Chapter 32: Human Clearance Sale

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Wu Tiande inquired carefully and confirmed that she was indeed the famous gluttonous old lady Liu from the original "Dream of the Red Chamber." Liu Laolao explained that her son-in-law’s family name was Wang, local to Shuntian Prefecture. Their ancestors had once served as officers in the Ministry of War and had befriended the then Ministry official and Commander-in-Chief, Lord Wang, the County Earl. Because of their harmonious superior-subordinate relationship, the two families became sworn kin, treating the Wang family as nephews. This was a secret known only to a few; otherwise, when Lord Wang Zitong, the military commander of the capital garrison, sent troops to capture mountain bandits, they would not have mistakenly arrested her son-in-law Wang Gou’er without sparing some old ties.

Wu Tiande himself was a former servant of the Wang family of Jinling, but he had never heard of such a matter. He guessed that the Commander-in-Chief Wang would not want to publicize the sworn kinship. Wang Zitong was his apparent benefactor. Although he had arrested the wrong person, Wu Tiande could not seek justice for Liu Laolao’s family, nor did he have the ability to do so. He changed the subject, asking, “What happened afterward?”

Liu Laolao fell into thought before answering, “Afterward, the ancestor passed away early, leaving only one son, Wang Cheng, my son-in-law’s father. Due to the family’s decline, Wang Cheng sold their house in Beiping city and moved to a village outside the city. My son-in-law also died many years ago. He had a son nicknamed Gou’er, who married my daughter Liu. The couple had a son and a daughter—the eldest named Qing’er and the youngest Ban’er.”

“The family of four lived by farming. My son-in-law often went out during the day for short-term labor. My daughter not only managed household chores but also worked in the fields. With Qing’er and Ban’er unattended, my son-in-law brought me over to live with them. You see, I am just an experienced old widow with no children, barely surviving on two acres of poor land. Now that my son-in-law supports me, how could I not be grateful? I have devoted myself wholeheartedly to helping my daughter and son-in-law survive.”

“Ah, you are also a pitiful soul,” Wu Tiande sighed, then warned, “Whether the military’s arrest of the bandits was wrongful or not, do not speak of it here, nor harbor any thoughts of revenge. Otherwise, I cannot keep you here.”

“I understand, I understand,” Liu Laolao said joyfully and hastened to promise, “Our whole family will only know to work like oxen and horses, diligently repaying your great kindness.”

“That’s not necessary,” Wu Tiande comforted her, “As long as you behave yourself and live honestly from now on, a stable life is guaranteed.”

Thousands of people were collectively sold by the government, causing the population prices in Baoding city to plummet. People as old as Liu Laolao were unwanted even for free, while Qing’er and Ban’er, being too young, fetched only low prices. Only the woman Liu still held some value, so the entire family of four was bought for a mere ten strings of cash.

On Liu Laolao’s recommendation, Wu Tiande also bought three other families: the blacksmith Zhang’s family, the stonemason Zhao’s family, and the carpenter Li’s family.

Zhang’s family had three members, Zhao’s had four, and Li’s had five.

These people were somewhat connected to the Rong and Ning households. Zhao the stonemason was the uncle of Hua Xiren, Baoyu’s personal maid. In this calamity, both of his adult sons were imprisoned and sent to work as laborers in the Western Mountain coal mines, with no hope of reunion in their lifetime.

Now, the elderly couple was left with only two young girls, Zhao Min and Zhao Zhe. If they could not have more children, their family line would die out. Zhao was so grieved he wept bitterly.

Zhang the blacksmith was similarly distressed. “Brother Zhao still has two daughters approaching adulthood to care for you in old age. I have only a granddaughter under two years old, little Zhang Xiaohua. Who knows how long I can support her?”

Zhang’s family had long suffered from a lack of heirs. After finally marrying his son and having a granddaughter, just as they were to enjoy family happiness, disaster struck. His son was taken away, his daughter-in-law, attractive in appearance, was soon sold off to be a warm-foot maid in a wealthy household. The couple, worn out by the calamity, did not know how many years they had left.

By comparison, Li the carpenter’s family was worst off. That very day was Li’s sixtieth birthday, and many relatives had gathered to celebrate with wine, only to be rounded up by troops from the capital garrison. All adult males were sent to work in the mines, and the young women with some beauty were sold off to warm beds or sent to low-class brothels.

Only Li’s nephew Pan You’an, niece Qin Siqi, and direct grandson Pan Xiaohe remained unsold.

Qin Siqi, tall and robust, would have been a capable servant in any household, both in bed and out, within a few years. Yet no one came forward to claim her.

Pan You’an and Qin Siqi, relying on their status as servants of the Rong household, had been rude to the garrison soldiers, threatening to report them to their masters once back at Rong Mansion to seek justice.

The soldiers lost patience and beat them severely, leaving them bruised and groaning on the ground.

Qin Siqi was beaten so badly that her face was disfigured, which spared her from the lecherous attentions of the soldiers.

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Li the carpenter begged Wu Tiande to buy these two reckless youths as well, fearing that continued defiance might get them beaten to death in Baoding.

The three families totaled twelve people, costing only twenty strings of cash.

The contracts were quickly drawn up and sealed by the officials, completing the human purchase.

Wu Tiande brought them all to an inn where two women, Mrs. Lou and Mrs. Bu, taught them proper conduct.

Wu Tiande and his wife Qin Keqing discussed their next route and arrangements.

First, with so many people, mostly elderly, their pace would slow. They would need more supplies and transportation, and adjustments to food and lodging arrangements.

Second, after the garrison’s massacre of the village, the northern lands would be unsettled.

Previously, the villagers had allowed free passage, but now might refuse. The once honest farmers—seeing the bandits attack the Rong household’s tax convoy without consequence—might imitate them and become lawless.

If only a dozen or so, Wu Tiande felt confident, relying on his skill against dozens of ordinary people. Besides, with Jia Yun, Jia Jun, Qu Feiyan, Liu Jing, and Liu Qin—all martial artists—facing a group of farmers armed with hoes, one against three was manageable.

But if the criminals banded together in the hundreds, using sheer numbers, Wu Tiande’s party would be overwhelmed.

Worse, if corrupt officials or garrison soldiers caused trouble under bandit guise, Wu Tiande might fall into the same despair as Pan You’an and Qin Siqi.

While discussing, they suddenly heard a call from below: “Chief Wu, is Chief Wu staying here?”

“Who’s calling me?” Wu Tiande responded.

He descended from the private room to the main hall and saw Jiang Yuhan, a young actor from the loyal Prince Zhongshun’s troupe, accompanied by his good friends Feng Ziying and Liu Xianglian.

“Brothers, what good fortune brings you all out today?” Wu Tiande greeted them warmly.

Jiang Yuhan explained, “Prince Zhongshun wants to expand the troupe. Hearing that many families of trafficked victims are being sold here in Baoding, he sent me with the steward to see if we can find one or two promising performers among them to train.”

“Any luck?” Wu Tiande smiled.

“Not yet,” Jiang Yuhan replied. “They are country folk, never trained. Even if we wanted to nurture them now, it’s a bit too late.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Feng Ziying came on his father Feng Tang’s orders. The garrison’s large operation outside Beiping and the selling of trafficked families in Baoding warranted scrutiny from the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The Zhou family, local wealthy landowners, were all killed. The garrison accused them of bandit collusion. Though the Embroidered Uniform Guard suspected many inconsistencies, they lacked strong evidence.

Feng Ziying’s visit was merely a formality and carried no real influence on the case.

As for Liu Xianglian, he was idle and carefree. Hearing of Wu Tiande’s westward journey, fearing for his safety, he had come to escort him for a distance.

“Brother Liu, your kindness is appreciated,” Wu Tiande clasped his hands in thanks.

Jiang Yuhan, Feng Ziying, and Liu Xianglian were not together but had met coincidentally in Baoding and, upon discussing Wu Tiande’s group, had come together to see him.

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Wu Tiande naturally hosted a banquet at the inn, thanking his friends for their concern.

After several rounds, he explained his situation.

“The tension is indeed tight. I don’t know if the garrison is reckless or has some other motive, but to massacre a village outside Beiping without fear of censors reporting it is bewildering,” Feng Ziying said doubtfully.

Wu Tiande said nothing, recalling Marx’s words: capital is the root of all evil. If profits reach ten percent, capital becomes bold; twenty percent, it becomes lively; fifty percent, it dares to take risks; a hundred percent, it tramples all laws; three hundred percent, it commits any crime, even risking execution.

Now Wang Zitong controls the Western Mountain coal mines, and the promotion of briquette coal is imminent. If he does not seize this moment to gather thousands of free laborers to mine coal, will he wait until the coal monopoly’s profits are discovered and someone tries to block the Wang family’s industrial layout? Would he fail to earn his first fortune due to inadequate coal output?

Liu Xianglian added, “I agree, this world is unstable. Why else would I suddenly worry about your safety in Beiping? More than one person approached me to partner in a big business. Where would I get the capital besides my skills? Clearly, it’s banditry. Though you are more skilled, two fists cannot beat four hands; heroes cannot withstand a group attack. Among your group, only you and Jia Yun are adult men. So I had to come personally to escort you.”

Hearing this, Wu Tiande raised a glass to Liu Xianglian, thanking him for his loyalty.

But Jiang Yuhan said, “Brother Liu is well-connected in the martial world. His protection is good, but the tension is too high, and your manpower is still insufficient. If you have the funds, I suggest hiring a security escort agency in Baoding with several guards and porters to accompany you. With such an agency backing you, bandits usually show respect. Even our troupe sometimes hires escorts on tours from the capital.”

“Escort agency?” Wu Tiande pondered. “Does the Fuwei Escort Agency, headquartered in Fuzhou, have a branch in Baoding?”

“Yes, yes,” Liu Xianglian promptly replied. “Fuwei Escort Agency is famous in the Jianghu, rarely failing. Though mainly operating in the south, recently they’ve paid attention to the north as well. The current head of their Hebei branch is Old Escort Cui, a trusted man of Chief Lin Zhennan, who wields his Overlord Blade flawlessly and is quite renowned. But…”

“But what?” Wu Tiande asked curiously.

“They charge quite a bit. From Baoding to Tongguan Guard spans over a thousand li. If you want Old Escort Cui himself plus three to five assistants, the cost would be no less than one thousand taels of silver,” Liu Xianglian explained.

Though expensive, for safety, Wu Tiande agreed. He thought he must practice harder or he wouldn’t even protect his own family, let alone seek fame or fortune.

Liu Xianglian would negotiate with Fuwei on his behalf, being a roaming hero familiar with such matters.

Feng Ziying privately gave Wu Tiande a waist badge of an Embroidered Uniform Guard captain, advising that it would help avoid trouble with soldiers.

Wu Tiande bowed deeply to thank him. Though the Embroidered Uniform Guard had a bad reputation, this badge would allow him to bluff with official authority and better protect himself.

“How much does this badge cost?” Wu Tiande asked. He recalled Jia Rong in the novel spent 1,200 taels for a fifth-rank honorary title. The Embroidered Uniform Guard captain rank wasn’t as prestigious but should still be worth several hundred taels.

Feng Ziying laughed, “We’re old friends, so I won’t charge you. But don’t ask me for salary in the future.”

Wu Tiande suddenly understood—Feng Ziying wanted to use his name to officially collect salary without working.

Still, it was beneficial to him.

Wu Tiande smiled and said, “Many thanks, many thanks.”