Chapter 408: Ruthless (Part 2)
Chapter 408: Ruthless (Part 2)
Seeing Tang Zhutou, Tang Xin's biological father, sitting quietly in the corner with his younger son, not saying a word, Tang Xin couldn't help but feel pity towards him for enduring the silence from start to finish.
Encountering such a ruthless stepmother and a weak biological father was truly an eight-lifetime misfortune.
Tang Xin kept her head down, listening coldly as the two women haggled over the price. She remained silent throughout, only occasionally lifting her eyes to glance outside as if she were not the one about to be sold.
Yu shi, eyeing the twenty taels of silver in Madam Yu's hands, was dissatisfied. "Madam Yu, not to praise my daughter's beauty, but I've spent a lot on her food and clothing over the years. Twenty taels of silver... it's too little!"
Madam Yu played with the silver ingots, asking with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, "Then how much do you want?"
"Forty taels!"
Yu shi blurted out, clearly having nursed this figure in her heart for some time.
"Forty taels?" Madam Yu's smile faded. "I agreed to give you twenty taels out of goodwill because we share the same surname. You immediately doubled it. You're so insincere, yet you eagerly called me here. Are you trying to make a fool of me?"
With those words, two burly men standing behind Madam Yu rushed forward aggressively, glaring fiercely at Yu shi, clearly prepared to use force if she disagreed.
Their actions startled not only Yu shi but also the villagers watching. Tang Zhutou, holding his younger son, moved to step forward. One of the men noticed and glared fiercely at him, gesturing with his fists, forbidding him from approaching.
Tang Zhutou, naturally timid, wilted at this display.
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This novel is translated by the Eternal Novel Hits translators. Please read it at https://eternalnovelhits.blogspot.com
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"Madam Yu, let's talk this through. We can negotiate the price further, but twenty taels is really... too little!" Tang Yushi's legs went weak with fear. She hadn't expected Madam Yu to be so confrontational. She regretted setting the price too high now that she had offended them.
Showing some consideration for Yu shi's initial compromise, Madam Yu coldly snorted and waved off the two enforcers. "Raising a daughter isn't easy. I'm not heartless. I'll add another five taels. Twenty-five taels could buy you a big brick house!"
Having been threatened earlier, Yu shi was already intimidated and was now overjoyed at the offer of five additional taels. She dared not say more and hastily agreed, "Twenty-five taels it is. Madam Yu, you're truly generous!"
"Generous?" Madam Yu sneered inwardly, her expression mocking. However, now that the price was settled, she felt pleased. She smiled as she took out a contract from her sleeve and added the extra five taels to the twenty already presented to Yu shi. "Just press your thumbprint on this paper, and the silver is yours."
Tang Xin suddenly lifted her head, staring fixedly at the contract. Her heart clenched with anxiety.
Why hasn't he come yet? Why hasn't he come? Has the Mo family changed their minds?
At the thought of this possibility, Tang Xin's eyes welled up. She wouldn't resign herself to this fate; she wouldn't let these despicable women manipulate her!
Meanwhile, Yu shi was completely focused on the silver ingots. Whatever others said was acceptable to her. "Alright, alright, I'll press it now!"
Excited, she approached Madam Yu, dipped her thumb in ink, and prepared to press it onto the contract.
Seeing this, Tang Xin was about to intervene and stop Tang Yushi when a gentle yet anxious voice interrupted from outside, "Wait!"
These two words successfully halted Yu shi's actions. She turned instinctively towards the door, puzzled as to who could be stopping her from selling her daughter.
For Tang Xin, who had been enduring torment, this interruption felt like salvation.
It's Master Mo, why has he come?
The villagers turned their heads in unison. Upon seeing the newcomer was Mo Qingze, they spontaneously made way, all surprised. Could it be that Master Mo had come to stop the Tang family from selling their daughter?
Mo Qingze hurried into the house without bothering to greet the villagers. At a glance, he spotted the contract in Yu shi's hand. Seeing no red thumbprint on it, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Mo Yan, accompanied by his younger siblings, entered after him. Seeing the scene, they too felt relieved. Thankfully, they arrived in time!
The Mo family lived near the mountains, already a distance from the village, and with the snow making travel difficult, they were delayed.
Seeing the Mo family, Tang Xin leaned on them as if finding a backbone. Then, feeling a warmth in her left hand, she found her hand held by Xin'er, who was smiling at her.
"Don't worry, my father will help you!" Xin'er held her friend's hand and comforted her quietly.
"Um!" Tang Xin nodded fiercely, her eyes slightly moist.
Realizing who the newcomer was, Yu shi was puzzled. Seeing Mo Qingze fixated on the contract in her hand, she couldn't help but be cautious. But as a mother who sold her daughter, no one, not even the King of Heaven, could interfere with her business.
Still, out of respect for Mo Qingze's scholarly status and high reputation in the village, she dared not be too brazen. She asked politely, "Master Mo, what is this about..."
Before Mo Qingze could respond, Madam Yu, impatient, interjected, "You can talk about your matters later. Press your thumbprint now. I need to bring people back to the city!"
She didn't know Mo Qingze's identity but sensed that he was here to cause trouble. It wasn't easy to find a girl with such good looks, and she didn't want her plans disrupted.
"Alright, alright, Madam Yu, just wait a moment. I'll press it now!"
Tang Yushi, realizing the importance of the silver, hurriedly complied, dipped her thumb in ink, and was about to press it down when suddenly, the contract vanished from her grasp.
"What are you doing? Trying to cause trouble?" Madam Yu glared angrily at Mo Qingze, certain now that he was here to obstruct her path to riches.
The two burly men moved threateningly toward Mo Qingze.
Mo Qingze stood firm, unafraid, looking past Madam Yu to Tang Zhutou, who was huddled in the corner. His expression was both pitying and helpless. "Qingze wants to find a companion for his younger daughter. She's quite fond of Miss Tang. Brother Tang, would you be willing to part with her?"
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