Chapter 16: Buying a Maidservant
"Hey, what’s going on here? Make way, make way! Don’t block my path!"
Suddenly, a weaselly-looking man with a thuggish air, despite being dressed in fine clothes, pushed his way through the crowd. His eyes lit up the moment he spotted the little girl kneeling on the ground.
"Well now, if it isn’t the Qiao Family’s little girl. Heh heh, not bad, not bad at all. Quite the looker. Only ten Gold Coins? That’s not expensive at all! I’ll buy her. I’ll take her home and have some fun!"
The thuggish man tossed ten Gold Coins onto the ground and reached out to grab the little girl.
"Hey, what do you think you’re doing, you scoundrel!"
"Let her go, you scoundrel!"
"Let go of the Qiao Family’s little girl! If you don’t, we’ll report you to the Government Office!"
Suddenly, the crowd grew incensed, shouting one after another. It seemed the thuggish man didn’t have a very good reputation in town.
"What are you all doing? This little chick is selling herself to save her mother, and I’ve got the money. She’s willing to sell, I’m willing to buy. What fucking business is it of yours?" The thuggish man shot a sidelong glance at the crowd and sneered, "What? You want to buy her too? But do you have the money? Do you? Heh, a bunch of paupers!"
The crowd’s momentum immediately deflated. A single Gold Coin was enough to cover a common family’s living expenses for half a year, and ten Gold Coins was a small fortune. Not many people in this small town could afford such a sum. After all, most of them were common folk, already living hand-to-mouth.
"Lai Sanpi, don’t get too arrogant! Don’t think we don’t know that your money probably isn’t clean," someone in the crowd retorted.
"That’s right! Heaven knows what kind of dirty deeds he did to get rich."
"The Qiao Family’s little girl is an innocent child. We can’t just stand by and watch you ruin her."
As it turned out, this thuggish man was named Lai Sanpi, a notorious rogue in Phoenix Town who was known by the nickname "The Scab." He was no stranger to petty theft and swindling. What was strange, however, was that just two months ago, Lai Sanpi had suddenly left for several days. When he returned to Phoenix Town, he had become nouveau riche, extremely wealthy. He spent his days frequenting casinos and brothels.
"So what if I want to ruin her? I’ve got the money," Lai Sanpi said, emboldened. "I’ll buy her, have my fun until I’m bored, and then sell her off to the Yihong Courtyard. What are you gonna do about it? She’ll be my Little Maid to do with as I please. Even the Government Office can’t touch me."
In Tang Country, once someone sold themselves as a maid, they became the master’s private property. No matter how they were beaten or scolded, even if they were killed by their master, the Government Office would not interfere.
"I’m sorry, I... I won’t sell myself to you!"
A timid voice spoke up. It was the little girl from the Qiao Family, struggling to free herself from Lai Sanpi’s grasp.
"Haha! Did you hear that, Lai Sanpi? The Little Maid doesn’t want to sell herself to you. Are you going to try and force her?"
Someone in the crowd laughed.
Lai Sanpi’s face stiffened. He snarled, "You won’t sell yourself to me, you little brat? Shit, I’ve got more than enough money! Don’t you want to save your mother? Or are you expecting these paupers to cough up ten Gold Coins?"
"I... I do want to save my mother!" The Qiao Family girl’s eyes were red, and tears welled up in her bright, big eyes. "But I don’t want to sell myself to you! You’re not a good person!"
Seeing the little girl’s aggrieved and pitiable state, many in the crowd couldn’t bear to watch.
"Qiao’Er, don’t be sad. How about this... I’ll buy you. I can give you five Gold Coins now, and I’ll find a way to get the rest for you within half a month. How does that sound?" a plainly dressed woman in the crowd said, gritting her teeth as she made her decision. The five Gold Coins were clearly all she had; she would have to borrow the rest.
"Thank you, Aunt Zhang!" The little girl said, her big eyes filled with tears as she shook her head. "My mother’s illness is already very serious. The doctor said we need to gather the money for her treatment within three days."
"That...唉, I can’t raise that much money in just three days." Aunt Zhang sighed and retreated helplessly back into the crowd.
"Haha, paupers!" Lai Sanpi curled his lip in disdain. He reached out and stroked the little girl’s smooth, delicate cheek. "Tsk tsk, your skin is so soft and smooth. How about it? Come with me!"
"I said I won’t sell myself to you! Go away!" The little girl’s eyes were red, with glittering teardrops clinging to her long eyelashes. Her big eyes glared angrily at Lai Sanpi.
"Oho, a stubborn one, are we? Heh heh, so you don’t want to save your mother anymore?" Lai Sanpi sneered, his eyes darting around. "These paupers will never be able to afford you. If you keep waiting, aren’t you afraid your mother’s condition will just get worse? Tsk tsk, ’selling myself to save my mother,’ what a ’filial daughter.’ Ptui! Your mother worked so hard to raise you, and you’re just going to stand by and watch her illness drag on. Hesitate any longer, and maybe your mom will have croaked by noon..."
Tears finally filled the little girl’s determined eyes. The thought of her mother leaving her was too much to bear. With a WAIL, she squatted down, wrapped her arms around her knees, and began to sob her heart out.
"Heh heh, see? I was right, wasn’t I? Just sell yourself to me, and I’ll give you the money right away so you can save your mother. I’ve got plenty of money," Lai Sanpi said smugly, grabbing the little girl’s hand and starting to drag her out of the crowd.
"SOB... SOB..."
The little girl cried heartbrokenly as Lai Sanpi dragged her by the hand out of the crowd.
"Sigh, the Qiao Family’s little girl is ruined!"
The crowd shook their heads and sighed. At this point, they couldn’t interfere. All they could do was lament the situation and pity the Qiao Family’s little girl.
Just as it seemed the little girl was about to be dragged away by Lai Sanpi, suddenly—
At that very moment—
"Wait. Ten Gold Coins, is it? I’ll buy her!" A clear, bright voice suddenly rang out as a young man stepped out from the crowd.