Chapter 173: Eating Less, Able to Work

If it’s the latter case, the bond is stronger, they’ll care for each other, and perhaps family members may come to redeem them after a few years, stabilizing their hearts.

However, if they come as a family, working together, looking out for each other, feeling secure, it’s less likely for thoughts of escape to arise, allowing for a peaceful period of time.

The assistant chuckled, “What a coincidence! We indeed have a few like that. They seem promising. They just arrived yesterday and are currently tidying up in the backyard. Why not madam Jiang and Master Song come take a look together?”

“I won’t have the overseer specifically groom them. Madam Jiang can directly see them in their true state, which will set her mind at ease.”

Having dealt with Jiang Mixia for a while, the agency was willing to reveal the truth.

“Agreed.”

Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun followed the servants to the office’s backyard.

The backyard was vast, with a row of low buildings designated for the temporary residence of these enslaved individuals.

Some in the backyard were in tattered clothing, busy washing and cleaning up, some showing signs of wear and tear.

The assistant exchanged a few words with the overseer, who then brought the individuals over.

There were four of them: two in their thirties who appeared to be a married couple, and two younger ones, a boy and a girl in their teens, likely their children.

From the assistant, Jiang Mixia learned that the man was named Ding Fu, his wife was Ma Shi, their eldest daughter was Ding Cuihua, thirteen years old, born in the first month, turning fourteen after the New Year, and their younger son was Ding Mao, just turned twelve last month.

Originally from the west, they were tenants in a village. Their grandparents were still alive, tilling ten acres of land annually, enough to feed their family of six. However, a locust plague led to a failed harvest. Despite the landlord’s kindness of waiving the rent and only requiring the land tax, they still couldn’t afford it.

The family worked as laborers everywhere, selling their labor to scrape together the money owed to the landlord. Due to their hardships, the grandparents fell ill one after the other.

Although poor, they were filial and couldn’t bear to see the elderly suffering. They borrowed money for medical treatment.

After half a year of treatment, the grandparents passed away one after the other, leaving the family in debt.

With no land or property, unable to repay their debts, they were advised to sell their children. After much consideration, Ding Fu and Ma Shi agreed to sell themselves to clear the debt. However, it wasn’t just Ding Cuihua and Ding Mao; the entire family of four sold themselves into slavery to settle the debt, with the condition that they work together and not be separated.

Due to this circumstance, the individuals who previously bought Ding Fu’s family of four had traveled to several places without making a move until now.

Having understood the situation, Jiang Mixia nodded slightly and then took another look at the four individuals.

The Ding Fu family of four appeared tense, keeping their heads lowered.

“What tasks can all of you perform?” Jiang Mixia inquired.

As the head of the family, Ding Fu hurriedly responded upon hearing the buyer’s question, “I…”

“I, I can farm. I can also do simple carpentry, masonry work. I can make a stool, build a stove. My wife can cook and sew clothes.”

“The children are young and can’t do much. Our daughter can embroider lace, handkerchiefs, and such.”

Seeing Jiang Mixia’s silence, Ding Fu hastened to add, “If you are willing to buy our family of four and allow us to work together, we will work diligently and not disappoint you.”

“All four of us don’t eat much…”

“Eating less, able to work!”

Ding Fu wasn’t particularly eloquent, and now he seemed a bit nervous, repeating the same few phrases over and over.

Observing Ding Fu’s straightforward nature, Jiang Mixia nodded slightly and then asked, “Everyone is in good health, right?”

“We are all quite robust, no major health issues,” Ding Fu said somewhat sheepishly. “It’s just that my wife’s eyesight isn’t great at night. She used to earn extra money sewing clothes for others, staying up late at night, which strained her eyes.”

“But she’s fine during the day, it doesn’t affect her work. If there’s a lot to do, she’ll work faster to finish during the day.”

Jiang Mixia nodded again, sizing up the four individuals once more.

After a moment, she nodded and said, “Let’s go with this family.”

“Alright.”

The assistant acknowledged and quickly went to prepare the paperwork, including the sale contract and other necessary documents.

According to the court regulations, all sale contracts for enslaved individuals had to be documented and filed in the yamen for future management.

The procedures were not too complicated, and the assistant was experienced in handling them. Once Jiang Mixia paid the required silver, the assistant handed over the document bearing the official seal of the yamen.

After acquiring the servants, Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun wasted no time and hired a carriage to head home.

Upon their return, Jiang Youcheng and Liu shi were delighted to see Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun. They specially selected the plumpest chicken from the backyard to prepare a dish of braised chicken chunks.

Since the servants had been purchased and brought home, they needed to fulfill their roles as servants.

Seeing this, Ding Fu rubbed his hands together and said, “Master, Madam, let me handle the chicken. I used to work in a restaurant and am skilled at slaughtering chickens and geese.”

Being filial, her daughter and son-in-law had bought individuals to help with the work. Liu shi didn’t refuse his offer and said, “Please go ahead. The knife was sharpened yesterday, so be careful, and be quick.”

Jiang Youcheng chuckled, “No need for ‘sir’ and ‘madam.’ We are farmers, not that formal. Since I’m a bit older, just call me ‘big brother’ and ‘big sister.'”

“Sister, let me go heat up some water,” Ma Shi quickly changed her address and fetched some firewood to the kitchen.

Ding Cuihua and Ding Mao, the siblings, one grabbed a wooden basin, and the other took a shovel, preparing to bury the waste later.

Jiang Youcheng watched this scene and nodded, “Looks good.”

“Yes,” Liu shi agreed and then asked Jiang Mixia, “How do you plan to arrange these four individuals?”

“Mother, here’s what I’m thinking,” Jiang Mixia replied. “Uncle Ding and Auntie Ma will stay at home to help with household chores. Cuihua and Ding Mao will accompany me and Jingyun to the county town.”

Liu Shi nodded, “Cuihua can stay with you, and Ding Mao, being a young boy, can assist Jingyun as a young servant. That works well.”

“I noticed their clothes are a bit worn out. We have some lightly used clothes at home. I’ll go find them some,” Jiang Mixia added.

Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun had outgrown some of their clothing, which they had just given to Ding Cuihua and Ding Mao. As for Ding Fu and Ma Shi, being similar in height to Jiang Youcheng and Liu shi but much slimmer, the clothes were likely to be a bit loose on them.

Ma Shi can sew clothes, so altering them over the next few days will be easy, not a big deal.

 Liu shi made these arrangements and instructed Ma Shi accordingly. She also provided some shoe soles and fabric for Ma Shi to make two pairs of new shoes for Ding Fu and his family to wear regularly.