby flaunted his learning.

“Human traffickers are utterly unscrupulous; we are executing justice on behalf of heaven.” Third Baby puffed out her little chest, speaking with excitement.

Watching the tiny triplets—who only reached up to his thighs—declare they were going to rescue the pitiful children and execute justice on behalf of heaven, the corner of Yan Zihao’s mouth twitched. However, remembering their ‘glorious achievements’ in the capital, he instantly felt it was only natural. Cheng Ruyi’s children could not be viewed through the lens of ordinary people.

Next, the triplets took Yan Zihao and rescued the two guards, Ah Da and Ah Er. The underground palace was now practically their family’s back garden.

From his initial shock to his current numbness, Yan Zihao watched the three toddlers expertly knock out all the guards of the underground palace, smoothly rescuing a crowd of terrified, panic-stricken, and thoroughly frightened children.

“Don’t be afraid, everyone, don’t cry. We came to rescue you,” Eldest Baby spoke up to comfort the group of anxious, weeping children. Yet, those children still continued to sob fearfully.

A six-year-old boy dressed in luxurious clothing looked warily at Eldest Baby and the others. As for the disheveled Yan Zihao and the two guards, they were entirely ignored by him; he assumed Yan Zihao was merely a guard for the three children before him. “Who are you?”

Second Baby frowned displeasedly: “You actually haven’t heard of our great names? Fine, I will magnanimously tell you: we are the capital’s universally loved Little Demon King Trio.”

The boy in luxurious clothing: “…” What universally loved? More like universally feared. The boy had clearly heard of their great names, offering a silent critique in his heart. However, at this moment, his heart truly settled. As long as they weren’t enemies, it was fine. “Why are you here? You couldn’t have been captured by them, right?”

Third Baby snorted unhappily: “What do you mean captured? If we hadn’t deliberately feigned weakness, relying on these weaklings to catch us would be an absolute dream.”

The boy in luxurious clothing hesitated for a moment. Believing that the triplets before him were trustworthy people, he reported his background: “…My aunt is Princess Qingling, my father is the Heir of the Northern Peace Marquis, and my name is Gu Qinghua.”

Yan Zihao was slightly startled; he hadn’t expected to encounter the eldest legitimate son of the Northern Peace Marquis’s Heir here. However, when he was unexpectedly attacked in the capital, he hadn’t heard any news of the Northern Peace Marquis’s Heir’s eldest legitimate son going missing.

Hearing this, a flash of sympathy surfaced in Eldest Baby’s eyes. “You are so pitiful!”

Little Gu Qinghua let out a bitter smile: “Yes, I never expected that the wet nurse who always cared for me so meticulously would actually betray me.”

Second Baby rolled his eyes: “This is the consequence of easily trusting others.”

“You are so silly!” These were Third Baby’s words.

Gu Qinghua: “…”

At this moment, several fiercely built men suddenly entered the underground palace. They were clearly the guards of the Peony Women’s Caravan. Chen Dagui followed beside them with a face full of reverence.

“You’ve courted massive disaster this time; the master is furious.” The man leading them cast a cold glance at Chen Dagui, his eyes brimming with murderous intent.

Chen Dagui wiped a handful of cold sweat from his forehead, his face entirely pale: “It is my mistake. I didn’t expect the identities of those three children to be so noble. May the master grant forgiveness!”

“Let there be no next time!”

Chen Dagui let out a sigh of relief, finally clawing his life back. Unfortunately, he had rejoiced too early. The triplets had no intention of letting them off.

“Uncle Zihao, that pack of bad guys has arrived. Take the other children and hide; we will handle them,” Eldest Baby spoke solemnly, his tiny face expressionless.

Yan Zihao: “…Alright!” As an adult who only knew a modicum of martial arts and couldn’t even compare to a three-year-old child, Yan Zihao could hardly conceal his shame, accepting the triplets’ protection with a sense of utter mortification. If his parents hadn’t forced the cancellation of the engagement back then, would he perhaps also be embracing such lovely and brutal triplets now… Unfortunately, there were no ‘ifs.’ Yan Zihao’s eyes dimmed, and along with the two guards, he took the children to hide within the underground palace.

When Chen Dagui brought the fiercely built men to the cell, what they saw were three tiny toddlers blocking their path, along with a group of people who had been knocked out behind them. The blazing torches illuminated the underground palace brilliantly.

“You’ve finally arrived; we’re all old acquaintances!” Eldest Baby looked at them like an adult, the excitement in his eyes impossible to conceal. They could finally have a proper, uninhibited fight.

The leading man’s heart sank. He actually sensed a wave of danger radiating from the three little rascals, causing his hair to stand on end instantly. He exchanged glances with his subordinates, swiftly drawing his large blade to finish the battle quickly and eliminate these three banes.

“Move!”

The triplets curled their lips, their speed far faster than theirs. Before the blades could pierce forward, the triplets had already flashed behind them. A punch here, a kick there—with several loud bangs , the fierce men cried out in agony one after another, instantly beaten to the ground, the bones across their bodies cracking aloud as they spat out large mouthfuls of blood.

Eldest Baby placed his hands behind his back, walking over to stand before them, and spoke coldly. “A pack of weaklings!”

The despised fierce men spat out another mouthful of blood.

Seeing that the situation was bad, Chen Dagui attempted to flee, but Third Baby brutally snapped both of his legs. Falling to the ground with a piercing shriek, he stared at the triplets in absolute horror.

“Bind them up and drag them out to parade through the streets,” Eldest Baby waved his hand.

Second Baby and Third Baby excitedly unearthed a thick hemp rope to tie the men up, ignoring their curses while dragging the rope to take them for a stroll. The feeling was exceptionally grand.

When Yan Zihao emerged with the crowd of children, they were stunned to see the men bound together like a string of rice dumplings, crying out and spitting blood. The children had stopped crying by now. They all looked toward the three toddlers standing there, their eyes flashing with worship, gazing at them as if looking at heroes. The triplets immensely enjoyed their admiration.

By the time the triplets led the grand procession out of the underground palace, night had already fallen, and the entire Chen Residence was thrown into an uproar. In particular, the servants of the residence had never imagined that their master was an unscrupulous human trafficker; for a time, they were completely stunned, though a few clever ones immediately ran out to find the constables.

The triplets did not leave the Chen Residence immediately, calmly waiting for the authorities to arrive. Under the triplets’ intimidation, lanterns were hung all across the Chen Residence. Because of the silk ball marriage selection, the Chen Residence had already stolen the spotlight; this time, the spotlight was even greater. The commoners of the entire Jiangling City had no idea that this Old Master Chen was actually a deeply hidden human trafficker.

Seeing those pale-faced, weeping children, the crowd grew furious, their hearts filled with panic. Some people even located their own lost children among them. The constables arrived swiftly, surrounding the Chen Residence. While parading the string of human dumplings, the triplets held their heads high to accept everyone’s gratitude, their hearts immensely proud.

Yan Zihao: “…”

Cheng Ruyi, who had been secretly monitoring the triplets with her spiritual energy the entire time, was thoroughly satisfied. The babies’ performance was remarkably outstanding and worthy of praise.

On this night, the entire Jiangling City was thrown into a massive sensation. Nobody expected that Chen Dagui, the wealthiest man in Jiangling City, was a hidden human trafficker, and that the Peony Women’s Caravan, which had just entered the city, was in league with him. This women’s caravan had already been seized by the stationed military forces.

As for how the children would be returned to their parents afterward, or how the forces that the Peony Women’s Caravan had operated within the Great Zhou Dynasty for many years would be uprooted, it wasn’t something Cheng Ruyi concerned herself with. She still had to eat her way through all the delicacies under heaven alongside Ah Mo and the babies.

Thanks for visiting. If you like this story, then I’m shamelessly asking you to visit NovelUpdates and give a 5⭐ review. (人❛ᴗ❛)♪тнайк　чоц♪(❛ᴗ❛*人)

You can also check out my other translations Here