Too many female prisoners, a special forces soldier transmigrates and marries wildly.

The next day, early morning. The bloody storm of the previous night's ghost market was kept out by the thick city walls and the hustle and bustle of the marketplace. On the surface, the capital city remained a peaceful and prosperous place, bustling with activity.

But beneath the calm surface, the undercurrents have already turned into a raging storm.

In the study of the inn, Lin Feng stayed up all night, repeatedly comparing and integrating the intelligence gathered from various parties. A three-dimensional map, with the capital as the board and the various forces as the pieces, gradually became clear in his mind.

"Boguzhai..." Lin Feng tapped the three characters heavily with his fingertips. This was a century-old shop, openly dealing in antiques and jade, with a deep background and old ties to many high-ranking officials and nobles. Using this as a base would not only facilitate "Chiyuan's" contact with the upper echelons of the capital to gather intelligence, but also help to conceal those shady transactions and personnel exchanges.

"Let's start here." Lin Feng made up his mind.

He summoned Bai Xiaohe and a squad leader named Chen Heng.

"Chen Heng, take ten skilled men and immediately go to the 'Yongshun Escort Agency' in the western part of the city and the 'Mortal Estate' in the southern suburbs. Under the pretext of 'investigating smuggling and checking for spies,' with my warrant, coordinate with the nearest patrol troops to seal off the scene and conduct a thorough search!"

"Yes! Stand guard!" Chen Heng accepted the order. This was to alert the enemy, test their reaction, and tie down some of their forces.

"Xiao He, come with me to 'Bo Gu Zhai' in the East Market. We'll 'visit' this century-old shop. Zhao Qi!"

"I'm here!" Zhao Qi, who had been waiting outside, slipped inside.

"Do you have any top-notch infiltrators, lock pickers, or contraptions under your command?"

"Yes! I have two brothers who were originally scouts and craftsmen in the army. They're experts at this," Zhao Qi said immediately.

"Alright! Have them prepare immediately and bring their belongings. Pick five clever and daring individuals to pose as shop assistants and customers, and infiltrate the streets surrounding Boguzhai. Once Bai Xiaohe and I enter, you should seize the opportunity to sneak in through the back wall or next door, and find Boguzhai's secret rooms, hidden compartments, and secret ledgers in the shortest possible time."

"Understood!" Zhao Qi replied solemnly.

"Meet at the entrance of 'Boguzhai' in the East Market half an hour later."

……

At 3:45 AM, shortly after the East Market opened, the crowds were just beginning to gather.

The imposing black lacquered gate of "Boguzhai" had just opened, and the shop assistants were yawning as they swept the courtyard. The manager, a thin middle-aged man with a goatee and darting eyes, surnamed Jin, was holding a purple clay teapot and squinting at the street scene.

Just then, two fine horses came to a stop at the shop entrance at a leisurely pace. A man and a woman dismounted. The man was dressed in a scarlet official robe, with a long sword at his waist, and his face was stern and imposing. The woman was dressed in a tight-fitting outfit and carried a sword, looking heroic and dashing.

It was Lin Feng and Bai Xiaohe.

Manager Jin's eyelids twitched, and his heart tightened inexplicably, but his face instantly broke into a professional, enthusiastic smile as he jogged out to greet them: "Oh, what an honor to have distinguished guests at our humble abode! Please come in, gentlemen. Are you looking to see some antiques and jade, or perhaps..."

"Lin Feng, the Pacification Commissioner of the Northern Frontier." Lin Feng revealed his identity directly, his gaze sweeping over the slightly astonished shop assistants and customers in the shop. "I am here by imperial decree to inspect the security of the capital and to handle border trade matters. I have heard that your shop is a leading antique dealer in the capital and has close ties with merchants from the north, so I have come to 'take a look'."

"Your Excellency, the Pacification Commissioner!" Shopkeeper Jin's heart pounded, his smile froze slightly, and he bowed even lower. "So it's Lord Lin! My apologies for not recognizing you! My shop runs a perfectly legitimate business, and all accounts are crystal clear. We have never committed any wrongdoing! Your Excellency, please see..."

"Whether it's there or not, we'll find out after we check." Lin Feng strode into the shop, Bai Xiaohe following closely behind. Several customers who had been browsing items lowered their heads and quickly left upon seeing this. The shop assistants were even more terrified.

"Manager Jin, there's no need to be nervous." Lin Feng's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable pressure. "I'm just conducting a routine inspection. Please bring me your inventory records for the past year, detailed records of transactions with the Northern Lands, especially with tribes like the Red Feather Tribe, and a roster of all your employees and guards. Also, show me your warehouses and storage areas."

"This..." Manager Jin, sweat beading on his forehead, forced a smile and said, "Sir, the account books and registers are easy to obtain; I'll go get them right away. However, the storeroom is a sensitive area, cluttered and filthy, and might soil your esteemed feet. Perhaps..."

"It's alright." Lin Feng interrupted him and walked straight to the back of the shop. "Lead the way."

Manager Jin's expression shifted, knowing he couldn't refuse, so he reluctantly led the way, while secretly giving a wink to one of his trusted employees. The employee understood and quietly slipped into the back room.

Lin Feng and Bai Xiaohe witnessed all of this.

After passing through several courtyards, they arrived at a heavily guarded, independent storeroom. Two burly guards stood at the entrance, and they were taken aback when they saw the manager leading the officials over.

"Open the door," Lin Feng commanded.

Manager Jin gritted his teeth and signaled the guards to open the door. The heavy iron door opened, and sure enough, the inside was filled with all sorts of boxes and chests, mostly containing antiques, jade, porcelain, and calligraphy and paintings, seemingly without any abnormalities.

Lin Feng entered the warehouse, his eyes sharp as he quickly scanned the area. The warehouse was spacious, but several boxes and cages piled up in the corners appeared messy, but in reality, they showed signs of recent movement, and the dust on the floor was unevenly distributed. He walked to a wall, tapped it with his finger, and the sound was slightly hollow.

"What's behind that?"

"Reporting to you, sir, it's a partition wall, used to store some moisture-proof lime and charcoal," Manager Jin hurriedly explained, but his eyes already showed some panic.

Just then, a short, bird-like whistle faintly came from outside the warehouse! It was a signal from Zhao Qi's men! A discovery!

Almost simultaneously, a seemingly intact section of the blue brick floor in the corner of the warehouse suddenly slid open to the side with a soft "click," revealing a dark hole! A figure darted out from it and ran towards another small door deep inside the warehouse without looking back!

"Take him down!" Lin Feng shouted sharply!

Bai Xiaohe drew her soft sword, a silver light piercing straight for the fleeing man's back! Hearing the wind behind him, the man scrambled to dodge, slowing his pace slightly. Lin Feng had already arrived, kicking him in the back of the knee. The man screamed and fell to the ground, only to be met by Bai Xiaohe, who had followed closely behind, pressing her sword against his throat.

"Spare me, sir! Spare me!" The man was a burly fellow, but his face was ashen.

"Where does the secret passage lead? Tell me!" Lin Feng demanded coldly.

"It leads...to the back street courtyard..." the man said in a trembling voice.

Seeing this, Manager Jin knew that all was lost. His face turned pale and he collapsed to the ground.

"Zhao Qi!" Lin Feng shouted.

Upon hearing the commotion, Zhao Qi and his men, who had been lying in wait nearby, quickly took control of the warehouse and its surroundings.

"Search! Search thoroughly! Hidden walls, secret passages, all chests and cages—leave nothing unsearched!" Lin Feng ordered.

Duan Yuewei and Zhao Qi's men immediately sprang into action. Soon, the hidden wall was breached, revealing not lime and charcoal inside, but a small, secret room! Inside were tables, chairs, beds, weapons, and several locked iron chests!

"Open!"

The iron chests were pried open. One chest contained neatly stacked gold ingots, faintly bearing the markings of northern tribes. Another chest held various rare medicinal herbs and minerals, and yet another chest contained neatly arranged correspondence, coded ledgers, and several scrolls of finely drawn sheepskin maps!

Lin Feng picked up the top scroll of sheepskin map and unfolded it, his gaze immediately sharpening! This was a much more complete map than his fragmented one, clearly marking a valley surrounded by mountains in the northern border. In the valley was a striking mark, shaped like a fallen star, with the ancient seal script beside it: Eye of the Fallen Dragon. Several small red dots were marked in the directions surrounding the valley, one of which had the words "Subdued Dragon" written next to it.

"Found it!" Lin Feng was thrilled. This Boguzhai was indeed a crucial intelligence and supply hub for "Chiyuan" in the capital!

"Seal all the criminals, stolen goods, account books, and secret letters, and take them back to the post station under strict guard!" Lin Feng decisively ordered. "Zhao Qi, you immediately take men and follow the secret passage to search the back alley and courtyard to see if any escapees have escaped or if there are any more clues!"

"yes!"

"Any news from Chen Heng?" Lin Feng asked.

A guard from Duan Yue stepped forward to report: "We just received a carrier pigeon. Chief Chen has led his men to seal off Yongshun Escort Agency and the mortuary. Yongshun Escort Agency resisted fiercely but has been captured. They found a privately stored crossbow and secret letters communicating with the northern regions. The mortuary is temporarily calm and is currently being searched."