The First Phoenix

After a while, a man came out slowly and said, "Miss, my family's deeds are in Madam's hands."

Shi Anxia nodded slightly, and then changed his explanation, "Is there anyone else willing to sign the body contract? I can buy your body contract at thirty taels per person, and the monthly silver will be increased to five taels in the future."

Several people looked at each other, each with their own plans in mind.

The thirty-two body contract is really tempting. Even if they are shopkeepers, the price on the market is only twenty taels. As for the five taels of monthly silver, it has more than doubled.

Now that they only have two taels of silver per month, they can still feed and clothe the whole family without worries.

But after signing the contract, I became a slave, and I felt a little unhappy. Who is willing to sell himself into slavery if the status quo can be maintained?

Moreover, judging from their current savings, thirty taels are no longer worth mentioning.

No one spoke.

Seeing this, Shi Anxia said calmly, "I'll give you a moment to think it over. If you are willing to sign, you can come to me. If you wait for me to unpack and check the account, I'm afraid the price won't be there."

All the shopkeepers were shocked.

Tan's mother glanced at Bei Hui at the right moment.

Bei Hui understood, "Shopkeepers, you should all be aware of this. The shops you manage have not made much progress over the years. Now that our girl has taken over, we must find a way to revitalize them."

Several shopkeepers lowered their heads, knowing that the other party was right.

Business is getting worse year by year, and now we can barely maintain our capital and make little profit. Fortunately, the host didn't take it seriously and didn't find fault with them.

Bei Hui said again, "Girls are kind-hearted, and I remember that you have been working in the shop since you were young, and you have toiled hard without any credit. So no matter how bad the business is in the accounts, as long as you are not greedy, you can forget about it. It's just girls. There is never a need for a shopkeeper without a physical bond, you can figure it out yourself."

The words have made it very clear, if you don't sign the deed, you won't even have a job. It's not a matter of signing it if you don't want to.

Several people went to the side hall to discuss in despair. Only the shopkeeper who had signed the contract was very relaxed.

Shi Anxia was about to look through the account books presented when she heard Nan Yan come in and report, "Girl, Sister Gui and her family are here."

Shi Anxia said softly, "Bring it in."

Sister-in-law Gui brought her family into the house, greeted Shi Anxia, ​​and then stood aside in a polite manner.

Bei Hui looked back and forth and said, "You all have to sign a contract to work in the Marquis' Mansion?"

A girl of seventeen or eighteen years old asked in a sharp voice, "It depends on how much money the Houfu gives. The other day, there was a family on Dong'an Street who paid twenty taels for someone like me..."

"Being a roommate?" Bei Hui interrupted.

The girl's face suddenly turned red, "Well, of course not, she must be a first-class maid."

Bei Hui glanced at her coldly, "Just you? Even a third-class maid can't reach it, so why not give it to the first class! Do you think the money in our Hou Mansion was blown by the strong wind?"

"Hey, why are you talking? I..."

Shi Anxia frowned and said indifferently, "Noisy! Palm!"

Tan's mother slapped him in the face.

The girl covered her red face and fainted instantly.

Mrs. Gui was originally worried that her sister-in-law Yang Yuhua would make a fuss even more after being slapped, but she didn't expect her to stand behind her brother in a wronged manner.

Together, this is a mess.

Mother Tan said in a deep voice, "Seven taels for an adult and five taels for a child. Once you sign the deed of sale, you will become a member of the Hou Mansion." After a pause, she pointed at Yang Yuhua and said, "You! Our Hou Mansion doesn't want you!"

Yang Yuhua was so angry that she lowered her head and rolled her eyes, but she didn't dare to say a word.

She had only come to watch the fun and had no intention of selling herself into slavery, so she dared to point fingers like she did just now.

She had made an agreement with her brother the day before. Anyway, her niece Xiaodie was just a free girl. If the Hou Mansion wanted her, she would sell her.

This way, I could save some food for my family and earn some money. I just didn't tell Mrs. Gui in advance because I was afraid she wouldn't agree.

It's one thing if Yang Yuhua doesn't want to come, but it's another thing if they don't want her at all.

She didn't dare to say anything now, but she put the blame on Gui's wife.

Yang Yuhua felt that her sister-in-law was harming her.

The master is so powerful, he slaps you at every turn. But what did her sister-in-law say at home? He said that the master's family was very kind and considerate of his servants.

Isn't this just trying to make her a slave?

Since the master's family is so good, then let your daughter sell herself into slavery. She quickly glanced at her brother.

Her brother understood, "I, we, no, don't sell ourselves, just, just, just..."

Seeing him stammering, another girl beside him hurriedly took over, "When we go back to the master's house, we will send this girl over to have a look. Even though she is young, she is capable of doing anything. She can do any job."

Although Sister-in-law Gui had originally planned to let her daughter follow her into the house, at this moment, she couldn't help but burst into tears when she saw that the whole family was plotting against her daughter.

She cried in disbelief, "Die'er is only nine years old, and you are willing to sell her? Didn't you just agree to bring her here to see her? Why didn't you sell yourself, but sold my daughter?"

In front of the powerful master, Gui Sao's men and sister-in-law did not dare to make any mistakes.

But her cousin knew that the opportunity was too good to miss, "Cousin, you also want to be more open-minded. Die'er is idle at home, and it is her good fortune to follow you to the Marquis Mansion to enjoy the blessings. Besides, when I give birth to a son for my cousin-in-law, I can’t even turn around at home.”

Sister-in-law Gui was so angry that she trembled with anger at these shameless words, "Huang Bilian, you come to me to snatch the man after his death? Do you want to be shameless? Do you want me to give this man to you?"

"Hey, this is what you said, but I didn't push you out!" My cousin touched her belly, "You blame me for not being able to give birth to a son? No matter how good the cattle are, they can't grow good buds on your poor field! "

Shi Anxia was extremely disgusted, "Sister-in-law Gui, where did you get such a shameless cousin? You don't have to taint my ears!"

Mrs. Gui then remembered that her daughter was still unmarried, and she blushed and knelt down to apologize.

Seeing that the girl had already opened the account book and was looking at it, Madam Tan was obviously impatient. She asked with a stern face, "Sister Gui, if your family is not sincere about selling yourself to the mansion, then don't waste your time. Let's discuss family matters at home! I'll ask you again, is there anyone who wants to sell themselves to the mansion? If not, get out!"

The three people looked at each other and pushed Xiaodie forward, "Her!"

Yang Yuhua couldn't help but ask one more question, "That Butterfly Moon Silver..."

Tan's mother snorted coldly, "The Marquis will raise your children for you, take care of food and housing, and you still want the money? Wait until you are fourteen years old and you can actually work before we talk about the money. If you want to sell it, sell it, or not. Leave immediately."

"Sell, sell, sell!" Xiaodie's father was afraid that the five taels of silver would be lost.

There was already a broker waiting outside to act as a guarantor. He brought a standard indenture into the house, asked some questions according to the procedure, and then wrote a complete indenture and asked Xiaodie's parents to put their fingerprints on it.

Shi Anxia sent someone to give five taels of silver to the man of Guisao's family. When sending this family away, the shopkeepers there also considered it carefully.