Chapter 87: Selling Daughters for Grain, Li Ye’s Lesson

Chapter 87: Trading Daughters for Food – Li Ye’s Lesson

Li Ye gathered his courage and said, "I am Li Ye, and this is my grandmother, Zhou Nan Shi. What brings you here, officers?"

The yamen officer replied, "If it’s the two of you, then come with us. Someone has filed a complaint against you."

"My grandmother and I are law-abiding people. There must be some misunderstanding," Li Ye hurriedly explained.

"No mistake here. On our way here, we heard you slandering an imperial official."

"I didn’t!" Li Ye felt utterly wronged. Even if he were out of his mind, he wouldn’t dare insult an imperial official!

"Oh? But we all heard it. Not only did you slander an imperial official, but you also spread filthy rumors. We are all witnesses."

"Officers, it must be a mistake. I absolutely did not spread rumors. We were just talking about a Shuang Er—a gender-fluid person—from a past marriage discussion."

The yamen officer sneered, "Marriage discussion? If we heard correctly, that Shuang Er you mentioned is Nan Jia Xiao Geer, who is now an imperial appointee. You claim it was a marriage discussion, but for it to be one, both families must have agreed. Yet the Nan family knew nothing about it. Your wife’s grandmother stormed into their house and demanded their Xiao Geer become your concubine."

"That’s not a marriage discussion—that’s outright bullying. When the Xiao Geer refused, you resorted to slandering them with filthy lies to force them into servitude. The victim has filed a complaint with our Lord County Magistrate, and he has accepted the case. You’re coming with us to the yamen for questioning."

"Who filed the complaint?" Li Ye struggled to ask.

"Lord County Magistrate of Ji County sent a representative with a personal letter accusing you," the yamen officer replied, looking at Li Ye with a strange, disdainful smile. "You’ve really outdone yourself to provoke an official into suing you just to clear his name."

Li Ye felt his world collapse. He knew it was over—everything was over.

Slandering an imperial appointee, especially with such filthy lies, might not be enough for a prison sentence, but it was certainly enough for a beating.

Both Li Ye and Zhou Nan Shi were immediately given twenty strokes of the rod—real, brutal strokes that left their flesh torn. Zhou Nan Shi fainted outright, while Li Ye hung on by a thread.

But when the county magistrate announced the stripping of his eligibility for the civil service exams, Li Ye wished he had fainted too, just to avoid hearing it.

In the Great Yong’s civil service exams, it wasn’t just knowledge that was tested—character mattered too. If one’s character was found lacking, the county magistrate had the authority to strip them of their exam eligibility.

And someone who slandered a Shuang Er with filthy lies clearly had poor character. The magistrate’s decision to revoke his exam rights for life was entirely justified.

To Li Ye, it felt like the sky had fallen. This news hurt more than his battered backside.

Abandoning all dignity, Li Ye wailed on the spot, "Mrs. Zhou, I must’ve done something awful in a past life to marry you! Your grandmother is bad luck incarnate! When we got married, did I ever ask for a servant? Why did you have to fixate on the Nan family? Did they dig up your ancestors’ graves or something?"

Mrs. Zhou, knowing Zhou Nan Shi had brought disaster upon them, didn’t dare argue. She covered half her face with her sleeve and sobbed.

When Zhou Nan Shi finally woke up and learned that her words had ruined her grandson-in-law’s future, her eyes rolled back as she passed out again.

But this time, fainting did no good. The whole family resented her—especially her loose tongue. Why did she have to obsess over the Nan family, always gossiping and stirring up trouble? Now she had finally brought catastrophe upon them.

From then on, Zhou Nan Shi became a walking jinx in the Zhou household. Her family avoided her, keeping their distance. Limping on her bad leg, she spent the rest of her days in a miserable, humiliating existence under the scorn of both family and outsiders.

Zhang Ming and Zheng Ning, as Li Ye’s old classmates, visited him out of old friendship after hearing what had happened.

Li Ye cursed bitterly, "Bing Wengu is nothing but a backstabbing snake! Brother Zheng, you once said he rigged your exam slip during the county exam. Back then, I was skeptical. But after this, I’m certain it’s true—he did it!"

Zheng Ning looked panicked and waved his hands frantically, as if desperate to publicly clear Bing Wengu’s name.

"Li Ye, don’t talk nonsense! During the county exam, a dozen yamen clerks were watching. Bing Wengu isn’t a magician—how could he have swapped your exam slip? It was all luck. I just had bad luck," Zheng Ning retorted swiftly.

Li Ye was stunned. "But that’s not what you said before!"

Zheng Ning had already stood up and was heading for the door. "Li Ye, you’re not thinking straight. You should see a doctor. We have matters to attend to, so we’ll take our leave."

After speaking, Zheng Ning didn’t wait for Li Ye to respond and darted out himself. Only when he reached the village entrance did he dare to stop and wipe the sweat from his forehead.

Zheng Ning was scared stiff by Li Ye. He wasn’t sure whether Bing Wengu had swapped his lottery slip during the county exam, but regardless, Zheng Ning had no intention of digging deeper.

Because he had already realized—those who offended Bing Wengu never ended well. Take Li Ye, for example: ten years of diligent study were wasted in an instant. Or take himself—just a few casual words in Zheng Ning’s defense had gotten his exam assignment swapped for a bad-luck one.

These two incidents alone revealed Bing Wengu’s methods. Zheng Ning wasn’t foolish enough to provoke him further—he had no desire to end up like Li Ye, barred from the exams.

Meanwhile, Zhang Ming made up his mind to distance himself from these two entirely. He had long felt they were incompatible, but out of camaraderie, he hadn’t cut ties. Now, after this incident, Zhang Ming no longer cared about saving face.

Meanwhile, Bing Silang finished collecting grain and finally stopped by the Nan family.

"Uncle, Aunt, Big Brother probably told you—he wanted me to ask if you’d like to come with us to Ji County. Though Ji County isn’t prosperous and may even be poor, it’s still my brother’s territory, so he can have your back."

"We’ll go," Miao Shi agreed immediately. "Our family business is already closed, and we’ve settled all outstanding matters. For those contracts not yet due, we’ve compensated accordingly. We’re ready to leave whenever you are."

"Good. Then we’ll set off tomorrow morning."

"Sounds good."

Bing Silang then went to the Feng household. When Granny Feng saw him, it was like she’d seen the God of Wealth—her face lit up with an eager smile, her enthusiasm overwhelming. Such warmth was something the Bing family had never received from her before.

"Aiyo, I knew it! This morning, I heard magpies chirping—sure enough, we’ve got a VIP here!" Granny Feng called to the children playing in the yard, "Say hello to Uncle!"

These children weren’t Bing Erniang’s, so they weren’t familiar with Bing Silang and had never called him "uncle" before. But at their grandmother’s urging, they mumbled a greeting.

"Go call your aunt. Tell her her brother is here," Granny Feng immediately instructed.

"Don’t bother Second Sister. I’ll go find her myself," Bing Silang waved his hand.

"Alright, I’ll take you there." Granny Feng didn’t feel slighted—in fact, she was secretly pleased by Bing Silang’s attitude. The closer he was to Bing Erniang, the better.

"Silang, what brings you here?" Bing Erniang was overjoyed to see him.

Granny Feng said, "You two siblings sit and chat. I’ll grab some water for Silang."

Bing Silang said to Bing Erniang, "Second Sister, the family is leaving for Ji County tomorrow."

"So soon?"

"Big Brother is likely already on his way, and I need to hurry over too—Ji County is probably waiting for the grain." Bing Silang continued, "The reason I came is to tell you that after we leave, the house will be empty. Why don’t you and Brother-in-law move in? It’s a newly built house, comfortable. You two can stay in our parents’ old room—it’ll be much more pleasant."

"How can that be?" Bing Erniang waved her hands repeatedly. "That’s the family’s new blue-brick house! How could a married daughter like me move back?"

"There’s nothing to worry about, Second Sister. Don’t overthink it—this was Big Brother’s specific instruction before I returned."

At the mention of Bing Wengu’s wishes, Bing Erniang fell silent. The Bing family was now entirely his to run.

"Big Brother said the house would just sit empty otherwise. Renting it to outsiders isn’t ideal, so it’s better for you two to stay there. Moving in would also separate you from this crowded household—just you and Brother-in-law, living peacefully without all the fuss."

Bing Erniang warmed to the idea.

Just then, Granny Feng bustled back in. "I didn’t know you were coming today, Silang, or I’d have bought better tea. All we have is plain brown sugar, so I made you a bowl of sweet water."

"Thank you, Auntie."

"No trouble at all—we’re family!" Granny Feng grinned ear to ear. "Silang, what did you need Erniang for?"

Bing Silang replied carefully, "The whole family is leaving tomorrow, and we’re uneasy leaving such a big house empty. I was hoping Second Sister and Brother-in-law could move in to watch the place."

Mrs. Feng was stunned for a second, not expecting this kind of good fortune. Then she recalled that the Bing family had always treated their married daughters well and let it go. "Alright, this isn't a big deal."

"Thank you, Auntie. My eldest brother said that if Second Sister and Brother-in-law move into our house, they shouldn’t keep eating off the family anymore, and it wouldn’t be right to keep using the family’s resources. So, the family’s land will be given to Second Sister and Brother-in-law to farm, and the crops will be hers to use."

Mrs. Feng was so thrilled her jaw dropped. Of course, she also understood the implication in Bing Silang’s words—the Bing family’s land was for Bing Erniang to cultivate, and the yield was for her, not the Feng family.

But Mrs. Feng had no objections to this. It was fine if it went to Bing Erniang—after all, her sons and grandsons would still benefit, and she’d have one less household to worry about. No matter how you looked at it, the Feng family came out ahead. Besides, if the family ever needed money, Bing Erniang had cash to spare—wasn’t like she’d say no.

"That’s only right, Silang. Don’t you fret—that harvest is meant to support their own daughter. Auntie understands and won’t take a single bit of it."

Bing Silang smiled and didn’t play coy. His attitude made it clear, and Mrs. Feng dared not make things difficult for Bing Erniang.

"Erniang, you and Sanlang should go back with Silang to your family home today. Your parents are leaving tomorrow, and they must have loads to say to you. Stay there for the night. As for Sanlang, your place is swamped with work—have him help out."

Bing Silang brought Bing Erniang and Feng Sanlang back. When only Liang Shi, Bing’s father, Bing Erniang, and Feng Sanlang remained in the house, Liang Shi took out a fifty-tael banknote and handed it to Bing Erniang.

Bing Erniang had never seen so much silver before and was so frightened she kept refusing.

"Mother, what are you doing? Why are you giving me so much silver out of the blue?"

"Your mother has money. Your eldest brother gave me quite a few banknotes—all for my own stash." Aside from the ten thousand taels for buying grain, Bing Wengu had also entrusted Bing Silang to bring Liang Shi a five-hundred-tael banknote for the family’s travel expenses. There was no chance they’d burn through all that, so the rest would be Liang Shi’s private funds. That was why she had money now.

"But that was given to you by Da Lang—how can I take it?" Bing Erniang still refused.

"Your mother knows you’re a good child. Before, when the family gave your elder sister land and a house, you never came back to fight for your share." This was something that had always comforted Liang Shi.

Bing Erniang quickly waved her hands. "Elder Sister was in such a state—how could I compare myself to her? Wouldn’t that be pushing her to her death?"

"That’s why you’re a kind-hearted child, not like those backstabbing ingrates."

Bing Erniang knew Liang Shi was scolding Bing Sanlang.

"Take what your mother is giving you. Consider it the family making good on your dowry. Your elder sister was compensated with a house and land. Now that your mother is leaving, there’s no time to give you the same, so it’s all being cashed out."

"But this is too much!"

"It’s not. From now on, our family will truly be a world apart. If anything happens to you here, I won’t be there to bail you out. Other things aside, if you were to suffer because of a lack of money, I would never forgive myself." At this, Liang Shi cried—she couldn’t bear to part with her daughter.

Bing Erniang also shed tears. "Mother, I don’t want you to go."

Mother and daughter hugged and wept for a long time. In the end, Bing Erniang accepted the banknote. None of this was hidden from Feng Sanlang, who understood—this was his in-laws making their stance clear in front of him. He wasn’t to bully Bing Erniang. A family that could give their married daughter fifty taels to make up for her dowry and wasn’t fazed by divorce wouldn’t mind taking back a divorced daughter.

Feng Sanlang told himself under his breath to work harder at home and be more considerate toward Bing Erniang. He didn’t want to end up in a situation where, instead of divorcing his wife, he was the one getting the boot from the Bings.

That evening, Liang Shi went to find Bing Sanlang. When he saw her, he was pleasantly surprised. "Mother, why have you come?"

Liang Shi’s face was expressionless as she took out a hundred-tael banknote from her pocket and placed it on the table. "This is for you—a hundred taels."

Qian Shi’s eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store at the sight of the banknote. She snatched it up, overjoyed. "We’re rich! A hundred taels! I’ve never even seen a banknote before in my life!"

Bing Sanlang, seeing Liang Shi’s unsmiling face, suddenly felt uneasy. "Mother, why are you suddenly giving me so much money out of nowhere?"

"Though you’ve been adopted out, we were still mother and son once. From now on, we’ll be worlds apart, and this bond between us ends today. This hundred taels is the last thing your mother can do for you."

Bing Sanlang panicked. He dropped to his knees with a thud, tears streaming down his face. "Mother, it was all my fault before—I was foolish and wrong. Mother, I don’t want this silver. Take it back. I’ll still be your son from now on, alright?"

He barked at Qian Shi, "Give the banknote back to Mother!"

Qian Shi, who had never seen so much silver in her life, white-knuckled it, refusing to let go.

"Qian Shi, give it back to Mom!" Bing Sanlang shouted again.

"Forget it. She clearly doesn’t want to return it, so drop it." Liang Shi turned away. "San Lang, you’re on your own now."

"Mom!"

Liang Shi ran out of Bing Sanlang's home, tears spilling down her cheeks before she even realized it. She knew that unless something changed, she would likely never see this son of hers again.

Choking back a sob, Liang Shi ran home, still able to hear Bing Sanlang shouting after her in the distance.

"I told you to return the money to Mom! Why didn’t you? Don’t you understand? By keeping that money, you’ve severed the bond between Mom and me. From now on, I’m truly no longer her son!"

Qian Shi was indifferent. "So what? Your mom already gave you up for adoption long ago."

Bing Sanlang cried out in anguish, "It’s different! Completely different!"

Qian Shi didn’t care whether it was different or not. All she knew was that what’s in her pocket is what counts. "Besides, they’re about to leave. Bing Wengu is taking an official post far away—who knows if they’ll even come back? This money’s ours for the taking. With them so far away, do you really think they’ll be able to help you with anything…?"

Liang Shi ran farther away, no longer able to hear Qian Shi’s cutting remarks.

By the next day, the two families set off before dawn under the escort of imperial guards and mercenary guards.

Bing Sanlang, Bing Erniang, and the entire Feng family came to see them off. Liang Shi and Bing Erniang shared tearful goodbyes before parting. As the Bing family’s carriage began to move, Bing Sanlang suddenly knelt and bowed his head to the ground three times in the direction of the departing vehicle.

"Father, Mother, I’ve failed as a son. In this life, I have let you both down." Bing Sanlang knelt on the ground, wailing bitterly, but not a single word of forgiveness came from Liang Shi.

Inside the carriage, Liang Shi covered her mouth, tears falling silently, while Bing’s father wept just as hard beside her.

As for Bing Wengu’s group, they traveled urgently, roughing it on the road. With a considerable amount of grain in tow, their pace wasn’t fast, but they pushed hard to make time.

Though they had ample funds and provisions, and though this was an official convoy, they still stayed on main roads for safety. At night, they stayed in post stations or inns whenever possible. When no lodging was available, they camped in open areas with clear visibility to prevent ambushes.

Tonight, however, due to the urgency of their journey, Bing Wengu and his party had no choice but to stay in the wilderness.

Jiang Jinghuai emerged from his tent and hurried into Bing Wengu and Nan Jinping’s tent. "Yuan Ting, Jin Geer, do you still have any of that homemade fried flour noodles, instant noodles, or fermented bean curd? I’ve finished all of mine."

Before setting off, Bing Wengu had prepared instant noodles for the journey to ensure Nan Jinping ate well. It was, after all, a lifesaver on long trips.

Bing Wengu shot Jiang Jinghuai a glance. "You’ve got some nerve. Those weren’t made for you—they were for my husband."

"Wen Gu!" Nan Jinping called softly, then turned to Jiang Jinghuai. "I still have some left. Let me get them for you."

Nan Jinping handed over a portion of each to Jiang Jinghuai, who accepted them cheerfully, brushing off Bing Wengu’s tone. "Thank you, Jin Geer. It’s been a bumpy ride—you should eat something and rest early too."

"Alright."

After Jiang Jinghuai left, Nan Jinping sighed and said to Bing Wengu, "Wen Gu, you shouldn’t always pick fights with Jiang Jinghuai."

"Haven’t I been good enough to him? I specifically petitioned for this lucrative assignment for him. When we return, he’ll have saved at least three years of struggle and a fortune in bribes. I’ve done more than enough for him."

"That’s exactly why—since you’ve already helped him so much, why antagonize him further?"

"He’s not you. Why should I be gentle with him?" Bing Wengu said with a shrug.

It had to be said—Bing Wengu’s favoritism secretly made Nan Jinping’s heart flutter.

"I wonder how Kaifeng is doing now?"

At the mention of Kaifeng, Bing Wengu smiled.

On the day Bing Wengu and his group departed, the pleasure districts in Bianjing kicked off both the storytelling and stage adaptation of Nan Jinping's second storybook—*Chu Geer's Rebirth*.

This was a tale even more subversive to the people of Dayong than *Dong Geer's Rebirth*, and once again, Bianjing was sent the city into a frenzy by this storybook.

Bing Wengu and his group continued their journey. The closer they got to Jizhou, the more desolate the surroundings became—endless stretches of wasteland with no farmers in sight.

Along the road were ragged travelers, hard to tell if they were originally beggars or refugees fleeing famine.

Suddenly, Bing Wengu and Nan Jinping, seated in their carriage, heard the piercing scream of a child.

Exchanging a glance, Bing Wengu halted the carriage and jumped down.

An imperial guard stepped forward to stop him. "My lord, this area is swarming with refugees. It would be best if you didn’t wander around carelessly, in case of a riot and harm to you."

Bing Wengu brushed off the guard’s hand. "I heard a child’s cry. There must be a child in distress."

"But—" The guard tried to dissuade him further when Jiang Jinghuai rode up from behind, his expression grave. "Wen Gu, you heard that too?"

Bing Wengu nodded. "Round up a few capable men. Let’s go and see."

No questions asked, Jiang Jinghuai selected several skilled fighters.

Turning to Nan Jinping, he said, "Jin Geer, you stay put in the carriage. It’s not safe over there. Wen Gu and I will handle it."

"No, I’m coming too," Nan Jinping insisted, gripping Bing Wengu’s hand, his large phoenix eyes filled with stubborn determination.

"But—" Jiang Jinghuai attempted to dissuade him again, but Bing Wengu interjected, "My husband is no caged bird—he’s a steppe eagle. He goes where he pleases."

"But what if things turn ugly?" Jiang Jinghuai pressed urgently.

"Then your first duty is to protect my husband, not me," Bing Wengu declared. If anything happened, he himself would act as Nan Jinping’s shield.

Seeing that persuasion was futile, Jiang Jinghuai signaled the guards with a glance, instructing them to form a protective circle around Bing Wengu and Nan Jinping. He positioned himself closer to Nan Jinping, ready to draw his sword at any moment.

As the group approached the refugees, the wailing of women and children grew louder.

A woman, just as tattered, knelt on the ground, clutching a man’s sleeve and sobbing desperately. "Please, husband, don’t give Xiao Niang to them. She’s only eight—just a child! If you hand her over, you know what they’ll do to her—they’ll torture her first, then kill and eat her!"

The man kicked her away. "It’s the least she can do as a daughter to her father."

"No, husband! She’s your own flesh and blood!"

"She’s just a worthless girl. Why cling to her? It’s not like she’s a son," the man snapped impatiently. "If we don’t sell her, where else will we get food? The pittance you earn from serving those men isn’t enough to fill anyone’s stomach!"