Hearing this, Zhang Xiao'e breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly fetched hot water in a wooden basin.
Zhao Zheng pretended to go down to the cellar and spent a dozen cents to buy some cotton swabs, iodine and Yunnan Baiyao.
The story was very simple. During the day, Wu Yueying came back and found that the child was missing.
Wang Dazhi lied to her and said that the child had gone out to play. As a result, when the evening came and the child still hadn't returned, Wu Yueying went out to look for him.
As a result, she learned from the villagers that the child had been sold to the Zhong family as a servant two days ago. Then Wu Yueying collapsed. Wu Yueying, who had always been submissive, went home and fought with Wang Dazhi.
But she was no match for the man, and with the help of her parents-in-law, she was beaten into this state.
If the villagers hadn't been unable to bear the fight and tried to stop it, Wu Yueying would have been beaten to death.
However, although she was not dead, Zhao Zheng could see that her heart was dead.
"Sister Yueying, please don't do anything stupid. Death can't solve the problem." Zhang Xiao'e was wiping her wounds while crying with heartache.
"Then what's the point of living?" Wu Yueying asked numbly, "The flowers and grass are gone, and my heart is dead..."
Zhao Zheng sat aside, disinfecting her with iodine and then applying Yunnan Baiyao. "They just went to the Zhong family, they're not dead. If you die, they will really be slaves for the rest of their lives."
"Will I be useful if I'm alive?" Wu Yueying was determined to die. Wang Dazhi had taken the money and signed the contract. Xu Youde, who had always been a lackey of the Zhong family, came forward to persuade Wang Dazhi not to sell his daughter, but he didn't listen and sold his own flesh and blood. The thought of it made her feel like she was pierced by thousands of arrows.
"Find a way to make money and redeem the child." Zhao Zheng said.
A strange look flashed in Wu Yueying's eyes, but it quickly dimmed. "That's three taels of silver. I'll never be able to earn that."
Two little girls were sold for three taels of silver. Is that a lot?
Very little.
But then again, if the Zhong family didn't want to save face, they probably wouldn't even have three taels of silver.
There are so many families selling their children these days, just for a bite to eat, nothing else.
Everyone knows that life is hard when you are sold as a slave to a landlord, but at least there is a way to survive, right?
This is the way people think today, and it is a retreat with no way out.
"If you continue to stay in the Wang family, you won't be able to earn more than three taels of silver in your lifetime. But if you draw a clear line with the Wang family, that may not be the case."
Zhao Zheng said calmly, "With your ability, as long as you work hard for two years, it's only a matter of time before you can save up three taels of silver."
"But the Zhong family bought your daughter for three taels of silver. If you want to redeem her, you will definitely need double, or even more."
"Those are the ones who eat people without leaving any bones. If you don't sacrifice your own flesh and blood and want to redeem your daughter, forget it!"
Zhang Xiao'e's eyes widened. "Father-in-law, are you saying that Sister Yueying should be separated from the Wang family?"
"It's not separation, but leaving home without separating." Zhao Zheng said.
When Yang Zhaodi heard these unorthodox words, her scalp tingled. This was simply too bold for her.
A daughter who is married off is like water spilled. Once she enters someone else's home, she belongs to someone else. Only the man has the right to divorce the woman. How can a woman tell a man that she wants to leave home?
Wu Yueying's eyes lit up and she sat up straight, "Uncle Zhao, is this possible?"
"Why not?" Zhao Zheng said, "Of course, the premise is that you are willing!"
"I am willing, of course I am willing. I have had enough of this kind of life." Wu Yueying said bitterly: "Over the years, they beat me, scolded me, and humiliated me in any way, and I could endure it. It is because I am incapable of giving birth to a son that I feel sorry for the Wang family.
But they shouldn't have sold my daughter. She's my lifeblood. For them, I'd even sacrifice my own life!"
Zhao Zheng had no intention of freeing Wu Yueying from her ideological constraints. Every era has its own information cocoon.
If this happened in modern times, they would just divorce and take the children away.
But in Dakang, taking the husband as the leader is heresy, and there is no soil for survival in this land.
Instead, she will be treated as an alien and no national law can help her.
Therefore, we must help, but we must not let Wu Yueying's reputation be damaged, otherwise she will have difficulty in her future.
"Uncle Zhao, as long as you can help me, I will work like a slave for you and serve you for the rest of my life!" Wu Yueying knelt on the kang and regarded Zhao Zheng as her last straw.
Zhao Zheng didn't accept it. He walked aside and said, "The times are tough these days. Many people are selling their children, and starving to death is not uncommon. If your two daughters go to the Zhong family, they won't have enough to eat, but at least they'll have something to eat. At the Wang family, they can't even get enough to eat once a day. The children are almost starving to death."
"The fundamental reason is that Wang Dazhi's family favors boys over girls. Even if you redeem the children, do they have a chance to grow up in such a family?"
"So, in my opinion, this is an opportunity for you three, mother and daughter. If you can seize this opportunity, then whether you and your daughter are bullied or go hungry in the future, you will be willing to do so."
"If you don't seize this opportunity, even if you die, you won't be able to save the child. The Wang family will not let you go. When the time comes, they will capture you and force you to give birth to a child. They won't give up until you give birth to a son."
Zhao Zheng's words were cold, but they were the cruel reality.
Nowadays, women have such low status that a woman who cannot give birth to a son will definitely be looked down upon.
"I know everything, but I can't do anything." No matter how gentle and strong Wu Yueying was, she was at a loss at the moment. She grabbed Zhao Zheng's hand helplessly and said, "Uncle Zhao, please help me!"
Zhang Xiao'e didn't dare to speak. If she intervened in such a big matter, it would probably cause greater trouble for the family.
Yang Zhaodi also frowned.
For Zhao Zheng, helping her was easy. It was just a few taels of silver, something he could easily come up with. But what about after that?
Wu Yueying is still Wang Dazhi's wife unless she leaves the small mountain village and breaks off her relationship with Wang Dazhi.
Therefore, if you want to be a good person, you must neither implicate yourself nor leave any traces, but must directly strike at the Wang family's weak spot.
Thinking of this, he said to Yang Zhaodi and Zhang Xiaoe, "You two go out first. I want to talk to Yueying alone!"
Zhang Xiao'e was stunned, not understanding why her father-in-law wanted to send her away.
Yang Zhaodi pulled Zhang Xiaoe out and closed the door.
There were only two people left in the room.
Zhao Zhengdao: "Yueying, I think you should go back to your parents' home for help first, and then..."
Wu Yueying listened very carefully, "Is this really okay?"
"Okay or not, I have a way to cover you up. If you don't follow my method, even if you earn enough money to redeem the child, it still won't change the current situation of you and your daughter!"