Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 16 Leaving the Street
Gradually, it became noisy outside the carriage, but Chen Xuan still didn't know where he was. He tried hard to listen, but all he could hear were the daily conversations of passers-by, and he couldn't get any valuable information.

After a while, the carriage actually stopped.

Have we arrived yet? Chen Xuan thought to himself, concentrating his attention on the movements outside, even though he knew it was of little significance.

Soon he heard faint sounds of negotiation.

"Do you understand the rules of Lijie?" This was a strange voice.

"I understand, I understand. It's just a small token of my respect." This voice sounded familiar to Chen Xuan. It belonged to someone in the convoy these days.

'Off-street? A street dedicated to a certain kind of business?'

Chen Xuan remembered the name and thought that everyone who came here should abide by certain unspoken rules.

Then the familiar voice said, "Please accept this small amount for the drinks. Could you please try to arrange a good table for us?"

"Easy to say, easy to say..."

After a brief negotiation outside, the carriage started again, but this time it stopped not far away. From the sound, it seemed that it had no intention of leaving.

As long as his life is not in danger, Chen Xuan doesn't care where he will go next. What he cares about most is where he is and whether he can find the old man and the gang of human traffickers to settle the score in the future.

Zhang Lanlan, who had been silent for the past few days, became increasingly nervous. Perhaps she also guessed that her fate had reached a critical moment. She mustered up the courage to look at Chen Xuan, with whom she had been spending the past few days, and whispered, "Brother Chen Xuan, I've never asked you how you ended up like this. Can you tell me?"

"I met a kidnapper and was taken to the hands of those people outside without knowing what was happening," Chen Xuan said calmly. Now that things had come to this, there was no point in getting angry, even though he wanted to grind the old man into ashes.

Not understanding why he was so calm, Zhang Lanlan seemed a little reluctant and asked, "Do you think we will meet again in the future?"

"I don't know. Why do you ask?" Chen Xuan was slightly speechless.

Zhang Lanlan pursed her lips and said, "My parents and I once went to a market in a small town and heard a storyteller tell a wonderful story. I haven't been to school, but there's a line I've always remembered: 'We're all part of the same world.' It took me a long time to figure out what it meant. Now we should be considered part of the same world, right?"

"We share the same suffering?" Chen Xuan pondered.

Zhang Lanlan's eyes flashed with envy as she said, "I can't say things like that. I can only try to remember some nice things others have said. I don't really understand them. You should have been educated, right?"

educated? Perhaps, Chen Xuan didn't know how to answer.

Zhang Lanlan continued, "I don't know if we'll meet again in the future, but you're still young. No matter where you go, you must be well-behaved and obedient. Do whatever you're told to do, and don't lose your temper. No one will spoil you. Remember that?"

"Okay, I remember it," Chen Xuan nodded seriously.

She was not very old, but she still cared about me and gave me advice at this time. We had only been together for a few days without much communication, but her kindness simply came from the bottom of her heart.

At this time, Chen Xuan wanted to say something, but the carriage door opened, and an expressionless middle-aged man in black pointed at Zhang Lanlan and said, "You, get down."

Chen Xuan had never seen this person before. He guessed that those who had seen him before did not follow him, but stayed at the hideout to guard it. That was considered a good job, after all, traveling long distances was very tiring.

Being stared at, Zhang Lanlan looked at Chen Xuan anxiously, as if saying goodbye, but still got off the carriage obediently. Then the door was closed and locked, and Chen Xuan was the only one left in the carriage.

Where would Zhang Lanlan be taken? Would he ever see that kind little girl again? Chen Xuan didn't know...

Soon it was his turn. The man who took Zhang Lanlan away came back soon. After opening the door, he looked at Chen Xuan coldly and said, "You, follow me." While he was speaking, one hand was already on the short stick at his waist. He didn't do this when Zhang Lanlan went there before.

Seeing this, Chen Xuan secretly warned himself that he'd better be obedient, otherwise he would end up in a miserable situation!

I got off the car under the other party's gaze and quickly glanced around. It was a very long street. It was almost evening and it must have rained not long ago. The street was muddy and dirty. The surrounding buildings were not prosperous and exquisite. Everything I saw was full of old atmosphere, as if a historical picture scroll was shining into reality.

Before he could observe more, he was pushed and the man pointed to the side and said coldly: "There, go up and get into the cage obediently. I don't want to say it a second time. If you dare to run, I will break your legs!"

Chen Xuan remained silent and looked in the direction he pointed. There was a row of platforms on the street, more than a foot off the ground. The platforms were filled with human-high wooden cages. The door of one of the cages closest to him was open.

He walked up the stairs and entered the cage as instructed. The man quickly came forward and locked the iron chain on Chen Xuan's feet. The cage was also closed and locked. He did not leave afterwards, but stood guard by the side. He seemed lazy, but in fact, his hands were on the short stick at his waist and his eyes occasionally glanced around.

The cage I was in was not much better than the one I had lived in in the basement a few days ago, it was just a little higher.

Looking at the pedestrians who occasionally passed by or stopped on the street ahead, most of them were dressed in fancy clothes, and some were accompanied by maids and servants. Chen Xuan roughly understood in his heart that the cage he was in now was probably a display cabinet.

He had guessed at various possibilities of being sold, but he had never imagined it would be like this, being put on the street for people to pick at like animals.

Zhang Lanlan was locked in a cage nearby. Chen Xuan was not too surprised. The two looked at each other without saying anything. Who would take a fancy to them and buy them next would be the turning point of their fate.

Observing quietly, Chen Xuan discovered that the entire street was lined with cages containing people, mostly children and young women, but most of those cages contained more than one person.

He and Zhang Lanlan each had their own cage. What was that? A boutique display case? Chen Xuan laughed at himself.

There are people guarding outside the cages where people are held, which clearly shows that this is organized.

Chen Xuan also saw some people standing alone on the street, both men and women, looking down and out. They all had straw stuck in their hair. This kind of people was relatively rare. What was this? Selling one's head with a bid? Selling oneself?

Looking at the other side of the street, there is a wooden archway about a hundred meters away. It is very old. There are several people with swords guarding the archway. They are wearing eye-catching and identical clothes, like uniforms.

Upon seeing this, Chen Xuan secretly thought that this street might be a place specially planned by the government for human trafficking, which means that the human trafficking here is most likely legal!
Otherwise, why is human trafficking so blatant?

No wonder Chen Xuan heard the negotiation about arranging a good location before. This place is not far from the entrance and exit, isn’t it a good location? People coming to trade can see it first.

Damn, this kind of business also requires a prime location?
Lijie, Lijie. Chen Xuan probably understood why this street was called this. Human trafficking, how many separations and deaths had been staged here? The word "Lijie" was very appropriate.

Looking at the archway at the entrance of the street, there were two blurry words on it, but Chen Xuan couldn't recognize them no matter how hard he looked. They were not any characters he was familiar with.

Oh no, I’m illiterate!

Chen Xuan's heart skipped a beat. Not being able to read was an extremely terrible disadvantage, and many things would be greatly restricted in his future.

But he roughly knew how to pronounce those two words: Li Street. Someone had mentioned the name of this street before.

While he was lost in thought, the sky gradually darkened. Lanterns lit up on the streets, as did torches and bonfires. The number of pedestrians on the streets, which were originally few, gradually increased.

Human trafficking may be legal in this Jing country under certain conditions, but it is somewhat inhumane, so it is usually carried out at night?
The more you try to cover it up, the more obvious it becomes.

Perhaps those engaged in this kind of business regard the night as a little bit of a fig leaf...

(End of this chapter)