Chapter 128: No reason to call Xiang Ling

Dong Lao Er continued to chatter incessantly: "Young Master Jia, some time ago at Longtan Port, Japanese ronin killed people and caused trouble. The imperial court ordered a strict inspection of Japanese ships."

"They restricted Japanese merchant ships from entering the port. Now, Japanese foreign goods are in short supply on the market, and the price is constantly rising. Like this batch of Japanese crystal bottles I have on hand, you absolutely won't find a second batch in Jin Ling City."

Dong Lao Er had originally bought this batch of Japanese crystal bottles from an acquaintance, intending to make a huge profit, but he hadn't expected that although these things were unique, there was no market for them at all; no one wanted them.

Now that he had met a buyer like Jia Cong, he saw that Jia Cong's clothes were luxurious and his bearing was extraordinary. Since he wanted to buy all his inventory in one go, he must have a great use for them.

Now that the Maritime Trade Office restricted Japanese merchant ships from entering the port, Japanese foreign goods were scarce on the market, and the Japanese crystal bottles in his hands had become rare items.

Jia Cong wanted to buy Japanese crystal bottles; apart from him, there was absolutely no second place in all of Jin Ling. With his treacherous and ruthless nature, if he didn't take the opportunity to ruthlessly cut a piece off the other party, he wouldn't be Dong Lao Er.

Qian Bin saw Dong Lao Er's lion's share of the price and was afraid that this business would fall through, causing his half-percent commission to vanish. He was just about to start persuading Dong Lao Er.

He heard Jia Cong say, "Boss Qian, I want to talk to Dong Lao Er alone. If this business is concluded, I naturally won't forget Boss Qian's help."

Qian Bin was stunned when he heard this, but he didn't say much and went out of the room to wait in the courtyard, thinking that this Young Master Jia wanted to bargain with Dong Lao Er.

And the other person who knew the truth had gone overseas after the incident and would never leak a word. Where did this kid in front of him find out? Could it be that he knew sorcery?

Dong Lao Er was scared pale by these words, looking at Jia Cong with terrified eyes. This person had just been an amiable businessman, but in the blink of an eye, he had become so frightening. How did he know these things?

Dong Lao Er was stunned when he heard this. Why were they talking about another matter when this one hadn't been settled yet?

Dong Lao Er was trembling all over, his face ashen. When he had kidnapped Ying Lian all those years ago, he had taken a fancy to the child's natural beauty and wanted to raise her as a "Yangzhou slender horse" to sell at a high price and make a huge profit.

But he never dreamed that such a Young Master Jia would emerge, who could actually predict the future and knew these hidden matters so clearly.

The little girl glanced timidly at Jia Cong, then went into the room silently and closed the door.

When Ying Lian was kidnapped, she was not yet three years old and knew nothing of the world. She was deceived by him into recognizing him as her father. He also made her wear a forehead band from a young age to prevent her striking rouge mole from being recognized. His thinking was quite meticulous.

Jia Cong's face gradually darkened, and he said, "Dong Lao Er, what I am talking to you about now is another business."

"Ying Lian's brow has a rouge mole just like Su Yun's. Such a birthmark is one in ten thousand. Your Su Yun is that Ying Lian! You were the one who kidnapped Zhen Ying Lian all those years ago, weren't you!"

Dong Lao Er's expression changed when he heard this.

He was panicked in his heart, but he still said stubbornly, "Don't you dare falsely accuse people. Su Yun is my daughter; the neighbors here all know it. How did she become kidnapped? You are slandering a good person; I am going to find an official to report you."

That Jia Cong was able to discover that Dong Lao Er's daughter, Su Yun, was the kidnapped Zhen Ying Lian was entirely a coincidence that happened in a rush. Before Qian Bin brought him here, he had no mental preparation.

"But that year at the Lantern Festival, the family servant Huo Qi took Ying Lian to see the lanterns, and she was kidnapped by a kidnapper and has been missing ever since."

Jia Cong saw that the little girl was still standing there blankly, and he smiled, "You go outside and wait too."

However, he heard Jia Cong continue unhurriedly, "I have an old friend in Gusu who lives in Renqing Lane on Shili Street. His surname is Zhen, and his name is Shiyin."

Dong Lao Er looked confident and said, "Young Master Jia, there is nothing to talk about. One tael of silver each; it cannot be lower."

He also knew deeply that kidnapping women and children was a capital crime if caught. Later, after encountering some accidents, he washed his hands of it and brought Ying Lian to a secluded place in Jin Ling to raise her. He only needed to raise her until she was ten or so to sell her.

Could she not recognize her own daughter? According to the Great Zhou Law, those who kidnap and sell people are to be executed by slow slicing!"

Apart from him, no third person knew about these things back then. Even his accomplices didn't have time to know that he had kidnapped Ying Lian.

"Ten years ago, although the Zhen family in Gusu was not very wealthy, they were considered a prominent local family. Zhen Shiyin only had one daughter, named Ying Lian, who had been intelligent and beautiful since she was small and was extremely doted on by her parents."

Jia Cong laughed, "If you want to report to the official, that is exactly what I want. As long as we see the official, your kidnapping of women and children will never escape. Ying Lian's mother is still alive today. As long as we invite her to see her..."

Dong Lao Er had lived here for a long time, and the neighbors all recognized him. If he reported Dong Lao Er for kidnapping people now, no one would believe him for a while.

Once things became entangled, it might allow Dong Lao Er to escape, and it might even cause Ying Lian to suffer in return.

Now he could only stabilize him first, save Ying Lian from the fire pit, and then make plans.

This Dong Lao Er kidnapped a young girl, causing the Zhen Shiyin family to be broken and destroyed. He deserved to die. As long as a person had a conscience, they would not let such a person remain at large in the world to harm others.

Dong Lao Er saw that Jia Cong had said those words but had no other actions, so his heart relaxed. Judging others by himself, he thought everyone else was the same as him.

This person surnamed Jia didn't know where he had heard about this. It wasn't for the sake of some old friend; it was just to use it as a threat when negotiating the business. Besides, what good would it do him to report him?

Dong Lao Er steadied himself and said, "Young Master Jia is a sensible person, and I, Dong Lao Er, am not confused either. What does the Young Master want? Please lay it out."

Jia Cong felt a slight relief in his heart, knowing that he should be able to stabilize this scum.

"I am new to Jin Ling and want to do this Japanese foreign goods business. Seeing that you, Dong Lao Er, can get this batch of Japanese crystal bottles, you must have some connections. I will need to rely on you in the future."

"If the matter is successful, there will naturally be benefits for you. But if you have other filthy thoughts, I naturally have means to deal with you!"

Dong Lao Er saw that his words carried threats, but instead, he felt relieved, which meant that this kid really just wanted benefits and didn't want to take him to see the official.

"I can buy all these crystal bottles at a unit price of one tael of silver, but you must throw in that girl."

Dong Lao Er was almost furious and stood up with a "whoosh": "I have raised that girl for ten years; the rice and grain she has eaten are worth more than that. You surnamed Jia, don't go too far."

If it weren't for the fact that he was thin and weak, while Jia Cong looked like a capable youth and had a hold on his handle, he would have been furious and started a fight.

Jia Cong laughed, "I am spending money to buy your source of disaster; you should thank me. Whether you are willing or not is up to you. You must think clearly; don't lose the big because of the small!"

Dong Lao Er said angrily, "Someone has already bought this girl beforehand. How can I let her go to you? You might not be able to afford to offend those people."

Jia Cong drank a cup of tea brewed by the little girl and mocked, "The one who bought her is that Feng Yuan, or that big fool from the Xue family in Jin Ling, right? I'm not wrong, am I? You want to swallow the silver from both families and still want to use these to bluff me!"

Dong Lao Er looked terrified and pointed at him, asking, "You... who exactly are you? How do you even know about this..."

Jia Cong placed the teacup heavily on the table and said coldly, "I advise you not to think about these useless things. Write the contract straightforwardly, and you can still get seven hundred taels of silver."

"Otherwise, losing both people and money is one thing, but losing your life is not worth it. I am doing this for your own good!"

When Qian Bin came in and heard the deal the two had negotiated, he was stunned, his mouth hanging open for a long time without closing.

He looked at Dong Lao Er's cute and pretty daughter, who was at a loss, and under Dong Lao Er's scolding and Young Master Jia's gentle enticement, she tremblingly pressed her handprint on the contract.

Qian Bin couldn't believe his eyes. What the hell had happened?

This Young Master Jia spent seven hundred taels to buy seven hundred crystal bottles—although a bit expensive, he got Dong Lao Er's excessively pretty daughter as a bonus.

This wasn't buy-one-get-one-free; this was buy-one-get-one-for-nothing.

There was actually such a big bargain in the world. Dong Lao Er was always shrewd; had his head been kicked by a donkey?

If he had known there was such a big bargain to take, he, Qian Bin, would have smashed his pots and sold his iron to scrape together seven hundred taels of silver to grab this business first. Such a pretty girl—not to mention seven hundred taels, even seven thousand taels would be worth it.

When Qian Bin looked at Jia Cong again, his gaze was filled with admiration. This kid was a master; how on earth did he negotiate such a deal?

And Dong Lao Er looked at Jia Cong, seeing him gently and softly asking Su Yun to pack her luggage, and couldn't help but feel full of grief and indignation. There were such evil thieves in the world!

He, Dong Lao Er, had done many wicked things in his life, but compared to this kid's actions, he was much more kind.

He pried into people's privacy, coerced and lured, and forcibly occupied a girl raised by others, and he wasn't even afraid of being struck by lightning. There was such a shameless person in the world; his heart was cruel and treacherous, which was outrageous.

Jia Cong first gave Qian Bin forty taels of commission and asked Qian Bin to help him call a carriage.

According to the agreement, Qian Bin could actually only get thirty-five taels of commission. He felt that this young master of a great family did things in a very proper way, so he was very active in helping him find a carriage.

The little girl had tears on her face, appearing pitiful. She didn't know if she felt helpless about leaving Dong Lao Er, or if she was crying because she had been sold, or perhaps she felt afraid of the unknown future.

It might also be that these complex feelings and worries had gathered together, making her extremely lost and helpless; after all, she was only a child of ten or so.

But she still returned to the room to pack her things, and not long after, she returned to Jia Cong's side. She seemed to have accepted leaving this place very quickly.

Jia Cong didn't know if this was because his kindness toward her made her willing to follow him.

Or if Dong Lao Er had always been bad to her, always calculating to sell her for money, so she had no attachment to leaving this person she once called "father."

No matter the reason, it made Jia Cong's heart ache. Although he had been mistreated in the East Courtyard since he was small, he was much better off than her.

Thinking of these things, a tenderness he had never felt before rose in Jia Cong's heart, and he took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears.

In her moist and soft eyes, Jia Cong's gentle smile was reflected. Seeming to be infected by the kind smile, the corners of her lips curled up slightly without realizing it, and she revealed a shy smile at him.

"From now on, you have me. No one will bully you again, and I won't let you suffer anymore. It's better for you to change your name; just call yourself Xiang Ling."

"Xiang Ling..." This name was truly nice. Why would the Young Master think of this name for no reason? However, calling her Xiang Ling was better than calling her Su Yun.

At this time, Qian Bin had already hired a carriage and helped Jia Cong move the boxes of crystal bottles onto the carriage. After all, he had earned his forty taels easily, so he was very happy to help with small tasks.

The carriage Qian Bin hired was not very spacious. Once the carriage was loaded with a few boxes of things, it was completely full, and only one person could sit on the carriage shaft.

So Jia Cong asked Qian Bin to transport it to the old Jia residence in Xinglong Fang along with the carriage.

Qian Bin only then realized that this gentleman was actually a young master of the Jin Ling Jia Gong mansion, because the people of Jin Ling all knew that the old Jia residence in Xinglong Fang specifically referred to the Jia Gong mansion, not the residence of any other branch.

This made Qian Bin look at Jia Cong with awe. The Jin Ling Jia Gong family was a world-famous wealthy and noble family.

No wonder this Young Master Jia had such an extraordinary bearing; only a great wealthy family could raise such a person. Of course, this Young Master Jia's means of buying a maid were also extremely brilliant.

Jia Cong and Xiang Ling didn't have a carriage to sit in, so they left on foot first. As long as they left the Dazai Gate, they would be able to hire a carriage.

When leaving the courtyard, Xiang Ling just glanced timidly at the dejected Dong Lao Er, then didn't look again.

She just stared at the flowers and plants she had planted in the corner of the courtyard, and the vibrant vines on the fence, looked several times, then followed Jia Cong away without looking back.

Xiang Ling had been kidnapped since she was small and must have suffered a lot of mistreatment, as if she were used to keeping a distance from people.

She always walked two steps behind Jia Cong, neither far nor near. She was a bit dazed and didn't walk fast.

Before long, she was left behind by Jia Cong. When Jia Cong noticed, he stopped to wait for her.

This happened several times, and each time Jia Cong patiently stopped, smiling gently to wait for her to catch up before continuing to walk.

This strange state lasted for a long time, like a strange grinding and familiarity, making the two gradually become tacit.

And Xiang Ling's footsteps slowly became light, and she could follow Jia Cong closely without needing Jia Cong to keep stopping to wait for her.

Just as they were about to walk out of the Dazai Gate, there was a steaming hot noodle shop by the road, with a few diners sitting there, and the fragrance of meat soup filled the street.

Jia Cong heard a faint sound from behind him. When he looked back, Xiang Ling's face was flushed and she was fidgeting.

Jia Cong laughed, "It's still early. It hasn't been long since breakfast time; why are you hungry already?"

"Young Master, our family never eats breakfast."

Jia Cong was stunned when he heard this. Although the dietary customs were not like those of later generations, families of middle class and above could eat three meals a day. Only poor families would eat two meals a day according to the old system of the former Song Dynasty.

Such families didn't want to eat more than one meal; it was mainly because they were poor.

That Dong Lao Er had the capital to import a batch of crystal bottles, so he should have had some assets. Whether he mistreated Xiang Ling or truly couldn't afford three meals a day, it was unknown.

In short, it was impossible for this child who had been kidnapped since she was small to live a comfortable life. His heart couldn't help but feel a bit more pity.

"It just so happens that I'm hungry too. Let's go eat a bowl." As he spoke, he took Xiang Ling into the noodle shop.

A proper young master of a noble family would never eat like a peddler or a soldier at such a roadside stall.

However, this young master of a noble family, Jia Cong, was an anomaly. When he was in the East Courtyard and couldn't fill his stomach, he relied on selling calligraphy to earn silver, so he often went to these roadside eateries to satisfy his cravings.

The shop owner saw a young master in luxurious clothes enter the shop, but behind him followed a maid in shabby clothes, which formed an interesting and strange contrast.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 129 =====