Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The sun blazed overhead, the stones beneath their feet scorching hot. Standing on the open ground, exposed skin felt seared and painful. Sui Yu and Sui Hui stood in the water, feeling cool below but hot above, their faces sweating as they scrubbed the mats.

"Ling'er," Sui Hui called out. She pushed the freshly cleaned mat to the edge of the water and said, "Drag it onto the stone to dry."

"Sis, I think I heard hoofbeats. Could it be Big Brother?" The sun had climbed to its zenith, marking the midpoint of another day, and Sui Ling was anxious.

There were other women washing clothes and shoes in the river. Sui Hui worried about arousing suspicion and gave her sister a stern look, saying, "Whether he comes or not changes nothing. Keep working; once the mats are dry, we'll go back."

The three of them spent half a day scrubbing thirty mats and, during the drying time, had to collect manure for fertilizer.

"Sui Hui? Sui Hui? Who is Sui Hui?"

Sui Hui looked up and saw a stranger. Fear gripped her heart.

"Why are you looking for Sui Hui?" Sui Yu stepped out of the river.

"The female overseer sent me to call Sui Hui and whoever else to return quickly. Your brother has arrived."

"It's Big Brother." Sui Ling was ecstatic. She dropped the mat she was holding and ran off, shouting, "Sis, hurry! Big Brother has come to take us away."

Sui Hui trembled with excitement, slipping and falling as she got out of the water. Ignoring the pain in her knees, she hurried back the way they had come.

Sui Yu glanced at the stacked mats. Though they were just a pile of rags, someone might pick them up, so she stopped the messenger and asked him to help carry them back.

As soon as they left, the camp prostitutes scattered around the river also headed back. Halfway there, Aunt Chun and the others realized something was amiss and started running.

At the entrance to the brothel camp, Sui Wen'an and Sui Liang stood by the wall, watching from a distance. Two steps away, one of Officer Li's men was talking to an elderly man with graying hair.

"Big Brother—" Sui Ling ran back first, calling out from afar, "Are you here to take us away?"

Seeing her like this, Sui Wen'an knew he hadn't come too late. He sighed in relief and whispered, "This is my younger sister, simple-minded. Please don't mind her, sirs."

No one acknowledged his words.

"Why are you alone? Where are your sister and Yu?" Sui Wen'an pulled Sui Ling aside and whispered, "Don't talk nonsense anymore."

"They're right behind us, coming back soon." Sui Ling was overjoyed, grabbing Sui Wen'an's arm and sobbing, "Big Brother, I've been so scared. You don't know..."

"Shut up." Sui Wen'an wanted to slap her.

After speaking, he saw Sui Hui returning but didn't see Sui Yu.

"Please wait a moment, sirs. Another sister hasn't returned yet." He went over to explain.

The female overseer came out of the house, holding the indentures of Sui Yu and her sisters. "Sir Hu, here are their indentures."

Sir Hu took them and said to Officer Li's man, "I'll take these back and clear their records. They will no longer be camp prostitutes."

"Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome."

As they spoke, three more men arrived. The leader wore military attire, while the other two were dressed as field workers. One tall man, barefoot and muddy, had just returned from the fields and was summoned by Li Baihu.

"Sir Hu, I've brought the men. Zhao Xiping and Qian Wei haven't married yet," Li Baihu bowed, his eyes scanning Sui Hui and her sister. Finding them thin and unappealing compared to a widow selling vegetables, he changed his mind.

"Why are there only two?" Sir Hu asked.

"Gu Dadao, under Captain Sun's command, is still working in the fields. I've instructed him to come as soon as he returns."

Sir Hu was satisfied with his explanation and turned to Officer Li's man, saying, "These are capable and brave men. The Sui sisters won't suffer with them."

Officer Li's man nodded, saying, "Our soldiers in Northwest are all excellent."

Hearing this, Sui Wen'an secretly pinched Sui Ling, threatening, "If you cause any trouble, you'll stay here. I won't care about you."

Sui Ling shook her head vigorously.

Beside them, Zhao Xiping's face fell. He realized Li Baihu was up to his usual tricks again. His family was respectable; he couldn't marry a slave from the brothel.

He was pondering how to refuse without offending Sir Hu when the camp prostitutes returned.

Sui Yu placed the mats in the courtyard and walked out, saying, "Let's go."

"Are these the only three?" Sir Hu asked, seeing Sui Wen'an nod. He glanced at his subordinates and said, "Since you're here, choose first."

"I'll take her." Qian Wei pointed at Sui Ling, thinking she seemed talkative and he didn't want a mute wife.

Sui Wen'an pushed Sui Ling forward, saying, "Live well with your brother-in-law."

"Please forgive me, sir. My family is honest and law-abiding. I cannot marry a slave; it would disgrace my ancestors," Zhao Xiping said solemnly.

"Wen'an, what's going on? Aren't you here to take us away?" Aunt Chun and the others rushed back, alarmed by the situation and immediately asked.

Sui Wen'an hung his head in shame.

Sui Ling, fearing a change, quickly moved behind Qian Wei, afraid he might change his mind.

Officer Li's man ignored the commotion and walked a few steps away, urging, "Hurry up. Officer Li is waiting for my report."

Sir Hu looked at the frantic women before him, pointed at Sui Hui, and asked, "Can you read?"

"I can read, write, and keep accounts," Sui Hui nodded eagerly.

"My grandmother needs a maid. Come with me."

Overjoyed, Sui Hui hurried over, ignoring everything else.

This left only Sui Yu. Li Baihu kicked Zhao Xiping and forced him, "Hurry up, don't delay the adults' business."

Zhao Xiping gritted his teeth and remained silent.

"Hahaha—" Tong Huaer burst into laughter. She grabbed Sui Yu and cursed, "Talking about laws being wrong but people not being wrong? I was foolish to believe you. No wonder you act like a lackey protecting your master, also hoping to escape this den of wolves, right? Hahaha... Don't even think about it." With that, she suddenly calmed down and knelt to accuse, "Sir, Sui Yu spat last night that the law is wrong, saying the law convicts us to appease the public. She's dissatisfied with the government..."

"No!" Sui Yu cried out. She never expected to be bitten back. Panicked, she defended herself, "I was just talking nonsense. Last night we fought over personal grievances. I said that just to placate them, fearing they'd cause more trouble."

Officer Li's subordinate and Governor Hu looked at her with scrutinizing eyes, their expressions changing.

"So you said the law is wrong?" Officer Li's subordinate asked.

"Sir, my cousin is an ignorant girl who never leaves home. How would she know such things?" Sui Wen'an understood the implication.

"I was just babbling nonsense; I didn't say that." Sui Yu quickly corrected herself, kneeling weakly.

"She doesn't..." Tong Huaer tried to speak, but Aunt Chun covered her mouth. Looking at Sui Yu, she remembered Sui Hu was a good man. Her eldest son had been saved by Sui Hu when he brought a doctor from a neighboring county during his childhood illness. She decided to help Sui Yu.

"Tong Huaer is crazy. Sir, don't listen to her nonsense. I was there last night, and Sui Yu didn't say anything like that," she spoke up.

"Yes, Sister Yu didn't say that," Sui Hui chimed in.

Officer Li's subordinate turned around, the meaning clear.

Sui Yu broke out in a cold sweat. She broke free from Tong Huaer's grip and, without regard for Zhao Xiping's wishes, ran straight to him.

"Stay away from me." Zhao Xiping's face was full of disgust.

"Please save me." Sui Yu was terrified, tears welling in her eyes. Turning back meant facing an abyss, so she could only cling to the straw before her, pleading, "I'm sorry, please take me in."

Zhao Xiping turned his head away, coldly saying, "I won't marry the daughter of a corrupt official. Find someone else."

"No, my father isn't corrupt. The guilty one is my uncle. Our families rarely interact. My father is just a minor official." Sui Yu hurriedly explained, not daring to look back, continuing, "My father is an unimportant younger son. He knew nothing about the corruption. Our family is suffering due to my uncle's actions."

"Hahahaha—" Tong Huaer laughed mockingly.

"You're getting too full of yourself, choosing and picking." Li Baihu pushed Sui Yu, saying, "I'll decide. You're his wife now."

With the matter settled, Officer Li's subordinate immediately left, followed by Governor Hu taking Sui Hui with him.

Seeing Sui Liang about to leave, Sui Wen'an held him back, saying, "Come with me."

Sui Liang refused, remembering his father's words.

Sui Yu heard the commotion and pulled away the burden, never daring to look at Sui Wen'an.

Running to Zhao Xiping, she pleaded, "This is my brother. He's a fool, doesn't even know to cry when his father died. Just give him some porridge to keep him alive; he can work."

Sui Liang stared at the man before him.

Zhao Xiping glared at Sui Yu, frowning. Fooling him that he was a fool? This child didn't seem foolish at all.

Sui Yu smiled at him, seeing him walk away and quickly pulled Sui Liang to follow.

Li Baihu saw Zhao Xiping's sour face, feeling immensely pleased. He followed, hands behind his back.

Leaving the brothel and entering the bustling city, Sui Yu secretly memorized the path, walking carefully. She thought that the days of despair were over, and no matter how hard the future might be, she would live on.

"Hey! Brother Sun, where are you coming from?" Li Baihu called out to a rider on the street, "Is that the wild horse you caught in spring? Tamed it?"

"Haha, tamed it."

The wild horse wore a saddle, its body marked with old and new whip scars. It obediently lowered its head when the reins were pulled but instinctively lifted its hoof to kick as Li Baihu approached.

"Ah, still has some wildness in it."