Perhaps because there was meat on the table today, or perhaps because the atmosphere was awkward, the meal was finished in less than fifteen minutes.
Fang Shi immediately began clearing the dishes.
“I still have to clean the pigsty and chicken coop later. Elder Brother and Sister-in-law, don’t sit around here. Go back and take your afternoon nap.”
“Alright, alright!”
Luo Shi was the type of lazy woman who slept after eating and ate after sleeping. For some reason, she suddenly felt extremely drowsy and wanted nothing more than to leave immediately.
The first branch returned to their room, and even Wen Li Yue felt her eyelids drooping with exhaustion. Fang Shi hurriedly pushed her back to her room as well.
Watching Fang Shi send everyone who had eaten the sweet eggs back to their rooms one by one, the mockery in Wen Ye’s eyes deepened.
…
The third branch returned to their little thatched hut.
Wen Lao San sighed emotionally.
“Ye’er, they’re treating us well. It proves they still care about us. You… you…”
For a moment, he didn’t know how to express himself.
Wen Ye raised an eyebrow.
“You mean I shouldn’t fail to appreciate their kindness?”
Wen Lao San’s face turned pale.
“That’s not what I mean! It’s just… sigh… Over the past ten years, we’ve had little contact with Second Brother and his wife. But these past few days… you’ve seen it yourselves. The two of them are reasonable in everything they do. Maybe what happened to Lan’er… really was a misunderstanding.”
Wen Ye snorted.
“They casually say it was a misunderstanding, yet can’t even explain a single detail, and you’re already rushing to make excuses for them? No wonder they like selling your daughter so much!”
Wen Lao San was speechless.
Lin Shi suddenly came to her senses and pursed her lips.
“Ye’er is right.”
Looking at how naïve this entire family was, Wen Ye couldn’t be bothered to explain further.
“Just wait. Tomorrow, or the day after at the latest, I’ll show you a grand performance.”
Wen Lao San didn’t understand.
“Ye’er, don’t do anything reckless.”
“Relax, relax. I won’t do a thing. I’ll just let them keep making trouble, alright?”
Wen Ye stood up and stretched lazily.
“I’m going out to play with Yu’er.”
With that, she turned and ran out the door.
Wen Lan said,
“Mother, let’s go clean up our new house.”
Yuanbao’s eyes were also filled with anticipation for their new life, and Lin Shi’s mood improved.
“Then let’s head over right now.”
The four of them left the house one after another.
Wen Lao San walked at the back, feeling more worried than hopeful.
After all, once they split from the family, they would have nothing except one mu of land. The future was completely uncertain.
And whenever he thought of the disappointed look in Old Madam Wen’s eyes, he couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable.
Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law were reasonable people, and life at home had become better since they had returned.
If everyone could continue getting along harmoniously, perhaps splitting the family wasn’t really necessary.
But seeing Wen Ye’s firm attitude and the hopeful expressions on Lin Shi and the others’ faces, Wen Lao San couldn’t bring himself to say anything more.
…
Inside Old Madam Wen’s room—
“They were just about to eat it! It’s all that little disaster’s fault!”
Old Madam Wen pointed toward the third branch’s hut and cursed.
“Shh, keep your voice down.”
Fang Shi was terrified and quickly grabbed her.
“What are you afraid of? I just saw that bunch of jinxes go wandering off, and the first branch is sleeping like pigs. Who’s going to hear us? We wasted our money for nothing! That sleeping powder cost five hundred copper coins a packet!”
The plan Fang Shi had proposed that day was simple:
First, pretend to agree to the family separation and lower the third branch’s guard.
Then, use the drug to knock them unconscious.
After that, tie up Wen Ye and her sister and sell them directly.
As long as Wen Ye, that troublemaker, was gone, the third branch would return to their former meek and submissive selves and continue working like oxen and horses for them. They wouldn’t dare bring up separating the family again.
The sweet egg soup had been laced with sleeping powder.
After eating it, the effects would kick in after thirty minutes, and the victims wouldn’t wake up for four hours.
Who would have thought that the little jinx, Wen Ye, would refuse to eat it?
“It’s all your fault! Giving the sweet soup only to them was practically announcing there was something suspicious about it!” Old Madam Wen glared at Fang Shi.
“If it doesn’t work, then tomorrow just put the drug into the porridge and knock out both the first and third branches. Let’s see if they can still escape.”
“There are only enough drugs left for two people,” Fang Shi said with a frown.
As soon as Old Madam Wen heard that, she started cursing again at the thought of having to spend more money on medicine.
“Don’t worry, Mother. The ones we want are those two girls, not all of Third Brother’s family. The remaining drug is enough.”
As she spoke, a new plan had already formed in her mind.
At that moment, Wen Lao Er tiptoed into the room.
“The slave traders have been waiting at the village entrance for a long time. When they saw I didn’t bring the girls over, they were so angry they almost demanded their money back.”
At the mention of returning the money, Old Madam Wen nearly exploded.
“Over my dead body!”
Fang Shi said,
“Go tell them this: tomorrow at wei hour (around 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.), I guarantee I’ll deliver the girls into their hands. Just have them wait at the village entrance.”
“What plan do you have for tomorrow?”
A crafty look flashed through Fang Shi’s eyes as she began discussing it with them.
As the three of them discussed their scheme enthusiastically, in the room next door, separated by only a wall, Wen Lao Da and his wife slept like dead pigs.
Wen Ye was standing on top of Wen Lao Da’s back, her ear pressed against the wall, listening to every detail of their plan.
As she listened, she even nodded.
This plan really wasn’t bad!
Oh my, selling granddaughters was such a joyous occasion. Since she knew about it, of course she wholeheartedly supported it and was positively thrilled!
Wen Ye was so excited that she happily skipped out of the house.
…
Early the next morning, Wen Lao San, his wife, and Wen Chui all went to work in the fields.
No one knew where Wen Lao Da and his wife had gone to slack off.
Meanwhile, the two Wen sisters were in their room doing embroidery.
Fang Shi walked in.
“We’re making shepherd’s purse dumplings tonight. Lan’er, why don’t you two go up the mountain and dig some shepherd’s purse?”
Wen Ye tossed aside the handkerchief she was working on.
“Why should we? If I remember correctly, it’s the second branch’s turn to do the housework today.”
Fang Shi’s expression stiffened.
“It’s our turn to do the housework, yes. But someone still has to handle the other chores. Even if we had ten pairs of hands, we couldn’t finish everything.”
“Then tell Wen Mei and Wen Li Yue to do it. Why us? Because we’re easy to bully?”
Fang Shi choked on her words.
“Mei’er and Yue’er are going to cut pig fodder. Look, I’ve already assigned the heavy work to them. You two are only digging wild vegetables. That’s already a very light task.”
Wen Lan secretly tugged on Wen Ye’s sleeve.
“Little Sister, let’s just go dig the shepherd’s purse.”
“Fine.”
Wen Ye spread her hands helplessly.
“I remember there’s plenty of pig fodder in the ravine where the shepherd’s purse grows. We’ll go up the mountain with Wen Mei and the others. Otherwise, how would I know whether they’re really going to cut pig fodder or not?”
“If we’re not leaving with them, then we’re not going either!”
She raised her eyebrows, looking as though she was afraid of suffering a loss by doing extra work.
So troublesome!
Fang Shi grumbled inwardly but kept smiling.
“Fine, fine. It’s neither too early nor too late now. If you go out, you won’t make it back for lunch. I’ll make some pancakes for you to take up the mountain. What kind of pancakes would you like?”
Wen Lan said,
“I… anything is fine. I’ll eat whatever Little Sister eats.”
Wen Ye replied,
“Then I want chive pancakes.”
“Alright, alright. Second Aunt will prepare your lunch right away.”
With that, Fang Shi turned and left.