"Dad, we might be stuck in a misunderstanding."
Jiang Pan asked, "What misunderstanding?"
Jiang Wan said, "Don't we just need to buy people who can cook?"
Jiang Pan replied, "Isn't that different?"
"How is it different? Dad, aren't the chefs in the restaurants people? Let's buy a few female cooks who were sold off by wealthy families. We can train them well when we get them back, and they'll be able to handle the work. If that doesn't work, we'll just buy more! This way, we can have each of them specialize in just a few dishes. Not only can we control the quality of the dishes, but we can also prevent the Xu family from bribing them."
Jiang Pan pondered it carefully and felt that this method sounded quite reliable.
Given the current situation, it would be difficult to find suitable candidates if they continued searching. It would be better to proceed as Jiang Wan suggested and figure out other solutions later.
So, when the father and daughter arrived at the next agency, they said, "We're looking for a few female cooks. They need to be quick and efficient, and not too old."
The agency clerk heard their request and immediately went to the back to select people.
The father and daughter had been walking for a long time and were quite tired. They sat on chairs, resting their feet and drinking tea.
After a while, the clerk brought several women who met the criteria.
The women stood in two rows, all with their heads bowed obediently, waiting to be chosen by buyers.
Jiang Wan took a quick look and felt that coming to the prefectural city was the right decision. These female cooks were all clean and tidy, with good spirits, much better than the servants she had seen for sale at the agency in Yao County last time.
Jiang Pan merely glanced at the female cooks before looking away.
Even though these female cooks were just slaves, it wasn't appropriate for a grown man to stare at them.
So, he said to Jiang Wan, "Wanwan, you pick them. I'll go outside for some fresh air."
Just as Jiang Pan spoke, in a group being led to the back by an agency clerk, a woman turned her head in disbelief to look at Jiang Pan and Jiang Wan.
She wanted to speak, but when she opened her mouth, she couldn't make a sound. She was so anxious that tears streamed down her face.
The attendant guarding her noticed her actions and immediately stepped forward to scold her, "Hurry and lower your head! Don't offend the noble guests!"
Seeing that she seemed not to hear his voice, the attendant unceremoniously gave her a look, "You're mute, not deaf. If I tell you to lower your head, can't you hear?"
The attendant reached out to pull her, but the woman, without regard for her own safety, pushed the attendant away and rushed towards Jiang Pan and his daughter.
The attendant was startled and quickly called out, "Someone, come and catch her!"
Jiang Wan turned her head and was shocked when she saw the woman's face.
Jiang Xiao!
It was Jiang Xiao!
Jiang Wan was so excited she could barely speak.
At that moment, several attendants lunged forward to grab Jiang Xiao.
Jiang Wan, in her haste, suddenly lunged at the attendants and kicked each of them.
The attendants, kicked in their legs, hopped around the room clutching their thighs.
This commotion caused other attendants from the agency to grab their weapons and surround them.
"What are you doing? Trying to cause trouble in our agency? You should find out where this is!"
Jiang Wan ignored the attendants and turned to pull Jiang Xiao, asking urgently, "Eldest sister, is that you? Sister, is that you? Are you Jiang Xiao?"
Jiang Xiao looked down at the young girl in front of her, tears flowing like a broken dam. She thought she would never see her family again in this lifetime.
Seeing her cry, Jiang Wan couldn't help but shed tears as well.
"Sister, don't be afraid. I'm here, and Dad is here too."
Thinking of Jiang Pan, Jiang Wan quickly looked back for him, only to see that the carefree man was already chatting with someone on the street.
"Dad!"
Jiang Wan amplified her voice with her special ability, shouting so loudly that the ears of everyone in the agency buzzed.
Jiang Pan was startled and quickly rushed into the agency. Seeing a group of attendants surrounding Jiang Wan, he rolled up his sleeves without a word, ready to fight.
Jiang Wan quickly shouted, "Dad, come here quickly! Eldest sister, it's eldest sister!"
Jiang Pan froze. His mind hadn't caught up yet, but his legs were already carrying him towards them.
When he got closer and saw, Jiang Pan, a grown man, his eyes immediately turned red.
"Da Ya, is it really you? How did you end up like this?"
Seeing her father, Jiang Xiao could no longer hold back. She threw herself into Jiang Pan's arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
Jiang Wan looked up and saw Jiang Xiao's mouth, and her whole body went cold with anger.
Her sister's tongue was gone!
Jiang Xiao cried too intensely and fainted.
Jiang Pan, without a word, picked up Jiang Xiao and prepared to leave.
The agency attendants immediately surrounded them, "Stop! This is a slave bought by our agency. Where do you think you're taking her?"
Jiang Pan was furious, "Get out of the way, all of you!"
Jiang Wan still had some sense and quickly said, "Dad, wait a moment."
Then she turned and asked, "Where is the deed of sale? Bring it here. I'll redeem my sister!"
The manager of the agency's eyes darted around, and he smiled cunningly, "Redeem her? Of course, you can. Fifty taels of silver. Not a single coin less."
The attendants gasped. Fifty taels!
When this woman was bought, she only cost five or six taels. Their manager was really asking for a fortune!
Jiang Wan didn't have time to waste with him. She immediately took out the silver, "Bring the deed of sale!"
The manager regretted it a little, wishing he had asked for more.
Jiang Wan's eyes flashed with coldness. She didn't say anything, took Jiang Xiao's deed of sale, and with Jiang Pan, they took Jiang Xiao into the rented carriage.
Soon, the carriage stopped in front of an inn.
Jiang Wan rushed in to ask the waiter for a room. The father and daughter brought Jiang Xiao into the room and settled her down.
"Dad, I'll examine my sister first. You go find a doctor. Also, ask the waiter to bring some hot water. I'll wash my sister."
Jiang Xiao was very dirty, her body covered in a mixture of blood and sweat.
Jiang Pan left with red eyes. Soon, the waiter brought hot water.
Jiang Wan closed the door and then reached out to remove Jiang Xiao's clothes.
When her clothes were off, Jiang Wan's tears fell like pearls from a broken string.
Jiang Xiao's body was covered in wounds, old and new, too many to count.
What made Jiang Wan most furious was that Jiang Xiao had miscarried, and it had happened just a few days ago!
What had her sister gone through? Where were the Zhang family? What happened to her sister's tongue?
Jiang Wan was so angry she wanted to kill. She had a strong feeling that this matter was related to the Zhang family!
Suppressing her surging murderous intent, Jiang Wan quickly stripped Jiang Xiao's clothes and wrung out a cloth to wipe her down.
Even though Jiang Wan was very careful, Jiang Xiao's body was covered in injuries, and she inevitably caused her pain.
Jiang Xiao suddenly woke up, like a startled bird, and hurriedly tried to climb up to find a place to hide.