Chapter 14: Carrying Away the Ten-Thousand-Flower Pavilion for Sale

At that moment, the four sisters had already arrived on the mountain.

This mountain hollow was abundant with pigweed and shepherd's purse.

The past few years had been blessed with favorable weather in the Great Qi kingdom, so the villagers paid little attention to the wild vegetables on the mountain.

The Wen Ye sisters set down their baskets and began digging up shepherd's purse.

Not far away, Wen Mei and Wen Liyue scowled as they cut pigweed.

They usually avoided such hard labor, and after half a day's work, they had only filled half a basket and were growing impatient.

After just half an hour, Wen Ye threw down her small hoe, massaged her aching waist, and stood up.

“Oh, I’m starving! Sister, let’s have lunch!”

Wen Lan was slightly taken aback. “But it’s still early; there’s an hour until noon.”

“I don’t care, I’m hungry. We barely ate anything last night; it’s not enough to keep me going!”

Wen Lan could only nod in agreement. “Fine, then!”

Not far off, Wen Mei and Wen Liyue, eager to slack off, heard the Wen Ye sisters mention lunch. Liyue promptly plopped down onto the ground. “We’re eating too!”

The four sisters sat on the grass and took out their lotus leaf-wrapped meals from their baskets.

Wen Liyue and Wen Mei opened theirs to find sour vegetable pancakes.

Wen Ye and Wen Lan had chive pancakes.

Wen Ye walked over holding her pancake. “I don’t know why, but suddenly I don’t want to eat chives—the flavor is too strong. Liyue, can I swap with you?”

Liyue quickly defended her sour vegetable pancake. “I don’t want chives either today.”

What a joke! Mother had said her pancakes had minced meat inside!

“You didn’t say you didn’t want chives this morning, so why ask to swap now? No one’s going to listen!” Liyue snorted, about to take a bite.

“Fine, no swap then.”

Wen Ye said this as she surprisingly pulled a small oil-paper package from her bosom.

Unwrapping it revealed two palm-sized slices of cured meat—thin, translucent, red and white marbled, shining enticingly.

Wen Ye stuffed a piece into Wen Lan’s chive pancake.

“Roll it up and eat.”

“Wen Ye, where did you steal this cured meat from?” Liyue’s eyes widened at the sight.

Wen Ye colored slightly. “Steal? I was at Yuer’s house yesterday; she gave it to me.”

Liyue and Mei were a bit resentful, but now they both wanted some cured meat too.

Liyue put on a stern face. “Why does Wen Lan get all the cured meat? We’re sisters; you have to share with us.”

“No way.” Wen Ye rolled her eyes. “We only use the cured meat to mask the chive taste because we can’t eat chives.”

Wen Lan was stunned; she wasn’t unable to eat chives at all. Yet Wen Ye’s reasoning was unclear, but she nodded anyway.

“You—” Liyue held back a retort, then said, “Then can we swap? I want chives, give me the cured meat.”

Wen Ye looked reluctant, but Liyue snatched the chive pancake rolled with cured meat and bit into it.

“Ah… you!” Wen Ye sprang up, irritated, grabbing Liyue’s sour vegetable pancake. “Fine, take it! I can’t eat chives anyway when there’s cured meat.”

Liyue bit into the chive pancake with meat, savoring the rich flavor.

Though Mother said her sour vegetable pancake had minced meat and swapping would be a loss, having cured meat stuffed in the chive pancake was a good trade, even a gain!

Wen Mei, watching Liyue eat so happily, glanced at Wen Lan.

Wen Lan felt uneasy and hastily handed over her cured meat-filled chive pancake.

Wen Mei took it, finally satisfied.

A smile flickered in Wen Ye’s eyes. “Sister, eat quickly!”

“Uh, okay.”

The four sisters sat on the hillside, all eating contentedly.

Soon, they finished their meals.

Wen Ye flopped onto the grass. “Let’s rest a while.”

Seeing Wen Ye lying down, Wen Mei and Liyue naturally followed suit, leaning against a big tree to relax.

Though Mrs. Fang had told them to gather firewood immediately after lunch or there’d be none for the evening, it wasn’t noon yet. What harm was there in resting after eating?

After about half an hour, Wen Mei and Wen Liyue suddenly collapsed onto the grass with a thud, fainting.

“Ah, Liyue, what’s wrong with you?” Wen Lan was startled and hurried over.

“There’s a sleeping poison in the chive pancake; they’re just having an attack,” Wen Ye said mockingly.

“Sleeping poison? But wasn’t the chive pancake ours?” Wen Lan’s eyes widened in shock. “What’s going on?”

“Because Granny wants to sell us off! There was something in yesterday’s midday sweet egg soup. Once we collapse, they’ll tie us up and deliver us to the human traffickers.”

Wen Lan turned pale, dizzy and weak. “Impossible! How could they do this to us? What… what should we do now?”

“You watch over them here. I’ll go down the mountain. When you hear my voice, hide.”

Wen Ye was already striding down the hill.

“Little sister…” Wen Lan called out, but Wen Ye had vanished.

...

About fifty meters from the village entrance, under a large tree, a donkey cart was parked.

Qian San and Zhao Qiang were sitting at the back, chewing on some grass—they were the traffickers.

“Wen Er missed us yesterday; she won’t cause trouble today, right?” Qian San asked.

“Still half an hour to go. If they don’t bring the people soon, we’ll go to his house, get our money back, and give him a beating.”

Hidden not far away, Wen Ye’s eyes gleamed. She grabbed a handful of dirt, smeared her face with black and yellow smudges, and twisted her mouth deliberately before stepping out. “Greetings, gentlemen.”

Qian San glanced at her. “Where did this ugly girl come from?”

“I’m Wen Er’s daughter! My parents had urgent matters and went out. They asked me to tell you the goods are ready, right over on that mountain. Follow me to get them!”

Qian San frowned. “Wen Er, you dare leave this to a child? Fine, Zhao Qiang, let’s go!”

Wen Ye happily led the two up the mountain.

Approaching the hollow, Wen Ye deliberately raised her voice. “Watch your step, there’s a stone here.”

Wen Lan, hidden in the hollow, paled and stumbled behind a nearby boulder.

Wen Mei and Wen Liyue lay on the grass, sleeping like the dead.

Wen Ye led the men over, smiling. “Here they are.”

Qian San squatted, pinching Wen Mei’s chin, scrutinizing her with a frown. “She looks less pretty than the last time.”

They had to inspect their goods before buying.

A few days ago, Wen Er had taken them to a distance to observe the Wen sisters, but it wasn’t clear enough.

“Too far away before to see clearly. That one’s average-looking; this one’s quite delicate and beautiful,” Zhao Qiang said, pointing at Wen Liyue. “Not a bad price. Let’s sell them quickly and get our money.”

A calculating smile flashed in Wen Ye’s eyes. “Where are you planning to sell them?”

“To the Wan Hua Lou in the county,” Qian San replied.

“Wan Hua Lou?” Wen Ye stroked her chin. “I heard from Uncle Black Dog in the western village that a new Drunken Fragrance Pavilion just opened in Xindong County next door. They’re buying girls in large numbers, paying two or three taels more than others. Uncle Black Dog keeps pestering to send his daughter there.”

“Really?” Qian San’s eyes lit up. He hoisted a girl onto his shoulder. “Let’s try our luck in Xindong County then.”

It was just a bit farther; no loss.

Though Wen Ye was odd, they saw no reason why she’d lie.

After carrying the captives down the mountain, Wen Lan emerged from behind the rock, her face pale. Pointing shakily down the mountain road, she stammered, “They… carried cousin and Liyue away… to sell to a brothel?”

“Yes, hahahaha! Granny and Second Uncle arranged a fine future for them! Come on, let’s head down the mountain!”