Chapter 19: It Got More Expensive Again!
The broker and Lu Chuan signed a sales contract!
Human trafficking was illegal!
But there was an exception for those of low status.
And, in fact, those of low status were not actually cheap.
Only those who were helpless, unable to lift or carry anything, were sold cheaply. Anyone with even a little strength or skill—even if they were of low status—could fetch an exorbitant price.
Ordinary families simply couldn’t afford it.
Even if they could buy, they wouldn’t want to waste money on it.
After signing the contract, Lu Chuan led Chen Miaomiao into Cui’s Grain Shop.
The shopkeeper came out, and the moment he saw Lu Chuan, he froze. “Why are you here again?”
“I’m looking for Cui Baiwei!”
Lu Chuan sensed no unusual atmosphere around him and said, “It was Steward Xu from the Xu family who sent me.”
“Oh?”
The shopkeeper was momentarily stunned.
A flicker of hesitation crossed his face before he said, “Let’s talk inside.”
Then he called out, “Er Xiao! Come out and keep an eye on things!”
“Here I come!”
A boy of about fifteen or sixteen came out from the backyard.
The shopkeeper then led Lu Chuan and Chen Miaomiao into a private room.
“How much do you want to buy?”
The shopkeeper’s voice was low.
“Four hundred jin.”
Lu Chuan smiled and held up four fingers.
“Hmm!”
The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment, furrowing his brows. “Not much, but the price might be higher than you expect.”
“Forty-five qian per jin.”
“For 400 jin, that’s about 18,000 qian, or 18 taels of silver!”
The shopkeeper spoke seriously.
“Oh?”
Lu Chuan was stunned, his brows knitting slightly.
“Steward Xu told me it was 40 qian!”
“Forty qian was the price three days ago!”
The shopkeeper gave a bitter smile. “My fault for not coordinating with Steward Xu.”
“…”
Lu Chuan stared at Cui Baiwei, realizing he wasn’t being lied to.
The price must have risen three days ago. He wanted to curse silently—this grain’s price really changed daily.
“Why did the price go up?”
Cui Baiwei sighed. “Since Steward Xu introduced you, you’re not an outsider. I might as well tell you: three days ago, the Bingzhou army began aggressively buying up stored grain across Bingzhou!”
“So, now, there isn’t much stored grain left on the market; most of it is mixed with new grain for sale!”
“Some even sell it outright as new grain!”
“I’m relatively honest in business.”
“Forty-five qian is a fair price for all ages!”
Cui Baiwei said.
“Alright!”
Lu Chuan paused, then continued, “But I didn’t bring enough money today.”
“I’ll take 200 jin now. Additionally, I can give you a deposit for another 200 jin. I’ll come back in three days to pick up the remaining 200 jin.”
“How’s that?”
Cui Baiwei nodded.
“Okay, if that’s the case, then give me ten taels of silver!”
Cui Baiwei calculated in his mind, then said so.
Lu Chuan smiled bitterly. Honestly, he was a little reluctant.
But that was just how times were.
The heavens don’t want people to die, the world doesn’t want them to live.
Suddenly, Lu Chuan understood why the original owner had died so peacefully. Even if he survived, when the time came to pay the annual tribute, he probably wouldn’t make it.
After paying, Lu Chuan shouldered the 200 jin of grain and began walking toward the village.
Chen Miaomiao followed behind, her eyes flickering with a strange light.
Along the way, she kept glancing about.
Lu Chuan felt even more miserable!
His current body wasn’t strong enough to carry such a heavy load—200 jin—and walk such a long distance.
He couldn’t just toss the grain into his spatial pocket in front of Chen Miaomiao.
“That’s enough!”
“Stop looking so grim; you look constipated.”
Lu Chuan cast a sour glance at Chen Miaomiao, then threw down the burden and sat down, panting heavily.
“Can’t do it?”
Chen Miaomiao sneered at Lu Chuan.
He ignored her. He realized this woman was the type who would pull back when you tried to lead her forward.
He hadn’t provoked her at all.
In other words, he had saved her, but she showed not an ounce of gratitude—instead, harboring such hostility.
Had he known, he might have bought a loom for the family’s little Bai first!
“That’s right!”
Lu Chuan squinted at Chen Miaomiao. “You’re the one I bought, so naturally you have to do the dirty and hard work!”
As he spoke, he said to Chen Miaomiao, “Pick it up and come with me!”
“…”
Chen Miaomiao’s eyes widened, as if she couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
She pointed at herself.
“Me?”
“Yes, exactly you!”
Lu Chuan tilted his head. “I bought you, didn’t I? You’re not supposed to be a lady of the house, are you?”
Chen Miaomiao’s lips twitched fiercely!
She had never met a man so shameless before.
In that instant, her opinion of Lu Chuan plummeted once again.
“If you tie me up, how can I help you?”
Chen Miaomiao frowned and stretched her hands forward.
Lu Chuan didn’t restrain her; he wasn’t really afraid she would run away.
First, because nearby there was only the city or Shuangshui Village.
Otherwise, it was wilderness.
In this weather, surviving out in the wild was hardly easy.
Chen Miaomiao glared fiercely at Lu Chuan.
Then she staggered over to the burden and shakily lifted it.
Whoa!
Not bad!
Lu Chuan’s eyes lit up.
He hadn’t expected the seemingly frail Chen Miaomiao to be able to shoulder 200 jin.
That was definitely no easy feat!
Though unsteady, Chen Miaomiao gritted her teeth and endured.
Lu Chuan was naturally pleased to see this.
Tsk tsk, nothing was more enjoyable than watching a beautiful woman suffer.
Lu Chuan thought happily.
At the same time, he began to doubt the identities of Widow Wang and Chen Qingqing.
In Lu Chuan’s memory, Widow Wang and Chen Qingqing came to Shuangshui Village ten years ago, fleeing famine.
But strangely, they had travel permits despite fleeing famine.
Sun Zhi had found their permits legitimate and took them into the village.
Later, everyone gradually forgot about it.
Originally, Lu Chuan thought there was nothing suspicious about Widow Wang and Chen Qingqing’s identities.
But upon seeing Chen Miaomiao, he sensed something was off.
It couldn’t be that Widow Wang lost her daughter on the way fleeing famine.
Moreover, even if she did lose her, after so many years, Widow Wang wouldn’t have kept silent about it.
Either Chen Qingqing and Chen Miaomiao looked alike, had similar names, were the same age, and equally beautiful by coincidence—or these two women were hiding some secret.