Qi Ning frowned and said, "Are you from the Northern Han Dynasty?"
Xiuniang said: "My father was originally a small county official in Dingtao County in the Northern Han Dynasty. Before the Qinhuai War, my father knew that Dingtao would be affected. He was afraid that his family would be implicated, so he took us away from Dingtao. Wanting to escape the scourge of war.”
"Oh?" Qi Ning said, "Your father is an official. If he leaves before fighting, he is running away from the battle."
"Yes." Xiuniang said: "At that time, many officials left with their families first, and my father followed suit. However, they did not dare to go north for fear of being caught and held accountable. They also did not dare to go south, so they could only go east. Come in this direction." He lowered his head and said in a calm voice: "We haven't gone very long when we encountered a bandit on the way...!"
Qi Ning knew that the war was coming, and people were in panic. Some people would burn, kill, and loot for the bandits. This was inevitable. Xiu Niang continued: "They kill people when they see them and rob when they see wealth." , none of us will be spared...!" At this point, his voice was also filled with sadness.
Maybe it's because a few years have passed and she has been sad for many years, so she can control her emotions pretty well now.
Qining asked: "So, your family was killed a few years ago?"
Xiu Niang nodded: "Those bandits killed people and robbed goods, but they didn't kill the young girls and took us back." At this time, she lowered her head even lower: "We thought... we thought we were going to We were humiliated by them, but they never touched us. They just locked us up and took care of our food and drink every day. After more than a month, we were taken to Qi State and stayed in the same place for only a few days. God, I was sent to the Prime Minister’s Office.”
"Why is this?" Qining frowned.
Xiu Niang said: "Later, I found out that the group of people who took us to Dong Qi wanted to sell us as slaves to high-ranking officials. Someone...someone saw that I was quite handsome and told the steward of the Prime Minister's Mansion. Then the steward Someone sent me there, and then... I have been staying at the Prime Minister's Mansion ever since."
Qi Ning said: "That's it."
"The Prime Minister's Mansion has an art orchestra, and I will practice dancing with it." Xiu Niang said: "I also had some basic skills before, so... I was very good at practicing. Later, I learned that the Prime Minister's art orchestra will be replaced every few years. After the batch of people are trained, they will often be given to other dignitaries."
Qi Ning thought to himself that Linghu Xu was also a scholar, so why did he resort to these methods? But he also thought in his mind that as the Prime Minister of Qi State, Linghu Xu had a high and powerful position, but in order to form his own team, he would inevitably have to use some means to win people's hearts. This method of giving away beauties was not a bad idea. s method.
"If people who were sent out from the art orchestra are returned, they will have no way out." Xiu Niang said softly: "The Prime Minister's Mansion will not take them back, and other mansions will not dare to take in people who came out of the Prime Minister's Mansion. "
Qi Ning understood and said: "So you must not be able to stay in Qi State?"
Xiu Niang said: "I heard that during the Qinhuai War, Dingtao was also reduced to ruins. I... I can't find my home when I go back." She smiled sadly and said, "In fact, I have no home for a long time."
After the war, the people were displaced and homeless. This was not just Xiu Niang's experience. Qining sighed and said, "Is it true that you have an uncle?"
Xiu Niang immediately said: "I'm just worried that the Marquis will know that I'm from the Northern Han Dynasty, so he won't want me. Everything else I said is true. I have an uncle, but his whereabouts have long since disappeared, whether he is alive or dead." unknown."
Qi Ning frowned, thinking that this girl really had no place to go. After thinking about it, she said: "If you are willing, just follow me back. I can always give you something to eat."
Xiu Niang saluted and said, "Xiu Niang thanks the Marquis for taking me in."
Qi Ning summoned people to come in and asked Xiu Niang to arrange a place to stay. They would set off early tomorrow morning. The inn was very big and could be used anywhere for one night. Xiu Niang thanked her and was about to go down. Qi Ning suddenly thought of something and called to stop. Xiu Niang asked: "Xiu Niang, were you captured in the Northern Han Dynasty and sent to the Eastern Qi Dynasty, and then sold into slavery?"
Xiu Niang said: "Yes."
"Are there many cases like this in Dong Qi?" Qi Ning asked: "Are there often girls in distress being sold to Dong Qi?"
Xiu Niang frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then said: "I don't know very well, but there should be a lot of them. The art orchestra of the Prime Minister's Mansion is divided into more than a dozen teams, each team has five or six people. They talk about art." The girls in the orchestra are all carefully selected...!" Her cheeks were slightly red, and she lowered her head and said, "If you are good-looking and in good shape, you will be sent to the art orchestra, otherwise you will not be able to get in."
Qi Ning said: "So, there are nearly a hundred people in the art band."
Xiu Niang said: "I only heard them talk about it occasionally. I don't know how many people there are, and I have never seen them. But I... I know that new people will join the art orchestra every year, and some people will be sent out from the art orchestra every year. Servant... This slave stayed in the art band for three years before being sent to the Marquis. It has been a long time."
Qining thought to himself that this is not because you are not good, on the contrary, you are very good both in appearance and figure, so naturally you will not give it away easily.
At this time, he couldn't help but think of the situation in Huize City back then. Xiao Yishui, the head catcher in Huize County, secretly sold young girls together with Mrs. Lianhua, controlled the girls in distress from war-torn places, and after a little training, they were sent to the capital to be sold. To dignitaries, and formed a dirty underground line.
It is precisely because of this that Xiaodie's whereabouts are unknown.
What happened to Xiu Niang today immediately reminded Qi Ning of Xiao Die. Although he felt that the possibility was extremely small, a small fire still rose in his heart and he asked: "Are the girls in the art band all from Northern Han? Is it possible? A girl from Chu State?"
Xiu Niang hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly and said, "Yes, there are two sisters from Chu in my team." She thought of something and said, "The Marquis still remembers the one who came with my servant today." Girl?"
Qi Ning nodded, remembering that the girl looked charming, which impressed her.
"She is from the Chu State." Xiuniang said: "Her experience is not much different from that of the slave. It was also during the war, her family was destroyed, and she was sent to the Qi State. However, she did not want to say more about this, so the slave also It’s not easy to ask too many questions.”
Qi Ning frowned, thinking that he really made a mistake. If he had known this earlier, he should have left the girl with him, and he might not have been able to ask for some clues.
Only then did he understand that during the war, the secret forced buying and selling of girls did not only happen in Huize County. Now it seems that there are many people doing this animal-like thing in private. The escort team heading to the capital was completely wiped out on the way, and all the girls escorted were kidnapped. It may not be the work of another group engaged in human trafficking.
The disappearance of Xiaodie has always been a hidden pain in Qining's heart. Without any clues, finding Xiaodie is really like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Although he knew that Xiaodie was missing, there was no way she would be sent to Dong Qi, let alone Linghu Xu's performing arts band. After all, there were many human trafficking gangs, and there were even more dignitaries who bought girls as slaves. There could be no such coincidence, but a glimmer of hope still arose in my heart and I asked, "Except for the girl today, how old is the other girl from Chu in your team?"
In his mind, there was a vague shadow of Xiaodie who he had never met before but still had the image of little Diaoer. He remembered that Xiaodie was a little younger than him, and she looked about fifteen or sixteen years old.
Xiu Niang thought for a moment and said, "I'm one year older than my slave, and I've been in the art band for more than a year."
When she said this, Qining knew that it couldn't be Xiaodie. Xiu Niang looked about eighteen or nineteen years old, older than her. That means she was almost twenty, and she had been in the art orchestra for more than a year. I couldn't live up to it, and I was a little disappointed. I shook my head and thought to myself that I really thought too much.
Seeing that it was getting late, he ordered the soldiers to take Xiu Niang down first. Before leaving, Xiu Niang still said a little shyly: "Master Marquis... don't you need someone to wait on you tonight?"
Qining thought to himself, let’s not mention that I have no intention of touching you. Even if I really want to employ you, it won’t be tonight. I will set off back to Beijing tomorrow. The journey is quite long. You must recharge your batteries.
Before dawn the next day, the Chu delegation got up early and got everything ready. Under the leadership of Qi Ning, they headed to the South Shengmen of Lucheng.
When they arrived at Nansheng Gate, there was already a guard of hundreds of people waiting, but the princess had not come over yet. After waiting for a short while, the prince led a team over. There were many maids and eunuchs. The carriage the princess was riding in was spacious and gorgeous. Four horses pull the cart, which is very impressive.
The king of Eastern Qi had already said goodbye to Princess Tianxiang in the palace and did not send her over. After the prince and Qining met, they discussed briefly. Within the territory of Qi, everything will naturally be done according to the prince's intention. The cavalry guards of Qi will Leading the way in front, the princess's chariot was in the middle, with cavalry guards on each side. Behind the princess's chariot were the accompanying Qi palace people, more than thirty palace ladies and twenty eunuchs. Qin Ning asked for a set of palace ladies' clothes. , and asked Xiu Niang to dress up and blend in with the palace maids, so that she would not be conspicuous.
After departure, before arriving at each place, someone informed the local government in advance, and the government along the way also tried their best to provide extravagant supplies. Not to mention that for the sake of Princess Tianxiang, the prince was escorted as a wedding envoy, so no one dared to neglect it. Officials big and small are all fawning and flattering.
As an envoy of the Chu State, Qi Ning followed the prince and was naturally treated with courtesy. There were even many gifts from the government along the way. Qi Ning naturally refused to accept anyone who came. He wanted to go on a business trip, successfully complete the mission, and receive some gifts. This is what I deserve, and I feel quite comfortable.
In Qi State, Qining did not need to worry about food and accommodation along the way. Everything was arranged by Tao Qian, the Minister of Rites of Qi State who was accompanying him.
Qi Ning also told the prince in private that the speed did not need to be too fast. The prince was also a smart man and knew that Qi Ning wanted to spare some time for the Chu State to prepare for the reception. After all, this was also related to the Qi State. In order to save face, the prince naturally agreed, so he did not travel much every day. He walked for three days before entering Xuzhou.
Entering Xuzhou City, everything was in order. Qining thought that it seemed that the death of King Taishan was still under the control of Qi State and did not cause much turmoil. He knew that these days, receiving foreign envoys Although it is one of the major events of Qi State, the Qi State court must also be dealing with the aftermath of King Taishan's rebellion.
There was a lot of traffic in the city of Xuzhou, everything was orderly, and there was no sign of chaos. When he arrived at Xuzhou Post House, Qining knew that Xuzhou was currently managed by Situ Mingyue. After the death of King Taishan and Xuzhou Governor Fang Xingzhai, Xuzhou was leaderless, but Shi Situ Mingyue, the head of the prince's palace, was The prince recommended him to temporarily handle the affairs of Xuzhou. Qining thought that no wonder he had not seen Situ Mingyue when he arrived in Lucheng.
Situ Mingyue has not yet been named the governor of Xuzhou, and the official position is vacant, but what he has done is equivalent to that of the governor of Xuzhou.
This was the prince's confidant, and he had prepared it in advance, so he naturally entertained him warmly. Although the banquet in the evening was quite lively, after the banquet, there were no gifts from the officials along the way like before. Qining knew that Situ Mingyue had just been in Xuzhou for a short period of time. After a few days, his butt has not warmed up, so he will definitely not be able to produce anything. What's more, since he is the prince, he does not need to send gifts to flatter him, but this makes Qining lose some income.
After the dinner, when we returned to the post house, Li Tang came over to report: "Master Hou, there is a man named Mao Hu'er outside asking to see him, saying that he has something urgent to do and wants to meet with Master Hou."
"Mao Hu'er?" Qi Ningqi asked: "Who is that?"
Li Tang said softly: "I saw that his clothes were shabby, but his chassis was very stable when he walked. He was a practitioner. When I asked him who he was, he said that the Marquis knew about it and didn't say much. Looking at his appearance, he looked a bit like someone from the Beggar Clan. !”