Sure enough, there is not a free market inside. As soon as these well-dressed people came in, there were many people trying to sell their goods:
"What do you think of this? How about a mouthful of glutinous rice and fine teeth biting into pieces of gold and jade - fifteen taels?"
"Look at this girl's head, it's so black..."
"You may think that I am older, but I am literate! I come from a scholarly family, and I didn't even sell it to the old madam near Cuilou for fifty taels!"
"You guys are looking for someone to serve, right? This girl is great. It turns out she is the maid of a wealthy family in Fujian. She has been well trained and has a perfect appearance and figure! I'll give you a flat price of twenty-five taels!"
…
Xiao Zishan and his party were confused by the commotion for a while. [Read full text] They have never seen such a scene. Seeing these seven or eight people frothing at the mouth, they kept dragging the girls towards them, stroking their heads, and holding up their arms to show them their skin. These girls, ranging from eleven to twelve years old to early twenties, all have decent appearances, but they all have yellow faces and thin muscles. They are pinched and rubbed by people's teeth so much that they want to cry but dare not, and they look like they are holding back tears and holding back tears. Xiao Zishan's heart sank, as expected, he looked miserable, and several people around him also showed unbearable expressions.
The two bodyguards quickly stepped forward and blocked the people's teeth. Liu Gang turned around and asked Xiao Zishan: "How many children do you want to buy, the big shopkeeper?"
Xiao Zishan was a little hesitant. It seems that almost all the pretty girls here have been bought by people. The price of each girl ranges from sixty taels to fifty taels. There are always thirty or forty. It would be too expensive to buy them all. Not to mention she is a bit young. Are these twelve-year-old girls considered girls or children? While hesitating, Yan Maoda said: "Commissioner Xiao, let's do a group purchase. We can get a very good price."
"It will cost hundreds of taels even if we bargain." Zhang Xin shook his head, "We might as well start with people who are not interested. When we buy more, they will see that we are not interested in their goods, so they will reduce the price. ”
"That's great. I was planning to buy some children to raise and educate."
"What's the budget? I have to have a bottom line."
"Five hundred taels or less. Some are fine."
The group of people got rid of the human teeth and walked directly inside. I saw that the shacks and open spaces along the road were full of hungry people fleeing famine, helping the old and the young, and the cries of people coming to beg could be heard one after another.
A large number of people gathered at the intersection ahead. They took a closer look and saw clearly that a woman was holding the man's leg, crying and begging. There were two children among the pile of rags on the ground. The older one was only three or four years old, and the younger one was still in his infancy. It turns out that the woman's family fled here, and all her family members were dead, leaving only the mother and her son. Renya fell in love with a woman but didn't want a child.
The woman had been beaten until her nose and mouth were bleeding and she was lying on the ground. Renya was still kicking and cursing: "You starving whore! I don't open a charity house, so why are you raising your child?" He grabbed the woman's head and dragged her away.
Zhang Xin was about to speak when someone suddenly shouted: "Stop!" The crowd parted, and several servants came over, surrounded by a young man in his thirties. Whispers rang out from the crowd: "Master Liang is here, Mr. Liang is here." The young master is here."
I saw the man walking up to Renya: "You bought her, but why did you force her to abandon the child! These two children are so young, and they will die without their mother!"
Renya seemed to recognize the person, and hurriedly defended: "You are so wise! It's not easy for us to earn a living in this industry. She has such a sick body, and drags two children with her. How can any buyer want to buy her? I If you want to agree to her, you have to open your mouth twice."
Mr. Liang said angrily: "You can't make money, just don't buy it, why are you forcing people to leave their flesh and blood!"
Renya smiled bitterly: "Yes, yes, my good intentions ended up doing evil things. With her appearance, I won't buy it, and her whole family will starve to death! At least I can save her."
Although this statement is almost rogue, it is also true. Mr. Liang couldn't say anything for a while. Renya didn't dare to say anything more, and left the person behind and slipped away from the crowd. Zhang Xin looked at the woman on the ground again. In fact, she was only in her early twenties. Her face was so thin that she had lost her shape. There was an abnormal layer of bright red on her sallow skin. She did look sick. Mr. Liang asked his servant to buy some steamed buns for her. Some money was also distributed to the hungry people surrounding the road.
"Let's buy it." Guo Yi couldn't bear it.
Xiao Zishan thought that this was not a good idea. Firstly, she was sick, and secondly, the children around her were too young. Buying them back would be a burden. He hesitated for a moment, and seeing everyone looking at him, he nodded: "Buy it!"
The crowd here suddenly became commotion when they saw that several merchants had bought the woman's whole family. The crowd immediately spread. Refugees, old and young, male and female, crowded to the front, and more and more of them were surrounded. They all begged them to take them in. They didn’t want any money for selling themselves, just money. Eat rice.
It was a mess for a while, but fortunately Liu Gang had some insight and hurriedly squeezed out with the escort, asking Min Zhuang, the Yamen servant present, to help maintain order. Xiao Zishan had a high-profile post in his hand, and he immediately rewarded him with thousands of dollars. The government officials did not dare to neglect, so they quickly found the official's teeth and wrote the deed of sale for a normal price.
People around them soon discovered that these people were particularly fond of children, especially young children who had never been cared for in the past. Orphans are even more welcome. Zhang Xin was generous and generous. Anyway, he didn't have to pay a penny for his worth. For every one he bought, he gave 500 pence to the government officials present. The government officials who were in charge of suppressing them simply captured all the orphans in the venue, whether they were willing or not, and signed them up to sign their deeds. Without much effort, seventy or eighty children have been bribed, as well as about forty adult men and women. Seeing how wealthy these people were, the people hurried up to beg for sale. Zhang Xin shook his head: "Isn't it a waste of time to examine them one by one? I will take care of all the children in your hands."
After some haggling, Ren Ya finally bought all the forty-one girls in his hands according to twelve ounces. For a time, the abandoned temple was filled with people.
Xiao Zishan asked his escort to inform Sun Kecheng: vacate a large mule and horse shop, light up the fire for cooking, and ask a few doctors to stand by. Those who signed the contract were sent to the hotel in batches of twenty, escorted by two bodyguards. Those who were sick and weak ordered people to hire mule carts to transport them.
While he was busy, a servant suddenly came over and said something to Liu Gang. Liu Gang looked respectful and came over to Xiao Zishan and said: "Master Liang would like to invite all the shopkeepers to come over and have a chat."
Guo Yi asked: "Who is Mr. Liang?"
Liu Gang said: "He is a member of the county, a son of a well-known family. He has always been eager for justice and has a good reputation in the county. He would like to invite these shopkeepers to come over and talk."
Several people looked at each other and felt that it was necessary to make friends with such a local gentry. Zhang Xin continued to arrange the delivery of the slave, and the others followed the servant to the outside.
On the edge of the wasteland, there is a tea shed that sells some tea, steamed buns and other items. It was originally a resting place for the Yamen and the suppressed government officials. At this moment, the inside and outside have been replaced by the servants brought by Mr. Liang, no less than twenty or thirty. People, everyone is surprised: This is such a small person, but the pomp is so huge!
I saw Mr. Liang, who was about 27 or 27 years old. He had a pale complexion and looked like a noble man. He wore a gray poplin gown and held a Jinchuan fan. Although he was not extravagant, he looked clean and elegant. Not stained. When he saw them coming, he didn't feel arrogant. He stood up and bowed his hands:
"Liang Cunhou." The young master smiled slightly, with a pair of black and ferocious pupils shining under his splayed eyebrows, and said, "May I ask some of the shopkeepers what their titles are? Where do they come from?"
As he spoke, he looked up and down at Guo Yi and others. His eyes were extremely sophisticated, and Guo Yi couldn't help but be startled: This man's eyes were sharp, and definitely not like those of ordinary playboys. He kept saying: "Don't dare, don't dare." He reported the names of several people in turn.
According to the unified caliber, they were all maritime merchants who were stranded here because of the rough sea. Liu Gang accompanied them to go shopping and relax.
The servant brought tea, and Mr. Liang asked again: "You are maritime merchants, why do you want to buy so many family members?" As he spoke, there was a look of doubt in his eyes.
Xiao Zishan had already responded: "In recent years, the sea has been uneven and business has become more and more difficult every day, so I am thinking about buying some land to set up a village and collect rent to live. I am waiting to buy land in Qiongzhou to open up wasteland. There are few people there, and the long-term tenant farmers are often unmarried. , I had to come here to buy some women.”
"That is also a good deed." Mr. Liang sighed, "I saw that you just cared about the weak and the sick, and refused to part with human flesh and blood. You were even willing to take in young children, and you also arranged for proper food and accommodation. You are really kind-hearted. , I am really ashamed to be a native of Guangzhou!"
"What the hell." Guo Yi and the others hurriedly gave in, feeling that Mr. Liang was being pretentious. The time travelers come from modern time and space and have no understanding of the cruel side of ancient society. I always feel that since I have bought someone to be a slave, food and clothing are the minimum treatment. Not having to pay wages seems to be a huge advantage.
However, Liu Gang took the opportunity to say some flattering words: "Young Master Liang has always been charitable and charitable in this county. Needless to say, Nanhai County is the prefecture of Guangzhou. Who doesn't know your great benevolence and righteousness, Mr. Liang? You don't know: giving alms here." Most of the money spent on the porridge shed was obtained from the Liang family."
Liang Cunhou didn't take it seriously, waving his hands and saying: "The world is not peaceful now, but fortunately Guangdong is still relatively peaceful. My Liang family has been blessed by the country, and it is extremely poor. I also have a small income in my family, so I do good deeds with my meager efforts, just for the sake of charity." The imperial court is slightly concerned. What's sad is that I don't forgive the country gentry for helping the hungry people in our county, and there are quite a few gossips behind my back." He let out a long sigh.
Seeing that he was having difficulties, Guo Yi deliberately pretended to be confused and said: "Master Liang, helping the hungry people is a great good deed. Why do you have to gossip about it?"
