Cui Liu didn't care what others thought. He climbed onto a burly man's back and had him carry him back at top speed. He wanted to leave this cursed place as quickly as possible.
He didn't want to stay a moment longer, afraid of being choked again.
Seeing Cui Liu flee, the man on the ground lost his support and his previous arrogance vanished.
The young woman, seeing the obstacle gone, crawled back to Fu Yu and Mrs. Fang, earnestly begging, "Master, Mistress, please buy Little Ox. Otherwise, I'll worry every day that that black-hearted scoundrel will steal him and sell him. It's better for Little Ox to be sold to you than to that rotten-gutted wretch who would sell him to a place I could never find."
Hearing her daughter-in-law's words, the blind old woman also hobbled over, leaning on her stick, and knelt beside the young woman. "Kind benefactor, please have mercy and buy this mother and son."
"..."
Everyone present was stunned by the blind old woman's words.
The young woman wanted to sell her son for his better survival, but the blind old woman wanted to sell this mother and son?
Upon hearing the murmurs of sympathy for the young woman from the crowd, the blind old woman slowly said with a bitter expression, "This old woman has sinned by raising such a heartless beast. It is also Heaven's punishment for this old woman to have lost her sight."
The blind old woman's body trembled again, as if enduring immense pain.
"This old woman fears that that little beast will sell them both, and then this old woman will have no face to meet her ancestors."
The crowd, recalling Liu Er's deplorable character, thought that if he dared to sell his son today, he might very well sell his wife tomorrow.
"Master, Mistress, this old woman shamelessly begs you. In Ningyuan City, no one dares to buy this mother and son except... Please have mercy and buy them. This old woman will kowtow to you."
After speaking, the blind old woman kowtowed to them.
"Alas."
The family members dodged, and Mrs. Fang quickly stepped forward to help up the blind old woman and the young woman.
"Please get up, you two."
The blind old woman, most concerned about her daughter-in-law and grandson's indenture, seized Mrs. Fang's sleeve and continued to plead, "Mistress, please buy them. Consider it saving two lives."
The blind old woman knew her daughter-in-law's temperament; if she were truly sold to that unsavory place by her son, she certainly wouldn't want to live.
Therefore, she had to seize this only opportunity today.
"Mistress."
Hearing the blind old woman's incessant pleading, Fu Yu thought that they did indeed lack people at home, and agreed.
"Let's go to the Sihai Inn where we are staying first."
The man wanted to interfere, but upon hearing Fu Yu mention the Sihai Inn, he immediately wilted like a frost-bitten eggplant.
At Sihai Inn, not only him, but even Cui Liu would tiptoe past with his tail between his legs, fearing that any disturbance might provoke the ancestors inside to beat them up, with no recourse for justice.
Even the county magistrate dared not meddle in the affairs of Sihai Inn.
The onlookers, hearing Sihai Inn mentioned, knew that this family was not to be trifled with.
Upon hearing Sihai Inn, the young woman first shivered habitually, then smiled. She and her son could finally be completely rid of Liu Er, that scoundrel.
At Sihai Inn, Fu Yu borrowed writing implements from Liu Hai and asked him to act as a witness before drawing up the indenture for the young woman and her son.
"Old lady, what is the price you ask for them?"
"Two big coins."
No one present expected the blind old woman to state such a sum.
Two big coins meant two wen.
Even Liu Hai thought he had misheard. "Old woman, this price?"
"Esteemed master, it is two big coins. But this old woman has a request: if they, mother and son, wish to redeem themselves one day, may the master agree."
"If they wish to redeem themselves, we will agree."
"Then this old woman will sign and seal now." After speaking, with the help of the young woman, the blind old woman dipped her finger in red ink paste and readily pressed her red handprint.
Once her handprint was made, she took the two big coins Fu Yu handed her with a sigh of relief and called to her grandson.
"Little Ox, Little Ox, come here."
"Grandma."
The blind old woman caressed her grandson's head and instructed him softly with lingering affection, "Little Ox, you must obey Master and Mistress from now on."
"Yes, Little Ox will obey."
"These two big coins, Grandma will save for Little Ox to buy candy with."
After speaking, the blind old woman placed the two big coins into her grandson's hand and walked out, covering her face.
"Mother." The young woman hurried two steps forward and helped her mother-in-law see her out of the inn.
"Go back. Although Mother cannot see, her heart is not blind. That family is good people. This is all Mother can do for you two."
"Mother."
"It is Mother who has wronged you, mother and son. Do not hate Mother." After speaking, the blind old woman stumbled forward.
The sound of her stick striking the road seemed to beat on everyone's hearts, especially loud in the darkness.
Fu Yu and Mrs. Fang also followed out. Fu Yu shouted to the old woman's retreating back, "Elderly lady, we are from Eagle Beak Cliff. My surname is Fu. If you wish to see your grandson, you can come and visit him."
Hearing Eagle Beak Cliff, the old woman paused and turned back, asking cautiously, "What is the relationship between you, sir, and the Great Miss Fu that everyone speaks of?"
"She is my daughter."
"Oh, heavens! This mother and son have truly struck it rich!" the old woman exclaimed, then knelt on the ground again, kowtowing and praying devoutly, "Thank you, heavens, for your kindness. This old woman thanks you on behalf of them."
The onlookers, hearing that Madam Zhang and her son were bought by the family of the Great Miss Fu, were also happy for them.
Liu Er's expression grew even uglier. He had just come up with a plan to have Cui Liu ambush his wife and child after they left Ningyuan City.
At that point, they would have no choice but to pay, and he might even extort some extra money.
But now, upon hearing the name of the Great Miss Fu, he was completely flustered.
In this northern frontier region, everyone spoke highly of the Great Miss Fu.
Even with the courage of a bear, he dared not try to ambush the Great Miss Fu.
Moreover, if this were known, everyone would curse him.
Oh, heavens, it was terrifying.
Fu Xin Ci was unaware that her great reputation had scared away another foolish soul.
Seeing that it was getting late, Mrs. Fang arranged for Madam Zhang and her son to stay in the last empty room in the small courtyard. She also ordered a plate of pastries for them before returning to her room.
After Mrs. Fang left, Little Ox looked at his mother with a greedy expression and secretly whispered in a voice only they could hear, "Mother, are these delicious pastries really for us?"
"Yes. Mistress said it's too late and didn't want to trouble anyone, so she asked us to eat a couple of pastries to fill our stomachs."