The pork butcher is smoother than a pig butcher!

Chapter 38 Men's Thoughts

Ah Tu, who had stirred up the waters, was now craning his neck and confronting his master in the space.

Gan Minglan pointed to its head:

"Didn't we agree not to hurt anyone? I've noticed you're starting to disobey orders!"

King Atu stubbornly refused to accept it:
"Hmph! They're big bad guys. They said they're going to kidnap you tonight, play games with you, and then send you to Zuiyue Tower!"

Gan Minglan, abandoning her previous earnest and persuasive tone, raised her voice by eight octaves:

"What? They really said that? Did you understand? It's Zuiyuelou!"

When A-Tu was questioned by his master, he jumped up and down in a panic:

"I am the smartest rat in the world. They say the ladies at Drunken Moon Pavilion are the best at serving people! Humph, you haven't even served me yet, why should you serve some ugly monsters?"

Gan Minglan slipped and didn't know how to explain the meaning of "serve".

It's not good to keep harping on the great contributor.

I quickly left the treehouse and picked a large basin of mulberries for it.

He coaxed it, "King Atu, would you like to wash your paws and brush your teeth? Let me serve you a proper meal."

A-Tu shook the goosebumps off the mouse's skin, instinctively feeling that being served by its master was not a good thing.

Using the edge of a small step, they descended very quickly:

"Squeak, I don't need your service! I am the master's most loyal and capable mouse. I will bite bad guys next time I encounter them."

Gan Minglan stroked the soft fur on its belly:

"Yes, yes, King Atu is the most capable mouse in the world. Thank you for protecting me."

Oh my, it's so rare for my master to say such nice things. Ah Tu's little eyes almost disappeared from smiling.
As witnesses, Zuo Wenxuan and his family had to wait for the magistrate of Qingfeng County to summon them, so the group stayed at the post station for another two days.

The murder case only came to an end after the bodies of the perpetrators were stolen.

Setting off again, the heat was still unbearable.

Because Zuo Wenxuan's injuries covered a large area, he was unable to walk for long periods of time and needed to be carried on a stretcher.

The officials wouldn't do this kind of physical labor.

They no longer even have mule carts, so they have to walk to the border town like exiled convicts.

Carrying the stretcher added a new burden to the men who were wearing 30-pound iron chains.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zuo Wenkang suggested removing the shackles from the four men carrying the stretcher.

Out of respect for Gan Minglan, the two leaders agreed after discussion.

This allowed the men who carried the stretchers to have two and a half hours of rest each day.

The weight of the person and the stretcher, when averaged out over four people, is about thirty kilograms.

But compared to being tied up by the hands and feet or having one's neck locked, it is obviously much more comfortable.

Many of Zuo Wenxuan's cousins, who originally disliked him, were now vying to carry him.

This made the elderly and children who need to walk on their own extremely envious.

However, Zuo Wenxuan's days on the stretcher were not easy either.

Ordinary external wound medications are of little effect on such large wounds.

His wound remained red and swollen, and showed signs of pus.

The pain was excruciating.

The twins, who lost five fingers, become drowsy after their daily antics.

This tormented Lady Lü so much that she lost ten pounds in just a few days.

The daily ration was one steamed bun, and women with children would cut off half of the bun for their children.

Women who were abused by male prisoners in the mixed-gender prison in Cheng'an Prefecture.

Seven more people joined Mu's army of servants exchanging food rations for government officials. What would her parents-in-law think if they saw this?

What would my husband think if he heard this?
Will the child feel ashamed and unable to hold their head up when they find out?
They don't even consider these things!

Some men even eat the steamed buns that their wives earned with their own bodies, and they do so with a perfectly normal attitude.

I could see the contempt in Zuo Wenkang's eyes.

The men defended themselves:

"My wife isn't as fortunate as my sister-in-law to have such a good father! She's innocent, she's been through prison, who cares about these things anymore? If there's a corrupt official who's into homosexuality, I'd be willing to serve him!"

"You're just a well-fed person who doesn't know the hunger of an starving person. No matter what she trades for the food, it will be enough to feed my son! As long as my own son doesn't starve to death on the road, what can't I tolerate?"

"Hmph, those people have been waiting for this day for a long time! There's still one steamed bun left. If the women don't take the initiative to serve it, I guess from now on it will be half a bowl of rice porridge every day."

"I don't know where the hell he gets so much energy, making such a racket every night!"

"Hmph, they're just unhappy because they can't squeeze anything out of us! That's why they're taking their anger out on the women."

"."

That night, it was camping again.

The campsite was only one mile from the official road.

It was just past 9 PM.

In the makeshift tents set up on the outermost edge of the campsite, a male and female duet, with its highs and lows, couldn't wait to start singing.

In the distance, a group of smuggled salt dealers approached along the official road.

Salt smugglers are in a business that risks their lives; they operate primarily by day and hide at night.

Eating in the wind and sleeping outdoors was commonplace for them.

The terrain here is flat, and a small stream flows through it.

They had camped here before.

When the salt smugglers got closer, they discovered that the campsite they had their eye on had already been taken.

Just as I was about to leave, I heard a song that was especially stimulating to the senses at night.

Now, the men, who hadn't been to the city for almost a month, were stuck and couldn't move.

This group was quite bold; they even sent people to inquire about the origins of these people.

After the escorting officers explained where they came from and where they were going, the salt smugglers were delighted.

"Officer, officer! These criminal women seem to know how to survive. I wonder if they'd be willing to mess with us roughnecks?"
"Hehe, we have money, so we won't play for free."

The salt smuggler's words immediately opened up a new avenue for the escorting officials.

This... this is business coming to our door?
Having made his own plans, he went to find the Mu family.

Mu is increasingly showing the potential of a madam, brainwashing those still-reserved women every day.

Upon hearing that someone was willing to spend money for entertainment, she only asked the officials how they planned to divide the money.

Nobody has ever done this kind of business before, has they?
The constable said, "Madam Mu, how about we set a price for these people and split the money in half? We'll take care of your negotiations and safety; you just need to serve them well."

Madam Mu: "We will do as you say, sir. However, it is not good for us to be disheveled every day. Could you please provide us with some clothes and cosmetics in the next town?"

Official: "Of course, of course."

In the past, it was for personal use, so it didn't matter if it was messy or ugly.

Now that this can bring them a new source of income, a little packaging is definitely the right thing to do.

With this good news in mind, Mu went to find several women who had already gone into business.

"After serving these escorting officials all night, we only get two full meals a day."

Since things have already come to this, we might as well earn some extra savings on our own; the officials are willing to split it 50/50 with us.”

(End of this chapter)