Xie Zhaozhao firmly disagreed: "I have four guards and Yuanyuan, we can definitely fight."
Tu rebuked her, "Are you absolutely certain?"
"There's no guarantee we'll be completely certain about this, but no matter what, we can't just sit here and wait to die!"
"You're gambling with the lives of an entire household, Third Madam, you're too ruthless."
The old lady also scolded her: "Xie, shut up."
Everyone quickly gathered their jewelry, each taking out some of their bracelets, earrings, and necklaces.
Xie Xiangxiang looked at the red string around Xie Zhaozhao's neck and said, "Elder sister, why don't you take that jade Buddha around your neck out?"
Xie Zhaozhao said calmly, "This is a keepsake left to me by my late mother, and it will never fall into the hands of others."
Xie Xiangxiang sneered, "Whose things don't have a history? Why can't we touch yours? You should at least think about everyone else."
"I don't know how to collect jewelry," Xie Zhaozhao said coldly. "What we should do most is rush out!"
Fifth Aunt stammered and pleaded, "Third Nephew's Wife, please just contribute whatever you can. We should all do our part and help each other out."
Xie Zhaozhao chuckled softly: Talking about being kind and righteous to bandits? That's just asking for trouble!
However, these women, who won't shed a tear until they see the coffin, won't listen to anything I say now.
The items have piled up into a big bag, but who should we send to deliver it?
The old lady pointed at Yuanyuan and said, "Go, you know martial arts."
Xie Xiang immediately objected: "No, Yuanyuan is my elder sister's maid. They were planning to run away anyway. What if they secretly keep the jewelry on the way and get into a fight with the bandits?"
Yuanyuan shoved the things in front of her and said angrily, "Young Madam, are you going to deliver this?"
Xie Xiangxiang said to Taxue, "You are Grandmother's person, and you are reliable in handling matters. You go and deliver it."
The old lady instructed Taxue, "When you get there, tell them that you have given them the things and that they should leave as soon as possible."
Ta Xue's legs trembled, and she cursed Xie Xiangxiang a thousand times in her heart. Yuan Yuan was skilled in martial arts and could fight and escape when in danger. What if bandits tried to rape her if she went?
But the old lady urged her to hurry up, and she felt helpless, so she comforted herself: when two countries are at war, envoys are not to be killed! She was just a messenger, delivering something and passing on a message.
Ta Xue carried her things out of the courtyard and called Mo Yan to accompany her at the gate.
The bandits laughed loudly when they saw so much jewelry: "The women of the Earl's mansion are so rich! I risk my life and can't even make ten strings of cash a year, but they can easily wear more than a thousand strings of cash."
Ta Xue hurriedly said, "These are all the ladies' jewelry. They are all for you. You should keep your promise and leave quickly."
The bandit laughed loudly, reached out to pinch Ta Xue's chin, and said wickedly, "Of course we keep our word. We've given you a thousand strings of cash, so we don't need the money back... But, our brothers have come all this way to see you late at night, so we can't not reward them, can we? We need a few women to keep us company."
"You are shameless!" Taxue hurriedly retreated, cursing, "How can you be so untrustworthy?"
The bandits all laughed heartily. Keep your word with them? Were the women of the Earl's mansion really raised on grain?
He pulled Ta Xue over, pointed a knife at Mo Yan, and said, "Boy, go back and tell them to send over a few more pretty young ladies!"
Mo Yan pursed his lips, then suddenly rushed over, grabbed Ta Xue's hand, and ran. The bandit chased after them and slashed Mo Yan on the back with his knife.
Mo Yan gritted his teeth and continued running, despite the pain.
The bandits chased after them, howling, and Mo Yan and Taxue ran desperately back to the courtyard on the mountaintop.
The bandits shouted from below, "We'll count to fifty, and you must bring out five young women. If you don't, we'll storm in and rape and murder them all!"
Ta Xue and Mo Yan ran in. Mo Yan, covered in blood, collapsed to the ground and lost consciousness.
Ta Xue told the old lady about the bandits' demands, and the old lady was so frightened that she was completely at a loss.
Outside, there were shouts of people demanding a woman.
Give them five women? If they go, they'll definitely be abused, but if they don't go, the bandits say they'll all be raped and murdered.
Everyone was in a panic and crying.
Xie Zhaozhao looked coldly at the old lady, who would most likely agree to the bandits' demands.
Who should we send?
The maids were all pale and desperate, trying to huddle together as much as possible, hoping that their master wouldn't see them.
Xie Xiangxiang said proudly, "My maids have all become the young master's concubines."
Everyone looked at the old lady. Fifth Aunt and Fourth Aunt were also at a loss. They were just country women and had no courage to deal with bandits. They also looked at the old lady.
The old lady looked at Xie Zhaozhao pleadingly. Xie Zhaozhao said, "Run out the back door and send a signal to call the people down the mountain to come up and rescue us."
Guan Yingying sneered, "You make it sound so simple. Did you see how many people are outside? As soon as you give the signal, they'll rush in too."
Xie Zhaozhao said, "There are dozens of us, and there's plenty of firewood and branches in this yard. We can set them on fire and throw them out. What's so difficult about holding out for fifteen minutes until reinforcements arrive?"
"Don't listen to her, she's lying to you. Where are the reinforcements coming from? The bandits have blocked the road halfway up the mountain. Even if there were reinforcements, they wouldn't be able to get up here."
"Then let's split up and hide in the cemetery and woods. When it gets light, someone will definitely come up from below."
"No, they'll dig up the Marquis's grave."
While they were arguing, another message came from the bandits outside, saying that they only wanted five women, and this time they meant what they said and would leave after taking them.
"Choose five maids," the old lady said wearily. "You will make some sacrifices for your master. When you return to the Marquis's mansion, we will make it up to you properly."
Xie Zhaozhao firmly disagreed.
Guan Yingying and Xie Xiangxiang both angrily cursed at Xie Zhaozhao: "You are too selfish, you don't care about our lives."
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