Like other stalls, a wooden fence surrounds a patch of empty ground behind this wooden platform, inside of which are several tents of various sizes. As a rustling sound is heard, a female slave is brought up onto the platform.
Hungry and with eyes turning green, Cheng involuntarily opens his eyes wide. The female slave has a tall and well-proportioned figure, with lightly green-tinted eyes, a straight nose, fair and delicate skin, exquisite features, and curved, black and thick eyebrows with a red mark remaining at the center.
When she was young, she must have been a remarkable beauty, but now she is at least forty years old, with fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, dull and dry hair without luster, and skin that, although still as white as milk, has become slightly loose, like a blooming flower starting to wither and about to wilt in the twilight.
old Qi pushes the female slave to the edge of the platform and shouts, "Five female slaves from Dongtianzhu, all with outstanding looks and capable of breeding and nurturing! Whether you buy them for your own use or to mate with your own slaves, they are all top-notch goods!"
Someone below shouts, "How can you tell with their clothes covering them?"
Then someone else heckles, "Maybe there are hidden injuries on their bodies."
"That's right! Strip them naked to inspect, only then can you buy with confidence!"
The clamor below rises, and someone says, "old Qi, why are you wrapping them up so tightly when you can't even see them clearly?"
The noisy laughter of the men reminds Cheng of the strip clubs he used to go to with Duan Qiang. A faint smile appears at the corner of his mouth; it seems that no matter which time or space, men's nature is the same.
Amidst the clamor, a one-eyed man walks up to the wooden platform, his large, knobby hand holding the hilt of a knife, and his icy eyes sweep across the faces of the people below. Under his fierce gaze, the clamor immediately dies down.
After calming the scene, the one-eyed man loosens his grip on the knife and hoarsely says, "old Qi, have them strip."
old Qi agrees and says a few words to the foreign female slaves. The exotic slaves silently take off their coarse linen clothes and reveal their bodies on the platform.
old Qi did not lie indeed. Although the female slaves were of different ages, their appearances and figures were all good. Their plump bodies were full of exotic charm, which made people extremely attractive. At this moment, Cheng remembered that in Indian customs, a red dot on the forehead indicates a married woman. Three slightly older women were already married, their breasts full, and their buttocks round and raised. The other two were still young girls, looking even more fresh and lovely.
old Qi took out a stack of yellow paper labels and hung them on the nipples of the female slaves one by one. The price of each person was written on the paper. The three married female slaves were priced at thirty silver taels each, and the two young girls were priced at sixty silver taels.
Soon, some merchants came to inspect the goods. They pinched the female slaves' breasts, examined their hands, feet, and teeth, and scrutinized every small part from their hair color to their skin. The female slaves instinctively covered their private parts with their hands, and tears of shame streamed down their faces, causing the audience below to burst into laughter from time to time.
The scene before Cheng reminded him of the situation when horses were sold in the market. In comparison, those horse dealers were even more polite to their goods.
After the one-eyed man left, someone asked old Qi, "What about the old goods?"
Only the last female slave on the wooden platform was still wearing clothes. old Qi said, "You come out and let the guests have a look. Maybe someone will buy you today."
The female slave obediently removed her clothes. She wore nothing under her rough clothes, and her snowy white skin immediately caught the attention of those around her. Although her body was completely bare and white, upon closer inspection, one could see scars all over her back, as if she had been cruelly whipped. Her breasts were round and plump, with a slight sag, but still full and firm, sitting proudly on her chest. Compared to the other female slaves next to her, her areolas were much larger, her nipples soft and big, and their color extremely dark. Qí Lǎosì pinched one of her nipples, pulled it hard a few times, and then hung the last yellow paper on it. Someone shouted, "Qí Lǎosì! It's been half a year and you still haven't sold her, why is the price still the same?" "This is already the lowest price," Qí Lǎosì lamented, "if I lower it any more, I'll lose everything." The man said, "Isn't this old lady already fifty years old? Who would buy her at this price?" Chéng looked at the yellow paper label, and the price on it wasn't too expensive, only thirty silver coins. However, this woman had already lost her beauty, and her most beautiful years had long since passed. For the same price, one could buy a slave who was half her age.
The woman obediently untied her clothing. She wore nothing under her coarse linen shirt, and her snowy white skin immediately attracted the attention of those around her. Her naked body was completely white, but upon closer inspection, one could see scars all over her back, as if she had been cruelly whipped. Her breasts were round and plump, with a slight sag in the curve, but still full and firm, sitting proudly on her chest. Compared to the slave girl next to her, her areolas were much larger, her nipples soft and large, and their color very dark. old Qi pinched one of her nipples, pulled it hard a few times, and made it erect. Then he hung the last yellow tag on her nipple. Someone called out, "old Qi! It's been half a year and you still haven't sold her, why is the price still the same?" "This is already the lowest price," old Qi replied, looking upset. "If it gets any lower, I'll lose money." The other person said, "Isn't this old woman already fifty years old? Who will buy her at this price?" Cheng looked at the yellow tag on the woman, and the price was not very expensive, only thirty silver coins. But this woman was already past her prime, and her most beautiful years were long gone. For the same price, he could buy a slave girl who was half her age. The woman had a slender waist, big and white round buttocks, and plump thighs that stuck together. Her slightly loose skin was pale, like a sculpture that had gone through the vicissitudes of life kneeling on the platform. Her once-beautiful face now had a look of indifference, with a faded red mark on her forehead, hiding many secrets. Cheng licked his lips. Although this slave woman was a bit older, she still had a lot of flavor. If he had thirty silver coins, maybe he would buy her. There were obviously many others with the same idea as him. A short Yi merchant climbed onto the platform and grabbed one of the woman's breasts with his thin fingers. The woman lowered her head, and her snowy white and plump breast constantly changed shape under the Yi merchant's fingers, appearing incredibly soft, lacking the firmness and elasticity of a young girl. A slave woman who had been unsold for half a year had obviously become a headache for the owner. Seeing someone interested in her, old Qi immediately put down the other slave girls, and with a smile on his face, he said, "You have good eyesight! This is a good product! Two years ago, when Arona Shun usurped the throne in Central Tianzhu, it caused chaos in Tianzhu. The five Tianzhus fought in the dark, and those soldiers were starving. They sold the captives they caught to buy food, and our store also benefited from it. Your Excellency has extraordinary vision, and immediately picked out the most outstanding item we have." old Qi lifted the chin of the slave woman, "Look at this appearance, she's a first-rate beauty no matter where you put her. And this figure, this butt...it's a rare top-quality product." He then patted the woman's buttocks and said, "Lift your butt up and let the guest take a look."
The female slave knelt silently on the wooden platform, bowing her head and pressing her cheek against the board. She lifted her hips, and her long reddish-brown hair cascaded down, covering her aged face. Her plump and white buttocks were full of mature feminine charm. old Qi parted the slave's buttocks, exposing her genitals, and with a low voice, he said mysteriously, "How about this?" The foreign merchant nodded, showing a satisfied expression. old Qi seized the opportunity and said, "If you really want to buy, I, old Qi, will make the decision and give you a discount. Twenty-eight silver coins, and this female slave will be yours." He spoke while kneading the slave's soft buttocks. The foreign merchant was tempted and licked his lips, saying, "Indeed, it's a good piece of merchandise." He circled around the female slave and then lifted her face, saying, "Just that she's a bit old... Fifteen silver coins." old Qi vigorously shook his head and said, "To be honest, I bought her for a hundred silver coins. Twenty-five silver coins! I can't go any lower." The foreign merchant rubbed the slave's cheek with his sharp fingers and inserted his thumb into her mouth, forcing her to open it. This was a usual action when purchasing slaves, but old Qi grabbed the foreign merchant's arm and said, "I'll lower it by five silver coins! Twenty silver coins!"
But he was still too late. The Yi merchants had already parted the slave girl's mouth. Then his expression changed and he angrily shouted, "Where is her tongue?!" The slave girl's mouth was empty and her once soft tongue was nowhere to be found, only a broken piece of the root left. The deceived Yi merchant cursed a few times and then left, leaving a embarrassed old Qi on the platform. The spectators who already knew the truth burst into laughter. "old Qi ! I told you, she couldn't be sold at that price! She's disabled and no one would even pay five silver coins, let alone thirty!" old Qi slapped the slave girl's face in anger and yelled, "Useless goods! Shut up and go back to your cage!" The slave girl picked up her tattered clothes and silently walked down the wooden platform. Behind the platform was a circle of fences displaying several tents. The largest one was surrounded by thick wooden stakes covered with red-painted cowhide, with a splendid and vulgar appearance. The slave girl's cage was just a wooden box with a tattered cloth curtain outside. A sloppy man wearing a tattered sheepskin coat said, "old Qi , let's follow the usual practice and check the goods." old Qi replied angrily, "Ten copper coins!" This slave girl was old Qi 's worst deal. He didn't realize that her tongue had been cut off and she couldn't be sold even after being kept for half a year. He had to feed her every day and endure the head of the house's scolding. The sloppy man threw a few copper coins on the wooden platform and then walked over, grabbing a handful of her breast. The slave girl's faint green eyes were misty, and she kneeled on the hay next to the wooden box, placing her hands flat on the ground and bowing her head to rest on her hands. The man walked behind her, pulled apart her buttocks, grabbed a few more handfuls, and then untied his belt and draped it around his neck. He hugged her naked buttocks tightly and thrust into her forcefully. The slave girl's body shook and the tattered curtain fell, blocking the spectators' view.