Xuanqing Guard

Xia Nu is part of the Barbarian Race, living in a tribal way. Having cloth clothes and fur jackets is already pretty good, and ironically, she only learned what "pretty clothes" were after being captured as a slave.

As for underwear, well, it’s really just women’s underclothes. In this regard, Xia Nu actually knows less than Shen Hao. In fact, looking across this whole world, not one person—man or woman—can match Shen Hao’s knowledge about this.

Have you ever heard of Victoria’s Secret?

Do you know about camisoles and stockings? Lace, semi-transparent... cough, cough, if Shen Hao went into designing underwear, he could probably take over ninety percent of this world’s lingerie shops.

But this world does have its own unique style. Shen Hao has seen some so-called spicy lingerie at the Flower House, not bad at all. He’s curious what kind Xia Nu bought today. After all, Xia Nu’s previous underwear had basically all been used up, and this time she clearly bought a lot.

Xia Nu’s face flushed red instantly, mumbling, unable to say a word.

Seeing Xia Nu not reply, Shen Hao laughed, "Well, I’ll just look at them myself when we get home."

"Mm."

Finding it amusing, Shen Hao reached out and pinched Xia Nu’s pointed ear, rubbing it just like at home, making the Black Banner Battalion guards who came in all quickly turn their heads away. In their hearts they secretly thought: Looks like the lord is quite fond of this Fox Race slave, huh?

Generally speaking, in this world, Barbarian Race slaves count as "pretty expensive items," and Fox Race, Cat Race, and other Barbarian Race slaves are even more sought after. But treating slaves as people is rare—the higher the household, the more slaves are objectified. It’s even regarded as common sense. Ordinary folks are more likely to treat slaves as equals.

So Shen Hao’s unreserved closeness to Xia Nu made the guards find it novel. Of course, leading a slave shopping, buying things for them, was even rarer. But who dared grumble about Lord Shen’s actions? Give these guards a hundred guts, they still wouldn’t dare.

Xia Nu was a bit embarrassed about having her ear grabbed, but didn’t avoid it, mumbled softly a couple times, and said, "Master, why don’t you let Ms. Xin’Er make you another set of clothes?"

"Sure. Lin Xin’Er’s craftsmanship isn’t bad, I’ll have her measure me later."

"No need to measure, I remembered your size from last time. Shall we go find her?"

"No rush, let’s look around a bit more."

Xia Nu gave an "mm" and stayed at Shen Hao’s side, wandering through the shop with him. But they hadn’t gone far before a guard came over.

"Lord."

"Hmm?"

"Hong Chou and Brocade and Silk ran into trouble up ahead."

Shen Hao raised an eyebrow at this—what kind of trouble could two half-grown Fox Women get into? Wasn’t the shop steward with them?

Shen Hao wasn’t anxious, but Xia Nu was. She worried the two little ones were running into something awful like what she’d been through when she was abducted. But with Shen Hao here, she had no say, only tugged urgently at his sleeve.

No need for questions, Shen Hao waved his hand and the nearby guards hurried ahead. Only then did he, without rush, follow along with the guard who’d reported.

Passing through two Moon Gates, they heard crying and swearing, plus Hong Xiu’s argument.

"It’s Brocade and Silk crying!" Xia Nu grew even more anxious. Of the two, Hong Xiu is wild and not easy to bully; Brocade and Silk is gentle, most likely to suffer and end up crying.

Feeling Xia Nu’s hand grip his tightly, Shen Hao patted her shoulder, then squeezed her hand to relax her, feet moving fast as he strode into a small hall.

What greeted him was five rough-cloth Black Shirts and a young man and woman in Brocade Robes, gathered in the corner.

Brocade and Silk was cowering behind Hong Chou in the corner by the wall, covering her face as she cried. Hong Chou was loudly arguing, "We didn’t! You’re lying!"

The guards who’d arrived first stood between the parties, keeping them apart. Without orders, they kept to themselves; as long as these people didn’t run, the lord would deal with them.

The sound of footsteps made everyone in the hall turn around.

"Yo! The actual boss is here? Your two slaves dirtied my sister’s clothes—having her cut off a hand as atonement isn’t too much, is it? If you’re feeling soft-hearted, we can negotiate. One thousand taels. I’ll take these two slaves instead."

Before Shen Hao could speak, the young man in Brocade Robe standing behind the Black Shirts greeted him with a smile—his expression calm, with a smirk at his lips. His gaze swept swiftly over Shen Hao’s face, then landed on Xia Nu beside him, and he grinned even wider.

The guards, seeing Shen Hao arrive, made way, letting Brocade and Silk and Hong Chou out from behind. The two little ones dashed to Xia Nu’s side, each grabbed one of her arms, faces full of grievance. Even bold Hong Chou had red eyes now, sniffling and crying, "They bullied us!"

But Shen Hao hadn’t spotted the shop steward who was supposed to be with Brocade and Silk and Hong Chou.

"Tell me what happened."

"Master! They said I dirtied their clothes, but I didn’t even touch them. My hands are clean, not dirty. Then they hit me, and Hong Chou tried to protect me and got hit too... sob..."

"Master, they’re lying! Brocade and Silk never touched them. They just walked up and claimed we dirtied their clothes—they’re telling lies!"

The two Little Fox Girls were clearly aggrieved, explaining everything. Their faces were streaked with tears and had slap marks—one on Brocade and Silk, both cheeks on Hong Chou.

Though the telling was a mess, Shen Hao got it clearly.

The two little ones thought the "dirty" clothes were the ones worn by the others, but actually it was about the two outfits hanging on the rack—ones the girls had shown interest in.

What’s called "dirty" here isn’t real stains, but a perceived "uncleanness" because of their identity.

Basically, those two felt having Fox Women under the same roof as them made things "dirty."

Shen Hao clicked his tongue, tugged on Brocade and Silk’s ear, who was sobbing hard, and asked, "Who hit you?"

Brocade and Silk timidly looked up at her owner, then raised her hand and pointed at one of the Black Shirts. Hong Chou immediately hopped and pointed at two others.

The ones who hit them were all Black Shirts—the employers apparently thought it beneath themselves.

Shen Hao didn’t need to check which three exactly; he gave a nod, and the guards at his side moved.

Black Shirts—basically just house servants, not cultivators. Against Black Banner Battalion elites, they couldn’t resist at all, and in the blink of an eye were dragged and made to kneel before Shen Hao.

"These two Fox Women are my private property. If you hit them, you’ve damaged my property. Either pay three million silver coins or pay with your lives—pick one." Shen Hao sounded like he was speaking to the kneeling Black Shirts, but really his words were aimed at the two young nobles across from him.

"Hmph! You’ve got guts! Trying to scam me? Do you even know who I am?"