Chapter 163: Buying slaves
Chapter 163: Buying slaves
Nelda, who was in the slave market, began to go through the different stalls that were.
In them were children, women, men, and some old people who only cost a few copper coins.
“Ashraf, what do you think of these slaves? We need to bring some quality, but I’m not quite sure where to choose.
There are too many, and none of them have convinced me. “
Ashraf who was watching the slaves put his hand on her chin and started stroking her.
“My father rarely bought slaves in Cádiz, but he taught me the two most important things that a slave must-have, which are strength and knowledge.
Although generally the slaves that were sold in the city of Tarifa, were Christians and a small number of people from far south of the desert.
This caused that very rarely they fulfilled both of my father’s conditions, so he himself did some little tricks to choose the best slaves.
For example, you can see that slave who is there, next to the stall of that brown-haired merchant. “
Nelda turned her head and looked at a slave who had quite a few wounds on his hand. She could tell because the scars had long since made him look like an experienced warrior.
“I would like to say that he is a slave, he is a warrior, but I feel like that is the wrong answer, right Ashraf?”
Ashraf nodded “That man is a blacksmith I can tell because the wounds he has do not match any weapon that you Christians use and even from the shapes of the scars you can see that he is quite experienced.
Now you just have to ask how much it is worth if it costs more than one silver coin, then it is not worth the deal.
This is because by age I can be sure that nothing else will last like 5 to 10 more years. You may have the experience but if you do not have the time to apply it, then it is a bad investment. “
Nelda, who was curious to check Ashraf’s words, approached the merchant who, upon seeing a possible client, was delighted.
“Welcome, come and see all the products we have, I am sure you will love one of them, whether you are looking for something to have funned yourself or something to help you in your work.
Here in my slave shop, I can guarantee that each of them has been selected from groups of refugees who escaped from the civil war in the Franco empire.
So they weren’t slaves before we got our hands on it, so you don’t have to worry that they don’t know how to do jobs as many of them worked before they lost everything. “
Nelda pointed to the slave who was next to her “I want that old slave, the one with wounds on his hands for how many coins are you willing to sell him?”
The merchant smiled and turned his head to see his slave “Three silver coins, I think that’s a fair price for a grown man.”
Nelda crossed her arms and shook her head “Merchant, hoped you were a person who could be traded with.
But with that exorbitant cost, the only thing you are going to achieve is that you lose me as a customer and that your store is damaged as a place of scams.
Yes, he is a grown man but a very adult man; we are talking that you must be approximately 40 or 50 years old.
That age is big enough for three silver coins, I can give you five copper coins for it, if you accept I am willing to buy at least 30 slaves here.
Of course, I will only buy them if the price is right. “
The merchant frowned “How about a silver coin and in exchange for every 10 slaves you buy I give you 5 children.
I think it would be a fairer deal for both of us because I get my investment back in these slaves and you gain young labor.
That way I think it will no longer matter so much that you buy an old slave as he can live long enough to take care of the children.
So you only have to take care of feeding them, but how can you see they are slaves.
Just give them some spoiled wheat or some leftover meat to keep them alive. “
Nelda looked at Ashraf for some help, so when he saw Nelda’s gaze he walked towards the merchant seriously.
“You are selling slaves at a high price but tell me something, that slave who has been watching us is going to speak our language and otherwise it is completely useless because I have to spend time and gold in make him learning the language”
The merchant who knew that all his slaves did not know how to speak the language of the Island can only clench his hands with some anger.
Before finishing bowing his head in defeat, “Your words are a wise foreigner I am willing to accept the treatment of women. In return, I only hope they speak well of my store.”
Nelda, who had been the victor, nodded and put her hand on Ashraf’s shoulder “Of course, merchant, I will speak very well about your store. As soon as the slaves he will take care of choosing them.
Just remember that he is an expert, so do not try anything like what you tried with me because I will not be responsible for what happens, you should also recognize this. “
Nelda took out of her leather pouch a document stamped by the duke “I have the favor of the duke so you won’t want to fight me.”
The merchant, seeing that he could not refute anything, simply nodded and began to guide the dark-skinned man towards the cages where the slaves were.
Ashraf, simply following the words Nelda had spoken, began to search among the slaves for those who had a profession with which they could generate money.
Among the slave boxes, he found some quite interesting promises from women who appeared to have wounds on their hands, which were a sign that they knew how to weave.
Even some men who seemed to have knowledge of writing, due to the fact that they had some small scars on their fingers.
‘I have to admit that this stupid merchant doesn’t know what he’s selling, I guess not understanding their language is to our advantage.
Although really the last time I could see such good quality slaves were those that were obtained after some battles in the Christian monasteries within the border of the kingdom of Asturias.
A lot of monks were enslaved that day. It is a pity that as mercenaries we only received gold and silver, but not scholarly slaves. ‘
After spending some time choosing, Ashraf placed more than 60 slaves in front of Nelda, which she starts to sell very well because they had practiced a profession before.
Nelda, seeing a large number of slaves, looked at the merchant with a smile. “I think that as a man of my word and a good merchant, they will respect the part of the deal where you said that they would give me five children for every 10 people bought.”
Seeing the angry face of the merchant Nelda smiled maliciously “Well what do you think if instead of giving me five children you sell them to me for a copper coin each.
I think that would be a fair deal because children are not of much use because as they are children they do not generate income of any kind.
They are just little leeches that cost money, which I may end up losing if one of them dies on the journey I will undertake.
I hope that with these words you no longer have an angry face, this way you win and I win.
How about my offer?”
The merchant, feeling that he would not have a loss, relaxed a little and ended up accepting Nelda’s deal because he felt that if he refused or tried to convince her to give up, he would end up losing silver coins.
After chaining all the slaves, including the children they had obtained, Nel proudly scared the 100 slaves he owned.
“We have finished with the first cargo from the first ship, we only have to wait for your people to come so that we can load them.
Now we have to buy women and a few young people, I hope you can choose them like these if I’m honest I’m just used to having slaves or merchandise of all kinds.
But to buy slaves how you have realized I am completely useless. “
Ashraf just laughed “Don’t worry I’m not an expert either, however, I think that with my experiences buying slaves with my father, it will be more than enough for you to fill your ships.
But if I’m honest, the best place to buy women is brothels, because most slaves suffer so many rapes that they often end up being infertile.
On the other hand, brothel women receive better treatment because they are cared for and only have sex for money, not to mention that only those with money can frequent them. “
Nelda was surprised by Ashraf’s knowledge “Wow, I think you will have to tell me a lot of things, I would love to know all the secrets you have.
Besides, I think that if your group demonstrates their loyalty; I think we can start a long-term working relationship. “
While this was happening in the market, in a forest near the port city, Anders was beheading a thief.
“I hope you have learned very well boy, that damn thief put up a fight, but nothing that I can’t control with a good ax …”