readytorunbook Chapter 124 Are the poor destined to be sold off? I want to save them.
Chapter 124 Are the poor destined to be sold off? I want to save them.
Wu Shishuai used his horse for leverage, leaped over the wall, and then used the debris next to the wall for further support.
"Old Pan, open the door quickly!"
The head of the family has arrived; we're all outside.
Uncle Pan, who was blocking the door, quickly opened it, and everyone dismounted and rushed in.
Upon entering, they immediately subdued the five villains, who struggled desperately.
"Tear their arms off!"
Upon hearing this, the crowd dislocated the arms of several men, causing them to grimace in pain.
"Aunt Wu, go in and see if there's anything to eat or drink. Take some out and give them some to eat first."
If I don't eat soon, I'm afraid I'll starve to death!
"Yes, master!"
Upon hearing this, Yan Niang responded and went inside.
A little while later, they brought back some food and a stool, and Huaisheng sat down on the stool.
Yan Niang distributed the food to the remaining people and then went inside to get them water.
"Where are the two of me?"
Where did they go?
"Who knows? At most, we'll scrape together the silver for you!"
One of the men stopped struggling and said disdainfully.
"Drag out the one you don't know first."
"Uncle, step on his leg. I'll use a hammer, starting with his toes, and smash each bone one by one!"
"You dare! Do you even know who my uncle is?"
"I don't care who you are, I'll break one of his legs first!"
As he spoke, he gave Uncle Wu a wink.
With a 'crack' sound, the man froze for a moment, then immediately screamed in pain.
Mu Huaisheng took out the imperial waist token, waved it in his hand, and then put it away.
"You can call your uncle over too, and see if he has such a badge!"
The man didn't see clearly, but he panicked when he heard those words.
Huai Sheng saw that Wu Shishuai had brought a stone and roared fiercely:
"Smash!"
The voice showed no hesitation whatsoever.
Upon seeing this, the man immediately cried out:
"I didn't sell it, I didn't sell it!"
It was sold by Zhou Laosi!
"Stop! What's going on?"
Where were they sold?
The man quickly caught his breath and continued:
"Spare me! Hero, spare me!"
Zhou Laosi owes gambling debts, so he sold it. Zhou Laosi, you fucking say something!
He sold people to pay off his gambling debts.
He also gave me an extra five taels of silver, asking me to keep it a secret for him.
The little guy drank too much yellow soup at noon and just had a brain fart, which is why I stood up for him!
Ouch! That hurts so much, ouch!
"Throw him aside and bring out Zhou Laosi."
Upon hearing this, three of the remaining four men turned to look at the other one.
The martial arts master immediately dragged him out, and Huai Sheng, without even glancing at him, said directly:
"Break one of his legs first!"
With a 'crack' sound, the silent man immediately howled.
"Well, at least he's not mute!"
Tell me, where did they go?
"They sold them...sold them to brothels!"
"Which family bought it?"
"I...I didn't dare sell locally, it's...it's..."
"Looks like he can't even speak properly, smash it!"
'Bang!' Two toes were broken, and the man howled in pain.
"I'll talk! I'll talk!"
Yes, it's from Qinhuai, but I really don't know which one!
"Is there anyone in Dahao named Qin Huai?"
No, it's from Daliang?!
"It's...it's from Daliang..."
"How many days have they been selling?"
"First, about a month..."
"They sold for one hundred taels!"
"Aunt Wu, go inside and get some paper and pen, write down what they said."
Upon hearing this, Yan Niang went inside, and Huai Sheng interrogated the other two.
He said something similar to the first person who broke his leg, but he didn't get any money.
Huai Sheng made them all sign their names.
He quickly and efficiently set the first person's leg and gave it a simple bandage.
Huai Sheng thought for a moment, then used ink to smear a corner of the back of the waist tag and pressed it onto the paper where Zhou Lao Si had signed.
Her waist tag was the same as the one worn by the commander of the Dragon Brocade Guard, except for the characters on the back.
Because everyone at the palace gate knew who could enter, they didn't need a waist tag.
Only the Dragon Guards wore masks when entering the palace, and only His Majesty knew who they were; they entered and exited the palace gates solely by their waist tokens.
When the emperor made a waist tag for Huai Sheng, he felt it was unnecessary to give a separate tag to a young girl.
Just change the characters in the name of the Dragon Guard; after all, you have to register when entering and leaving the palace.
Huai was afraid that they would protect each other among the officials, and that if they had a mark, those people would not dare to do anything if they had eyes.
"Pry open his mouth!"
Put this down his throat~
Aunt Wu, go pour me a bowl of water~
Mu Huaisheng took out a small porcelain bottle, poured out a pill, and handed it to Wu Shishuai.
The martial arts master tilted his head back, pried open his mouth, stuffed the pill down his throat, and flushed it down with water.
"Break his other leg too."
Aunt Qin wrote a few words under the paper she signed on Thursday: "Article 232 of the Great Hao Law."
"Hero! Hero! Spare my life!"
Don't poison me!
Don't poison me!
"Hmph~ How could it poison you? Didn't you sell people to brothels?"
I'll let you experience what it's like to be a woman in jail!
Throw him out at the nearest government office gate!
Submit it along with their statements.
"Reattach those arms."
After that, several more screams were heard.
The martial arts instructor led the man to the yamen, while the others helped the remaining twelve people onto the carriage and returned home.
After returning, Qingchen immediately got the medicine and treated their injuries together with Huaisheng.
After bandaging them up, they were given some dinner.
The group had been hungry for four or five days, so Huaisheng fed them until they were half full.
Instruct Lady Wang:
"Don't feed them too much, and give them some milk before bedtime."
"Hey, Master."
Lady Wang replied, her voice choked with emotion.
After they regained some strength, Huai Sheng asked them what had happened.
Those people, seeing that no one had gone there for several months, assumed...
With only a few left, they embezzled all the money meant for their food.
They only give them two black steamed buns every few days, just enough to keep them from dying.
Tell them directly and confidently that the nobles in the capital did not give it to them.
They were too embarrassed to accept it.
That Thursday, the man was shrewd but a gambler; he took the money he received and gambled it away.
Gambling only leads to one outcome: usury.
At the casino, he met a man who had come from Daliang to do business. This man saw loan sharks pressing Thursday for repayment.
On Thursday, seeing that the man was wealthy and that they usually treated each other like brothers, he asked him for help:
"Brother, elder brother!"
Please help me, I beg you!
Once I get through this, I'll repay you double.
I beg you, I'll do anything for you, brother!
The man, wanting to "kindly" help, asked him:
"Well... I do have a way."
Do you have any good-looking children in your family? I'm willing to pay a high price to buy one.
On Thursday, it dawned on him that among the remaining dozen or so people, there were two children left.
He's usually dirty and you can't tell if he's good or bad, but he's not short.
He quickly spoke up:
Yes, yes.
Do you want a boy? He's not very old, but he's grown quite a bit tall.
He should be quite adept at work.
"A boy? To do chores?"
Hahahaha.
Brother, if you can sell it for this price, this place is a real stunner.
However, once I buy it from you, it's a permanent contract.
From now on, I will not care about life or death with you.
"Naturally! Naturally!"
"Leave it to your elder brother!"
"In that case, let me check its condition first."
They then led the man over to see the child, pulled him over, and forcibly washed his face.
The man's eyes lit up when he saw it.
He readily agreed:
"Brother, for the sake of our friendship."
In my building, an average child would sell for thirty or forty taels.
However, these two children are of decent appearance; I can give you fifty taels each for both of them.
Everyone was so hungry they had no strength left, but they all rushed forward with all their might, ready to fight.
He was beaten so badly by those people that he could barely move.
The two children struggled desperately, crying out:
“You can’t sell us. The adults will come and get us.”
You'll be in deep trouble then.
No matter how much the two children struggled, they were no match for these five strong and burly men.
From then on, they were only given black bread once every five or six days.
The two children were knocked unconscious and taken away.
Later, I overheard them drinking and chatting, saying that the man had bought the person and then went home.
Upon hearing this, the Mu family members were so angry they felt dizzy.
Huai Sheng immediately gave the order in a hurried voice:
"Uncle Wu, prepare the horses!"
I'm going to the Lan residence!
The two mounted their horses and arrived at the Lan residence in no time.
"Why are you in such a hurry? What happened?"
Mrs. Lan asked with concern.
"Sister-in-law, two children from the charity shrine have been sold to brothels..."
"what!"
Huai Sheng recounted the incident, and Madam Lan slammed her hand on the table in anger:
"You bastard!"
When I sent people to distribute the food before, it was enough for dozens of people for half a year.
Later, after arrangements were made, the remaining dozen or so people the manager said were quite good, so they thought they'd save them for you!