FH Chapter 51
别怕，我在！
[Don t be afraid, I am here!]
Xiao LingChuan’s so-called happy encounters made Li Haitang’s literary thoughts flow, a play of words forming in her mind, she had barely left the Li family village in her entire fifteen years, and she didn’t know how to explain to him about her all-around medical skills.
The best method at the moment was to push it to her late mother, Ruan, but according to the original owner’s knowledge, Ruan did not know anything about medicine.
Early the next morning, the three of them departed for Deer City (Lu Cheng or Lu City).
Deer City was the hub of the northern part of Da Qi, larger than a border city, and there were numerous outputs here, with an endless stream of merchants coming and going.
“Little brother, that night in Chun Niang’s house …”
Li Haitang took advantage of the time Xiao LingChuan went to buy breakfast, and confessed to Li Jin Hu that the reason why he knew medicine was because of the teachings of their mother, Ruan.
“Jie, how good it is if Mother is still alive, I miss Mom.”
.
Li Jin Hu reddened his eyes and did not doubt it at all. In his eyes, Mother could read and write, could paint, embroidery work was exquisite, she could also make delicious snacks, omnipotent, knowing the art of healing, not strange at all.
“Jin Hu, before Mother left, she was most worried about you.”
Passed another hurdle, smoother than he thought, Li Haitang’s heart as if a big stone fell, touched the little brother’s head, “Wait until we are home, Jie will ask around if there is a private school opened by a scholar with good integrity, I’ll send you there to study.”
Li Jin Hu was a little reluctant, he wanted to be with his big sister, but thinking of his mother’s wish, he still gritted his teeth and nodded.
A moment later, Xiao LingChuan entered the carriage with two bowls of wontons, Li Haitang keenly noticed his brows knotted, and said suspiciously, “What’s wrong? Is there any event?”
“Sun Tietou’s house is in the alley at the city gate.”
Xiao LingChuan opened the window and pointed to the dark alley not far away, his brother Sun Tietou who walked the escort job of life and death together, he lives there, he wanted to go to the door to say hello first, who expected Sun family’s home windows and doors were closed so he asked the neighbors, only to know that Sun Tietou had gone out with his wife.
“Don’t know where he went?”
Li Haitang also followed the frown, late stage tuberculosis, there are complications, delayed a day, the danger increases a few points.
Xiao LingChuan shook his head, working as a bodyguard or armed escort,often going out, like to be alone the most, and toward the neighborhood, not knowing and not having any interaction.
At this moment, even if they sneak into Sun’s house to rummage, they may not be able to find those herbs, many years of habit, they will take the proceeds of the escort job, hidden in a hidden location.
“Big Brother Xiao, what should we do then, should we stay in Deer City and wait for two days?”
Li Haitang couldn’t decide what to do, those herbs for tuberculosis, only pig’s ear and messy hair were left, the rest had been collected, all the bits to make a whole.
“Let’s go home first, go home and wait for the news.”
Xiao LingChuan thought about it, staying would be useless and a waste of time, he had already entrusted someone to send out letters to his brothers, and if he contacted Sun TieTou, he would send him a flying pigeon message.
They did not find the people, a group of people also did not have the mind to stroll around, turn the horse, back to home, rush to the end of the afternoon, just in time back to the county.
The carriage passed by the government office (Yamen), and was surrounded by the crowd, the younger brother Li Jin Hu’s eyes were sharp, pulling Li Haitang’s hand, “Jie, you see, the officials escorted Old Madam Li!”
Old Madam Li has always been biased, both brother and sister exchange views before the sound of “Granny”, no matter what, they could not call it out.
In the crowd, Old Madam Li, gray head, and the officials torn, sat on the ground, constantly patting her thighs, “Family bad luck,what a disgrace to family ah!”
“Grandma, what do you have to say to our just and incorruptible officials, don’t cause us trouble!”
The official crossed his waist, to her behavior is very disdain, not able to sell her granddaughter into marriage. She does not want to pay back the bride price given by Mr. Qin silver, not giving out the person, but they want to take the benefits for free too, under the sky there is no such a cheap thing!
“Officer, my half body is going into the ground, but still want me to suffer this crime ah, Li Haitang is married from the Li family, the Qin family did not look after her so it’s none of our business, I still want to find the Counselor Qin to find the person!”
Old Madam Li is afraid of the officials, scared hands and feet, but in contrast, she can not have no money, and then the silver money has long been spent. They could not let her sell the house and fields, it would be better to directly take this old life of her!
The fact is, if you’re a just and incorruptible officer, then you don’t care if the people live or die? Old Madam Li just wants to make a scene and show her grievances.
“You this old pious (procuress) woman, so unreasonable, you took us several hundred taels of silver, but also gave Li Haitang to sign the contract of sale, moreover it is a death contract, and now the sale is not done yet, the person ran away, we lost a lot of money! If we don’t report to the officer, don’t tell us to just admit our bad luck?”
Qin House’s housekeeper pointed at Old Mrs. Li’s nose and cursed, the surrounding people whispered, cracking the melon seeds, drinking tea to watch the fun.
“A death contract (irrevocable title deed)?”
Li Haitang spat out a mouthful of saliva, no longer able to maintain her surface calmness.
The subordinates are divided into live contracts and dead contracts. Live contract is generally five years, ten years, and a long-term hired hand is similar, after the expiration of the contract is automatically lifted.
The death contract is not the same thing, the person who sells his body, life and death, all belong to the main family, even the children born in the future, but also the children of the master’s family, the lower class.
Li Haitang has always thought that Old Madam Li received silver from Mr. Qin, so she forced her into marriage, if she really gave her a death contract, that is simply heartless!
Outside the window of the carriage, the officials were still tearing with Old Madam Li, Old Mrs. Li balked that this matter had nothing to do with her, and that if she had the ability to do so, she would bring Li Haitang back.
“You don’t need to worry about this, Elder Qin has already informed the government office and made a registration, now a wanted notice is posted at the city gate, Li Haitang is the Qin family’s runaway slave.”
The official was very impatient, calling on his brothers, a few of them ignored Old Madam Li’s pounding and temper, and directly dragged the person into Yamen.
Death contract, runaway slave, wanted list…
Li Haitang’s eyes went black and she almost fainted. Before her mother Ruan was born, she had once told the original owner about the capital, the consequences of being caught as a runaway slave were disastrous, the lightest being exile to the Northwest.
Northwest belongs to the out-of-the-way and savage place, with yellow sands to fill the sky, there is a quarry mountain, all the exiled prisoners who have committed serious crimes.
To the Northwest, there is no return, it is better to be decapitated, be chopped cleanly with a knife, moreover need not to be abused!
“Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”
Xiao LingChuan entered the carriage, his body tall, sitting on Li Haitang’s side, he held her small hand, ice cold, with cold sweat on it.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know.”
No matter how strong a person was, suffering a fatal blow, it was inevitable that they would be a little vulnerable. Li Haitang really didn’t think that Old Mrs. Li wouldn’t miss that little bit of affection at all and drive her to extinction. Her father Li Dahe, is also her own son, and herself, is also her own granddaughter!
Li Haitang and Xiao LingChuan apologized, it’s a good thing they didn’t get married, otherwise, he would have been dragged down by her.
“Big Brother Xiao, what should we do now?”
A cold light flashed in Li Jin Hu’s eyes, his teeth biting on his lips, his mouth had a fishy-sweet taste, he didn’t seem to be able to feel the pain, he only wanted to hack all the Li family members to death.
Just blame him for being young and not being able to do anything, if he matured or came of age and could stand on his own, those extremely gross people are not qualified to sell his big sister.