Chapter 161: No Holding Back
"Ministry Councilor He, we can't let this go like that. You have to do something. Didn't you say that you want An Jiuyue's son? Her son is in the treehouse now. He'll be your son if you capture him!"
She wanted him to go and snatch An Jiuyue's son away. Otherwise, her grandson would be the one taken away.
Unless she could bear to part with the 50 taels of silver. But, of course, she was not. She was even more unwilling to part with her grandson.
1
Hence, she could only urge Ministry Councilor He to deal with An Jiuyue.
"Shut up, you old fool!"
Shocked by her words, Ministry Councilor He yelled.
Snatch An Jiuyue's son away? I might be alive to do that, but I might not be alive to bring him back!
Besides, I don't want An Jiuyue to be my wife anymore. I can find a beautiful woman easily. Why should I cling onto her?
I just thought she would be easy to bully.
But look at her! How is she easy to bully? She is clearly a female overlord! I cannot afford to offend her.
1
I want to hide, but Aunt Wang still shouted at me. Does she want me to die? I won't let this old thing off!
"You b*tch, you— Ah!"
"Ah!"
An Jiuyue chuckled when she heard a flurry of footsteps approaching.
She pushed Aunt Wang's back. Aunt Wang was caught off guard and slipped, opening her arms and crashing into Ministry Councilor He.
Ministry Councilor He was a plump man. He would pant after walking a few steps. How could he withstand Aunt Wang? He leaned back and was pushed to the ground by her.
The Chief and the Junior Officer hurried over with a large group of men. They immediately saw Ministry Councilor He and Aunt Wang hugging each other tightly and crying on the ground.
The Chief was silent.
The Junior Officer was confused.
And the men who came to provide back-up for An Jiuyue were shocked.
Eyes widened, everyone looked at the two on the ground. It was an unbearable sight!
How could there be such a shameless woman in their village? They exchanged looks, wondering if they should chase her out of the village.
How could she do this? She was already a grandmother!
"What are you doing?!"
Old An rushed over because he wanted to defend his wife and push the blame to An Jiuyue.
However, he saw this scene right after he arrived. His eyes reddened and he asked fiercely.
Even if she was old and despised by him, she was still his woman. Nobody should be hitting on her!
But this old fatty was hugging his wife now, and they are still crying!
He could not control himself and walked up to them. He kicked them without holding back.
"Ow!"
Ministry Councilor He was the first to be kicked.
1
Old An began kicking both of them repeatedly, causing him to scream in pain.
"You bunch of trash! Why are you still standing there? Hurry up and get her away!" He panicked and shouted at the servants and thugs he had brought.
Chapter 162: Maintain His Reputation?
Only then did they react and rush forward.
Two of them pushed Old An away from both sides, while another two pulled Aunt Wang away from Ministry Councilor He.
Then, they brought both of them together and began punching and kicking them to avenge their master!
Old An and Aunt Wang could only cry out in pain.
"Chief, Chief! Junior Officer! Save us! Save us!"
1
They turned to the Chief and the Junior Officer for help. After all, they were in their village. How could Ministry Councilor He be a match for the many men here?
Unfortunately, they were wrong. Neither the Chief nor the Junior Officer wanted to interfere in their matters, and the other men looked at them in disdain.
Since Old An and Aunt Wang provoked Ministry Councilor He, they had to be responsible for it. They deserved to get beaten up for bringing these people here. The villagers would even clap and cheer if they were beaten to death!
"Jiuyue, are you alright?"
The Chief sighed and turned to look at An Jiuyue, who seemed a little flustered.
"Y-yes."
An Jiuyue looked up at the Chief and the others before heaving a sigh of relief. She stepped back and watched Old An and Aunt Wang getting beaten up.
Then, she turned to look at Ministry Councilor He, who was getting up with the help of his servants.
"Chief, what does Aunt Wang's family want? I can't afford to offend them. Is avoiding them not enough?"
The Chief's expression darkened when he heard her say that, and his hatred for Old An's family grew.
Even if An Jiuyue is a woman with a few children, she is the savior of their village. Yet, Aunt Wang almost snatched her child. How can this be?
"Jiuyue, don't worry. I'll definitely seek justice for you. I won't let this vicious woman off this time!"
An Jiuyue chuckled internally.
It seems like the Chief knows what stupid things his wife did. Otherwise, he won't be here trying to smooth things over.
You won't let Aunt Wang off? Is this something Aunt Wang could've done alone?
Of course, the Chief knew. His wife had been nagging him to stay out of it ever since someone came to tell him that something had happened to An Jiuyue.
He knew his wife was involved.
But what could he do? He could only take responsibility for the trouble his wife caused.
He had to maintain his reputation, right?
Of course, he had to. He could not be the Chief if his reputation was tarnished. He would be replaced.
However, he decided he would not let his wife off when he returned home after this matter was over. If she continued with her behavior, his reputation as the Chief would be ruined by her sooner or later.
In that case, he might as well divorce that woman.
1
Although that would also be bad for his reputation, it would be better than her causing trouble repeatedly in the future. He would have to clean up after her repeatedly, right?
"Jiuyue, we won't let Old An's family off this time. Don't worry," the Junior Officer assured.
He did not know that the Chief's family was involved again, so he only mentioned Old An.
There was a huge difference between the Chief singling out Aunt Wang and the Junior Officer directly talking about Old An.
Chapter 163: Leave It to the Man
The Junior Officer's words meant that he had decided to banish Old An from the village. The Chief's eyelids twitched. He had a bad feeling.
"Junior Officer, I'm not trying to do anything to anyone. It's just that Aunt Wang is too much of a bully. Since she dares to bring Ministry Councilor He here, she might do something worse next time."
An Jiuyue glanced at the Chief before looking at Old An and his wife.
Ministry Councilor He thought he should not go overboard with beating them up. With his servants holding him by the arm, he instructed his thugs to retreat.
However, they were really beaten up badly, lying motionlessly on the ground although no one was hitting them anymore.
An Jiuyue remarked faintly, "I wonder if there is anyone in town who has contracted the disease. What happens if Aunt Wang brought someone with the disease in?"
The Chief and the Junior Officer gasped in unison.
When the men around them heard that, they looked at Ministry Councilor He's group in horror as if they were the source of the disease.
"Chief, what do we do now?"
"Chief, did Aunt Wang leave the village already? Otherwise, how did Ministry Councilor He and the others come here?"
"This family is so detestable! We didn't even notice when they left the village! If I saw them, I would've definitely broken their legs!"
A few men glared at the two motionless people on the ground.
The Chief's heart skipped a beat.
Nobody knows when these two left the village. What if they really brought the epidemic disease in?
What's the most important thing now?
It's not about whether An Jiuyue's child would be taken away or how detestable Old An's family is. The epidemic is the most important!
How will the villagers survive if the epidemic disease finds its way into the village?
On the other hand, the Junior Officer did not consider as much. He walked up to the couple and kicked them.
"Why are you still lying there? Get up!"
Old An, already in pain, cried out when he was kicked again.
However, he did not dare disobey the Junior Officer and sat up with difficulty. When he saw his wife still lying down, he kicked her.
Aunt Wang whimpered a little. She stood up, snot and tears everywhere, and hunched over.
The Junior Officer yelled at them, "Spill! When did you leave the village?"
Aunt Wang was startled. She took a step back instinctively and looked at Old An timidly.
This was not the time for her to stand out. She should leave it to the man.
Old An did not dare to hide anything from the Junior Officer and explained, "L-Last night, this woman and my eldest son planned to sell An Jiuyue's child. They left the village and contacted Ministry Councilor He."
However, he pushed all the blame on his wife and son as he did not want to be chased out of the village.
Aunt Wang was shocked and lifted her head up quickly.
She would have a hard time in the future if the Junior Officer held her responsible for everything.
She would definitely be divorced and sent back to her parents. She was already old and did not want to cause such an embarrassing matter.
Chapter 164: She Wanted to Sell Her Children!
She shook her head and explained, "Junior Officer, this has nothing to do with me. An Jiuyue was the one who said she wanted to sell her child.
"That's why I left the village to contact Ministry Councilor He. It really has nothing to do with me."
The Junior Officer was amused. "Jiuyue said that?"
An Jiuyue is an expert at hunting on the mountain. Even if she doesn't sell her prey, she can feed her children with them. Is she so poor that she has to sell her children?
"Did Jiuyue go to your house to tell you that?"
"Yes, yes, yes… No, no."
Aunt Wang was about to nod instinctively but shook her head quickly.
She glanced guiltily in An Jiuyue's direction, then at Ministry Councilor He and the others. Her lips trembled as she looked at the Junior Officer.
"I did. I came up the mountain to pick wild vegetables and bumped into An Jiuyue. Then she mentioned this to me. Junior Officer, An Jiuyue really said that! I didn't want to sell her children—she wanted to!"
"Bullsh*t!"
Up in the treehouse, Qian Yiyun could not stand it anymore. After giving Qian Yizheng and Qian Yirong some instructions, she rushed down quickly.
"You were the one who wanted to fool me into giving you Zheng'er yesterday when Sister Jiuyue wasn't around, right? You even told me that Sister Jiuyue had discussed it with you and asked you to bring Zheng'er to town to broaden his horizons!
"That's what you said, right, old hag? I didn't hear you wrong or say anything wrong, right?
"You shameless thing! You're good at bullying the weak and fearing the strong. You didn't fool me, so you brought that fatty and his men to capture Zheng'er forcefully, right?
"I've seen disgusting people, but I've never seen someone as disgusting as you. If you want to sell a child, you can sell your own! Your child may not be worth much money, but you threw yourself into that damn fatty's arms just now, right?
"You can sell yourself then. Don't even think about setting your sights on Sister Jiuyue!"
Aunt Wang's lips trembled. "You… you…"
Her face flushed from Qian Yiyun's words, and she was speechless.
"Also, give up, Fatty. I won't give you any of Sister Jiuyue's children. Her family is a little poor, but she still has a backbone.
"You saw it too. Sister Jiuyue may be unwilling, but Aunt Wang is very willing. You're about the same age as Aunt Wang. Since you want to find a wife to remarry, only someone like Aunt Wang is worthy of you, right?
1
"If you dare to come after Sister Jiuyue again, I'll have Yan Nuo break your legs!"
Breaking his legs would be a light punishment. She would kill him if he tried anything again!
Ministry Councilor He shuddered and turned to look in Yan Nuo's direction.
This person is capable of fighting too. He might beat me to death if he catches me. I cannot afford to offend him. It's better to hide from him.
Aunt Wang is a disgusting thing. She's not even worthy of carrying my shoes! She brought me so much trouble this time. I have to teach her a lesson no matter what.
"An Jiuyue, I was wrong. I shouldn't have targeted you."
He apologized to An Jiuyue profusely and pushed all the blame on Aunt Wang, saying that she was the one who provoked him.
"I didn't even intend to come here. That old hag came to my house and said she was willing to trick your son out for me. That's why I agreed."
Chapter 165: I Want Your Grandson!
"I even paid her 50 taels of silver and signed the indenture. I… I don't want your child anymore. Is that okay?"
"Really?"
An Jiuyue smiled and looked at Ministry Councilor He with a dangerous glint in her eyes.
She glanced at Old An and Aunt Wang and reminded them meaningfully, "Since you've signed the indenture, you'll have to give a child away, right?
"Otherwise, it'll be so embarrassing. We can't possibly let Ministry Councilor He make a loss, right?"
Ministry Councilor He had been in town for so many years. He was once a hot-headed young man, who persuaded a sophisticated lady to marry him, and became a rich man.
He was astute and understood what An Jiuyue meant.
He looked at Old An and Aunt Wang, then at the Chief and the Junior Officer. He had a plan.
"I can't let it go just like that. I've already paid the money. Wang, where's your grandson? Hurry up and hand him over. I want to bring him back now."
"What?!" Old An and Aunt Wang screamed immediately and almost jumped.
Is he planning to snatch our grandson? How can he do that? He's the lifeblood of the family!
They would not let anyone seize him.
"Chief, Junior Officer, they want to snatch my grandson. You can't ignore this matter."
He knew he could not defeat Ministry Councilor He, so he could only seek help from the Chief and the Junior Officer.
"We—"
The Chief was about to reply that it was none of his business, but Ministry Councilor He interrupted, "What are you talking about? We signed an indenture. There's your wife and son's name on it!
"You want to renege on your agreement? No way! I'm taking your grandson today!"
"No! No, you can't!"
Aunt Wang shook her head like a rattle-drum, extremely panicked.
She only had one precious grandson. How could he be snatched away? However, Ministry Councilor He looked determined to take him away.
Suddenly, a bright idea flashed through her mind. She looked at Yan Nuo, who had been silent.
"Young Master Qian's guard will not let you off if you dare to snatch my grandson! Think carefully!" she shouted boldly at Ministry Councilor He.
1
Yan Nuo, whom she was referring to, was surprised.
What does this have to do with me? I won't have any objections even if you capture Old An's entire family and kill them, okay?
Everyone else was speechless.
They had never seen anyone more thick-skinned than her. Her skin was probably even thicker than the city walls.
Qian Jiyun and his guard are obviously on An Jiuyue's side. Your family was about to sell An Jiuyue's son, yet you still want Yan Nuo to protect you? Isn't it time to stop dreaming?
Everyone, except Ministry Councilor He, thought so. He paused and peeked at Yan Nuo.
"Yan Nuo, have you chopped enough firewood?"
Qian Jiyun glanced at Ministry Councilor He coldly, but his words were directed at Yan Nuo.
Yan Nuo blinked and looked at Aunt Wang's family and Ministry Councilor He. He was indignant.
This lively scene is even more exciting than battlefields! I haven't even watched enough of this, but now I have to chop firewood? Can't he let me watch this for a while longer?
3
However, he obviously could not. His general had already spoken. If he dared to linger, Qian Jiyun would send him to the cold wilderness to train new recruits!
Chapter 166: Sell All Your Sons!
He did not want to go to that godforsaken place.
"I'll go now."
With that, he carried Lu'er in one hand and held his sword in the other, ready to leave.
"Yan Nuo, are you out of your mind? Bring an axe or a machete!"
Qian Yiyun looked at Yan Nuo and yelled. He was about to bring Lu'er with him to chop firewood and even lifted his long sword casually. He was as good as going empty-handed.
"Also, pass Xiao Lu'er to me!"
If he brings a child with him, will he be chopping wood or will the wood chop him?
Yan Nuo was silent.
Yan Nuo did not realize because the scene before him was too exciting. Besides, after chopping trees with his long sword the previous time, he was already used to it.
"I'll get the machete."
Muttering under his breath, he turned around and headed up the treehouse.
Qian Yiyun saw that there was nothing else for her to do here. It was enough for her brother brother to accompany her sister-in-law. She was ready to go upstairs to look after the children.
"You, you…"
Aunt Wang had just finished threatening Ministry Councilor He and felt that the latter had loosened up a little and would not touch their grandson.
However, in the blink of an eye, the person she could rely on left without even looking at her. She glared at An Jiuyue.
"An Jiuyue, what do you mean by this? You have such a powerful person by your side. Will it hurt you to not let them shield us a little? I've never seen someone as ruthless as you! Will you be happy to see my grandson being captured?"
She wanted to kill An Jiuyue. If An Jiuyue had not asked about the money yesterday, she would not have provoked Ministry Councilor He.
"Aunt Wang, will you be very happy if my Zheng'er is taken away today?"
An Jiuyue raised her eyebrows in disbelief. She touched her chin and asked.
"I think you might be. You might even be thinking that you'll sell another one of my sons when you run out of money, right?"
"Huh?!"
Aunt Wang choked.
Indeed, that was what she thought—she could sell a second child if she succeeded in selling the first.
If An Jiuyue dared to refuse, she would tell the entire village about how cruel she was to sell her own son for the sake of living a comfortable life.
An Jiuyue would want to maintain her reputation, right? Hence, she thought she could sell a second child, or maybe even a third!
However, she did not even see Zheng'er. She could not even sell the first one, let alone the second one. She might even lose her grandson.
"I don't care. You have to save my Heizhuang. Otherwise, I won't let you off. I'll sell all your sons sooner or later!"
2
She screamed at An Jiuyue. She was no longer rational. Ministry Councilor He had threatened to take her grandson away. She could not live without him!
"Pfft!"
An Jiuyue sneered.
She turned around and smiled at the Chief and the Junior Officer.
"Chief, Junior Officer, did you hear that? They don't even sell other people's children secretly. They do it openly.
"If they are short of money again, will they capture some children in the village while they're playing and sell them?"
She reminded them very kindly.
Before the Chief and the Junior Officer could even react, the other men glared at Old An and Aunt Wang as if their children would be sold off in the next moment.
Chapter 167: We Have to Chase Them Out!
In their opinion, if Aunt Wang dared to sell An Jiuyue's son now, she would dare to sell their children when she ran out of money in the future.
They would not be able to hold Old An's family accountable if their children went missing, especially if they went missing while playing in the village. Meanwhile, Old An's family could live happily and enjoy the money.
"People like them are too vicious, Chief. In my opinion, they should be removed from the genealogy."
"How can we only remove them from the genealogy? We should chase them out of the village so they may never enter again. Otherwise, they will harm our children."
"Look at these two. They're selling other people's children as if they raised them. They don't feel guilty at all. What kind of people are they?!"
"That's right! They treat other people's children as their toys!"
"Chief, you can't let this family off easily. Otherwise, no child will dare to come out and play in the future! They'll all be tied up at home."
The men said to the Chief ceaselessly while looking at Old An and his wife.
Fear lingered in their hearts. Every family had children. Nobody would dare to stay in the village if their children could go missing while playing.
They might as well move out!
However, nobody had money after the natural disaster. Nobody was willing to give up their family business and move elsewhere.
Therefore, chasing Old An and his family out would do.
"No, you can't do this. I didn't sell your children. I was selling An Jiuyue's child. It has nothing to do with you!" Aunt Wang panicked and retorted.
She had no intention of selling the children in the village. Everyone was living together. She would not be allowed to stay if she dared to have designs on the children.
I only targeted An Jiuyue because she lives on the mountain and has two children with her. It's easier to take action!
But An Jiuyue is not to be trifled with—she sabotaged my family instead! This is all her fault. She harmed me.
Aunt Wang turned around and glared at her.
An Jiuyue raised her eyebrows when she noticed Aunt Wang's gaze.
She still dares to provoke me at this point? She's really one to bully the weak and fear the strong.
But why does she think I'm a pushover? Does being a woman mean that I'm weak?
"It's not a good idea to chase them out. Aunt Wang and An Da left the village. Who knows if they met someone on the way and contracted something they shouldn't have?"
Her lips curled up slightly as she spoke sinisterly.
The men gasped when they heard her words.
That's right. The epidemic outside was so serious now. Yet they dared to leave for money. They must be asking for death.
"Chief, we can't let them stay in the village. All the families that abided by the rules in the village will suffer if they contract the disease. We have to chase them out!"
"I think so too. It's not just the epidemic. No one in this family is upright! They only know how to think of evil ideas and plot against others. Will our An Clan Village still have a peaceful life in the future if we let them stay?"
Chapter 168: I Have the Indenture
The men started talking again. They were worried.
Do we have to worry about our children being sold off even in our own homes?
The Chief's head started to hurt as he listened to their conversation.
He knew very well that Aunt Wang would definitely drag his brainless wife down with her if he really chased her family out.
However, letting them stay was also not a good idea.
An Jiuyue could be right. They might think of doing this again after enjoying the benefits of selling the first child.
"Chief, what do you think?" the Junior Officer asked in a deep voice when he saw that the Chief did not speak or express his opinion.
He had realized that things were more complicated as he recalled the conflict between An Jiuyue and Aunt Kang. And with the Chief's silence, he figured out half of the story.
He also noticed Aunt Kang peeking out from behind a big tree. She looked guilty and seemed keen to find out what was happening here.
He sighed internally.
My wife is the best. The Chief's wife causes too many troubles. I would probably be furious if I have to worry over my wife like that too!
The Chief took a deep breath. What could he say?
Everyone was rightfully uncomfortable with such a family living in their village. They would want to drive this family far away and never see them again.
However, it was not that simple. They could not be chased away just like that.
They could be removed from the genealogy at most. However, the house and land belonged to Old An. Would they be able to take back the land from Old An if they chased them away?
"Let's talk about this later. Let's discuss the issue with selling the children first."
He did not want to care about this matter anymore, but he had no choice. Ministry Councilor He watched him closely and was prepared to snatch Old An's grandson away.
"Ministry Councilor He, can we discuss this matter again? The old miser only has one grandson…"
"So what if he only has one grandson? His family accepted my money, so he must sell his grandson to me. I have the indenture to justify this!" Ministry Councilor He interrupted the Chief.
He was in An Jiuyue's territory, and Qian Jiyun was eyeing him with hostility. He was afraid.
He would do anything as long as he could return home safely. Then, he would think about his future plans carefully. He could not let a young woman like An Jiuyue embarrass him here thoroughly.
But he could save his face in the future. It was more important to settle things here quickly and leave.
Most importantly, he could not stand Aunt Wang anymore. She sold other people's children as if it was a natural thing to do. But now that her grandson was involved, she acted as if his parents were dead.
"The streets are filled with abandoned children now, but I'm still spending 50 taels of silver for one. Am I not making a loss? I have to take this child away today! Why don't we go to the county and report this to the officials to see who's right!"
"Uh…" The Chief staggered.
Old An was indeed in the wrong as his wife was the one who signed the indenture. To be honest, one could even say they deserved having their grandson seized.
However, when he thought of his wife, he felt he should say something.
"How about… We have him to return the money to you?" he probed.
Chapter 169: You Have Many Sons
"Pfft!"
Ministry Councilor He sneered and glanced in the direction of Qian Jiyun and An Jiuyue.
Do I look like I lack money? Someone is keeping an eye on me and making sure I make things difficult for Old An and his family.
What am I supposed to do? I'm also in despair. I want to leave as soon as possible, but I can't! If I do, Qian Jiyun will definitely make sure my body has to be carried out of the village!
"Yes, yes! We'll return the money to you!" Old An quickly agreed.
He did not dare to look at Ministry Councilor He's expression. He wanted to force him to return the indenture by taking advantage of the fact that he was in An Clan Village now.
It would be even better if they could take the indenture back without giving him the money.
However, he knew it was impossible. His grandson would be taken away if they did not return the money.
"We can't return the money. We should let him capture An Jiuyue's child and hide our Heizhuang."
Aunt Wang's heart ached for the money. She wanted to use An Jiuyue's child to repay the 50 taels of silver while she hid her grandson quickly.
She thought she had spoken very softly, but she did not consider how her anxiety made her voice loud. Everyone present heard it.
The Chief's expression darkened.
He was speaking up for them, but this woman still dared to spout nonsense about selling An Jiuyue's child shamelessly.
He immediately made up his mind and turned to look at Ministry Councilor He.
"Outsiders like us cannot interfere since you've already signed the indenture. You can do whatever you want."
With that, he flicked his sleeve and was ready to leave with everyone else.
"How can this—" Aunt Wang was dumbfounded.
Why is he leaving? Is he not going to care about us?
"Chief, you can't leave! They want to take my Heizhuang! You can't ignore us!"
"You signed the indenture. How's that my problem?" The Chief stopped and glared at Aunt Wang.
"But I wanted to sell An Jiuyue's son, not my Heizhuang!" Aunt Wang shouted. She never said she wanted to sell her grandson. She clearly said she wanted to sell An Jiuyue's son yesterday.
"Get lost!" the Chief cursed and left. He could not be bothered to talk to this woman.
When he passed by a tree, he rushed over and dragged out the woman peaking from behind it.
"Ah! What are you doing? Don't get physical here! It's embarrassing!" Aunt Kang yelled, embarrassed that she was dragged out like that in front of a large crowd.
However, she was not greeted with kindness from her man but with a tight slap.
The Chief poured a lot of strength into the slap, and blood emerged in the corner of her mouth.
"Ah!" Aunt Kang shrieked and covered her face as the Chief dragged her away.
Aunt Wang was about to ask Aunt Kang to help her but stopped.
Aunt Kang is also hit. No one can save us. Will my grandson be taken away by Ministry Councilor He?
"No, that can't happen."
She shook her head frantically and looked at An Jiuyue pleadingly. She rushed towards her and knelt down.
"Jiuyue, Jiuyue, I'm begging you. Help us. Don't let Ministry Councilor He He snatch Heizhuang away. Send Zheng'er instead. You have many sons anyway. It's fine if he takes one."
Chapter 170: Stay Away From Her, She's Dirty
"But he can't take mine. I only have one grandson. I can't let him take my grandson away!"
The Junior Officer was still around. When he heard Aunt Wang's words, he wanted to kick her to death.
1
He looked at An Jiuyue and shook his head.
"Jiuyue, you can deal with this person however you like first. We can't handle her."
There was no need to be polite to such a shameless woman. No matter how An Jiuyue dealt with her, he would pretend not to see anything.
"Alright, Junior Officer." An Jiuyue nodded at him.
After some thought, she added, "Remember to remind the villagers who came into contact with Old An's family today to wash up properly so they don't contract anything.
"I wasn't joking about this just now. We have to be wary of this epidemic."
The Junior Officer became nervous. Everyone was afraid of the epidemic. They would have hidden in the forest if they could bear to leave their homes. Moreover, there were no food and water in the forest, but there were wild beasts.
"I understand."
We should be doing more than washing up. It'll be best if everyone stays indoors today. What if something really happens after meeting Old An's family?
He had to inform the villagers about this. The village had been peaceful, but Old An and his family have caused trouble for them today.
…
After the Junior Officer left, there were only three groups left at the treehouse.
Aunt Wang was still kneeling as she wailed, refusing to leave until An Jiuyue handed her son over to Ministry Councilor He.
Ministry Councilor He did not dare to say anything. His servants and thugs were no match for Yan Nuo.
Even if Yan Nuo had gone to chop some firewood now, he knew Qian Jiyun could defeat his people too. He was afraid.
However, he really could not stand Aunt Wang.
"What are you talking about? Your grandson is a treasure to you, but you treat someone else's son like a weed. You think you can sell him whenever you like?"
He did not consider much back when he still had his sights on An Jiuyue. But now that he did not dare to do that, the sight of Aunt Wang made him want to rush over and kick her to vent his anger.
If he had someone like her by his side, he would have almost beaten her to death long ago!
"Jiuyue, Jiuyue, I'm begging you. Please help me." Aunt Wang pleaded even more avidly when she saw the Junior Officer leave.
She stood up and pounced on An Jiuyue, ready to grab her hand and plead for mercy.
"Get lost!"
With no one else watching, An Jiuyue was no longer polite to Aunt Wang.
However, before An Jiuyue could lift her leg to kick her, she watched her body fly away.
She turned around and blinked at the man, who looked as if he never moved. She pursed her lips and remained silent.
"Stay away from her. She's dirty," Qian Jiyun spoke seriously and reached out to pull her closer to him.
1
He was a little worried after hearing An Jiuyue mention the epidemic several times. Nobody knew if Aunt Wang's family contracted the disease during their trip.
"Do you not know how to hold back?"
An Jiuyue was not worried about the epidemic disease. She was just afraid he would kill her with a kick because he could not control his strength.
But it was not a big deal. Given Qian Jiyun's status, everything could be settled if he really killed someone. She just found Aunt Wang dirty and did not want Qian Jiyun's hands to be stained with such dirty blood.
Chapter 171: Are You Really Not Going to Advise Them?
"She won't die yet," Qian Jiyun replied coldly.
He did not look at Aunt Wang, who fainted after his kick. Instead, he glanced at Old An, who was so frightened he could not get up.
This man is too ruthless! He's not treating my wife as a human!
"You… you all…"
Ministry Councilor He was also startled. He imagined what it would be like if Qian Jiyun kicked his waist… He would probably die.
1
He is too terrifying!
"Take these two with you and get lost!" Qian Jiyun yelled, his sharp gaze sweeping over Ministry Councilor He.
The latter was frightened and did not dare to stay any longer. He quickly instructed his servants to drag Aunt Wang and Old An away.
With her eyes fixed on the people leaving, An Jiuyue rubbed her chin.
"I wonder what will happen next. It'll be lively, right?"
Aunt Wang has fainted, but her daughter-in-law hasn't. She won't give up when she sees them try to take her son from her, right?
The entire village will know about this, and it'll be so lively! It's a pity I can't go.
"Do you want to take a look?" Qian Jiyun looked at her in amusement.
"No." An Jiuyue shook her head, although she did not mean it.
Of course, she wanted to go! She was the one who started this. It would be terrible if she could not see what happened in the end!
However, she was also the victim of this incident. The villagers would not have a good impression of her if they saw her going to watch the commotion. That would not be good.
She was a good person who had saved so many people from the flood. How could she gloat over others' misfortune?
"Are you really not going to advise them?"
Qian Jiyun looked at her little face. It was obvious she wanted to go so badly but was holding herself back. Even he could not bear to see that.
"Wouldn't it be more exciting if you go and give some kind advice and plead with Ministry Councilor He? Are you really not going?"
An Jiuyue was extremely shocked.
Is it good for you to be so nosy? But he's right. The villagers will get a good look at Old An's family's true colors if I go.
"Why don't we go?"
"Let's go." Qian Jiyun smiled and prepared to leave with her.
"You're the one who knocked Aunt Wang out. You'll be responsible for waking her up," An Jiuyue said to him as they walked.
How can Aunt Wang be absent from this exciting drama? She has to be the lead!
"She'll wake up soon. There's no need to wake her up," Qian Jiyun replied.
…
At the Chief's house…
Aunt Kang finally recovered from her shock when the Chief released his grip on her.
However, she could not help but be in a daze. He slapped her again after letting go of her arm.
"Ah!"
Aunt Kang fell to the ground, her hair in a mess. She touched her burning face and looked at the man who had slapped her twice.
"Are you crazy? I'm your wife!"
She had been all high and mighty ever since she married the Chief. Nobody ever hit her. Even the man before her never did.
However, she was slapped a few times because of An Jiuyue. She wanted revenge.
Aunt Wang is useless this time—she can't even sell a child! An Jiuyue will not be so lucky next time.
Chapter 172: It's All For You!
"I'm crazy?" The Chief was amused. "Mrs. Kang, don't you know what you've done?"
"What did I do?"
Aunt Kang continued putting on a front. She thought nobody would discover what she did because she had done so secretly.
No one could do anything to her about it if she did not admit it.
"Don't push all the blame on me. I was just angry and went to check out the commotion. What's wrong with that? Many people in our village wanted to watch too!"
Everyone knows I don't get along with An Jiuyue. What's wrong with going to watch the commotion?
I went! And I watched openly!
Even if An Jiuyue wants to criticize me, she won't be able to find any fault with me.
We don't get along. Am I supposed to treat her like the Buddha?
"You—"
The Chief was furious upon hearing her arrogant response. He felt his anger caught in his throat.
He already knew what she did, but here she was stubborn and insisting she was not in the wrong when she might soon be exposed.
Just then, the Chief's son walked in with a pickaxe. He was not surprised to see his mother on the ground.
Placing his pickaxe down, he helped her up and asked, "Father, what did Mother do to make you angry again?"
He really did not know what to say about his mother.
Why does she have to think so badly of other people? Is living your own life peacefully not good enough? An Jiuyue has saved so many lives in our village.
She doesn't have to treat her kindly, but she should at least be on neutral terms with her.
She shouldn't take out her anger on An Jiuyue. These are basic human morals.
"Mother, did you provoke An Jiuyue again?" he guessed.
Aunt Kang shook her son off and started scolding him, "So what if I provoked An Jiuyue? Who am I doing this for? It's all for you!"
"For me?" The Chief's son was puzzled.
What does she mean by that? What did I do to make my mother target a pitiful woman with children?
"What did I do? What does this have to do with me?"
"How is it unrelated?"
Aunt Kang knew very well that her son had fancied An Jiuyue's beauty.
"Would I target that widow if you didn't have feelings for her? Both of you were flirting every day! Who does she think she is? Let me tell you, don't even think about it. I'll die in front of you if you want to marry her!"
The man was stunned for a long time before realizing his mother was referring to An Jiuyue.
He turned and looked at his father, who was also confused.
He swore he had no feelings for An Jiuyue at all. He knew her only goal was to raise her two sons well.
"Mother, what nonsense are you spouting?!" he yelled at her when he realized.
"Are you the one who spread the rumors that ruined An Jiuyue's reputation?"
He was wondering why strange rumors were circulating in the village. An Jiuyue had saved everyone, yet some women gossiped about her.
Chapter 173: Take This Divorce Letter
Did the rumors come from my mother's mouth?
I'm a man, so it's alright if my reputation is ruined. But An Jiuyue is a woman. She may live on the mountain now, but she will leave someday.
How will she survive in the future if her reputation is ruined?
"So what if I did? That vixen dared to seduce my son!" Aunt Kang did not deny it and replied angrily.
The Chief's son was shocked.
He could not understand why his mother thought he was interested in An Jiuyue.
Many families in An Clan Village took care of her. Besides theirs and the Junior Officer's family, other families with money to spare would always send a portion of whatever good things they had to her.
It was not because they had any designs on An Jiuyue, but because Uncle An Tu had taken good care of everyone in their village.
They were repaying his kindness!
"Mother, you…" He opened his mouth, ready to explain.
But his mother did not look willing to listen to him, so he did not say anything else.
She might think he had fallen into An Jiuyue's trap and wanted to throw himself onto her even after explaining things to her a million times. She might start spreading rumors again.
"Father, you can settle Mother's issue however you like. I don't care anymore." He shook his head and sighed before going into his room to sulk.
The Chief sighed heavily. He felt she was hopeless.
Without saying anything to her, he turned around and walked into his room. He emerged a few moments later with a piece of paper and threw it at her.
Aunt Kang stared at it, not knowing what it was.
"Take this! Take this divorce letter, and return to your family!"
"What?!"
She did not know what it was because she was illiterate. But when she heard what the Chief said, she was so shocked she leaped up.
"An Hongxu, how can you divorce me because of an outsider? Do you have a conscience?!"
The Chief was furious and yelled back at her, "Who is the one without a conscience?
"An Jiuyue saved our lives. Let's not talk about An Jiuyue. When Brother An Tu was around, didn't you eat his wild game meat?
"Who saved our second son when he went to the mountain to pick herbs? An Tu was the one who pulled him out from the grave!
"Our second son is only helping An Jiuyue out a little. How did that offend you? Why must you try so hard to ruin her reputation? Now you even encouraged Old An's family to sell her son!
"Have you lost your conscience?!"
He questioned Aunt Kang without caring if his voice was loud enough for people outside to hear him.
So what if they heard it? With Aunt Kang around, he would not be able to cover up this matter even if he wanted to. He might as well reveal everything and have everyone take responsibility for their own mistakes.
"What?"
The Chief's eldest son had just returned from patrolling the village and stepped into the courtyard when he heard his father's words.
"Mother, is what Father said true? Did you really ask Old An to capture An Jiuyue's son to sell?"
He had already heard about what happened with Old An's family outside. Many villagers wanted to go to Old An's house to watch the commotion but were stopped by the Junior Officer.
Chapter 174: Are You Really Going to Divorce Me?
The Junior Officer did not allow them to go as it was unsafe. Two people from Old An's family had gone outside the village, and Ministry Councilor He had also brought his people.
However, the nosy villagers insisted and kept pestering the Junior Officer, telling him they would stand further away to watch. The Junior Officer wanted to teach everyone a lesson, so he did not stop them in the end.
Everyone stood far away and watched Old An's family drama.
At first, the Chief's eldest son thought this matter had nothing to do with them and rushed home after patrolling.
However, there was a troublemaker at home!
"Mother, how could you? My son would've been swept away by the flood if not for An Jiuyue. Even if Uncle An Tu saving my brother's life doesn't mean anything to you, you should still consider the fact that An Jiuyue saved your grandson!"
An Jiuyue had pulled many villagers out of the floodwaters. Everybody was grateful to her.
"Did I ask her to save him? She was the one who wanted to save him. How is that my problem?" Aunt Kang muttered indignantly.
I just don't like An Jiuyue. What's wrong with that? It's not like I'm in anyone's way when I deal with her. Will it stop the villagers from going about their daily lives?
1
The Chief's eldest son was shocked.
Does it serve my son right if he was really swept away by the flood? He's her biological grandson!
His expression darkened instantly. He closed his eyes to stop himself from shouting at his mother impulsively.
"Alright, I understand. It's only right for others to help you. But if you help them, they should be grateful and even give up their lives to you, right?"
"W-what are you talking about?"
Aunt Kang glared at her eldest son. She was furious and wanted to hit him.
However, the Chief did not want to waste any more time on her. He said, "He's telling the truth. Don't you think so secretly?"
"I…"
She opened her mouth, unable to refute anything. Indeed, she thought so in her heart.
But she would never say that out loud.
"You don't have to waste time here. Hurry up and pack your things. Go back to your parents' house. My house is too small for a big Buddha like you!"
"You… are you really going to divorce me?" she asked, doubtful, her lips trembling.
She thought the Chief was just scaring her and would not actually divorce her.
He was already so old. How embarrassing would it be for him to divorce his wife so easily? She knew he was prideful—he would certainly not do it.
The Chief's eldest son gaped.
From his point of view, he did not want this to happen at home. He also thought his father was only scaring his mother.
"Don't you care about your reputation? Divorcing your wife is a scandal. You'll lose face if word gets out," Aunt Kang reminded the Chief.
The Chief's expression darkened again.
"I'm definitely going to divorce you! So what if I'll lose face? I've already lost all of it. I'll still eat and drink as per normal. I'm not at the point where I'll die!"
Losing face once is much better than losing face again and again, right?
This woman may cause trouble in the future if I give in to her this time. I don't want to indulge her again and again.
"You didn't tell me Jiuyue came to look for me last time and caused so many people to die! I should have divorced you then!"
Chapter 175: It Has Started Over There
"Father, this…"
The Chief's eldest son felt something was wrong and wanted to dissuade him.
Just as he was about to speak, his brother opened the door from his room and said in a deep voice, "Don't bother yourself with Father and Mother's problems anymore. We're younger. We can't get in the way of the elders' matters."
Their mother might tear up multiple layers of ground in An Clan Village in the future if she was not punished this time.
The eldest son was speechless.
What's going on? My brother knows Father wants to divorce Mother, but he's not dissuading him?
He looked back and forth at both parties before shaking his head, unable to understand the situation. In the end, he concluded that his mother must have offended his brother.
…
An Jiuyue was not done watching from the roof of the Chief's house when Qian Jiyun wrapped his arm around her waist, ready to take her away.
She lowered her voice and asked reluctantly, "Where are we going?"
She did not want to miss this exciting scene. She wanted to see if the Chief would really divorce Aunt Kang.
"It has started over there," Qian Jiyun reminded her.
How is watching people put on an act exciting? This Chief is worse than Old An and his family.
5
He sneered in his heart.
At the very least, that family does whatever they want. But everyone in this family has ulterior motives. I don't believe that an old man in his fifties will divorce his wife because of an outsider.
He's acting either for other people or for his family to see.
His two sons aren't good people either. They would have done something to keep their mother's mouth shut if they really cared for Jiuyue instead of waiting for something to happen and acting all shocked.
1
"Over there…"
An Jiuyue felt conflicted at the thought of Old An's family. She wanted to watch the commotion on both sides.
However, the Chief would likely scare Aunt Kang and chase her away for a while, and everything would end. There would not be any fireworks here. She decided not to watch them any longer.
"Let's go over there and see how things are," she said.
Upon hearing that, Qian Jiyun held her as they left in a flash and flew towards Old An's house in quick, light steps.
There was a huge commotion at Old An's house. Ministry Councilor He wanted to seize An Heizhuang, who was crying loudly. However, his mother was resistant.
Women were willing to do anything for their children.
She rushed straight into the kitchen. When she came out again, she was holding a vegetable knife.
Lifting her chin, she positioned the knife by her neck.
"All of you, get lost! If anyone dares to take my son, I'll kill myself here. All of you will end up in the county prison!"
2
She pushed the not-so-sharp blade towards herself as she spoke.
However, it was hilarious that despite the knife already piercing her flesh, there was not a single drop of blood.
The villagers who came to watch the drama stood in silence.
Is she serious? If she wants to threaten him, she should use a good knife, such as a machete, at least.
Ministry Councilor He was stunned by her actions. However, it was not because he was frightened but because he found her silly.
I can't defeat someone as difficult as Qian Jiyun. But who is this woman? How dare she try to threaten me? I'm an official. Will a countryside woman intimidate me?
Chapter 176: I Must Have Heizhuang
"Pft." He rolled his eyes at An Heizhuang's mother and sneered.
"What are you doing? If you want to die, what does that have to do with me?"
He turned around and looked at Heizhuang, who cried as if his parents had died in An Da's arms. His expression darkened.
Honestly, what can I do with this dark little thing? I'll sell him to a broker at most. Now that I got myself involved with this pathetic family, it's a huge loss.
But I have no choice. I cannot afford to offend that man.
What should you do when encountering someone you cannot afford to offend? Do what they say, of course!
Therefore, I must have Heizhuang.
"What are you waiting for? Capture that little thing for me," Ministry Councilor He instructed his servants.
He was eager to settle the matters here quickly and leave this godforsaken place. He would never come to An Clan Village again!
The servants and thugs rushed forward immediately and snatched Heizhuang from An Da's arms.
An Da refused to let go and was pinned to the ground by two thugs. He watched as his son was taken away by Ministry Councilor He's servant.
Heizhuang cried even louder as strangers held him and continued struggling when he received a slap on his face.
The servant did not have to be polite to him—he was not his parent. He did not hold back from teaching him a lesson since he was still crying in his arms.
Heizhuang was so stunned he forgot to cry, tears and snot all over his face.
The servant was disgusted. Although he was only a servant, he was still particular about cleanliness.
"Ah!"
Heizhuang's mother was agitated when she saw her son captured and beaten up.
Since it was useless to point the knife at herself, she began swinging it at the servant carrying her son.
"Return him! Return Heizhuang to me!"
However, she was unsteady on her feet and stumbled. The knife in her hand swayed, and she slashed at her son.
"Huh?!"
Even the servant was shocked by the woman.
He quickly darted aside with Heizhuang. It did not matter to him if she wanted to kill the child in his arms, but he did not want to be implicated. He still wanted to live.
"Ah!"
Despite dodging, he still heard screams.
The servant turned around and saw the woman collapse over An Da, the knife in her hand stabbing An Da's shoulder.
He gasped and muttered to himself, "Is this karma?"
She had schemed to sell someone else's child, but her family received retribution. No one was spared.
Old An had been searching the room but could not find the 50 taels of silver. He was about to take a basin of water and splash it on his wife to wake her up and ask about the money's whereabouts.
However, when he came out, he saw his daughter-in-law stabbing his son with a knife.
"Stop! Stop it!"
Face paled, he rushed over and pushed the woman aside. He heard his son scream again.
His daughter-in-law had been holding the knife tightly, but she pulled the knife out of An Da's shoulder when Old An yanked her away.
Chapter 177: Fainted
Blood gushed out from An Da's shoulder.
The two thugs saw this and stopped holding him down. They left him on the ground since he could not move anyway.
Heizhuang's mother was dumbfounded. She did not intend to stab her husband. She wanted to stab the person who captured her son.
How did I end up stabbing my husband?
Her hands trembled as she threw away the knife in panic. She did not know what to do.
Suddenly, she saw a familiar person in the crowd. Hatred flashed through her eyes. She picked up the knife from the ground and charged toward the crowd.
"An Jiuyue, it's all your fault! I'll kill you!"
There was only one thought in her mind—to kill An Jiuyue.
If An Jiuyue died, her children would become orphans. They could sell them however they liked.
Ministry Councilor He would not seize her son away. She only had to capture one of An Jiuyue's sons for him.
"Ah! Move aside! Don't let her touch you!" a man in the crowd shouted when he saw her rush over.
They heard the Junior Officer's warning to avoid touching Old An's family. They might contract the epidemic disease if they did.
The crowd dispersed instantly, leaving only An Jiuyue and Qian Jiyun.
"Pft." An Jiuyue sneered.
She was about to kick Heizhuang's mother away when a big leg immediately kicked her and sent her flying.
1
The knife flew out of her hand and began heading in An Da's direction ever so coincidentally.
1
Old An had been helping An Da up. The latter wanted to get up slowly and had one hand on the ground to prop himself up.
But the knife that flew over suddenly slashed his hand on the ground, separating his four fingers from his palm.
2
"Ah!"
The excruciating pain in his fingers was much worse than being stabbed in the shoulder. His whole body jerked a couple of times before he could no longer hold on and fainted.
"Son! Son!"
Old An shouted in horror, but his son did not respond. Panicked, tears welled up in his eyes.
He could not understand.
We just wanted to sell An Jiuyue's son. What's the big deal? Why did my family end up like this?
An Jiuyue glanced at the man beside her. She would never believe he did not do it on purpose.
But why did he have to steal my limelight? He should have let me kick once! I only kicked Aunt Wang today, and I didn't even kick her that hard.
Qian Jiyun and his sister did everything else.
"Bad luck!"
Ministry Councilor He looked at An Jiuyue and Qian Jiyun, then at Old An and his family.
He did not want to stay here anymore. What was he waiting for? He had obtained the boy already.
Hence, he instructed the servants and prepared to leave.
"Let's go."
"Grandpa, save me! I don't want to be sold!" Heizhuang cried again when he saw that he was about to be taken away.
Old An was already in disarray because his son was injured. However, he remembered that Heizhuang was his only grandson, so he propped up his son and ran over to stop Ministry Councilor He.
Chapter 178: The Money Is Gone
"Ministry Councilor He, please wait. We won't sell the child anymore. We'll return the money to you. Please wait. I'll find the money for you now."
With that, he went straight to the kitchen and brought out a basin of water.
It was impossible for him to find the money by himself now. Gritting his teeth, he splashed the basin of water on Aunt Wang, who was lying on the bed.
"Ah, ah, ah!"
Aunt Wang jolted awake by the splash. She jumped up from the bed with her face drenched and panted heavily.
However, her waist was hurting after Qian Jiyun kicked her and could not withstand the sudden movement. She immediately screamed like a pig being slaughtered.
"Stop crying!"
Old An could not take it anymore. He threw the basin aside and slapped her again.
"Where's the money? Hurry up and take it out."
"What money?"
Aunt Wang asked in a daze. She did not know what she was doing—she only knew that she was in pain.
"What other money?"
Old An shouted at Madam Wang. Are you trying to play dumb with me?
"Ministry Councilor He's money! Take out the 50 taels of silver. Do you want to see them take Heizhuang away?"
"The money. Right, the money."
Aunt Wang dared not count on An Jiuyue's son anymore. She could only hand over the money first.
However, after gritting her teeth and getting out of the bed to search the place where she had kept the money several times, she could not even find a tael of silver. The 50 taels of silver were gone.
"The money is gone."
She was so frightened that her face paled. Without the money, Ministry Councilor He would take her grandson away.
"How can the money be gone?!"
Old An questioned with a livid expression.
Only this woman knows where the money is. Is she unwilling to hand over the money?
"You b*tch, they're about to take Heizhuang away now, but you're still unwilling to part with the money. I'll beat you to death!"
He began hitting her as he spoke. However, no matter how much he hit her, the money was gone. It was impossible for another 50 taels of silver to drop from the sky.
Soon after, Aunt Wang, who had been beaten black and blue, walked out of the room with Old An.
"Ministry Councilor He, can you give us a few more days? We'll definitely find the money and send it to your house. Please don't take Heizhuang away."
Old An trembled as he looked at Ministry Councilor He. His voice was extremely low.
I wouldn't have given the 50 taels of silver to this woman to hide if I knew it would go missing. Wouldn't it be better to keep it with me?
Ministry Councilor He knew the money was missing when he heard his words.
He was smart and could figure out what was going on. Old An's family had schemed against An Jiuyue and she could have returned the favor.
He guessed that the money was probably already with An Jiuyue. They would not be able to get it back.
"Let's go."
He instructed his servants and thugs before turning to leave.
His servant saw that Ministry Councilor He did not receive the money and naturally did not put Heizhuang down. He carried the crying child and followed him.
"No, you can't take my grandson away! He's my grandson!"
Aunt Wang cried and yelled when she saw that they were taking her grandson away. She rushed forward, wanting to stop Ministry Councilor He and his people.
Chapter 179: Helping Her Save On Food
When the He family's thugs saw this, they stopped in their tracks. They turned around and pushed Aunt Wang, causing her to fall. She looked up and saw Ministry Councilor He walk over with his men.
"Ah, why am I so unlucky!"
Aunt Wang could not take it anymore. She sat on the ground and cried out.
She had only wanted to earn some money and thought An Jiuyue would be easy to manipulate.
Why did things turn out like this?
She looked up and suddenly saw An Jiuyue, who had been watching the commotion. She was stunned but wanted to stand up and charge toward her.
However, she was in pain and had no strength left. She struggled for a moment before collapsing to the ground.
She could only point in An Jiuyue's direction and curse, "An Jiuyue, I'm not done with you!
"How can you let them take Heizhuang away? Your son should be the one sold off! Why did you not sell him?!
"Damn you! Why don't you go and die? My grandson is our family's precious darling. How can you watch them take him away? Is your heart made of steel? Why are you so ruthless?"
The crowd watching the drama was speechless.
Aunt Wang is amazing! What right do you have to sell someone else's child? Who are you to An Jiuyue?
A woman could not stand Aunt Wang's nonsense anymore. She said to her, "You're so thick-skinned. You failed to sell Jiuyue's son and still think you're right."
The people around them immediately agreed.
"That's right. Why is she allowed to sell Jiuyue's son? Is her skin thicker than others? What a joke."
"Her grandson deserves to be taken away. Let's see if she dares to sell other people's children in the future. If she does, we'll get someone to take her away."
"I agree. She's shameless enough anyway. She can still do many things to earn money if she's sold off, right?"
The women laughed as they chattered, looking at Aunt Wang in disdain.
"You, you…"
Aunt Wang shook with anger when she heard their words. Feeling cornered, she shouted at them.
"What does selling An Jiuyue's sons have to do with you? She has so many sons. What's wrong with selling one? I'm helping her save on food. She should be grateful to me!"
Upon hearing these shameless words, both the women and men were stunned.
How is this for her sake? Helping her save on food? She sounds as if Jiuyue will reap all the benefits.
"Do other families raise their children for you to sell?"
"Is this woman crazy? If she wants to save on food, why isn't she doing that in her own family?"
"She's already saving on food for her family. Look, she's already sold her grandson. She probably won't be able to find him again."
"I don't think Heizhuang is likable at all. I wonder how he'll suffer after leaving home."
"Who knows? Working for a rich family is the worst. Your master might beat you to death if you don't do a good job."
The women started discussing An Heizhuang again, making Aunt Wang's heart race.
She had believed Heizhuang would live a good life after Ministry Councilor He took him. She could bring her grandson home when he grew up.
Chapter 180: Your Son Ought to Be Sold!
However, after listening to the women's chatter, she suddenly realized Ministry Councilor He would definitely not like her grandson.
What if he did something wrong, and Ministry Councilor He beat him to death for it?
"No! No!"
She shook her head in panic and kept muttering "no".
Finally, she seemed to have thought of something and looked up in An Jiuyue's direction.
"An Jiuyue, hand Zheng'er over to me. I'm going to exchange him for Heizhuang. Hurry up and bring him over now!" she ordered An Jiuyue.
Everyone laughed mockingly when they heard her.
"Who does she think she is? Hand Zheng'er over? Is Zheng'er her family member?"
"She can only say that so easily if the child about to be sold is not her family's. Look at how anxious she was when they took Heizhuang away. She's already injured, but she's still so energetic."
The women chuckled and made sarcastic remarks. They were just short of munching on a packet of melon seeds.
Aunt Wang could not escape the disaster she had brought upon herself.
"Aunties, please stop talking about this. You can't offend Aunt Wang. If you're careless, one day, your children might…" An Jiuyue glanced in the direction of Aunt Wang.
Everyone was shocked by her words.
Since Aunt Wang cannot sell An Jiuyue's son this time, will she capture our children in return for Heizhuang?
It might be possible! A woman like her will do anything.
"This won't do. I have to go home and talk to my daughter-in-law. I'll tell her not to work in the fields from tomorrow onwards and stay home to watch over the children so Aunt Wang won't steal them."
One of the women remarked, and the others agreed.
Aunt Wang was furious when she heard that. She wanted to sell An Jiuyue's son because Ministry Councilor He was only interested in him. She would not want someone else's son even if they gave him to her for free.
1
"An Jiuyue, stop spouting nonsense. Ministry Councilor He already said he only wants your child. Hurry up and bring Zheng'er over!" she shouted at An Jiuyue again.
1
"Aunt Wang." An Jiuyue looked at Aunt Wang with a smile.
"Let me ask you something. What right do you have to sell my son? Give me one reason, hmm?"
"I…" Aunt Wang was at a loss for words.
That's right. What right do I have? I've never thought about this before. When did I start thinking of selling him?
Oh, I remember now. It's Aunt Kang. She kept telling me that An Jiuyue, a woman, cannot raise two sons.
She said selling one of An Jiuyue's sons would help her—it's an act of kindness.
Since then, I felt it was right to sell An Jiuyue's son.
"It's Aunt Kang! She said your son ought to be sold!"
She did not care about anything else and outed Aunt Kang. After all, Aunt Kang's husband was the village's Chief.
She thought she could use the Chief to overpower An Jiuyue and force her to hand Zheng'er over.
"An Jiuyue, Aunt Kang is the Chief's wife. If you make her unhappy, the Chief might chase you out of the village!
"Hurry up and bring Zheng'er over. Aunt Kang said Zheng'er must be sold!"