Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 143 - 141: Setting Off

Chapter 143: Chapter 141: Setting Off

Xiao’er’s worry wasn’t groundless. The restaurants and supermarkets in town had been so successful in business recently that they had hired some new people. Despite having a shallow foundation, their family’s shop was doing so well that it made others envious. If someone were to take advantage of the hiring process to introduce a few people who could exploit the situation, it was entirely possible.

Xiao’er’s worry was resolved by a single sentence from Tian Bai.

"You can process a kind of loyalty powder in the spatial workshop and feed it to them, and then you won’t have to worry anymore."

Do the workshops have materials to process? Previously, when she asked the two geese what could be processed in a workspace, they claimed they didn’t know. They said that what it can process is random, but once it works, it can be permanently processed.

Now the spatial workshop can process a loyalty powder. This powder is harmless, colorless, tasteless, and side-effect-free when added to meals, and it only works on people who have signed a contract. Interestingly, the effects of the drug last for the duration of the contract.

The loyalty powder is essentially a type of psychological drug that relies on the contract consciousness in people’s minds to control their loyalty. Since the consciousness of the contract and its deadline is stored in the mind when a contract is signed, the drug uses this consciousness to recognize and control. So when the contract expires, and the contract consciousness disappears, the drug naturally becomes ineffective.

What a godsend! Indeed, the Worry-Free Space relieved all worries! Xiao’er went into the space and processed a few bottles, planning to put them in everyone’s meals the next day.

After arranging everything, Xiao’er’s family set off for the Imperial Capital. The journey would take more than ten days. Xiao’er’s family had a carriage, and they rented six more. Mrs. Shen, Shen Yuzhu and Mrs. Lan, Shen Bao’er were in one carriage. Mr. Shen and the second branch shared two. Shen Chengyao, Jingrui along with his two younger brothers were in one. Xiao’er, her two sisters and Mrs. Liu were in another, and there was another one for their luggage. The expedition was grand.

Traveling to the Imperial Capital, despite hurrying, still took over ten days. Xiao Fuzi accompanied them on the whole journey, arranging accommodations at the Post Stations along the way.

Typically, they would set off early in the morning and reach the next Post Station before dusk. But the women of the Shen family, including Mrs. Shen, Shen Yuzhu, and Shen Bao’er, kept complaining. Experiencing dizziness, back pain from sitting, or numbness in their feet, they always had a reason to get off the carriage and move about. Hence, they did not reach the next Post Station by nightfall.

"I know there’s a village nearby. Let’s ask for accommodations there and set off earlier than usual tomorrow. Otherwise, we won’t make it to the next stop, and we’ll have to spend the night in the wild," suggested Xiao Fuzi. He was familiar with the route to the Capital, so he knew about the nearby village.

"Very well, Xiao Fuzi, why don’t you lead the way?" Seeing the trees lining both sides of the official road in the dark, Xiao’er nodded in agreement.

It’s better to have a roof over your head than to sleep rough!

Leading the group into the village, Xiao Fuzi met a boy about ten years old and a girl roughly five years old at the village entrance. Their clothes were patchy. Seeing their carriages, the children weren’t shy and they asked, "Sirs, are you here for a place to stay?"

Their village was situated near the official road, with both the town and Post Stations being far away. So they often had travelers asking for accommodations.

In response, some villagers had actually built extra rooms just to rent out to their guests.

"Yes, do you know of any available rooms in the village?" Xiao Fuzi handed the boy ten coins and kindly asked.

"The village chief has some. But they’re a bit expensive — a hundred coins for a night. The rooms there are newer and nicer! If you wish for something cheaper, my uncle has rooms for thirty coins a night. They’re old but very clean. You needn’t worry. With so many of you, the chief’s place wouldn’t be able to accommodate all."

"In that case, let’s split up between these two places." Shen Chengyao, tired of all the fuss and the day’s travel, just wanted to rest as quickly as possible.

Upon hearing that the village chief’s rooms were superior, Mrs. Shen, Mrs. Lan, and Mrs. Li all wanted to stay there.

Xiao’er couldn’t be bothered to argue so she let them have their way.

And so, the main family and the second branch would stay at the village chief’s place, while Xiao’er’s family would stay at the boy’s uncle’s house.

The boy’s uncle’s house only had two rooms, so Mrs. Liu took her three daughters in one room, and Shen Chengyao took his three sons in the other.

After a day’s travel, everyone fell asleep quickly. However, in a strange place and worried about her children, Mrs. Liu dared not sleep and just kept her eyes closed.

Xiao’er was also awake, waiting for everyone to fall asleep so she could enter the space and get to work — this was her daily task.

Voices carried over from the adjacent room.

"Mom, are you really planning to send that wretched girl to Mr. Zhao’s house to be his idiot son’s child bride?" A girl’s voice rang out.

"Shh, keep it down! If your father heard about this, he wouldn’t allow it! Of course I’ll send her. Once she’s sent off, we’d receive five taels of silver. Where else can we find such an easy way to earn money?" A sharp, acerbic woman’s voice responded.

"Mom, if I get five taels of silver, I want to buy a hair ornament and a new set of clothes!"

"Didn’t you just get a new outfit last month when we sold that debt-collecting ghost’s books for a couple of taels of silver?"

"Mom, New Year is just around the corner. Buy me another set, please."

"Ah, stop begging me, I’ll buy it for you. But these days, you guys shouldn’t hit them again. Otherwise, if they’re bruised all over, they wouldn’t sell for much!"

"Mother, you mean to sell the one that costs you cash and the debt-collecting ghost as well?"

"Now, aren’t you a smart girl? I heard that the palace in the city is recruiting eunuchs, and they pay ten taels of silver for each person!"

"Ten taels?" The girl exclaimed aloud!

"Are you trying to get us killed? Why are you shouting so loudly! If your father hears about it, you won’t have a single coin! Now, let’s stop talking and go to sleep!"

"But, Mom, once they’re sold and gone, what are you going to tell Dad?"

"Recently, children have been disappearing in town and in our village. We’ll just say they went missing, too. Now, go to sleep. I’m tired." The woman ended the conversation with a long yawn, and the room fell silent.

Xiao’er thought to herself, "This auntie is really wicked." She thought of the poor children who were clinging to each other earlier. Deciding to warn them the next day, she considered it a good deed. Whether they could avoid this disaster was up to their own fate.

Hearing this conversation, Mrs. Liu was fuming. They were both mothers and yet how could someone do such an immoral thing. The thought of Xiao’er, who had nearly been sold once, and Yun’er, who had been given away as compensation, made her intolerance to such actions even stronger. She had to save the poor children. She didn’t know if the aunt would agree to sell the children.

Feeling Mrs. Liu’s restlessness, Xiao’er, aware that she had also overheard the conversation, asked, "Mother, can’t you sleep?"