Fu XinCi listened to the young girls speak, and before her grandfather could ask, she pointed to Nuan Nuan and Nuan Xin and said, "Grandfather, can I take these two with me?"
Grandpa Meng smiled and replied affectionately, "As long as our Ci'er likes them."
"Heh heh, you two come here." Although Fu XinCi disliked the smell on the two little girls, she still asked them to stand by her side.
Seeing that this young lady genuinely fancied the sisters, Nuan Xin's heart felt as warm as her name.
"Sister." The little girl held her sister's hand tightly. She knew that she and her sister would not be separated.
"Mm." The two dirty little hands clasped together, fitting perfectly.
"How much for these two?" The clear, bell-like voice made the woman blurt out a number without thinking, "The younger one is five taels, the older one is seven taels. Together, they are twelve taels."
After hearing the woman, Fu XinCi quickly took twelve taels of silver from her purse and placed it in the woman's hand, "The deed of sale."
"Alright!" The woman, seeing that she had finally made a sale today, grinned from ear to ear and, without a second word, took out the sisters' deed of sale from her embrace and handed it over with a very pleasant attitude.
Fu XinCi opened the deed of sale, checked that it was in order, and then called out to the two young sisters, "Let's go." She then helped her grandfather's arm and walked out.
When they reached the entrance of the general store, the grandfather and granddaughter thanked the owner. Grandpa Meng untied the donkey cart, and Fu XinCi brought the two young sisters onto the cart.
"Hold on tight, we're going home."
"Alright."
"Alright."
The two young sisters, infected by Grandpa Meng and Fu XinCi, replied with smiles.
Grandpa Meng flicked his small whip and the donkey cart sped away.
When Dao Ba (Scarface) fetched the twelve taels of silver, he showed off to the man with the scar, "You really can't judge a book by its cover. That grandfather and granddaughter pair were quite well-off. Especially that young girl, she took out twelve taels of silver without batting an eye."
Scarface man: ...
"If I had known that she would fancy those two little sisters, I would have asked for more earlier."
"What did you say? Which little sisters?"
"The two little brats you brought back the other day."
"Why did you sell them?" The scar-faced man glared fiercely at the woman and then took off running after them.
He quickly chased out of the alley and saw no trace of the grandfather and granddaughter, nor the two little sisters, on the empty street ahead.
What to do?
He wanted to chase, but the town had four roads. Even if one was impassable, there were still three left. How could he chase?
As the scar-faced man stood at the intersection, analyzing which road to follow, Grandpa Meng had already driven the donkey cart far away.
"Grandfather, the donkey cart is good."
"Mm, if we need to flee, a donkey cart is much faster than an ox cart. If we need to carry heavy loads, an ox cart has more endurance."
Fu XinCi now had only one thought: to go fast.
She didn't know why, but she always had a premonition that these two sisters had secrets. She couldn't let them continue to live under the scar-faced man's control; it was too dangerous.
When they returned to the area under the jurisdiction of the military post, kicking up dust, Fu XinCi's heart finally settled.
However, she was curious. Why didn't the scar-faced man chase after them? Had she misjudged?
It would be better if she had misjudged; then these two young sisters would not be in danger.
Fu XinCi, somewhat unexpectedly, did not know that the scar-faced man, who had chased in the wrong direction, almost split a moving carriage in half if he hadn't retained some reason.
The people in the carriage were unaware that their family had narrowly escaped death.
...
As Grandpa Meng drove the donkey cart past the military post, he saw that their donkey cart was still tied to the old elm tree below the post. He loudly asked, "Xiao He, do you want to come back with us?"
"Grandpa Meng, wait for me, I want to go back with you."
After Qi He spoke, he was about to run out but was stopped by Qi Wang Shi's hand.
"Xiao He, you can't go."
"Why can't I go?" Qi He now had his father's backing and wasn't afraid of his second aunt causing him trouble anymore.
"You..." How could Qi Wang Shi explain?
Qi He drove the donkey cart, bringing them to the military post. Qi Yuan Shan and the old village chief finished their pleasantries.
The old village chief, with trembling hands, took out a cloth bundle from his embrace. Inside the bundle were a stack of small denomination silver notes. These silver notes were all the money from selling the thirty mu of land and the large tiled house.
"Yuan Shan, those thirty mu of excellent land sold for a full three hundred taels of silver. That large courtyard sold for eighty taels. As you instructed, I combined the foundation and the old house, valued at ten taels, and gave it to the second brother."
The old village chief glanced at the second brother and his wife, then continued with a face full of disdain, "Your original foundation and old house combined were only worth three taels of silver. You, as the elder brother, were generous and gave ten taels. Everyone in the village praised you for being considerate of your younger brother, but..."
Thinking of Qi Wang Shi's actions, the old village chief cursed her inwardly again: shameless.
Qi Wang Shi didn't care what others said. Ten taels of silver was not a small amount in the countryside; it could last for several years.
However, compared to three hundred and seventy taels, ten taels was a far cry. With three hundred and seventy taels for comparison, she naturally wanted the three hundred and seventy taels.
Even if she didn't get three hundred and seventy taels, half of it would have been fine.
Who knew that this dead old man, acting as if the money was his, refused to give it to her, and even wanted to secretly send it to their eldest brother in Liaodong.
Fortunately, she was well-informed and brought her family to chase after them.
Thinking about how she had brought her family to chase day and night to Liaodong, Qi Wang Shi's teeth itched with hatred.
She was prepared to demand a large sum of money to make up for their family's hardships.
But upon arriving here and seeing vast tracts of land everywhere, she had a new idea.
Liaodong was so good. This was their eldest brother's territory. Since their family had come, they wouldn't go back. She didn't believe that stingy eldest brother would not take care of their family.
Hmph! By then, she would get the money, and she would also have her eldest brother establish a business for their family here.
Thinking of this beautiful prospect, Qi Wang Shi felt a surge of pride, her confident expression clearly visible on her face.
Qi Yuan Shan, however, did not look at Qi Wang Shi at all. Only when his brother and three children greeted him did he show a smile and give each child a one-tael silver gift.
Qi Wang Shi did not expect to receive three taels of silver upon meeting. She became even more delighted, believing her decision was correct.