Chapter 87: Chapter 81 Sending Someone OffZhao Ming packed things into five chests, including plain cloth, newly made quilt covers, a box of silk cotton, and some porcelain cups and the like.

    Of course, there was also a box of money, and each chest had some money pressed in. Considering his father’s generosity and endless chattering, he even added two silver ingots, which was downright wealthy.

    Zhao Hanzhang was deeply moved by the gift and almost wanted to stay a few more days. But considering the group of people Ji Yuan brought hadn’t been arranged and were still waiting in Yu Yang, she suppressed her impulse and with a face full of emotion, expressed that she would often come home to visit in the future. Sёar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Apart from Zhao Song, other families also sent gifts.

    Since they knew Zhao Hanzhang and her group lost their luggage on the road, lacking not only money but other things as well, they sent all sorts of things.

    Those who had good relations with Zhao Changyu or remembered his kindness were very generous in giving gifts. Even Zhao Hu, who cursed and disliked Zhao Hanzhang for once offending him, still sent over two chests and a sum of money.

    He also generously sent Zhao Hanzhang a few servants.

    Seeing the servants strung together with ropes, Zhao Hanzhang’s forehead slightly twitched, "Seventh Ancestor, where did these people come from?"

    "I bought them with money; they’re quite usable. I’ve checked, and they’re in good health. You lost so many servants before; how can you manage without people to serve you? They’re all given to you."

    Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze fell on the ropes binding them, her meaning clear.

    Zhao Hu thought she was being picky, and unconcerned, said: "I just bought them; they aren’t very obedient yet, but after a few days of training, they’ll be fine. Do you know how to train servants? If not, I can send you a manager to train them."

    Zhao Hanzhang refused the manager, thought for a moment, and accepted these people, then boldly said, "Seventh Ancestor, just sending these few won’t suffice. The summer harvest is coming, and there aren’t enough people in the fields. If you’re sending them, include their families too."

    Zhao Hu turned his head and asked his follower, "Do they have families?"

    Indeed they did; Zhao Hu only casually instructed to pick a few disobedient servants to send to Zhao Hanzhang. But his men dared not just pick disobedient ones; they added many conditions, like disobedience yet having families held by others.

    Everyone knew Zhao Hu and Zhao Hanzhang were not on good terms. Sending servants now, who knows his intentions?

    Later, if he recalls this matter and needs to use these people, they could seize the opportunity and perhaps receive a reward.

    So the followers picked these people, all with families, and quite a few of them at that.

    The follower dared not deceive and lowered his head, saying: "There are indeed some families."

    Zhao Hu wasn’t aware of the details. Seeing Zhao Hanzhang asking for people felt like being requested. Proudly, he waved his hand, "Sure, bring their families and give them to my grandniece."

    The follower: ...

    Zhao Hanzhang first smiled at Zhao Hu, "Thank you, Seventh Ancestor," and then looked at the follower with a half-smile, "Remember, all their relatives, alright?"

    The follower went down and brought a group of people, most of whom had empty hands, only a few carrying small bundles.

    Quite shabby, but... there were too many of them.

    Zhao Hu was stunned, his mouth agape.

    The original number of people selected was exactly eight, four men and four women, but their families numbered as many as twenty-one more.

    Zhao Hu: ...

    Zhao Hanzhang already thanked with a smile, "Thank you, Seventh Ancestor."

    Zhao Hu twitched the skin on his face and managed to pull out a smile, "You’re welcome."

    He turned to leave, and Zhao Hanzhang shouted from behind, "Seventh Ancestor, remember to give me their contracts of sale."

    Zhao Hu quickened his pace.

    When Zhao Hu left, Zhao Hanzhang looked at the twenty-nine people sent, had the ropes untied, and asked, "How did you come to Zhao’s Fortress?"

    The group looked at each other, and a lean young man said solemnly, "We were caught and sold by soldiers."

    "For how much money were you sold?"

    Young man: "I’m young and a bit strong, sold for three strings of coins."

    Cheaper than a cow.

    Zhao Hanzhang rubbed her forehead and asked, "Was the whole family caught?"

    "Last year, Yingchuan had a drought, and this year there’s still little rain. We couldn’t survive, so we wanted to go to Ru Nan to seek relatives. We hadn’t gone far when soldiers caught us and sent us here."

    Zhao Hanzhang understood; this situation was common in this era. She said, "This is Xiping, where are your relatives? If you still wish to seek them, I can return the sale contracts to you, and you can go."

    Upon hearing this, the young man fell silent, and after a while, he said softly, "I must discuss with my family."

    Zhao Hanzhang waved to let them find their family members and discuss, and said to Uncle Cheng, "We’ll leave early tomorrow, first find a place to settle them down."

    Uncle Cheng agreed.

    Fu Tinghan watched, stunned, and closely followed Zhao Hanzhang, "Soldiers catching people to sell? Why?"

    "It’s for money, of course."

    Fu Tinghan’s face darkened, "Does the government and army still have credibility this way?"

    Zhao Hanzhang: "This is the Jin Dynasty. If the court and the army had credibility, my grandfather, as a former Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat, would hardly have gathered refugees and privately cultivated followers."

    Fu Tinghan: ...

    Zhao Hanzhang: "In the Central Plains, the most active armies in catching and selling people were under the Eight Kings. Even now, Prince East Sea holds high status and controls the government, yet the Great Generals under him are still keen on slave trading."

    "Buying people cheaply and selling them at a profit is considered relatively conscientious. Many soldiers follow orders to seize people on official roads, targeting refugees and even regular citizens, tying them up for trade elsewhere. Historically confirmed was Shi Le, one of Jin Dynasty’s greatest foes, who remained a slave captured and sold repeatedly."

    Fu Tinghan pressed his lips; he didn’t read much literature and history books but knew about Shi Le. He understood this was a chaotic era but hadn’t imagined such chaos.

    The court and army, meant to protect civilians, were here the most direct perpetrators.

    "Letting them go, what if they encounter those soldiers again?"

    "That’s why I offer them a choice," Zhao Hanzhang said, "Only they know their hearts. If they have urgent people to meet, naturally, if they want to stay, I’ll do all I can to protect them."

    Not only did Zhao Changyu leave extensive lands for her in Shangcai Xiping, she exchanged many from Zhao Zhongyu too. Over the past days, she asked Zhao Song, and since recent years haven’t been blessed with favorable weather, with occasional refugee army pass-throughs, many tenant farmers and laborers ran away, leaving much land uncultivated.

    She currently lacks people.

    Actually, all of Zhao’s Fortress lacks people, which even Zhao Hu’s extensive buying