The Innocent Heart - Chapter 57

The three of them were merely looking for some peace and quiet, so they had not brought any attendants with them.

Under normal circumstances, even if the residents of Chang’an could not recognize which noble house Huo Qubing belonged to, they could judge by the magnificence of his attire that he was not someone to be trifled with.

However, the old woman had likely reached the end of her rope. She had no mind left to discern such things; seeing a wealthy-looking youth finally approach, she wanted to desperately grasp at this last life-saving straw.

Yet, things did not go as she had hoped.

“Presumptuous!” Startled by the sudden lunging embrace, Huo Qubing instinctively raised his foot to break free. Because he failed to control his strength in the moment, he kicked the frail old woman over onto the ground.

“Qubing!” Guan Yueyao and Li Gan finally reacted. They steadied Huo Qubing, who had just broken free from the old woman’s shackles, and hurriedly checked to see if he was injured.

Fortunately, aside from two black handprints left on Huo Qubing’s brand-new outer robe, no additional damage had been done.

“Grandmother! Grandmother, what is wrong?!” Just then, the mournful cries of two young girls reached their ears.

Guan Yueyao remembered to look at the others. Upon turning her head, she thought to herself: Oh no.

The old woman had been kicked to the ground by Huo Qubing. She was likely in real pain and could not stand up for a moment. She lay there supported by the two girls, leaning into their arms as they rubbed her chest to ease the pain.

The scene descended into chaos. More and more onlookers gathered, whispering and discussing amongst themselves. Some of the ear-grating, malicious speculations and gossip mixed into the crowd, reaching the trio’s ears without any reservation.

“I… I didn’t do it on purpose,” Huo Qubing explained to his friends.

He was still a child, after all. Although Huo Qubing did carry some habits of the pampered nobility—being extremely particular about his food, clothing, and shelter, and not being very observant of the commoners’ plight—he certainly had no tyrannical hobby of intentionally harming the weak.

“I know, I know. You aren’t that kind of person.” Guan Yueyao looked at her friend and nodded, firmly grasping his hand, which had turned cold at some unknown point.

Having received his friend’s affirmation, Huo Qubing’s heart settled slightly, and the gossip could no longer disturb his mind. After a moment’s thought, he quickly devised a solution. He untied his purse from his waist and held it out to the girls.

“I am truly sorry. This was an unintentional mistake. I do not know where the elderly lady was injured. I have some Ban Liang coins here; take your grandmother to a clinic and have her looked at.”

Hearing this, the girl looked up. Seeing a handsome, elegant young master speaking to her, her face flushed with shame, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to respond.

Then she turned her head, looking suggestively at the grandmother in her arms. After hesitating for a moment, she finally asked, “Can the Young Master truly not buy the two of us? We are willing to work like cattle and horses to repay you…”

“You may take this money if you wish, but I have no intention of buying you. You should look for another master,” Huo Qubing said coldly, the small amount of apology on his face vanishing because of the girl’s words.

Huo Qubing’s sudden coldness made the girl shrink back. Though disappointed, she did not dare to be presumptuous again. She silently reached out and took the purse Huo Qubing tossed over.

The purse felt quite heavy in her hand. Even without opening it, she knew there were many coins inside. The girl’s eyes reddened, and she kowtowed to Huo Qubing in profound gratitude.

“I have some money here as well. Take it for now. Solve your immediate crisis first before seeking another path; you don’t necessarily have to sell yourselves into slavery to survive.”

As the girl was kowtowing, she suddenly heard a gentler voice from above. She looked up and saw another youth smiling at her. This youth’s movements were soft as he gently placed a purse into her palm. His attitude was much warmer than the previous young master—it was Guan Yueyao.

She had once been a wanderer on the streets herself, so she knew how hard such days were. She also knew how “food handed out in contempt” could trample the self-esteem of those in distress. However, she did not have enough wealth to sustain a grand act of charity, so she could only do her best in this small way.

Seeing that both of them had generously opened their purses, Li Gan seemed to think this was a good method. He also untied his purse and handed it over.

While this money was still far from the amount the grandmother wanted for selling the sisters, it was more than enough to bury their deceased father. In fact, the remaining money would likely be enough for the family to live on for a while.

Guan Yueyao’s current ability to help was limited, and this seemed to be all she could do.

After this incident, the three of them left the crowd with heavy hearts. They no longer had the appetite to return to the mutton stall to finish their food.

Guan Yueyao jogged back to the stall and asked the owner to give the roasted mutton they hadn’t eaten to the family still kneeling there, solving their dinner for the day. The owner seemed happy to help, not only serving the roasted mutton but also packing several bowls of steaming hot mutton soup to bring over.

Since Li Gan’s residence in Chang’an was quite close to the Mutton Market, he bid farewell to Huo Qubing and Guan Yueyao once they exited the market gate.

Guan Yueyao and Huo Qubing rode their horses side by side toward home.

“Qubing, why were you angry when you gave that girl the money today?” Guan Yueyao tilted her head and asked her friend curiously.

Huo Qubing was somewhat surprised. His anger had only been a flash in the pan; he hadn’t expected his friend to be so sensitive as to notice even that tiny spark of fire.

“That family’s behavior earlier… they clearly wanted to use the fact that I kicked the old woman as a pretext to force me to buy them. I don’t like the feeling of being coerced.” Speaking of the matter, Huo Qubing’s brow, which had finally relaxed, furrowed again.

“How could that be? Who would truly be so eager to sell themselves into slavery? Isn’t such a thing always a last resort?” Guan Yueyao shook her head, disagreeing quite seriously.

“Don’t judge others by your own standards. While selling oneself into slavery seems beneath others, being a dependent of a powerful clan is often much more comfortable than being a mediocre commoner on the streets.” Huo Qubing arched an eyebrow at his friend. His words were so naive, yet so matter-of-fact.

But it seemed to further prove his shallow understanding of the world.

“If you don’t believe me, go back and ask any of the servants in our manor. If they were given their freedom, how many would actually be willing to leave?” Huo Qubing added, as if fearing Guan Yueyao would think he was just talking nonsense. “Not only that, I’ll bet you that if we come back tomorrow, that family will still be kneeling there, trying to sell those two sisters.”

Hearing this, Guan Yueyao naturally did not believe him. “Fine, a bet it is. The money we gave them today is enough to last them a while. I don’t believe they’ll still be there tomorrow. But tell me, what is the wager?”

“Let’s bet… whoever loses pays for the next meal.” Huo Qubing smiled. One needn’t take a bet between friends too seriously; such a prize was enough. He simply hoped to help “Ah Yao” gain a deeper understanding of how this society operated.

The bet was set. What Guan Yueyao kept thinking about was what Huo Qubing had said: Ask the servants if they would be willing to regain their free status and leave the Wei Manor.

“Sister Lvxiu, Sister Lvxiu, I want to ask you something. If you were given the chance to regain your status as a free citizen and leave the Wei Manor, would you be willing?” Returning to her room, Guan Yueyao grabbed the approaching maid and asked curiously.

To her surprise, Lvxiu turned pale and asked worriedly, “Why do you ask, Young Master? Did you hear some rumor from the Master?”

Guan Yueyao hadn’t expected such a strong reaction. She rubbed her nose sheepishly and told her the whole story. Lvxiu was the eldest and most experienced among the maids serving in Huo Qubing’s courtyard. She was steady and highly trusted by both Huo Qubing and Guan Yueyao.

After hearing the explanation, Lvxiu couldn’t help but laugh. “I wondered what it was. The masters and ladies of the Wei Manor are very kind. The work isn’t heavy, and we receive a monthly allowance. What is there to gain by being a free citizen?”

“To be honest, the government’s taxes aren’t heavy, but without the protection of a powerful clan, one is bound to be bullied by petty officials. Besides, as a woman with no power or influence, if I went out, I would only be able to marry an ordinary farmer or peddler. It’s better to stay in the manor. Even if I am wed, if both husband and wife are servants of the manor, we will always have food and clothing without worry.” Lvxiu seriously counted the benefits of being a servant attached to a great house.

At this time, the policy of “light corvée and low taxes” inherited from the previous emperors had not yet changed. Citizens only needed to pay poll taxes starting from the age of fifteen until they were fifty-six. A household of farmers, after paying their taxes, would have enough left to be well-fed and clothed—but only just. To live better, one had to go into trade.

However, trading was no easy feat. It required being on the “Market Registry,” as well as capital and enough money to bribe city officials, local thugs, and hoodlums.

Guan Yueyao listened to all of this and felt almost convinced. But on second thought, she still felt she could not accept such a life. However, she finally realized that her thoughts were hers alone; she could not and should not force them upon others.

Everyone grew up in a different environment. Perhaps in the eyes of others, her ideas were the ones that were strange? She sighed. Ultimately, through Lvxiu’s words, she gained a more concrete understanding of the lives and character of the common people of this era.