Chapter 239: I’ll Pay Twenty Taels for Yu Xiangxiang
The crowd froze in shock at Yu Yongjun’s words!
Even Yu Luo and Yu Haojie exchanged surprised glances.
“Didn’t expect Brother Yongjun to have such sharp logical reasoning.”
Yu Yongjun didn’t quite understand the meaning of “logical reasoning,” but he could tell that Yu Haojie was impressed.
Scratching his head shyly, he gave a sheepish grin, his gaze drifting toward Yu Luo.
“I’m nothing compared to Xiao Luo. She’s bold and cunning—if it weren’t for her digging up that grave, we’d all still be kept in the dark, believing the corpse was Chen’s and that your family really killed her.”
Yu Luo smiled lightly, her gaze sweeping over the crowd.
“We don’t care what others think. But I refuse to let those who plotted against my family succeed. To be honest, Old Madam Chen and I had a blood feud. If we had wanted to kill her, we would’ve done it openly—no need to deny it. Otherwise, why would I go through the trouble of making such a scene today?”
Her tone was casual, but the underlying warning was clear.
If these people wanted to work with her, they better drop their suspicions. And if anyone dared to scheme against her family again—there would be no mercy.
The crowd awkwardly chuckled, nodding along, praising Yu Luo’s decisiveness.
But Yu Luo didn’t care whether they truly understood her message.
Her gaze landed on Yu Xiangxiang, whose face was disfigured.
Since her face had been ruined, Yu Xiangxiang had suffered endless torment in Yu Shanhai’s household.
Even though her father protected her, her vicious mother, Liu Lan, treated her like a burden, calling her worthless.
Now that she was disfigured, she was deemed useless, forced to do all the filthy, exhausting labor.
After months of exile and hardship, she had grown thin and haggard, looking closer to thirty rather than a sixteen-year-old girl.
“Xiangxiang,” Yu Luo called suddenly, making the girl flinch.
“I need a maid. Would you like to sell yourself to my household?”
A stunned silence fell over the crowd.
Yu Xiangxiang had been hiding in the background, head lowered in shame, avoiding attention.
She had only come out because her mother was furious back in the cave, and she didn’t want to be her punching bag again.
She never expected Yu Luo to single her out.
“Me?”
Yu Luo gave a gentle smile, nodding.
“Yes. If you’re willing, go ask your mother if she agrees to sell you to my household. From now on, you’d serve my mother as a maid.”
The crowd gasped.
Some people even looked jealous!
Yu Xiangxiang, after a moment of shock, felt her lips tremble with excitement.
For her, this was hope—a way out.
Here, in this wilderness, being a servant in Yu Luo’s household—even if it meant losing her freedom—was far better than staying with Liu Lan, enduring daily beatings and insults.
“I… I think my mother won’t agree,” she whispered hesitantly. “She’ll ask for a high price…”
Yu Luo laughed softly.
Of course, she had expected that.
“Don’t worry about her,” she reassured. “If you’re willing, leave everything to me. But be sure—if you sell yourself, you cut ties with Liu Lan’s family forever. Are you truly ready?”
Without a second of hesitation, Yu Xiangxiang nodded firmly.
She even touched her ruined face, her eyes void of any attachment to that household.
The day Yu Luo saved her from the bandits, her own family abandoned her.
Even when she was almost violated, her grandfather and relatives rushed to save the ‘important’ family members instead.
That moment, she understood—she was disposable.
Maybe selling herself was the only way to truly start over.
Just then, some families stepped forward, eager to offer their daughters as well.
“Xiao Luo, do you need more maids? Our daughters could work for you too!”
These families weren’t blind—being in Yu Luo’s household meant food, shelter, and safety.
But Yu Luo simply shook her head.
“Not for now,” she declined politely. “If I need more in the future, I’ll consider your daughters first.”
The disappointed parents sighed but didn’t push further.
Then, Yu Shanhai spoke up.
Surprisingly, he agreed without hesitation.
“Xiao Luo, ever since Xiangxiang’s disfigurement, she’s grown more withdrawn. I can’t always protect her, and she suffers too much at home. If you can give her a better life, I’ll be grateful. Take her—no need for silver.”
“Over my dead body!”
A furious voice interrupted.
Liu Lan stormed forward, eyes blazing.
“She’s my daughter! I carried her for ten months, and now, even disfigured, she’s still a virgin maiden! Do you not see how many single men there are in this wasteland? Even with her face ruined, she can still fetch at least ten or twenty taels in bride price! If you want her, you pay me!”
Yu Luo wasn’t surprised.
Liu Lan was greedy—always had been.
“Fine,” Yu Luo said calmly.
“I’ll give you twenty taels for Yu Xiangxiang. But from this moment on, she has nothing to do with your family. You’ll sign the contract and leave her be. Do you agree?”
Liu Lan’s eyes gleamed with calculation.
She hesitated—twenty taels was a lot, but could she ask for more?
Just as she opened her mouth, Yu Luo cut her off.
“Fifty taels!” Liu Lan blurted out.
“She’s my daughter! You pay fifty, and she’s yours!”
Yu Luo snorted, turning on her heel.
“Too expensive. I’ll pass. After all, the Bai and Liu families just offered their own daughters for free.”
She walked away.
Liu Lan’s face twisted in panic.
“Fine! Fine! Twenty taels! We sell her!”
Surprisingly, the one who agreed first wasn’t Liu Lan—but the family’s old patriarch, Yu Liang.
“You foolish woman!” Yu Liang snapped at Liu Lan.
“Take the twenty taels and shut up!”
