Chapter 24: Probing

This wild boar weighed one hundred and twenty catties. Domesticated pigs usually sell for twenty wen per catty, which would have only fetched two taels and four qian, but now they could earn an extra six hundred wen.

Min En’s subordinate immediately took out three taels of silver and handed them to Yu Jinzhen. Mu Yiyue and Mu Eryue’s eyes lit up at the sight of the money. Ever since the drought began, this was the first time their family had earned income without selling their land or themselves.

Since the other party was so generous, Yu Jinzhen felt she should show some sincerity in return. "Shall I help you push it inside?"

The military camp was a restricted area, and no unauthorized personnel were allowed to enter. Min En was about to refuse, but suddenly gave Yu Jinzhen a meaningful look and said softly, "Then I shall trouble you."

A soldier immediately stepped forward, signaling for her to follow. Yu Jinzhen pushed the handcart behind him, with Mu Yiyue and Mu Eryue trailing behind. After delivering the boar to the kitchen, the three siblings turned to leave.

Suddenly, a man in black with his face masked emerged from a tent next to Yu Jinzhen, gripping a blade. Seeing children here, he immediately charged at Yu Jinzhen with a fierce look, thrusting his blade toward her.

Yu Jinzhen thought to herself, "I should have checked the almanac before going out today."

"Yiyue!"

"Understood." Mu Yiyue, already aware of his sister's capabilities, grabbed Mu Eryue and ran toward safety. Once her brothers were gone, the man’s blade was only a meter away from her.

Yu Jinzhen’s eyes turned sharp in an instant. She spun around and delivered a side kick, landing accurately on the attacker’s hand. The man winced in pain, and the blade fell to the ground. However, he did not give up; he pulled a dagger from his robes and attacked again. Yu Jinzhen frowned, drew her own dagger, and began to trade blows with him.

The commotion soon drew the attention of many soldiers. Other soldiers wanted to intervene, but were stopped by Min En. "Wait a moment longer."

Yu Jinzhen thought, "Wait for what? Is this my job? Isn't protecting a child like me supposed to be your duty as soldiers? Could it be..."

Yu Jinzhen had no desire to waste time with the man in black. She suddenly raised her foot and kicked him in the stomach. Taking advantage of his pain, she used a hand strike to knock the dagger from his grasp. At the same time, she held her own dagger firmly against the man's throat.

The man in black froze, looked at Yu Jinzhen, and sighed helplessly.

Not far away, Min En began to clap, smiling. "Little girl, your martial arts skills are truly impressive."

Yu Jinzhen withdrew her dagger.

Min En was stunned. "You knew he was only testing you?"

Yu Jinzhen blinked. "Isn't that obvious? I could feel that this uncle was holding back against me."

Although she was a descendant of a martial arts family in her past life, she was different from these people who lived their lives on the edge of a blade. Her techniques were designed to incapacitate the enemy. But this man's moves were intended to kill. Because he was only testing her, he had deliberately avoided her vital points, which made his stance feel uncoordinated in several places.

The man in black, now displeased, pointed at himself in disbelief. "Uncle? Little girl, how old are you?"

"Ten."

"I am only fifteen! Why do you call me uncle?"

"Oh? Only fifteen? You should stay out of the sun more."

"..."

Min En laughed. "Alright, Min Qing, why argue with a child?"

Min Qing turned away, looking sullen. Girls these days were truly not cute at all.

Yu Jinzhen asked, "Why test me?"

Min En looked apologetic. "I just wanted to know exactly how capable you are."

Yu Jinzhen asked, "So, was the test successful?"

Min Qing replied, "No, not unless you fight me again."

Yu Jinzhen said, "No, I'm going home." With that, she pushed the handcart and motioned for her brothers to follow.

Seeing the three of them leave, Min Qing asked, "Are we just letting them go?"

Min En replied, "They are just children living in the nearby Songshan Village. It doesn't matter; it will be easy to find them again."

Min Qing rolled his eyes at Min En. "All that effort, and I almost got stabbed. I thought you were looking to take on an apprentice."

Min En just smiled.

An apprentice? It remained to be seen who would be the master and who would be the apprentice.

On the way home, Yu Jinzhen let her two brothers push the cart. "We earned three taels of silver today; let's have a good meal tonight."

Mu Yiyue and Mu Eryue both twitched their mouths. Had they not been eating well for the past few days?

Just as they reached the village, they heard cries coming from not far away. Yu Jinzhen, always fond of a spectacle, pushed the cart toward the sound without hesitation.

However, the moment she appeared, the girl being held captive looked at her excitedly. "Steward Lin, Zhenzhen is back! She is the one you wanted—go catch her instead!"

Yu Jinzhen frowned. The Lin family must have realized they couldn't catch her, so the mother, He, had turned to sell the eldest daughter of the first branch, Mu Daya.

Steward Lin followed Mu Daya’s gaze and, seeing Yu Jinzhen’s appearance, sighed with regret. "That child is indeed better looking, but unfortunately, she isn't your biological daughter. If this were reported to the authorities, it would cost my master more silver to settle the matter. I don't want to cause him that much trouble."

Yu Jinzhen thought, "This man has a conscience, but not much of one."

Mu Gushan’s wife, Qian, knelt before He, weeping and begging. "Mother, I beg you, do not sell Daya. She is my firstborn, my own flesh and blood. If you sell her, I won't be able to go on living."

He rolled her eyes and stood with her hands on her hips. "She’s nothing but a money-losing burden. If she’s gone, she’s gone. Selling her will ensure your second and third daughters have enough to eat. Don't you know how to do basic math?"

Qian shouted in despair, "My daughters have never had enough to eat in the Mu household! The only ones who get to eat until they're stuffed are your grandsons!"

He’s old face grew long and grim as she shrieked, "So what if they do? Money-losing burdens don't deserve to be full. Any food they get is already a favor to them."

Seeing that He would not relent, Qian could only kneel and bang her head against the ground repeatedly. "Mother, I beg you, please have mercy, spare Daya, I beg you, I beg you..."

With every word, Qian struck her head, and soon she was bleeding profusely. Yet, she seemed oblivious to the pain, continuing to knock her head. The onlookers felt heavy-hearted at the sight.

Village Head Xu arrived just then and frowned. "He, why are you causing trouble again!"

He curled her lip, looking unyielding. "I’m not causing trouble; it’s Daya’s mother who’s making a scene. Why are you blaming me instead of her?"

Village Head Xu retorted sarcastically, "If you weren't trying to sell her child, would she be like this?"

He snorted, "That’s none of my concern."

Seeing the Village Head intervene, Steward Lin spoke up loudly, "I am buying Mu Daya in a proper, legitimate transaction. Even if you are the Village Head, you cannot stop me."

Village Head Xu looked at Mu Gushan, who had remained silent all this time. "This is your eldest daughter. After your niece was sold two years ago, you know what her fate was. Do you have the heart to watch her be thrown into a pit of fire?"