Love in Red Dust - Chapter 54

Chapter 54

The man smiled, not at all annoyed, and let out an "Oh," saying, "Be careful now. Look at what you've done to me."

Coming to her senses, she hurriedly rolled up her sleeves to wipe him off, chattering away: "I’m so sorry! I was only watching where I was stepping and didn't see you. You might as well treat me as blind! Honestly... look at this freezing weather, spilling all over you like this, it’s a real sin. Why don't you take it off? I’ll go roast the clothes for you; you can put them back on once they’re dry."

He said there was no need, his voice gravelly, sounding pleasant and warm. He gestured forward, "I have an appointment to discuss business inside. Could I trouble you to ask if there is a master here by the name of Jin Yangxian?"

Dingyi understood. So this was the lead the Twelfth Prince had picked up at the human market. What a pity; such a pleasant-seeming person, yet he worked in the human trafficking trade! On second thought, however, it made sense. What human trafficker didn't have a charming, polished exterior? If they weren't amiable, how could they lure people into their trap?

She grew alert, straightening her back to appear confident, and replied, "Master Jin is my master. I suppose you must be Master Yue, then? What a coincidence! Please follow me; I will lead the way. Our master has been waiting for you for quite some time. Please, after you!"

Yue Kundu, however, was in no rush to follow her. He shuffled his feet as he walked, observing her all the while, "You look a bit familiar. Have we met somewhere before?"

Typical trafficker tactics! Dingyi smiled, "I’ve traveled far and wide with my master, visiting many places and meeting many people. Perhaps we have met somewhere. Has Master Yue ever left the Suifen River area?"

Yue Kundu said, "My hometown is Datong. Later, I followed my father to make a living in the capital, and I’ve moved around to many places... Perhaps we have met. I had that feeling the moment I saw you. If we haven't met, then it truly is fate."

Hearing his place of origin, Dingyi felt dazed for a moment. She was also from Datong; she had to admit this was another coincidence. But too many coincidences looked fake. A trafficker’s strategy was to get close to people; if it wasn't about finding you a job and having you follow him, it was about promising you good food and fun, or taking you to find your mother. Dingyi wasn't a naive child who knew nothing of the world. She had hung around the streets; she had heard and seen everything, and she wouldn't fall for this.

She played along with his words to brush him off, "True enough. It’s fate that you and our master are doing business together. If the cooperation goes well and everyone becomes friends, we can greet each other next time we meet."

Yue Kundu was a smart man. He knew this kind of "deflecting a thousand pounds with four ounces" tactic, but he didn't hold it against her, simply asking, "Your Master Jin’s business is quite large. What kind of trade is he in?"

Dingyi started bragging, "Our master always says he’s a trader—he does whatever makes money. From large estates and property down to cricket cages, there’s nothing he won't trade. It’s just that people are hard-working, just like you, earning a bit of middleman profit. The world is full of people chasing profit, after all; we run about outside because we have no choice, with a whole family of old and young to support!"

As they spoke, they arrived before the Twelfth Prince's door and stopped. Dingyi went to announce their arrival, but Yue Kundu told her to wait, "The main party hasn't arrived yet. There is someone else talking business with Master Jin. That master has an upset stomach today and went to find a place to relieve himself, so he instructed me to come first. I am just a middleman, helping to make the connection; the serious stuff will have to be discussed by them."

Dingyi said, "Oh," adding, "Then why not go in and sit, have a cup of tea while you wait?"

"No need," he said. "I find you and the masters agreeable. Let’s chat. How old are you this year?"

Was he trying to get ideas about trafficking her? Dingyi felt her skin crawl. Not wanting to offend him, she said, "I’m not young anymore; I turned eighteen a while ago. Our master loves having me serve him; if he doesn't see me for a moment, he starts looking for me. My master and I are inseparable."

Yue Kundu nodded, "I can see Master Jin has an extraordinary air; he should be a good master. But no matter how well he treats you, you are not of the same class. Begging for food under someone else’s hand is quite difficult."

Next, he would probably urge her to strike out on her own! She hurriedly smiled and brushed him off, "I have no real talent. Aside from following along for a meal, I don't know how to do anything else."

"What about your family? Are your parents happy to let you run around everywhere like this?"

She laughed heartily and said yes, "Don't all ordinary folk live like this? Not everyone has a brain like yours. We have no capital and no ability; aside from guarding homes for others, we have no other skills."

Just as they were speaking, a fat man came wobbling through the door. His build was different from that Jin fellow—that Jin was short and fat like a wine-dipper, but this man was a true giant, seven feet tall, with a belt that must have been thirty-eight inches around. From a distance, he looked like a tower, and if you chopped up all that flesh, it would equal three Dingyis.

Yue Kundu took a step forward. Knowing he was the main party, she swallowed hard.

"This is Master Solongtu." He cupped his hands to her, "Please go in and announce that Yue Kundu requests an audience with Master Jin."

Dingyi said "Ah," then added, "Very well, please wait a moment, Masters."

She lifted the curtain and went in to the Twelfth Prince's side, lowering her voice, "The person is here." She gestured upward, "He's so tall, it’s really scary. I’m going to go get Hagang and the others; it’ll be safer if they’re around."

Hongce caught her wrist, "No need. It’s better if they stay out of sight in the shadows." Seeing her face go pale, he smiled, "Don't panic. With me here, what is there to fear? Go and tell them to come in, just act normally, don't let them see any flaws."

She agreed and retreated, lifting the curtain with a beaming smile, "Two masters, our master invites you inside to talk. Please, watch your step at the threshold." She welcomed them in.

When men talk business, even if it isn't a life-or-death confrontation, the atmosphere at the table is still tense. Human traffickers use a lot of jargon; they call the Aha (slaves) "goods," which was the first thing that made one uncomfortable. Then there was talk of "slashing disks" (pretty slaves), "trapping disks" (ugly slaves), and "feeding thin horses" (raising children to sell later). Dingyi was utterly confused, but the Twelfth Prince was able to respond fluently.

After a long while, it wasn't too complicated. One was willing to sell, the other willing to buy, and after each side made concessions on the price, the matter was mostly settled.

Hongce still had to put on a facade, "I’m a straightforward person. I’ll say the ugly words first: I know you have a technique in your trade called 'hitting the ride,' where you first present good goods for inspection and then mix in bad ones as replacements at the end. That won't do. If I catch you doing that once, I’ll deduct the final payment."

Solongtu waved his hands, his palms flapping like fans, "That won't happen. We haven't been in this line for a day or two; we want to do long-term business and walk a long road. If I cheat you now, you'll go outside and spread the word, and my reputation in this trade will be ruined. How could I establish a foothold later? Although our trade lacks virtue, we still value rules and justice. When the time comes, you can inspect them personally. As long as they are 'open-door mountains' (no eye diseases) and have 'interlocking profits' (good teeth), if you find even the slightest flaw, you can cull them out. I’ll sell them as 'drifting tails' (the lame). Does that work?"

He supported his right hand, his fingers slowly rubbing together, glistening like jade in the lamplight. He swept a glance at Solongtu and nodded, "Since you’ve put it this way, if I can’t trust Master Solongtu, then there is no point in talking about this business. I will come to inspect the goods later. If it works out, I will pay half the deposit first. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve; the world is vast, but the New Year is the most important, so let’s rest for two days. I’ll set off on the second day of the new year and pick up the goods then; otherwise, with a hundred Aha, I would have nowhere to house them." He turned his head to look at Yue Kundu, "Master Yue, stand as my guarantor. If Master Solongtu runs, I’ll come to the human market to find you."

Yue Kundu smiled, "Easily done. Master Solongtu and I have been friends for five or six years; you can rest assured on that point."

He squinted and smiled, holding the pot to pour them tea, while saying, "When buying goods, one must always ask the source. With so many Aha, is the path legitimate? In case I encounter inspections by the officials, I need a story to tell."

Solongtu and Yue Kundu exchanged a glance, "Asking that shows you are an outsider, Master Jin. There are rules in this trade: 'loading goods' does not ask for their origin. You buy them; once you buy them, they earn money for you, and you must bear the risks yourself. We only look to sell; once it leaves our hands, we ask nothing more. Since you have such a big appetite, if you can eat this much, you can naturally smooth things over in official circles. Why be so modest?"

It seemed impossible to dig information out of their mouths. It didn't matter; with so many people—a hundred mouths—why worry about not being able to ask questions? Hongce laughed, "I am the one who is confused. I asked such a superficial question; I deserve a slap in the face. Have the two masters eaten? I’ll treat; let’s order a table of food. We’ll discuss business under the table, but talk of friendship over the wine." He turned his head and gave the order, his voice extra soft, "Shu'er, go pass on my word. Get a private room; we are inviting these two masters to drink."

Dingyi jumped up when she heard, "Got it! Just wait a moment, Masters!" She was about to go out when she was blocked by Yue Kundu.

"Master Jin, don't stand on ceremony. There’s plenty of time for drinking; let’s finish the business first. Once the business is done, it won't matter if we drink for three days and three nights."

Since that was the case, they would do as he said. Hongce did not force it and nodded that it was fine. He grabbed his cloak, threw it over his shoulders, and followed them into a blue-tented carriage. This vehicle was used specifically for showing goods; it was covered tightly on all sides, to the point where one didn't even know which direction they were going or what road they were on. To be honest, doing this was quite risky. You couldn't predict how others would treat you; if they became suspicious, they could take you to some remote place and kill you silently—who would you go to for answers? However, in Hongce's view, one must enter the tiger's den to catch the tiger's cub. Even if they grew suspicious, with these one hundred Aha as bait, they would have to weigh the consequences. Moreover, there were guards following secretly, all elite veterans tempered on the battlefield; if a brawl broke out, one taking on ten would be no problem.

Dingyi sat beside him, holding his hand tightly in the darkness. There was no light, and they couldn't communicate. Her heart was in a flutter; she felt his current operation was far too precarious. Perhaps for a man, wealth was sought amidst danger, and it was the same in officialdom, but when it actually fell upon one’s own head, it really made one break into a cold sweat.

She was extremely nervous, and he could feel it. He turned his body, pulled her into his arms, and whispered in her ear, "This is a legitimate business deal; we provide the money, they provide the goods. Don't be afraid."

She didn't speak; in the pitch black, she hugged him tight, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

When they got off the carriage, she truly couldn't tell north from south. She only saw bright lights ahead, a long, narrow shed built four or five times larger than usual, surrounded by thugs holding blades and swords. Looking closely, every single one of them had a vicious face, terrifying to behold.

Dingyi had finally seen it all; her heart pounded, and she followed the Twelfth Prince step by step. That master, however, was calm and composed; he was used to seeing big scenes, and a few mere traffickers were nothing in his eyes.

The shed door was pushed open, and a bizarre stench hit them square in the face. Hongce covered his nose; they were living too roughly, and the smell was not pleasant. These Aha were not even getting enough to eat, let alone washing.

He swept a glance; indeed, it was all prime labor. It wasn't that these young people lacked a spirit of resistance, but they had been beaten and killed until they were truly afraid, not daring to act rashly. When people entered the door, knowing they were going to be sold again, their eyes glared with an intensity of hatred that could have bored holes in them. Hongce crossed his arms and strolled slowly, inspecting them by checking their eyes, teeth, and ribs. When he reached a troublemaker, the slightest touch brought fierce resistance. He grew impatient, and with a swift strike of his elbow to the neck, the Aha collapsed on the spot, sprawling on the ground and unable to rise.

He knew how to strike with force; those watching from the side were shocked. By his appearance, he was just a wealthy young master; they hadn't expected him to be so ruthless. It was a well-measured strike—a little more force, and the man would have been dead.

He turned back, his demeanor as peaceful as ever, "I’ve seen them all. I won't say they are top-tier goods, but they aren't bad. You will get every cent of the deposit we agreed upon, but what they look like today is how they had better look when I come to pick them up on the second day."

"That is a certainty," Solongtu laughed, "I didn't expect it, but Master Jin has quite the method. I am truly impressed."

He cupped his hands, "You flatter me. A traveler of the underworld must have a few tricks to protect himself, or he’ll lose his head the moment he runs into trouble." Before leaving, he looked back, "For the next two days, trouble yourself to feed them well. If they don't have enough meat on their bones, they won't be able to walk."

Solongtu nodded repeatedly in agreement, and after a few polite pleasantries, they walked out. It was the same carriage as before, swaying all the way back to the inn. When she got off, Dingyi felt dizzy and stumbled twice on the ground, only to be caught by Yue Kundu. Seeing this, Hongce took her over calmly and smiled, "My little guard here can ride a thousand miles alone without blinking, but she simply cannot sit in a carriage—she gets dizzy the moment she does." He pulled a few banknotes from his sleeve and handed them over, "This is five hundred taels; Master Solongtu, please take it. There is also fifty taels of 'hardship money' for Master Yue, all presented here. The business today went smoothly; you are both straightforward people, and I have never liked to waste words. As long as I am satisfied in my heart, I am willing to spend a bit more. I will be traveling this Suifen River route frequently from now on, so since we have dealt with each other, I hope for your support in the future."

Solongtu waved his large hand, "That’s easy to say. As long as it is your business, Master Jin, I’ve got this area of Ningguta covered. If you run into any small bumps in the road, send someone to find me, and I will take care of everything for you without a second word."

Both sides got what they wanted, and the conversation was pleasant. The business was settled, and after some idle chat, Hongce asked what places were fun to visit. Yue Kundu said, "The Ice Sculpture Festival on New Year's Eve is interesting; it’s on the river surface about three miles ahead. They transport huge blocks of ice from the Songhua River, each one a man's height and hand's width thick, and hire skilled craftsmen to carve patterns. They hollow them out and light candles inside; the thinner the ice wall melts, the brighter the candles shine. Every year, many young men and women love to go there. If Master Jin is interested, let your people accompany you; you might even happen upon a beautiful girl and start a romantic tale!"

Hongce laughed and cast a slow glance at Dingyi, "We'll see. I have a virtuous wife at home; if I mess around outside, I’d be letting her down."

He was a real man, especially among those who run businesses, but few could say such things. Yue Kundu smiled, "Your lady at home is truly lucky. In this world, a master as devoted as you is rare."

Solongtu chimed in with a few words, but his mind was on the few beautiful young girls who had just been delivered, and in his anxiousness, he cut the talk short to bid farewell. Yue Kundu naturally couldn't stay any longer, and they all cupped their hands in farewell. Before mounting his horse, he looked back at Dingyi, a flicker of uncertainty flashing in his eyes, before he rode off into the distance.