It is not without the aristocracy in Mongolia that this is a conspiracy of the Han Chinese, intending to degenerate the Mongolians for their enjoyment.
But the advantages are obvious, and the disadvantages are too far away.
After all, the Han people will bring salt and sugar, and there are many things that the grasslands do not have. Things that only nobles could have in the past can now be exchanged by ordinary Mongolians. Things that are worthless here can be exchanged for merchants. a lot of money.
Nobles also received gifts from merchants.
Not for free, of course, but it's just a matter of a few words for them to get expensive silks, fine jewelry, and real gold and silver.
Anyway, they won't sell their war horses and weapons. If so, why not do it
There is no cost and benefit.
Could it be that if the merchants were driven away and the merchants were killed, would they be able to live better than they are now
Impossible!
And the previously worthless slaves are worth too.
A slave can cost as much as a cow.
Moreover, slaves are easier to raise than cattle. Slaves are born and raised by themselves, but the number of slaves has never been less.
In their eyes, slaves are animals, even worse than animals. When animals grow up, they can kill and eat meat. What about slaves
Slaves were also willing to be bought by merchants.
Although they still have to work after being bought, more and more slaves know that as long as they pay off the money that the merchants bought them, they can be free people in Han cities and can own their own property.
Scar is such a slave. The slave has no name. He is called Scar by other slaves because he has a knife wound on his face. .
Because of this, he was picked up by the merchant.
But his Eji was not picked away. Eji was already very old when he gave birth to him. Fortunately, the master was kind and did not throw away his Eji. Before leaving, he promised Eji that he would become a free citizen. , he came back to pick her up.
He doesn't know who his Abu is, even slaves do.
I only know my mother, I don't know my father, and sometimes I don't even know who my mother is.
Knife Scar just followed the businessman. Sometimes he would carry goods like a bull and horse, and he still ate and slept.
But the difference from before is that he can eat enough. The new owner is a very powerful adult. He does business with the nobles, and after doing business, he will return to the Han city.
Scar was the first time he entered the city of Han Chinese, and he walked with the slaves who were singled out with him.
"The city walls of the Han people are very high." The companion has a new name, Tiger, which he chose himself.
Scar also looked up at the city wall, he had never seen such a high wall.
When they entered the city with the caravan, it was like coming to another world.
The streets are wide and clean, and the ground looks like stone but not stone.
The application effect of the newly made cement is very good. Although it does not have the leveling of modern cement, it has enhanced the effect of soil cement a lot.
There were also many people talking on the side of the street.
There are Han Chinese and Mongolians.
They wore different clothes and spoke different accents, but they were not tit for tat.
Those Mongols knew at a glance that they were slaves.
Scar looked at the Mongols and then at his hands.
The tiger asked him next to him: "You say, when will we be able to pay the master's money back?"
Scar: "Master said, I can pay it off with one more trip."
"Then it can be exchanged for a deed."
Scar grinned, which made him look even more sinister: "After changing the deed, I can get my wages, and I can pick up Eji."
An old female slave is worthless.
Scar didn't need to save much to get her mother into the city.
The businessman rented a house in the city, and the ten of them slept in one room.
This is the first time Scar has slept in a house, a bed, although it is a straw mattress, but it is a bed anyway.
The bed he never slept in.
The tiger ran into the house excitedly and grabbed the inner bunk.
Scar sleeps next to the tiger.
No one in a room slept at night, they were all slaves.
They were all bought by merchants, and the slave who had been with the merchant for the longest time had been with the merchant for almost a year.
He would tell the new slaves about the city before going to bed.
"You can't fight," said the bearded slave. "If you fight, you'll be caught and locked up, with no bed or quilt."
The slaves listened carefully to Beard's words.
Beard added: "When you get the deed, you can go to the county government to register, and you will have household registration in the future."
Beard is a little proud: "I already have a household registration, and the master said that if I work for another year, I can buy a house."
"I also took over my Eji and Aha from the original owner." Beard said to them, "I will take you to my house tomorrow if I have nothing to do."
The slaves were shocked: "Didn't you say you'd work another year to buy a house?"
Beard: "Yes, but I have a household registration, so I can rent a house."
The next day, the slaves didn't wait for the merchant's orders, which meant they could make their own arrangements for the entire day.
They have holidays, because the employment system stipulates that in addition to statutory holidays, every seven days must be one day off.
Today is a rare holiday.
There is no holiday after entering the grassland, but the wages will be more than in the city.
Therefore, slaves all want to follow the merchants into the grasslands as soon as possible, so that they can become free people earlier and have their own property.
The bearded Eji and Aha live in the south of the county, where the rent is cheaper, and there are Han and Mongolian people living there.
The house he rents is not big, but it has a yard.
Scar looked enviously, because there was still a tree in Beard's yard, I didn't know what tree it was, and I didn't know what fruit it would bear, but Scar was still very envious.
He thought that when he rented a house in the future, he should also have such a tree.
"Professor!" The man with a similar beard threw out and hugged his brother.
The beard was also very happy and patted the man on the back: "Aha! Where's Eji?"
The man smiled and said, "Eji is cooking, saying that she has learned the craftsmanship of the Han people, and she will cook it for us."
Beard introduced Scar to the men again.
The man was the older brother of the bearded man, who was not picked up by the businessman at the time because one of his legs was lame.
A man also has a name, which is given by his lover. His lover is a local. Because it is close to the grassland, the folk customs here are very sturdy. This girl is the only daughter of the family. She works in a textile factory in the city. Live off her income.
So she found a Mongolian slave as her lover, and even if the family disagreed, there was no other way.
She called him Ping An, and men like that name too.
"I'm learning a craft now," Ping An said. "Although my leg is lame, I want to be a cook."
Scar and their eyes widened: "You can cook?"
Ping An smiled: "I am learning."
Although the legs are inconvenient, but there is still strength in the hands, it is not as good as others to carry goods, and it is still possible to cook and stir-fry.
Scar and they had a day like a dream.
Only then did they realize that slaves could also live like this, and the merchants didn't lie to them.
As long as they work hard, they can become free people and can pick up their relatives.
But Scar still asked the beard: "Don't the Han people bully you?"
These slaves are different from ordinary Mongolians. They don't know the outside world, they don't have deep hatred for the Han people, and they don't feel that they were the masters of the Central Plains.
Tribes are very different from tribe to tribe, not to mention slaves and ordinary Mongols.
Beard said: "Bullying."
Scar they were scared.
Beard added: "At most, give us less cuts when buying meat."
Beard laughed: "But after you get used to it, you won't be able to."
"Learn to laugh." Beard is very serious, "Han people say that they don't reach out and don't hit smiling faces, it makes sense!"
In the mouth of the beard, this border town of Han people is a very remarkable place.
Chinese and Mongolians can live and work together, and Mongolian children can also go to school with Han children. They do not charge any money, but only pay for textbooks, which are very cheap.
If you study well, you can get a scholarship to earn money for your family.
Beard also said that he will get married and have many children in the future.
Then the child has another child and can take root in this small town.
Scar and the others also quickly learned that Ping An had a Chinese lover.
When Ping An finds a job, they will get married, and Ping Ping will be married to the woman's house.
After listening to Scar, they were very envious.
"After I joined the family, I was part of their family." Ping An smiled happily.
Scar: "How is your lover treating you?"
Ping An nodded: "She is a bit fierce."
Beard laughs beside him.
Ping An glared at his brother and said, "But sometimes it's very gentle."
"She's the best girl I've ever met."
Scar and the others have only seen female slaves. Like them, female slaves have to do a lot of work. They are scantily clad and skinny.
And slave owners don't like female slaves, unless they are beautiful and can be dedicated to nobles.
Otherwise, when food was in short supply, female slaves would be thrown away.
Scar and the others soon met a peaceful lover.
She is a very ordinary Han girl with small eyes and a flat nose. She does not wear a Han woman's skirt, but pants.
Now many women wear it like this because it is convenient for work.
The small town used to be closed and poor. Since the arrival of the merchants, the small town has undergone tremendous changes.
Women from all households have found work.
The same is true for men. The men and women in the family work together, and the skirts that are inconvenient to work are put away.
After all, the folk customs are sturdy and simple, and no one has to teach them etiquette.
This girl is here to lead Ping An away.
She only got off work at this time. It is close to the factory. After get off work, she will come to Ping An, and Ping Ping will take her home.
Wait for the lover to leave safely.
Scar and they said, "That's great."
Beard proudly said: "Fortunately, I was picked out by the master!"
Otherwise, he would still be on the grassland, living like an ox and horse until the day he died of exhaustion.