Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
If she were merely selecting a few servants to guard the residence, Jiang Pengji would definitely not have chosen any who had a criminal background. However, if it was for her private army... Heh, that would depend. She had yet to encounter a situation that she could not handle.
Jiang Pengji was a thrill seeker, and sometimes she was borderline crazy.
In her old life, before she had become a regimental commander, her superiors had trouble training her. Her thrill-seeking personality gave them a headache, so they sent her for a consultation. In the end, the therapists almost tore their hair out in frustration. After all, it had not been easy to accept a stranger who could tell all their deepest, darkest secrets just by looking at them.
Under the head servant’s sharp look, the old woman brought out the problematic servants. Most of them had shackles around their hands and feet.
“They were sold by the local authorities?”
Jiang Pengji swept her gaze over the men. Half of them had tattoos on their faces, which were a sign of brand punishment.
“Some are family members of corrupt officers, and some are death row criminals. They lucked out and were released due to a general pardon.”
The shopkeeper’s stomach turned as she looked at the men lined up in front of them who had ill-intentioned expressions. She did want them out of her hands quickly, but if Jiang Pengji bought them only to have them rebel against her... The Lius would definitely not let the shopkeeper get away with that.
A general pardon?
Jiang Pengji searched her memories and found that such an event had indeed happened. That year, to celebrate his favorite concubine’s birthday and also half a year’s worth of peace in Dongqing, the emperor gave a general pardon. It had happened around early February that year.
Under the old head servant’s anxious gaze, Jiang Pengji paced a full circle before she stopped in front of a boy of around 16 or 17 years.
Shuibian Sanguo Nanshen: “Eh, he looks pretty good. He looks a little like this guy who became famous a while ago.”
Toudu Feiqiu: “Eh, I wouldn’t have noticed if you hadn’t mentioned it. But this one looks more mature than the other one. More manly!”
In the olden days, a 13 or 14-year-old could start his own family and business. A 16 or 17-year-old usually had a bunch of kids, so they were often more mature.
Jiang Pengji did not care about appearances unless it was about a female’s appearance.
“Lift your head.” Jiang Pengji used her fan to lift the boy’s chin. The boy hated the insulting gesture and tried to resist, but his strength was no match for Jiang Pengji. “Pity...”
The boy had also received a brand punishment. There was a tattoo on his right cheek near his ear. The tattoo had not been properly cared for, so the wound had become infected. It was oozing pus and blood.
Yimi Yangguang: “Ahhh! From this angle, they really do look alike! His gaze is awesome!”
The audience was excited by the handsome lad and started gifting rows upon rows of Lollipops and Hearts.
The boy’s narrow black eyes were bright. His thick and long lashes shivered a little. His glare was sharp, and those who fell under it felt like they were being stabbed.
His lips were pale, cracked, and dry. His cheeks were flushed with fever. He had a slim neck, and his untidy collar exposed his collarbones.
The old head servant silently turned his gaze elsewhere. The sight was too beautiful to behold.
“It is such a pity. Even if the wound heals, there will be an ugly scar left behind.” The shopkeeper sighed regretfully.
The current beauty trend was to be skinny and fair. Many noble people wore flowers in their hair or applied powder on their faces. The difference between being beautiful or ugly was very clear. The boy might be good looking, but most people would consider him to be just average looking.
If his face had not been scarred or tattooed, he would be popular with the ladies if were sold as a herdsman.
“Langjun, please leave him in case he spreads his illness to you,” the old servant reproached as he looked at Jiang Pengji’s fan.
Jiang Pengji smiled and withdrew her fan. Her eyes roamed over the other boy, and he glared at her like a young beast trapped in a cage.
“What did he do?” Jiang Pengji asked the shopkeeper.
The old woman thought for a moment. “He’s from the next county over. His mother was out buying vegetables when she ended up in a noble’s way. She was pushed and fell to the floor. Unfortunately, she hit her head and died on the spot. Once he found out about it, he sought revenge and killed a guard. Then he got caught.”
By law, the boy should have received the brand punishment, and he would have been exiled for 30 years. But the guard’s family had not been satisfied, so they pulled strings to ensure that the boy would receive the death penalty.
He had killed a man. It was not surprising that the guard’s family wanted his life in return.
But the boy had lucked out with the general pardon. Because his crime had been committed due to filial piety, the officials decided to pardon him. He had ended up as a slave and went through a few families before landing up in this slave trader’s hands.
“He’s not easy to train. How about looking at someone else?” the slave trader carefully suggested.
Jiang Pengji pursed her lips for a moment before she smiled. She opened her fan and laughed. “It’s alright. I’ll take him!”
The head servant and shopkeeper were speechless.
That was a quick decision!
“It’s not easy to find someone who can read and has a brain these days. And for a few silver pieces? Quite a steal.”
The boy glared at Jiang Pengji. She could even hear him grinding his teeth in anger.
Jiang Pengji smiled at him. She was lucky. However, the other boy was not.
If it hadn’t been for her, the boy would have tried to escape the slave shop that night. But an escape like that was just child’s play in Jiang Pengji’s eyes, and it had caught her interest. “What’s his name?”
The old woman’s brain seemed to have short-circuited, and it took her a moment to regain herself. “He’s called Xu Ke.”
“Do you have a formal name?” Jiang Pengji asked the boy.
The other boy had practiced martial arts, but his fingers had calluses from holding a brush. It was easy to deduce that he had studied for a long time, and most scholars had formal names.
Jiang Pengji still did not understand why names had to be so complicated. A name was a name; why would someone need to a formal name, too?
The old woman could not answer Jiang Pengji’s question, so she sneakily kicked Xu Ke. She glared at him and said, “Langjun is asking you.”
Xu Ke pursed his lips as he seethed quietly.