Xie Linlang obediently didn't make a sound until the old man breathed a sigh of relief before she asked strangely.
"It was from the Shibo Company just now? Why are you so afraid of them?"
Seeing Xie Linlang speaking in standard Mandarin, the old lady replied in Mandarin with a slight accent.
"You're not a runaway slave?"
"Me?" Xie Linlang looked down at the scarf around her neck, and she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She felt that the smell of the market was too offensive, so she covered her mouth and nose with a cloth, but she didn't expect to be treated as a fugitive slave.
So she shook her head, "I'm not, I came to buy something, and I was crowded here."
Seeing that the old woman suddenly became nervous, Xie Linlang said again.
"But I'm not a bad person either. Don't worry, I know you were kind enough to help me just now, but I just don't know... What the hell is going on with this ship company?"
Seeing that she didn't look malicious, the old woman said slowly.
"My little brother has never been to a lower-class port, right? I don't even know about Shiboji..."
This is the first time Xie Linlang has learned that the capital city is also divided into upper, middle and lower classes
The old woman continued, "The Ships Department is responsible for port entry and exit and management, and they are also responsible for tax collection...
You just saw the people outside running in such a hurry, either they didn't pay their taxes, they were runaway slaves, or they were black households without a household plate... Once these three kinds of people are caught by the Shibo Division, the punishment is very severe, so everyone has to run away. . "
Xie Linlang recalled before and found that almost everyone was running. These people could not be runaway slaves or black households, they should be tax evaders.
The old woman sighed.
"Taxes are getting heavier every year... People who are run by slaves and can't survive will hide in the lower ports to seek a living, because the people from the Ship Shipping Department think this place is smelly and usually don't come here often, so that they can evade taxes."
Xie Linlang was really amazed to hear it!
Seeing that she was in a daze, and it was getting late outside, the old lady had a good heart, so she asked Xie Linlang if she wanted to stay for dinner.
Xie Linlang knew that she must not have much food, where would she eat it.
But the time the old woman spoke, she had already served her a bowl of porridge from the stove on one side.
"You're welcome, it's not a good thing, it's just ordinary fish porridge, eat it..."
As she said that, she brought out a few more bowls of porridge, and said while serving.
"You don't look like a bad person. This world is dangerous, and you have to help each other to survive..."
Xie Linlang held the pottery bowl, and looked at the porridge that was not thick and had a little fishy smell, and felt very emotional.
At this time, seeing where the old woman picked up the tray to go, Xie Linlang hurriedly stepped forward to help.
"Where are you taking it? I'll help you!"
She is still very strong, holding the tray with six pottery bowls on it, and she can still lift it easily.
When the old woman saw that she could do it, she was not polite, but she removed a wooden cover in the corner of the house, revealing a cellar!
She went down first, Xie Linlang was a little strange, but followed closely.
As soon as I went down, a faint coolness hit my face. In this cellar, which could only store food, there were actually four young male slaves hidden in it!
As soon as they saw Xie Linlang, they immediately became vigilant, but Xie Linlang was brought down by the old woman, and they didn't say anything.
The old woman said happily, "The fish brought back by the boss today is very fresh, everyone, come and eat!"
Xie Linlang put the tray on the simple stone table in the cellar.
Seeing Xie Linlang looking at them in a daze, the old lady didn't hide it and said directly.
"These kids are runaway slaves, but thanks to them, the old lady didn't starve to death, but they don't like to talk, don't mind."
It turns out that people in this area are very poor, and most of them are old and weak, or people who cannot survive outside.
Later, many fugitive slaves came here. Although they were slaves, they were all diligent and energetic.
Therefore, every household basically takes in fugitive slaves. On the one hand, the fugitive slaves work for them, which can help them. On the other hand, they can also provide shelter for the fugitive slaves, so that they will not be captured by the officials.
The two sides supported each other, avoided the city ship division and the city servants, and lived hard in the dark side of the prosperous capital.
And these are already the norm in Lianyu Port, many people know it, and it is not a secret.
Xie Linlang listened with a heavy heart. She asked, "I see that people outside hate slaves, why are you willing to take them in?"
The old woman said with a smile.
"What kind of hatred is there? They are also poor children, and if they hadn't been willing to stay with me, my old lady couldn't work and would have starved to death.
Even though many people out there hate slaves, what they really hate is not slaves.
It's like the lady of the Wang family at the entrance of the market, who shouts every day that she can't live anymore, and she wants to drive all the slaves out of the capital, but in fact, their family cooks a little more food every day for the slaves under the bridge, and they say yes. Eat leftovers at home.
But they are all poor people, who will have leftovers..."
The old woman said and shook her head, "Everyone hates only those slave owners, but some small slave owners buy and sell slaves to earn a living.
The real hate is the people above! Hey... not to mention these! They are all big men, who cares about the lives of ordinary people like us. "
Seeing that Xie Linlang has been questioning, holding the porridge bowl without moving, one of the four silent male slaves asked in a bad tone.
"Why don't you eat it? Can't you see it?"
Although Xie Linlang was dressed in ordinary clothes, her aura was something that could not be concealed with clothes.
As soon as he said this, the old woman was a little embarrassed, she said a little embarrassedly.
"There are no other good things at home... Besides, the fish and meat porridge is not bad. I heard that the people who live in Dongji can only eat one meal a day, and they have to do the heaviest hard work, and people are tired every day. die."
Xie Linlang took a deep breath, shook her head and said, "No, I don't dislike it, I just feel that the world is not easy."
As she spoke, she lowered her head and drank the porridge. This porridge was indeed fishy and unpalatable, but when she ate it, it reminded her of the days when she couldn't eat, and she also had times when she was very embarrassed.
In order to make her obedient, the Witch King kept her in the dungeon for three days and three nights. When she was extremely hungry, she even ate live scorpions. Now I think about it, how did she, who is afraid of insects, eat at that time. down
She ate the porridge, and then got up and said her goodbyes. It could be seen that the male slaves did not welcome her.
But before leaving, Xie Linlang took out all the money on her body, three or two in total, and gave it all to the old woman.
The old woman was shocked, and Xie Linlang left without waiting for her resignation.