Chapter 6: Selling Diaochan into Prostitute Registration?

Li Gouer, who had been leaning against an apricot tree with his eyes closed, opened his bleary eyes.

He looked at the person standing before him.

A middle-aged man.

Dressed in splendid clothes, one glance was enough to tell he was a wealthy man.

Seeing the person before him was like this, Li Gouer immediately perked up, widened his eyes, and put on a smile.

"Heh, as it happens, I am Li Gouer. May I ask who you are..."

Li Gouer hurriedly scrambled up from the ground and dusted off his clothes.

After bowing with clasped hands, the middle-aged man smiled and pulled out a scroll from his bosom, then unfurled it.

"Since you are the person I seek, do you recognize the person in this painting?" The middle-aged man did not rush to introduce himself.

Instead, he produced the scroll.

Li Gouer rubbed his eyes, then looked toward the scroll.

The painting showed a young maiden carrying water by a river.

There were also characters beside it.

Characters that Li Gouer naturally could not read.

But the young maiden in the painting was someone Li Gouer recognized at a glance.

Seeing the woman in the painting, Li Gouer chuckled.

He guessed that something good had come knocking.

"To be frank with you, the woman in your painting is my adopted daughter."

"My wife's niece, called Diaochan."

After hearing this, the middle-aged man also smiled.

In his heart, he confirmed he had found the right person.

Thus he introduced himself, saying: "I am the head of the music and dance troupe of the Taiyuan Wang family. Brother Li may call me Troupe Leader Zhang."

"I came today because I happened to hear that Brother Li has a daughter in his household, of outstanding appearance and suitable age."

"And my troupe is also short of dancers."

"So I came specially for this."

Troupe Leader Zhang said.

Hearing that he had not come to propose marriage, but rather to make Diaochan become a dancer, Li Gouer was first taken aback.

Dancers, that was low-status registration.

But low-status registration and low-status registration were also different.

Dancers and singers were both of the prostitute registration among low-status registrations.

Some followed music and dance troupes wandering about performing to eke out a living.

And some were kept in large households.

The Taiyuan Wang family that Troupe Leader Zhang spoke of had already exceeded the concept of a large household.

Although Li Gouer had little experience.

He still understood a little of what the four words "Taiyuan Wang family" represented.

"Troupe Leader Zhang wants my family's Diaochan to enter low-status registration?" Li Gouer's tone rose.

When Troupe Leader Zhang heard the words "low-status registration," he was not angry, and the smile remained on his face.

He then said: "Brother Li, there is also great distinction among dancers and singers."

"Brother Li, you should know of the Taiyuan Wang family."

"If your daughter were to enter the Taiyuan Wang family as a dancer, and by chance were to catch the eye of some great person."

"That would be heaven-sent fortune."

"I also happened to hear that your daughter Diaochan has already passed the age for marriage."

"So I came specially for this."

Troupe Leader Zhang's words were polite.

Selling sons and daughters is easy to talk about but unpleasant to hear.

He just feared that this Li Gouer was a man who loved his daughter.

Putting it this way was somewhat abrupt.

But since Troupe Leader Zhang had come here, he had already done his investigation beforehand.

He roughly knew what kind of person this Li Gouer was.

Sure enough, just as Troupe Leader Zhang was waiting.

Li Gouer spoke.

"Chan'er is one I've raised since she was little....."

"Then.....then you must add more money." Li Gouer looked at Troupe Leader Zhang.

Troupe Leader Zhang chuckled, thinking to himself that it was indeed so.

But his words remained very polite.

"Rest assured, Brother Li. If your daughter is truly as depicted in this portrait, then naturally it will not be a problem."

"I can offer one gold."

One gold!

Upon hearing this number, Li Gouer's eyes lit up.

One gold!

That was ten thousand cash!

Ten thousand cash!

Ten thousand cash!

Li Gouer was completely overwhelmed by this number.

"Brother Li, Brother Li?"

Troupe Leader Zhang called out to Li Gouer twice before snapping the stunned Li Gouer out of his shock.

"Ah?" Li Gouer, having recovered his senses, hastily nodded: "Please speak, Troupe Leader Zhang."

Troupe Leader Zhang said with a smile: "Then, Brother Li, when would it be convenient for us to meet your daughter?"

Li Gouer opened his mouth, about to agree immediately.

But halfway through his words, he suddenly stopped.

After rolling his eyes, he said:

"Um..... Chan'er went into the city today and isn't home."

"How about..... how about you come back in a day or two?"

"Rest assured, Troupe Leader Zhang. Since I've agreed, I definitely won't go back on my word." Li Gouer patted his chest in guarantee.

Troupe Leader Zhang smiled.

He was not afraid of Li Gouer going back on his word.

If Li Gouer really dared to renege, dealing with him would be simple.

There was no need for any important figure to step in.

Just him, the head of a dance troupe, stepping forward would be enough; he could casually find the village's Third Elder or the roaming inspector, or perhaps a county Merit Officer, and easily crush Li Gouer completely.

Moreover, Troupe Leader Zhang was not at all worried about this Li Gouer having any background.

Having fallen to the point of selling his sons and daughters.

What abilities could he possibly have.

Besides.

This is Bingzhou, this is Taiyuan.

The four words "Taiyuan Wang Clan" are heaven.

But to finalize the matter, Troupe Leader Zhang still waved at the two subordinates he had brought behind him.

He then took out a document from the shoulder-borne pouch carried by his subordinate.

"Brother Li, here is one thousand cash, and the contract."

"You sign this contract, and then take this one thousand cash as a deposit."

"In a day or two, I will come again and give you the remaining money."

"Then I will take your daughter away."

"Our transaction will then be considered complete."

As for the contract and whatever else, Li Gouer could not read.

His eyes were full of that heavy pouch.

And the one thousand cash inside it.

Thus, following Troupe Leader Zhang's guidance, he directly made his mark on the document.

Troupe Leader Zhang smiled and put away the document.

Then he handed the pouch containing one thousand cash to Li Gouer.

"Brother Li, this good deal can be considered done."

"Although Diaochan will enter the Wang family, she will still be your family's person."

"If she performs well in the future, she will still receive a salary at the manor; if an important figure bestows a reward then, that will casually be more than you could spend in a lifetime."

"And if Diaochan is truly as depicted in this painting, naturally she will not lack the favor of important figures in the future."

"Brother Li, just wait for the good news."

Troupe Leader Zhang's words had already caused Li Gouer to begin fantasizing.

Thus, he nodded repeatedly with a smile.

Even after Troupe Leader Zhang left, Li Gouer still wore a smile, the heavy coin-purse hanging over his shoulder.

"After raising them for so many years, I'm finally seeing a return."

Li Gouer chuckled, reaching his hand into the coin-purse and feeling the copper coins clinking away, smiling even more happily.

"But....."

Li Gouer smiled and rubbed his chin.

"Since they'll be cheap for others sooner or later, I might as well get them cheap first."

"It won't make a difference if I enjoy them first before giving them away."

"Hehe!"

Li Gouer smiled lecherously.

Then he strode off toward the village.

"Going to buy wine! Definitely drinking to my heart's content today."