Traveling through time and space

"Uncle, Liu Yuanyuan would rather die than be someone else's concubine. Rather than living in humiliation, it's better to die and put an end to it all."

"Brother head of the village, our Cai Mansion paid twenty taels of silver to buy this girl. The old lady often said that saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda." A man who looked like a housekeeper brought two men who looked like servants and pushed through the crowd and came forward. It turned out that there were already many people gathered around. No wonder Liu Yuanyuan was shouting for her life. It was possible that she had attracted the entire village.

"Sir, Liu Yuanyuan is only a servant."

"You're really overthinking it. Look at how ugly you are. Even the young master of our Cai Mansion wouldn't like you." The servant beside him sneered. At this moment, Lu Yuanyuan also had some doubts about her appearance. Until now, she still didn't know what she looked like.

"Shuanzi," the leader scolded him, "Brother, the village head, my old lady is a vegetarian and a Buddhist. She's kind-hearted, and she heard about this girl's experience. She thought that instead of letting her die in vain, it would be better for her to be a maid in our Cai Mansion, so that she wouldn't be an eyesore to the Du family."

"Butler Cai, do you want to buy her as a maid? That's fine, but our Du family has already spent more than ten taels of silver to marry her, and if you add the money to buy her, it will be almost forty taels of silver. This girl is very lucky. I heard that your Cai family has a daughter-in-law. If you buy her, this disease can be cured."

"Old lady Du, my old lady was kind enough to save this girl's life to prevent your Du family from committing evil and killing her. Why are you taking advantage of her?" another servant came forward and argued.

"Mrs. Du, these forty taels of silver are enough to buy two maids. The Cai family won't let you decide how much money you want," someone said, unable to bear it any longer.

"No, although this girl has a tough life, she is also capable. You have to at least give us more money." Old Lady Du shouted loudly, and her daughters and granddaughters also echoed her.

"Sister-in-law Du, here are twenty-five taels of silver. Our old lady said that we will take the person back now. Du Lizheng, from now on, this girl will have nothing to do with the Du family." The man who looked like a housekeeper took out five ingots of silver, put them in his hand, and was about to hand them over.

"No, I said forty taels, so it's forty taels." The Du family members were still insistent.

Lu Yuanyuan was in a dilemma. She couldn't let the Du family ruin this good thing. What should she do? She had to leave the Du family first. After thinking about it, she came up with a plan. "Grandma Du, please come forward and talk to her," Lu Yuanyuan remembered the few words she heard yesterday, which should be useful at this time.

"You little whore, what do you want to say?" Until now, the old lady Du still used foul language.

"Old Mrs. Du, here are twenty-five taels of silver. You take twenty taels, and the remaining five taels are mine. If you don't do as I say, I will tell everyone what I heard yesterday. I will tell everyone about your unmarried son-in-law Zhang Taiqing. Now, not only is Du Yuehua in your Du family pregnant, but your Du Yuemei's eldest daughter Zhu Xiaoxiao is also pregnant with her uncle's child. If you don't do as I say, I will tell everyone about this now. Your niece is pregnant with her uncle's child. If I tell everyone about it, everyone in the surrounding area will know about it. This is incest. Your married daughters, grandsons, and granddaughters will still have a good reputation. Will they have a good life in the future? Will the reputation of your son-in-law, whom you have always valued, be able to participate in any imperial examinations? Will your family ever have a chance to succeed in this life?" Lu Yuanyuan, no, it was Liu Yuanyuan, who lowered his voice and asked.

"You little bastard, how dare you say it out loud." The old woman of the Du family probably didn't expect that Liu Yuanyuan would dare to threaten the Du family.

"Old pious woman, the barefoot are not afraid of the shod, and I am no longer afraid of you," Liu Yuanyuan said with a humble smile on her face. From an outsider's perspective, it would be hard to tell what she was saying. Looking up at the expressions of the women from the Du family surrounding her, Liu Yuanyuan chuckled inwardly. "My fellow villagers," Liu Yuanyuan said, noticing their silence, and straightened up, ready to speak.

"Alright, little whore, I promise you, I'll get out of our Du family long ago."

"Mrs. Du, remember that I will have nothing to do with the Du family from now on."

"Okay, little whore, I promise you. Remember, keep this to yourself. If it gets out, I'll skin you alive."

"Old woman, you should be more careful and alert. Be careful of the ears of others. Remember, stay away from me."

"Okay, girl, the Du family has received twenty taels of silver. You can keep these five taels as a personal stipend. It will also complete your fate with our Du family." Old Mrs. Du stepped forward and took two ingots of silver from the housekeeper's hand. With her other hand, she also took the five taels. Old Mrs. Du looked at Liu Yuanyuan, and then put the small ingot of silver into Liu Yuanyuan's hand with hatred.

"Uncle head of the village, from today on, Liu Yuanyuan has no relationship with the Du family anymore. Please all be witnesses." Liu Yuanyuan kowtowed several times to the front, back, left and right.

"Miss, I am Cai Ancai, the steward of the Cai Mansion. This is Shuanzi, and this is Kaide."

Liu Yuanyuan stood up, dusted herself off, and bowed earnestly, "Hello, Butler Cai, hello, young men."

"Okay, young lady, from now on you will be a member of our Cai Mansion," Butler Cai retracted his outstretched hand.

Liu Yuanyuan bowed again to the village head on the wall, then bowed to the Du family, stuffed the five taels of silver in his hand into his arms, and wanted to go into the house to pack his things, but when he thought about it carefully, he really didn't have much. He only had this set of clothes on, which was the same one he wore on his wedding day. When he left the Liu family, he was alone and had nothing. He took another look and walked out of the yard with his head held high. However, he felt dizzy for a while and tried to hold on to the door frame, but it didn't hold on and he almost fell to the ground. The brother next to him helped him with his sleeve to avoid falling to the ground. "Thank you, brother Kaide, for your help."

"You're welcome, young lady. It's alright."

After leaving the Du family's door, Liu Yuanyuan didn't even turn her head back, but stopped after walking a few steps. "Why did you stop, young lady? Are you reluctant to leave?" the housekeeper came forward and asked.

"Butler, you're joking. This place almost became my burial place, so how could I be reluctant to leave? I stopped only because there is a fork in the road ahead and I don't know which way to go." Liu Yuanyuan tried his best not to act so rude.

"You two go ahead, young lady. Can I ask you a few words?"

"Butler, please speak."

"Girl, where is your home? Are your parents still alive?"

"My mother's home is in Yufang Village, fifty miles away. I heard that my mother returned to the village when she was pregnant with me. Later, when giving birth to me, my mother died of dystocia. My father fell off a cliff and died while hunting in the mountains. After that, I was raised by my uncle and aunt. In short, these years are hard to describe in a few words." At this time, Lu Yuanyuan inherited all the memories of Liu Yuanyuan. Thinking about it carefully, this girl had a really miserable life. Her memories were only of hunger, beatings, and pain. Lu Yuanyuan secretly made up her mind, Miss Yuanyuan, I will live a good life for you, I will, I definitely will.

"Girl, do you have any other impressions of your biological parents?"

"No, the only things I remember about them are the ones my uncle and aunt scolded me for, which I always remember."

"You are also a poor child, girl. Turn this way, that is the Cai Mansion." Butler Cai pointed to a large courtyard not far away and said.

"Hello, Butler Cai. The second young master is ill and the old lady is also in the charity hall. I will go and ask Doctor Xing to come over." As soon as they entered the yard, someone rushed out. When they saw the butler come in, they greeted him and ran out, looking very anxious.

"Butler, is there something urgent?"

"Come with me, the old lady wants to see you." Upon hearing this, the housekeeper was very anxious and led Liu Yuanyuan through many twists and turns to a small courtyard called Cunshan Hall.

Because of the people coming and going, Liu Yuanyuan stood close to the wall and said, "Butler Cai, go and do your thing. I will wait here until the old lady is done and then see you again."

"Okay, you wait here. You have a good eye." Butler Cai ignored Liu Yuanyuan and went straight into the yard.

"The Second Young Master's illness is too severe this time. I don't know if he can make it through this." Two maids came out of the house carrying basins of water. When they left the courtyard, they saw Liu Yuanyuan standing against the wall and approached to ask, "Who are you? Where did you come from, you wild girl? What are you doing here? Who brought you in? Whose courtyard do you work for?"

"Hello, sisters. I was newly bought by the mansion and was brought here to see the old lady by the housekeeper."

"How dare you! Since you're newly brought into the mansion, you should call yourself a slave. Where did you come from? My, mine! If you show this to the old lady, you'll definitely be punished."

"Thank you for your teachings, sister. I understand now." Lu Yuanyuan still couldn't accept being someone else's slave.

As they were talking, a middle-aged woman came out of the courtyard. She looked to be about thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old. Seeing her come out, the two maids hurriedly bowed and left. "Are you the daughter-in-law of the Du family?"

"To answer my mother-in-law, yes." Liu Yuanyuan saluted and responded. The woman looked at Liu Yuanyuan from front to back and left to right. She even lifted up Liu Yuanyuan's lowered head with her fingers. There was astonishment and surprise in her eyes. She then hurried back to the yard. Liu Yuanyuan was very puzzled. What kind of look was that? Had she become a commodity to be sold?

"Miss, please follow me. The old lady wants to see you." The housekeeper came out quickly.

Liu Yuanyuan nodded, lowered her head and followed the housekeeper into the yard, "Grandma, the girl is here." Someone spoke softly. It was the voice of a young man, gentle and elegant, but Liu Yuanyuan did not dare to look up.

After entering the house, she heard the housekeeper who led the way stop, so Liu Yuanyuan also stood carefully. However, she heard the rapid breathing of the person next to her, but she didn't dare to look around. The rapid breathing was accompanied by a violent cough, which made people anxious. This was asthma. Lu Yuanyuan was an authentic Chinese medicine enthusiast in her previous life. How could she watch someone die without helping? "I'm sorry, madam, I'll come to see you later. I want to go see that person first to see if I can help relieve his pain." Liu Yuanyuan pointed over there.