Chapter 625 - 628: A Loving Family
When Zheng Fu opened his mouth and offered to sell the children, Hua Manman was taken aback.
She looked at the children, who were covered in bruises. ’In this wretched feudal society, people can be legally bought and sold.’
Zheng Fu must have bought these children from someone else, which was why he dared to torment them so brazenly.
Hua Manman asked him how much he wanted.
She expected him to ask for an exorbitant price.
However, Zheng Fu quoted a rather fair price.
"These five boys, five taels of silver each. Twenty-five taels in total."
A mere twenty-five taels was naturally nothing to Hua Manman, but she felt that the opera troupe leader before her was up to no good.
Just as she was hesitating over whether to spend the silver to buy the poor children, Li Ji walked over.
His gaze swept over Zheng Fu’s face, seeing through the man’s scheme in an instant.
Zheng Fu was indeed up to no good.
He had seen that Hua Manman was soft-hearted, so he had deliberately beaten the children in front of her. His goal was to arouse her pity and then suggest selling the five children to her.
In reality, the children had been trained by Zheng Fu since they were little. Though they looked pitiful, they were skilled in all manner of cons and trickery.
As soon as Hua Manman bought them, the children would steal her group’s money and valuables when they weren’t looking and return to the Cloud Crane Opera Troupe.
By the time Hua Manman and her companions realized something was wrong, the Cloud Crane Opera Troupe would have long since vanished.
The Cloud Crane Opera Troupe had used this exact trick to swindle many kind-hearted people, and they had never failed.
Thus, Zheng Fu was confident he would succeed this time as well.
He eyed the pearl hairpin and other jewelry in Hua Manman’s hair, and the Jade Pendant hanging from Li Ji’s waist, his greed growing more intense.
More than a few steamed buns, what he truly wanted was gold and silver.
Once he had money, he could eat as much delicious food as he wanted!
Hua Manman asked Li Ji what he thought.
Zheng Fu rubbed his hands together and said with a smile.
"It’s only twenty-five taels. That should be nothing to esteemed people like you. Since you want to do a good deed, why not see it through to the end and give these children a way out?"
Li Ji said, "I can give you the silver, but you have to produce the five boys’ deeds of sale."
Zheng Fu froze.
He hadn’t expected the man to remember the deeds of sale at a time like this.
Of course, he couldn’t give them the deeds.
If he really handed over the deeds of sale, he would no longer be able to control the five boys.
Zheng Fu said sheepishly, "To be honest with you, I just took these five boys in. I saw how pitiful they were and gave them something to eat. I never made them sign any deeds of sale."
Li Ji reached out, grabbed the man by the collar, and lifted him clean off the ground.
"I hate it when people lie to me."
With his feet dangling off the ground, Zheng Fu shrieked in terror, "What are you doing? Let me go!"
Yuanbao and the other members of the troupe scrambled to their feet, intending to rush forward and save their leader.
But in the next moment, the trusted aides drew their sabers in unison, aiming the blades directly at the troupe members.
Staring at the sharp, gleaming blades, the troupe members were utterly intimidated and dared not move another inch.
Choked by his collar, Zheng Fu struggled to breathe, his face turning red.
He was filled with regret.
He had thought he could exploit their sympathy to make a quick profit, but he had picked a fight with the wrong people.
Li Ji said, "I’ll ask one last time. Where are the deeds of sale?"
Zheng Fu felt as if he was about to be strangled to death.
The fear of death left him no room for denials or excuses. He hastily sputtered.
"In—in that locked red chest."
The trusted aides immediately found the red chest, violently broke the bronze lock hanging on it, and pulled out the deeds of sale from inside.
The stack of deeds contained not only the names of the five children but those of every member of the opera troupe.
It was because Zheng Fu held these deeds that he had the entire troupe firmly under his thumb.
Now that the deeds were in Li Ji’s hands, the troupe members couldn’t help but look at him.
Li Ji casually handed the deeds to Hua Manman and then released his grip.
Zheng Fu collapsed onto the ground in a pathetic heap.
He gasped for air, his ragged breaths turning into a series of harsh coughs.
Looking at the deeds in her hand, an idea sparked in Hua Manman’s mind.
She said to Zheng Fu.
"From now on, we’re taking over the Cloud Crane Opera Troupe."
Zheng Fu immediately looked up, staring at her in disbelief, and asked in a hoarse voice.
"Wh-what did you say?"
Everyone else also turned to stare at Hua Manman, not understanding why she would make such a decision.
Hua Manman said, "As the saying goes, to meet is to be fated. Since we’re so fated to meet, why don’t we take over your troupe? From now on, we’ll be one big, happy family. What do you say?"
Zheng Fu wanted to curse.
’One big, happy family, my ass!’
This was *his* troupe. Why in the world should he hand it over to someone else?!
Zheng Fu scrambled up from the ground and yelled hoarsely.
"Young lady, you can’t just say that!
Just because you have the numbers and we can’t afford to offend you doesn’t mean you can just rob us blind!
I built the Cloud Crane Opera Troupe with my own hands! I poured my heart and soul into it!
You think you can just snatch my troupe away with a few words? Impossible!"
Hua Manman asked nonchalantly.
"So you’re unwilling to give us the troupe?"
Zheng Fu spat fiercely on the ground and roared defiantly.
"I would rather die! I’d rather jump from this very spot than hand my troupe over to you!"
SWISH. Li Ji drew the sword from his waist. The blade grazed past Zheng Fu’s cheek, coming to rest against his neck.
Zheng Fu felt a sharp sting on his cheek.
He reached up to touch it and his fingers came away stained with crimson blood.
He wanted to scream in terror, but the blade was still pressed tightly against his neck.
One wrong move, and his head would part ways with his neck.
Hua Manman asked with a sweet smile.
"If you wish to die, we can grant your wish at any time."
Terrified, Zheng Fu’s legs gave out. He collapsed to his knees with a thud and shrieked at the top of his lungs.
"Boss! From now on, you are the bosses of the Cloud Crane Opera Troupe!"
Li Ji calmly sheathed his sword.
He pulled Manman to his side by the fire.
The trusted aides also sheathed their sabers.
The tense atmosphere inside the temple eased considerably.
Yuanbao scrambled over to Zheng Fu’s side and whispered.
"Uncle, how could you just agree to give them the troupe? Where’s your backbone?"
Zheng Fu gritted his teeth. "If you have so much backbone, you go and snatch the troupe back from them!"
Yuanbao instantly recoiled and fell silent.
That whole scene had been terrifying. In all their years of traveling the country, they had never met people who would draw their swords at the slightest disagreement. It was horrifying!
By the fire, Li Liao asked Manman why she wanted to take over the troupe.
Hua Manman told him her plan honestly.
"Ji is still a wanted man, so we definitely can’t return to the Capital City using our real identities. I think the Cloud Crane Opera Troupe will make for a good cover."