After Liu steward snapped out of his confusion, he shouted at Old Madam Wen:
“So now it’s not your neck under the blade, is it?! Men, take back those twenty taels! This marriage is void!”
Old Madam Wen’s face stiffened. “No, Steward Liu, that’s not what I meant… Ah! Don’t take my money!”
Before she could finish, several servants of the Liu family had already rushed forward, pinned her down, and quickly snatched back the twenty taels.
Steward Liu looked at Wen Ye. “Little ancestor, you see… we’ve taken the money back. We’ll leave right away!”
“And the indenture and concubine contract!”
Steward Liu hurriedly pulled out the indenture and documents from his chest, tore them to shreds with a few swift motions. “Is that enough?”
Wen Ye kicked him right in the backside. “Get lost!”
Steward Liu was kicked forward several steps. Freed from restraint, he turned back in anger and shock.
“You—you—Hmph! What a rotten marriage! Fine, our Liu family doesn’t care anyway! It’s not like your village is the only one with girls!”
Damn it! If someone hadn’t been currying favor with him, he might not have even chosen Wen Lan!
He itched to have someone hold Wen Ye down and beat her.
But meeting Wen Ye’s cold, chilling gaze—and seeing the blood-stained firewood knife in her hand—he couldn’t help but shiver.
He had a feeling this girl would really hack someone without hesitation, even herself included.
He was just a servant; if someone died, he’d be the one to suffer.
Most importantly, he was afraid of crazy people.
Forget it.
He valued his life.
With a wave of his hand, he said, “Let’s go!”
Then he hurried away with his men.
“No! No! Give my money back!” Old Madam Wen tried to chase after them but was shoved stumbling by the servants.
She could only watch helplessly as the Liu family servants pushed the cart of betrothal gifts away.
The villagers watching began whispering among themselves.
Madam Lin and Wen Lan exchanged disbelieving looks.
Old Madam Wen was heartbroken and suddenly turned to Wen Ye. “You little wretch! You ruined everything! I’ll beat you to death!”
She rushed forward.
But Wen Ye swung her firewood knife straight at her face.
Old Madam Wen’s eyes widened in disbelief—she really dared!
She was running too fast to stop in time and twisted her body to dodge, but her arm was still slashed.
“Ah——!” She fell to the ground from inertia.
Her arm throbbed in pain. Looking down, she saw blood spurting from her right arm.
She looked up and met Wen Ye’s unfamiliar gaze, coldly looking down at her.
Old Madam Wen’s hair stood on end—only now did she realize Wen Ye was not joking. She really would kill someone!
“Y-you… what are you going to do—”
She screamed while scrambling to get up and run.
But Wen Ye sneered and stepped hard on her lower back, pinning her down.
“Oh my heavens——” Old Madam Wen’s vision went black. Her waist felt like it was about to break.
Before she could finish screaming, Wen Ye had already placed the blade at her neck.
Old Madam Wen stared in terror. “Ahhh! Help! Murder! Wen Ye has gone mad—she’s killing people!”
In the crowd, Aunt Luo from the Wen family shuddered at Wen Ye’s crazed appearance and hurried inside, slamming the door shut.
“Y-Ye girl… don’t be impulsive!” Madam Lin finally reacted and cried as she rushed forward.
If she really killed Old Madam Wen, her daughter would have to pay with her life!
“Wuwu, little sister… don’t be anxious, we won’t make trouble! We won’t!” Wen Lan also rushed up and grabbed Wen Ye tightly.
The mother and daughter worked together to pull Wen Ye away. Wen Lan cried:
“Little sister, I’ll marry him. I’ll marry. I won’t suffer… the Liu family is a good match. I’ll happily marry.”
Wen Ye froze for a moment, then suddenly slapped Wen Lan hard across the face.
“Now that they’ve already run off, and I fought for you with my life and a knife, and you tell me you’ll happily marry? Where were you earlier? Are you playing with me?!”
Wen Lan was stunned. It took her a moment to process what she had said.
“No… that’s not what I meant…”
She was too frightened—afraid her younger sister would end up with a murder charge.
She thought everything had escalated because she refused to marry the Liu family elder. If she agreed, maybe both the Liu family and grandmother would let her sister go.
“Murder… sob…” Old Madam Wen crawled on the ground, desperately trying to stay away from Wen Ye.
Her arm was still bleeding heavily, and her waist felt broken, but survival instinct drove her like a worm wriggling on the ground.
“Third brother is back!” someone shouted.
The crowd parted as a thin, dark middle-aged man hurried in—Wen Ye’s so-called father, Wen Laosan.
“Third brother, you’re finally back! Quickly deal with this little beast, she’s going to kill me… sob…” Old Madam Wen cried as if she’d seen a savior.
Wen Laosan dropped his hoe in shock at the scene.
“This… this… what happened?”
Wen Ye sneered. “What happened? Your rotten mother tried to sell my sister to a sixty-year-old man as a concubine! She’s trying to force us to death!”
Wen Laosan’s mind went blank.
Madam Lin could no longer hold back and burst into tears with Wen Lan.
Old Madam Wen screamed, “Nonsense! What do you mean sell… she’s just of marriageable age!”
A villager sneered, “Who in the village sells their daughter to a sixty-year-old man? You’re just greedy for money and the twenty taels of betrothal gifts—that’s selling her!”
The villagers nodded in agreement.
Wen Ye laughed coldly. “So it’s to pay for your eldest branch’s grandson’s schooling that you sell my sister?”
“Shut up!” Old Madam Wen snapped, then looked at Wen Laosan.
“Third son, we had no choice. Chengwen is about to take the scholar exam—that’s a major family matter!”
At that moment, the north room door creaked open. A man in his forties came out—Wen Laoda, who had been hiding inside.
His wife, Madam Luo, followed timidly behind him.
Wen Laoda said stiffly, “Third brother, Chengwen’s exam is the whole family’s priority. We all have to make sacrifices.”
Wen Ye mocked, “Sacrifices are fine, selling daughters is fine—but why is it always our branch’s daughter paying for your son’s studies?”
Wen Laosan finally reacted and looked at Wen Laoda.
“Yeah. Why sell my daughter? Don’t you have daughters too? Your Wen Mei is half a year older than Wen Lan. If anyone should be sold, it’s her!”
Wen Laoda’s face darkened, unable to respond.
In the room, Wen Mei slammed the window shut in terror, afraid she would be the next one sold to a sixty-year-old man as a concubine.