"Absolutely, absolutely, whatever Uncle Dashan says, we as husband and wife have no objections." He Sanlai hurriedly agreed, fearing that if he was too slow, this good opportunity would slip away.
Gu Dashan said, "Since you both agree, then sign the indenture."
Upon hearing this, Gu Jin’an went back to the room to fetch pen and ink and white paper, and began writing the indenture.
Third Grandpa asked Gu Dashan to call over Village Chief He to act as a witness.
He also asked He Sanlai, "Have you brought the family registry? Bring the family registry here."
After selling oneself into servitude, if there are still family members at home, simply remove the name of the person sold from the family registry. If there is no one left, the registry must be taken and handed over to the master.
"I didn’t bring it. I’ll go back and get it now," He Sanlai quickly got up and ran home to fetch the family registry.
Shortly thereafter, Village Chief He arrived with He Jinseng, and upon seeing Third Grandpa he asked, "Are San Lai and his wife selling themselves into servitude to become your servants?"
Third Grandpa nodded: "They came to our house looking for work, but given that He Sanlai has been unreliable, our family dare not hire him. If they want to work, they can only sell themselves into servitude."
Village Chief He knew the Gu Family’s concerns; after all, He Sanlai’s reputation was not good. Without an indenture, no family would dare to take such a person.
"Is it that after ten years without fault, the indenture will be returned?" Village Chief He, as the He Family Patriarch, cared about the children and grandchildren of the He family and was not very keen on them selling themselves into servitude.
Third Grandpa replied, "Yes, if they are faultless for ten years, they can redeem themselves and return to being respectable citizens."
Hearing this, Village Chief He felt relieved: "Okay, since that’s the case, then I will act as this witness."
Not much later, He Sanlai brought the family registry and handed it to Third Grandpa.
Gu Jin’an took out the two written indentures, read them aloud in front of everyone, and handed the indentures to Village Chief He.
Village Chief He, not recognizing many characters, passed the indentures to He Jinseng, asking him to read them again to make sure the content was the same as what Gu Jin’an had read, and then nodded, "These indentures are fine,"
After this confirmation by Village Chief He as the witness, Gu Jin’an took out a box of ink paste, saying, "Everyone, please press your fingerprints on this."
Village Chief He, Third Grandpa, Gu Dashan, He Sanlai, and Mo Chunyue pressed their fingerprints on the two indentures one by one.
Gu Jin’an said, "I will take the indentures to the scholar so that he can also press his fingerprint."
Having official position, Scholar Shang’s signature and fingerprint on these two indentures carried a different significance.
"Go ahead, take them," Third Grandpa, seeing it was getting late, urged Gu Jin’an: "You quickly go to school, it’s already past the hour of Chen."
Third Grandpa added, "Don’t worry, I’ll run part of the way, I won’t be late." Gu Jin’an gathered the two indentures, placed them in a cloth bag, tied up his trouser legs, waved to everyone, and ran out of the house towards Shang Family Village.
After Gu Jinli was reborn, she trained Gu Jin’an and Gu Jinxiu in martial arts, and so on their journey to escape famine, they never stopped practicing. After arriving in Da Feng Village, they also found time to practice daily. Now, Gu Jin’an could run very fast, disappearing from sight in a blink of an eye; with this speed, he would surely not be late.
After Gu Jin’an left, Gu Dashan took out six taels of silver, handing them to He Sanlai: "This is the indenture silver for you and your wife, keep it safe."
He Sanlai’s eyes went green at the sight of the six taels of silver. He hastily took the silver, and before he even had the chance to warm it in his hands, Village Chief He took it away.
"You and your spouse still owe the village 525 cents, now that you have some money, there’s no need to repay it year by year, just start by repaying half." Village Chief He took three taels of silver, and returned the remaining three taels to He Sanlai: "You and your spouse hold on to these three taels. Use it to make up for what’s lacking in the household, and start living better days."
"Eh, understood, Village Chief." He Sanlai took the three taels of silver, cherished it in his hands for a moment, then handed it to Mo Chunyue: "Wife, you take it, you manage the money in our family."
Mo Chunyue took the silver, her eyes reddening, as this was their indenture silver, and also the only savings in the house.
She felt emotional for a moment, but mindful of Village Chief He, she quickly assured him: "Village Chief, San Lai is reckless with money, so I will hold onto it. Rest assured, I will manage well with San Lai and certainly improve our household."
Hearing this, Village Chief He’s face showed relief, and he instructed them: "The Gu Family are honest people. Since you have sold yourselves into servitude to their family, you must work hard. Struggle for ten years, and your household can then live well. Don’t be lazy, don’t harbor ill intentions, or even the village cannot protect you, as you have signed an indenture."
"We understand, Village Chief." He Sanlai and Mo Chunyue responded.
Village Chief He shifted his gaze away from them and spoke to Third Grandpa: "Brother Gu, let them do any kind of work you have in your household, don’t be polite. I’ll be leaving now."
Village Chief He said this, actually to protect He Sanlai and his wife.
Third Grandpa said: "Rest assured, we only have jobs like grinding beans and spices. They don’t live with us; they return home after work in the evening."
Village Chief He, hearing this, smiled: "That’s good, that’s good."
This was not much different from coming to the Gu Family to work.
Village Chief He, having swept away his earlier panic, joyfully went home.
"Old Master, Old Madam, sir, madam, young lady, my wife and I greet you. Whatever tasks you have, please command us." He Sanlai was a smooth talker; immediately after signing the indenture, which had not yet been filed with the government, he started to flatter.
Third Grandpa and Third Grandma, who had been farmers all their lives, could not bear listening to this, and quickly waved their hands: "Don’t call us that; it sounds awkward. Just address us according to our generational relationship."
He Sanlai did whatever they said, immediately changing his address back to the usual forms.
Gu Jinli, indifferent to He Sanlai’s display, assigned them a task directly: "Can you make mud bricks? My family needs to repair the old house to make a workshop, we need mud bricks. You and your spouse go back home, take a basket, and dig soil at the foot of the mountain. Bring the soil to the mud yard above Aunt Tian’s house to prepare the mud bricks."
"Eh, we’ll go dig now." He Sanlai and Mo Chunyue quickly left, fetched a pair of worn-out baskets from home, borrowed a hoe and shovel from the village chief’s house, and went to dig soil at the mountain base.
While they were digging, Old Guo and others also arrived at the mud yard above Aunt Tian’s house, beginning to repair the house.
The commotion they caused was not minor; people from Da Feng Village saw it and ran over to ask: "Why are you repairing this ruined house?"
Old Guo only mentioned that the Gu Family asked them to repair the old house, but did not say what the repair was for.
Although not said, the villagers found out within half a day; they were repairing the old house because the families of Man Qin, Gu, and Luo from Luotian all planned to open a workshop.
This news erupted throughout Da Feng Village.
"Man Qin, Gu, and Luo from Luotian are actually going to open a workshop, they must have made big money from tofu and spices, that’s why they are opening a workshop."
"It’s indeed big money. Not to mention the tofu stalls in town, there are many people even in our own homes rushing for tofu. The money earned in a day is enormous."
"Tsk, tsk, it’s only been a short while since they arrived in our village, just three months, and not only have they improved their daily lives, but they are also opening a workshop. How capable they are!"