AWB Chapter 148 Saving Lives Through a Circuitous Route
Chapter 148 Saving Lives Through a Circuitous Route
Gao Mengli: ? ? ? ?
Lin Xi: ? ? ? ?
Sir, your scope of expertise is a bit too broad. Shouldn't you take a look at what you're saying?
Seeing that the two remained silent, Dou Wei quickly assured them, "Really, I can recommend someone! Don't worry, they're absolutely reliable!"
Since their local official wanted to get involved, the two of them couldn't very well refuse.
Gao Mengli pouted, and had no choice but to reluctantly agree, "Okay."
Dou Weiyi was overjoyed to see Gao Mengli nod.
He quickly took the contract written by Qin Shen Shen, dried the ink, and handed it to the two of them, saying, "Come on, come on! I'll take you to the brokerage!"
Dou Weiyi excitedly led the way.
Lin Xi and Gao Mengli exchanged a glance, put away the contract, and then followed.
After walking for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the three of them arrived at the brokerage firm.
As soon as he entered, he saw the broker's eyes dart away for a moment, but he still rushed up to him enthusiastically, "Oh, Lord Dou, what brings you here!"
Dou Weiyi swaggered in, "Manager Li, how have you been?"
"I brought two bosses here to buy people. Go, call your men out for a look!"
Manager Li didn't even glance at Lin Xi and Gao Mengli, only focusing on making a bitter face at Dou Weiyi, "Oh dear, sir, I don't have any people here!"
Dou Weiyi raised an eyebrow. "Manager Li, your brokerage is open, are you selling air instead of people? Don't try to fool me, bring the person out here right now."
Manager Li said with a mournful face, "Sir, you don't know the truth, the market is bad lately, there's really no one here."
Gao Mengli frowned, looking thoughtfully at the brokerage owner.
There's nobody in this dental clinic, so why doesn't she believe me at all?
Seeing that Manager Li was unyielding and didn't understand human language, Dou Wei immediately put on a stern face and said, "Manager Li, although I only come to your brokerage once a year, it doesn't mean I don't know how you operate."
Last year's drought led to many people selling their children.
However, Pingyao was poor, so the brokers bought it for 1.5 taels and sold it for 3 taels, feeling they were losing money.
They've been secretly transporting the goods to Ling'an Prefecture for sale, which has prevented him from collecting any commercial taxes.
However, Pingyao's purchasing power was limited, so he turned a blind eye to it.
As Dou Weiyi spoke, she glanced at Manager Li and said, "I know exactly how many people come and go from your brokerage every day."
"Are you trying to fool me by saying there's no one here today, or do you think I'm not qualified enough to manage your little corner of the world?"
That last sentence was extremely serious.
Upon hearing this, Manager Li's face immediately contorted like a bitter gourd. He quickly stepped forward, forcing a smile, "Oh dear, sir, what are you saying!"
After saying that, he secretly winked at the servants in the yard!
The waiter understood, put his hand behind his back, and secretly gave a hand signal to the person in the shadows.
Just then, a man rushed in and whispered something in Manager Li's ear.
Upon hearing the man's words, Manager Li smiled broadly and nodded repeatedly, waving for him to leave.
He quickly stepped forward with a fawning smile, "Lord Dou, they say it's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early! Look, a new batch just arrived, and I'll have someone come over right away so you can see them!"
Dou Weiyi raised her chin. "Hmph, that's more like it."
Gao Mengli and Lin Xi also saw through the trick.
If the two of them had come together today, they might not have been able to buy anyone.
Because of the price difference between regions, reselling in the prefectural city earns more money than selling in Pingyao County.
The two were silent.
But when almost all the people who came up were women, they frowned again.
There were about twenty people in total, ranging from children as young as a few years old to women in their thirties.
Everyone's face was a deathly gray of despair.
Even the children lacked innocence and liveliness; all they showed was numbness, looking at them timidly.
This is a mark of the times; women were often the first to be abandoned...
Moreover, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
"I'm starving!" Besides running errands, she also has to unload goods.
She can buy it for a while, but not forever.
Gao Mengli frowned, looking at Dou Weiyi, "My lord, I'm afraid we can't buy this person..."
Upon hearing this, Lin Xi tensed up and quickly tugged at Gao Mengli, her eyes filled with pity for the person in front of her.
Gao Mengli gently patted his hand, signaling him to shut up.
Upon hearing Gao Mengli's words, Dou Weiyi and Manager Li were all smiles.
He thought he could collect commercial taxes on the spot, but the joyful expression on his face froze upon hearing this. He quickly turned his head and asked in a low voice, "Weren't you going to buy people? The people are right here, why aren't you buying them?"
Gao Mengli glanced at the woman whose face looked even more desperate because of her words, and frowned.
This group of people, I guess Manager Li wants to sell them to brothels to make a fortune.
So they treated her as their last lifeline.
Gao Mengli doesn't buy from them.
That was the last line of defense that had collapsed.
Gao Mengli stated her needs, "Sir, I want to buy some able-bodied men, whether they are from the oil mill or those who have 'starved to death'."
She thought she could buy a conscript.
But they forgot that Pingyao County was so poor that there were no noble families left, so there was no way that Xiao Si's servants would be sold.
Most of the goods sold by brokers were from poor people.
Upon hearing this, Dou Weiyi frowned. "Conscripted men??"
Isn't this embarrassing?
Where is he going to find a strong man for her?
Besides Ju'an District...
That's it!
Dou Weiyi's eyes lit up again at this thought. "Strong men? No problem, I have some!"
Gao Mengli glanced at Dou Weiyi, "You're not thinking about those soldiers in your Ju'an District, are you?"
Dou Weiyi nodded repeatedly, "That's right! Think about it, they've been on the battlefield, they're skilled, and they're strong!"
"Only one arm is missing, it won't affect their work! Besides, you really can't find anyone else usable!"
In addition, the oil mill has a recipe, and the hired people are absolutely not allowed to go into the core of the oil mill to work!
The loyalty of the remaining soldiers is not a problem; most importantly, they are willing to betray themselves!
Gao Mengli nodded; Dou Weiyi had indeed hit the nail on the head.
Gao Mengli asked uncertainly, "Do they... sell them?"
Dou Weiyi nodded vigorously, "Sell! Of course we'll sell!"
They were all widowed and alone, and neither of them could find a wife.
They can still tell the difference between being poor and having enough to eat!
Lin Xi twitched her lips. The way these two were talking sounded so ambiguous...
Gao Mengli nodded, then glanced at the group of women behind her, "Many of you soldiers from Ju'an District haven't found wives yet, have you..."
Dou Weiyi nodded, his head bald, "That's how it is..."
Dou Weiyi looked up and saw Gao Mengli's gaze. Suddenly, she realized what was going on and became even more excited.
Without any hesitation, he quickly pulled Gao Mengli to a corner, saying, "You mean, let them sell themselves and then come buy wives!"
Gao Mengli smiled and nodded, "Yes, it's a win-win situation, isn't it!"
The soldiers in Ju'an District got jobs, and the money they earned from selling themselves bought these women. Without troublesome relatives, these women had a better place to go than a brothel.
Everyone's happy, isn't that right?