“For my own good? Then why doesn’t Uncle send your own daughter, Sister Tingqin, instead? I haven’t even had my coming-of-age ceremony yet, but Sister Tingqin is already fifteen this year—she’s exactly the right age to be betrothed.”
Gu Tingqin, the female lead, was fifteen this year. Next year, during the year of famine when she would come of age, she would meet the male lead, and the two would begin a dramatic, dog-blood romance of you run, I chase—no matter how you fly, you can’t escape.
The moment Gu Nianzhi suggested that Zhang Cuihua send her own daughter to marry Landlord Liu, Zhang Cuihua exploded with rage.
“You little brat! How could Tingqin possibly be compared to you? Being able to marry the landlord is your blessing! Don’t try to change the subject!”
“Oh?” Gu Nianzhi raised her brows. “So what Auntie means is that Landlord Liu isn’t good enough for Sister Tingqin?”
At those words, Steward Liu’s gaze toward Zhang Cuihua and the others turned icy.
This filthy peasant household actually dared to look down on his master—utterly ignorant and presumptuous!
Seeing Steward Liu’s expression, Gu Tiezhu and his wife instantly wilted.
They were nothing more than ordinary clerks in town. How could they dare offend a wealthy landowning family like the Lius? They immediately bent forward to curry favor.
“Steward Liu, please don’t listen to this girl’s nonsense. Master Liu is waiting at home. We should hurry and bring the bride over!”
“Do you think I don’t want to?” Steward Liu barked.
Gu Tiezhu nodded repeatedly.
“Second brother, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and send Nianzhi onto the donkey cart! If we delay Master Liu’s auspicious timing, how could we bear the responsibility?”
Hearing this, Gu Dachui felt deeply uncomfortable.
He also had a daughter—why should his child be the one sold off?
But when he saw the anger and disappointment in Old Madam Gu’s eyes, he still rose timidly to his feet.
“Nianzhi, quickly wash up and go with Steward Liu. The Liu household is wealthy—you won’t lack food there. It’s far better than staying here and eating chaff and wild greens.”
Gu Nianzhi sneered coldly.
“Father wouldn’t happen to be unaware of what kind of fate awaits women who enter the Liu household, would he?”
Gu Dachui’s face flushed red.
Of course he knew.
He simply didn’t want to disappoint his parents, nor did he want to cut off Chengwen’s years of schooling.
Why couldn’t they understand his difficulties?
“Or does Father know perfectly well and just pretend to be foolish?”
Gu Dachui stared at her in disbelief.
“Nianzhi, how could you think of your father this way? Do you know that filial piety outweighs everything?”
“Heh. A man who can’t even protect his wife and children—don’t open your mouth and preach filial piety.”
“You—!”
Gu Dachui beat his chest and stamped his feet in fury.
“Enough nonsense!” Steward Liu snapped impatiently. “Either hand her over or pay up. Decide quickly—don’t waste our time!”
Watching this family—vicious elders, spineless adults, and sharp-tongued grandchildren—Steward Liu felt nothing but irritation.
What kind of people were these?!
Thinking of his own son, Gu Tiezhu and Zhang Cuihua rolled up their sleeves and moved in from both sides toward Gu Nianzhi.
“Dachui, step aside. I’ll tie her up first—everything else can wait.”
Watching his elder brother and sister-in-law approach his daughter with thick rope in hand, Gu Dachui sighed helplessly and stepped away.
“Nianzhi, don’t blame your uncle for being heartless. We’re all family. If Chengwen passes the imperial exam and becomes a xiucai, you’ll benefit too. You’ll understand Uncle’s good intentions someday.”
Looking at Gu Tiezhu’s ugly face, Gu Nianzhi felt nothing but disgust.
Tie her up? In their dreams.
Just as the couple closed in, Gu Nianzhi twisted sideways, grabbed Zhang Cuihua’s arm—
Crack!
Her arm dislocated instantly, collapsing limply.
“Ahhh! Husband! My arm’s broken!”
Zhang Cuihua screamed like a slaughtered pig, collapsing onto the ground in agony.
Gu Tiezhu was stunned. Gu Nianzhi seized the moment, kicked him square in the face, and after he fell, stomped his stomach several times.
“Stop! Stop it!”
Old Madam Gu rushed forward in distress to help Gu Tiezhu up, while Gu Dachui blocked her path, afraid Gu Nianzhi might attack her next.
“You wicked little bitch! How dare you attack your own uncle—you’re heartless and ungrateful!”
Old Madam Gu pointed furiously at Gu Nianzhi, but the moment she met Gu Nianzhi’s half-smiling gaze, her courage vanished.
The second household’s girl had gone mad!
Ever since she hit her head last time, she’d become frighteningly vicious. Could it be possession by some evil spirit?
Thinking this, Old Madam Gu shivered.
More and more villagers gathered outside the courtyard. Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Old Man Gu finally emerged from the house.
“What’s all this commotion? Don’t you feel ashamed?”
His sharp eyes swept across everyone before landing on Gu Nianzhi.
“The family is poor—we truly can’t afford to raise you. If you can accept it, go with Steward Liu. Though you’ll be a concubine, you’ll at least have food and clothing.”
Old Man Gu was a shrewd man.
His words sounded like they were for Gu Nianzhi’s sake, while also justifying selling his granddaughter—so the neighbors wouldn’t mock him.
“Grandfather, are you sure this is for my good, and not selling your granddaughter?”
Gu Nianzhi smiled as she stared at him, making Old Man Gu uncomfortable, though he dared not lash out.
“You are a granddaughter of the Gu family. If not for these bad years and the lack of grain at home, why would we send you to a landlord’s household?”
Send.
What a nice word.
Gu Nianzhi sneered inwardly.
“Fine. I’ll go.”
Her sudden agreement stunned everyone.
Just like that?
Old Man Gu nodded in satisfaction, stroked his beard, and turned to return inside—only to hear Gu Nianzhi speak calmly behind him:
“Since it’s not selling a granddaughter, then Grandma should return the five taels of silver Landlord Liu paid me.”
“What?!”
Old Man Gu stumbled, nearly falling.
“I’m part of the Liu household now. Naturally, the landlord’s money is my money. I remember Grandma accepted five taels two days ago. Since I’m about to leave, hurry and give it back to me.”
Even Steward Liu, who had seen countless people, was stunned.
You could do that?!
Old Man Gu nearly rolled his eyes in rage. Old Madam Gu slapped her thigh and wailed.
“Cursed fate! What sin did I commit, raising a granddaughter for eleven years only for her to steal her grandparents’ retirement money?!”
“That’s right!” Gu Tiezhu cried indignantly. “Nianzhi, you used to be such a good child—how did you suddenly become like this?”
“As Grandma said it wrong,” Gu Nianzhi replied calmly. “That wasn’t your retirement money. That was my selling-myself money.”
Seeing that Gu Nianzhi wouldn’t let it go, Old Madam Gu abandoned all concern for the law.
Tie her up first—everything else later!
“Second son, grab her! I don’t believe she’d dare hit her own father!”
A single word—filial piety—could crush a person. If Gu Nianzhi dared strike Gu Dachui, she’d be drowned in a pig cage by the village the next day.
“Nianzhi, get on the donkey cart obediently. Father doesn’t want to lay hands on you.”
Gu Dachui’s helpless expression thoroughly disgusted Gu Nianzhi.
As if he could lay hands on her.
Gu Nianzhi smiled wickedly.
She couldn’t touch Gu Dachui—but she could touch Steward Liu.
Just as Gu Dachui lunged toward her, Gu Nianzhi slipped behind Steward Liu, clamped a hand around his neck, and pressed a thin bamboo skewer tightly against his artery.
“You—what are you doing?!” Steward Liu panicked.
He’d only come to buy a person—why did it have to come to this?!
What misfortune!
Magpies had been calling this morning—it should’ve been a good day. Now, hearing them again, he only felt annoyed.
Damn birds! Chirping so early—so irritating!
“Didn’t you want to take me away?” Gu Nianzhi said lightly. “Let’s go.”
Her words were gentle; her grip was not.
“N-no! We’re not buying anymore!”
“Are you sure?”
Steward Liu nodded frantically.
“Not buying! Not buying! I’ll go report to Master Liu immediately—the Gu family’s daughter is no longer for sale!”
Gu Nianzhi released him.
“That’s better.”
Amid cries and curses, Gu Nianzhi walked out of the Gu household.
She needed to find Liu-shi and Gu Nian’an.
Steward Liu, finally able to breathe, left with his attendants, shouting threats as he went:
“Prepare ten taels of silver within three days! Otherwise, your entire family won’t leave Qingshan Town alive!”