Zhao Lizheng was somewhat troubled, looking at Liu Dagen, "You want to sell yourself, you must at least have your father’s consent. What does your father think?"
Before Liu Dagen could speak, his wife shouted, "Selling you is fine. You eat every day without working; I can’t wait for it to happen!"
She pointed at Ah Tie and said to Yun Jiao, "Give me five taels of silver and this child is yours."
Zhao Lizheng immediately scolded, "You ignorant woman, even parents, siblings can’t just buy and sell people. Don’t you know that forcing a good person into disgrace leads to major imprisonment!"
Ah Tie though originally from a good family, selling himself into slavery would turn him into a degraded class, and people from a degraded class can’t take imperial exams.
After reprimanding, Zhao Lizheng turned his head and saw Yun Jiao silent, thinking inwardly, could it be that Doctor Gu really wanted to buy Ah Tie as a servant?
Seeing the compassion in Yun Jiao’s eyes, Zhao Lizheng believed he understood.
Doctor Gu had a kind heart and probably felt that Ah Tie had no way to survive under his stepmother, wishing to give him a way out.
Then he changed his tone, "However, if he intends to sell himself, it is no one’s fault."
He looked at Liu Dagen, "Dagen, what do you truly mean?"
Liu Dagen murmured, unable to speak.
The mother of Dagen spoke again, "Why would that happen!"
"Ah Tie is twelve this year, raising him has not been without cost. Even if he sells himself, he must first repay the gratitude of his parents’ upbringing!"
Everyone thought, those words were actually reasonable.
Seeing that everyone seemed to agree, Dagen’s mother became more confident and said, "I’m only asking for five taels, just five taels of silver, Doctor Gu, and you can take the kid away!"
Yun Jiao was about to speak when a chorus of hisses came from all around.
Someone said, "You’ll die asking for money, a wife only costs two or three taels of silver, how’s a half-grown kid worth so much!"
"Exactly, you haven’t even paid the consultation fee yet? After curing the illness, you must give some silver, right!"
"This disease is so hard to treat, so many doctors looked at it but couldn’t fix it!"
"Indeed, buying this half-grown boy back, he eats a lot and isn’t much use, who wants to buy him!"
"Five taels of silver is too expensive, makes no sense!"
The woman, seeing everyone criticizing her, meekly said, "Then, then three taels of silver must be okay!"
Yun Jiao stepped forward at this moment, "Alright, I’ll give you three taels of silver, Ah Tie will follow me from now on."
The woman looked pleased; she had never thought this scrappy stepson could fetch any silver.
She used to curse Ah Tie to die soon every day at home, so saving grain, thus all the family’s acres would later all belong to her son.
Of course, selling him would be better!
Ah Tie almost cried out; he wanted to repay Doctor Gu, how could he make her pay silver!
He shook his head repeatedly, "No way, I don’t want silver."
Yun Jiao walked up and pulled him to his feet, "Although your stepmother is not a good person, but she made one point."
"No matter what, it’s your father who raised you this big; the silver that’s due should be given."
She looked at Liu Dagen, "But, let me say ahead of time, once I give the silver and we sign the agreement, this child will have nothing to do with your Liu family anymore."
"Don’t come running asking him to return in three days to work or ask him for money!"
Liu Dagen was still hesitating; it was clear he didn’t really want to sell the child.
His wife elbowed him harshly, "What are you still thinking about?"
"Isn’t this child already ruined? Now getting three taels of silver for him is still worthwhile."