The disgraced official I took care of was actually Zhu Houcong's childhood friend.

Chapter 274

Liu Sisi was the top courtesan of the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau). In the past year, her fame had spread throughout the capital. Countless high-ranking officials and nobles spent lavishly at the Jiaofangsi just to catch a glimpse of Liu Sisi's face.

Only Liu Sisi knew that her original surname was not Liu, but Zhou, and her name was not Sisi. Such a name, full of the connotations of prostitution, would only appear in places like the Jiaofangsi or brothels.

Liu Sisi's father was a fourth-rank official, and Liu Sisi had never lacked food or clothing since childhood. She was the epitome of a well-bred young lady.

However, Liu Sisi mostly stayed at home in the backyard and rarely went out, which is why she was not well-known.

Originally, Liu Sisi thought that her life would be uneventful. After a year or two, she would marry into a family of equal social standing. This was the typical life of a daughter of an official like her.

But she never imagined that a year ago, the Zhou family suffered a great upheaval. Liu Sisi's father was dismissed from his post and died in the prison of the Northern Garrison Command. The Zhou family was raided, the women were sent to the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment district), and the others were exiled.

After entering the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution), Liu Sisi learned that there were many other young ladies of official families who had suffered the same fate as her. Later, she learned that all of this was thanks to Zhou Chu, the newly appointed commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

This man was a wolf in sheep's clothing, persecuting loyal and virtuous officials. In fact, thousands of officials in the capital fell victim to the clutches of this living devil.

The entire Jiaofangsi (a type of entertainment venue) was suddenly overflowing with people.

However, this was only temporary. There are always ways to deal with a large number of people. Once there were too many people, the people from the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution) stopped treating these female relatives of convicted officials as human beings. Countless people were beaten to death because they could not withstand the beatings.

For the first two months, Liu Sisi barely survived. Later, she gradually showed her talents and was valued and trained by the Jiaofangsi. Now, Liu Sisi has become the top courtesan of the Jiaofangsi.

But Liu Sisi's heart was filled with hatred. If it weren't for that hatred, she wouldn't have wanted to live when she first entered the brothel.

Not only Liu Sisi, but more than half of the women in the brothel shared the same hatred as her: to seek revenge on Zhou Chu, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Of course, very few people harbor such unwavering hatred as Liu Sisi. Most people lose their hatred over time and are preoccupied with how to live a good life.

After all, many of those women knew that their fathers were not exactly honest, and while it was hard to accept that they would be purged by the Northern Garrison, it wouldn't be appropriate to blame all the hatred on Zhou Chu. If not Zhou Chu, there would be Wang Chu or Li Chu.

Of course, there are also a few like Liu Sisi, whose minds are filled with thoughts of revenge. There aren't many of them, but there are still a dozen or so.

"Lord Zhou, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, needs a dozen or so girls to serve him. Whoever's name I call next will go."

When Liu Sisi heard the news, she was invigorated. The opportunity she had been waiting for had finally arrived. She had originally thought that Zhou Chu was indifferent to women, but now it seemed that he was just a hypocrite who had invited so many women at once.

In theory, women from the Jiaofangsi (a type of brothel) were not allowed to leave the mansions of high-ranking officials. Only women from brothels were summoned to the mansions of wealthy and powerful men to serve them. Moreover, a famous courtesan like Liu Sisi, who sold her art but not her body, had no reason to leave the Jiaofangsi.

But this is only in theory. It depends on who makes the call. Ordinary high-ranking officials would definitely not be allowed, but Zhou Chu is the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Not to mention the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, any member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard would be enough to give the Jiaofangsi a hard time. If you were to ask who the Jiaofangsi would least dare to offend, it would undoubtedly be the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

So when Zhou Chu sent his servants to the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau) to deliver a message, the officials there were immediately filled with trepidation.

What is this living devil up to? Doesn't Lord Zhou know that most of the women in the Jiaofangsi have grudges against him? If something happens, all the officials in the Jiaofangsi, from top to bottom, will probably have to go to the Northern Garrison. And once they go to the Northern Garrison, do they think they can come out alive?