Chapter 931: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 931: Sinister Intentions and a Chance Encounter on the Street (4)
The girl selling herself to bury her father was about fifteen or sixteen years old. She wasn't exceptionally beautiful, but with a white flower in her hair and dressed in plain mourning clothes, her tear-streaked face made her look pitiful, stirring sympathy in those who saw her.
Hearing Cui Ping'an's words, the girl clung tightly to his sleeve, refusing to let go, and sobbed, “Young master, if you are willing to give money to help me bury my father, you are my benefactor. I have nothing to repay you with, so I only wish to stay by your side as a servant. Please, young master, take me in, wuu wuu!”
Cui Ping'an had been frail since childhood, but his temper was even worse than his health. Seeing the girl refuse to let go, he immediately grew furious. Ignoring propriety, he grabbed her wrist with one hand and pulled his clothes away with the other. “I already said my household doesn't lack maids. This money is enough for you to arrange a burial and return home. Why would you willingly degrade yourself to become someone’s servant?”
The girl cried even harder, clutching his clothes with all her strength. To onlookers, it seemed as if Cui Ping'an had done something terrible, forcing her to such desperation.
“Oh, young man, look at how pitiful this girl is! You don't seem to be short of money. Why not just take her in as a servant? It won’t harm you!”
“Exactly! Look how miserable she is. Can’t you show some kindness and take her in? Rich people really do have cold hearts.”
“He’s probably afraid of his wife! If he takes her home, he might not be able to explain it to the missus!”
“Hmph! She’s just a servant, not a concubine. What’s there to be afraid of? If that's the case, this young man is utterly useless.”
“……”
The crowd, eager for drama, started egging him on. A "selling oneself to bury a father" scene like this was rare, happening only once every few years. If things developed further—perhaps leading to the two developing feelings over time—it would make for an even better story!
Hearing these remarks, Cui Ping'an was enraged. He struggled to break free, but whether due to his own weakness or the girl’s surprising strength, he couldn't shake off her grip.
Mo Yan, watching from the sidelines, quickly grasped the situation. A sense of familiarity struck her. After thinking for a moment, she recalled a recent conversation where someone had casually mentioned a gang in the capital using the "selling oneself to bury a father" ruse to infiltrate kindhearted people's homes and steal from them.
This scam had already occurred twice in the past few days—once in the Western Market and once in the Southern Market. The perpetrators were extremely cunning, leaving no evidence behind, making it impossible for the victims to seek justice.
The capital was large, and without newspapers or the internet, information spread only through word of mouth, often leading to rumors. Over time, people became desensitized, assuming most things they heard were false. This was why the Western Market incident hadn't raised alarms, allowing the same crime to repeat in the Southern Market so quickly.
Mo Yan wasn’t sure if this particular girl was truly selling herself to bury her father or just part of the scam. It was easy to verify, but she didn’t want to intervene personally. However, she was worried that by the time she fetched the authorities, the girl might have already succeeded in getting taken in by the young man.
So, she discreetly took a few pieces of homemade nougat from her space and handed them to a little beggar squatting by the wall. She instructed him to run to the authorities and call for officers.
Since the thefts related to this scam involved significant sums, the government had classified it as a major case. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have reached Xiao Ruiyuan’s ears. Any lead provided would prompt officials to send people to investigate.
The little beggar, delighted by the sweets, eagerly agreed. Upon hearing that he would get even more treats after fetching the officers, he forgot his fear, tossed aside his broken bowl, and sprinted toward the yamen.
The capital’s administrative office was in the Eastern Market, not far from here. Before long, the beggar returned, bringing four officers with him.
Keeping her promise, Mo Yan gave him a large handful of nougat and some copper coins, advising him to hide them well so other beggars wouldn’t snatch them away.
The beggar carefully tucked away his sweets and money, thanked her profusely, and left. Meanwhile, Mo Yan remained where she was, calmly observing the situation.
As expected, when the officers arrived, the girl immediately stopped clinging to Cui Ping'an. She grabbed the money he had given her and attempted to leave.
Seeing this, the officers became even more suspicious. They intercepted her and questioned her. When asked where her father’s body was, she hesitated and gave vague, evasive answers, refusing to specify a location. Without hesitation, the officers pulled out shackles and restrained her.
Regardless of her innocence, the authorities had finally caught someone suspicious and wouldn't let her go without thorough questioning. If she was truly innocent, they wouldn't wrongly accuse her.
The crowd, shocked by this turn of events, erupted into murmurs. Watching the girl cry and plead for justice, they began questioning whether the officers were being too harsh. But once they heard about the recent thefts in the Western and Southern Markets, a chill ran down their spines. No one dared to defend the seemingly pitiful girl anymore.
As for what happened next, Mo Yan no longer cared. Once the crowd dispersed and the road cleared, she returned to her carriage. Just as she was about to instruct Da Hongzhao to move forward, the young man who had been entangled with the "selling herself to bury her father" girl suddenly stepped in front of her carriage...
(End of Chapter)
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