I bring bad luck to my husband, you bring bad luck to your wife.

There was a young boy locked in that cage, who looked to be about fourteen or fifteen years old.

Behind him was a young man who looked remarkably like him, timidly tugging at the hem of the young man in front of him, only half of his face showing.

These two look like brothers.

"Shut up! They want a maid, it's none of your business. Behave yourselves." The servant kicked the cage.

"My brother and I are no match for you. Please, gentlemen, buy us." The young man blocking the way wasn't intimidated by the salesman; instead, he became even more eager to promote himself.

"What's going on?" Yang Tongchuan's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an air of authority that made people dare not lie to him.

"These two are brothers. The older one is called Rui, and the younger one is called Xiang. They were sold before, but then returned." The broker grinned, showing his big teeth.

Contractual transactions with a fixed term have a period for rescission; the law stipulates a three-day period after the transaction.

If, during this period, it is discovered that the slave under the contract has hidden illnesses or other problems, the buyer may renege on the contract.

"What's wrong?" Yang Tongchuan asked.

"He has a bad temper." Ya Zi broke out in a cold sweat.

"You think we brothers are easy to fool, don't you?" Yang Tongchuan's voice was even colder.

"No, no, how could I dare to lie to Officer Yang? To tell you both the truth, these two brothers were originally targeted by a madam in the brothel. They had already agreed on a price, but the older one refused. He took advantage of our inattention and stuck his leg out of the cage, breaking it off. And that's not all; he also scratched his younger brother's face with his fingernails, leaving several deep cuts that may leave scars."

One was lame, and the other was disfigured, so the madam naturally didn't want them anymore.

"Officer Yang also knows that these young men are worthless on their own, but a pair sells for a lot, because there are people who like them." The broker had a knowing look on his face, which was quite lewd.

The Yang brothers looked at each other.

Yang Tongchuan didn't speak, but Yang Tongshan stepped forward, squatted down, and asked the older brother in front of him.

"Your name is Rui, right? Do you know what a death contract means?"

"I know." Rui's voice was firm. "Once we sign the contract, my brother and I will be your family's possessions from now on."

Seeing that Yang Tongshan remained unmoved, Rui Ge knelt down before him.

"Grandpa, please, save us! Or you can just buy my brother. He's very honest; he just wants to have something to eat." Rui pulled Xiang in front of him and lifted his hair to show Yang Tongshan.

"His legs are fine, so he can work without any problems. Once the scabs on his face have fallen off, you can't tell anything."

Yang Tongchuan, who had been listening nearby, turned to the broker and asked, "How much for this guy?"

The broker rubbed his hands together, a smile plastered on his face: "Officer Yang, these two lads are both virgins, very clean. If it's a contractual agreement, I'd sell them for twenty taels. If you're really serious about buying, I'll give you a discount; fifteen will do. I'll also wash them clean and change them into clean clothes for you. You won't even need to tidy them up when you take them home. They'll be ready to use right away."

"One of you is lame, and the other has a disfigured face. You really think we brothers are easy targets," Yang Tongshan said calmly as he stood up.

Seeing that his elder brother was about to exert his strength, Yang Tongchuan consciously stepped aside and shut his mouth.

"We'll buy it to work, not to warm our beds. Think it over before you give us a price." After saying that, Yang Tongshan stopped looking at the two brothers in the cage.

The broker, with a pained expression, said, "Oh dear, Manager Yang! I have elderly parents to support and young children to raise; I depend on this little bit of money to make a living! Fifteen taels is really the lowest I can offer."

"Twelve taels." Yang Tongshan's voice left no room for argument. "Okay, let's go and complete the formalities now, and I'll give you the money directly; if not, I'll ask a friend to look around elsewhere, there are many better options."

The broker hesitated for a long time, then stomped his foot angrily: "Fine, fine! Whatever Manager Yang says goes, twelve taels it is."

Ya Zi was also afraid that these two money-losing products would become a burden on his hands.

"Thank you, masters, thank you, masters." Rui Ge pulled his younger brother down to kneel in the cage and kowtow to the Yang brothers.

They would rather work for respectable families than sell themselves in brothels.

The group immediately went to the yamen, and the clerks, seeing that it was Yang the constable's business, worked with exceptional efficiency.

They quickly examined the travel permit and the licence, and then questioned Rui Ge and Xiang Ge about their origins.

They had lost their mother long ago, and were later sold by their gambling-addicted father.

After confirming that everything was correct, the officials prepared for both parties to sign the document.

"Which one do you want?" Yang Tongshan asked his younger brother to choose first.

"I want the smaller one," Yang Tongchuan chose Xiang Ge.

"The older one is smarter." Yang Tongshan thought the second son would choose Rui Ge.

"No, the older one is too clever, I'm afraid Xiangxi won't be able to handle him, the younger one is too honest."

"Fine, whatever you say. The older one can stay at home and be taken care of from now on."

Yang Tongshan didn't care; either one was fine with him.

He had no trouble tidying up such small things at all.

From now on, Rui Ge and Xiang Ge's main family will be the Yang brothers.

Once the clerk saw that the Yang brothers had reached an agreement, he stamped the contract with his bright red official seal. For each contracted brother, there were three copies: one for the government, one for the broker, and one for the Yang brothers.

The contract clearly stated in black and white: "Rui Ge and Xiang Ge, the persons who hereby enter into this contract of servitude, voluntarily sell themselves to the brothers Yang Tongshan and Yang Tongchuan. This contract is for the death of their children and cannot be redeemed. Their lives are in the hands of their masters, and they will never go back on their word."

When I left the government office, it was already past lunchtime.

Rui Ge and Xiang Ge had changed into clean old clothes, and the broker even gave them a bath to make sure they were free of lice.

Rui's foot hadn't healed yet, and he walked with a limp. The two brothers followed behind the Yang brothers, their steps somewhat hesitant.

The young man who had just bought the foot wasn't in a hurry to go home. Yang Tongshan took Rui Ge to the clinic to have his foot checked first.

The doctor said the bone had already misaligned itself, and that's how it will be from now on—a slight limp, but not serious.

If we want to cure it now, we need to break it and reconnect it.

"What are your own thoughts? To treat it or not?"

"If the family doesn't mind, I don't want to be treated anymore." Rui Ge was afraid, not of the pain of breaking his leg again, but of not being able to take care of his younger brother during his treatment.

"If you don't want treatment, then you don't have to. It's up to you to decide."

Yang Tongshan then led him to Xiang Qiang's stall.

Yang Tongchuan was having a meal with Xiang Ge. The boy was starving and swallowed a big piece of flatbread without even chewing it.

"You're here, let's eat." Yang Tongchuan had already ordered for them.

Rui walked over to his younger brother and reminded him not to eat at the table, as it would displease the host.

The younger brother obediently took the bowl and the cake and stood to the side.

"Brother, there's meat." Xiang Ge thought this meal was for the two brothers, and after finishing his half, he would save the rest for his brother, no matter how much he wanted it.

"You eat yours, your brother still has some." Yang Tongchuan said helplessly, and asked Xiang Qiang to bring over a few more pancakes.

Yang Tongshan remained silent, eating his portion.