CHAPTER 312: CHAPTER 306: TAKING SLAVES

Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help but think of her own face, did she really look like a fool?

Unexpectedly, the village chief frowned and sighed, "Yes, once you leave, Da Zhuang and his family’s days won’t go well."

Zhao Hanzhang blinked, is there truly a child here?

Fu Tinghan asked, "Wasn’t it said he was alone?"

The child was not Wu Erlang’s; since he is the Second Son, naturally there is a Big Brother.

Wu Dalang had three children, the brothers had already divided the family, and last year Wu Dalang was killed while protecting the family property by marauding soldiers who stormed into the village, leaving three children behind.

Soon, Da Zhuang brought his siblings to stand before Zhao Hanzhang, three children in ragged clothes, their faces fairly clean, but their hands covered in mud. Before coming, they had been digging roots in the fields.

The three sniffled, glanced at Wu Erlang in confusion, and then joined him in gazing innocently at Zhao Hanzhang.

Not only Zhao Hanzhang, even Fu Tinghan beside her felt soft-hearted, and couldn’t help but say softly, "Why not keep all of them?"

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t mind, only saying, "Do you understand what following me implies?"

Wu Erlang immediately pulled his three nieces and nephews to kneel, saying to Zhao Hanzhang, "To be slaves and servants, we are willing to work hard, as oxen or horses, as long as the noble person grants us a bite to eat."

The villagers who had gathered to watch all chimed in, "We are willing too, we are willing too."

Everyone looked at Zhao Hanzhang with bright eyes, saying, "We don’t ask for money for selling ourselves, just a bite to eat is enough."

Everyone wanted to sell themselves to Zhao Hanzhang as servants.

Although they didn’t know who she was, anyone able to lead so many followers and each with a horse certainly seemed wealthy.

However, Zhao Hanzhang felt no joy, instead her face was slightly solemn.

It was only for a moment, though, as she quickly smiled and declined most of them, comforting them by saying, "As far as I know, Ru Nan County has a new county governor, County Magistrate Zhao from Xiping, she surely won’t sit by while you suffer. Why not wait a bit longer, perhaps there will be a change."

She said, "Being a good citizen is always better than selling oneself, do not make quick decisions to sell yourself."

Zhao Hanzhang ultimately only kept Wu Erlang and his four nieces and nephews.

The crowd was envious, all looking at Wu Erlang with jealousy and admiration.

Wu Erlang was also happy, but he felt somewhat uneasy inside; he had deceived Zhao Hanzhang, she knew he had deceived her, yet she chose him over others. Why?

There was always a fear of being whimsically tormented by her after selling himself to her.

Wu Erlang’s expression changed, and upon seeing Zhao Hanzhang glance over, he gave her a fawning smile and unconsciously moved to Fu Tinghan’s side, explaining his previous behavior, "Master, I lied about having parents and a wife and children before because I was afraid you would think me too distant from my nieces and nephews, and wouldn’t give me enough pancakes."

Wu Erlang swore, "The pancakes you gave me, I fed them to my nieces and nephews, you can ask them if you don’t believe me."

Beside him, Da Zhuang nodded repeatedly, reinforcing on behalf of his uncle, "Most of the pancakes, our second uncle saved for us, he didn’t eat a bite!"

Wu Erlang: ...

Fu Tinghan felt embarrassed for him.

Zhao Hanzhang burst into laughter and said to Wu Erlang, "We’ll only be staying one night; we need to head to the county town tomorrow. You should go back and pack your things, and make arrangements at home."

Seeing that she did not seem angry, Wu Erlang quietly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly agreed.

The village chief’s attitude toward her improved further because she refused most of the villagers’ offers to sell themselves.

Nowadays, people aren’t worth much; if you want slaves, you don’t need to buy them from brokers, you can set up a table by the roadside and buy plenty of people, as long as you have the money and food.

Although selling oneself was a means to survive, it also meant life and death were at someone else’s whim. If Zhao Hanzhang agreed and took them all, not only the village chief but even those selling themselves would be fearful.

But she selectively refused most of them, allowing Wu Erlang to follow her without worry, and the village chief was reassured enough to recommend more people to her.

"Noble person, actually Da Zhu is quite hardworking, he is skilled in farming, you wouldn’t lose out buying him." He also said, "San Gou is good, he works tirelessly and is honest."

That’s why Zhao Hanzhang didn’t take them; such people are best left to cultivate the fields.

But someone like Wu Erlang, cunning and deceitful, should be taken to be placed elsewhere.

After one night, Zhao Hanzhang became quite familiar with the village chief’s family, and from them, she gained a general understanding of the village, oh, and quite a bit about Wu Erlang’s life.

After all, she had bought Wu Erlang and his four nieces and nephews, and to ensure she used them with peace of mind, and for Wu Erlang’s benefit, the village chief spoke quite a bit in his favor during their stay.

Wu Erlang was nineteen this year, and Zhao Hanzhang didn’t blame herself for initially mistaking him for an older man because he appeared more mature, due to his poverty, he had never been able to marry.

Zhao Hanzhang could sense that the village chief wasn’t fond of Wu Erlang because this boy was sly and deceitful. He owned bean fields and rice paddies himself, and his brother’s family also farmed a few acres, but when he and his nieces and nephews were hungry, instead of cutting his own green crops, he would go and cut others’.

But the village chief suppressed his dislike and recommended him to Zhao Hanzhang, saying, "This boy is clever, the noble person need only direct him to do things,

The village chief paused and then said, "He is kind, sigh, you can see it, he’s nineteen, and his nephew is only eight, so he and Wu Dalang have quite an age gap."

"When Wu Dalang got married, he spent the family savings, and less than two years after his wife came into the family, Wu Erlang had just turned thirteen, he was quickly separated out. The brothers were rarely together, but after Wu Dalang died, he still raised the three nieces and nephews."

The village chief sighed, "From last year to now, it’s been over half a year, the three children have relied entirely on him."

County Magistrate Gao’s face turned red, thinking it was not good for Zhao Hanzhang to hear such examples of brotherly lack of love, so he asked, "Was it discord between uncle and sister-in-law that caused the split?"

The village chief looked at County Magistrate Gao with a strange glance; he was just the chief of this small village and not a village official, so he did not recognize County Magistrate Gao. He thought this person was not a good one, maliciously speculating unreasonably, "Mrs. Zhou was quite good; it was her suggestion to split the family, allowing Wu Erlang to get a few acres of land. It was her mediation that made Wu Dalang care for Wu Erlang; otherwise, the brothers would have long become enemies."

He paused and then said, "Wu Erlang cares for the three nieces and nephews, naturally because of their blood relation, but it’s mostly to repay Mrs. Zhou."

County Magistrate Gao’s face turned even more red.

Zhao Hanzhang did not see it as a matter of his governance, but asked interestedly, "And Mrs. Zhou?"