Crossing the Unknown Country

The dealer went to several rooms and called a group of people over. There were adults, young people, men, women, old and young. Most of them lowered their heads and dared not look at others. They were ragged, pale and thin, with dull faces and eyes full of panic or helplessness. There were also some who were dressed well and came from wealthy families. These people were better. Occasionally they looked up at the people who bought them, hoping that they could meet a good owner.

Su He and his team chose people who could work, and saw a strong man standing in the back. He looked honest but he didn't know why he was sold. Su He told his father, and Su He's father asked the man to come out and asked him, "Why were you sold here?"

The man said, "My family is poor, and I finally got married. My wife has been ill for many years, and we have no money for treatment. Later, when she was seriously ill, I had to borrow money from loan sharks to pay for the medical treatment. In the end, the money was all gone, and my wife died. I couldn't pay the money back, so I had to sell myself to pay off the debt. Fortunately, we don't have children, otherwise the children would have been sold too." He recounted his experience miserably, and Su He's father felt very sympathetic.

Su He's father kept him and bought a simple and honest young man in his twenties. He said that he was originally a family slave, and when the master's family lost all their wealth, they were sold. Su He's father thought that this young man was trustworthy and looked honest, so he decided to buy him.

Now I can only buy people based on my intuition, hoping that I am not wrong. If I am wrong, it doesn’t matter, I can just sell it.

So they agreed to pick these two people. The broker looked at the two people and said in a low voice: "A strong laborer usually pays six taels of silver. Since it is for Brother Qin's sake, one person will pay five taels of silver, and two people will pay ten taels of silver!"

Su He's father and Su He knew that the price was not expensive. Just now, Su He quietly went over and eavesdropped on the old woman negotiating the price with the broker here, and it was indeed six taels of silver per person.

Su He's father and Su He exchanged glances, and Su He nodded. Qin Gang also smiled and thanked the broker for giving him face. Su He's father happily agreed, and the broker took them together to pay the money and pick up the person, and then went to the government office together to get the deed.

After Su He's father paid the money, he brought them over, the older Wang Dashan and the younger Liu Meng. They followed the broker in charge of the brokerage firm and went to the government office to handle the sales contract.

Su He followed Wang Dashan and Liu Meng to the gate of the yamen. The two did not dare to speak and waited there quietly with Su He. Su He's father and the others entered the yamen together. The broker was very familiar with the clerk in charge of the yamen. He asked Su He's father to pay 200 coins for the deed tax and directly stamped the deed and handed it to them.

Su He's father took it and saw that there was no problem. He thanked the agent repeatedly happily and walked out of the yamen with the agent and Qin Gang.

The broker said goodbye to them as he left the house, and politely said, "Next time you buy someone, just come to me. We're all acquaintances, so I'll give you a lower price."

Su He's father watched the broker walk away, and took out a tael of silver from his pocket and gave it to Qin Gang, thanking him for his hard work and giving him a discount of two taels of silver. Qin Gang said he would not accept anything, saying that they were all neighbors helping him, and he could not ask for money.

Su He's father stuffed the money into his hand and said, "We have saved two taels of silver, you must accept it. We may have to trouble you again in the future. Besides, you have to repay the favor, treat them to a meal or something."

Qin Gang finally accepted the money, said goodbye to them with a smile and went back to the pawnshop. Su He and his father knew that they couldn't let others work for them for nothing, after all, helping them would delay their time to make money.

Su He and his father took Wang Dashan and Liu Meng back to their home. The two of them followed them to their house. Although the master's clothes were not very good, he actually had his own house, and this house was not cheap. They felt that the master they followed this time was not as he seemed.

It was the first time for Wang Dashan to follow someone, and as long as he was fed, he didn't have any other thoughts. Liu Meng thought that as long as he didn't treat the servants harshly this time, it would be fine for him to do some work, because he was originally a laborer.