Selling a Daughter, Interception

Hearing her uncle's refusal, Han An Nuong's heart, which had been somewhat tightened, relaxed.

Luu Thu, seeing Tran Mac's icy gaze, fearfully lowered his head and hurriedly said, "Brother Mac Nhi's teaching is right. It was I who didn't consider things thoroughly. My apologies for the disturbance. Little Man, let's go."

"You haven't eaten yet. Stay for lunch before you go," Han An Nuong said.

"Many thanks, Mistress Han, no need." Luu Thu forced a smile onto his face and left with Tong Man.

After leaving the Tran family home.

Luu Thu roughly flung Tong Man's hand away. Seeing she was still chewing meat, his eyebrows shot up: "You're useless, only know how to eat!"

The reason he had brought Tong Man to the Tran family for a marriage proposal was not because he lacked self-awareness.

It was mainly because the Tong family and the Tran family were not acquainted, and he had seen Tran Mac send grain twice, thinking Tran Mac had taken a fancy to Tong Man, which led to today's actions.

Tong Man's eyes filled with tears; she didn't know whether to swallow the meat in her mouth or spit it out.

...

Tran Family Home.

After Luu Thu left, Truong Ha muttered, "This Luu Thu really dares to think, still wants to take advantage of you, Brother Mac."

Tran Mac frowned and said, "You mentioned before that Luu Thu was mixing with the village ruffians."

"Mm." Truong Ha nodded. "For the past half-month, Luu Thu has been hanging out with Re Gen from our village and Kieu Vo Lai from the neighboring village. The grain you asked me to deliver, Brother Mac, was all squandered by them."

Tran Mac frowned. He was naturally clear about who Luu Thu was. It was just that the other party was, after all, the Tong family's son-in-law and Tong Man's biological father. As an outsider, it wasn't easy for him to interfere in another family's affairs.

He just hadn't expected that a lazy person like Luu Thu would actually mix with these ruffians.

"Brother Thuy, these few days, help me keep an eye on Luu Thu, especially keep an eye on Tong Man." Saying this, Tran Mac thought of something and added, "Have your wife keep an eye out too. She probably knows more about the big and small happenings in the village than you do."

"Rest assured, Brother Mac, leave it to me," Truong Ha patted his chest and guaranteed.

...

At night.

Han An Nuong lay in Tran Mac's embrace, her soft body pliant, her long, slender, jade-like fingers drawing circles on Tran Mac's chest.

Recalling the scene from just now, Han An Nuong's cheeks instinctively flushed red.

Tran Mac gently caressed Han An Nuong's face with his palm. Her skin had indeed improved; the few freckles originally on her face were gone, and her whole face was fair and clean.

He turned Han An Nuong's face towards him, looked into her eyes, and said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, what's with you tonight? You feel exceptionally..."

Han An Nuong's almond eyes glanced at her man. She pressed her face against his chest and said, "I just feel that all of this is like a dream."

Not long after she married, her husband and mother-in-law passed away one after another. She had thought her life had fallen into such dire straits, but then her uncle rose powerfully, becoming a martial artist master, an object of envy for the whole village, just like the protagonists in those storybooks.

Most crucially, uncle treated her so well.

But the better he treated her, the more Han An Nuong worried about gain and loss, always feeling unworthy of her uncle.

So she tried every means to compensate in other aspects.

"Sister-in-law is thinking about random things again." Tran Mac kissed Han An Nuong's forehead, telling her not to overthink.

Han An Nuong rolled her eyes with a very charming pout and said, "Uncle has grown up; eventually, you'll want to take a wife."

"Marrying sister-in-law is good enough for me," Tran Mac's eyes widened.

"No, I am, after all, your sister-in-law. Uncle, you are a person with great prospects. The wife you marry must be one of those noble ladies. After uncle marries, if uncle still doesn't disdain me then, I can be your 'little one'."

When she said the last sentence, Han An Nuong's voice was like a mosquito's buzz, her face so red it seemed water might drip from it.

"In my eyes, sister-in-law is not the least bit inferior to those noble ladies; on the contrary, you are much more outstanding," Tran Mac said.

Seeing him still holding her tightly, a hint of shyness flashed in her eyes. She said in a soft, coquettish tone, "Uncle, I'm serious."

"Sister-in-law, I'm also serious."

"Aiya!"

The young couple began to tussle playfully under the quilt. Just as they were about to start the next "match," Han An Nuong lifted the quilt, revealing her alluring soft body: "Uncle, you haven't taught me the five characters for tonight yet."

"Sister-in-law, today I'll teach you a few more characters, or more accurately, a line of poetry."

"What is it?"

"Spring nights are bitter-short, the sun already high; from then on, the sovereign king no longer held early court."

"Ohh... ohh..."

...

On the other side, Tong family's house.

"I told you, Brother Mac Nhi has a great beauty like Mistress Han; how could he fancy your daughter?" the ruffian from the other village, Kieu Vo Lai, said with a laugh.

"Exactly, exactly," the village ruffian also chimed in.

Hearing the two men's mockery, Luu Thu felt a wave of humiliation, and an idea had already formed in his mind.

One day later.

The weather was rarely clear.

Luu Thu dressed Tong Man neatly and said, "Little Man, today father will take you to play in the city, okay?"

"Father, I... I don't want to go." Tong Man was not a fool. She vaguely guessed what this trip to the city was for. She thought of the conversation she had overheard some time ago between her father and those two "uncles."

"Why don't you want to go? Didn't you always say you wanted to play in the city before?" Luu Thu said.

"But I heard people say that now you have to pay an entry fee to get into the city. I want to... save money for father," Tong Man said in a small voice.

"Little Man, don't worry, father still has that little bit of money."

"Father, but I still... don't want to go."

"Hmm? You're not listening again. Let's go."

...

Tran Family Home.

Tran Mac had just finished breakfast when Truong Ha rushed over anxiously and said, "Brother Mac, Luu Thu has taken Tong Man out of the village. It looks like they're going to the city."

"To the city?" Tran Mac was stunned. Going to the city required an entry fee. If Luu Thu went to the city alone, he could understand it – after all, he might need to buy grain or something. But taking Tong Man to the city, he didn't understand.

After all, taking one more person into the city meant paying an extra fee. The Tong family wasn't so wealthy that they could afford to take Tong Man into the city for leisure. Furthermore, taking a little girl into the city was troublesome in itself. For a lazy person like Luu Thu to do such a thing, unless there was some matter that could attract him and make it necessary to take Tong Man into the city.

At this moment, Truong Ha said, "Brother Mac, my wife found out that Kieu Vo Lai from the neighboring village seems to be pimping again. Others say his own uncle's orphaned granddaughter was sold by him to Zi Jin Lou.

Luu Thu has been hanging out with Kieu Vo Lai and the others all day. Could it be..."

The last part of the sentence, Truong Ha still didn't say out loud.

Tong Man was, after all, Luu Thu's biological daughter, and his only daughter; he shouldn't be capable of such an act.

Tran Mac's brow furrowed: "Go, follow me and intercept them."

Tran Mac went back to get his Tang Dao, also told Han An Nuong to wait in the cellar, then followed Truong Ha in pursuit.

With their speed, they caught up to Luu Thu and the other one on the official road, halfway there.

On the official road outside Phuc Trach Village.

Two figures, one large and one small, walked and rested intermittently.

Luu Thu, seeing his daughter stop again, frowned and walked over: "What's wrong with you now?"

"Father, I... I got a stone in my shoe." Tong Man took off the somewhat dirty cloth shoe from her foot and poured out the small stone from inside.

Actually, this small stone was secretly put in by Tong Man when Luu Thu wasn't paying attention.

"Alright, hurry up then."

Seeing Tong Man dawdling while putting on her shoe, Luu Thu scolded softly.

As a result, after the two had walked for not long, Luu Thu looked back and saw Tong Man squatting down again, clutching her stomach, looking very uncomfortable. His eyebrows shot up directly: "What's wrong with you now?"

"Father, I... my stomach hurts, I want to go to the latrine." Tong Man's gaze was somewhat evasive.

How could Luu Thu not see through Tong Man's little tricks? He completely lost his patience, grabbed her squatting form by the scruff of her neck, and said, "Hold it in for now. When we get into the county town, I'll find a place for you to go."

After speaking, he pulled Tong Man forward.

"Father, it hurts... it hurts..." Luu Thu grabbed her too forcefully. A child's wrist was naturally tender. Tong Man cried out in pain, tears streaming down.

Luu Thu pretended not to hear, paid no attention, and forcefully pulled Tong Man forward.

Seeing there was no way out, Tong Man could no longer hold back and burst into loud wails: "Father, I don't want to go to the county town, I don't want to go to the county town! Father... I beg you, I beg you not to sell me! I'll be good and listen to you in the future, and I won't make father angry anymore..."

Luu Thu's footsteps paused. He turned his head and looked at Tong Man's gentle and lovable appearance. His heart also felt a bit of pity, but thinking that keeping her would only be a burden, wasting food, while selling her to a brothel could fetch some money, he immediately hardened his resolve again. He just didn't say it too directly, only saying:

"Father won't sell you. I'm just taking you to a fun place. There, you can have food to eat and clothes to wear without worry."

"But I... I don't want to go there. I just want to stay with father."

"Even if you don't want to go, you have to. This matter is not up to you." Luu Thu had lost his last shred of patience, his face revealing anger. Afterwards, no matter how Tong Man cried or struggled, Luu Thu no longer paid any attention, forcibly dragging her forward.

"Stop!" Just then, a sharp shout came from behind.

The voice was extremely familiar. Luu Thu looked back and saw it was indeed Tran Mac. His expression instantly stiffened.

When Tran Mac approached and he saw the dao in his hand, Luu Thu's face turned pale. He quickly let go of the still-sobbing Tong Man and said with a forced smile, "Brother Mac Nhi, Brother Thuy, why are you two here?"

Tran Mac looked at Tong Man, whose eyes were swollen from crying, and her reddened wrist. He couldn't help but frown and said in a low voice, "Where are you two going?"

"I... I'm taking Min Nhi into the city to play," Luu Thu said.

Tran Mac's gaze shifted to Tong Man. The latter wiped her tears, nodded, and said softly, "Father is taking me... into the city to play."

Little children don't lie.

The lying here meant it was very easy to see through.

Tran Mac saw through Tong Man's lie at a glance.

He brought Tong Man to one side, then squatted down and patted Tong Man's head: "Little Man, you tell Brother Mac Ca, why are you crying? Did your father bully you?"

"No, he didn't?"

"Then why are you crying like this? Is it because your father doesn't want you anymore? Tell Brother Mac Ca the truth, perhaps Brother Mac Ca can help you persuade your father," Tran Mac said with a smile.

Tong Man's lips pursed. She hesitated, her eyes looking towards Luu Thu.

Luu Thu naturally heard Tran Mac; his expression immediately became flustered.

"What, your father wants to sell you?!" Tran Mac leaned his ear close to Tong Man, then suddenly raised his voice.

Truong Ha, hearing these words, immediately kicked out.

Truong Ha had been training with Tran Mac for so long, eating fish and meat every day; that bit of strength was no joke. Luu Thu was directly kicked rolling on the ground.

Truong Ha said fiercely, "Damn you! Selling your own biological daughter! Are you even human?!"

"Cough, cough..." Luu Thu clutched his chest, coughing in pain. He thought his daughter had told Tran Mac. At this point, he no longer tried to argue, using what little courage he had to say defiantly, "I'm selling my own daughter, what business is it of yours?"

"You still dare to be stubborn!" Truong Ha shouted fiercely, about to kick again, but at this moment Tong Man ran over, shielding Luu Thu, pleading, "Don't hit my father, don't..."

But Luu Thu was not grateful at all. He didn't dare to be fierce with Tran Mac and Truong Ha, but he dared to be with Tong Man: "Is this how you listen to me?"

Tong Man clutched the corner of her clothes: "Father, I... didn't say anything."

"Stop." Tran Mac had Truong Ha stop, then walked over and said, "Little Man didn't say it; I guessed. I didn't expect it to be true."

He walked up to Luu Thu and said in a low voice, "I don't understand. I gave you two grain deliveries before and after, which together was enough for the two of you to eat for two months without worrying about food or clothing. Why do you still want to sell your daughter?"

Luu Thu, intimidated by Tran Mac's tyrannical might, remained silent.

"Damn it, Brother Mac is questioning you!" Truong Ha shouted.

"What use is she to me? She can't do anything, just drags me down, a complete burden! Why can't I sell her?" Saying so, Luu Thu looked weakly at Tran Mac: "I offered her to you two days ago, but you didn't want her."

"Haha, you still dare to blame Brother Mac? So you have a justification for selling your daughter!" Truong Ha rolled up his sleeves.

The Dai Song imperial dynasty had clear laws: buying and selling wives and daughters was illegal.

But laws were laws. In folk practice, the buying and selling of wives and daughters was very common. As long as it wasn't organized human trafficking, it generally fell under the category of "the people are powerless, the officials don't investigate."

"Father..." These words from Luu Thu brought tons of damage to Tong Man's heart.

But Tran Mac, hearing this, closed his eyes.

He had originally thought Luu Thu was just a lazy person, feeling that by providing them with grain, Luu Thu could live well with his daughter. It was precisely because of this that he had refused when Luu Thu brought his daughter for a marriage proposal.

After all, he really couldn't do anything with a ten-year-old little girl.

Moreover, because of his guilt towards the Tong family, Tran Mac also couldn't bear to let a suffering child serve him, but rather hoped she could grow up well and survive like a child from an ordinary family.

But he absolutely hadn't expected that Luu Thu, as Tong Man's biological father, would actually sell his own biological daughter.

After all, under his aid, the Tong family hadn't reached the point of being unable to survive.

If he had known this, he wouldn't have refused when Luu Thu brought Tong Man over at that time.

A small action, yet it had actually produced such a big change.

This made him think of Tran Dai Lam, of Tran Ho.

If he had given grain to Tran Dai Lam back then, the latter might not have gone to secretly catch fish and wouldn't have died.

If he hadn't killed Tran Ho, the Tong family also wouldn't have suffered this misfortune.

In such a chaotic world, he felt how powerless he was.

A grain of sand of the era, falling on a person's shoulder, is a great mountain...