Chapter 121: Everyone Can Have a Meal

The two entered the courtyard and saw seven or eight skinny, pale little girls about ten years old huddled together, trembling.

A middle‑aged woman in silk, with Sanjiao Yan, held a vine rod aloft in her hand.

At her feet, a little girl curled up, hugging herself; her back clothing was torn, revealing streaks of blood.

Sanjiao Yan jumped at the commotion of Xiao Er kicking the door, turned her head, saw that it was a big man holding a baby girl—not an official—and immediately relaxed.

She narrowed her eyes and sized up Xiao Er: "Who are you people? How dare you trespass in my place! Are you fed up with life?"

Tuan Tuan slipped from Xiao Er's embrace, ran to the fallen little girl, stared at the wound on her back, her little face drawn tight.

She looked up at Sanjiao Yan and shouted, "On what grounds do you beat people?"

"On what grounds?" Sanjiao Yan sneered, pointing the vine rod at the group of girls, "I paid money to buy them from Ren Yazi's hands, taught them Weaving Rope and Rope Making, and gave them food."

"They are clumsy and can't learn, they eat my food and waste my materials, so they deserve to be beaten! They deserve death for being alive!"

"You're lying!" the little girl on the ground lifted her head, tears on her face, eyes stubborn, "You gave us silk threads that were moldy and rotten!"

"They break the moment you apply force, you can't produce anything good! And you even skimp on our meals…"

"You little slut, you still dare to talk back!" Sanjiao Yan, angry and embarrassed, raised her hand to strike again.

"You dare!" Tuan Tuan's eyebrows shot up; she hated the villains who bought and sold girls!

"Second Uncle! Beat her!"

"Yes! Ah? Miss, she's a woman." Xiao Er had never struck a woman and found it hard to act.

"What does it matter that she's a woman? She did a bad deed, so she should be beaten! Let her know what it feels like to be hit! Second Uncle! Hit!"

Xiao Er no longer hesitated; his large hand seized Sanjiao Yan's clothing and gave her a slap, beating her until she kept begging, "Stop, stop! Spare a hero's life!"

The little girls in the courtyard, seeing her being beaten, clapped their hands and cheered for Xiao Er: "Beat her! Beat her!"

Tuan Tuan walked up to Sanjiao Yan, and Xiao Er, seeing this, stopped his hand.

"You've done too many bad deeds! If you don't start doing good and accumulating virtue, you won't live long!"

Sanjiao Yan felt a pang in her heart at her words: "You're spreading demonic rumors!"

"They eat my food, live in my house, work for me— isn't that perfectly natural?"

"You rely on your fists today, beat me, I'll admit defeat, but later they'll still have to point to me to learn a trade to earn their own food, right?"

Tuan Tuan looked at her, thought a moment, and said: "Second Uncle?"

Xiao Er nodded: "Miss, these poor girls truly are like that; without a skill, they can't earn their own food, they can't survive in this world."

All the little girls lowered their heads; indeed, today was a thrill, but what about later? They now had no family to rely on.

Tuan Tuan's big eyes were full of bewilderment; she looked at Xiao Er, then at the girls.

She walked to the little girl who had just been beaten and asked: "Do you like doing this?"

The girl stared blankly, then instinctively nodded: "Like…like, but I'm too stupid, I always mess up."

"You're not stupid." Tuan Tuan said seriously, "It's her tools that are poor, and she surely didn't teach you properly!"

"Shall I find someone to teach you, okay?"

The girl suddenly lifted her head, her big eyes shining: "Really?"

Tuan Tuan nodded vigorously: "I'm not lying!"

Sanjiao Yan, hearing this, stopped: "They're my bought…! On what basis…? I'll go to the yamen to report you!"

Tuan Tuan hummed: "Yamen? Jingzhao Prefecture? I haven't been there for days, fine! Second Uncle! Since she wants to go, send her to Jingzhao Prefecture!"

"Tell Li Jing what she's done! Let him deal with her properly!"

Sanjiao Yan was stunned; who was this little doll? Going to Jingzhao Prefecture every day? And she even dared to address the Prefect by name?

"Yes!" Xiao Er had been waiting for this; his iron‑claw‑like hand seized Sanjiao Yan, disregarding her struggles, and dragged her away.

At the doorway, he didn't forget to shout back: "Miss, wait here for me, don't run off, I'll be right back!"

"Got it, go ahead!"

The courtyard fell silent instantly.

The girls looked at Tuan Tuan, bewildered and at a loss for what to do.

Tuan Tuan tilted her head, walked to a tall girl and asked: "Big sister, do you like doing this?"

The tall girl shook her head: "I don't like it, I want to treat people, many villagers get sick and have no doctor."

Tuan Tuan nodded, walked to the second round‑faced girl and asked: "Big sister, do you like doing this?"

The round‑faced girl seemed startled, hesitated for a while, her voice as thin as a mosquito: "I…I don't like it either."

This big sister is so shy! She's as timid as a rabbit!

Tuan Tuan put on a smiling face and gently asked: "Did I scare you just now? Sorry!"

The round‑faced girl quickly shook her head, "No, no. It's me, I've always been timid."

Tuan Tuan softly said: "Then, big sister, what do you like to do?"

The round‑faced girl blushed deeply, after a while answered: "I like making pastries, my family used to run a pastry shop, I want to make the best sweets."

Tuan Tuan nodded and asked each one in turn.

"Do you want to follow the best master and learn the craft you love most?"

"Then you can earn money with your own skill, and no one will ever dare to beat you again?"

The girls were stunned, staring at the seemingly glowing little doll.

The beaten little girl was the first to recover, and she bowed heavily to Tuan Tuan: "We want! Please show us the right path!"

Tuan Tuan, like a little adult, nodded, her thoughts becoming clearer.

She looked at the eager yet fearful faces before her, waved her small hand: "Alright! From now on, follow me!"

"I'm going to open a— open a…"

She strained to think how to say it properly.

The place where the brothers study is called Guozijian; she suddenly had a flash of inspiration: "Right! I want to open a 'Nüzi Jian'!"

Those who like to treat illness study medicine; those who like Rope Making study Rope Making; those who like making pastries make pastries!

After Xiao Er sent the person to Jingzhao Prefecture and returned, he happened to step through the gate and heard his young lady's astonishing remarks.

The young ladies glanced at each other a few times, their eyes burning with fervent light.

Tuan Tuan jumped for joy, delighted! "Exactly! I am Junior Master to the Jiziu!"

I want to open my own academy!

Let these sisters who have no food go to school! Learn things! Afterwards they'll be able to eat!