At this time, the nursing home and the vendor came over with six boys ranging from eleven to fifteen years old.
Before Qi Surong could say anything, Manager Zhao had already stepped forward to inspect the goods. After looking at them for a moment, he nodded and said, "These are pretty good, I want them all."
"Uh..." The tooth seller looked at Qi Surong on the other side, who made a "act as you please" gesture.
Qi Surong came from a wealthy family and had a lot of experience. Just looking at Manager Zhao's dress and behavior, one could tell that the owner of his family was either rich or noble. Given her current situation, it would be best to avoid the spotlight and act in a low-key manner.
Manager Zhao followed the tooth seller's gaze and found a young master standing not far away, watching quietly. He has a handsome appearance and smart eyes. Although his clothes are ordinary, he can't hide his elegance. His eyes lit up. Compared with the slaves in front of him, that young man was outstanding.
Just as he was about to say something, he saw a strong man stepping behind the young man and staring at him eagerly.
The man was dressed as a nurse, but he was different from ordinary nurses. He exuded the aura of someone who had been through a killing field. Manager Zhao took back his little thoughts. It would have been fine if the young man was just a descendant of the Taira family. But now it seems that his background is probably not low, at least not something that he, a young manager, can afford to offend.
Manager Zhao bowed slightly to Qi Surong, then asked his servants to complete the transaction with the tooth seller, and left with a few boys.
"This young master, what do you think?" The tooth seller walked up to Qi Surong and smiled shyly.
"Who is Manager Zhao?" Qi Surong interrupted him and asked.
"He is from Zheng Shida's uncle's family in Zheng County." The tooth seller replied respectfully.
"County uncle?" County uncle is a fourth-grade noble. He has a fief but no authority. In addition to conferring titles on meritorious ministers, he will also grant gifts to the emperor's relatives. His surname is Zheng, could he be... "Concubine Zheng's younger brother?"
"The young master is indeed very knowledgeable."
It seems that he was right not to speak out just now. It is rumored that Zheng Shida is sexually active and can be either male or female. Although some people have impeached him, he has never been criticized. Not only because he has a sister who is a concubine, but also because he never messes with powerful people, and rarely robs children from good families. He basically only picks people from the hands of prostitutes. When you get tired of playing with it, you can reward it to your servants, or sell it to others again.
"Young Master, these boys have been bought, and there are still a few men aged 18 or 19 left..."
"Isn't there another one?" Qi Surong pointed at the young man who had just been brought over by Manager Zhao.
The tooth seller hesitated and said: "Young Master, are you sure you want him? He doesn't look easy to control."
"A man of eighteen or nineteen is too old. I just want a boy about my age." Qi Surong said.
"Okay then." The tooth seller stopped talking and said politely, "The villain will give the young master a resale price of thirty taels."
Qi Surong looked at him with a half-smile. Manager Zhao just sold it to him for ten taels, and he made a profit of twenty taels after changing hands.
The tooth seller pretended not to notice Qi Surong's expression and asked, "What do you think, young master?"
"Okay, just thirty taels."
The tooth seller responded cheerfully.
Qi Surong asked the nurse to pay, while he walked up to the young man and asked, "What's your name?"
The young man looked at him coldly and said nothing.
After getting closer, Qi Surong discovered that the injuries on his body were more serious than she thought. His arms with exposed sleeves had purple marks, his legs and feet were staggering a little, his back was arched, and he seemed to be in pain and couldn't straighten up. His forehead was covered with cold sweat. .
"Young Master, it's settled." The nurse handed the contract to Qi Surong.
Qi Surong glanced a few times and his eyes fell on the name of the contractor.
"Yuan Xi?"
The boy was motionless and unresponsive.
Qi Surong's eyes flashed with surprise, couldn't it be such a coincidence? Is this Yuan Xi really the person she remembered from her previous life? Yuan Xi's real name was Fan Ziyu, and he was the son of Fan Gu, the minister of Zhongshu. His mother was Fan Gu's concubine, and she was half of the Western Regions.
Qi Surong looked at it carefully. The young man in front of him had a sharper outline than the average Central Plains person. His pupils were dark gray-blue, and he did have some characteristics of people from the Western Regions.
Is it really him
The Fan family was also one of the dignitaries investigated by the emperor this time, but they were even worse off than the Qi family. Not only were they accused of corruption, but they were also charged with hiding tributes and colluding with foreign thieves. His mother's identity became the target of criticism.
The Fan family was sealed up, Fan Gu was executed, his wives and concubines were exiled, and all immediate family members within three generations were demoted to humble status.
Fan Gu has only one child, Fan Ziyu.
Fan Ziyu was reduced from a noble son to a lowly slave overnight. In order to avoid violating taboos, he changed his name to "Yuan Xi".
Fan Ziyu was the son of a concubine. Before his rebirth, Qi Surong disdained to befriend him and naturally had no impression of him. But after rebirth, Qi Surong remembered this person deeply.
Like the Qi family, the Fan family was ruined because of the crime. But Fan Ziyu was stronger than Qi Surong. As a lowly slave, he traveled among various families, enduring humiliation and suffering, like a beast with a restrained breath, patiently lurking, waiting for the day of revenge, until he met King Jing.
King Jing is the younger brother of the Nine Emperors of the current Holy Emperor and the future new emperor of the Wei Kingdom.
Fan Ziyu was very lucky and chose to be loyal to King Jing, making suggestions for him, and was deeply favored. Before Qi Surong's death, he became King Jing's humerus minister and ranked among the three princes.
Qi Surong's biggest advantage now is his prediction of the next thirty years. Making friends with powerful people who are not yet prominent is the best way for the Qi family to regain its glory.
Qi Surong took Yuan Xi back to the newly bought house. He first asked the maid to take him to freshen up, and then asked the doctor to clean his wounds.
The doctor walked out of the room and said to Qi Surong: "Little Master, his injuries are nothing to worry about. As long as he changes his dressing on time and rests for a few days, he will be fine. But..."
He hesitated to speak.
"Nothing but what?" Qi Surong asked strangely, "Doctor, if you have anything to say, feel free to speak out."
"Well, he, he has been tortured..." The doctor saw that the young man in front of him was only twelve or thirteen years old, so it was hard for him to say anything.
Qi Surong was about to ask more questions when suddenly something happened in his heart. His expression became more solemn and he said, "Doctor, there is no need to say more. I think I know what you are going to say."
Qi Surong had the doctor sent away, glanced at the room where Yuan Xi was, sighed slightly, and turned to leave.
The next day, when Qi Surong appeared in his new house again dressed in men's clothing, he immediately heard the nursing home report to him: "Last night the boy tried to escape, but I caught him and put him in the woodshed."
Escape? Qi Surong was a little confused. Where could he go if he ran away like this
Qi Surong thought for a while and said to the nurse: "Bring the person to the study."
After a while, Yuan Xi was taken into the study by the nurse.
Qi Surong asked the nurse to leave, and they were the only two left in the study.
Yuan Xi sat on the ground, put one hand on the chair next to him, and looked at Qi Surong coldly.
Qi Surong suddenly called out: "Fan Ziyu."
Yuan Xi's expression was shocked and his body straightened unconsciously.
"If you don't want to stay here, where do you want to go?" she asked.
Yuan Xi remained silent.
Qi Surong added: "You should be aware of your current situation. You have been reduced to a lowly status and there is no way out no matter where you go. Instead of being bullied outside, it is better to stay in Xiuzhuang and help me."
"Who are you? How did you know I am Fan Ziyu?" Yuan Xi finally spoke.
"My family, like yours, has been affected by the investigation."
A trace of surprise flashed in Yuan Xi's eyes and he asked: "Are you..."
"Qi." Qi Surong spit out one word. The reason why she didn't hide it was not only because she wanted to gain Yuan Xi's trust, but also because she was sure that Yuan Xi would not betray her.
"It turns out they are the Qi family." Yuan Xi looked at Qi Surong steadily and suddenly said, "I know, you are..."
"Just understand it in your heart." Qi Surong interrupted him and said, "I want to know what your plans are? Why don't you want to stay here?"
Yuan Xi stood up and replied: "I thought this was just a small workshop."
Qi Surong thought for a moment and guessed: "Do you want to join a powerful family?"
Yuan Xi was stunned for a moment, surprised by Qi Surong's sensitivity. After a moment, he nodded and said, "That's right."
"I understand." Qi Surong slowly walked to him and said seriously, "Fan Ziyu, believe me, your goals are the same as mine. I will help you achieve what you want, and I hope you can help me."
"How do you want me to help you?" Yuan Xi asked.
"Be my book boy for the time being and help me take care of Xiuzhuang's affairs."
"What can you do with just one Xiuzhuang?"
"It's true that a Xiuzhuang can't do much?" Qi Surong said calmly, "But I can use the name of Xiuzhuang to enter a big family and make friends with powerful people."
Yuan Xi looked at Qi Surong silently and said word by word: "I'm sorry, I don't trust you."
He had met Qi Surong several times and was well aware of her reputation. How much help could a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boudoir woman, who was talented but arrogant and ignorant of the world, be of any help to him? It's better not to do bad things instead.
Qi Surong did not get angry and asked, "How can I convince you?"
Yuan Xi thought for a moment and replied: "I was humiliated at the hands of Zheng Shida. If you can help me get revenge, I will serve you."
Yuan Xi posed a difficult problem to Qi Surong. His original intention was to make him retreat when he saw the difficulty, but he didn't expect that Qi Surong just thought for a while and nodded in agreement: "Okay, I will avenge you."
This time it was Yuan Xi's turn to be in trouble. He said solemnly: "You have to think clearly and don't compromise yourself just for the sake of temporary motivation."
"I know." Qi Surong smiled, "Do you think I am a man who is driven by his own impulses?"
Yuan Xi was silent, she was indeed different from the rumors. Although he was only fifteen or sixteen years old, his words and deeds were full of maturity, he was neither impatient nor impatient, and he never showed the slightest disdain towards him.
"Qi..." Yuan Xi paused, not knowing what to call her.
"Just call me 'young master'."
"Then you can call me 'Yuan Xi' from now on. Don't call me by my real name again." Yuan Xi said, "Your Qi family also received rewards from the late emperor more than ten years ago. The emperor has many concerns. You must Don’t take it lightly, fall into someone else’s trap, and cause trouble again.”
"Rewarded by the late emperor more than ten years ago?" Qi Surong asked doubtfully, "What do you mean by this?"
Yuan Xi was stunned for a moment: "You don't know?"
"Please explain."
"Since I don't know, I can't say more." Yuan Xi closed his mouth.
"Yuan Xi, now that we have all fallen to this, why should we worry about anything else?"
"You must be careful, otherwise you will be implicated even more."
Qi Surong thought for a while, her heart moved, and she whispered two words tentatively: "Secret letter."
Yuan Xi raised his head suddenly and stared at her closely.
It’s really a secret message! Qi Surong was also surprised. This letter is indeed unusual, as it actually involves the current Holy Father.
Yuan Xi took a breath and said calmly: "Do you know how many dignitaries are under investigation this time?"
Qi Surong counted them carefully and replied: "There are more than 20 people above the fifth rank, and about fifty people below the fifth rank."
Yuan Xi nodded: "Yes, more than thirty of these people all received rewards from the late emperor at the celebration banquet twelve years ago."
"Twelve years ago... the great victory at the border!" Qi Surong remembered. She had heard her father mention it because it was his last battle. "But a great victory at the border should be rewarded according to merit. What's wrong with that?"
"If it's just an ordinary reward, there's nothing wrong with it. However..." Yuan Xi looked at Qi Surong and said in a deep voice, "What if it involves a battle for the throne?"
"The battle for the throne?" Qi Surong whispered and asked, "What does the secret letter have to do with these rewards? What does it have to do with the battle for the throne?"
"It seems that your father didn't mention much to you." Yuan Xi said clearly, "I can only tell you that there is a secret message hidden in the items rewarded by the late emperor, and the secret message is related to the throne. But I don't know There are several secret letters, and the current Holy One must not know about them."
"So, the emperor simply removes those who received rewards more than ten years ago from the court one by one?" Qi Surong murmured to himself.
"Obviously." A cold light flashed in Yuan Xi's eyes.
This investigation has a very wide scope, and there are many officials' children who have been exiled. If they can be found one by one and given corresponding funding and support, maybe they can become the future help of the Qi family.
But this must be done with caution, as the slightest mistake can lead to death.
However, she first had to subdue the unruly young man in front of her.
Qi Surong's eyes gradually changed from doubt to clarity...