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Chapter 452 Gathering Women
The pain from the scraped skin on her hand was actually the part Zhu Yu cared about the least, but when she looked back at the dress that was falling to the ground, the child who had been hurriedly picked up and whose face was ashen, without even having time to brush off the dust, Zhu Yu felt an indescribable sadness.

The farmer saw that the skirt was covered in dust and reached out to pat the child down. But the child, like a frightened bird, suddenly flinched, dodged his father's outstretched hand, and ran back into the house, as if afraid that his precious child would be snatched away again.

Watching the child run away, the farmer sighed and said somewhat apologetically to Yan Daoxin, "It's really unfortunate that such a thing happened... The child is frightened right now. I'll bring him back later so you can continue to take his pulse."

Yan Daoxin waved his hand and said, "That's not necessary. I already know what's wrong with your child. But... we dare not stay here any longer."

A group of people suddenly rushed in, like bandits kidnapping someone.

Who knows if the woman they're looking for will suddenly turn into a throng of people shouting and demanding to arrest the young man? Wouldn't my nephew be in grave danger then?

As he spoke, he pointed towards Zhu Yu.

The farmer was about to be happy when Yan Daoxin told him that he already knew the root of his child's problem, but then he heard what Yan Daoxin said next and paused for a moment. He turned to look at Zhu Yu, who was washing the wound on his hand, and felt a little guilty. He was also afraid that Yan Daoxin and the others were really worried about their safety and would leave immediately, so he quickly said, "You don't need to worry. Those people are just looking for women. They would never change their minds and try to catch any young men."

"Who exactly are those people? Could it be that they are really bandits who kidnap girls to be their wives?" Zhu Yu's hand wound had been rinsed with cool well water for a while, and it felt much better and was no longer burning. So, taking advantage of this opportunity, she asked the question.

"That would be good too." The farmer looked out of the courtyard, saw that no one was around and that the people showed no sign of returning, so he shook his head and said in a low voice, "Even if they were captured by the bandits and taken to their stronghold, they might still survive..."

Upon hearing this, Yan Daoxin immediately sat back down with great interest, no longer in a hurry to leave: "What does this mean? Could there be anything more terrifying in this world than being kidnapped by bandits?"

“Speaking of which, we really haven’t seen any women on our way here.” Lu Qing chimed in at this moment, “I thought it was just the custom of your Brahman people that women, whether married or unmarried, are not allowed to show their faces in public, which is why it is like this.”

"I don't know what those wealthy families are like, but how could a poor family like ours possibly be like that!" The farmer waved his hand with a wry smile. Seeing that they seemed to be attracted by the topic and were not in a hurry to leave, he felt much more at ease and quickly said, "I dare not speak too confidently about other places, but at least in our area, in ordinary families within a ten-mile radius, how many women in the family do not come out to work and support the family?"

Even if you don't do anything else, you still have to do things like washing and cleaning, mending, raising chickens and ducks in the yard, and taking care of the family's food and drink.

But there's no way around it now. Not only young women, but even young wives dare not show their faces, fearing they'll be captured by those people and taken to the capital.

"They captured you and took you to the capital?" Lu Qing frowned slightly, looking even more confused. "So, who exactly are those people?"

“Those are all under the command of our King of Brahma,” the farmer said cautiously in a low voice, so low that he was almost inaudible unless you got very close. “They travel around, searching for beauties to be sent to the King’s palace…”

Upon hearing this, Yan Daoxin burst out laughing: "Beauties?! In a place like this?! Does your prince have such unique tastes? He doesn't like the refined ladies from noble families, but prefers unpolished gems hidden in the mountains and fields?!"

The farmer, however, seemed unable to smile, only sighing and shaking his head: "Gentlemen, you don't know, things are different here. In other places, let alone a king, even being chosen by the lords and gentlemen in the capital to be a concubine would be a lifetime of wealth and honor."

But it's not like that here.

Those people had been searching for beauties for the prince for quite some time now. At first, they were indeed looking for young and beautiful girls, and those who were chosen were overjoyed to send their daughters off...

But... even though quite a few beauties had already been taken away, they soon started searching for beauties again.

We're not far from the capital. There's an official road right outside the village, which is the only way to get to the capital.

So back then, we watched helplessly as beauties were brought in from all directions and sent to the capital in batches. Everyone would secretly discuss it during their leisure time, wondering just how big the Prince's mansion was, and how in less than half a year, there must have been at least dozens of beauties just from what we could see!
"Let alone our tiny Brahma Kingdom, even the emperor of the Jin Kingdom, could his palace hold so many people!"

Zhu Yu had accompanied Lu Qing to the palace before, and had heard him mention some things about the palace.

In this matter, Emperor Jin really couldn't compare to the Brahma King.

According to Lu Qing, Emperor Jin was never one to indulge in romantic relationships. In his entire life, the only person he truly loved was his first wife, the deceased Empress Wang.

Most of the other concubines in the palace were brought in because they were bound by etiquette and law, or because they were brought in to balance and restrain the powerful nobles and families in the court.

As for Consort Duan, who is now enjoying great favor... perhaps it's because people get old and eventually feel lonely, needing someone who cares for them and protects them, or perhaps it's for some other reason, which is not something that can be discussed with outsiders.

However, Emperor Jin has not brought any new women into the palace for many years. After all, he is getting old, and his sons are all grown up, have established their own households and married. He no longer has the responsibility to continue to produce offspring for the royal family.

It is said that this Brahma King is no younger than Emperor Jin.

Logically speaking, even if an elderly person has the will, how much strength do they have?

Zhu Yu had lived two lives, and she wasn't some three- or five-year-old child. She absolutely did not believe that the beauties gathered from all over the place and sent into the Brahma Palace were simply to satisfy some kind of desire.

Besides, it's not just three or five, but dozens...