Chapter 2: To Sell or Not to Sell

Opposite the old master Lian, sitting cross-legged with his back to the kang was a middle-aged man with a fair complexion, Lian Shouren, the eldest son of the Lian family. He was dressed in a sunflower-colored silk robe and wore a square scarf, his head lowered as he seemed lost in thought.

Lian Man'er sat there, quietly observing the people in the room. Old Master Lian should be fifty-seven years old this year, and he appears to be in very good health. Old Madam Lian must have been a beauty in her youth; the looks of the eldest and fourth sons of the Lian family take after her. Unfortunately, Lian Xiu'er does not resemble her. Lian Xiu'er is fourteen years old this year, the same age as Lian Zhi'er. Alas, Lian Zhi'er is too thin; Lian Xiu'er is the one who is developing normally.

She is currently suppressing her anger. Such a flawed situation, it is obvious that it is unreliable, yet even Shouxin and the Zhang family believe it? Their daughter has been sold, and they are still helping others count money. No, it is even worse than that; they cannot even get the job of counting money, and can only sit idly by like wooden figures.

"Shouren, I asked you to speak," the old master said, tapping his pipe again and speaking in a deep voice

However, there are others who are anxious.

Zhang helped Lian Shouxin place Lian Man'er, who was on his back, onto the kang

Zhang blocked the rushing Lian Duo'er with his body

Father, are you still unclear about this matter? What selling or not selling? It's just the children joking around; it’s not really the case. This girl, Man'er, is the legitimate niece of the eldest uncle. Even if the fourth son and his wife wanted to sell her, with her uncle and me around, they cannot sell the child, can they

Duo'er, that girl, speaks without consideration, provoking her sister Man'er to anger, and in the process of trying to hit her, accidentally bumped against the edge of the well. Fortunately, our parents are blessed and have great fortune, ensuring that Man'er survived. Otherwise, if this were to spread, it would be a laughingstock. The thin lips of the Gu family opened and closed, speaking very decisively

Old Master Lian glanced at the book with his eldest son, tapping the pipe in his hand.

Gu's hand rose high and then struck Lian Duo'er with a slap. However, as it descended, it was gentle.

The child bride..." Lian Shouren and Gu Shi exchanged a quick glance.

Lianhua was the first to change her expression, glaring fiercely at Lianduor, while her gaze towards Lianman was filled with both fear and hatred

Gu's face showed a hint of embarrassment, yet he still wore a forced smile

"Grandfather, you are not going to sell me, are you?" Lian Man'er’s eyes lit up as she crawled over to Old Master Lian, her big eyes sparkling as she looked at him. This is also your own granddaughter, please, let the familial bond awaken quickly.

Lianhua suddenly leaned against Lianxiuer and began to cry softly.

"Let Lian Man'er go, I will not go..." Lian Duo'er cried.

"Elder brother, besides being a child bride, what else is there to do?" Even Lian Shouxin, who was not foolish, sensed that something was amiss.

There is nothing to worry about, Lao Si, don't listen to the children talking nonsense

The Sun family possesses mountains of gold and silver, and the young master of the Sun family also loves to study. This is indeed a rare opportunity; if you miss this village, there will be no shop like it.

Lian Man'er secretly clenched her fist; this couple is not so foolish as to be beyond redemption

Elder brother, Yang Chengfeng lent you five hundred taels, and you used it to buy a jade pendant. When did you come up with the betrothal money again?

"Man'er, what nonsense are you talking about? Is there anything else here?" Lian Hua asked Lian Man'er with a fixed gaze.

This matter, my superior, you have handled recklessly. Go and tell your friend that this matter ends here

Gu Shi was speaking and leaned over to touch Lian Man's head

Oh dear, that is not what I meant. You little child, why do you have so many thoughts about books?" Gu felt he had misspoken and quickly tried to make amends, "Regarding your situation, both your uncle and I feel quite distressed. Just look at how red-eyed your sister Hua is from crying. And your sister Duo, if anything were to happen to you, I would hold her responsible for your life.

This child would rather die than eat, fearing that we might sell him again. Both Lian Shouxin and Zhang stood under the kang, pleading, "Father, please say something."

Not far from the two men sat several women. By the window sat the elderly Mrs. Lian, known as Zhou. Although her hair had become somewhat sparse, it was neatly arranged, and traces of her youthful charm could still be discerned on her face. Next to Mrs. Zhou sat the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lian, named Lian Xiuer, who was fourteen years old this year. Lian Xiuer had a slightly dark complexion, resembling her father, Mr. Lian, as if they were carved from the same mold. The young girl wore a brand new silver-red embroidered dress, and her glossy long braid was styled into a bun on top of her head, adorned with a small golden phoenix hairpin and a pink velvet flower.

Father, I have already taken the initiative to agree to this matter on their behalf, and the fourth brother has also nodded in agreement. We cannot go back on our word

Are you really not selling it anymore

The elder of the Lian family, Lian Fang, is a tall, thin old man with a ruddy complexion. He is dressed in a set of coarse blue cloth clothing, sitting cross-legged on the kang, puffing on a dry tobacco pipe.

"Man'er is the flesh that has fallen from my body. I do not eat or drink, saving a morsel of food for her, and I will not sell my daughter," Zhang said, suddenly straightening her back.

"A life from the Lian family is worth so little that it only earns a couple of laughs from Auntie Lian. The lives of the Lian family are so cheap." Lian Man'er said coldly

Even the old gentleman seemed quite unaccustomed to Lian Man'er’s sudden closeness, yet he still nodded.

Lianhua's younger sister, Lianduo, and Tushuer, are also dressed in brand new embroidered jackets, pouting slightly as they lean against their mother, Gu Shi. Gu Shi is sitting on the edge of the kang, wearing a stone blue satin jacket and skirt that are also somewhat new yet not old.

"Such a good thing, why doesn't your family member Duo'er go?" Lian Man'er retorted.

Lian Man'er entered from outside and immediately spotted Lian Hua'er. Lian Hua'er raised her head, saw Lian Man'er, and the smile on her face instantly froze, abruptly halting her conversation with Lian Xiu'er

"Mother, why do you say that?" Zhang looked at Lian Xiuer leaning against Zhou, feeling a pang in her heart. She covered her mouth, and tears streamed down her face.

"Child bride..." Lian Man'er gritted her teeth and said

Even the old man fixed his gaze on Lian Shouren for a moment, causing Lian Shouren to slowly lower his head

As the sun casts its shadows to the west, at this time of day, the Lian family would usually have finished their dinner. However, today, in the landlord's room of the Lian family, there are only people sitting on the kang, and the kang table has not yet been set up.

The one with the white round face and thin lips is the wife of the head of the Lian family, Gu. There are also the sisters Lian Hua'er and Lian Duo'er, all dressed in satin. Alas, Lian Man'er let out a quiet sigh

Even the old gentleman has started to smoke his dry tobacco again, clearly indicating that his mind is made up

Although Man'er is not very old, she is not young either. The Sun family says they want to marry her off immediately, which is not surprising. A wealthy family like theirs would not lack for her sustenance. It is certainly better than staying at home. The girl will eventually have to marry; if not to the Sun family, she will end up marrying a peasant. Would that make you happy? The Sun family is large and prosperous; what kind of daughter-in-law could they not find? If it weren't for your elder brother, could Man'er marry into such a good family? Qingfeng County is less than a thousand miles from the village, so it is not as if they will never meet again.

The flower saw the vine but did not speak, instead glaring at her fiercely, with a somewhat flickering gaze

Lian Man'er did not even blink as she looked back at Lian Hua'er. She couldn't remember, but she couldn't let Lian Hua'er know.

"Boss, return the money to them!" said the old man.

Lian Man'er finally placed her heart in her belly

Both Lian Shouxin and the Zhang family let out a sigh of relief

"Sending Duo'er to the Sun family is a curse on her, isn't it? There must be something else going on here. What are you planning to sell me for?" Lian Man'er asked loudly.

"Lian Man'er, you dare to curse me!" Lian Duo'er raised her eyebrows and lunged at Lian Man'er with bared teeth and claws

"We do not sell; our family does not sell daughters." The old man said this with absolute certainty, "Go back and sit with your mother." The old man turned his head and resumed smoking his dry tobacco.

Lian Man'er tilted her head slightly, moved closer to Zhang's side, and evaded Gu's hand

Going to the Sun family is by no means as simple as becoming a child bride; there are other matters involved. In fact, the Sun family, along with the eldest of the Lian family and the Gu family, is a fabrication. Sending her away from a distance, who knows what purpose it serves? Five hundred taels of silver is not a small sum; spending such a large amount must have a significant purpose. And what "great" purpose could a little girl possibly serve? Lian Man'er suddenly felt a chill run through her body. Five hundred taels of silver is not a small sum; spending such a large amount must have a significant purpose. And what "great" purpose could a little girl possibly serve? Lian Man'er suddenly felt a chill run through her body

Poor Lian Man'er, her final memories are chaotic and consist only of fragments. She only remembers Lian Duo'er saying she would sell her as a child bride. Lian Duo'er said other things as well, but she cannot recall them, or perhaps she simply did not hear them, because at that moment she had already collapsed at the edge of the well, losing consciousness

Lian Hua lowered her eyelids and secretly exchanged a glance with Lian Xiu'er. Understanding the hint, Lian Xiu'er playfully nudged the elderly matriarch, Madam Zhou.

Because Old Master Lian did not speak, everyone else dared not utter a word. Only Lian Xiuer and Lian Huaer, the two nieces, leaned their heads together, whispering and giggling softly.

Gu Shi grabbed Lian Duo'er and slapped her twice on the back. This time, the slaps were quite forceful, and Lian Duo'er cried out loud.

Lian Hua'er and Lian Xiu'er sat closely together, their legs touching. She wore a slightly worn lotus pink embroidered jacket, and her jet-black hair was styled in a bun on top of her head, with a few strands of hair falling behind her ears. Her skin was snow-white, and next to Lian Xiu'er, her almond-shaped eyes and peach-like cheeks appeared even more strikingly beautiful.

Father, I have already mentioned this to you. Only then did Lian Shouren speak up, "The other day when I went to the capital, I happened to run into a friend from the same case, named Yang Chengfeng. He heard that our family was short on silver and immediately took out five hundred taels to lend us, even inviting me to dinner. His brother-in-law's family is surnamed Sun and is a highly respected gentry in Qingfeng County. The young master of the Sun family is still unmarried and is of a similar age to our Manner. This marriage proposal is indeed a great opportunity for us." The young master of the Sun family is still unmarried and is of a similar age to our Manner. This marriage proposal is indeed a great opportunity for us.

Father, Mother, did you take the money for selling me? Lian Man'er asked deliberately

Gu'si hurriedly covered Lian Duo'er's mouth

"Sister-in-law, why are you crying? If Man'er is being unreasonable, shouldn't you, as her mother, also be more understanding? Since everything is fine, let's proceed as agreed and have her marry over." Zhou said again.

Lianhua nervously held the handkerchief, glancing at Gu Shi, while the mother and daughter duo looked at Lian Shouren together

Shouren, could you explain what is going on?

"Uncle, what does 'child bride' mean?" Lian Man'er, hearing Lian Shouren's nonsensical talk, chose to sidestep the main issue and simply asked.

Before Lian Shouren could speak, Gu had already begun to speak with a beaming smile on his face

Even the old master lifted his eyelids to glance at the old lady, Mrs. Zhou. He let his eldest son speak, but his daughter-in-law rushed to answer, which was quite against his rules. However, as a father-in-law, he valued status and found it inappropriate to directly reprimand his daughter-in-law. Surprisingly, the usually stern mother-in-law, Mrs. Zhou, who should have spoken out to scold, remained unexpectedly silent.

Then, who will compensate for the 500 taels of betrothal money