The guide ran away from one, and strangely enough, the black man didn't even try to get him back.

The Creelian man said he knew a grain merchant around the square and could ask about the current situation, and he never looked back.

During the time after the service, two people came to us curiously and asked us what we had, and they were willing to buy dried fish; A Salander is willing to sell his daughter to us at a low price, saying that she has a fat buttocks, is abundant and prolific, and has at least thirty years to procreate; Two entertainers came to us and asked if we could watch them perform, and if we needed a piece of bread, they would be able to blow a string of rope for us with a flute. Paul sent these people away, and these people were not discouraged and turned to someone else to negotiate business.

The archer went and fetched us a bucket of water, saying that he had brought it from a pond with a small half bucket of sand, and when we wiped our faces, we found a loach in the sand. A little girl with a bulging belly and an almost transparent belly came to take the loach, kissed each of us on the hands, ate the loach raw, and walked away satisfied.

The square was bustling with people, and most of them didn't seem to have much spirit. The two soldiers of the governor rode together a dying ox to the square, pulled the two men who were fighting, slapped one of them twice, tied them to the pillars with ropes, and levied three fat fish from each of the fishmongers, and left the square and went to the next bazaar.

The black chief sent a black man who had been a bed slave to find someone, and we had been waiting for him to come back.

I quietly looked at our two remaining guides, and after realizing that their companions had escaped, they were terrified for a moment. Presumably, they were worried that the blacks would anger them, but when they saw that all the blacks did not move. I was relieved and became restless. I guess I want to find a chance to escape.

The bed slave soon returned, with a trembling old woman. The old woman's eyes were like an eagle's, and her nose was extremely long, like that of a witch.

She walked up to the black man, and even the hyenas seemed to be afraid of her, sneezed, licked their noses, and found a sunny place to bask in the sun. The old woman did not speak, but sat cross-legged across from the black chief, as if she knew who was in charge here. She was waiting for the black man to speak first.

"Your young master is dead." After a while, the black leader finally spoke.

The old woman opened her mouth and laughed, her voice like an unoiled waterwheel, "Isn't he also your young master?" ”

"It used to be." The black chief noted. "I've heard that he and his brother can get twenty barrels of flour."

"Twenty barrels, yes." The old woman seemed to be unable to hold back her smile, "Come twenty days ago, you can." But the lord died half a month ago, and the lady also died. They gave me all the food and possessions for me to dispose of. Haha, the old woman won't live for a few days, and I gave all the food to the temple in the city. They said I would go to heaven. I am so happy to see your face that I think you are like a herd of pigs. After running for nothing, my old woman was even happier. You traitors. I prayed day and night that the Lord Almighty would throw you into the Fire, and today is the happiest day for me. Guess what. How much flour, how much bread, how much wheat did I give away? Give it all away, and you won't get anything. Ha ha. ”

The faces of several black people around him began to twitch, but the expression of the black leader was like a windless lake, "You're just a slave girl." Why should you curse your brothers and sisters for your master? ”

"Phew!" The old woman spat out a mouthful of phlegm, "I'm a decent person, unlike you brutes. I know who gave me a bite to eat, a mouthful to drink, a husband for me, and a shack for me when I was about to starve to death. I remember it clearly, but you don't. You are a pack of wolves that cannot be fed, and when they smell blood, they will turn back and bite your benefactors. ”

"Whatever you want," said the black chief, "I have cut thirty crops of wheat, and I have done nothing wrong in thirty years." But the owner had killed a dog, and I couldn't find out who had done it, so I cut off my fingers just to get angry, and used it to scare some guy who killed the dog. Anyway, I don't think such people are my benefactors. It doesn't matter, but I know one thing: old woman, you can't go to heaven. ”

"Nonsense." The old woman said in disgust, "You know something. People told me that if you donate a bucket of flour to the poor, you can go to heaven. I donated so much. ”

"The flour is not yours." The black chief said, "The lord asked you to leave the property so that you could help his son find the bones and give him a decent burial at the temple." If you fail to do this, not a single bag of flour will be yours, and you will be nothing but a thief who has squandered the property of your good master, leaving your master's son to be exposed to the wilderness. Isn't your Almighty Lord the Most Seeing, and for this you are going to Hell before me. ”

"You're lying." The old woman stood up, "I will be glorious to my lord, and you will never be gone." ”

"You deceived me first, and you are the one who wants to lie to others." The black leader remained silent, "I knew for a long time that I was going to be hunted by God forever, and I knew it very well: it was because I hadn't thought of resisting for so long, God doesn't like cowards, and I've been a coward for more than thirty years, and for this, I deserve to suffer after death." But you still can't escape the punishment after death. The preacher in the manor speaks very clearly, I have heard it for decades, and I know it better than you. Isn't it natural that you have broken your promise to your master, that you are unrighteous and destined to go to Hellfire. It's useless for me to say, think for yourself. We'll talk about it when we've figured it out. ”

After the old black man finished speaking, he closed his eyes and paid no attention to the old woman.

A few young blacks around saw the leader like this, and they no longer paid attention to the old woman. The old woman yelled at us for a long time, and called out to the men around her to help her ask for help from the judge, or to find soldiers to arrest us, but the people around her looked at her like a madman. The old woman scolded for a while, felt exhausted, and walked away.

I asked the chief. What if this old woman doesn't come.

He said that when people are about to die, their minds are full of thoughts about not suffering after death. This old woman will definitely be back.

As the sun was about to set, we lingered above the market. I don't think this old woman will come back. In fact, I think that this old woman's good deeds can completely make her have a clear conscience: helping the poor, no matter when, is praised.

Unexpectedly, when the last fishmonger in the market drove the donkey cart and pulled the fish bucket away, the old woman came back with a middle-aged man.

The old woman sat down on a stone bench with a sad face. The middle-aged man came up to talk to us.

"Who are you?" Paul asked him.

The middle-aged man said, "I'm a neighbor of Old Man Suke's house. He's a decent person. The family of Master Suk has been ordained to my lord, may they be in peace. ”

"What are you going to do?" Paul continued.

"Entrusted by someone," said the man, "Aunt Asri said she had an unfinished deal with you, and asked me to notarize it for him." ”

"She owes us twenty buckets of flour."

"Can I swap it for something else?" The man looked trusting, "Aunt Asre's actions are very noble, she has donated all the food a few days ago, and I am afraid she will not be able to raise so much food for a while." ”

Find such an honest person to negotiate. What a mistake, I thought.

"Are you stupid or am I stupid," said Paul, "and what is more valuable in the city now than food?" I can buy the Doge's wife to sleep with me with a few turnips. As long as flour, nothing else. She can send it out, and she can come back. ”

The man said. "Ladies and gentlemen, I know that a contract is a contract. But now if you don't want to do that. I'm afraid no one will be able to do it. But Old Man Suke's family still has a lot of property left, and there are two courtyards. With garden. There are also more than seventy pieces of exquisite furniture, lacquered and antique. In addition, there were two carriages and thirty sides of glass, as clear as water, not a single one of which was blistered, and each piece of glass was worth a fortune. And of course lots of cutlery and silk. Aunt Ares left herself two months' of food, and she is willing to take out all these things and give them to you'''' But I advise you not to be so strong, taking this food is to push Auntie to death''"

"Hell, are you this old woman's concubine? How do you know so clearly," said Paul, "that the things you speak of look bells and whistles, but they are of no use to us. Paul touched his nose.

"I'm an apprentice lawyer." The man said, "When I was young, I followed the most famous lawyer in the city for a year and a half, helping him transcribe the file. Later, he kept accounts for more than ten years and never faked. Before he died, Master Suke brought me and another man as witnesses, and gave everything to Aunt Asre. So I'm more clear about this, please don't slander the innocence of me and my aunt at will, it's not right'''"

"Come on," Paul didn't bother to listen any further, "what are we going to do with all these things you are talking about, except for the old woman's own rations?" ”

"Are you businessmen?" The middle-aged man scratched his head, "If you are not in a hurry to eat, in fact, wait a while, and when the sea route is restored, these things will slowly become valuable." I've heard that the Nords have begun to collect grain from several trading stations, and that once the docks resume the import of grain, all undervalued goods will immediately become worthless. Why don't you wait? To tell you nothing, before I came here, I repeatedly admonished Aunt Asri that if I wait a little longer, sell these properties and furniture, and naturally raise enough food. It's just that Aunt Asri seems to have strengthened her determination to complete the contract, so I have to come. ”

"Well, that's a nice thing to say," said Paul's fellow Wikibian, "then you should go and help the old woman raise food and buy her treasures." ”

"I've done everything I can," said the man, "and I bought two bags of flour from Aunt Asri in the small building where my family lives." In fact, Master Suke's property, which originally included more than a dozen courtyards and a few shops facing the street, had already been bought out by everyone. The reason why what is left now is not sold is because the surrounding residents have no food at all. ”

We were taken aback to hear this. Paul probably vomited blood with hatred in his heart, this old woman was too impulsive. It is estimated that she does not know the value of these things at all, maybe a few kind words from others, plus a little food, she will nod her head in agreement and put her own mark on the contract.

"By the way," the man added, "there are a few Nords coming to visit tomorrow, and at that time, Aunt Asri may be able to mention the matter of food to them, and if the Nords can raise it generously, then I think you will be able to get it." But do you really have to get this flour? I don't see any benefit from you. ”

"Who are you speaking for?" I couldn't help but ask him.

"Actually, I'm speaking for all of us. I know that you may not be able to accept it, but I do think that I have a great talent for business," said the man, "and after the plague, the shop of the old man Suke can be restored. So I hope that the people who buy these properties can finally be handed over to me to take care of, and I will be the housekeeper. It would be great if I could buy all the shops. But I really don't dare to expect more, after all, the price given by Aunt Asri is already a rare grace. If you are decent businessmen, then after you take over the things in the hands of Aunt Asri, you can hand them over to me to take care of in the future, and every year you will have a share and send it directly to your mansion or your firm. If it is only for living, the gardeners, carpenters, stonemasons, and masons in the garden, these people will be useful in the future, and they will need someone to recommend and hire craftsmen for you, to manage the domestic servants, and to have someone to take care of the estate for you in your absence. I'm a good guy at doing this. ”

"Then why don't you go to the Nords?"

"Jill?" The man smiled wryly, "Jill does the same, it looks like he owns a city, but in fact, he is also the one who takes care of the business for merchants, mercenary leaders, and lords of all sizes. If all the property is bought up by the Nords, who needs me? I certainly don't want to deal with people I can't afford to mess with. ”

"Can we afford to mess with us?" Paul thought the middle-aged man was interesting, at least not a flea who could only bargain.

"Of course I didn't mean that. I mean, you might need me, and Jill doesn't need it at all. That's why I'd rather you talk to Aunt Asre. Of course, if you have enough money and want to make a difference in Ulric City, even I can hire you, and I am more than willing to work for you. In addition to Lord Suke's possessions, there are plenty of opportunities in the city, and with very few things, you can buy things that were impossible before."

"Hell," said one black man, "my head is going to explode." This idiot muttered for a long time, I don't understand anything, a Nord, a mess of business. We just need flour, and if this man doesn't have it, let him get out. ”

"yes, fuck off." The black man without a nose said, "We're in a hurry to go back, who wants these houses." ”

"Let this old woman go and go to someone else to say good things, you concubine also go, we will ask for food."

The leader spoke at this time, "It is true that you have tempted us with so many things, but I have not heard a trace of sincerity from beginning to end. This old woman owes us twenty buckets of flour, or wheat to grind so much flour, and we don't need anything else. Let's go back. ”

The man was in a dilemma, as if he didn't expect that his candid attitude would not arouse the interest of the other party, and this kind of opportunity to make a fortune is not always available.

The old woman gave us a vicious look and called out to the man to leave, saying that she did not want to be ashamed of us anymore.

Paul came out at this time to play the round, "Or we can go to the courtyard of Suke's house to rest, that is better than sleeping on the street." ”

The blacks fell silent.

The old woman screamed, "Your lord's house will not be defiled by you. ”

"That's the old man's house," laughed the black chief, who seemed very happy to have seized on the old woman's psychological weakness, and did not mind poking her in the underbelly again and again, "and now you owe us more." We'll go to Sooke's house and sleep, and I'll sleep in his bed. (To be continued.) )