Sending Money

Since Wen Qingkong had decided whom to buy, Uncle Fang took him to see Zhang Quan.

Zhang Quan had to agree before Wen Qingkong could go out onto the streets and speak with the mother and daughter. Otherwise, Wen Qingkong was not allowed to leave.

Before going, Wen Qingkong returned to the Corpse Seamstress Workshop and brought along the silver the original owner had saved up.

Uncle Fang saw this and secretly approved. Little Wen was a sensible one.

Zhang Quan's office was not far from the Corpse Seamstress Workshop.

When Uncle Fang and Wen Qingkong arrived, the yamen runner responsible for transporting corpses each day was taken aback to see them. In an indifferent tone, he asked, "What is it?"

Uncle Fang smiled ingratiatingly. "We have a small matter and would like to see Lord Zhang."

In truth, Zhang Quan was merely a low-ranking clerk, but before Corpse Seamstresses, he was already worthy of being called "my lord."

Wen Qingkong watched without saying anything.

The yamen runner did not make things difficult for them and went to announce their arrival.

Soon afterward, he allowed Uncle Fang and Wen Qingkong into the room.

The room was small. Zhang Quan's left hand had already been bandaged, but judging by how often his brow furrowed, it was clearly still in considerable pain.

His expression darkened when he saw Uncle Fang and Wen Qingkong.

"Why aren't you staying obediently in the Corpse Seamstress Workshop?!"

Uncle Fang jumped in fright and immediately hunched over.

He hurriedly said, "M-My lord, Little Wen... Little Wen wants to take a wife, so we came to seek your permission to go out and buy him a wife."

He quickly explained the matter.

Zhang Quan, still fuming, stood there in a daze for a moment.

Wen Qingkong wanted to buy a woman and take a wife?

That was not common even among the Corpse Seamstress Workshops. After all, most Corpse Seamstresses suffered from the Five Flaws and Three Deficiencies, so there was little point in taking wives.

Of course, it was not as though no one had ever done so.

"What kind of woman is she?"

Uncle Fang hurriedly described them.

When Zhang Quan learned that Wen Qingkong intended to buy a mother and daughter, he was stunned for quite a while.

He remembered how Wen Qingkong had once been timid and submissive, so honest that he could not even squeeze out a word for ages.

Yet now, Wen Qingkong kept giving him surprises.

But the piercing pain that periodically shot through his left hand had put him in a foul mood.

In the past, this would not have been a big deal.

But now, Zhang Quan was unwilling to agree so easily.

He disliked the calm look Wen Qingkong wore whenever he saw him.

He preferred the old Wen Qingkong, the one who bowed and scraped.

"This matter is rather troublesome."

Zhang Quan deliberately pondered for a while.

The moment Uncle Fang heard that, his heart sank.

He had told Wen Qingkong that it was perfectly normal for Corpse Seamstresses to buy wives. It was even something encouraged by the court.

Therefore, no matter how the petty officials managing the Corpse Seamstresses had oppressed them in the past, they would not make things difficult in this matter. They would even give it the green light.

Because every successful arrangement counted as merit.

Yet Zhang Quan was now making excuses. Clearly, he had no intention of agreeing.

Wen Qingkong stepped forward and took out his money pouch. The one tael of silver accumulated by the original owner was all inside.

"I don't have much money. I hope you can make things easier for me, my lord."

"I will certainly not forget my lord's help."

Wen Qingkong stressed the word "help."

Seeing the money pouch, Zhang Quan quietly slipped it into his hand and weighed it slightly. This was probably all the money Wen Qingkong could produce.

Zhang Quan was responsible for handing out wages and also skimmed half of them. He knew exactly how much money every Corpse Seamstress had.

Wen Qingkong handing over this much money barely satisfied Zhang Quan.

He seemed less disgusted by Wen Qingkong now, and even the pain in his left hand seemed less severe.

"Heh heh."

"Little Wen is at just the right age. It truly is time for him to find a woman."

"Old Fang, take him there. I am busy with official duties, so I will not be going."

"Yes, yes, thank you, my lord! Thank you, my lord!"

Uncle Fang thanked him, then led Wen Qingkong out of the room and hurried toward Caishikou Execution Grounds Street.

He walked so quickly that it was as if he himself were the one buying a woman.

Wen Qingkong did not feel much about it. He had stitched up the four brothers and received the farming skill as a reward. Now that he had encountered the eldest brother's wife and daughter, lending them a hand so long as it did not affect him was no great matter.

When they returned to the Corpse Seamstress Workshop, Old Zhou, Li San, and the others gathered around them.

Uncle Fang hurriedly said, "All right, all right, we're going now. Just wait for news!"

As he spoke, he pulled Wen Qingkong over to the mother and daughter.

The woman clutched her daughter tightly and looked at Uncle Fang and Wen Qingkong with some fear.

Only when Wen Qingkong drew close did he realize that although the woman could not compare to peerless beauties, she was quite attractive among village women.

Her skin was not particularly fair from years of labor, but her figure was graceful. Having already borne a daughter, she even carried a mature charm.

Uncle Fang secretly thought that Little Wen truly had good taste.

"In these chaotic times, you mother and daughter will not survive on your own."

"If you go to a wealthy household, you will surely suffer. Why not follow Little Wen instead? Stay at the Corpse Seamstress Workshop. At least you will always have food to eat, and no one will treat you as maids or servants and beat or curse you."

"What do you say?"

Uncle Fang persuaded her.

Wen Qingkong also waited for the woman's reply. If she was unwilling, he would not interfere further.

Just now, he had noticed that quite a few people selling themselves on the street had silently hidden themselves upon seeing them come from the Corpse Seamstress Workshop. Clearly, they did not want to be bought by them.

In the hearts of ordinary people, being a Corpse Seamstress's wife was likely not a good fate.

The woman considered it only briefly before nodding in agreement.

"Oh, that's wonderful!"

Uncle Fang excitedly clapped his hands.

He quickly called to Wen Qingkong, "Little Wen, what are you waiting for?"

Wen Qingkong stepped forward and picked up the mother and daughter's belongings, which amounted to only a bundle full of clothes.

The four of them, three adults and one child, quickly headed toward the Corpse Seamstress Workshop.

Once Wen Qingkong and the others had gone far away, the people selling themselves stopped hiding and tried their best to make themselves visible to more people.

Even becoming a rough servant girl in a wealthy household was better than marrying a Corpse Seamstress at the Corpse Seamstress Workshop.

Old Zhou, Li San, and the others were all overjoyed to see Uncle Fang and Wen Qingkong return safely and smoothly.

They looked over the mother and daughter. Li San in particular was trembling all over, and Lai Er kicked him.

The relationship between Corpse Seamstresses might not be especially close, but they still could not do anything to another man's family.

Uncle Fang brought them to the entrance of Corpse Seamstress House Number Nine.

"Little Wen, go on. Get them settled."

Wen Qingkong nodded, opened the door, and led the mother and daughter into the Corpse Seamstress House.

"My surname is Wen. My name is Wen Qingkong."

"Don't worry. I did not buy you to sleep with you. I saw that you and your child were pitiful, so you can make do and stay here."

"As long as I have food to eat, you mother and daughter will not go hungry."

Wen Qingkong brought the mother and daughter to the second floor. His words left the woman stunned.

For a moment, she did not know what to say.

"What are your names?"

Wen Qingkong set down the bundle and looked at the mother and daughter.

The woman appeared nervous and timid.

"This servant woman is Sun Li-shi. This is my daughter, Sun Shuang'er."

"What is your given name?" Wen Qingkong asked.

The woman froze, then quietly replied, "Li Lan'er."

Wen Qingkong nodded. "Make up the bed on the second floor yourself. I still have some dried provisions saved from before, so eat something first. Someone will bring dinner later. I'll call you then."