Once entering the city.
Chen Yulou and others went straight to look for Lao Qinlou from last time.
And they had such a large formation, with hundreds of people towering, and the team stretched for three to five miles. As soon as they passed Qiangwu Ridge, there was a reaction from the ancient city.
Although Kunmo City nominally belongs to Eastern Xinjiang.
But in the Western Regions there is no distinction between east and west, only north and south.
According to the geographical classification, it is Northern Xinjiang.
As for northern Xinjiang, there have been many sand bandits since ancient times.
The ancient cities along the way are even better. Although in today's troubled times, the military equipment has long been depleted, there are still soldiers stationed there, and the high walls and gates make it difficult to come and go freely.
But those scattered villages are not so comfortable.
As the old saying goes, thieves pass like a comb and soldiers pass like a grate.
Those demon kings rode by and killed without blinking an eye.
So, even if Kunmo City is not big and there is only one garrison in the city, in an environment like Northern Xinjiang, even if you have nothing to do, you still have to be vigilant.
I saw the team heading straight to the ancient city.
For a while.
There were fire whistles at the city gate.
Dozens of people were all called to defend the city.
Fortunately...
In the end it was a false alarm.
Checked the team directions.
Coupled with the passing money that Huamaguai had prepared early, the originally angry garrison officer almost grinned from the corner of his mouth to the back of his ears.
Then take a bunch of people with you.
Send them into the city personally.
Huamaguai has long been accustomed to this.
When traveling from south to north, money opens the way.
This is not just a matter of words.
And the situation at the city gate.
It soon spread to everyone’s ears.
The ordinary people in the city have basically fallen asleep when it is dark, so they don’t know these things. However, the big families in the city are different. Their roots are here.
What if the Demon King and the thief come in and kill us?
The common people are not exploited or exploited, they are just lambs to be slaughtered and fish on the chopping board.
It would be no exaggeration to say that they maintained the city's defense.
After all, lives are at stake.
Spend some money and buy peace of mind.
It wasn’t until the house slaves sent back the news that nothing had happened, that the group of people felt relieved and continued to close the door and spend their days drinking and having fun.
But the same message.
In the ears of merchants who opened inns and restaurants, it was a different story.
This is the God of Wealth.
Hundreds of people, eating, drinking, having sex, food, clothing, housing and transportation, which one of them is not money?
If you can eat this.
On weekdays, we are busy for several months or even a year.
However, when Chen Yulou returned to his old place, he only wanted to go to Lao Qinlou and try authentic northern Shaanxi cuisine, preferably with a few jars of millet wine.
In the past, he had no interest in rice wine.
But after I tasted the authentic Mizi wine here last time, more than a month has passed in the blink of an eye, and I still can’t forget it.
Wait for a group of people to walk through the city and alleys.
From a distance, I saw a group of guys waiting outside Lao Qin Building.
The person wearing a long robe with a smile on his face, who else could it be if it weren't Shopkeeper Wu?
Seeing them, Shopkeeper Wu came up to them with a smile, "It's really Shopkeeper Chen. I just heard the people below said, I can't believe it, Old Wu."
"Good luck, Shopkeeper Wu. "
"Chen has been thinking about your family for a long time."
Chen Yulou smiled.
For a Han Chinese to be able to do this business thousands of miles away in the Western Regions, in a place he is unfamiliar with, it is unthinkable without any means.
You can see it in how you treat others.
“Don’t worry, Shopkeeper Chen, the private room upstairs has been prepared, and the food will be served as soon as you arrive.”
Shopkeeper Wu welcomed the group into the building with a smile. Inside.
“Okay.”
"It's rare that shopkeeper Wu still remembers Chen's preferences."
Enter the arranged private room.
I just sat down in order.
Soon, all kinds of food were delivered to the table like running water.
Chen Yulou took a casual look and found that they were all the dishes they praised so much last time.
Even if it is a big customer.
But after such a long time, I can still remember clearly what I said casually that day.
It is not entirely unreasonable to be able to establish a foothold here.
"Shopkeeper Wu, please don't stand still."
"No, no, shopkeeper Chen, enjoy your meal."
Keeping an eye on all the dishes, after all the dishes were served, shopkeeper Wu brought another bottle of wine, toasted to everyone present, and then left with a smile.
What he does is the business of welcoming and sending people.
A pair of eyes is sharper than anyone else.
How can you not see that the shopkeeper Chen in front of you is definitely not an ordinary person, especially the temperament in him that cannot be cultivated unless he has been in a high position for a long time.
And a team of hundreds of people.
To be able to sit at the same table with him and eat.
The rest of them must not be small people either.
Toast a glass of wine, say a few nice words, and then leave the space to themselves to eat and drink quietly. If they need anything, just say hello and he will open the door and come in.
This is the way to treat big customers.
Details are done well.
Make guests feel comfortable in every aspect.
Even if you only do this business, making personal connections and making connections will provide you with a way out in the future.
Downstairs.
Guys also came in one after another.
The entire Lao Qin Building was brightly lit and the seats were packed. Even because there were so many people, shopkeeper Wu could only temporarily sell the restaurant next door.
In other words, he is usually a nice person.
Otherwise, we will definitely not be able to cope with today’s situation.
Purchasing guys are dispatched quickly.
He has invited almost all the master chefs in the city who can cook Hunan and Sichuan cuisine to come over temporarily.
At this moment.
Shopkeeper Wu stood on the stairs, looking at the lively scene. He was not too excited, but only felt indescribably tired.
It took less than half an hour.
Do this.
It is not his boast, there is no second person in Kunmo City.
The other side.
Just as busy as him is Pat.
The night is now shrouded and the sky is dark, but he has no intention of stopping at all. He is taking the Huamagua, picking up the bills, and leading the camel, handing over from family to family.
A total of one hundred and thirty-five camels were gathered.
Three heads were counted on the road.
The other seven suffered injuries of varying severity.
He had to explain all this clearly to each company: how to determine the damage and how to compensate?
It seems like a trivial matter, but it is the most troublesome.
Fortunately, this young man named Hua is indeed generous and generous, which saves a lot of wrangling.
But even so.
There were more than a hundred camels, and he ran for two or three hours.
Wait to leave from the last one.
Looking up and looking outside, Kunmo City was almost silent. Every house was closed and the entire ancient city had fallen into silence.
"Hua..."
"Old man, just call me Guaizi."
Seeing him speak, Huamaguai said quickly.
"Well, thank you for accompanying me all the way. Old man, I have to go to the master's house."
Pat pursed his lips, but in the end he didn't dare to say the word "kidnae" and just wiped his forehead. The sweat on his face showed that it was obviously the twelfth lunar month of winter, but he was actually sweating all over.
However, Pat didn't care.
Even thinking about what will happen next, a pair of cloudy eyes are full of bright colors.
“Okay.”
Huamaguai also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally finished this matter.
There is no need to postpone it until tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, which will delay the next trip.
Now that he could hear the unconcealed excitement in Pat's tone, he thought for a moment and then immediately reacted, "Congratulations, old man, you are free."
"Do you want it? Will I accompany you?”
"No... no, it's not a big deal just to take out the deed of betrayal. You've been running around all day, so you'd better go back and rest early."
Pat waved his hands repeatedly.
It is a small thing, but for him, he has been waiting for this day for more than fifty years.
How many more fifty years are there in life?
Especially people like him, who have been destined to work as cows and horses for the master since they were born, and their fate is even worse than that of cows and horses.
After all, a cow or a horse is worth two bags of salt at least.
And these people.
It is the gravel on the ground, the snowflakes on the mountains, and the weeds in the soil.
No one would say a word if he was beaten to death by his master. Even he himself did not expect that when he was old and buried up to his neck in loess, he would still have such an opportunity.
A contract of sale.
Just get it.
You can be free by yourself.
Even if there is a high probability that we will still be at the bottom of the market in the future, at least there is hope, right?
Future generations no longer have to be like him and be born into slaves.
But to be able to behave openly and honestly.
What does it matter if life is hard and tiring?
Rejecting Huamaguai's company, Pat clutched the account book, a bag of money, and the last seventeen camels, and rushed all the way to the city.
Obviously exhausted.
I have soreness and backache all over my body.
But Pat walked faster and faster, feeling the wind blowing under his feet and feeling indescribably light and comfortable all over his body.
Half an hour's journey.
In less than five minutes, we have finished walking.
Walking outside the Tulou courtyard, Pat carefully knocked on the door a few times. As usual, even though the gatekeeper opened the door with an impatient face and let him in, he still smiled apologetically.
Drive the camel to the backyard, feed it with fodder, and fill the water tank with water.
Watching a few old guys eat their fill.
He then washed his hands, took the account book, and went to the courtyard of the master's house.
As expected, I was challenged several times along the way.
The master's family has a strict hierarchy, and slaves like him are at the bottom. They are often bullied and humiliated, and they are not even qualified to enter the building where the master lives.
Waiting for him to explain seriously, he secretly slipped another coin into his hand.
That was his savings from frugality.
But this trick is really effective. The housekeeper who originally said that the master's family had taken a break and asked him to come back tomorrow immediately changed his words and went all the way upstairs.
Push the door and go in.
Not long after.
His figure appeared in the attic corridor again, waving to Pat below.
Seeing this, Pat didn't dare to delay. He kept his steps as low as possible and hurried upstairs.
By opening the door in the corner.
He glanced quickly out of the corner of his eye.
The floor is full of expensive hand-woven carpets, glass cups passed down from Central Asian countries, and wind lanterns are lit on the table, illuminating the surroundings. The smell of wine mixed with spices hits your face.
It seems that even the air is filled with a sense of luxury.
On a fine snow leopard leather deck chair.
A man in his forties was leaning half-back, holding a wine glass in his hand, and several girls were dancing around him, laughing and dancing.
Pat didn’t dare to look any further.
Just bent over and walked quickly inside.
My head dropped to the ground, and when I got closer, I knelt on the ground with a thud.
He took a few deep breaths and explained the whole story clearly.
The man finally had a serious look on his face, waved his hand, and a girl immediately stepped forward and took the account book and money bag from his hand.
"Things went well."
Taking it in his hand, the man shook the bag, weighed the numbers, and a trace of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.
You can get so much money in just one trip.
In this kind of business, the more the better.
I gave Pat a rare compliment.
He quickly and carefully stated his request.
But as soon as he finished speaking, the whole room suddenly became silent.
The housekeeper who was following behind him suddenly raised his head, with a look of astonishment on his face.
Free agency? !
For all the years he has been in his master's house, he has never seen anyone truly escape from slavery, even he himself does not dare to hope.
This old guy is really crazy.
After a trip to the Western Regions, I dared to make such a request to my master. I was not afraid that the master would be angry and drag him directly to the backyard to kill and feed the dog.
The Tibetan Mastiffs kept in captivity by the owner.
Fierce as hell.
Eating people is nothing.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sneer on his face, as if he had already seen the scene of his master's thunderous rage.
What a pity.
I knew earlier that this old guy was seeking death.
We just went upstairs, so we should have ordered more at him.
After decades of living, I still have some savings.
The sudden silence made Pat feel like he had fallen into an ice cave, and he knelt on the ground, trembling all over.
Even the dancing girls noticed something was wrong and shut up one after another, not daring to speak.
“Oh, I remember, I did mention it at that time.”
Good thing.
The man thought for a while and finally remembered this.
"Yes, yes, yes."
Hear this.
Pat finally dared to take a breath and nodded repeatedly.
"The Japanese master is in a good mood today."
"Kurban, go and run and ask someone to get his deed of betrayal."
The man glanced at the man standing at the door The steward gave the order casually.
Tell the truth.
His family has been in Kunmo City for generations.
There are dozens of slaves like Pat in the family, if not a hundred.
It doesn’t matter if you have one more or one less.
However, when these words fell into the butler’s ears, he was stunned.
I beat him to death and I didn’t expect that the master would actually agree.
Remove your citizenship.
Something he'd only dreamed of.
It was actually done by this old thing.
“Are you deaf?”
“Didn’t you hear my instructions?”
Seeing him frozen in place motionless, the man frowned and said coldly shouted.
The housekeeper was scared to death. He didn't dare to think wildly. He hurried downstairs and ran all the way to the warehouse. After searching for a while, he found Pat's deed of sale from the pile of boxes.
Then rush back upstairs as quickly as possible.
“Well, yes, I wrote your name.”
The man looked down and made sure it was correct, and then threw the piece of paper to Pat.
"Okay, the deed of betrayal is returned. From today on, you are free. Whether you go or stay is up to you."
"Yes, thank you sir."
Repressed the excitement in his heart.
Naihe’s hands didn’t obey his orders at all.
Carefully picked up the paper and held it in his hands, his hands trembling.
Looking at the densely packed characters on it, Pat didn’t recognize it. It wasn’t until he found his name that he felt relieved and kowtowed repeatedly.
Until leaving.
Walked downstairs.
Pat still had an unreal feeling like a dream.
"Congratulations... Pat."
Seeing this scene.
The butler congratulated with a smile on his face.
However, the gnashing of teeth and the strong jealousy on his face that almost flowed out could not be suppressed no matter what.
An old man who usually gets beaten and scolded by himself is now about to become a white man and become eligible to marry, have children, and buy land.
How could he not be jealous?
“Hahaha, we are happy together.”
"Lord Kurban...oh, no, from today on, I am no longer a slave. You should work harder and strive to be like me."
Turn a blind eye to his expression.
Pat grinned.
Then, in the eyes of Kurban, who wanted to kill someone, he waved the rendition contract in his hand with his hands behind his back, and walked out smiling all the way.
I have bowed my waist and bent my spine all my life.
at this moment.
It seemed like everything straightened up.
The invisible shackles on his body were broken one by one.
Put away the deed of sale.
Pat returned to his residence and picked up the package. His years of savings and a few rags were all his belongings.
But he didn't feel pitiful at all, instead he was extremely happy.
I also didn’t forget to say goodbye to the old guys I fed.
Then he left without looking back.
Until he walked out of the door, the feeling of depression suddenly disappeared. He only felt unrestrained, and the world seemed to be wider, without the darkness of the past.
The streets are empty.
The cold wind blows from Tianshan Mountain.
Pat sat down on the ground and took a few deep breaths. As if he noticed something, he couldn't help but grinned and laughed until tears rolled down his face.
"This is freedom."
"The air is sweet." (End of chapter)