Chapter 21: Ning Hanmo Was Beaten

One tael of silver actually equals one thousand wen; the old man carrying two baskets has thirty cakes, which would earn him only fifteen wen……

"Wrong." Jiang Yunchu saw his appearance and helplessly shook her head.

"That's assuming all are sold, but according to current market conditions, the wealthy won't buy the old man's cakes, and the poor can't afford them, so the number of buyers is very limited; selling half today would already be a pleasant surprise."

Her words were another blow, knocking Ning Hanmo out.

"No, Jiang Yunchu, you're definitely lying to me; what can one tael of silver do?"

"One tael of silver equals one string, which is one thousand wen; it definitely isn't like that."

Ning Hanmo looked at Jiang Yunchu with suspicion; surely this foolish woman didn't want him to spend money, so she came to deceive him—it must be that.

Jiang Yunchu laughed and shook her head. "Ning Hanmo, let's see as we go."

This is just the beginning; there's no rush.

"Waaah……"

After walking not far, a child's wailing drifted over.

"Mother, I won't dare again." A little boy fell to the ground, wailing.

"Let you go out to play, let you climb trees and walls, your clothes are in this state—how am I supposed to mend them?" A woman, patched all over, sallow and thin, held a willow branch and whipped the boy with it.

But……

At some point, her tears had already streamed down her face.

"How can you hit a child?" Ning Hanmo stepped forward and blocked the woman's willow branch.

But this time, the woman couldn't hold back and directly struck Ning Hanmo with it.

"Brother." Yue Yue ran over, clumsily pulled up Ning Hanmo's sleeve, and saw a red stripe.

Just now Bai Zhi and Shunzi wanted to move, but at that moment Jiang Yunchu's icy gaze swept over them, and both of their steps halted.

"Don't cry, brother isn't hurt." Ning Hanmo wiped Yue Yue's tears, still smiling; he's a man, it's just a blow, it won't hurt much.

"Hiss……"

But it really hurts.

"Our family's affairs are none of your business." The woman wiped her tears and said angrily.

"You're grown up—why bully a child? What did he do wrong? You say it yourself—why hit him?" Ning Hanmo argued firmly.

"Look at your clothes—how could you know our situation? He only has this one outfit, now torn like this; I don't even have spare cloth or patches to mend it—will you compensate?" The woman grew angrier, hands on her hips, but she didn't swing the willow branch again.

Ning Hanmo looked, incredulous, and lifted his head: "Just one piece? Then wear a better one."

"Better? Go inside and see—if you can find me a scrap of cloth, I'll bang my head to death here." The woman, also a tough sort, gritted her teeth and said.

"Mother." Ning Hanmo glanced at Jiang Yunchu.

Being able to let this kid call out once shows he really wants to go inside and have a look.

"Elder sister, my child doesn't understand; I've overprotected him before. I, the younger sister, apologize here." Jiang Yunchu slightly bowed her head.

Her gesture—let alone the five people behind her—made them all step forward together, then they recalled the Princess Consort's admonition and slowly stepped back.

Yue Yue held Jiang Yunchu's hand, her little face showing incomprehension.

In the little girl's view, everyone should bow to them; why should Yun Chu bow to that aunt?

But……

The one whose mood fluctuated the most was Ning Hanmo; was she bowing to others because she meddled too much?

"I... I'm also furious." The elder sister wiped her tears; she has only this child—if she weren't extremely angry, how could she bear to strike him?

But…… we really can't afford clothes; we don't even have patches anymore.

This child can't even go out tomorrow; what will we do in winter?

"Elder sister, may I let my child come inside to have a look?" Jiang Yunchu said with a smile.

At first glance, he doesn't seem like a bad person; the elder sister thought, the cleanliness inside is such that even rats wouldn't bother—what does she have to fear?

"Go ahead, go yourself." The elder sister took a breath; the rice porridge she drank this morning now makes her stomach ache with hunger.

"I'll take you there." The boy stood up, also grabbed a stool from the side, put it down for his mother, helped her sit, then went inside with Ning Hanmo.

Jiang Yunchu saw the little boy doing chores, smiled at the elder sister, and said, "Elder sister, hold on a bit longer; someday you'll enjoy blessings."

This boy will surely have his own place in the world.

"Alas, we poor folk—we eat one meal and don't know where the next will come from; we don't even know how long we can live."

"It will get better." Jiang Yunchu comforted lightly.

Yue Yue was curious what her brother was doing; after asking Jiang Yunchu, she slowly entered the house.

"You two children are both well-behaved; the younger sister will enjoy blessings in the future."

Moreover, their attire is decent; the household conditions should be better—at least they needn't worry about food, clothing, or daily use, unlike our own home.

The three little children inside presented yet another scene.

"Don't you hate your mother?" Ning Hanmo couldn't understand; his mother beats him like that, why isn't he angry, and still fetches her a stool and brings water?

Is he afraid of being beaten?

"Or are you afraid that if I leave, your mother will beat you again?" Ning Hanmo thought it more likely, immediately grabbed the boy's arm, and said, "Come with us."

The boy just smiled, "This is my home."

Ning Hanmo looked at the empty, clean room—it was clean, but too clean, with nothing in it.

"This is our food storage cabinet." The boy opened the cabinet.

Inside, aside from a handful of grayish stuff, there seemed to be nothing else.

"My family is very poor; my father died, and my mother raised me."

"The clothes I wear are my only outfit; spring, summer, autumn, winter—I have only this set."

"Now I've grown; my mother cut a piece from her own clothes and sewed it onto my pant legs."

Today I was careless and tore my clothes, but at home there isn't even any cloth for mending, and the thread and needle for mending also cost money; my mother beating me is deserved.

In the boy's eyes, there was no trace of resentment, and even the corners of his mouth carried a hint of a smile.

At this moment, Ning Hanmo didn't understand; he listened, dumbfounded, feeling that everything that had happened today was like something out of the Arabian Nights.

"Thank you just now for helping me, but I have nothing, I can't repay you." the boy said.

"Then tell me one thing." Ning Hanmo said.