Yinhua took the opportunity when Xiao Liu carried a wooden stick to find a rabbit hole, to give Shengxi a knowing look.
Shengxi understood and followed Yinhua deeper into the woods, asking, "Sister, what do you want to do this ti?"
Shengxi used the word "again," indicating that Yinhua privately went out to handle things more than once, and each ti she did, she brought back so food for Shengxi, so he was happy to cover for her.
Yinhua nodded, "Mm, I need to go out for a while, I’ll be back in an hour. Keep an eye on Xiao Liu, don’t let him ss things up."
Shengxi said, "Don’t worry about Xiao Liu, Sister."
Xiao Liu was only nine years old and not very bright in the head, Shengxi was confident he could handle him.
However...
"What is Sister going to do? You should hurry back, otherwise Grandma will be angry, and we still have to go to the Xu family to get money," Shengxi reminded.
Yinhua frowned at these words, looking at Shengxi, "Shengxi, do you think it’s right to deceive the Xu family for silver?"
Shengxi was taken aback, neither nodding nor shaking his head, but said, "Sister, if our family had silver and land, I wouldn’t let you do such a thing, but now we don’t even have a household registration, and this is the only way to survive."
He glanced at Yinhua, then lowered his head, choking up, "I don’t want you to be sold."
He heard Uncle and Auntie said that if they couldn’t get silver to buy a household registration, they would have to sell their daughter. Sister Jinhua was Uncle and Auntie’s daughter, and they certainly wouldn’t want to sell her, so the first to be sold would be his sister.
Father was dead, and their mother couldn’t handle things and could only cause trouble, so she couldn’t protect Sister Yinhua.
So compared to being sold into slavery or into a brothel for silver, Shengxi thought deceiving the Xu family was the best solution.
Yinhua laughed at this, "Don’t worry, Shengxi. If this works out, we can definitely get a new household registration, a place to settle down."
Aunt might not give them silver, but Uncle was educated, and ca from the village chief’s family. Such a family would care about their reputation and wouldn’t let relatives suffer without helping.
Therefore Yinhua thought this trip, although not a path to wealth, wouldn’t be in vain.
Shengxi’s eyes lit up at this, asking, "Sister, really? What are you going to do?"
Yinhua said, "When have I ever lied to you? As for what I’m going to do, you’ll know when I return."
With that, she said no more, turning and running off quickly.
...
In the northern part of the city, near the city gate, there was a large shop crowded with people. Red cloth was hung at the entrance, and many people ca bearing gifts, showing there was a celebration for the shop owner.
The shop was a newly opened tofu workshop jointly owned by the Qin, Gu, and Luotian families in the prefecture city. The front hosted custors and sold tofu, while the back was a large tofu workshop.
Behind the tofu workshop was a small house where Mrs. Chen and Gu Dagui lived.
When Mrs. Chen first saw the shop, she was overjoyed, inspecting every detail, unwilling to leave for days, just staying in the house guarding it, afraid it would run away, she cherished it imnsely.
It was Yinhua’s first ti here, and upon seeing the twelve-door shop, she was astonished. Aunt’s family really was prosperous; such a shop was as big as three others, truly wealthy.
Those with gifts teased towards the shop, "Ms. Chen, your family has risen; you’ll be a scholarly family soon. When your nephew becos an official, rember to help us neighbors."
"Haha, Ms. Gao, don’t worry. We’re neighbors and will be for a long ti. When my nephew becos an official, if anything cos up, just say the word, and he’ll help."
Hearing this loud voice, Yinhua was delighted as it resembled Grandma’s and belonged to soone nad Chen, realizing it must be her aunt.
Aunt was here, and that’s good!
Soon another voice, male and sowhat rushed, explained, "Neighbors, don’t listen to her exaggerations. Mrs. Chen loves to boast. My nephew has only just passed the scholar exam; becoming an official is still years away, but thank you all for your kind regard."
Yinhua was overjoyed at these words, thinking this must be Uncle... Hearing Uncle speak confird he was indeed educated and much more sensible than Aunt.
Yinhua was very happy, having found the place and the people, with Uncle being understanding.
Yinhua felt there was hope for her, but seeing the premises surrounded by people several layers deep, she knew she couldn’t get in, so she went around to the back of the shop.
Aunt’s shop was quite large, and it took Yinhua fifteen minutes to reach the back door, but before she got close, a young man with a wooden stick appeared, pointing at her, saying, "What beggar is this? This is Gu’s Workshop, how dare you co!"
Yinhua was startled by the sudden appearance of this young man... Yinhua, having fled from disaster, realized this person was trouble, likely skilled in martial arts as he approached silently.
Without wasting words, Yinhua said, "Young brother, I co from Gaoshui County in Northwest Long’an Prefecture, surna Chen, nad Yinhua. This shop belongs to my Aunt and Uncle. My Aunt is called Chen Shuihua, Uncle is Gu Dagui. Please let them know that the family Granny is plotting against Uncle’s nephew, they must et with ."
Yinhua was clever, knowing if she didn’t reveal the plot against Gu Dexing, Aunt would not et her, pretending not to recognize a relative and would drive her away.
Ah Feng heard this and frowned, "You say the shopkeeper’s wife is your Aunt?"
Chen unexpectedly has family still? And Chen’s Granny wants to plot against Gu Dexing?
Ah Feng was shocked, thinking of Chen’s character, couldn’t imagine how dreadful Chen’s Granny must be?
Ah Feng shivered, looking at Yinhua, asking, "Really?"
Yinhua nodded, "Absolutely true, please quickly inform Aunt and Uncle, my Uncle and Third Uncle have already gone to the governnt gate to block the Xu family. If delayed, Gu Dexing and Lady Xu’s marriage may fall through!"
Ah Feng dared not delay, pointing to Yinhua, "Stand here and don’t move, I’ll inform the shopkeeper’s wife right away."
Ah Feng didn’t even open the door, jumping over the wall to the front shop, seeking out Gu Dagui to inform him of what Yinhua said.
Gu Dagui was stunned upon hearing it, taking a while to recall Ah Feng was speaking of Chen’s family.
Gu Dagui froze as mories from over a decade ago flooded in of Chen’s family causing trouble at his family’s door, Chen’s Granny wanting to die there, and Mrs. Chen slashing at people and threatening to slit her throat... These recollections were so intense that Gu Dagui couldn’t handle it, rolled his eyes, and fainted on the spot.
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