Chapter 6: Heaven and Hell (1)
Her life without her master around can be described with 2 words – HEAVEN and HELL.
She no longer have to be chased around by her scary master when she broke his stuff or ruined his precious herbs, or yelled at her when she didn't practice her martial arts diligently. Life is truly a holiday now.
That's until she realize that there's no one to cook for her anymore. She can cook well, she used to watch lots of youtube tutorials before, and since her master is a foodie who enjoys good food, he teach her lots of recipes too. Its just that there's just too much things for her to do, watering herbs, preparing medicines, practicing martial arts, cooking, house chores..ahhhh.. she missed her master's version of housewife!
One morning, she left the peak to sell medicines and restock her groceries. Selling medicines is the easiest things to do since she have been doing it for years. After selling her medicines, she went to buy some food stocks enough to last until her next trip to the city.
She wander around the city for a while, thinking what else to buy. Walking towards the city gate, she spot a large group of people standing in the crowds. Being a busybody as she always had, she join the crowds as she squeezed in to see what's happening in the city.
As she stuffed pork bun inside her mouth, the saw a scene she never imagine in her life.
'Human trafficking! They're selling people! Is this even legal??'
The bun doesn't taste good anymore. She swallow the last bite of bun but it goes down hard. At the end of the group, she saw a young guy with a chain around his neck. The guy looks so pale and frails, like he's going to collapse soon. The man drags him by the chain. She clench her fist watching the lifeless body being dragged like a trash.
'This is truly an uncivilized period.'
She watch the group of slaves being sold in the market as the man start auctioning them off. She can't take her eyes off him. The other's slaves conditions are quite good, just this one guy who looks lifeless. His eyes were full of void of life. The auctioneer start selling the slaves like vegetables, putting prices on each of them. Others start buying the slaves without battling an eyes, like it was the most normal things to do on earth.
The auctioneer pulled the guy to the front, and his frail body lay there on the ground emotionless. He try to sell him off but no one wants to buy the dying person.
"He's useless."
"He's dying soon."
"What a waste of money. He's better dead on the street."
She couldn't stand the scene infront of her eyes anymore. These bunch of peoples are worser than monsters!
"How much do you sell him?" She finally decided to save him.
"I'll give him to you for three silver", the man holding the chain kick the guy on the ground to check if he's still alive, "Look, he's healthy and alive".
"This man is dying. Don't cheat my money buying a dying person," she said as she walk around the lifeless guy with aching heart, "2 silver, I'll buy him for 2 silver. I need to spend money to cure him anyway."
The auctioneer breaks out a smile and quickly says, "alright, 2 silver then."
She pass the money to the man as he give her a letter for the slave contract, "Pleasure doing business with you".
He take off the chains on the guy and tell him to leave with her.
She look at the guy on the ground with sympathy. She squat down next to the guy and poke him.
'Still alive. I can't believe I just bought a human being! This feels so wrong.'
"Hey, can you stand up? Can you still walk?"
The guy just stare at her with his lifeless eyes.
"Okay, stand up now."
She help him to stand up and look at the guy in front of her. He looks older than her. He's quite good looking too. His body are quite muscular, like someone who is used to martial arts.
"You're quite good looking, and you have good muscular body like those who trains in martial arts. What happens to you that you end up being sold as a slave?"
The guy didn't say anything and just stare at her.
"Are you mute? Ah..forget it.."
Looking at the guy in front of her, there's no way she could bring him back to the peak today. He couldn't even stand properly and his body are badly injured.
"Come with me."
She drag his hand as she walk to a nearby inn.
"Room for 2 people for 2 nights please."
"Alright miss, please follow this way."
The inn keeper lead them to their room. After showing their rooms and giving their keys, he left them alone.
"Sit down. Take off your clothes. Let me check your injury first."
The guy stare at her, reluctant to take off his clothes.
"My master is the best physician in this continent, don't worry. He train me to be an excellent physician like him too. You can ask around if you don't believe me."
Since she went down to the city a lot to treat people with her master, a lot of people in the city recognize her talents in medicines.
With a reluctant look, he finally take off his top clothes. He have quite a good body, muscular and strong. She take his pulse and checking his upper body. There are quite some deep wounds on his body, and he looks like he lost a lot of bloods. She can't help but wonder what happens to him that he's reduced to such state.
"We need to clean your wounds before they get worse. I'll prepare some medicines for you."
She went down to the inn keeper and ask for a clean hot water and towel to be send upstair to his room. She also tell them to prepare some porridge for the guy. Then she went to the medical pavilion to buy some medicines. Thinking about his bloody clothes, she cant help but stop at the nearby clothing store to buy a pair of new clothing for him. 'Bloody clothes are the mother of all disease.' She hates to see bloods. She went back to see the guy sitting on the bed.
"Alright, let me clean your wounds first."
The guy nod at her.
"Ah… So at least you can hear me.. My name is Qiuyue. Ning Qiuyue. My master is the best physician in the continent..ehh..I already tell you that but let me remind you again..I might be only 10 years old but I'm very capable and my master trust me the most!"
"…." So talkative.
"Alright, that should be fine. Change into this new clothes, get rid of this bloody clothes. This is bad luck. Eat this medicine, eat this porridge and then go to sleep. I will drop by later to take a look at you. My room is just next door so if you need anything just knock on my door", she walk to the door and turn around, "oh ya, if you decided that you don't want to be a slave anymore and run away, I'm fine with it too. Just run away, go, go chase your freedom!"
"…" This girl is weirdo.
He feels like he's being nagged by a nosy mother.