Chapter 217: Chapter 218 Recruitment of a Son-in-law at the Autumn Festival

Translator: 549690339

Zhu Gate and Sword Sect still had a voice in the Supreme Court Empire.

The next morning, an army dispatched from Long River City took over Monument City and began a thorough investigation into the matter.

As expected, not only slaves were victims, but also merchants traveling from afar suffered as well. Although the missing person reports were piled up like mountains in the City Lord Mansion, the City Lord and officials had all set them aside.

No one would believe these people weren’t trading with the Eyeless Sect.

For a time, all mercenary camps in Monument City were detained by the military and subjected to strict scrutiny. If any of the slaves had unclear origins, or were obviously plundered civilians, then all the operators of that mercenary camp were beheaded on the spot, with no mercy given!

Those who dealt in this business were more or less involved in human trafficking and could not withstand an investigation.

By just noon, over a hundred people had been dragged out and beheaded, not to mention the implicated interest chains that followed…

The slaves in Monument City, about six thousand in number, were confiscated. Even though they couldn’t shake off the mark of slavery, at least they wouldn’t be slaughtered for failing to be sold. There were still some civil officials in the empire who had strong governance abilities, and all six thousand slaves would have their destinies.

However, the thorough destruction of the slave system would take another year, and Monument City would still be filled with people brought in from all over the continent. Moreover, many countries had very prominent slave trading cities. Six thousand people, compared to the millions in the slave population, were really inconsequential.

Having left Monument City, the group continued their journey.

Free from the nightmarish entanglement, the Prophet Li Xinghua’s complexion gradually improved.

Recently, seeing her haggard and pale face, and the unresolved melancholy between her brows, Zhu Minglang felt especially heartbroken.

Thankfully, he had been seeing her smile more often lately, indicating that she was gradually emerging from the shadows of the prophecy backlash.

The Dragon Shepherd couple, having witnessed Zhu Minglang, Bai Qin’an, Wu Feng and others slay the Eyeless Evil Dragon, were filled with admiration for them, and their behavior showed great respect for the strong.

Finally, at a stretch of land suitable for flight, the Dragon Shepherd couple informed them that upon taking off from here, they would completely leave the territory of the Imperial City and begin to enter the domains of other countries.

The first country they would pass through was Pei Country, which had long established aerial routes. The Dragon Shepherd couple was very familiar with the air routes and could cross through Pei Country in no time.

After Pei Country, there would be a relatively perilous mountain forest. They could follow the Dragon City-States’ path, and if they knew the shortcuts, they could cross it quickly.

With the group’s strength at or above Monarch Level, the Dragon Shepherd couple had many options for paths to take. Even flying over some dangerous jungles, as long as the Dragon King’s might was displayed, the ancient demons and monster hordes wouldn’t dare to make careless moves.

The journey was long; they unknowingly entered into the western regions of the Supreme Court Courtyard Continent, where the countries had the most distinctive features of the entire continent.

The reason they were considered distinctive was not only because of their exotic flavor but also because each country had formed its own philosophy.

For instance, the Miao Kingdom they were about to reach.

It was a female-dominant country.

Men were inferior to women here, including the Miao Mountain Sword Sect, which was also known as Swordswoman Mountain. Even a male bird that accidentally flew into the forest would be chopped down with one swoop of a sword, let alone a man.

Zhu Minglang had visited once before.

Although it was a bit of a rush, his impression of the country was so deep it could not be deeper.

Miao Kingdom was a great nation, with no fewer than a hundred city-states and thousands of fortified cities. They had vast lands and abundant resources; their system was stringent and their management orderly, which made the surrounding nations, whose customs favored men over women, blush with shame.

It would take approximately four or five more days to reach the Miao Mountain Sword Sect after entering the territory of Miao Kingdom, testimony to the vast size of the nation.

Their group did not linger in any other cities or city-states of Miao Kingdom but flew directly to the kingdom’s capital.

The Miao Mountain Sword Sect could not be entered casually; even if the elders and Sect Leader had been notified in advance, Bai Qin’an and Wen Mengru and the others still needed to personally return to the sect to report and then engage in discussions.

Zhu Minglang was not in a hurry and decided to rest in the Miao Kingdom first.

Miao Kingdom was also known as Hua Kingdom. Their State Preceptor was even referred to as the Flower God. The capital’s most notable characteristic was the flowers visible everywhere. No matter where one went, the fragrance from a beautiful woman’s windowsill could be smelled, and often one would be so intoxicated that it was hard to tell whether it was the woman’s mysterious scent or the overwhelming fragrance of flowers!

These days, the capital was particularly lively as if a grand festival was taking place. Colorful lanterns and huge bunches of fresh roses were seen everywhere. From the moment one entered the capital, they scattered throughout the city.

Fang Niannian’s eyes sparkled with a different light beholding this scene; she loved such a spectacle. It was much more shocking and beautiful than the Lantern Festival in the Ancestral Dragon City-State, especially since the entire grand capital was decorated to look so enchantingly beautiful…

“Are you having some kind of festival?” Yun Zhonghe couldn’t help but ask.

“Not a festival, but the time of the year when flowers bloom and suitors are courted. It’s just the annual season for seeking sons-in-law. Men from other nations are eager to test their luck, so the capital tends to become very crowded and noisy,” Wen Mengru said dispassionately.

She was accustomed to this sight.

“Seeking sons-in-law??” Zhu Minglang raised his eyebrows.

Although he had been here once before, he was not particularly familiar with the local customs.

“The Miao Kingdom has always done this. When princesses and commandery princesses reach a marriageable age, there will be a national call for sons-in-law, usually set in autumn when the maple leaves turn red. Then the dukes and marquesses of the fiefs will follow suit, and gradually, the common women also seek sons-in-law during this season, leading to the current situation,” Wen Mengru explained.

“And how exactly does this seeking of sons-in-law work?” Yun Zhonghe seemed to be quite interested as well.

The thought of all the women in the Daughter Kingdom seeking suitors amidst the red maple leaves was indeed an exciting image.

No wonder the capital and its surroundings were bursting at the seams. It seemed heroes and talented men from far and wide thronged here, all to showcase their valor in Miao Kingdom and marry a beautiful woman!

“Junior brother, I heard that Zhu Heavenly Officer got to know Head Meng in this way,” Wu Feng whispered to Zhu Minglang at that moment.

“Isn’t it an arranged marriage?” Zhu Minglang asked, puzzled.

“It is arranged, apparently. Your grandfather designated Head Meng, and Head Meng required Zhu Heavenly Officer to participate in this Flower Picking Sons-in-Law Festival and stand out from the crowd,” Wu Feng said.

“So that’s how it is,” Zhu Minglang realized with a start.

So there was such an interesting story.

Afterward, why their relationship fell apart was not something Zhu Minglang knew.

Mainly because he did not dare to ask.

Anyway, after they went their separate ways, Zhu Minglang ended up an orphan as a consequence.

Zhu Minglang even felt that Head Meng, who shunned worldly affairs and sought only the Sword Dao, probably did not even remember his name anymore.