The young girl selling herself to bury her father was about fifteen or sixteen years old. She wasn’t exceedingly beautiful, but her face adorned with white flowers and clad in white clothes, with tears streaming down her cheeks, invoked a sense of pity that arose unconsciously in people’s hearts.
Upon hearing Cui Pingan’s words, the girl clung tightly to his sleeve and wept, "Wuu wuu, sir, if you are willing to give silver coins to help bury my father, you are my benefactor. I have nothing to repay you with, I just hope to stay by your side as a maid, I beg you to take in, wuu wuu!"
Cui Pingan had been frail since childhood, and even weaker than his health was his temper. Seeing the girl’s persistent entanglent, he suddenly lost his patience, and without regard to the impropriety of physical contact between n and won, he grabbed the girl’s wrist with one hand and pulled his hem outwards with the other, "Young master has already said that my ho lacks no maids, this should be enough for your father’s funeral and to return to your hotown. How can you degrade yourself to beco a slave to soone else?"
The girl who was selling herself for her father’s burial cried even more fiercely, gripping the hem of the clothing tightly, refusing to let go. To an outsider, it looked as though Cui Pingan had committed a heinous act, to make a maiden so desperate to seek justice.
"Aiyo, young master, look how pitifully this little girl is crying. You don’t seem like you’re short on silver coins, so why not just bring her ho as a rough servant girl? It wouldn’t be a bother to you, just take her ho for goodness’ sake!"
"Exactly, exactly, seeing how pitiful she is, can’t you show so kindness and take her in? Rich people really do have hearts of stone."
"This young master must be henpecked; taking her ho would probably be troubleso when accounting to the misses back at ho!"
"Hmph, she’s just a maid, not a concubine, what’s there to be afraid of? If that’s the case, then this young master is truly useless as a man."
"..."
Those watching a play love a grand stage, and such scenes of selling oneself to bury a father only co around every few years. The onlooking crowd began to egg them on; if there could be a sequel, like the two developing sentints over ti, that would be even better!
Hearing these words, Cui Pingan was extrely annoyed and struggled even harder to free himself, but whether it was due to his frail strength or the girl’s surprising might, he failed to shake off that slender white hand.
Having heard the commotion, Mo Yan had roughly understood what was happening and faintly felt a sense of déjà vu. After so thought, she finally rembered that a few nights before, while idly chatting, soone had ntioned that a gang had appeared in Jing City, operating under the guise of selling oneself to bury one’s father, infiltrating the hos of kind-hearted people, and then collaborating from within to steal the household’s wealth.
Such incidents had occurred twice in just a few days, once in the West Market and once in the Southern Market. Because the culprits were very cunning, they left behind no incriminating evidence, and the victims’ complaints to the governnt brought no arrests.
Jing City was not small, and without newspapers or the internet, news of events depended on word-of-mouth, which easily led to rumors. As ti passed, people began to subconsciously believe hearsay was false, which was a major reason why the thefts in the West Market did not raise alarm and why, within just a few days, another theft occurred in the Southern Market.
Mo Yan did not know whether the girl’s act of selling herself to bury her father was true or false, but such matters were easily investigated. Not inclined to take action herself and concerned that if she waited to summon the authorities the girl might be taken away by the young man, she reached into Space and pulled out a few homade toffees. She handed them to a small Beggar crouching in the corner, telling him to call the governnt officials over.
Since the thefts related to cases of selling oneself for a burial involved large sums, it had beco a significant case for the Governnt. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have reached Xiao Ruiyuan’s ears. As long as soone provided a lead, the governnt would definitely send soone to investigate.
The little Beggar accepted the toffees with delight, his fear forgotten when he was promised even more toffees for bringing the governnt officer. He quickly abandoned the broken bowl in his hands and dashed toward the direction of the Governnt Office.
Jingzhao Mansion was located in the Eastern Market, not too far from there, and in no ti the little Beggar returned, followed by four Governnt Officials.
True to her word, Mo Yan gave the little Beggar a handful of toffee and so Copper Coins, reminding him to hide the treats well so they wouldn’t be discovered by other Beggars and stolen in a fit of happiness.
The little Beggar hid away the toffee and Copper Coins and, with much gratitude, scurried off. Mo Yan stood still, quietly observing the unfolding situation.
As expected, seeing the approach of the Governnt Officials, the girl no longer dared to entangle herself with Cui Pingan and picked up the things he’d given her, ready to leave.
The Governnt Officials, growing more certain of her guilt, blocked her way and interrogated her. Seeing her vague and evasive replies about where her deceased father was laid to rest, they promptly took out chains and locked her up.
Wether innocent or not, having finally caught a suspicious individual, it was natural to bring her back to the Governnt Office for thorough questioning. After all, the Governnt would not wrong an innocent person without due cause.
The onlooking crowd had not expected such an outco, and the scene erupted into chaos, questioning the legitimacy of the arresting Governnt Officials’ actions as they watched the girl cry and loudly protest her innocence. However, after listening to the Governnt Officials’ account of the thefts in the West Market and Southern Market, a chill descended upon their spines, and no one was willing to stand up for the pitiful girl anymore.
As for what happened next, Mo Yan was no longer interested. Once the crowd had dissipated and the roads cleared, she settled back into her carriage, ready to have Da HongZao move on. However, she was stopped in her tracks by the young man who had been entangled by the girl selling herself for her father’s burial...
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