Chapter 126: The Slave Market (Part 2)

This was no free market. The moment these well-dressed visitors passed through the entrance, slave dealers descended upon them like flies to honey, hawking their merchandise with practiced urgency.

"Look at this one—perfectly aligned glutinous teeth that could bite through gold and jade—fifteen liang, what do you say?" one cried. Another shoved forward, grabbing a girl by her hair: "See this one's hair—jet-black..." A third dealer interrupted, gesturing toward an older woman: "Mine may look older, but she's literate! Scholar-family background. The Jincui Pavilion madam offered fifty liang, but I refused!" Yet another planted himself directly in their path: "You gentlemen are looking for servants, am I right? This girl's perfect—formerly served a wealthy Fujian household, already trained. Her figure and face are both excellent! My rock-bottom price is twenty-five liang!"

The cacophony stunned Xiao Zishan's group into momentary paralysis. None of them had ever witnessed anything like this. Seven or eight dealers crowded around them, spitting as they shouted, shoving girls forward like livestock—tugging at hair to display its luster, lifting arms to examine skin quality. The girls ranged from eleven or twelve through their early twenties, reasonably attractive but malnourished, their complexions sallow from want. As the dealers pinched and prodded them, they fought back tears they dared not shed, their faces masks of suppressed grief. Xiao Zishan's heart sank. The tragedy of it was undeniable, and he saw the same pained recognition in his companions' expressions.

Two escorts shouldered the dealers aside to clear a path. Liu Gang turned back. "Chief Manager, shall we purchase some children?"

Xiao Zishan wavered, uncertain. The more attractive girls had apparently already been acquired by dealers, each priced between six and fifty liang—a total investment of thirty to forty liang that would add up quickly if he bought them all. The ages also skewed young. Were twelve or thirteen-year-olds adolescents or children? While he hesitated, Yan Maoda leaned in. "Commissioner Xiao—let's simply bulk-buy. We can bargain them down aggressively."

"Even bargained down, it's still several hundred liang." Zhang Xin shook his head. "Let's start with the people the dealers aren't interested in. Once they see we've bought many of those while ignoring their premium merchandise, they'll come to us with discounts."

"Good approach," Xiao Zishan agreed. "We planned on acquiring some children for raising and educating anyway."

"What's our budget? I need a baseline."

"Under 500 liang. Slightly over is acceptable."

The group bypassed the dealers and headed deeper into the grounds. Shelters and open patches of earth appeared everywhere, packed with refugees of all ages who called out plaintively whenever anyone passed. Their begging cries rose and fell in endless waves of desperation.

At the next crossroads, a large crowd had gathered around some commotion. As they approached, they saw a woman clutching a man's legs, wailing and pleading while two children lay on a pile of rags beside her—the older perhaps three or four years old, the younger still swaddled. Her family had fled here from somewhere north, and everyone else had perished along the way. Only these three survived: mother and children. A dealer wanted the woman but refused to take the children.

She had been beaten bloody, her nose and mouth streaming crimson, yet she clung to the dealer's legs even as he kicked and cursed her. "Stubborn whore! I don't run a charity—why would I feed your brats!" He grabbed her by the hair and prepared to drag her away.

Zhang Xin was about to intervene when someone else shouted, "Stop!" The crowd parted, and several servants escorted a young man of around thirty through the gap. Whispers rippled through the onlookers: "Young Master Liang has arrived."

The young gentleman approached the dealer. "You bought her—why force her to abandon her children? These two are so young. Without their mother, they'll surely die."

The dealer recognized him and immediately grew defensive. "Your Honor, our business isn't easy. In her sickly condition, dragging two children along—who would purchase her? If I agreed to take them, I'd have two extra mouths to feed for nothing."

Young Master Liang's expression hardened. "If it's unprofitable, don't purchase her at all—why force families apart!"

The dealer smiled bitterly. "Come now—I meant well but caused evil? In her condition, if I don't buy her, her entire family starves by tomorrow. At least I'm saving one person."

The argument was nearly shameless, yet it held a grain of truth. Young Master Liang found himself momentarily speechless. Zhang Xin studied the woman on the ground—barely in her early twenties, her face gaunt, her skin sallow with an unhealthy flush. Clearly ill. Young Master Liang instructed his servants to purchase steamed buns for her, then distributed coins to the surrounding refugees.

"Let's buy her," Guo Yi said, his voice thick with sympathy.

Xiao Zishan thought the situation far from ideal—she was sick, and her children were too young to be anything but burdens. He hesitated, noticed everyone watching him expectantly, then nodded. "Buy them."

The moment the surrounding refugees witnessed these merchants purchase the entire family, agitation swept through the crowd. Word spread like wildfire. Old and young, male and female—they pressed forward, surrounding the group in an increasingly dense mass, all begging: "Take us! No payment needed—we just want food!"

Brief chaos ensued. Fortunately, Liu Gang possessed experience in such matters. He pushed through with the escorts and requested that officials and militia help restore order. Xiao Zishan produced Gao Ju's calling card and immediately distributed several thousand coins as tips. The officials dared not delay and quickly summoned licensed dealers, who began writing slave contracts in assembly-line fashion.

The surrounding people quickly noticed that these buyers strongly preferred children—especially the previously unwanted toddlers that other purchasers scorned. They bought every one they saw. Parents wishing to accompany their children were also accepted. Orphans received an especially warm welcome. Zhang Xin proved generous, offering no "body price" but providing five-hundred-coin tips to the officials for each purchase. The officials in charge simply rounded up every orphan in the area—willing or not—and wrote contracts for them all. Before long, seventy to eighty children had been collected, along with forty-odd adults. The dealers, observing that these wealthy buyers were ignoring their merchandise entirely, hurried over offering sales. Zhang Xin shook his head. "Individual inspection wastes time. All your children—I'll take the entire lot."

After brief bargaining, all forty-one of the dealers' girls were purchased at ten liang each. Within moments, the ruined temple clearing filled with seated people awaiting their fate.

Xiao Zishan dispatched escorts to notify Sun Kecheng: clear out a mule-and-horse inn, quickly prepare fires and cooking facilities, and summon several doctors to stand by. Those who had signed contracts were escorted to the inn in batches of twenty, each group accompanied by pairs of escorts. Mule carts were hired for the sick and weak.

Amid the bustle, a servant approached Liu Gang and spoke quietly. Liu Gang's expression shifted to one of careful respect as he came to Xiao Zishan. "Young Master Liang would like to invite you gentlemen for a brief conversation."

Guo Yi asked, "Who is this Young Master Liang?"

"He's a county juren—a successful examination candidate from a gentry family background. He's known for his public-spirited generosity and enjoys an excellent local reputation. He'd like to speak with you gentlemen."

The group exchanged glances—such local gentry was worth cultivating. Zhang Xin stayed behind to continue coordinating the servant dispatch while the others followed Young Master Liang's servant to the grounds' edge.

At the wasteland's boundary stood a tea stall selling tea and steamed buns—originally a rest area for dealers and officials. Now it was entirely occupied by Young Master Liang's entourage, some twenty to thirty servants in all. The visitors exchanged surprised looks: just a county juren, yet commanding such a retinue!

Young Master Liang appeared roughly twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with a slightly pale complexion and the refined bearing of a young aristocrat. He wore a gray silk robe and held a gold-speckled Sichuan fan—not extravagant, but immaculately neat. Observing them approach, he displayed no trace of haughtiness; instead, he rose, cupped his hands, and offered the first greeting.

"Liang Cunhou." The young gentleman smiled faintly, his dark pupils glittering beneath indented brows as he spoke. "May I ask your names, gentlemen? From where do you hail?"

Even as he spoke, his gaze subtly appraised Guo Yi and the others with exceptional shrewdness. Guo Yi felt a start: this man's penetrating look was not that of a typical dandy. He replied courteously, "We dare not presume," and proceeded to introduce everyone's names in turn.

Following their standard cover story, they presented themselves as sea merchants. Owing to unsafe waters, they had been stranded here, and Liu Gang was accompanying them as a local guide for sightseeing.

Servants brought tea. Young Master Liang then inquired, "Since you're sea merchants, why purchase so many servants?" Suspicion flickered in his eyes.

Xiao Zishan had responses prepared. "The seas have grown increasingly treacherous in recent years. Business becomes more difficult daily. We've been contemplating buying land, establishing estates, and collecting rent. We've purchased wasteland in Qiongzhou for farming—but labor is scarce. Our tenants and laborers frequently lack spouses, so we came here to acquire some women."

"That's also a virtuous deed." Young Master Liang sighed. "Watching you earlier—showing pity for the weak and sick, refusing to separate families, accepting even toddlers—then carefully arranging food and shelter—truly benevolent hearts. We Guangzhou natives feel ashamed by comparison."

"Not at all, not at all." Guo Yi and the others demurred politely, though they found Young Master Liang somewhat theatrical. Travelers from modern times didn't fully comprehend ancient society's harshness. Since they had purchased people as servants, providing food and shelter seemed like the bare minimum. Not paying wages already felt like taking enormous advantage.

Liu Gang seized the opportunity for flattery. "Young Master Liang has always shown philanthropic generosity throughout the county. Not just Nanhai County—throughout all of Guangzhou Prefecture, who doesn't know of your benevolence? You should be aware: this gruel-dispensing shelter's expenses are mostly funded by the Liang family."

Liang Cunhou dismissed this with a wave. "Times are unsettled. Fortunately, Guangdong remains peaceful. My Liang family has long received imperial grace—hardly comparable to humble origins. Having some modest property, contributing what little we can for good deeds merely relieves the court's burdens slightly." His expression darkened. "Regrettably, in this humble county, my refugee relief efforts have actually attracted criticism from local gentry." He sighed deeply.

Guo Yi observed his distress and feigned confusion. "Young Master Liang relieves refugees—a tremendous good deed. Why would there be gossip?"

(End of Chapter)