Yunniang was unaware that Eighth Aunt had such a tragic past. As a woman, she couldn't help but feel sympathy and comforted her, saying, "It's alright, it's all in the past now. You have enough to eat and wear, so don't let these old stories upset you anymore."
These concubines, though outwardly jealous and competitive, also supported each other within the household. They used to be enemies, but since Wei Rongchang took over the family, their infighting has decreased considerably.
"That Jin family is truly ruthless when it comes to money. They've taken advantage of many respectable women in the village, resold them through several intermediaries, and made a fortune!" Aunt Ba's emotions calmed down a bit, and she continued to expose the Jin family's crimes.
Sun Miao'er thought that Dahuai Village wasn't some poor, desolate place, so why would so many families be willing to sell their children? "Did he buy them all from farmers?"
"Bullshit!" Aunt Ba cursed angrily. "They robbed me, they cheated me, they did it all. There were a few other girls locked up with me at the time, but I don't know where they went later. I'm lucky, but they might not be."
Feeling a lingering fear, Sun Miao'er spoke hesitantly, ultimately not wanting to hear that answer, "Then, then all the women he was involved with were unmarried women?"
"He's a madman. As long as he can make money, he'll do it even if he's old, selling his goods to even more remote places."
But Aunt Ba's words confirmed Sun Miao'er's guess.
The madwoman wasn't lying; Song was most likely abducted by the Jin family while she was in a daze.
If Song is really kidnapped and sold by the Jin family, her chances of survival are slim.
"How could the government not know that he has done such heinous things?" Sun Miao'er was heartbroken that the world had become so corrupt, allowing such a villain to cover up the truth.
Eighth Aunt sighed and said, "He only ever bothers poor, destitute farmers; he never touches anyone with even a little power in the family."
“In the past, some farmers tried to report him to the authorities, but he and his men beat them up and left them crippled. After that, no one dared to do such a thing again. Besides, he has many connections and can get rid of people quickly. Even the room where he imprisons people will not be used for more than half a month at most.”
It seems he has multiple escape routes and was well-prepared, but now it seems that if he wants to find out about the Song family, he really will have to go to the Jin family.
Since they were unfamiliar with Dahuai Village, going there in the dark was probably not feasible, and going in broad daylight would be too conspicuous.
But how can you catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger's den?
After much deliberation, Sun Miao'er decided to first go outside the Jin family's residence to keep watch.
When Sun Miao'er left, she didn't even inform Wang Xueru, as the matter was dangerous and she didn't want to involve her.
I heard that the guy surnamed Jin has hired a bunch of thugs as thugs who often help him do evil, so I have to be extra careful.
Having found out the location of the Jin family from her eighth aunt, she thought she would find a main road to sneak over there, making it easier to get there.
The Wei family was located in the center of Dahuai Village, while the Jin family was in a more remote location. They had to go all the way north to the northern border of Yingzhou, where the two prefectures met, and that was where the Jin family lived.
It was precisely because of his advantageous location, being a notorious no-man's-land, that his evil deeds went unchecked.
Even if the report was submitted, the officials on both sides would pass the buck and refuse to take responsibility, as neither side wanted to shoulder the blame.
There are very few inhabited farmhouses near the Jin family's home anymore; most of them are abandoned farmhouses that look like they were built by people who moved away later.
Nobody wants to have a neighbor like that, nor does anyone want their wife and daughters to suffer. If you can't afford to offend them, can't you at least avoid them?
Because there was no one around, Sun Miao'er became even more cautious; even if she shouted for help in this place, no one might hear her.
She hadn't walked far when she saw that the only inhabited house within a two-mile radius was the Jin family's, making it easy to spot.
She guessed it was the house ahead, with smoke rising from its chimney.
Before I even got close, someone suddenly patted me on the back.
Sun Miao'er was startled and suddenly turned around.
It was the same crazy woman who had come to the workshop during the day to ask for sorghum cakes. According to the spinning lady, she was also surnamed Jin, so she seemed to be a relative of the Jin family.
It seems that the Jin family won't even spare their own members.
But the crazy woman was incredibly stupid; she giggled incoherently when she saw Sun Miao'er.
"What are you doing in my house!" she exclaimed, spitting out saliva and reeking of a foul odor.
Sun Miao'er pulled her behind the haystack and whispered, "Do you live here?"
"Hehehe, yes, I live with my uncle." The crazy woman took out the half-eaten pancake from her bosom and started eating it again.
It turns out she was Jin's cousin.
I just don't know how she ended up like this, or if she went crazy from fright and couldn't get rid of her?
Sun Miao'er reminded herself to be careful and asked, "When did you see me before?"
The madwoman shook her head and just kept eating her pancake.
Seeing how crazy she was, Sun Miao'er figured she wouldn't be able to get anything out of her.
The madwoman was eating a pancake when her eyes suddenly reddened, and she screamed, "They're beasts! They're madmen! They're animals! They're trying to harm me! Waaaaah!"
Sun Miao'er was so frightened by her sudden outburst that she dared not utter a sound and took several steps back. She must have been tortured like this by the Jin family.
In contrast, she was more worried about Song Shi. Given Song Shi's personality, she would definitely not comply, and she was afraid that something might happen.
The madwoman ran off, waving her arms and legs, and her cries attracted Old Man Jin.
Old Man Jin came out of the house and looked over from a distance. Sun Miao'er was hiding behind a haystack, barely able to conceal herself.
"What are you yelling about!"
Old Man Jin stood in the courtyard and cursed.
The crazy woman saw Old Man Jin and turned to run in the opposite direction, but then heard a shout behind her: "Run again, and I'll break all your legs!"
The crazy woman was so frightened that she froze in place.
Old Man Jin came out of his house, walked up to the madwoman, and said, "Where's the money I asked for today?"
The madwoman clutched her head, trembling, "No, I didn't get any, I didn't..."
"You have the nerve to come back without getting any money! Get out of here right now!" Old Man Jin cursed.
The madwoman suddenly knelt down, pleading, "Please, Uncle, there's a dog biting me outside! Please let me go inside and sleep! Waaah, please!"
"Why should I let you into the house if I can't get any money? You're a worthless piece of trash!" Old Man Jin kicked her far away and was about to turn around and go back.
Seeing that Old Man Jin was about to leave, Sun Miao'er grabbed a handful of mud from the ground, smeared it on her face, tore off a piece of her sleeve, threw it on the ground, and walked out from behind the haystack. "Is this...is this the Jin family's house at the north end of the village?"
Old Man Jin turned around and saw that it was a young girl. His eyes lit up immediately. There hadn't been any good ones lately, just middle-aged women. How could he not be happy to see a young one like this?
"Young lady, what business do you have with this old man?" Old Man Jin's face darkened; his hooked nose and deep-set eyes made him appear even more menacing.
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