CHAPTER 250: CHAPTER 249: CONTEMPLATION

The granddaughters of Master Sun Fourth’s family, upon hearing they were to be sold, cried until their eyes were red. Some of the bolder ones cried and rolled around, making a fuss with their parents, while those with less courage, fearing a beating, hid in corners, quietly wiping their tears.

Sun Feixue left the main hall and went directly to find Yu Xiaolian. She was twelve years old and one of those being sold.

She had gotten along well with Yu Xiaolian on this journey, and now Yu Xiaolian was the only one who could save her.

Yu Changhe hadn’t anticipated that the matter they had just discussed would see Master Sun Fourth change his mind so quickly.

It seemed they needed to discuss it again.

Yu Xiaolian reassured Sun Feixue, promising she wouldn’t be sold, and then followed her parents into the main hall.

Master Sun Fourth saw Yu Changhe come in and explained his decision. He didn’t want his children and grandchildren to become slaves; although he hadn’t raised slaves himself, he had heard that slaves in Great Liang cannot take the imperial examinations, nor can they marry commoners. Although his family didn’t have a properly educated person, if they became slaves, his grandchildren could only wed servant girls, as daughters of common folk wouldn’t marry them.

Yu Changhe said, "To be honest, uncle, the broker houses in Luocheng are overcrowded. Nowadays... people are the least valuable commodity.

If you want to sell these girls for over a hundred taels, it’s impossible.

If you don’t believe it, you can inquire about the market at the broker house.

Right now, a girl is only worth six or seven taels of silver. Better-looking ones might be worth ten or eight.

Master Sun Fourth hesitated for a moment, saying, "Is there no other way but the one you’ve suggested?"

If the ancestors become slaves, their descendants can’t take the imperial examinations, and this line would never rise again.

Yu Xiaolian stepped forward, "Grandfather Four, becoming slaves now is just a temporary measure. When you have money, tell my father, and he will return the indenture contract to you.

I believe you trust my father, or you wouldn’t have come all this way to seek refuge at our house.

We’ve just had a brief discussion, and if you agree to become slaves, we’ll follow the proper procedures: go to the government office for registration, press a fingerprint onto the indenture contract, and seal it.

In the future, when you work for our family, we’ll pay you a monthly salary. Once you save enough to buy a house or land, we’ll return the indenture contract to you, and you can go to the government office to cancel the deal.

Of course, if anyone doesn’t want to sell themselves to our family, we won’t force them. If anyone thinks they’re capable and can make their way outside, I fully support them."

Master Sun Fourth fell into contemplation.

Master Sun Fifth called to Yu Changhe, "Since you left, a school opened next door, and my son Manzhi attended for a few days. Can you let him be of white status?"

"Father, what difference does white status make? We don’t have money to keep Manzhi in school," said Sun Erji’s wife.

They eat the Yu Family’s food, live in the Yu Family’s house; can’t the Yu Family also send their children to school?

They’re not the revered ancestors of the Yu Family.

Master Sun Fifth blushed, thinking his second daughter-in-law made a point, remaining silent.

Yu Xiaolian could actually let everyone be of white status, but she saw a truth: if everyone were of white status, they wouldn’t be controllable, which would be detrimental to management later.

Especially Sun Dalin’s wife and Sun Manbo, not knowing what trouble they might cause, having an indenture contract at hand changes things; would they listen?

If not, threaten to sell them. Though they wouldn’t really be sold, using it as a scare tactic would leave no one unafraid.

Master Sun Fourth was still pondering, seemingly unable to make a decision.

Yu Changhe said, "We’re not in a rush these two or three days, take your time to think."

After saying that, he turned and asked, "Is the meal ready?"

Sun Daji’s wife replied, "The meal’s been ready for a while now, just waiting for everyone to finish discussing."

Yu Changhe waved his hand, "Then what are we waiting for, let’s eat first!"

The dining hall of the main residence wasn’t small, but it was crowded with people, filled to the brim.

Yu Changhe invited Master Sun Fourth and several elderly folks to sit at the dining table.

As for the others, holding their bowls, they grabbed food, squatting or sitting on the ground, eating heartily.

Old Lady Gao had cooked three large pots of dishes: potato stew with meat, stir-fried cabbage slices with meat, and braised pork. Although her big pot dishes were generally flavored, they were quickly devoured by the Sun Family members.

Three pots of rice were also eaten, not even a grain left.

Yu Xiaolian and the Zhao sisters, Erya, ate in their own room, where Zhao Erya had saved some portions in advance and brought them to Yu Xiaolian’s room.

Yu Xiaolian asked, "Has Scholar Su’s portion been sent to his room?"

Zhao Erya replied, "They’re eating, it’s Young Master Jingyue bringing it to his room, and Young Master Tiger is eating with them."

Yu Xiaolian nodded.

Just after eating, Zhao Erya, while tidying up the dishes, said, "That Sun Manyu is still lying in the yard; should we untie her? Let her have some food."

Yu Xiaolian said, "Don’t bother her; it wasn’t me who ordered to tie her up."

It was ordered by her grandfather for her father to tie her. Unfastening requires the one who tied her, she wouldn’t care.

Zhao Erya cleared the tableware, while Zhao Sanyan, instead of helping her second sister, came to stand before Yu Xiaolian.

"Sister Xiaolian, while helping out in the kitchen, I heard one of the women badmouthing you. She said you brought them in to find free servants, claiming that our family is so large it couldn’t lack money to give them white status, saying you are deliberately trying to control them."

Yu Xiaolian asked, "Is that woman thin and short, with teeth a bit protruding?"

Zhao Sanyan tilted her head thoughtfully and then nodded firmly, "Yes, she’s wearing gray clothes with a blue waistcoat over them."

Judging by the outfit, that was undoubtedly Sun Dalin’s wife. It didn’t take long—first day of arriving, already stirring up trouble. She could just open the door and throw her out.

Yu Xiaolian grabbed a handful of candy from the dressing table drawer and gave it to Zhao Sanyan, "Sister Xiaolian is aware. Our Sanyan is truly good; keep paying attention, listen to what they say, and come back to tell me."

Zhao Sanyan happily accepted the candy, saying crisply, "I’ll do this task well, Sister Xiaolian, don’t worry."

The little guy even understands tasks; it seems my casual words have imperceptibly influenced the Zhao sisters.

In the main hall, after finishing the meal, the women were busy clearing dishes and tidying up the kitchen.

Yu Changhe advised Masters Sun Fourth and Fifth to go rest; the matter of household registration wasn’t urgent.

Frankly, as long as no one reports you, and the government doesn’t come for inspection, you could go on like this indefinitely. Lacking registration, once you leave the city gates, coming back in would be difficult.

Perhaps it wasn’t strictly enforced before, but now, with so many refugees flowing from the south to the north, without registration or a road permit, you wouldn’t think to enter the city.

Registration is equivalent to a modern identity card.