The weather was getting colder, and dead leaves covered the ground.
Tired of reading her book, Yuxi walked out into the yard just as a leaf floated down. Reaching out to catch the yellowing leaf, she muttered, "Another year has passed." It was already the end of the tenth lunar month, and the year would be over in two months.
As Yuxi was lamenting, she heard a crying sound from outside. Yuxi lived not far from the farmers in the hamlet. This arrangement was also for safety reasons. If her place was too remote and something happened, it would be hard for her to find someone. So from her current location, she would occasionally hear children crying. The first time she overheard the cries, she asked about them and found out that they were from children who had been beaten up by their parents for being naughty and mischievous. But the cries she heard this time were different from those she had heard before. This time, they were particularly miserable and kept on calling out for their brother, which made Yuxi feel very uncomfortable.
Yuxi called for Han Ji and instructed, "Go and see what's happening outside?"
Not before long, Zisu came back. Her eyes were red, and her face looked ugly. By looking at her, one would know that something was wrong. [T/N]
Yuxi asked, "What's wrong with that child?" It sounded wrong when it was crying miserably and kept calling out for its brother.
It wasn't something complicated. The child's father and stepmother wanted to send her to another family as a child bride. She was so frightened and scared that she cried out for help, hoping her brother would come to her rescue. Zisu said, "Miss, that child is so pitiful. Why don't we help her?" This was the first time Zisu had seen such a pitiful child. Seeing that Yuxi was unmoved, Zisu continued, "Miss, you haven't seen that child. She is really pitiful."
Yuxi nodded and said, "Bring her in."
Soon, Zisu led the child in. When Yuxi looked at the little girl kneeling on the ground, her expression kept on changing. The little girl dressed like a beggar. Her face was sallow, and she had no flesh on her body, just like a handful of bones. [+]
Yuxi asked Steward Chen's daughter-in-law, who had followed the little girl in, "You said her parents wanted to give her away to someone else's family as a child bride?" Who would want her with that look? They would be worried that they wouldn't be able to raise her.
Hearing Yuxi's words, Steward Chen's daughter-in-law explained, "Don't look at her thinness and youthful appearance. She can do all the household work such as washing, cooking, and raising pigs and chickens."
Yuxi looked at such a small child, who had to wash, cook, and do many chores. She could see how harshly this child was treated at home. Yuxi was silent for a moment before asking, "Is she going to give away for free? Or did her parents receive any payment?"
Steward Chen's family had inquired about the matter before she came over. She said, "Her father asked for a hundred jin of grain from that other family. This year, the market is good. Some people can afford to pay him with a hundred jin of grain. When the other family bring her back home, not only can she help with the housework, they can also save money on the betrothal price."
Yuxi sort of understood that instead of being given away, it was more like the father had sold the child. It was just that the child was too bad looking that the middleman didn't want her, so her father sold her as a child bride. But was it that easy to be a child bride? Yuxi had seen one when she was on the hamlet in her past life, and that child was miserable. She slept later than a dog and woke up earlier than a chicken. She had to work hard from morning till night. Not only did she not have enough foods to eat and clothes to wear, but she was also scolded by her future in-laws family every day.
The boy whispered, "I went to school for a year, and I know a few words." That was the only thing he could do. [T/N]
The little girl threw her arms around the boy's neck and said towards Yuxi, "Landlord, please buy my brother and me! I can do the washing, cooking and feeding the pigs and chickens. My brother can go to the mountains to collect mushrooms and hunt pheasants, rabbits and other games. Landlord, we can do everything, and we don't eat much. Please buy us, brother and sister!" If the landlord bought them, siblings, they would not have to be separated again.
Yuxi looked at the little girl, who had a timid look on her face, and her right hand was clutching the boy's clothes tightly. She asked, "When you were sent away just now, why did you disagree?”
The little girl simply clutched onto the boy and said, "If I were sent away, I would never see my gege again." No matter how hard it was, with her gege around, she would not be afraid.
Yuxi looked at the two mutually dependent for life siblings and felt some envy in her heart. No matter how difficult life was, they still had someone to hold and rely on. She, on the other hand, had been fighting alone all along. Yuxi steadied her mind and said, "Have you thought about it? You must be clear that once you sign the sale deed, there is no turning back." When they signed the sale deed, they would transform from good citizens to servants.
Han Ji wanted to roll his eyes. Miss' action was absolutely uncalled-for. There were many people on the hamlet who wished to sell their daughters here! But he refused them all. That boy was lucky enough to bump into Miss. If the siblings entered the State Residence, they would no longer have to worry about food and clothing.
The boy nodded and said, "No regrets." It was better to be someone else’s subordinate than to starve to death and be separated from his sibling.
Yuxi nodded slightly, looked at Han Ji by her side, and said, "You go and handle this matter." To buy these children, they still had to get their parents to sign the sale deed.
The boy interjected, "Let me tag along, Landlord!"
Yuxi thought he would make a clean break with his family, so she didn't refuse and said towards Han Ji, "Go over there with them, brother and sister!" With a father like that, it was better not to have one.
In less than half an hour, Han Ji came back. After handing the two life deeds to Yuxi, he said, "Miss, that boy is a talent."
Yuxi wondered. "What happened?"
Han Ji laughed, "Miss doesn't know, that boy's stepmother knew we wanted to buy the boy and dared to even ask for thirty taels. The boy was worth a bit of silver, while no one wanted the little girl even if she was given away for free. Before I could say anything, the boy said that the two siblings together were only worth eight taels of silver. The look on his stepmother's face couldn't have been more wonderful. In the end, I just paid eight taels." Even if the boy hadn't said anything, he would have paid his parents ten taels of silver at most.
It was true that Miss was generous, but unruly people could not bully her. If anyone dared to provoke her, she would drive the family out of the hamlet. See if they could do anything with their lives. They certainly didn't know how high heaven was and how deep the earth was. [+]
Yuxi thought about it herself, and her mood turned somewhat heavy. She said, "I remember that to buy a boy servant in the capital would cost about twelve taels, and a young maid for about seven or eight taels, so the two of them together should be worth twenty taels. You will give the boy the other twelve taels of silver for him to spend at his disposal."
Han Ji widened his eyes as he asked, "Miss, you..." Seeing Yuxi looking at him expressionlessly, Han Ji quickly said, "Okay, I will give him the money later."
Yuxi did not explain the reason for doing so. She just turned around and went into the study. If this boy were talented, properly cultivating him would be an excellent help to her in the future. It wasn't that she couldn’t use the people in residence, but there was already a layer of separation in them, and they usually would fall off at critical moments. For example, although Kufu looked the same as before, Yuxi knew that Kufu had an unstable loyalty. Kufu was still here because her Eldest Aunt and Dage still took care of her even now. Otherwise, Kufu would not have stayed.
In the evening, Han Ji came over and reported to Yuxi, "Miss, I gave the boy the balance of twelve taels of silver. He took the money and went back to the hamlet to pay off his debt." It wasn't correct to say ' pay off his debt'. It was more of paying back favours. The two siblings had been living a tough life before, where they could only eat their last meal without knowing where the next meal would come. The hamlet had some kind-hearted people who would help them a few times. Otherwise, the two siblings were estimated to have starved to death. Now, Tian Yang had returned these people's kindness with that money.
Yuxi appreciated this move by Tian Yang and said, "It is good that he knows how to distinguish between kindness and his hatred." Not to mention his capability, this nature of his was already to Yuxi's liking.
Han Ji also thought that boy was pretty good.
Yuxi remembered a question she had forgotten to ask yesterday, "Tian Yang can read and write, so his family situation should not be bad. We can all see that he is a smart boy. Even though his stepmother is vicious, he is still the eldest son in the family. So how come his father just let him go like this?" It was true that if you had a stepmother, your father would become your stepfather. However, there was always a difference regarding the eldest son who could help raise the family status.
How could Han Ji not know what Yuxi was thinking? "Miss, Tian Yang's family circumstances are not bad, but his father is married to a widow who knows to play tricks. Moreover, that widow is beautiful, and she gave birth to a son at the end of last year, so there is no room for the siblings in the family. The siblings relied on the hamlet people to help them out. Otherwise, they would have been starved to death."
Yuxi whispered, "Children without mothers are all treated like grass." She wondered why there were so many stepmothers!
When Han Ji heard these words, he lowered her head and did not speak. The Fourth Miss was also born to a mother who died young. She then had a stepmother who did not tolerate her and a father who loathed her. Otherwise, she would not have been expelled from the residence. This situation was somewhat similar to those of the two children. The only difference was that Miss had the First Lady and Master Shizi to look after her. Thus, no one dared to bully her.
Yuxi did not keep the siblings around. She had them sent back to the State Residence the next day to learn the rules. Whether she could use them or not, she would have to observe them for a while or two.
Han Ji came in and said, "Miss, that boy said they wanted to kowtow to Miss before they left." Miss had a good eye this time. This boy would be a talented one if he were well-trained.
The boy came in with his sister in his arms and gave Yuxi three kowtow. It was too pretentious just to say thank you. After all, they, brother and sister, had sold themselves to their Master. Even their life belonged to their Master. Kowtowing three times showed his gratitude towards his new Master. Tian Yang sold himself as a servant because he knew that his Master was a generous and kind-hearted person. If they sold themselves, they, brother and sister, had a way to live, and they wouldn't need to be separated. The result was just as he thought.
Yuxi did not make any comment on his actions but tell him instead, "Tian Yang, when you arrive at the State Residence, learn the rules properly. For the rest, wait until you've learned the rules well." Yuxi had to see in which area the boy was good at, and then she would make him focus on training in that aspect. People trained by herself were better than those from the residence.
Noob Translator's Musing
It’s hard for one to be someone else stepmother. You might treat your stepchildren better after marriage, but what if you have your own child. Will you still treat them the way you treat your own child? That’s why I tell everyone to think twice before marrying a widower with children. If one can’t treat his children fair and square after having one’s own child, then don’t do it. It will be unfair for your stepchildren. Like, really unfair.
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The Rebirth of Han Yuxi