After pulling the clerk aside and whispering something to him, Qin Xiao suddenly turned and looked back at Qinghe. Delight practically radiated from his face.
A maid from a prince’s manor in the capital!
Damn!
If he bought her, wouldn’t that be like enjoying treatment fit for a prince himself?
What a bargain!
Who cared whether she was untouched or not? As long as any children she bore in the future were his, that was enough.
If he was going to spend the money, then for the same price, of course he should buy the prettier one.
Why envy other men when he could have a beautiful woman of his own?
Filled with grand ambitions, Qin Xiao made his decision on the spot.
“I’ll take this one. How much?”
The clerk replied, “Six taels. Official slave office prices. No bargaining.”
Qin Xiao: …
Expensive as hell.
Still, worth it.
As Qin Xiao went through the purchase formalities, Madam Wang rolled her eyes dramatically. Flicking her handkerchief, she twisted her waist and left.
The remaining slaves weren’t nearly as attractive. She could always come back in a few days when their prices dropped.
At that moment, another female slave hurried over to Qinghe and pleaded,
“Sister Qinghe, we entered the prince’s manor in the same year and have known each other for more than ten years. Could you ask that man to buy me too?”
Qinghe shook her head and lowered it apologetically.
“I’m sorry, Sister Fangzhi. I can’t help you.”
Now, none of them had control over their own fate.
They were all drifting duckweed without roots.
That man looked fierce and intimidating.
She didn’t dare ask.
Nor could she.
Because he clearly wasn’t wealthy. Judging by his clothing, everything he wore together probably wasn’t worth even a tenth of a tael.
Spending six taels to buy her was already a massive expense.
Though she had spent more than a decade as a servant in the prince’s manor, living comfortably enough, she knew something of the outside world.
An ordinary farming family might not earn six taels in an entire year.
Besides, she still didn’t know why Qin Xiao had bought her.
Would he marry her?
Or simply resell her?
There was no way to tell.
She couldn’t take responsibility for someone else’s fate.
Everyone would have to leave things to heaven’s will.
Fangzhi bit her lip, resentment blazing in her eyes.
“Qinghe, I was a first-rank maid. All these years, I never bullied you.”
“Now that we’re in trouble, you won’t even ask on my behalf?”
“Just ask. If he refuses, I won’t blame you.”
Qinghe turned her head away and remained silent.
Her refusal was obvious.
There had been hundreds of servants in the prince’s manor, each living by an unspoken set of rules.
When higher-ranking servants refrained from bullying lower-ranking ones, that alone was considered a great kindness.
But this wasn’t the prince’s manor anymore.
They had all been convicted and sold off.
They were all ants crawling in the dirt now.
What was the point of still dividing people into ranks?
Soon, Qin Xiao emerged from the office, happily flicking the newly acquired slave contract in his hand.
The clerk stepped forward to untie the rope around Qinghe’s waist.
A strange smile appeared at the corner of Fangzhi’s lips.
As Qin Xiao approached to take Qinghe away, Fangzhi’s expression suddenly changed.
Her eyes immediately reddened as though she were on the verge of tears. She looked at Qinghe with exaggerated reluctance.
“Qinghe, I’m not as beautiful as you. I’ll probably never live as well as you will.”
“You used to be the heir’s favorite bedchamber maid. You’ll definitely know how to capture this gentleman’s heart.”
“I wish you a happy life in the future, a husband devoted only to you for your entire lives.”
This rough-looking man reeked of sweat and sported a full beard.
In Fangzhi’s eyes, he probably hadn’t even used a toothbrush in his entire life. His breath was likely as foul as a latrine.
She wasn’t interested in him at all.
Maybe a better buyer would appear soon.
She had only begged Qinghe earlier because she was desperate.
Who would have thought Qinghe would refuse?
Look, the man already seemed displeased.
Maybe he’d force himself on her first, then sell her to a brothel for profit.
Or perhaps he’d hold a grudge forever and never treat her well.
Who knew, he might even beat her in the future.
Hmph.
She didn’t need Qinghe’s help.
But refusing her wouldn’t come without consequences.
Qinghe’s heart lurched.
Hurriedly, she tried to explain.
“I didn’t, I’m not…”
Qin Xiao’s fingers tightened around the contract until his knuckles turned white.
Frowning, he interrupted her.
“Enough.”
“Since you’re following me now, behave yourself. I won’t let you go hungry or without clothes.”
“But if you try using those tricks you used on noblemen on me, I’ll beat you to death.”
Qinghe trembled at his words.
Seeing his fist clenched like an iron hammer, she shrank her neck and replied softly,
“I’ll behave. I promise.”
Originally, Qin Xiao had intended to register their marriage immediately.
Now he decided to postpone it.
He hadn’t witnessed any of the things Fangzhi mentioned, so he could pretend they never happened.
But if Qinghe turned out to be troublesome later, marrying her would be revolting.
Better to observe her first.
Qinghe collected her bundle and followed Qin Xiao away.
Her head remained lowered, and she stayed half a step behind him at all times.
Occasionally, she would glance up and secretly observe him.
He was built like a bear, broad-backed and powerful, with enormous strides.
Every step he took required her to take two quick ones to keep up.
From time to time, he awkwardly bent an arm behind himself to scratch his back.
His swollen muscles got in the way, preventing him from reaching the itchy spot.
The effort made him shrug repeatedly in frustration.
Watching him struggle, Qinghe felt uncomfortable all over.
It was as if her own back had started itching.
After hurrying forward a few steps, she reached out and scratched the center of his back.
Qin Xiao stopped instantly.
Turning around, he glared at her.
Truth be told, this girl really was beautiful.
Dark brows, almond-shaped eyes, and delicate features.
That brothel madam certainly knew quality when she saw it.
Out of more than a dozen slaves, she had chosen Qinghe immediately.
And she was observant too.
She noticed exactly where his back itched.
That scratch had felt unbelievably good.
Still, he couldn’t show her a pleasant expression.
Otherwise she might think little tricks like this could control him.
Qin Xiao wasn’t one of those foolish men who thought with the thing in their trousers instead of their brains.
“We’re still outside.”
“Don’t try to seduce me.”
Qinghe immediately withdrew her hand.
Standing there like a frightened quail, she looked like a child who had done something wrong.
She had only scratched his back.
How was that seduction?
Had this man never actually been flirted with before?
For the rest of the journey, Qinghe stopped looking at him and focused on the scenery instead.
The capital was in the north.
This was the south.
It was now mid-August.
The rice fields beside the road swayed in waves of green and gold beneath the wind.
The distant mountains were lush and vibrant, entirely unaffected by the changing season.
Only a handful of trees had begun to turn yellow, their golden leaves scattered among endless greenery, creating an unexpectedly elegant sight.
Clusters of wildflowers bloomed beside the road.
Everywhere she looked, life flourished.
The route gradually became more remote.
After passing through a long stretch of sparsely traveled mountain roads, they finally reached a village.
Qin Xiao occasionally glanced behind him.
Clicking his tongue impatiently, he wondered how she had fallen so far behind after only twenty li.
He had already slowed down to a crawl.
Yet she still couldn’t keep up.
Eventually, he turned around and crossed his arms, waiting.
He noticed her little face scrunched up in misery.
Every step seemed difficult for her.
Then he suddenly thought of something.
Walking over, he crouched down in front of her and patted his shoulder.
“Get on.”
His tone left no room for refusal.
Qinghe whispered a nearly inaudible “Thank you” before climbing onto his broad back.
The man stood up so quickly that she let out a startled cry.
Her viewpoint suddenly rose much higher.
The hand she had been using to maintain distance from him slipped unexpectedly.
Her body fell forward against his back.
They ended up pressed tightly together.
Qinghe’s face immediately grew hot.
Quietly, she tried to withdraw her hand.
Just as her fingertips reached his shoulder, he gave her a firm bounce upward.
Her chin struck his shoulder without warning.
It felt as hard as stone.
Qin Xiao strode forward with large steps.
His pace seemed slightly more energetic than usual, and the corners of his mouth lifted faintly.
Nice.
Really nice.
He could feel the soft curves pressed against his back, moving gently with each step.
Tonight, she would belong entirely to him.
When they arrived at the village entrance, several women sitting beneath the large banyan tree and chatting while enjoying the shade nearly dropped their jaws.
Seeing Qin Xiao return carrying such a delicate young woman on his back, they stared in shock.
Soon, they began whispering among themselves.
In a nearby rice paddy, a man named Ma San threw down his hoe and ran over.
“Qin Xiao! Qin Xiao! Wait!”
Qin Xiao stopped.
“What?”
Were they that close?
Why was this guy calling for him?
Ma San didn’t even bother putting his shoes back on.
With muddy feet, he rushed over and stopped before Qin Xiao.
His narrow triangular eyes immediately locked onto Qinghe, shining with undisguised interest.
Qinghe shrank back instinctively.
Burying her face against Qin Xiao’s back, she gripped the fabric on his shoulders tightly.
Qin Xiao frowned and shifted his body to block Ma San’s view.
“What are you staring at?”
“Keep looking and I’ll gouge your eyes out.”
Ma San paid no attention to the threat.
Grinning shamelessly, he asked,
“Come on, I’m just looking. It’s not like I’m taking her from you.”
“Tell me, where did you find such a beautiful girl?”
“Is she your new wife?”