I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 256 Three women presented captives into the palace, prisoners below the steps served the emperor's bedchamber.

...

"Why was my sister-in-law arrested as well? Did something happen in Hangzhou?"

Upon hearing Fang Baihua's question, Madam Shao sighed deeply: "Alas! Hangzhou City ran out of food, and my lord led us to break out of the siege. Our army was mostly infantry, and the cavalry of the Imperial Army were close behind and we could not escape. They defeated our army at Fuyang. I cannot ride a horse, so I had to escape by carriage, which is why I fell behind and was captured by Song general Yang Zhi and sent here."

Fang Baihua quickly pressed for details: "How are my brother, Dalang, Erlang, and the others? Have they been harmed by the enemy?"

Mr. Shaw shook his head worriedly, indicating that he did not know: "It was too chaotic at the time. Everyone was running for their lives. If you were slow, you would lose your life. No one could take care of anyone else."

At this point, Mrs. Shao tried to think positively: "With the eldest and second sons riding horses beside you, I'm sure you'll escape danger."

After giving Shao a moment to calm down, Fang Baihua asked about the specifics of the battle in Hangzhou and what happened in Hangzhou after they led their troops north.

When Chen Miaozhen heard from Shao that Fang La had changed the dynasty, ascended the throne, and made Shao his empress and Fang Baihua his princess, and that he had bestowed gifts upon all the members of the Fang family and those who had helped him conquer the country, and even made her, Chen Miaozhen, the Buddha Mother of Manichaeism, she subconsciously took a step back, distancing herself from Fang Baihua and Shao.

Chen Miaozhen supported Fang La's uprising because she realized that if the officials, gentry, and landlords in Jiangnan were not killed, the vast majority of people in Jiangnan would not have a good life. Fang La did not rebel against the court or Zhao Yu, but only used the banner of "purging the emperor's inner circle" to kill officials, gentry, and landlords in Jiangnan, which was exactly the same as her own views. That's why she strongly supported Fang La.

Unexpectedly, Fang La foolishly cut off the path of amnesty. What chilled her even more was that Fang La betrayed his original intentions, turning from a leader of the righteous army who spoke out for the people into a rebel who dreamed of becoming emperor for his own selfish reasons. He buried the original intention of the uprising under the magnificent dragon throne and even made millions of Fang La's rebel army die with him.

Fang Baihua caught a glimpse of Chen Miaozhen avoiding them out of the corner of her eye.

Then there's Chen Miaozhen's attitude of being prepared to submit herself to Zhao Yu.

Fang Baihua subconsciously explained, "My brother may have his reasons."

Chen Miaozhen knew perfectly well that Fang La's decision to change the dynasty and establish himself as emperor at this time could only be due to his ambition and irrationality; there could be no other reason behind it.

However, after hearing Fang Baihua's words, Chen Miaozhen stopped distancing herself from Fang Baihua and the Shao family.

Because she had realized that Fang Baihua and Shao Shi were different from Fang La.

Based on what she knew about Zhao Yu's preferences, and looking at Fang Baihua, although she was tall, she was actually quite beautiful. As for Shao Shi, although she was already twenty-seven or twenty-eight, she had exquisite features, a plump and round face, and a curvaceous figure. It was obvious that she still retained her charm. Most of them would be taken into Zhao Yu's harem.

In this way, it doesn't matter whether Fang Baihua and the Shao family are female rebels.

Having figured all this out, Chen Miaozhen stopped trying to distance herself from Fang Baihua and the Shao family. Instead, she bluntly said, "Whether your brother has his reasons or not is no longer important. There can only be one sun in the sky and one emperor in the country. Since your brother has falsely established himself, His Majesty will surely punish him and will not grant him amnesty again. If you two do not want your Fang family to perish, there is only one path you can take."

Fang Baihua asked, "Which way?"

Chen Miaozhen said, "If you have the chance, you two should do your best to serve His Majesty well in order to ask him to grant a pardon."

Standing to the side, Madam Shao was somewhat bewildered by Chen Miaozhen's words. 'Serve His Majesty well? Does Consort Chen mean…my husband?'

After a moment's thought, Shao knew that Chen Miaozhen was definitely not talking about Fang La, otherwise she wouldn't have said things like "There can't be two suns in the sky," "There can't be two rulers in a country," and "Your brother is a false ruler."

The identity of the "Your Majesty" that Chen Miaozhen spoke of is self-evident.

In that case, what did Chen Miaozhen mean when she said, "You two should do your best to serve His Majesty well in order to ask His Majesty to grant a pardon"? What else could Shao not understand?

The problem is, how could she and Fang Baihua have the opportunity to serve Zhao Yu?
Mr. Shao looked at Fang Baihua, wanting to hear her explanation.

Fang Baihua knew she couldn't hide this from the Shao family; even if she didn't tell, they would find out sooner or later.

Fang Baihua then told Shao about Zhao Yu's fondness for toying with the wives, daughters, and relatives of his enemies.

Upon hearing this, Mr. Shaw was dumbfounded!
She never imagined that what awaited her was not a brutal execution at the crossroads, but rather becoming the emperor's plaything!

Yes.

Before marrying Fang La, Ms. Shao was one of the most beautiful women in Qingxi County and even Muzhou. If Fang La hadn't been a top figure in the underworld of Qingxi County and even Muzhou, he would never have been able to win her over.

But no matter how beautiful Shao was, she never dared to imagine that one day she would become the emperor's plaything.

The key point is that Zhao Yu was a true emperor, not a madman like Fang La who thought he had the good fortune of being the Son of Heaven.

Mrs. Shao was somewhat dazed, even finding it hard to believe her ears. 'Could such an absurd thing really happen to me?'

The more Mr. Shaw thought about it, the more impossible it seemed.

She was already twenty-seven and had given birth to two sons. How could Emperor Zhao Yu, who had no shortage of women, be interested in a country woman who had given birth and was not young?

Most importantly, unlike Fang La, who was obsessed with becoming emperor, she was very self-aware, even though Fang La had already made her the empress of the Yongle Dynasty. She knew that she was just a country woman and that the so-called Yongle Dynasty was just a joke created by Fang La and others. She had no right to serve the real emperor.
To put it simply, she had always disapproved of Fang La telling everyone that he was destined to be emperor, feeling that Fang La's actions were treasonous and courting death.

However, in this era where men were respected, and Fang La was a rough and ruthless hero who dared to kill and set fires, she had no choice but to follow her husband's lead, to be Fang La's virtuous wife, and to accompany him in his foolish ways.

Unexpectedly, Fang La was truly capable of causing trouble, and he actually led a rebellion.

As Fang La's wife, despite her immense helplessness and fear, she had no choice but to stand resolutely by his side, accompanying him step by step into the turbulent torrent of history. At the beginning of the uprising, she still harbored a sliver of hope, believing that Fang La merely wanted to seek justice for the people. She thought that once the situation stabilized and the court offered amnesty, even if Fang La couldn't grant her high office and wealth, he could at least take her to a quiet life in the countryside. However, life is like a game of chess, constantly changing. Fang La's ambition grew ever larger, ultimately leading him down the path of true rebellion, a path of no return that pushed her into another unfamiliar and absurd abyss of fate.

At this moment, facing Chen Miaozhen's frankness, Shao's feelings were complex and hard to describe. She felt that this matter was absurd and impossible, and she was also confused and afraid about her and Fang Baihua's future.

To be treated as a plaything is an unacceptable humiliation for any woman with dignity, especially for those deeply influenced by the traditional Chinese ideology of obedience to father, husband, son, and son.

But reality was staring them in the face: they were already prisoners. If they couldn't become Zhao Yu's playthings, then because Fang La had already rebelled and made such a big fuss, they, as Fang La's family members and relatives, would surely be tied up at the crossroads and tortured to death.

The lesser of two evils.

Compared to being dismembered in the streets, everyone would choose to become the emperor's plaything.

At this point, let's not talk about chastity or not.

Moreover, if Zhao Yu really took them as playthings, they might actually be able to get a pardon from him, allowing him to pardon some innocent members of the Fang family, such as her two sons, Fang Ding and Fang Bo.

So, after learning that she still had a chance to live, and even that there was a possibility of saving her two sons' lives, Mrs. Shaw did not show any change on the surface, but in her heart she began to look forward to the future.

Fang Baihua couldn't help but ask Chen Miaozhen, "Is my brother really incapable of succeeding?"

In Fang Baihua's mind, if Fang La could defeat the Song army, occupy Jiangnan, and divide the country with Zhao Yu by the river, and sign a peace treaty, he could also rescue her and Shao Shi.

To everyone's surprise, Chen Miaozhen shook her head without even thinking: "Your brother is bound to lose."

Fang Baihua was still somewhat unconvinced after hearing Chen Miaozhen's words.

It wasn't until the three of them followed Song Jiang north and witnessed the rapid restoration of order in the reclaimed territories, and the people beginning to live prosperous and peaceful lives—especially seeing the people of the north now enjoying the happy life their own people dreamed of—that Fang Baihua finally believed Chen Miaozhen's words: Zhao Yu's enemies were never Fang La, but rather the gentry and landlords. If Fang La had helped Zhao Yu defeat the gentry and landlords, he might have had a glimmer of hope, perhaps even receiving Zhao Yu's forgiveness and amnesty. But Fang La foolishly chose to oppose Zhao Yu, standing against the entire world; how could he not be defeated?

Knowing that Fang La was doomed to defeat, Fang Baihua realized that becoming Zhao Yu's plaything was her only chance to survive and save her family.

The good news was that, seeing that Song Jiang treated the three of them with great courtesy and that he managed them together with the more than three hundred beautiful girls that Tong Guan had presented to Zhao Yu, Fang Baihua and Shao Shi finally began to believe that they were also women presented to Zhao Yu.

The bad news was that Tong Guan presented Zhao Yu with over three hundred beautiful young women in just one meeting. These women were not only all incredibly beautiful, but many of them were daughters of prominent families in Jiangnan, some even ancient ones. Fang Baihua and Shao Shi looked at themselves, one being too tall and the other already twenty-seven after having two children, and suddenly felt incredibly guilty. They could only pin their hopes on the fact that Zhao Yu really did enjoy playing with the wives, daughters, and relatives of his enemies, as the legends suggested.

It is worth mentioning that after meeting Tong Guan once, he sent more than 300 beautiful girls to Zhao Yu. He also heard from those girls that Zhao Yu had more than 4,000 beauties in his harem. Fang Baihua and Shao Shi, whether due to the intense competition or because they could not stand Zhao Yu's lustful nature, began to hope that Fang La would overthrow the rule of this tyrannical emperor.

Fang Baihua and Shao, who came from humble backgrounds and had limited experience, believed that an emperor who was too fond of women was bound to be a tyrant.

However, the judgment of whether an emperor is incompetent or not is never based on his lustful nature. Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, had 18,000 concubines, yet during his reign he defeated the Xiongnu in the north, expanded into the Western Regions, suppressed other schools of thought and exclusively promoted Confucianism, laying the foundation for the Han Dynasty's strength and creating a political landscape that influenced the next thousand years. Who dares to call him an incompetent ruler? Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, had over 40,000 concubines, but it is undeniable that he worked diligently in the early years of his reign, creating the "Kaiyuan Prosperity" and bringing the Tang Dynasty to its peak. How can such achievements be completely negated because of his harem?

Upon arriving in Bianliang, the capital of the Song Dynasty, Song Jiang sent the three of them, along with the more than three hundred beautiful girls that Tong Guan had presented to Zhao Yu, to the Ministry of Rites. The Ministry of Rites then examined them all indiscriminately, inquired about their circumstances, and taught them court etiquette. Fang Baihua and Shao Shi finally realized that they were indeed to be given to Zhao Yu and would have the opportunity to be favored by him.

This left Shao and Fang Baihua with mixed feelings, harboring a sliver of hope yet unable to shake off the helplessness and sorrow of being at the mercy of fate.

Looking at Fang Baihua, the once indomitable female marshal now seemed to harbor a sense of bewilderment and helplessness. Her former spiritedness had been shrouded in a gloomy shadow under the cruel crushing weight of reality.

Fang Baihua looked at her sister-in-law, thinking that she was about to cuckold her brother. She felt a mix of emotions, including pity for Fang La's self-inflicted misfortune, sympathy and understanding for the fate that the Shao family was about to face, and sorrow for her own fate.

Fang Baihua and the Shaw Brothers didn't need to say much; their uncertainty and fear about the future were conveyed perfectly through their eye contact.

A few days later, the Ministry of Rites investigated everything about them, taught them basic court etiquette, and then sent them into the inner palace.

Fang Baihua, Shao Shi, Chen Miaozhen, and more than a hundred other beautiful girls were arranged to live in the Qianying Hall of Yanfu Palace.

The three women arrived in this completely unfamiliar environment, their hearts filled with unease, as if each step they took was on thin ice, unsure when they would fall into an abyss of no return. Inside Yanfu Palace, the flowers and trees were lush, and the pavilions and towers were arranged in a pleasing manner, creating an atmosphere of tranquility and peace, yet this could not soothe the turmoil in their hearts.

Before the three women could even adjust to their new environment, a female attendant came to them and said, "The Emperor has chosen the three of you to serve him tonight. Get ready quickly."

Upon hearing this, the three women were all shocked. They looked at each other, their eyes filled with disbelief and panic, and their hearts were filled with mixed feelings even more intense than before.

Shao unconsciously twisted the hem of her dress, her heart pounding, but she forced herself to remain calm. She felt a mixture of fear of her unknown fate and a sliver of hope that she had been chosen.

To be honest, Shao had long been mentally prepared to be favored by Zhao Yu, and even looked forward to the day. She was also afraid that she would be disappointed and that Zhao Yu would not even look at her, a village woman. In that case, she would lose the chance to save her son's life.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Yu not only intended to have sex with her, but also, as soon as she entered the palace, he chose her as his concubine.

Ms. Shao's heart pounded like a drum, unable to calm down. She couldn't help but wonder, 'What if he changes his mind at the last minute?'

Fang Baihua frowned, and a rare look of struggle and resentment appeared on her heroic face. Although she knew this was a chance to live, she could not let go of the humiliation of becoming someone else's plaything.

Fang Baihua thought to herself, 'Once he sees how tall I am, he'll probably back down.'

Chen Miaozhen, on the other hand, seemed very casual, displaying a kind of "what's done is done" attitude, thinking, "Don't disappoint me..."

……

(End of this chapter)