The man laughed, showing no anger, and exclaimed, “Pay attention to where you’re going! Look what you’ve done to me.”

Coming to her senses, she hastily rolled up her sleeves and began wiping him down, apologizing profusely, “I’m so sorry, I was just watching my feet and didn’t see you. You can consider me blind! It’s really… in this cold weather, splashing you all over, what a sin. Why don’t you take off your clothes, and I’ll dry them for you by the fire? You can put them back on when they’re dry.”

He said there was no need, his voice raspy yet warm and gentle. He pointed ahead, “I have an appointment with someone and need to discuss business inside. Could you please tell me if there’s a Master Jin Yangxian here?”

Ding Yi understood—so this was the connection the Twelfth Lord had made at the human market. What a pity, such a kind-looking person engaged in human trafficking! On second thought, which human trafficker didn’t present themselves as pleasant and good? If they weren’t friendly, how could they lure people in?

She became alert, straightened her back to appear more confident, and responded, “Master Jin is my master. You must be Master Yue. What a coincidence! Please follow me, I’ll lead the way. Our master has been waiting for you for quite a while. Please, this way!”

Yue Kundu, however, was in no hurry to follow her. He shuffled his feet, observing her as they walked, “You look familiar to me. Have we met somewhere before?”

A typical trafficker’s tactic! Ding Yi smiled slightly, “I travel far and wide with my master, visiting many places and meeting many people. Perhaps we’ve met somewhere. Has Master Yue ever left Suifen River?”

Yue Kundu said, “My hometown is Datong. Later, I followed my father to Beijing to make a living, and we’ve also moved around to many places… Maybe we have met. I had this feeling as soon as I saw you. If we haven’t met before, then this is truly fate.”

When she heard him mention his hometown, Ding Yi felt a moment of disorientation. She was also from Datong—she had to admit it was another coincidence. But too many coincidences seemed suspicious. A trafficker’s strategy was to build familiarity, then either offer to find you a job to follow them, mention delicious food or fun activities, or promise to take you to find your mother. Ding Yi was no naïve child; having lived in the marketplace, she had heard and seen everything and wouldn’t fall for such tricks.

She went along with the conversation perfunctorily, “Indeed. Your doing business with our master is also fate. I hope your cooperation is pleasant. Everyone becomes friends, and next time we meet, we’ll still greet each other.”

Yue Kundu was a clever person who understood this deflection technique. Without taking offense, he simply asked her, “Your Master Jin seems to do substantial business. In which field has he made his fortune?”

Ding Yi began to boast, “Our master always says he’s a middleman who does whatever makes money. From large properties like land and houses to small items like cricket cages, there’s nothing he can’t trade. It’s just hard work, like what you do, earning a small profit from transactions. People bustle about all for profit, right? Having to travel outside is unavoidable—there’s a whole family to support!”

As they spoke, they arrived at the Twelfth Lord’s door and stopped outside. Ding Yi was about to announce them, but Yue Kundu said to wait, “The main person hasn’t arrived yet. There’s someone else who will discuss business with Master Jin. That gentleman had an upset stomach today and went to find a place to relieve himself, but he instructed me to come first. I’m just a middleman, building bridges and connections. The important matters still need to be discussed between them.”

Ding Yi responded with an “Oh,” and said, “Then please come in and sit. Have a cup of tea while you wait.”

“No need,” he said. “I find you congenial; let’s chat. How old are you this year?”

Was he considering trafficking her? Ding Yi felt uneasy but couldn’t be rude to him, so she said, “I’m not young anymore; I just turned eighteen. Our master likes my service so much that if he doesn’t see me for a moment, he starts looking for me. I’m never apart from our master.”

Yue Kundu nodded, “I can see that Master Jin has an extraordinary demeanor and must be a good master. But no matter how well he treats you, you’re not of the same kind. Being dependent on someone else for food is still quite difficult.”

Next, he would probably encourage her to establish her household! She quickly responded with a polite smile, “My abilities are limited. Apart from following him for meals, I can’t do anything else.”

“What about your family? Are your parents willing to let you travel around everywhere?”

She laughed heartily and said yes, “Don’t all common people live like this? Not everyone has a mind like yours. We have no capital or ability; apart from watching houses and guarding courtyards, we have no other skills.”

Just as they were talking, a fat man staggered through the door. His build was different from Jin’s; Jin was short and stout like a wine jar, but this man was a true seven-foot-tall man with a waist measuring over three feet eight inches. Coming from a distance, he looked like a tower. His flesh alone, if chopped up, would equal three Ding Yis.

Yue Kundu stepped forward, and she knew this was the main person. She swallowed hard.

“This is Master Suoluntu,” he bowed slightly to her. “Please go in and announce that Yue Kundu requests to see Master Jin.”

Ding Yi responded with an “Ah” and said, “Very well, please wait a moment, gentlemen.”

She went through the curtain to the Twelfth Lord’s side and whispered, “They’re here.” She gestured upward, “That tall one is terrifying. I’ll go find Ha Gang and the others; it will be safer with them around.”

Hong Ce grabbed her wrist, “No need. It’s better if they stay hidden. It’s better if they’re not seen.” Seeing her face pale, he smiled, “Don’t panic. With me here, what is there to fear? Go call them in, act normal, and don’t let them notice anything amiss.”

She responded with a “Yes,” went back out, lifted the curtain with a face full of smiles, and said, “Gentlemen, our master invites you inside to talk. Please mind the threshold as you enter.” Then she escorted them in.

Men discussing business might not have been at daggers drawn, but the atmosphere at the table was quite tense. The traffickers had many terms of the trade, referring to the Aha as “goods” at every turn, which was immediately unpleasant. Then there was talk of “cutting the deal,” “trapping the deal,” and “feeding the skinny horse.” Ding Yi listened in confusion, but the Twelfth Lord could respond fluently.

After talking for a while, it wasn’t too complicated: one was willing to sell, the other willing to buy. Once they each compromised a bit on the price, the matter was mostly settled.

Hong Ce still needed to maintain his disguise, “I’m a straightforward person, so let me be blunt. I know there’s a tactic in your trade called ‘taking a ride,’ where you show good merchandise for inspection but eventually substitute inferior goods. That won’t work. If I find even one case of this, I’ll withhold the final payment.”

Suoluntu waved his hands, which were like large fans flapping around, “That’s impossible. We haven’t been in this business for just a day or two. We’re building a long-term relationship. If I cheat you this time and you spread the word, my reputation in this trade would be ruined. How could I establish myself afterward? Although our business might be considered immoral, we still follow rules and principles. When the time comes, you can personally inspect them, checking both physical condition and oral health. If you find any that aren’t satisfactory, you can reject them, and I’ll sell them as ‘tail ends.’ How does that sound?”

Supporting himself with his right hand, his fingers slowly caressed the table, gleaming like jade in the lamplight. He glanced at Suoluntu and nodded, “At this point, if I don’t trust Master Suo, we might as well not discuss this business. Later, I’ll inspect the goods. If satisfactory, I’ll pay half as a deposit. Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. The New Year is the most important time of all, so let’s rest for two days. I’ll set out on the second day of the New Year to collect the goods. I don’t have a place to accommodate a hundred or so Aha right now.” He turned to look at Yue Kundu, “Master Yue, please be my guarantor. If Master Suo runs away, I’ll look for you in the human market.”

Yue Kundu raised his lip and said, “Certainly. Master Suo and I have been friends for five or six years. You can rest assured about this.”

He smiled with narrowed eyes, took the teapot to pour them tea, and said, “When buying goods, one must inquire about their source. Where do so many Aha come from? Is their origin legitimate? In case government officials question me, I need to have an explanation.”

Suoluntu and Yue Kundu exchanged glances, “Asking this shows that Master Jin is inexperienced. In our trade, there’s a rule: don’t ask about the source or destination of the cargo. You buy, and they make money for you, but you must bear the risk yourself. We only handle the selling and don’t ask any questions once we’ve handed them over. If your appetite is good enough to consume this, then you surely can smooth things over in official circles. Why be modest?”

It seemed impossible to extract information from their mouths, but that wasn’t a problem. With so many people, a hundred mouths, surely someone would talk. Hong Ce smiled, “I was confused and asked such a shallow question. I should slap my mouth. Have you gentlemen eaten? I’ll host a meal, and order a table of dishes. We can discuss business below the table and build friendships at the table.” He turned and gave instructions, his tone exceptionally gentle, “Tree, go convey my message. Request a private room; we’re inviting these gentlemen for drinks.”

Hearing this, Ding Yi bounded up, “Yes, gentlemen, please wait!” As she was about to leave, Yue Kundu stopped her.

“Master Jin, no need for formalities. There will be plenty of time for drinking. Let’s take care of business first. Once the matter is settled, we can drink for three days and three nights without concern.”

Since that was the case, Hong Ce didn’t insist and nodded in agreement. He took his great cloak, put it on, and followed them onto a blue-curtained carriage. This carriage was specifically designed for taking people to see the merchandise, tightly covered on all sides so that one couldn’t tell which direction they were going or which road they were taking. This was quite risky, as one couldn’t predict how others would treat them. What if they found you suspicious, took you to someplace, and silently killed you? Who could you complain to? However, in Hong Ce’s view, if you don’t enter the tiger’s den, how can you catch the tiger cub? Even if they became suspicious, with the lure of a hundred Aha, they would have to consider carefully. Moreover, there were guards following secretly, all elites trained on the battlefield. If a fight broke out, they could each handle ten opponents without difficulty.

Ding Yi sat with him, tightly gripping his hand in the darkness. Without light, she couldn’t communicate with him, feeling anxious and thinking this business was too dangerous. Perhaps for men, fortune favors the bold, and it’s the same in official circles, but when it happens to you, it’s truly nerve-wracking.

She was extremely nervous, and he could feel it. He turned and held her in his arms, whispering in her ear, “This is a proper business deal. We’re paying, and they’re providing goods. Don’t be afraid.”

She didn’t speak but held him tightly in the darkness, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

When they got off the carriage, it was impossible to tell north from south. All they could see ahead were bright lights and a narrow shed built four or five times larger than usual, surrounded by guards holding swords. Looking closer, each had a face full of tough muscles, appearing intimidating.

Ding Yi had seen it all, her heart pounding as she followed the Twelfth Lord step by step. That lord, however, remained calm. Having seen many grand scenes, mere traffickers were hardly worth noticing in his eyes.

As the shed door opened, a strange odor hit them directly. Hong Ce covered his nose; people living in such poor conditions certainly didn’t smell pleasant. These Aha could barely eat enough, let alone bathe.

He scanned the area and saw that they were indeed all strong laborers. These young people weren’t without the spirit to resist, but they had been beaten into submission and dared not act rashly. When people entered through the door, knowing they were about to be sold again, their eyes fixed in hatred, almost boring holes with their stares. Hong Ce walked slowly with his arms folded, following the protocol for selecting people by checking eyes, teeth, and ribs. When he approached a defiant one, the slightest touch met with fierce resistance. Growing impatient, he bent his elbow and struck hard at the neck. The Aha fell immediately, sprawling on the ground and unable to rise.

He was quite willing to use force. The onlookers were surprised; by appearance, he seemed just a wealthy young master, but they hadn’t expected him to strike so viciously. Yet his control of force was just right—a bit more strength, and it would have been fatal.

He turned back, maintaining his peaceful demeanor, “I’ve checked them all. I wouldn’t call them top-quality goods, but they’re not bad. The agreed deposit won’t be short by a penny, but what I see today must be what I get when I collect them on the second day of the month.”

“Of course,” Suoluntu smiled, “I didn’t realize Master Jin had such skills. It’s truly eye-opening.”

He bowed slightly, “You flatter me. Those who travel the jianghu need some skills; otherwise, they’d be flustered when encountering problems.” Before leaving, he looked back once more, “Please ensure they are well-fed these two days. If they’re not in good condition, they won’t be able to travel.”

Suoluntu repeatedly agreed, and after an exchange of courtesies, they left. They took the same carriage back to the inn. When they got off, Ding Yi felt dizzy and staggered a couple of steps, only to be caught by Yue Kundu. Seeing this, Hong Ce calmly took over, saying with a smile, “My little guard, who can ride a thousand li alone without blinking an eye, just can’t sit in carriages. He gets dizzy as soon as he sits.” He pulled out several banknotes from his sleeve pocket and handed them over, “Here’s five hundred taels. Master Suo, please keep these, along with the fifty taels for Master Yue’s efforts. I’m presenting both together. Today’s business was conducted smoothly. You’re all straightforward people, and I’ve always disliked wasting words. As long as it feels right, I’m willing to spend more money. In the future, I’ll frequent this Suifen River route. Since we’ve now made acquaintance, I hope you’ll continue to assist me in various matters.”

Suoluntu waved his large hand, “Certainly! As long as it’s Master Jin’s business, I’ll take care of everything in the Ningguta area. If you encounter any small problems, send someone to find me, and I’ll help without hesitation.”

Each taking what they needed, they conversed happily. With the deal concluded, they chatted about various topics. Hong Ce asked where there were good places to visit, and Yue Kundu said, “The ice sculpture festival on New Year’s Eve is interesting, just three li away on the river surface. Large ice blocks are transported from the Songhua River, each about as tall as a person with arms raised. Skilled craftsmen carve various patterns, hollow them out, and place lamps inside. As the lamp walls melt thinner, the oil wax burns brighter. Every year, many young men and women like to go there. If Master Jin is interested, let your subordinates accompany you. You might even bump into a beautiful girl and create a romantic story!”

Hong Ce smiled, casting a languid glance at Ding Yi, “We’ll see about that. With a virtuous wife at home, it would be inappropriate to mess around outside. It wouldn’t be fair to her.”

For a man, especially one in business, those who could say such things were in the minority. Yue Kundu smiled, “Your wife at home is fortunate. In today’s world, it’s rare to find a gentleman as devoted as you.”

Suoluntu followed with a few words of agreement, but his mind was on the few pretty girls who had just been delivered today. Eager to leave, he cut the conversation short and rose to say goodbye. Yue Kundu naturally couldn’t stay any longer, so he also bowed in farewell. Just before mounting his horse, he examined Ding Yi once more, a flash of recognition quickly passing through his eyes, and then rode off into the distance.