Chapter 77 The Brokerage

Chapter 77: Slave Dealer

"Please! Let me go home, my mother would never sell me, please let me go!"

"I'm so hungry, young master, please give me and my mother some food first, my daughter will starve to death if she doesn't eat!"

"How dare you! I am the concubine of the Prefect, my son is a Xiucai Master! How dare you! How dare you!"

Cries for help, pleas, and angry shouts filled the air, some even reaching the front courtyard.

Meanwhile, in the back courtyard, a female slave dealer was inspecting women and young men in several rooms, selecting them into rows to follow her to wealthy families for inspection. This group was all delicate and attractive; no need to guess, they were destined to be chosen as concubines.

They passed by Meng Wan. Although they had been briefly trained by the female slave dealer, some bold ones still sneaked glances at him.

Meng Wan returned a smile. One of the younger ones kept turning back, so flustered that he bumped into the person ahead, earning a scolding from the female slave dealer.

Meng Wan suddenly asked the slave dealer leading them, "Something's off—why are there people selling their own children back there? According to Yu law, both the buyer and seller of a child are punished."

The slave dealer quickly explained, "Sir, you are perceptive. Our establishment is a licensed slave dealer—how would we dare break the law? Everyone we take in has a legitimate background. That girl crying for her mother in the back was brought here by her family—"

The slave dealer lowered his voice, "Her brother owed debts at the gambling den and couldn't pay, so he pawned off his sister. Her parents removed her from the family registry and signed her indenture on her behalf. The gambling den sent both her and the contract here."

Thus, it was legal.

Nie Zhiyao interjected from the side, "She's a pitiful girl. Shall we have her brought over for a look?"

Meng Wan looked at him in surprise, "So this is how highly you think of me? My household can't afford trouble. How about you take her in?"

Nie Zhiyao chuckled, "Alright, she is indeed trouble."

He asked the slave dealer, "What will your establishment do with this girl?"

The slave dealer was honest, "To be frank with you, sir, she's better off here than at home. We're a proper official slave dealer, and our clients are all respectable households. After a few days of training, she'll be sent to some family—much better than staying with that gambling brother of hers."

Both Meng Wan and Nie Zhiyao understood this logic, but if the girl wasn't sensible and instead was muddle-headed, taking her in would only bring discord.

The slave dealer clasped his hands, "The rooms are cramped. Master Nie and this young master, why don't you wait in the courtyard? I'll bring everyone out for you to see."

Nie Zhiyao nodded, "Fine, go ahead. We'll wait here."

In the corridor between the two courtyards were stone tables and stools. Meng Wan and Nie Zhiyao sat down, with his page and servants standing behind them.

Meng Wan turned and stared into the back courtyard, pondering the chaos within. Suddenly, a disheveled woman tried to rush out, but two thugs grabbed her and dragged her back. She half-knelt as they pulled her along, crying and cursing.

"My son is a Xiucai Master! I am the Prefect's woman! Is your master blind for taking me in?"

"It was that jealous wench who framed me out of envy for my beauty! How dare she plot against the mother of a Xiucai Master! When my son returns, he will make you pay!"

Meng Wan's heart jolted—the Prefect's woman? A Xiucai Master?

He stood abruptly and walked toward the back courtyard, shouting, "Wait!"

The woman stopped struggling, and the two thugs loosened their grip.

"Sir, you needn't bother with this woman. She was sold by the mistress for a crime. She's not even a concubine, just a mistress." The slave dealer had brought out several people and explained when he saw Meng Wan stop the thugs.

Meng Wan pressed his lips and asked, "Is she Prefect Wu's mistress?"

The slave dealer hesitated, unwilling to confirm outright. "She does not reside in the Prefect's mansion."

In Yu, only residences of officials above the fifth rank could be called a "mansion." Though he didn't say it directly, he hinted subtly.

Meng Wan thought to himself: This is bad. If I'm not mistaken, this woman is the mother of Wu Zhaoyuan, Song Tingzhou's classmate. Her son has just left, and now she's being sold. There must be a lot going on behind the scenes.

If it were anyone else, it wouldn't matter, but Wu Zhaoyuan is Song Tingzhou's good friend, and now I've stumbled upon this by chance. I can't just ignore it.

Meng Wan gritted his teeth and asked the slave dealer, "May I ask what crime this woman committed to be sold by her master?"

"If I tell you, I hope you won't spread it around."

As soon as he said this, Nie Zhiyao stepped back with his servants, signaling that he wouldn't listen.

Meng Wan waved at him, "Wait for me over there, and help me see if there's anyone suitable." He referred to the seven or eight people the slave dealer had just brought out.

Seeing that everyone was far away, the slave dealer spoke the truth, "This mistress normally didn't live in the mansion, but because of her beauty, she was occasionally brought in for a few nights. One day, she had a conflict with a concubine, and out of spite, she drugged her. Unbeknownst to her, that concubine was pregnant. It resulted in two deaths—one mother, one child. So the mistress had her sold."

Meng Wan's head ached. Sure enough, it was the sordid affairs of inner mansions.

He didn't intend to reveal himself for now. He took out a few bits of silver from his pocket and handed them to the slave dealer.

The slave dealer dared not take them. "Sir, what is the meaning of this?"

Meng Wan started name-dropping, "Brother, you can see that I am a good friend of Fourth Young Master Nie. I recently bought a house at the innermost part of Qingquan Lane, and it was arranged through Brother Qi. I would like to protect this mistress for a few days. Can you make an exception?"

The slave dealer was torn, "It's not that I want to refuse you, sir, but the mistress of the mansion has ordered her to be sold off quickly, and she said she must be sent far away. We lowly ones dare not disobey. Even our master would say the same thing."

Meng Wan took a deep breath. This all-too-familiar routine.

He paced back and forth, thinking of a solution, then suddenly said, "How about a compromise? Sell her to Fengtian—it's about ten days' journey from here. The mistress can't exactly escort her there herself, can she?"

Both of them knew that "the mansion" meant the Wu residence.

Unable to refuse Meng Wan, especially with the Nie family backing him, the slave dealer finally said, "I can't decide this. I dare not take your silver. Perhaps you should speak to our master."

Meng Wan then had to ask Nie Zhiyao to find Master Qi. After much pleading, borrowing Nie Zhiyao's influence, and parting with over a hundred taels of silver, he finally got Master Qi's assurance.

"Take your time on the road. When you reach Fengtian, please have your people receive her on the sly. Don't let word leak out, or the mistress of the mansion will take offense at me."

"Brother Qi, rest assured. The mistress is selling her in a hurry, and you must know there's something fishy about it. When the master of the mansion comes to his senses, he might not be willing to let her go. If he asks for her then, you'll have an explanation."

Meng Wan made a valid point. Everyone knew this mistress came from a theatrical troupe. Normally, they would keep the child and get rid of the mother, yet she had been hidden away for years, showing that Prefect Wu had some fondness for her.

Men like him, with a string of concubines and mistresses, are lust-driven. Though losing a concubine and child was regrettable, Prefect Wu never lacked for either.

There were countless hidden skeletons in the inner quarters. By the time Prefect Wu realized what had happened and quarreled with his wife, he might well remember his mistress's charms. Then the slave dealer would be in trouble no matter what. This mistress was a hot potato—neither keeping nor discarding her was easy.

Handing her over to Meng Wan meant that if Prefect Wu ever asked, the slave dealer could say he'd already passed her on.

Having settled this,

These criminal slaves were pretty popular, more well-behaved than the common villagers who sell their kids; most could read, arrange flowers, and make tea.

Since they were criminal slaves who'd been through family tragedy, they were also more cautious and wouldn't dare make trouble.

Meng Wan made the call. "Okay, let's go with him."

Gou'er was at a good age, good-looking and literate, so his price was higher—twenty-five taels.

In fact, if the slaver who sold Meng Wan hadn't been in a hurry to close the deal, he could have taken him to a prosperous prefectural city or even the capital and sold him for hundreds or even thousands of taels.

Quanshui Town was remote and small; for eight taels of silver, people could buy a girl who could bear children, so naturally no one wanted to buy a xiaoge. Chang Jinhua really got a bargain.

He paid up quickly and signed the deed of sale. Since it was an official broker, a lot of things were simpler. The broker himself took the deed to the government office to register it.

They were pros at this routine, finished up fast and came back, and handed Meng Wan the stamped deed. "When you have time, take your household registration and this deed to the registry office to attach the servant's registration to yours. If you don't, just keep the deed safe."

Meng Wan was in a hurry to get home. "Alright, I'll go when I have time. Thanks, bro."

Finally, the broker added, "Gou'er, go live a good life with your new master." Was this something every slaver said? Meng Wan's face got weird as he recalled some unpleasant memories.

Just then, a young woman who had been dragged over by the old woman broker also heard these words. Her eyes shifted from Meng Wan to Gou'er, then she suddenly broke free from the keeper's grasp, threw herself at Meng Wan's feet, grabbed his leg, and sobbed, "Take me too! I'll work like a dog for you, I can do any job. Please take me in!"

She had been locked up in the slave market for days. They only cleaned her up when they took her out for buyers to check out; otherwise, they just kept her from starving. Her clothes, face, and hands were all filthy, leaving black smudges on Meng Wan's blue robe.

Nie Zhiyao, a neat freak, felt distressed for Meng Wan. "Isn't this the one who was crying for her mom in the back courtyard earlier?"

The broker replied, "That's her. It seems someone wanted her, but she refused, been kicking up a fuss all day."

The old woman broker pulled her back behind herself. "Sorry for shocking you, sir. I'll take her to her new master now."

The broker asked his colleague, "Why not clean her up first before sending her off?"

The old woman sighed helplessly. "She threatens to kill herself if we take her clothes off. She's been sold anyway; her new master will deal with her."

That meant the buyer wasn't of high status, not worth the time for the brokerage to train her first.

The broker understood. Afraid Meng Wan might soften, he advised, "She's somebody who doesn't know her place. There's no need to pity her, sir."

Meng Wan was eager to get home and deal with matters concerning Wu Zhaoyuan's mother. Even Gou'er had been chosen by Nie Zhiyao for him, so he had no time to bother with anyone else.

He said nothing more, just wiped the stains off his robe with a cloth. After several fruitless attempts, he grew impatient, just threw the handkerchief away, and called to Nie Zhiyao, "Yao Ge'er, let's go. I'll need a ride home."

They stepped out of the brokerage gate, the young woman's cries still echoing behind them, but drawing no one's attention. She could only watch as Meng Wan and the others walked away without looking back.

The autumn wind blew gently, the climate pleasant. The handkerchief Meng Wan had discarded was carried by the breeze and landed in front of her. Unmindful of its filth, she clutched it tightly in her hand, for her hands and body were also dirty.

In the prime of youth like a flower, her eyes were filled with hatred.

Hatred for her parents, for her brother, for the gambling den, for the broker, and for... the man who had turned a blind eye!

There were so many people in the world, why does she alone have to go through this?

——

Taking Nie Zhiyao's carriage home, Meng Wan jumped off. "Hang on, I'll go grab the money for you." He hadn't brought that much silver with him; the over one hundred taels spent today were borrowed from Nie Zhiyao.

Nie Zhiyao sat in the carriage, smiling at his lively manner. "What's the hurry? You can bring it when you come visit next time."

Meng Wan didn't look back. "No, I can't. I feel terrible when I owe someone something."

Gou'er followed closely behind him, looking at the unfamiliar surroundings with anxious eyes.

Chang Jinhua saw Meng Wan bustling in and asked hurriedly, "What's going on? Whose xiaoge is this? Why did you bring him back?"

Meng Wan went into the room first to get the silver, then said quickly to her, "I bought him from the brokerage. I'm going out for a moment—be right back."

Gou'er didn't know whether to follow Meng Wan or stay in the courtyard. In that moment of hesitation, Meng Wan had already left. So he withdrew his steps and obediently accepted Chang Jinhua's scrutiny.

Chang Jinhua came to her senses and asked him, "What's your name?"

Gou'er answered softly, "Gou'er."

Chang Jinhua didn't find the name strange; there were plenty of Gou'er and Er'gou in her village.

"How old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"Any family left?"

"...An older sister and a younger brother."

"How did you end up at the brokerage?"

"Something happened to my family, and we were sold."