Yan Qingqing helped him up from the ground and said, "You're a good child, there's no need for this. I've already heard what happened to you. They all see you as their pillar of support, but you're still just a child. It's been tough on you."
Just hearing the words "I'm sorry you've suffered" made Mu Xi break down. It was the most heartwarming sentence he had heard in a long time, and tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.
Yan Qingqing didn't know how to comfort him. It seemed that nothing she said would be of any use at this moment, so she might as well let him vent quietly.
Seeing that it was getting late, Ah Da said, "Madam, it's getting late. If it gets any later, the brokerage firm will probably have to close."
Yan Qingqing slapped her forehead and said, "Look at my memory, I actually forgot about this. The broker said that a new batch of people arrived today, right? I guess if I go there now, all the good ones will have been taken."
After Yan Qingqing finished speaking, she glanced at Mu Xi subtly before turning to leave.
But in my mind, I was silently counting: "One, two, three..."
Sure enough, when Yan Qingqing counted to five, Mu Xi stopped her and said, "Madam, if you want to buy servants, can you pick a few from us? We don't charge money; you just need to make sure they are fed."
Yan Qingqing smiled slightly upon hearing this. This was exactly what she and Amao had come to this place with. However, she hadn't expected these children to have gone through so much hardship. Of course, Yan Qingqing would be happy to accept them if they were willing.
However, Yan Qingqing couldn't let Mu Xi see through her act, otherwise today's favor would be seen as having ulterior motives, and it would make them less loyal in the future.
So he pretended to be in a difficult position and said, "If you want to sell yourselves, you can go to a brokerage. It's not right for me to buy you like this."
Mu Xi knelt down on the ground again with a thud and said, "I know it's difficult for you, Madam, but we have no household registration or travel permits. Even if we go to the brokerage, they won't take us. Don't worry, Madam. As long as you are willing to buy them and give them a way to live, they will definitely be loyal in the future and will never betray you."
Yan Qingqing glanced at Mu Xi and asked, "Why did you buy them instead of yourself?"
Mu Xi said with difficulty, "I also want to go with Madam, but there are more than thirty of us. If I leave them behind, I'm afraid they won't be able to survive."
Yan Qingqing was truly surprised by the child's upright character, so she said again, "What if I said I could take you all with me?"
Mu Xi was somewhat surprised. Yan Qingqing actually wanted to buy so many people? Among them were several sickly people, and it was uncertain whether they would survive. How could Yan Qingqing be willing to take them?
Yan Qingqing said with a smile, "I can still afford to raise a few children, but they have to be willing to sell themselves into slavery. They have to choose their own lives. Maybe they would rather be beggars."
Yan Qingqing was telling the truth. At least beggars were free; once they sold themselves into slavery, their lives were no longer in their own hands. Although Yan Qingqing also felt that sending these children to her home was the best option.
Mu Xi fell silent after hearing this. Yan Qingqing didn't urge him, but said, "You can discuss it again. If anyone is willing to go, you can come to Canghe Village tonight to find me. The biggest courtyard in the village is my home."
Mu Xi looked at Yan Qingqing and nodded firmly, then said, "Thank you, Madam!"
Yan Qingqing then led A'da out of the beggar's den. A'da looked at Yan Qingqing and asked, "Madam, shall we go to the brokerage again?"
Yan Qingqing smiled and shook her head, saying, "We already have so many people, why waste so much money? It cost me several hundred taels of silver when I bought you all. My money doesn't grow on trees."
Ah Da curled his lip and said, "How can you be so sure that they will come tonight, Madam?"
Besides, they're just little kids, how old are they? What could they possibly do at our house?
Yan Qingqing looked at A'da and laughed, "Being young has its advantages, but you guys who arrived early are not allowed to bully him."
Ah Da replied with a smile, "Don't worry, Madam. We are all unfortunate people. We are lucky to have met you, so naturally we won't bully them."
After finishing his sentence, Ah Da asked, "Since Madam isn't buying servants anymore, shall we go back to Canghe Village or to the shop now?"
Yan Qingqing thought for a moment and replied, "Let's just stroll around the streets. It's been a long time since I've had a leisurely walk."
If I see anything suitable, I'll buy a little; if not, I'll just treat it as a way to relax.
After wandering around the county town, Yan Qingqing bought a lot of odds and ends, including food, toys, and ornaments.
In addition, she bought a lot of coarse cloth, thinking that if Mu Xi and the other children were willing to go to their house, she could make clothes for them.
While shopping, Yan Qingqing noticed a significant increase in beggars on the streets. She figured they must all be from Fengtian Prefecture, but her abilities were limited and she couldn't offer any help. She could only sigh deeply and lose interest in shopping.
Yan Qingqing said to A'da, "Let's go back to Canghe Village."
Ah Da responded and drove the oxcart, loaded with a full load of goods, back to Canghe Village.
When Yuan Huiniang got home, she saw only Yan Qingqing and A'da, but the oxcart was full of things. She thought that her mother-in-law might have been delayed by shopping, or that there might not have been any suitable servants, so she didn't ask any further questions.
After dinner, Yan Qingqing looked at the gloomy weather, which looked like it was going to rain, and felt a little irritable. If it rained, the children probably wouldn't be able to come.
But it would probably be even harder for them to live in such a house if they didn't come. The weather is still quite cold in early spring, and these days a cold can easily kill someone.
Gradually, a light rain began to fall outside, which gradually grew heavier. Just when Yan Qingqing thought the group of children wouldn't come, the old woman in the courtyard reported that A-Da was requesting an audience.
Yan Qingqing hadn't rested yet, so she let him in. Ah Da came in with a happy expression and said, "Madam, the group of children we met today have arrived."
Yan Qingqing quickly asked, "Where?"
Ah Da replied, "I arranged for them to stay in the front hall. One of the children seems to have been slightly injured."
Yan Qingqing quickly stood up and said, "Come on, I'll go take a look. You go to the kitchen and ask the cook to make more ginger soup. Oh, and see if there's anything else in the kitchen that you can send to the front hall."
Before Ah Da could reply, Yan Qingqing opened her umbrella and headed to the front hall. When she arrived, she found the children shivering from the cold, unsure whether to stand or sit, looking quite anxious. One of the children had an injured leg that was bleeding profusely.
Yan Qingqing quickly asked, "How did you get so badly injured?"
Mu Xi and A Mao had met Yan Qingqing before. They were moved to see her come to visit them in the heavy rain and vowed to be loyal to her for life. So they knelt down and said, "Please take us in, Madam."
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