The Great Seminary

Chapter 41 Benevolent Society

The thin middle-aged man who tried to stop the foul-mouthed companion snatched Zhang Gui's badge from the big-headed bearded man's hand.

He quickly slid the tip of his thumb across the waist badge and instantly identified the dark pattern. He immediately held it in both hands, urged his horse forward, and returned the waist badge to Zhang Gui.

"Master Zhang, please calm down.

My colleague is really heartless and loves to talk nonsense.

I'll make him apologize to you right away."

In counties and prefectures that have not suffered from war for thirty or forty years, fertile land that can produce two crops a year will always be a golden industry and will never be difficult to sell.

So although the Pingyang Zhang family is eager to sell the land, they are not the second party that is inferior to the Pinghu Rong family.

Of course, the Shuanghu Rong family paid a large price to buy the Zhang family’s land, so they can’t be considered the second party. Both parties have a so-called win-win situation.

In this case, Zhang Gui, as the head servant of the Zhang family in Pingyang,

In fact, no one is afraid of anyone else, the thin middle-aged man and the big-bearded man, the two guard leaders who escort slaves to relocate in the cold winter.

The problem was that Zhang Gui was riding a horse just fine when he was scolded by the big-headed bearded man.

Then, after revealing his identity and showing goodwill, he was suspected of being a liar.

This is not appropriate.

After all, even if his status in the clan is not high, he represents the Pingyang Zhang family when he goes out on business.

If this unwarranted humiliation really gets out of hand.

The young and energetic Zhang Gui might end up in trouble because of his lack of tact, and the thin middle-aged man with a big beard will also inevitably suffer bad luck.

That's why thin middle-aged people look so weak.

Zhang Gui had other plans in mind, so he naturally wouldn't really quarrel with Big Beard. He waved his hand generously, but said with a sharp tone:
“No need to apologize.

This big-headed guy looks like a straightforward person, with no bad intentions. He's just suspicious like a woman.

I am not a young master, I am just a small leader who follows instructions from above and directs the work of those below.

I would like to know your names and what jobs you do in the Rong family in Shuanghu."

Hearing this, the bearded man grinned and quickly replied, "My name is Liu Long, and his name is Zhou Guanshan.

They are all members of the 'Silver Mountain Guards' of the 'Treasury Society' Xuanwu Hall, not members of the Shuanghu Rong family."

Zhang Gui was stunned. "I am young, not good at studying, and I have no chance to travel far. I am very ignorant."

Before he could even finish his words, he was interrupted arrogantly by Big Head Liu Hu:
"If I had known that you could speak so eloquently at such a young age, I wouldn't have suspected you were a fake son of a wealthy family.

Isn’t it just that we don’t know what kind of god our kind person is?

We are human traffickers.

The countries of Dongdongzhou Mingsong, Manlangyuan, Shijin, Tianminghan, Baifang, and Neidao all hope to have a slave trade association. "

Everything in this world remains the same.

No matter how dirty and despicable a business is, as long as it is big enough, it will turn from black to white.

But the term "human trafficker" sounds good and is indeed despised by everyone.

Just do it quietly. What does it mean to be so arrogant and proud?

This attitude made Zhang Gui, who had prepared a lot of flattery and would slap the thin man Zhou Guanshan no matter what he answered, speechless for a moment.

Zhou Guanshan on the side laughed dryly and said:
"Master Zhang now believes that my brother Liu Hu is a heartless and reckless person, right?

But please don't misunderstand.

Although we in the Charity Society also use people as goods, we are completely different from those traffickers in the society who collude with money lenders and force women into prostitution.

It truly saved people from suffering and saved countless lives.

To be honest, I was once one of those who was rescued, so what I said is absolutely true."

“That’s true.

Zhou Guanshan was originally a young man, studying and preparing for the civil service exams. However, when he was a teenager, the entire county was struck by drought, and his entire family starved to death.

If he hadn't been lucky enough to meet a trafficker from the guild, he would have sold himself and turned into a pile of bones long ago."

"exactly.

Master Zhang, East Guangdong and Hai are both famous wealthy provinces in the south, and you were born into wealth.

I'm afraid I've never been hungry.

But I once watched my own parents and beloved wife starve to death.

What does it mean to be "skinny as a stick, emaciated, heartbroken, and willing to eat one's own children"?

Those who have never seen it can only think of it as a description, but only those who have seen it know what hell is!

In that situation, being trafficked was like meeting the most compassionate person in the world, a living Bodhisattva, a Buddha in the flesh!

As a time traveler from a civilized society with abundant material resources, Zhang Gui originally felt that no reason could explain the legitimacy of the slave trade.

But at this moment, it is impossible to deny that Zhou Guanshan is selling himself.

In order to survive, what can't a person do without hurting others?

In the midst of this contradiction, he actually forgot the original intention of making friends with Zhou Guanshan and Liu Hu, and blurted out:
"But the slaves that you buy and sell in the Charity Society can't all be selling themselves, right?"

Then he came to his senses and waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "Ah, I'm meddling in other people's business, please don't blame me, Brother Zhou."

"Isn't that strange? The Charity Society saves thousands of lives every year, and none of them are forced to come."

Zhou Guanshan said in a resounding voice.

Zhang Gui was speechless for a long time after hearing this, and he understood even more clearly the cruelty and terror deep within the core of this spiritual world.

It turns out that being reborn as a concubine's son in a noble family is already a very lucky thing, even if the bloodline of the Divine Cluster is not awakened and one can only eat white steamed buns wrapped in stinky shrimp paste for the rest of his life.

At this moment, a gust of cold wind blew past his head, and he came to his senses. "My brain is broken. Why am I thinking about philosophical questions at this time?"

Zhou Guanshan said with emotion: "Listening to your words is better than reading for ten years.

I am superficial in my view of things.

But wasn't it the Shuanghu Rong family that traded with our Zhang family for the farm? Why is it your association that is sending people to the farm?"

“This is what it means to specialize in one’s field.

Your family only sells farms, not slaves.

If the Rong family wants to take over the business, they must replenish the workforce with sufficient manpower.

He, the imperial merchant, was invincible in the world in his business with the golden imperial token, but he wanted to recruit thousands of honest and obedient households immediately.

It is absolutely impossible for young and strong people to do farming, oil pressing, herbal medicine cultivation, silkworm breeding, etc.

They can only buy from us.”

Zhang Gui said in surprise: "The slaves in our Zhang family village in Pingyang are all 'house-born children' who have lived together for more than two hundred years.

But it is much more valuable than the land, so naturally it will not be given to the Rong family.

I originally thought that after the Rong family bought the farm, they would have to shut down the workshop inside and focus on farming and harvesting crops.

I didn’t expect that there would be a merchant like yours that sells a large number of craftsmen.

It's incredible.

Could you tell me about it in detail?

To be honest, I heard it from the elders in my family.

After the manor is sold, all the remaining family members will be shipped to the sea to recover and expand the industry of Heimu Town.

Once expanded, filling it all in may not be enough.

Isn't this gap perfect for cooperation with your association?"

(End of this chapter)