Wu Si exclaimed, "She let Dongzi go to that kind of place?! That’s so dangerous! We are honest farmers, our current crop yield isn’t that bad either. Have we really fallen into such hard times that we need to earn money in such a way?"
"Sister Xiulan and Pork San’s marriage, my mom wasn’t happy about it. But we had accepted twenty taels already, we have to return them. The Zhang family demanded thirty taels with a Lion’s Big Mouth. We can’t pull together that much money now, so they sent my brother." Ji Xinhe said.
"It’s blatant bullying! This stepmother really is... " Wu Si started cursing, but held his words in the end. It was not appropriate to say such things in front of a young girl.
Ji Xinhe then said, "I’m also not at ease, so I came to ask Brother Wu Si about the specifics of what’s happening on that side?"
"This matter is said to be extremely dangerous outside, but the people who are going are few. Mostly it is the refugees who have fallen into hard times and came here from elsewhere, willing to risk their lives for a chance. The thing is, this is a dangerous business. Not to mention the uncertainties in the mining, if there was a cave-in, you would be buried alive. Anyway, it’s very dangerous. You should go and persuade your dad, ask your brother to come back. This money is not easy to earn!"
Upon hearing this, Ji Xinhe felt a tightness in her heart, continued, "No wonder the wages are so high, but who would want a job that could cost you your life this easily?"
"Who said no one would do it? Even if it costs lives, you have to earn money. Moreover, if you really lose your life, it won’t be that simple. According to the contract, you should be compensated with twenty taels of silver."
Ji Xinhe’s eyes shimmered slightly, a thought suddenly popped into her mind, bringing out a cold sweat from her back.
"What happened to you? Your complexion doesn’t look good, you’re not responding either?" Seeing Ji Xinhe suddenly freeze, Wu Si worried she was frightned and quickly asked.
Ji Xinhe suddenly stood up, "Then Brother Wu Si, I will leave first."
Wu Si was startled for a moment, then nodded, "Uh, okay."
Ji Xinhe quickly left with Xiao Bei, her expression growing more somber. Now, she seemed to understand what kind of game Lady Ding was playing.
Even if you earn a lot of money in one day, I guess the only way to get a large amount of money in a short period is that way.
Thankfully she was prepared, or else who knows how arrogant Lady Ding would become!
"Sister, what’s wrong?" Xiao Bei asked hesitantly. Looking at Ji Xinhe’s current face, it was genuinely frightening.
"It’s okay." Thinking in her heart, Ji Xinhe quieted down.
Ji Dong finally returned home when it was almost dark.
Ji Xinhe had been waiting at the gate. Seeing Ji Dong return, she quickly went over, "You’re back, how is it?"
Ji Dong laughed, "How can it be? I told you they aren’t operating today. Why are you worried? I just went to sign up."
Ji Xinhe let out a sigh of relief, "That’s good. You came back so late, I thought something happened."
"The journey is too long and I walked there and back, naturally it took longer."
"Didn’t I tell you to hire a carriage to the town? We have money."
"This money is for you and Xiao Bei to buy food and necessities, how can we spend it like this? Me walking a few steps is no issue." This money was earned through sister’s danger, he would not use it at all. Just waiting until after this matter is over, he would split it between his siblings to purchase clothing, food, housing, and transportation. They also needed to prepare for this winter’s food supply.
Ji Xinhe also knows Ji Dong’s character, so she didn’t say anything. Instead, she quickly asked, "Have you signed up?"
"Hmm, I’ve signed up. They said I’ll start work early tomorrow morning."
"We’ll follow the plan tomorrow then." Ji Xinhe then worriedly said, "I’ll go with you."
But Ji Dong shook his head, "No, when I went there today to sign up, there were only men. And most were displaced people from other places, very arrogant. When they see a girl they will be disrespectful and flirt, now girls usually take a detour when passing that area. It’s not good for you to go to that kind of place, I’ll still go alone tomorrow."
Originally Ji Dong intended to let Xinhe go with him, but after experiencing it today, he understood how unsafe it is for a girl there. His sister hasn’t been married off yet, going to such a location is most likely to bring trouble, like the last incident with Pork San.
"But... " Ji Xinhe was a bit uneasy.
"Don’t you know I’m capable? Don’t worry, I’m not easily dealt with. For this matter, you’ve planned so well, I won’t be too careless." Ji Dong said, clenching his fist.
Seeing Ji Dong’s determined attitude, Ji Xinhe knows that it’s pointless to say anything more, so she just nods, "Okay, then."
"Alright, I’ll go tell our parents about being chosen."
When Lady Ding heard about Ji Dong being selected for the job, half of the weight on her heart was lifted.
"It happens that a brother in our family is also going there to work. We are relatives and it’s good to watch out for each other. Tomorrow, go with him."
Ji Dong was astonished, has the Ding family also fallen into such dire straits, where they need to send their son to perform such life-threatening work?
But Ji Dong couldn’t ask, he just answered in affirmation.
Coming back and telling Ji Xinhe about this, Ji Xinhe’s face sunk. Suddenly she let out a cold laugh, "Lady Ding’s plot seems not small."
"What do you mean?" Ji Dong became a bit nervous.
"Today, I went to ask Brother Wu Si about the situation in the mine, he said that if a person dies, they compensated with twenty taels of silver. See, Lady Ding has her eye on this money, hasn’t she?"
Ji Dong widened his eyes, somewhat unbelieving, "It can’t be that extreme, can it?"
All of them are villagers, inherently good-hearted. No matter how bad the situation, they couldn’t take life as a joke. But this Lady Ding...
"I originally just had a suspicion, but from listening to you, I do believe it now. Her brother is treated like an ancestor at home, how could she bear to let him do this kind of work? Presumably, she wants to hurt you. If something really were to happen to you in the mine, the compensation money, won’t it fall into Lady Ding’s hands!" Ji Xinhe said coldly, "Lady Ding is such an evil person, what will she not do?"
A chilling sensation fizzed up Ji Dong’s back, "She’s truly evil."
"Therefore, we must take the initiative!" Ji Xinhe declared in a deep voice.
——
The next day, from the moment Ji Dong left home, Ji Xinhe began to anxiously wait. Because she couldn’t go, she could only stay home and wait for news.
Lady Ding was also anxious while waiting. Pork San had already urged for quite some time, he even threatened that if she couldn’t pay thirty taels of silver, he’ll simply come over to take a person. Why wouldn’t Lady Ding be anxious?
It wasn’t until dusk that Li Zheng’s youngest son suddenly ran over, and before he even entered the Ji family compound, he yelled, "Something’s happened, something’s wrong. Your Dongzi has had an accident in the mine!"
Ji Xinhe’s heart tightened, then she saw Lady Ding rush out, "What happened, what happened? Is he still alive?!"
Jin Bao looked strangely at Lady Ding, "Alive or dead? What are you talking about? Your Dongzi was beaten up in the mine, he’s been sent to the clinic." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢
Ji Xinhe breathed a sigh of relief, deliberately raising her voice to ask, "Who did it?!"
"People say it was one of his relatives. I don’t know who it was. Anyway, it caused a big commotion. You guys better hurry and go check on him."
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