Chapter 166: Joining The Fun
Shang Wuyang converted the manor he gave her into an orphanage, specifically to house abandoned children under the age of thirteen.
It has now been tidied up, and two women have been hired to specifically manage and care for these children.
“You will live here from now on.”
Several beggars cautiously looked at the large house before them, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.
They… they can really live here?
One of them even slapped himself hard in the face.
The crisp slap stunned Qin Wanwan.
Are they that cruel to themselves?
The beggar then burst into tears.
“It’s not a dream, I’m really not dreaming.”
However, the oldest beggar was calmer: “Do we need to sign indentured contracts?”
He stared nervously at Qin Wanwan. Nan Ge’er knew that among these people, the one who could make decisions was actually the youngest child.
“Can I sign the indentured contract by myself? Can they not sign it for now?”
Many people would rather be beggars than servants, because if a beggar was beaten to death on the street, the government would investigate, but if a servant was beaten to death, as long as the owner didn’t care, the government wouldn’t investigate.
Moreover, slaves could be sold by their owners at any time.
Nan Ge’er didn’t want to be a slave either, but he didn’t want them to not survive the winter, especially since two of them had contracted a cold this year.
He had seen too many people who couldn’t survive the winter and froze to death.
Even among beggars, there was internal conflict.
The younger beggars were often ostracized by the older ones.
When people are reduced to begging, and they are hungry and will do anything to eat, you can’t expect them to have a conscience or to take care of the younger ones.
So, the younger beggars stuck together for warmth, and that’s how they barely survived.
“Miss asked me to come, I will sign the indentured contract.”
The other beggars also scrambled forward.
They were all people without a home, and in the process of huddling together for warmth, they had come to regard each other as family.
Qin Wanwan waved her small hand, her sweet voice carrying a hint of dominance.
“You don’t need to sign indentured contracts, I won’t raise you for free.”
She patted Big Goldy’s head, and the fearsome beast obediently lay down.
Qin Wanwan slid off its back.
“Come with me.”
Qin Wanwan led the way, and after entering the main hall, she turned to look at the dirty beggars.
“Wash yourselves clean!”
The two women had prepared hot water as usual. The servant boys took the boys to one room to bathe, and the two women took the girls to another room.
Seeing that she had nothing else to do, Qin Wanwan went to watch others make felt.
Daddy didn’t let her do it because the first time she played, she poked her finger, and it bled for a long time before stopping.
Crispy-skinned Qilin, she was number one!
They waited for a while before the beggars were brought back to Qin Wanwan.
When they arrived, their clothes were tattered, and their hair was like a frizzy lion’s mane.
Now, they all had shiny bald heads.
Because their hair was infested with lice, and they couldn’t be picked clean, and these things were contagious.
So, they simply shaved off all their hair.
The clothes weren’t particularly good-looking, but they were clean and warm.
They were not yet used to their bald hairstyles, but the clothes they wore made them unable to help but feel happy.
Some cried as they laughed.
“All of you, come here.”
Next, these people would be assigned tasks.
Shang Wuyang specifically assigned a female steward to Qin Wanwan.
The female steward led several beggars into a room: “From now on, you will learn to do this. There will be specialized people to teach you. If you do well, you will not only have food but also wages. If you can’t make felt, then you will go to sort wool. That’s simpler, but the wages are less.”
Hearing that they were going to be given work, these people’s hearts were completely at ease.
“Also, in the future, the orphanage may receive other abandoned children. You are older, so you will also be responsible for helping the adults care for the younger children.”
Hearing this, Nan Ge’er and the others said excitedly.
“We are willing!”
“Then, then do you still take in beggars like us?”
In their anxious and expectant gazes, Qin Wanwan nodded her little head.
“Children under thirteen who have no home can come, but you’ll have to work.”
All the beggars knelt down with a thud.
“Thank you, we will work hard!”
Qin Wanwan, with her hands behind her back, nodded. The little milk ball tried hard to appear very calm, which was very cute.
“Then you all work hard, I’m going back.”
And so, this group of beggars stayed. Qin Wanwan watched for a while, then took Big Goldy and the others home.
On the way, the little girl’s eyes sparkled.
“Keke, Keke, Keke, did I look like an adult just now? Was I super impressive!”
Keke, of course, blindly praised the little Qilin cub.
“Amazing, very stylish, you’re a smart cub!”
Qin Wanwan lifted her chin: “That’s right!”
Keke: “Cub, your merit points will definitely increase a lot today. You can use them on yourself first.”
Qin Wanwan nodded obediently: “Okay.”
On the way back, the craving little Qilin bought candied hawthorns.
She had only taken one bite when she noticed that the street ahead was blocked off and very lively.
She stretched out her little neck, but couldn’t see. There were too many people gathered around.
What was so exciting? She wanted to see too.
Qin Wanwan had Fang Ya hold her as she squeezed into the crowd.
“Ouch, don’t push, who is it…”
The person being pushed in front turned his head and met the lion’s big face, immediately letting out a scream.
The people around also turned their heads, and then quickly scattered.
“Mother, a beast is coming down the mountain!”
The soldiers in the crowd turned and shouted, “Quiet down!”
“Captain, they seem to be saying there’s a beast over there.”
Commander Yang: “Shangjing is a prosperous place, how could there be any wild…”
Before he could finish speaking, he saw Big Goldy.
After the crowd parted, Big Goldy’s large physique was exposed.
It simply squatted on the ground, looking innocently at Commander Yang and the other soldiers.
Commander Yang: …
He spoke too soon.
Qin Wanwan had Fang Ya hold her as she went over and angrily tugged Big Goldy’s ear.
“Why did you come in here too?”
“Roar~”
Big Goldy continued to look innocent, you didn’t tell me to wait outside.
Besides, it wanted to watch the excitement too.
Alright, now their place was not crowded at all, the best spot to watch the excitement.
“Captain, should we catch it?”
Commander Yang thought of the recent rumors and slapped the subordinate’s head.
“Catch what? Haven’t you heard whose pet it is!”
“Besides, that big cat hasn’t hurt anyone. Let them be. Hurry up and do our work.”
Chancellor Rong’s daughter, who would dare to catch it?
“Lord, spare my life, we are conducting legitimate business.”
Commander Yang spat: “You call a brothel legitimate business? Our lord has investigated and found out that your Hidden Spring Pavilion and Hongsheng Gambling House are in collusion, specifically kidnapping beautiful women from respectable families and turning them into prostitutes. This act is a grave crime of human trafficking in Tianqi, and the court will not tolerate it!”
“My lord, my lord, I want to report Hidden Spring Pavilion! I was captured too, I was originally a girl from a respectable family!”
Seeing Hidden Spring Pavilion fall, many girls cried and knelt down, recounting their grievances over the years.
“Those girls who would rather die than submit were beaten to death by these beasts and taken out in the middle of the night to be sold under the pear trees at a ruined temple in the eastern suburbs.”
Commander Yang beckoned to a few people: “You go and dig, find all the corpses.”
“Yes.”
“Take all these people away!”
Even in the dead of winter, people’s interest in watching the excitement did not wane.
Especially for such a big case.
Qin Wanwan also wanted to join the fun, so she followed behind the crowd with Keke and Big Goldy.
