So, while Zhou Ye in Central Prefecture had no mind to investigate the case because of his marriage, a grand selection for brides began in Langya, Qi.
Old Madam Ye and Madam Ye were so eager to find Ye Shian a wife that they had thrown the search wide open. Any woman of a suitable age, with a decent appearance and no prior engagement, could sign up.
Ye Shian was the foremost scholar in Yangzhou, but he was also famous throughout the land. Most women of marriageable age in all of Qi wanted to marry him.
Old Madam Ye and Madam Ye had made the pool so large that things quickly got out of hand. Eligible women from across the territory controlled by Wang Yue in Qingzhou came to take part. Even women from other regions, whose families had some influence, were escorted there by their clans.
At first, Wang Yue knew nothing about this. One day, when he went out and saw the streets of Langya—already expanded once—packed with people, he wondered what was going on. Only then did he learn about the situation from his staff.
He knew that events on this scale could easily be exploited, so he decided to have people reorganize things.
But the preliminary selection was already close, and there wasn't time to make new arrangements. All he could do was have the city's soldiers build a row of simple shelters in an open area outside the city. The women taking part would gather there on the day of the preliminary selection. With soldiers guarding the area, there shouldn't be any trouble.
Since the first round was being held beside the military camp, nothing went wrong during the first few days despite the large turnout. But on the final day, things suddenly took a