She came to the slave market today tobuy forty to fifty eight- to twelve-year-old girls. She would then teach themmartial arts and medicine and give them to grandfather and uncle to be theirassistants.
Zi You couldn't believe that shecouldn't do the things her mother could. It was a matter of effort. As long asshe had determination, she could achieve her wish.
When grandfather learned of herambition, he once asked, "What girl would want to study medicine? Even if sheis willing to learn, who is willing to expose herself in public and mixtogether with men on the battlefield? She would ruin her reputation and can'tget married in her lifetime. Your mother was not like the average woman. She isa descendant of a goddess. But even so, Great Yan's noble furens [Mrs., Marriedmadams] looked down on her, much less average girls."
She was furious thinking of her grandfather'swords. She didn't know why females couldn't go on the battlefield and killenemies and save people. On the battlefield, why must they mix together withmen?
Iftheir souls were pure and clean, then why would they perform illicit activities?In the past, Yongnan Marquis and Yu LanXuan weren't on the battlefield, but weren'tthey illicitly together?
It was clear that doing immoral thingsdidn't depend on the location or environment. You can watch some peopleclosely, but their dirty thoughts and souls would still be revealed.
Musing over her grandfather's words, ZiYou thought he was correct on one point. Finding forty or fifty females tolearn medicine and martial arts through normal channels was impossible.
She could only use abnormal ways to findpeople. Female slaves from the slave market were the most suitable.After two hours, ZiYou took out the pocket watch her uncle gave her. The time was close to wei shi[1-3 pm]. Not bad. Her efforts were not in vain. She finally picked outforty-five girls.
Zi You listened to the slave dealer'sintroductions. Eight or nine-year-old girls were three silvers, ten oreleven-year-olds were seven silvers, twelve- to fifteen-year-olds were the mostexpensive at fifteen silvers, and sixteen- to eighteen-year-olds were eightsilvers.
The reason was simple. After feedingtwelve- to fourteen-year-olds a year or two, they could earn lots of silversfor brothels.
The younger ones needed more silvers to raisethem for longer periods of time and could not immediately make silvers or work.
The older ones did not need to be raisedanymore and could only be maidservants or get married after a few years.
The girls Zi You chose were mostly nineto eleven years of age, totaling thirty-eight. Only seven were twelve years ofage.
They cost Zi You 318 silvers. She beganto bargain, "300 silvers."
The slave dealer counter-offered, "Thisxiaojie, this is the best slave market, with the best slaves. You go back andteach them a bit and you can use them. How about this? 310 silvers."
Zi You again said coldly, "300 silvers."
The slave dealer was anxious, "Xiaojie,even selling them to brothels would not fetch this price…""Xiaojie, I beg youto do a good deed. Can you also buy this slave's big brother?" The two weredeadlocked, when a nine-year-old girl suddenly kneeled in front of Zi You andcried sorrowfully.