Goldfield
Chapter 62: For Sale

Xiaocao and his brothers dodged happily, “We already ate in the kitchen. You can touch a brother's stomach. It's round like a bloated frog. Mom, you ate it! ”

Madam Liu obviously did not trust them. She was very familiar with the stingy character of her mother-in-law. Her mother-in-law knew exactly how many ingredients there were in the kitchen. It was fine for coarse grains, but without his permission, they were strictly forbidden to use things like wheat flour, rice, and eggs.

Xiaolian and Little Shitou also patted their stomachs to make sure that they were actually eating. So Lady Liu slowly fed the noodles to her husband. Yu Hai's heart ached because of his wife and refused to eat alone. He insisted that he would only eat after Madam Liu bit. In this way, the couple shared a bowl of noodles, biting one after another.

Under Yu Hai's insistence, the five-member family enjoyed two fried eggs found at the bottom of the bowl together. The small fried egg was extremely precious within Yu Xiaocao's heart as it contained strong family affection and love.

“Father mother! I think we should take this opportunity to leave this family and live alone! ” Yu Xiaocao has reached the breaking point of his endurance due to Madam Zhang's stingy and hard character. In the past, when her father could still hunt and fish, Madam Zhang would definitely not allow them to leave. But it might not be the same now!

“Separt from family? Your grandparents are still alive, so they won't agree to divide the family! ” Mistress Liu feels a bit sad in her heart. They were still not sure if her husband could take care of her feet. Moreover, his health condition is not possible to do heavy work and his children are still too small. What would they rely on to feed the family if they separated from this family?

Yu Xiaocao disagreed with him! With the small holy stone as his special weapon, the wound on his father's leg would eventually recover. Although there was a possibility of him becoming crippled, he could still do ordinary crafts. After being fed for months with mystic stone water and herbal medicine, her mother's health had almost fully recovered. As long as they could separate from this family, with his expertise in cooking boiled food, they would definitely live in better condition from now on!

“Grandmother and Oldest Aunt must be looking forward to us leaving this family! In their eyes, our second branch was just a huge burden. As for Grandpa, we definitely have a chance to convince him! ” Right once! He had been waiting for an opportunity, this was no perfect opportunity to suggest a family breakup!

While Yu Xiaocao and his family were discussing the matter of separation from the family, Madam Li also spoke ill of the second branch in the main room, “Mother, because Second Sister-in-law was injured, too, there were no able-bodied workers in the second branch. Furthermore, Second Sister-in-law and Xiaocao were both demons taking medicine. Think about it. We have spent dozens of taels in the past few days. Even though Second Sister-in-law had woken up, Doctor Sun also said that one of her legs would be useless even if she woke up! Second Sister-in-law's family is filled with sick and weak people who all rely on us to support them. Mother, our family situation is slightly improving. We can't let them drag us. ”

Madam Zhang received an additional three hundred taels as income, but when she saw the money in her hands gradually dwindling each day, it was as if someone was cutting her heart repeatedly. When she heard the words of her eldest daughter-in-law, she angrily banged on the kang bed several times and said,

“Then what should we do? Do you think we can just kick them out? Even if we ignore the fact that your father will definitely not agree, the villagers' gossip and criticism alone is enough to drown us! ”

“But we can't just spend all our money on them without any reward!” Madam Li ruthlessly squeezed the handkerchief from the rough cloth in her fat hand, feeling frustrated.

Madam Zhang glanced at him and said, “What idea do you have? Let me hear it.. ”.

All the meat on Madam Li's face fused as she smiled and said, “My girl's family knows a trading housewife, who is doing business with a wealthy family in the city. He even did business with some wealthy people in the prefecture city. I heard that a wealthy merchant in the city, the Zhou Family, wanted to buy a bunch of young girls. ”

Madam Zhang raised her eyebrows, “You mean ... should we sell their eldest daughter?” He pointed towards the second branch room.

“Who wants that unhealthy bastard, Xiaocao? Xiaolian is competent and well groomed, so we can definitely sell it for a good price! ” Mistress Li replied with a sly smile and narrowed her eyes, which almost disappeared into the fat frown on her face.

If they were to sell one of the useless brats, they would not only get a few extra taels, but there would also be one person to feed. In addition, Xiaolian had a stubborn personality and was also the most disobedient. Without him, it would be easier to control the second branch! Madam Zhang became interested in the idea…

The next morning, Yu Xiaocao carried a bundle of firewood and followed behind Xiaolian. His heart ached from the weak and small figure in front of him, which was almost covered by the mountain of firewood on his back. Therefore, he would extend his hand to help prop up the firewood on Xiaolian's back from time to time. Little Shitou, who was also carrying a bundle of firewood, followed behind them.

Originally, Xiaolian planned to collect firewood alone, but Xiaocao and Little Shitou both stated that they wanted to ‘share happiness and misfortune together’. So, they went out to collect firewood together. Today it is late winter and early spring, so dry firewood can be easily found in the Western Mountains today. Therefore, the siblings had obtained useful results this morning.

Yu Xiaolian, who had known how to care for her younger siblings from an early age, took on the task of carrying most of the firewood. He only allowed his weak little sister and younger brother to carry firewood as a sign of helping. In his previous life, Yu Xiaocao had always taken care of his younger siblings, so he felt a bit strange being cared for now. She repeatedly stated that her health was fine and she could bring more, but Xiaolian rejected her every time she gave advice.

“Oldest Brother, Second Brother, there are guests at home!” As soon as Little Shitou looked up, she saw Madam Li eagerly inviting a colorful-dressed middle-aged woman into the courtyard. Therefore, he curiously ran.

“Based on how Oldest Aunt licked him, could it be that he was here for Brother Heizi?” Heizi, whose real name was Yu Ge, was already thirteen years old. In ancient times, she was supposed to be nearing the age of marriage. Yu Xiaocao could not think of any other reason for the arrogant Madam Li treating the woman as if she was her own mother.

“Xiaolian, I'll check it out!” After Father was injured, Yu Xiaocao worried and took care of him for five days without coming out. Rarely did they get guests, so this incident triggered his inner curiosity.

He dashed into the courtyard with firewood on his back while Madam Zhang and Madam Li happily welcomed the woman into the main house.

Hearing the gesture, the woman stopped in her tracks and turned to look at it from head to toe. His critical gaze, as if he was examining the item he had just received, made Yu Xiaocao feel extremely uncomfortable.

“Is he the one? She has a good appearance, beautiful and clean. A little too skinny! ” Trader Zhuang moves his mouth with a picky attitude.

The Zhou family in the city had just released a number of servants, who had reached the age of marriage. So, they needed to buy twenty to thirty young girls. Over the past few days, the Zhuang Trafficker was very busy due to this matter. The Zhou family was his main client, so he couldn't mess up this deal.

Last night, someone came to tell him that there was a competent and honest young girl for sale in Dongshan Village. So, he rented the carriage in the morning and rushed over. He had not expected the little girl to be so thin and small that she did not even look like she was eight or nine years old.

Madam Li dodged away after she made contact with Yu Xiaocao's cautious gaze. He vaguely replied, “Not him, but his older sister. She is very competent and can do most of the work at home! His father was seriously injured and his mother was weak and sickly, so the family needed money. Otherwise, we wouldn't be willing to do this! ”

The merchant Zhuang looked around the five-room residence, which was bright and spacious, and the fence in the courtyard, which was made of sun-dried mud bricks. He grinned inwardly while thinking: ‘Seeing this house, this family doesn't seem to lack the money to sell their children!’ But, he's only here to do business, so it's none of his business. He never interfered in the filthy affairs of other people's homes.

Yu Xiaocao was not a stupid child. He could sense something was amiss based on the checking eyes of Trafficker Zhuang and Madam Li's guilty expression. Therefore, he asked warily, “What will you do with Xiaolian?”

“Go go! What is a child doing here when an adult is talking ?! Go somewhere else to play! ” Madam Zhang impatiently waved her hand, as if she was driving away a little girl. After which, he turned his head to smile at Trader Zhuang and said, “Let's talk inside, indoors ..”

“How is this none of our business? If you guys are trying to scheme against our second branch, then of course it has something to do with me! ” Yu Xiaocao shouted as his suspicions increased.

“Who talks to an older person like you? Is this how your mother taught you? For the past eight or nine years, we've been raising you, feeding you, and even providing medicine for you. Yet you grew up to be an unfilial child who dared to violently oppose your own Grandmother. We should have let you die from your illness back then! ” Seeing the impatient expression on Trader Zhuang's face, Madam Zhang clenched her teeth and shouted loudly.

Madam Liu heard a shout from the kitchen and quickly came out. She pulled Yu Xiaocao behind herself and apologized repeatedly, “Mother, she is still a little child who knows nothing. Please do not take children's actions to heart .. ”

Madam Zhang continued to shout arrogantly, “You are the only one who thinks that this useless person is a treasure! You brat, kneel in your room and contemplate yourself! You can't have breakfast today !! ”

Yu Xiaolian entered with heavy firewood on his back. When he heard Madam Zhang's words, he quickly threw away the firewood and rushed to meet her younger sister. He stood in front of Xiaocao and said, “My sister is seriously ill before New Year. If he falls ill again, don't you have to spend money on his medicine? Grandma, I am willing to accept the punishment in my sister's place! ”

The merchant Zhuang had experienced and faced many situations before, so he immediately knew that the eldest grandmother and aunt of the child were planning to sell the child secretly without the knowledge of the parents. Zhuang merchants had always had a good reputation in Tanggu City. Otherwise, he would not have so many customers with high social status. Thus, he would naturally not ruin his own reputation just for a young girl.

The merchant Zhuang smiled at Xiaolian and praised her, “Alright, you are quite loyal and true. Even though you are a bit tanned and skinny, you will look good in two years after growing up. When noble families buy helpers, good character is one of the important qualities they look for. These two girls, one was clever and wise, while the other was honest and trustworthy. Moreover, they look exactly the same. Old Madam of the Yu Family, if you sell your two granddaughters to me, I'll give you double the price! ”

Earlier, Madam Zhang had heard Trafficker Zhuang say that an eight or nine-year-old girl was worth five taels at most. If the price were to double for two girls, then it would be twenty taels. Not only would he get back the money spent on the medical expenses of the second branch recently, but there were also advantages. If she added that to the money that Hunter Zhao earned from selling the bear .. Madam Zhang suddenly became so happy that she smiled until her eyes disappeared.