After leaving the shop, Jiang Hua led them toward the market.
Aunt Liu and Liu Tianming must have set up their stall today as well, because at a glance, you can see that their stall is surrounded by people.
Once the crowd had thinned out and things weren't so crowded anymore, Jiang Hua led them closer.
"Huahua, Xiaoyi, you've come to town too!" Aunt Liu greeted her while busy packing wolf-tooth potatoes for the customers.
The two finally stopped after the group of guests left.
"How's business? It looks like there are a lot of people here," Jiang Hua asked casually.
"That's right, Huahua, I think all twenty jin of potatoes we brought have been sold out." Aunt Liu picked up the empty wooden bucket and placed it in front of her.
"Looks like I'll need to prepare an extra ten pounds tomorrow."
“It’s always like this at the beginning. Everyone likes new things. It won’t be so busy in a couple of days,” Jiang Hua reminded her.
It's always like this at the beginning, like when she sells salt-baked chicken feet. At first, there are a lot of people, but after two or three days, things will stabilize.
"It's alright, Auntie knows," Aunt Liu replied, also noticing the red flower behind Jiang Hua.
"Isn't this the girl who sells pickled green beans? What's she doing here?"
"When I open my shop, I'll be too busy to manage everything, so I'll ask her to come and help," Jiang Hua explained.
"What?" Aunt Liu thought she had misheard and asked again, "Huahua, you're opening a shop?"
"Yes, we're planning to sell food. When we open, Auntie, please remember to come and support us," Jiang Hua replied.
"Where did you open the shop? Have you rented the shop yet?" Aunt Liu asked again.
"The shop I bought is on East Street."
Aunt Liu was about to say that buying a shop on East Street wouldn't be cheap, but then she remembered that she had dug up ginseng before.
I should have some money left after selling it, but that's not enough to keep spending like this.
"Huahua, it's not easy for you and your son to make a living. Xiao Jiang isn't here, so you should save some money for emergencies," Aunt Liu couldn't help but advise.
"Don't worry, Auntie, I know what I'm doing. Jiang Xingzhou left me some money before he left," Jiang Hua replied.
Sigh, Xiao Jiang is also a hunter. After he took out fifty taels of silver, he probably didn't have much silver left at home, and he probably didn't have much left either.
"When will the shop open? Have you decided on a date?" Aunt Liu asked. "We need to find a fortune teller to choose an auspicious day."
"Not yet, let's make plans in a few days when we're ready," Jiang Hua said.
"By the way, Auntie, are you going back?" Jiang Hua asked, watching Liu Tianming packing up the iron plate.
"Yes, we'll buy some more potatoes and then head back. Have you all gone back too?" Aunt Liu asked.
"I have something to do later, so I'd like my aunt to take them both back with her."
“Stepmother, I want to stay with you,” Jiang Jingyi said immediately.
“Sister Jiang, I want to follow you too,” Honghua echoed.
"I have other things to do and it's inconvenient for me to take you with me. You should go back with Aunt Liu and the others first," Jiang Hua said to them.
"It's alright, Huahua, you go ahead. I'll take them to your house this afternoon," Aunt Liu agreed.
After leaving the market, Jiang Hua returned to Mingyue Tower. It was already noon, and the main hall of the restaurant was packed.
"Is there anything else, Miss Jiang?" Manager Bai asked.
"I've come to see Sun Nian about something."
Upon hearing this, Manager Bai immediately sent someone to the kitchen to fetch Sun Nian.
"Miss Jiang, what brings you here?" Sun Nian walked over quickly.
"I want to buy some servants. Do you know where to buy them?" Jiang Hua asked directly.
"The people market is on North Street. It takes about fifteen minutes to get there from East Street. The entire North Street is there. But, Miss Jiang, would you like me to accompany you?" Sun Nian asked after thinking for a moment.
"I can go with you after noon; the North Street area is a bit chaotic."
"It's alright, you go ahead with your work, I can go by myself." Jiang Hua declined Sun Nian's offer and left on her own.
"Sun Nian, what does Miss Jiang want with you?"
No sooner had Jiang Hua left than Manager Bai approached and asked her questions. Sun Nian then told him about Jiang Hua's visit.
"Go down," Manager Bai waved his hand.
North Street is only a few meters away from East Street, yet the two streets are completely different.
North Street is relatively quiet, and the pedestrians are all in a hurry, as if they would be tainted by something bad if they were a step too slow.
In this era, human trafficking was legal. Some families sold their children to human traffickers because they couldn't afford to support them, while others sold their children because their families had committed crimes.
However, the purchase of a maidservant must be stamped and registered by the government for the sale to be legal. As for what happens to the maidservant after she is bought back, that is uncertain.
They might follow their master and be highly valued, or they might be tortured to death or sold again.
Although she is a modern person, call her hypocritical if you want, but living in this era, she must abide by some of the rules of this era, such as equality for all, so let's leave it at that.
I had considered hiring people for the shop before, but after thinking about it, I realized that without someone whose lifeline I could control, it would be too easy for them to betray me.
Therefore, it's better to hire a few people to work in the shop than to hire them from outside.
Thinking about it, Jiang Hua had already entered a large courtyard. There were large iron cages in the courtyard, and many people were imprisoned inside the cages. They were all dirty.
Because the cages are not tall, those waiting to be sold can only huddle inside.
"Young lady, why are you all alone in the human market?"
"ah--!"
Jiang Hua used an over-the-shoulder throw to slam the man who had suddenly appeared and tried to grope her to the ground.
"Ouch!" the man cried out in pain as he lay on the ground.
"I want to buy a few maids. Where is your manager?" Jiang Hua asked the man writhing on the ground with a cold face.
Just as I was about to turn around and go to another place, a charming female voice came from the courtyard.
"Coming, coming, heroine, don't be in a hurry!"
A heavily made-up woman swayed her slender waist as she quickly blocked Jiang Hua's path from the main room.
The embroidered handkerchief she waved carried a rich, incense-like fragrance, and her cherry-red lips were painted so vibrantly that one would want to take a bite.
If it weren't for the courtyard being filled with people, Jiang Hua would have thought she had entered Yingchun Tower and that the woman in front of her was the madam of the brothel.
"Miss, I'm the manager here. You can call me Chunniang. Whatever kind of maid you want, I have it all here," Chunniang said sweetly, waving the handkerchief in her hand.
"Be serious for once." Jiang Hua looked at the pink handkerchief that had been waved back and forth in front of her eyes at least five times, somewhat speechless.
"Heh~" Chunniang chuckled lightly, then changed her previous wanton demeanor and asked again in a serious tone.
"I want three clean-looking girls who are quick and capable," Jiang Hua stated her requirements.
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