Chapter 18: Layers of Exploitation

Madam Li slid down and sat heavily on the ground.

A shifty-eyed man came out of the house and immediately scolded her, “Where did you drag this useless fool from? Are you blind? How dare you bring such a person home? Don’t you want to live? I still want to live in peace.”

Madam Li didn’t dare utter a word under his harsh words.

Her mind kept replaying the image of Ning Xin splitting a thick log with a single palm strike.

Calm, effortless.

She didn’t even dare imagine if that palm had struck her neck—would it have separated her head from her body?

“Idiot, open your eyes next time.”

Ning Xin didn’t notice any of these tensions; she was still happy about the extra five copper coins.

At the city gate, Ning Dalang looked left and right, waiting impatiently.

When he saw Ning Xin, he called out joyfully, “Ah Xin!”

“Father.”

Ning Xin stood inside the city gate, not stepping out, waving frantically at Ning Dalang.

She was signaling him to quickly pay the entrance fee.

She dared not leave the city; what if they charged her again for entering?

Ning Dalang immediately understood.

After paying the entrance fee, he hurried to Ning Xin’s side.

“Did you deliver the wild boar?”

“Yes, Father, I outran them. I also sold that log for five copper coins.”

“Good, good. Let’s go to the government office.”

Ning Xin obediently nodded.

She followed closely beside Ning Dalang. Though her eyes wandered in wonder at everything, she never lost pace or strayed.

If you looked closely, father and daughter even walked in step with each other.

Near the government office, the atmosphere was much more solemn; almost no pedestrians passed by. Both felt a bit nervous, but Ning Dalang mustered his courage and stepped forward.

“Excuse us.”

“What business do you have?” The officer barked harshly.

Ning Dalang cautiously approached and handed over a handful of copper coins.

The officer tossed them, counting about twenty to thirty coins, and his tone softened slightly, “What is it? Speak.”

“Sir, our family wants to buy land to build a house. We’ve come to register and make the contract.”

The officer glanced at Ning Dalang, then nodded toward a small door, “See that little door? Enter there and find Clerk Liao; he will assist you.”

“Thank you, thank you.”

Ning Dalang thanked repeatedly.

He then led Ning Xin toward the small door.

At the entrance, someone blocked their way. Ning Dalang quickly handed over another handful of copper coins, explaining their purpose.

“Wait here.”

The man strode inside, and shortly after returned, “You’re lucky. The clerk is not busy right now.”

“Follow me.”

Clerk Liao was indeed unoccupied but only asked a few basic questions: where they were from, how many family members, and whether they had household registration or family division documents.

Ning Dalang answered everything patiently.

“Do you have the money ready to buy the land and build the house?”

Ning Dalang nodded hurriedly, “It’s all prepared. We chose a rocky wasteland.”

Clerk Liao was a bit surprised.

Buying rocky land is cheap, but reclaiming it requires a lot of labor.

“Two officers will go to the village to measure the land and draft the contract. Each will receive a hardship fee of five hundred copper coins.”

“That’s doable.”

Ning Dalang immediately took out five qian of silver, equivalent to a thousand copper coins, and placed it on the table.

Clerk Liao hummed softly but said no more.

Ning Dalang understood; this was a bribe.

He quickly pulled out a pouch filled with copper coins and slid it forward toward Clerk Liao. “Sir, thank you for your hard work.”

The pouch wasn’t large, at most containing two to three hundred copper coins. Clerk Liao glanced at it and said, “Tomorrow morning, the office will send people over. Make sure the money to buy the wasteland is ready.”

Officially, the hardship fee was five hundred copper coins per person. Privately, whether to give bribes and how much was up to the individuals; the office did not interfere.

The officers had to make a trip. They wouldn’t do it without some benefit. Without a little “oil money,” they wouldn’t even eat. Getting this contract was no easy matter.