It snowed intermittently for three days before it finally stopped. In the morning, when she was teaching Tan Xin to sing, the people from the Brocade Workshop came to deliver winter clothes to the girls. I was checking when a manservant stuffed a letter into my hand. I looked at the envelope. It was Auntie! I told the girls to try on their own clothes and quickly went back to my room to read the letter.
It turned out that my aunt had returned to Suzhou half a month ago. She wanted to write to me immediately, but Liu Kaizhi had a trick up his sleeve and asked her to hold a grand funeral for " Sonya ". The letter should be sent slowly, and the merchant ship would bring it back. This way, there would be less risk. I couldn't help but admire his meticulous thinking. The messenger was Liu Kaizhi's trusted servant. If there was a reply, tell him to bring it back. The letter said that everything was fine and that they were prepared to hold the wedding banquet within a hundred days of " Sonya's " wedding. They also brought five thousand taels of silver as a greeting gift from " Uncle ". I happily " accepted " it and asked him to wait for a while. I went in to write a reply and told him about my recent situation and the matter of opening Rouge Restaurant. I apologized for not being able to go back to attend the wedding. Finally, I wished them a happy marriage and a child.
Jilantai was fine. People who had practiced martial arts had different bodies from others. I called him to the dining room for dinner. As usual, there were two tables. The servants ate the same as us. Jilantai was a little surprised by my carelessness. Jilantai, who had shaved his beard, had thick eyebrows and big eyes. He had a righteous look on his face and looked very manly. The girls all asked me curiously who he was. I put down the bowl in my hand and sighed sadly,""He was my late husband's servant. Because he thought of my benefits, he came to seek refuge with me. In the future, you can call him Big Brother Getu or Uncle Getu.”After saying that, he looked at Jilantai, who had a strange expression on his face, and said,"Gethu, let's eat! Since you're so nostalgic, I'll definitely take good care of you!”
After practicing for a while, everyone's improvement was great. The one that worried me the most was Tan Xin. Her voice gradually brightened up, but it was still lacking in energy. I told her to run every morning and sing as she ran. She was so out of breath that she couldn't run or sing. Jilantai volunteered to teach her breathing exercises. I was very interested and followed her for a few days. It was indeed very effective.
The snow has been melting for the past few days. It's very cold outside. I've been hiding at home and not going out. In the afternoon, other than watching the girls practice, he would stay in bed. It will be the new year in half a month. This is my first new year here, so I always want it to be lively. Yingluo is the most active one. Recently, she has been learning the horse-headed zither from Ji Lantai, and I follow her lead.
This afternoon, I returned to my room to take a nap. Tan Xin and Jiang Sha came together and said that they wanted to ask me for something. I asked them to sit down and talk slowly. "We were thinking about how it's almost the new year, but we don't know where our families are." Tan Xin said with tears in her eyes. I and Jiang Sha both have nannies and servant girls who have been sold to the human market. I hope that elder sister will be merciful and buy them back.”
"Human market?" I didn't know what they meant by the human market. Jiang Sha explained,""It's a place to buy and sell slaves! Our servants were all sold there.”
"I see!" My fingertips hit the armrest of the imperial concubine's couch. Time and time again, they were frightened by my gaze. Tan Xin was about to cry. I stood up and said,"Let's go and see tomorrow." I can't do anything if they're bought.”
"Sister agreed?" "Thank you, Sister!" Tan Xin cried in surprise.”
"Don't thank me too early!" I pulled a long face and said,"The money to buy them will be deducted from your interest!"”
After breakfast the next day, I put on a thick fur coat and a fox-fur hat. I wrapped myself up like a dumpling and was still trembling. Yingluo and Manluo wanted to go with me when they heard that I was going to the human market. They said that their servants might be there too. I helplessly asked Uncle Zhang to drive the carriage. Yingluo saw that I was afraid of the cold and told me to give her the money. I glared at her and said,"Do you know how to bargain? You haven't even earned money yet and you want to spend it recklessly! If you keep nagging, I'll charge you interest!" Yingluo quickly shut up, lowered her head, and went out. I asked Jilantai to ride a horse and follow behind us. On the way back, we'll buy a carriage and two good horses. His eyes lit up at the mention of a good horse, just like a modern man's reaction to a good car. I told him to put on his hat and smeared it on his face for a while. He looked like an old man in his fifties or sixties. The girls were all asking me why Geto was dressed like this. I pretended to wipe my tears and said,"He sneaked out. If my late husband's family finds out, they will capture him and bring him back.”
"Sister, how did your late husband die?”Yingluo asked me innocently and straightforwardly. I rolled my eyes. Looking at the car full of expectant eyes, I bit my nails and started to make up a story."As for my late husband, en, he got married at the age of fifteen. Then, he married many wives, and then, he died.”
"Will you die if you marry many wives?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because…"
"Sister, are you a mistress?"
"Yes…"
"When did your late husband die?”
"Go…New Year!"
"Do you have children?"
In that moment of silence, I knew that my expression must be very bad. Shaking my head, I looked at Tan Xin and answered word by word,"There was once. When it was still in my stomach, it was kicked away by his father.”
The entire car gasped, and Tan Xin sobbed." So…scary…Sister…I'm sorry…"
"Men are all bad!" "I don't want to get married in my entire life!”
"Idiot!" I smiled faintly. He didn't want to continue the heavy topic, so he said to them,"When you see your own nanny or personal servant, don't call her that. Otherwise, the seller will definitely raise the price, understand?”
"Understood!" Satisfied, I heard their unanimous answer. I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep. Suddenly, the carriage jolted and stopped. I was about to stick my head out when Jilantai hurriedly caught up and said,"It's the emperor Qiu Di's team returning to the capital.”
"Stop by the side." I ordered Uncle Zhang. "According to the rules, everyone in the carriage has to kneel down to welcome them."”
"You guys go down!" I decisively instructed the girl in the car."It's not convenient for me, you guys go down quickly!”
Perhaps it was because my attitude was very strict, but they got out of the car without saying a word. "It's useless!" Jilantai whispered. The door must be opened." I only felt my brain buzzing. I gritted my teeth, put on my hat, lowered my head, and got out of the car. I knelt down behind Yingluo and Manluo and whispered,"Block me!" They didn't ask anything, but they all straightened their bodies and covered me.
After the sound of the whip, the sound of horse hooves could be heard. I stole a glance. The horse leading the way was indeed Yin?。From afar, it was obvious that he had lost weight. He was wearing a black coat and a hat with fur. It seemed that after settling Sonya's funeral, he went to attend the Autumn Deeds. Seeing that he was approaching from afar and was almost in front of me, I hurriedly lowered my head, but I heard the sound of his hooves getting further and further away without stopping at all. I couldn't help but laugh at myself,'What are you waiting for? Wasn't leaving him her greatest wish? He ordered people to kill Xin Yue and kicked the child in my stomach to death. Now, he is actually still moved by him.
Qiu Di's line was so long that my legs were numb from kneeling. Suddenly, there was a commotion beside me. I looked up and saw that it was the emperor's carriage. Kang Xi poked his head out and looked at his people shouting long live. Suddenly, his eyes swept over to me. I quickly lowered my head and my heart beat violently. After about a century, I only felt that my legs were numb and my mind was blank. Yingluo and Manluo helped me up and rubbed my legs for a while before getting into the car. I was speechless the whole way. Manluo looked at me with eyes full of questions. I knew that my abnormal behavior had aroused their suspicion. Silence was the best way to escape.
The human market was on the west street, and it was actually open-air. On such a cold day, the male and female slaves who were sold were tied together by a rope and sat on the ground. Their faces were pale and their eyes were absent-minded, making one's heart ache. Yingluo and Tan Xin rushed in and looked for familiar faces in the crowd. Jiang Sha and Man Luo followed behind. I couldn't bear to watch them, so I leaned against the carriage and watched them anxiously search through the crowd. Not long after, Yingluo was the first to run back, excited and eager."I saw it, my nanny, and a few Le Ji from my residence. Unfortunately, we came late. Someone bought my second sister-in-law the day before yesterday.”
"You're not going to let us buy them all, are you?”"Why would I want Le Ji?"”
"Sister!" She smiled ingratiatingly. My guzheng teacher is also here. If they weren't a little older, they would have been bought by someone else.”
"A little old. How old?"
"She's already 25 or 26!" "They were bought out by my father, and they've never promised anyone before."”
Twenty-five or twenty-six years old was actually called "a little old"? I shook my head helplessly. Can you dance?"
"Yes, yes!" Yingluo nodded hurriedly.”
"Bring me to take a look." I took out my purse and followed her. Passing through the crowd on both sides, I couldn't bear to see their expectant eyes and quickly walked to where Yingluo stopped. She looked at me expectantly, her eyes full of urgency. I looked at the six women in front of me. They were all very delicate and had good temperaments. I didn't know why they weren't bought. A granny in her forties looked at Yingluo kindly, holding back her tears. I asked Jilantai, who was following behind me, to call over the small official of the human market. Then, I said to the woman in front of me,"Don't say you know us. Treat us as strangers.”
They nodded hesitantly. On the other end, Jiang Sha and Man Luo also ran over. Jiang Sha found her personal servant girl, and Man Luo found the nanny in the room. The price wasn't expensive either. It was only fifteen taels of silver for two people. I gave the silver to them and sighed at how expensive women were!
The small official followed behind Ji Lantai, cowering. When he heard that he was going to buy all of these Le Ji, his eyes widened."Buy it together? Fifteen taels for one and ten taels for the granny at the side, making a total of a hundred taels.”
"So expensive?" I scoffed,"I bought them all at once!" You can't leave if they can't sell them all on such a cold day. Sell them to me at a cheaper price! A total of eighty taels, how about it?"
"Eighty taels?" "That won't do…" he cried out.
"Let's go." I turned around and left. Yingluo grabbed my sleeve and I flung it away. Before I could start, the small official shouted,"Alright, Madam, eighty taels it is!”
I paid the silver, and the small official came up to curry favor and said,"There are still a few singers who just arrived. They are reserved for the nannies of Apricot Blossom House. They are all unwilling to go to the brothel and have been crying and making a scene for two days. Do you want to go and take a look?"
"Haha." I smiled at him. Maybe I'm also from the Flowerbloom Tower?"
The small official was stunned. He looked at my veiled face with extreme curiosity. I suddenly became interested and said to him,"Bring me there. If the price is right, I'll buy it.”
"It's not expensive, it's not expensive. Thirty taels for one!”
"Thirty taels?" I screamed back at him,"I'm not looking anymore."”
"Madam! Go and take a look!" Behind her was a dejected Tan Xin. She could not find a single family member. I couldn't refuse her, so I followed behind her to see the high-priced singers who cost 30 taels each.
There were a total of five singers, all of whom were above average. Two of them looked at me arrogantly as if they had seen an enemy. They glared at me fiercely. I chuckled. "I want these three. Sixty taels. How about that?"”
"Too little!" The small official waved his hand repeatedly. "If you don't want to sell it, then forget it." I don't really need it either." He turned around and walked a few steps before the small official caught up and said helplessly,"Why don't you buy the remaining two as well? How about a hundred taels in total?”
"Why do I need two fierce women? Wait for them to come and kill me?" I pretended to leave, but the small official complained,"…Forget it, I'll give it to you!"
I proudly handed over sixty taels and told the three women with their heads lowered to follow me. The remaining two still looked at me hatefully. I smiled at them. Ordinary buyers wouldn't dare to buy it, but those who dared to buy it would definitely have a way to deal with you. At that time, wouldn't he be the one suffering? Better change your temper! This is a human market, not your backyard!”
"You…why did you buy us?" The woman closest to me raised her head and asked me.
"Sing a song." I glanced at her from the corner of my eyes.”
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