PDLP Chapter 384: Voluntary Slavery
Chapter 384: Voluntary Slavery
The onlookers were suddenly shocked.
They looked at Old Man Pan and his two grandchildren, then at Jiang Fubao.
I just couldn't understand how a little girl could save them.
"What life do you want to save? You were not supposed to die. I just happened to meet you. This is your good fortune. You don't have to thank me. Hurry up and get up, old man. You are shortening my life by kneeling before me."
Jiang Fubao winked at Adong and Axi who were selling chestnut biscuits.
The two men hurried forward and pulled Old Man Pan up from the left and right.
"No, it is only natural for a servant to kneel before his master. We don't care about age, we only talk about master and servant." Old man Pan said stubbornly with red eyes.
Then, he took out three pieces of paper from his chest tremblingly.
Pass it to Jiang Fubao.
There was a bright red fingerprint on each piece of paper.
Jiang Fubao took it and took a look.
It turned out to be a contract of sale, and a death contract.
It said that Pan Dachuan, Pan Shitou and Pan Erya were willing to be slaves for life.
As long as Jiang Fubao presses his fingerprints now.
This indenture is absolutely valid.
Since Old Man Pan couldn't read, Jiang Fubao guessed that he must have asked someone to help him write the indenture.
"I can't accept this. Take it back, old man. Once you become a slave, it will be difficult to escape. Besides, I have no shortage of servants at home. You have thanked me now, and I appreciate your kindness. Go back and live a good life with your grandchildren. Things will get better in the future." Jiang Fubao returned the indenture contract to old man Pan.
However, the words had just been spoken.
Old man Pan knelt on the ground and kowtowed again.
"Boom boom boom——"
The streets in the alley are paved with bluestone bricks.
Old man Pan knocked his head loudly.
It hurts to hear it.
"My benefactor, please accept the indenture. We will do our best and be obedient. We will never eat more than one bite of food."
Pan Erya saw her grandfather like this and felt anxious.
She walked up to Jiang Fubao on her knees.
He fell to the ground, crying and begging her to accept it.
"My benefactor, I will not hide the truth from you. In fact, we live in hardship. If you accept the indenture, we can not only repay you but also earn a living. My benefactor, I can raise horses and cattle, and I can also guard the house.
I have a good memory. No matter who comes to my house, I will remember him no matter how long it has been since the second time. My Erya and Shitou are strong and can do manual labor. They are not stupid either. Please accept them. Just give us a full meal. That will be enough."
Old Man Pan raised his head.
There was already blood on his forehead.
As for Pan Shitou, he was a man of few words and didn't say a word from beginning to end.
When Old Man Pan kowtowed, he kowtowed along with him. When Old Man Pan spoke, he knelt straight on the ground.
Like the shadow of Old Man Pan.
"Is life difficult? Your grandchildren have grown up. They can carry grain bags and do manual labor. There is no need for them to become slaves."
Jiang Fubao was a little confused.
Although physical work earns less.
But as long as you work hard, you can still have enough to eat.
It’s not like the drought in previous years when food was so expensive.
The price of a meat bun has now dropped back to three cents each, and many farmers no longer work odd jobs to supplement their family income.
There shouldn't be much competition.
Why bother to be a subordinate?
"My sister and I started carrying grain bags a few years ago. We were young at that time and begged the foreman to give us work, so we could only get half of the wages of others. Now, we have grown up and our work is no worse than others, but the foreman refuses to increase our wages. In addition, the house we rent is getting more and more expensive. It is really difficult to live."
Pan Shitou finally spoke.
Jiang Fubao suddenly realized.
Yes, although food prices have dropped.
But a lot of people have flocked into Lianshan Town, and house prices have gone up.
Naturally, rents will also increase.
It is indeed difficult to survive if you only go out but not come in.
I'm afraid it's difficult enough for the brother and sister to cure grandpa's illness.
No wonder he wanted to be a slave.
"I saw this kid looking for someone to write a contract for him to sell himself, and I thought it would be better to sell myself to the benefactor. Not only can I repay the benefactor, but the three of us can also be together in the future. But don't worry, we don't want money, as long as we can have enough food to eat."
Old Man Pan took over the conversation.
Speak honestly what is in your heart.
"If this is the case, won't your family be extinct?"
Jiang Fubao asked again.
Logically speaking, these pure ancient people usually think that having no descendants is the worst misfortune.
Why would you take your grandchildren into slavery?
She really didn't understand.
"My benefactor, you are joking. Poor people like us don't deserve to have offspring. We can't even afford to raise them, and they will suffer in this world. I only hope that my grandchildren can have enough food and clothing, live a healthy life until old age, so that when I go to Naihe Bridge, I will have a clear conscience towards my son and daughter-in-law."
Jiang Fubao was greatly shocked by what Old Man Pan said.
There are actually old people who live so clearly.
It's really rare.
"Fubao, what's going on? What do you three want to do?" Zhang Jinlan, who was working with her maids in the backyard, heard the noise and ran over quickly.
She didn't even have time to wash her hands and stood in front of her granddaughter.
I thought Old Man Pan wanted to cause trouble.
Jiang Eryong and Jiang Dahao also came down from the second and third floors.
"Grandma, you misunderstood. It's this old man who wants to repay a favor and wants to sell himself to us. I'm going to accept the three of them. Didn't grandma tell me that she would buy a clinic for me? I will let them work in the clinic then." Jiang Fubao has thought it over.
She told her idea to her grandmother in front of everyone.
"Okay, since Fubao has made up his mind, grandma won't interfere. You three, get up first. Stop kneeling in front of the shop and delaying our business. Follow me to the backyard."
Zhang Jinlan pointed at Old Man Pan and said.
"Hey, hey, this old slave will get up now." Old Man Pan has already taken on a new identity.
"What the hell, a little girl opening a clinic, did I hear it right? It's broad daylight, how could I be dreaming?"
Suddenly, a sentence came out from the crowd of onlookers.
The voice is not low.
Everyone heard it.
The people around him burst into laughter.
"I have too much money to burn. I've made a lot of money and I've become arrogant. Opening a clinic for my granddaughter is like throwing money into the water."
"Hush, don't talk nonsense. I heard that this girl is the goddaughter of the county magistrate."
"Humph, so what if I'm your goddaughter? I can't even say a word. If you have the guts, throw me in jail."
"Who just said that? I'm going to report it to the police. Come out if you have the guts."
"Where are you, hiding in the corner and running away after saying something? What a coward!"
I saw everyone pointing at my granddaughter.
Zhang Jinlan also got angry.
She put her hands on her hips and was about to curse.
Old Man Pan spoke.
"Don't talk nonsense. My benefactor is a skilled doctor. He saved my life. The doctors in the town clinic couldn't cure my illness and said I had tuberculosis. I was almost dead, but my benefactor brought me back from the jaws of death with a prescription. If it weren't for my benefactor, I would be a corpse now."