According to the plan, this trip to the prefecture city was just to buy some household slaves, and they should have returned in two or three days. As a result, it had been delayed for so long. Jin Feng was actually a bit anxious.
He circled around Tiechui once. “How are your injuries?”
“These minor injuries are nothing. Back when I followed the marquis on the battlefield, the Dangxiang people slashed my chest with a knife this long. I still followed the marquis on a raid of hundreds of li without any issue.”
Tiechui lifted his upper garment, revealing a scar on his chest nearly twenty centimetres long.
“Sir, if you don’t believe me, I’ll run two laps for you to see.”
With that, he started hobbling into a small jog.
“Stop running. If you break the bone again, we really can’t go back.”
Jin Feng, with black lines on his forehead, pulled Tiechui to a halt. “Fine then. This afternoon, have Da Liu buy two more carriages. You can take a carriage back.”
“Carriages are for women. I’m not riding one…”
Before he finished, Tiechui suddenly remembered that Jin Feng had ridden in a carriage for a long stretch on the way here. “Sir, I didn’t mean you’re like a woman…”
“Enough, get lost.”
Jin Feng raised his foot as if to kick, but in the end withdrew it.
The next morning early, Jin Feng brought Guan Xiaorou, Tang Dongdong and a few others to the slave market again.
After the conflict with the prefect, Jin Feng had truly become a celebrity in Guangyuan. As soon as he got off the carriage upon entering the slave market, he was recognised by a passing broker.
“Mr. Jin, is that really you?”
The broker enthusiastically bowed to Jin Feng.
“You know me?”
Jin Feng glanced at the other, not recognising him.
“The slave market isn’t far from the smelting workshop. I saw you from afar a few days ago.”
The broker smiled and explained, then asked, “Sir, are you here at the slave market to buy household slaves?”
“Yes.” Jin Feng nodded.
“Then sir has come to the right place.” The broker became even more enthusiastic. “I’m a broker at the slave market. I know it better than my own home. Sir, whatever kind of household slaves you want to buy, just tell me. I guarantee to find satisfactory ones for you.”
Brokers at the slave market were intermediaries who made connections. If a deal was made, they could take a certain commission.
Seeing two fellow brokers walking this way, without waiting for Jin Feng to speak, he pointed enthusiastically at a shop that had just opened behind him.
“Sir, this is the largest shop in our slave market. It has all kinds of household slaves inside. Why not go in and have a look first? Otherwise, if more people recognise you later, sir might not easily extricate yourself.”
Jin Feng looked around left and right. Indeed, quite a few people were looking this way. He nodded, had Da Liu lead the carriage, and entered the courtyard together.
“Tong shopkeeper, come out quickly!”
As soon as the broker entered the door, he called out.
“Oh dear, I was wondering why magpies were calling in the courtyard so early this morning. Turns out a noble guest has arrived!”
A short, fat man ran out from the inner room, smiling and greeting the broker. “Brother, how come you’ve come?”
“I’ve come naturally to do business with you.”
The broker said, “Mr. Jin wants to buy household slaves. I brought him straight to your place first. You must give Mr. Jin a discount later.”
“Mr. Jin?”
The fat shopkeeper turned to look at Jin Feng. “Oh dear, Mr. Jin graces our humble shop. It truly brings splendour to this place…”
“Enough with the nonsense. Quickly take Mr. Jin to see your people.”
Seeing Jin Feng frown slightly, the broker hurriedly interrupted the fat shopkeeper. “I’m warning you in advance, don’t bring out any crooked melons and split dates. If Mr. Jin isn’t satisfied, I’ll take him to another place right away.”
“Brother, rest assured. No need for your reminder. I wouldn’t dare neglect Mr. Jin.”
The fat shopkeeper opened the small door to the back courtyard. “Mr. Jin, please.”
Jin Feng and Guan Xiaorou helped Tang Dongdong and Tang Xiaobei down, following the shopkeeper into the back courtyard.
The back courtyard consisted of rows of low, squat little houses, much like prison cells.
The weather was still hot now, so the courtyard had a pungent smell.
Passing the first few rooms, the shopkeeper didn’t stop. He led Jin Feng and the others to a brick-tiled house in the middle before having the assistant take out the key.
The brick-tiled house was a large communal room with more than twenty women lying or sitting casually inside. They all looked young.
“All stand up!”
The assistant rapped the wooden door harshly with a stick. The women obediently stood in a row in the room.
Only then did Jin Feng notice that they all had shackles on their ankles.
“Sir, these women are all from great families. Every one is literate. Their needlework is beyond reproach. The key is they’re obedient. Take them back as concubines or maids, they’re the best.”
The fat shopkeeper said obsequiously, “Sir, what do you think?”
“You’ve misunderstood.” Jin Feng said with a wry smile. “I’m not here to buy concubines or maids. I want to buy a batch of able-bodied workers to go back for labour.”
“Able-bodied? A batch?”
The fat shopkeeper and broker exchanged a glance, both smiling bitterly at the same time.
“What’s wrong? A problem?” Jin Feng asked.
“Sir also knows, in our Da Kang, male labour is already in short supply. Able-bodied men are the hottest commodity in the slave market.” The broker explained.
The fat shopkeeper nodded in agreement.
“Do you have any here?” Jin Feng asked.
“We do have, but only four.” The fat shopkeeper answered.
“Only four?” Jin Feng frowned slightly.
“Sir, able-bodied men are too sought after. All the great families lack guards for their compounds.”
The fat shopkeeper said, “These four were just sent from the prison by the authorities yesterday. If you hadn’t come early today, they’d probably be gone.”
“Then take me to see them.”
Jin Feng nodded helplessly.
“Sir, follow me. They’re in the next room.”
The fat shopkeeper had the assistant open the door to the adjacent room. Inside were four young men in their twenties.
One of them was a one-eyed man.
His left face had a ferocious scar from forehead to ear.
“Brother Jin Peng?”
Da Liu, following behind Jin Feng, rushed into the room and grabbed the one-eyed man’s arm.
“Da Liu? How come you’re here?”
The one-eyed man’s single eye was full of surprise.
“I came with the master to buy household slaves.” Da Liu asked, “Brother Jin Peng, how did you end up sold?”
“Sigh, don’t mention it. A local tyrant’s son bullied the wife of one of our brothers. We four brothers broke that bastard’s legs together.”
The one-eyed man said nonchalantly.
“Sir, Brother Jin Peng saved my life back then. Can I buy them?”
Da Liu turned to look at Jin Feng.
By doing this, he was essentially snatching people from Jin Feng, which was a bit unethical.
But they were comrades-in-arms. What more could Jin Feng say?
He nodded slightly.
“Shopkeeper, I want these few.”
Da Liu looked at the fat shopkeeper. “How much?”
“Eighty taels of silver each.”
The shopkeeper held up fingers in an eight gesture. “Four people total three hundred and twenty taels. For Mr. Jin’s sake, twenty taels waived. Three hundred taels will do.”
“Three hundred taels?”
Da Liu’s face instantly turned extremely ugly.
