"Is he planning to sell his daughter for a high price to a cripple or a widower who can't find a wife, or send her to a wealthy family as a concubine? This scholar is selling his daughter for personal gain; what noble character he has!"

Ye Caiping continued.

Li Zhiyuan was extremely proud and could not tolerate the slightest humiliation: "Absurd! Absurd! How could I, a mere scholar, possibly sell my daughter for personal gain!"

Ye Caiping sincerely gave two thumbs up: "That's enough, I give you a thumbs up!"

"Everyone come and see! Our scholar is of noble character and integrity; he truly deserves to be a high-ranking official!"

"And another thing, the Li family is now a wealthy and powerful family, but their daughter is truly a money-loser!"

"If the bride price is ten taels, the dowry will be twenty taels. If the bride price is fifty taels, the dowry will be one hundred taels. Otherwise, how can they be considered a high-class family?"

Old Man Ye and the others were stunned by Ye Caiping's actions. They were amazed that she could do such a thing.

The two young women who were backing Ye Caiping up were quick-witted; they exchanged a glance and immediately chimed in:

"Oh my, truly worthy of being called a scholar! My nephew's cousin's uncle is a storyteller in a restaurant. I'll go find him tomorrow and ask him to spread the word about the scholar's good character!"

“My brother-in-law happens to be a classmate of the scholar. If he knew, all his classmates would definitely admire the scholar.”

Aunt Ye said, "I'm very familiar with the matchmaker at the town's main street. I told her directly that the scholar is from a wealthy family, and his daughter is very precious. If she's to marry, she should marry a good man. Not only should we not ask for a dowry, but we should also give her double the dowry! Tell her to keep an eye out for good families!"

Whether it's a matchmaker or a brokerage firm, they share information.

If Aunt Ye really goes to the matchmaker and says a few words, then the whole surrounding area will know, and then it won't be possible to marry off her daughter for money.

Granny Li was nearly furious: "What nonsense are you spouting? Ask the villagers, which family has to pay money when their daughter gets married!"

“We poor people who can’t even afford three meals a day have no other choice,” Ye Caiping said, spreading her hands. “But aren’t scholars from wealthy and powerful families? Are scholars really that worthless?”

"Sigh, so passing the imperial examination to become a scholar is nothing special. Just like us peasants, we have to sell our daughters to make money!"

Granny Li rolled her eyes in anger: "You shrew, if you spout any more nonsense I'll tear your mouth apart! Of course, a scholar is great, unlike you peasants, he comes from a noble family!"

“That’s right!” Ye Caiping clapped her hands. “Wealthy families always marry off their daughters generously; they don’t sell their daughters for personal gain.”

We've come full circle again! Old Lady Li nearly vomited blood: "You, you wicked woman... Fine, very well, very well!"

Suddenly, Granny Li remembered something and calmed down a bit.

Go ahead and spread the word! Spread it all you want! Once things have calmed down, she'll just sell those two money-losing girls to the county!

Unexpectedly, Ye Caiping said something even more infuriating: "From now on, I will keep an eye on my two daughters every day, hoping they will marry into good families soon! I believe that the noble scholar will not disappoint them."

"If they suddenly disappear one day, it must be because some shameless money-grubbing kidnapper abducted them. I will definitely report it to the authorities!"

Granny Li choked again after she had just caught her breath.

Selling one's son or daughter was not illegal in the Zhou Dynasty, but it was a shameful thing to do if it happened!

In particular, Li Zhiyuan also holds the title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations), which might affect his ability to continue taking the imperial examinations.

This won't do, that won't do! We still need to give those two money-losing girls generous dowries!

Are we really going to lose money?

"Enough! Shut up, all of you!" Li Zhiyuan flung his sleeves and said with a gloomy face, "Ye Shi, I know you want to recruit Zhao Di and the others, and I'm not being unreasonable."

"Zhiyuan, what are you doing!" Granny Li immediately interrupted him.

Are we really going to give those two money-losing girls to the Ye family?

That's worth tens of taels of silver!

"Listen to me!" Li Zhiyuan glared at her.

Granny Li immediately backed down, as Li Zhiyuan had always been the one in charge at home.

Li Zhiyuan knew the value of his two daughters, but this vicious woman, Ye, had put them on a pedestal, and they still couldn't bring themselves to back down!

He couldn't explain this to outsiders. If he did, what would they think of him? Would they say that a respectable scholar was unwilling to part with his dowry and was going to sell his daughter?

Either he'll end up losing money to marry off his daughter, or he'll lose all face and become a laughingstock in front of his classmates.

Besides, he's about to marry her. Wouldn't it be disgusting to keep two bastards at home?

Li Zhiyuan snorted coldly: "It's not that I'm unwilling to spend money to marry off my daughters, but they've all run away on their own. It seems they really want to live with the Ye family."

As he spoke, he looked at the Zhao Di sisters:

"Zhaodi, Laidi, have you thought this through? Do you really want to go with your mother?"

"She's a wicked woman who beats her mother-in-law, a divorced woman whose reputation is ruined. If you follow her, you can forget about marrying into a good family in the future."

"If you stay at home, you'll still be the daughters of scholars! Don't you ever think about living a good life?"

Ye Caiping almost burst out laughing.

Just because she praised him a few times, he actually thinks he's from a wealthy family? A rich heiress, indeed!

Old Man Ye and the others stared nervously at their two granddaughters, afraid that they would not want to go with them.

Granny Li and Li Zhiyuan were also like that.

The two sisters linked arms, looking flustered. Finally, Li Zhaodi whispered, "I want to live with Mother."

“Me too,” Li Laidi said timidly.

Li Zhiyuan said with a stern face, "Very well, you chose this yourselves."

Ye Caiping quickly pulled her two daughters behind her: "Take out their household registration books, and also, write a letter severing ties!"

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