Chapter 13: Forcefully Buying the Little Bully

Your Highness had hands on hips, "Don't lie to me… me, your lord! On this road I've seen poor families selling girls, but this is the first time I've seen them selling boys just as big! What's with that old man chasing after them? And he says it's not you lot who snatched them?!"

That broker, intimidated by the tall, burly guard beside him, finally added a sentence: "These boys are to be sold to the palace. We in You Prefecture are a border commandery; poor families' boys, when grown, are destined for military service—better to sell them to the palace as little eunuchs, so the family gets money and the boy might even survive. Girls left at home can still mend nets and gather pearls; I hope you, noble one, understand."

Prince You's pupils shook—sold to the palace?

That… that means becoming a little eunuch?

Your Highness, having grown up in the palace, still knows what a little eunuch is.

He couldn't help turning to look at those kids; they were about his age, at most seven or eight years old.

That group was halted by his shout, delaying a moment, when the old man from behind rushed over, crying as he clung to the child who had been desperately struggling to get away.

"Return Huwa to the old man, please—we can't sell him to that place! The old man will kowtow to you!"

The sturdy man pulling his grandson kicked out, "The money's already taken—too late to regret! Get lost!"

Baili Jing quickly had Zhang Tu step in to stop it; seeing that this meddling affair was now the Prince's responsibility, Grand Tutor Xu could only help mediate.

As it turned out, those kids had indeed been paid for.

The old man who came running was Huwa's grandfather; Huwa's father had died at sea, the family was poor, and his uncle and aunt decided to sell him to the broker. Moreover, this Zhang Yaren supposedly had connections with the officials and could sell children into the palace for a comfortable life.

To be honest, this sort of thing is very common in You Prefecture. At this time, boats don't even need to resist wind and waves—if they don't fall apart or leak in the open sea, they're considered good; for any family that makes its living from the sea, hardly any avoid losing members.

Enjoy comfort in the palace? Prince You thought, I'm the emperor's son and I don't feel the palace is all that wonderful—just watching people's faces. What kind of comfort could those sold as little eunuchs possibly enjoy?!

The old man clung to Huwa, refusing to let go, saying this was his eldest son's sole heir, and absolutely could not be sold to that place, lest it cut off his eldest son's line of descent.

The grandfather and grandson wept miserably, causing the remaining children to cry ever louder.

The Prince waved his hand grandly, "How much? I'll buy them!"

Grand Tutor Xu thought he was young and naïve about worldly affairs, and quickly gave him a meaningful look.

Besides this old man not wanting to sell his grandson, the other children's parents were all willing sellers; rescuing them and sending them back might just lead to a second sale.

The Prince isn't wealthy, and he's not as easy to deceive as he looks. Especially when it comes to his savings, he's quite sharp.

He thought, if I ransom these kids and send them home, then when the family runs short of money they could sell them again—am I not just wasting my own silver? I'd be the sole sucker!

That's absolutely impossible.

"Ahem!" the Prince said, "Rather than sell them to the palace, why not sell them to me? No need to become little eunuchs. I'll take all of them—how much silver?"

The broker would never accept being cut off, but today she met a tough opponent.

Prince You intends to buy them by force!

Zhang Tu, following the Prince's signal, drew his sword with a swish, shouting, "More! Less! Silver?!"

Grand Tutor Xu: …

Zhang Yaren: "……Five taels each, altogether thirty taels."

One barefoot kid, hearing that, shouted through tears, "You're lying! You clearly gave my father only three taels—waa…

Oh ho~

Prince You nodded in satisfaction; this kid's not bad, pretty sharp. Turning to Tongchen, he ordered, "Give her twenty taels, the extra two as hardship pay for this trip."

Zhang Yaren handed over the children's contracts with clenched teeth, stalking off while muttering. Originally she could have made twenty taels on this trip, but running into a meddlesome little bully meant she spent several days running her mouth raw just to end up with two taels.

Baili Jing saw Tongchen tuck the contracts away, then turned to the old man, "Grandpa, you may go back, and also pass a word to the other families. With the Prince, the boy won't have to become a little eunuch—rest easy. Later, if your family has money, you can go to the Prince's manor in You Prefecture City to redeem him; I intend to send them there to serve."

The old man knew full well that the silver in his son's hands was gone for good; now that the boy wouldn't have to be a eunuch, it was sheer luck. He wept while urging Huwa to do his duty well and stay alive. At least they hadn't left You Prefecture—maybe they'd meet again someday.

Seeing Baili Jing moved to tears, he still didn't voice letting the child go back with his grandfather.

This old fellow is up in years; Huwa's age means even in the fishing village he couldn't support himself, and going back would just mean his uncle and aunt selling him again—next time he might not be so lucky to run into someone like this.

After Zhao Bao came over, the Prince, who considered himself a doer of daily good deeds, felt satisfied and headed back.

"Zhao Bao, Zhao Bao, do you know? I bought six people for only twenty taels! These six could all be your disciples, okay?!"

Faced with the Prince's boast;

Zhao Bao's face: "Your Highness, you're really capable!"

Inside, tears streamed down his face: Six for twenty taels is a steal……but look at how young they are……without mishap, they'd need another ten years of rearing before they could be useful……

That night, Prince You wrote furiously in his little notebook:

【May 11, Seaside Dragon Head County

The sea breeze salty and fishy, the ocean beautiful, the fish fresh.

Here, three taels of silver can buy a child the Prince's size, but they're so thin they're only half his width.

After hearing the tale of You Prefecture's pearls, the Prince no longer likes pearls.】