Chapter 9 Sudden Changes: The Shen family mansion in the west of the city is finished!

Since she had promised Sister-in-law Lin that she would send things to the city, Wen Yu kept it in mind.

That evening, she and A-Yue discussed their plans to go to the city under the flickering oil lamp.

Walking to the city on foot was obviously unrealistic, so Wen Yu thought of Uncle Li's skinny donkey that was still usable.

She borrowed a simple route map drawn on coarse linen from the villagers and carefully studied the route into the city.

Her plan was clear: first, go to the Shen family mansion in the west of the city to deliver the things Lin's sister-in-law had entrusted to Lin Lan, and then go to the market to check out the market prices.

If we could buy some chicks and ducklings to raise, it would bring some hope to the village during this lean season before the millet ripens.

Ah Yue was clueless about buying and selling, but he had a simple belief: listening to his older sister was always the right thing to do.

He patted his chest and assured her, "Sister, just tell me what you need me to do!"

Wen Yu silently calculated the five thousand coins that the system reward would give him.

Five thousand coins could be exchanged for about five taels of silver in this era.

This amount of money isn't a lot, but it's not a small amount either. It might be enough to buy some chicks and ducklings, but it would be a bit tight if you wanted to buy some decent new clothes or some farm tools.

She needs to plan carefully.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the two waited at the village entrance for Uncle Li, who was leading a donkey cart.

After the village got running water, everyone was finally able to clean themselves up properly.

Uncle Li no longer looked haggard and withered like when we first met. He was much more energetic, and he smiled more often than before.

He was worried that the two young men wouldn't be able to drive the donkey cart, so he offered to personally take them into town.

Wen Yu gladly accepted: "Thank you, Uncle Li!"

Although she had ridden a horse while filming, that was completely different from actually driving a cart, especially a donkey cart. She couldn't guarantee that she could learn to drive one in such a short time.

It's safer to ride in someone else's car.

"Why are you being so polite, child?" Uncle Li smiled. "I laid some freshly dried hay on the cart."

Just as Wen Yu and A Yue climbed onto the donkey cart, a figure wearing a wide-brimmed hat hurriedly ran over from the village entrance.

The thin veil hanging from the brim of the hat obscured her face, and Wen Yu didn't recognize her at first.

But judging from her figure, she looks a lot like Sister-in-law Lin, whom I met just yesterday.

"Sister-in-law?" Wen Yu asked tentatively.

The person stopped, their fingers unconsciously twisting the faded hem of their clothes. Their voice, muffled through the thin gauze, said, "Wen girl, I still want to... could you give me a ride?"

It was indeed Sister-in-law Lin.

Wen Yu was somewhat surprised.

The woman seemed to have mustered her courage, and gently lifted a corner of her veil to reveal her reddened eyes: "Wen girl, I...I want to see Xiao Lan."

"I tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, thinking about Xiao Lan. My heart felt like it was being scratched by a cat. I kept thinking, if we don't see each other this time, who knows when we'll see each other again..."

Before she could finish speaking, tears welled up in her eyes again.

Wen Yu saw the longing in her eyes and her heart softened.

How could she refuse such a heartfelt gift from her mother?

"Come on up, sister-in-law, let's go together." She moved over to make room for Lin Huijun.

Uncle Li set off, and the donkey cart creaked and groaned as it drove onto the dirt road leading to the city.

As we left the village, our view gradually broadened, and we could see more clearly the traces left by the famine years on this land.

Along the roadside were vast stretches of cracked fields overgrown with sparse, withered yellow weeds, and occasionally a few collapsed farmhouses could be seen.

The people who used to live here have probably fled long ago.

The sunlight grew increasingly intense, raising the dry, dusty scent of the air.

Wen Yu closed his eyes.

Indeed, in these vast, barren years, only a very few people can live happily; the suffering of most people is similar.

Perhaps it was the unease of leaving her familiar village, or perhaps the long journey gave her something to say, but along the way, Sister-in-law Lin told Wen Yu many stories of her past, in fits and starts.

Her real name is Lin Huijun. When she was young, both her parents died in a major epidemic, leaving her an orphan.

Fortunately, she was taken in by the parents of the eldest brother of the Lin family, and she grew up with him.

Although they share the same surname and are from the same family, they are not related by blood. Their childhood friendship eventually led to marriage.

After Xiao Lan was born, their life, though not wealthy, was harmonious and happy.

“I thought the biggest hurdle in my life was losing my parents when I was a child,” Lin Huijun wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, her voice choked with emotion, “but I never imagined that this famine year would be the most agonizing.”

“If it weren’t for the thought of Xiaolan being all alone in the city, I would have gone with her father long ago…” She took a deep breath, “But if I were gone too, she would be all alone in the world, and if she were bullied, she wouldn’t even have a place to cry…”

Wen Yu listened quietly, a subtle, persistent sadness welling up inside her.

In these chaotic and famine-stricken times, the lives of ordinary people are filled with so many hardships.

When a deity picks up his pen and writes down the fate books of emperors and generals, countless ordinary people will inevitably pave the way for them with their bones.

Just like the famine years that cannibalize people today, in future history books it will only be a single sentence.

Three years of severe drought.

“Sister-in-law… Sister Huijun,” Wen Yu changed her form of address, her tone slightly probing, “have you ever thought about bringing Xiao Lan back?”

Upon hearing this, Lin Huijun was taken aback, then shook her head bitterly: "Wen girl, it's difficult...too difficult."

“Two years ago, I asked Brother Zhang from the village who had been to the city to help me inquire. The Shen family has strict rules and keeps the indentures tightly. If you want to redeem someone…” She held up two fingers, gesturing, and lowered her voice, “it would cost at least two taels of silver.”

"Back then, we didn't have any money left, let alone now. The fields haven't yielded any harvest for years, and we've long since run out of things we could exchange for money."

That sum of money was an astronomical figure for her.

Wen Yu subconsciously clenched her hands, which were hidden in her sleeves.

She happened to have those heavy five thousand coins tucked in her arms.

Five taels of silver.

In the live stream, the chat was unusually quiet, with fewer of the usual banter.

Sigh, it's so hard to live in this world...

If only we could bring Xiaolan back; leaving her in that kind of place is not a solution.

Easier said than done, where's the money? The question is, where does the money come from?

The chat fell silent for a moment.

Many viewers vaguely sensed that something was "wrong".

The cruelty and reality of the "plot" in Wen Yu's live broadcast room seem to go beyond the scope of performance.

Regardless of their comments, the people and events in that world on the screen continue to unfold according to their own trajectories, unmoved.

Wen Yu, being in the midst of it all, would only feel it more deeply.

As she listened to Lin Huijun's words, her heart also felt heavy.

She didn't immediately reveal that she had money. Firstly, if she ran out of money, her entire plan would have to be scrapped and started over. Secondly, she was worried that making a hasty promise would only disappoint Lin Huijun.

She thought she should go to the city first to see Lin Lan's situation in the Shen family before making any plans.

If she is alright, we can take our time to plan; if not... we'll think of another way.

The donkey cart creaked forward as the sun rose higher.

When they came to a simple inn and teahouse, Li Bo reined in his horse and said, "Let's rest for a bit and have some water before we go on."

The group got out of the car and sat down at the dilapidated wooden table in the tea stall, ordering only a few bowls of the cheapest coarse tea to quench their thirst.

A few weary travelers sat scattered around the tea stall.

The conversation at the next table drifted over clearly.

"Brother Chen, you just arrived from the city? Anything new to see?"

"Hey! Nothing new, but there is one thing that's fallen apart! The Shen family mansion in the west of the city is finished!"

"Huh? The Shen family? That's a very prominent and wealthy family, how could this be?"

“It’s absolutely true! I heard their master got into trouble and went to jail! The mansion has been sealed off, and everyone in the household, including the servants, is going to be sold off by the government!” The man said, shaking his head, his tone tinged with schadenfreude. “I even ran into a wealthy merchant from the south, who was waiting to pick people out, saying he wanted to choose a few ‘good-looking’ girls to take back as concubines…”

The words "concubine" struck them like a thunderbolt.

With a "whoosh," Lin Huijun felt dizzy and her vision went black. The rough pottery teacup in her hand fell to the ground with a "clatter."

She felt as if her bones had been removed, and she slid limply towards the ground, her lips trembling but unable to utter a sound.

Wen Yu and A Yue were also shocked by this sudden change.

Wen Yu reacted quickly, catching Lin Huijun who was almost collapsing: "Sister-in-law!"

“Xiao Lan, my Xiao Lan,” Lin Huijun finally found her voice. She clutched Wen Yu tightly, tears streaming down her face like a broken string of pearls. “She’s only twelve years old, Wen girl, she’s only twelve years old…”

Ah Yue thought of his younger sister, who was about the same age but whose whereabouts were unknown, and his lips were bitten until they lost their color.

He instinctively looked at Wen Yu, his eyes filled with helplessness: "Sister, what should we do?"

Wen Yu supported Lin Huijun's limp body, but instead of feeling sad, she felt a surge of anger.

This damn world.

At twelve years old, one would be a carefree elementary school student in modern times, but here they would be bought and sold like commodities, and might even be sent to serve those bloated and greedy merchants!

Having studied history and experienced life in ancient times firsthand, she was acutely aware of the cruelty that era inflicted on the lower classes, especially on women.

Maids and servants are treated like dirt.

They started working at the age of seven or eight, married and had children in their teens, and rushed through their lives in their thirties or forties.

People with lowly fates are destined to be extinguished early, like a candle that has burned out, leaving not even a trace.

But they are human beings.

They are flesh and blood, capable of crying and laughing, and missing their loved ones!

Without a moment's hesitation, Wen Yu suddenly made a decision.

She tightened her grip on Lin Huijun's arm suddenly, and said resolutely, "Sister Huijun, don't be afraid! We have money! Let's go now!"

As if she had finally found her pillar of support, Lin Huijun stared blankly into Wen Yu's eyes.

Her gaze was intense as she swept over A-Yue and Uncle Li, her voice urgent: "Uncle Li, please drive faster."

"Ah Yue, help your sister-in-law up, we're going into the city right now to go to the Shen residence!"

"Today, we're determined to bring Xiao Lan home!"

Even if Lin Lan were taken back to the village to farm with her mother, it would be better than her becoming a concubine in a wealthy family.

At least at home, she is still a person.

A note from the author:

----------------------

This monetary system is purely fictional; just enjoy it for fun, don't take it too seriously. [Panda head emoji]