Chapter 78 - 78: Kidnapped to Zhouhe County_l

Translator: 549690339

The mule-cart pulled into an alley and stopped in front of a courtyard. Little

Mistress Han was the first to jump off, commanding, “Get off!”

With a sullen look, Yingbao climbed out of the carriage, taking in her surroundings as she sat on the yoke.

All the way here, she had already realized that this wasn’t Qinchuan County. Clearly written on the city gate were the characters: Zhouhe County.

This Little Mistress Han was truly sinister, actually bringing her to Zhouhe County.

Originally, she had thought that once she reached Qinchuan County, she could sneak off to ask Zhou Mao for help at Furuifeng Trading Company. Now her plan had gone down the drain.

She had never been to Zhouhe County before and couldn’t tell the directions here.

Moreover, a three or four-year-old child venturing alone in a strange place is akin to a lamb waiting to be slaughtered, easily targeted by kidnappers.

Little Mistress Han gave the coachman a signal, and he immediately lifted Yingbao off the mule-cart before taking the cart to the side to rest.

Yingbao was led into the courtyard by Little Mistress Han, all the while being quietly threatened: “If you dare to speak nonsense, I’ll cut off your nose and feed your hands and feet to the dogs, understand? Huh?”

Yingbao nodded.

Right now, she couldn’t resist this woman outright, for fear she might indeed be silenced for good.

Because Little Mistress Han’s husband was under the County Magistrate and had killed and seen blood before.

In her previous life, when the County Magistrate was cracking down on famine refugees, he had been dispatched. Chen Guanglu, leading a group of guards, indiscriminately slaughtered the refugees, as madly as chopping winter melons.

As Chen Guanglu’s wife, Little Mistress Han was already accustomed to the smell of blood. She didn’t even blink when washing her husband’s bloody clothes.

“Oh, isn’t this Third Auntie? How come you have time to come back today?” A middle-aged woman in old clothes came to greet her.

Little Mistress Han smiled, “I have a small favor to ask of you this time, Big

Sister-in-law. Let’s talk inside.”

“Hurry in then.” The Chen Family Big Sister-in-law glanced at Yingbao, smiling, “Oh, whose child is this? Such a handsome kid.” Little Mistress Han: “She is from my elder sister’s family.”

With that, the two women went inside.

Little Mistress Han let go of Yingbao, who squatted on the ground with her head down, picking at the dirt, acting like an innocent three-year-old.

Little Mistress Han sat down at the table and told Big Sister-in-law Chen, “I came here this time to temporarily leave this child in your care. To avoid you having to take care of her for free, my elder sister has given two coins to cover her food expenses for these days.”

With that, she took out two copper coins and handed them to Big Sister-in-law

Chen.

Big Sister-in-law Chen pretended to decline, “Just another child in the house, how much could she eat? It’s not right to take your sister’s money. You’re being too formal, Third Auntie.

“How can you not take the money, Big Sister-in-law.” Little Mistress Han stuffed the coins into Big Sister-in-law Chen’s arms, “Quickly accept it, it’s also my intention.”

Big Sister-in-law Chen, with a more sincere smile, accepted the money, “Then

I’ll accept it.”

Little Mistress Han touched her temples and said, “It’s only proper. Alas, Big Sister-in-law, you don’t know, this child is quite mischievous and difficult to discipline. My elder sister is at her wit’s end, which is why she came up with this plan. The child needs to taste a bit of hardship outside to understand the difficulties of being a parent. Please, Big Sister-in-law, put in a little more effort to discipline her. Don’t hesitate to spank her as necessary, just don’t beat her to death.”

Big Sister-in-law Chen blinked her eyes and laughed, “Look at what you’re saying. I think this child is quite obedient. I don’t see the difficulty in disciplining her.”

“Big Sister-in-law, you don’t know. This child may seem obedient, but she’s actually quite wicked and full of lies. You must not believe her…”

The two had a good long chat before Mrs. Han took her leave. As she was about to leave, she warned Chen’s sister-in-law not to believe anything the child might say.

She also said, “If she dares to talk nonsense, don’t be afraid to smack her until she stops.”

Chen’s sister-in-law frowned upon hearing this, looking at the child crouching not far away and not saying a word.

Yingbao didn’t make a sound the whole time. Whether she was in the room or outside in the courtyard, she listened to the entire conversation between Mrs. Han and Chen’s sister-in-law. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Well, so this was the plan of the Han sisters.

First, they planned to foster her out to the countryside until the situation had calmed, and then take her back.

During this time, someone would properly discipline her, break her will, until she dared not have any other ideas.

To the Han sisters, she was nothing more than a three-year-old child with a short memory. They believed that after a year or so, she would forget her original identity.

Even a year may not be necessary, under the education of a stick, they estimated it would take only a month for her to completely behave.

After seeing off Mrs. Han, Chen’s sister-in-law’s face fell.

She coldly looked at Yingbao crouched in the corner, gave her a light kick and said, “Did you hear that? Behave, or don’t blame me for hitting you.” Yingbao nodded her head.

Chen’s sister-in-law then turned to a young boy and girl standing nearby,

“Watch her, don’t let her leave the yard.”

The girl nodded obediently, “Yes, mother.”

The boy, although not replying, looked curiously at the very young girl.

In the evening, when Chen’s sister-in-law’s husband came home and saw the extra girl, he asked which family she was from.

Chen’s sister-in-law told him everything, even chortled, “The Han family is really something. They asked us to take care of their niece, what do they think I am? A nanny for the Han family?”

Chen had a mouthful of soup, “You agreed to take her in, why complain now?” Chen’s sister-in-law shot him a look, “If it weren’t for those two coins, I would have driven her away.”

Chen stayed silent.

Two coins really wasn’t a small sum, and this girl’s aunty really was generous.

“I wonder, if this child is from her elder sister’s family, why doesn’t she look after her herself? And why send her to our place? Don’t tell me this child was stolen?”

Chen’s sister-in-law kicked her husband, “What do you think of my guess?”

Chen frowned, “If that’s true, we can’t keep this child here.”

If the child was indeed kidnapped, wouldn’t their family be taking the blame for the Han sisters.

The Imperial Court’s punishment for trafficking people was severe, ranging from decapitation to banishment to the borders. For a mere two coins, it’s really not worth taking such a risk.

“I knew Han Yueniang was up to no good. Would we ever get anything good from her? I hardly see her visiting us, and now she comes to us from far away, just to shift her problems over to us.”

Chen complained, “What use is there in saying all this? You shouldn’t have agreed to keep the child.”

Chen’s sister-in-law gave her husband a sidelong glance, “I didn’t react at the time, but the more I listened to her, the more suspicious I became. She claimed the child was unruly. This fair and lovely-looking child seems pampered at home. How could the Han sisters let such a doted-on child be disciplined by others?

And what about the part where she said it’s fine to hit and scold her as long as she doesn’t die? How does anyone discipline children like that? I even suspect that this child is from the enemy of the Han family and was deliberately taken to seek revenge..”