Ye Borong’s eyes, weary and devoid of emotion, coldly said: "Aren’t we out of money? Yesterday, soone offered one thousand silver taels for Daya."
Ye Xia’s mouth fell agape, her heart turned ice-cold, blood seemingly drained of warmth, she had never imagined that her loving father would ever consider selling her.
Yet, what was more unexpected was that Ye Wangshi, who had always loved her the most, not only did not object but even got excited: "One thousand taels? Really that much?"
"Hmm, but her face can’t be damaged." Ye Borong squinted at Ye Xia and said coldly, "Xiaxia, don’t bla your dad. Your mother and I have cherished you for so many years, you ought to repay us. Do you have the heart to watch us, your younger brother included, not even able to afford a full al? I’ve asked around, with your good looks, if you behave obediently wherever you go, life won’t be worse than when you were the Eldest Lady of the Ye Family."
Ye Xia sneered: "So I would have no control over my own life and need to entertain different n every day, is that it?"
"What’s the big deal? Didn’t you seduce the Emperor and then tried to seduce Prince Li? Do you still pretend to have any chastity left?" Ye Wangshi said indifferently, "In any case, your resistance is futile. We are your parents, and no one can criticize us even if we sell you."
Ye Borong imdiately added: "Don’t even think about running away. The person coming to pick you up will be here tomorrow."
Ye Xia gave a bitter smile: "Three of you against , without any way out, where can I run to?"
"Good that you understand," said Ye Borong and Ye Wangshi, relieved. Perhaps because they expected to have silver by tomorrow, they spent their last half piece of broken silver on a roast chicken, most of which ended up in Ye Zhixing’s stomach.
After more than a month, this was a rare full al for the people of the Ye Family, so after eating, they all felt drowsy. A glint of determination flashed in Ye Xia’s eyes, and she too pretended to be sleepy.
When Ye Borong and Ye Wangshi woke up the next day, Ye Xia had already vanished without a trace. The pair panicked, searched for half the day, and still hadn’t found her by the ti the people arrived to collect her.
"Where is the person I ca for?" the madam demanded, raising her plump chin.
Ye Borong’s face showed regret and embarrassnt: "She’s gone."
"Gone?" the madam’s voice grew shrill. "I’ve already paid the deposit, and you tell she’s gone? Were you trying to swindle ? You should have inquired who Sister Taohua is, daring to cheat of my silver?"
As she spoke, the thugs behind her closed in on Ye Borong’s family of three.
Ye Borong pleaded: "Sister Taohua, I really am not a swindler; I never planned to cheat you. It’s that Little Ya, she ran off last night."
"Ran off? Then return the deposit," demanded Sister Taohua, extending her fat hand.
Ye Borong hesitated, unable to produce it: "The silver was spent yesterday."
Sister Taohua sneered: "So now you have neither the person nor the silver, right? I’ve seen your kind before, not just once or twice. Since the young lady has run off and the silver’s gone, this young man here is not bad; quite a few prefer this sort, and he would fetch an even higher price than a young lady. If you agree, sign the docunt, and I’ll give you 1,200 silver taels. If you don’t agree, I’ll break your legs and send you to the governnt office."
"Zhixing?" Ye Borong’s eyes widened, and Ye Wangshi was also panicked.
Ye Zhixing himself was no longer young and understood the implications, panicking: "Dad, Mom, I’m our family’s only son; if I am gone, won’t our family line end?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Borong hesitated.
But the madam was not one to give up easily. In an era where attractive boys were hard to find, she tauntingly said: "This lord still looks young; with money, what sons and daughters couldn’t be borne in the future?"
Ye Zhixing turned his head and glared at her furiously: "You vile woman, my father will never agree to this, you might as well give up."
Right after he said this, Ye Borong simply nodded: "1,200 taels is too little, I want 2,000 taels."
"Father!" Ye Zhixing’s body went stiff.
"Bo Rong, think this through, this is not Xiaxia." Ye Wangshi also couldn’t bear it and advised.
"2,000 taels is too much, elsewhere I could buy four or five for that price, it’s just because your son has a fair appearance, 1,500 taels is my bottom line," Sister Taohua said in a take-it-or-leave-it manner, threateningly looking at Ye Borong.
So Ye Borong compromised, guiltily looking at his younger son: "Zhixing, your father is also compelled by circumstances; if you want to bla soone, bla your elder sister."
"This is the indenture, here is the silver note for 1,200 silver taels, sign and put your stamp on it."
Ye Borong rely paused for a short while, then decisively sold Ye Zhixing, and when he took the silver and left, he didn’t even look back.
Ye Zhixing’s screams tore through the air, but no one ca to save him, all that awaited him was a brutal beating.
After the beating, he was locked in a dark room, where to his surprise, was already soone else—it was Ye Xia, who had escaped the night before, and sohow had been captured by Taohua’s people and brought in.
Ye Zhixing deeply resented his sister’s escape which had caused his misfortune, and they started fighting with each other.
Ye Xia sneered: "You bla for escaping and causing you harm? Even if you weren’t sold today, it would have been the sa tomorrow, first , then you, once the money from selling you is spent, it would be our mother’s turn."
Ye Zhixing knew she was right, but pride stuck in his throat; thinking about how he, a man, would have to serve other n in that kind of place, it made him utterly nauseous.
But more than feeling disgusted, he wanted to live, he wanted to save money and redeem himself, to confront that heartless father and see how destitute he beca.
Watching the plight of the Ye Family, Ye Qiu remained silent, she never envisioned their end would be like this.
The truth was, they had many ways out; the silver Aunt Chen gave them wasn’t enough for a coback, but with a bit of frugality and hard work, life could still go on.
It was only due to Ye Borong and Ye Wangshi’s inability to endure hardship and their great expectations that led to the subsequent tragedy.
Before Ye Qiu left this world, she visited Prince Li once more, he was detained in Prince Li Mansion, with no one in the mansion to care for him, his als were just delivered regularly every day.
In just a few short months, he had lost weight, he was unkempt and in a sorry state, and without ambition, he spent his days listlessly, besides eating, just silently staring at the sky.
Occasionally, he would mutter to himself, "I am the Emperor, my Empress is fated with the destiny of the phoenix," as if he had gone mad.
"Empress, is that you? Have you co to see ?" he suddenly turned his gaze to Little Golden Crow, "Do you think if I had taken you seriously back then, I would have ascended the throne by now?"
Seeing that he had completely lost his mind, Ye Qiu showed little emotion, and then she left this world.
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