Su Chengan looked troubled.
For an ordinary family, the monthly expenses for food and drink were only two taels. One million taels was an astronomical figure.
"Big Brother doesn't have that much money. If you're truly in need, Big Brother can lend you some for emergencies, but this child..."
"If you don't have that much money, why are you talking about it? I thought you really wanted to protect this girl. Bah! You lying donkey!"
Su Chengbai stood up, ignoring the pointing fingers of those around him, and shoved Su Chengan down.
"Daddy!" Su Youqing exclaimed, rushing to help him up.
Su Chengbai seized this opportunity to grab Su Xiayue, but Su Yunmo caught his wrist.
"What brat are you? Let go of me!" Su Chengbai raised his palm to slap Su Yunmo's face.
A cold glint flashed in Su Yunmo's eyes. She flicked his hand away. "You borrow money, don't repay it, and then sell your daughter? Calling you a beast is an insult to beasts."
Su Chengbai glared at her fiercely. "Whose family are you from? What business is it of yours!"
Su Yunmo didn't answer him, instead asking Su Youqing, "Was there a loan receipt when the money was borrowed?"
"Yes, I'll have someone fetch it." Su Youqing signaled to a servant.
Su Chengan wanted to say something but ultimately sighed and held back.
He knew his third brother's temperament as his elder brother. The money borrowed over the years, ostensibly for business, was actually to cover gambling debts in the capital and flee.
After abandoning his wife and daughter for so many years, he had returned thinking he had changed for the better, but he had become even worse.
He had watched Yue'er grow up.
This child had a bitter fate; her mother had passed away early. To reach this point, no matter what, she couldn't let her life be ruined by her third brother.
The servant quickly brought the loan receipt. It clearly stated five thousand taels of silver, to be repaid within a year.
Now, it had been over two years, and the loan was long overdue.
"Was there anything said about what would happen if it wasn't repaid?"
Su Youqing replied, "It's written at the bottom, at the mercy of the lender."
This was what he had requested himself back then. It seemed desperate but was actually a sly move.
He was his father's brother; his father wouldn't do anything to him if he couldn't repay.
"I know it's difficult for Uncle to act. Since that's the case, I'll make the decision for Uncle." A dark glint flashed in Su Yunmo's eyes. "Ziyuan, chop off his hands!"
Wasn't he addicted to gambling? She wanted to see how he would gamble without these two hands!
Ziyuan drew her sword and walked over, pinning Su Chengbai to the ground. She placed her foot on his left hand.
Su Chengbai initially didn't believe they would dare to go through with it.
Seeing Ziyuan raise her sword, he immediately screamed, "I am from the Su family! If you dare treat me like this, I won't let you off!"
He looked up and glared at Su Xiayue, then began to curse, "You little slut, are you just going to watch them chop off your father's hands? Useless piece of trash, heartless thing!"
"Momo, don't... don't do this,呜呜..." Su Xiayue was still crying.
She knew her father had behaved terribly, but no matter what, this person was her father, the father she had longed for for so many years.
"Calling you a little weakling was no mistake!" Su Youqing gritted her teeth in anger, pulled her over, covered her mouth, and dragged her into the house.
As she reached the doorway, she turned back to Su Yunmo and said, "Do whatever you want, just resolve this quickly."
The door closed, shutting out all sounds from outside.
No matter how much Su Chengbai screamed, it was useless.
Ziyuan's sword flashed.
Su Chengbai's face turned deathly pale with fright. He desperately tried to pull his hand out.
His hand moved, and the blade didn't land on his wrist. Instead, it severed three of his fingers, excluding his thumb and index finger.
"Ahhh!" A piercing scream tore through the air.
He used all his strength to shove Ziyuan away. He no longer dared to ask for money, screaming as he broke through the crowd and fled.
He was afraid Ziyuan would pursue him and deliver another blow.
His panicked escape clearly indicated this wasn't the first time he had been treated like this; he already had experience being chased.
Su Yunmo watched him flee, cursing, and coldly lowered her voice, "Go investigate and see why he suddenly returned."
A person who had disappeared for years suddenly reappearing at this precise moment and causing trouble at a restaurant upon arriving in the capital felt orchestrated.
Ziyuan responded solemnly, "Yes."
Although this farce temporarily concluded with Su Chengbai's departure,
Su Chengan was truly helpless. Looking at the severed fingers on the ground, he was both angry and sighed, but he still remembered to thank Su Yunmo.
Seeing his steady and honest demeanor, Su Yunmo felt a good impression of him, believing he wasn't a deceitful person. She simply told him to let Su Xiayue rest well for the next few days and avoid seeing people before returning to the manor.
Su Qing Tian and the others had also returned to the manor, but they were still in their room being affectionate with Zhou Wan You and hadn't come out. Judging by the situation, they probably wouldn't be seen today.
After lunch, Su Yunmo checked the herbs in the Glazed Lock. They were growing well. Afterward, she took a nap.
She was woken up halfway through her nap by Luoluo.
"Miss, it's bad! Third Master is back and is causing a scene outside the manor gate with the Old Master, demanding to see you."
Su Yunmo's eyes fluttered open groggily, her brow furrowed in annoyance.
That old rascal was quite the troublemaker.
She got up, threw on some clothes, and went out.
A crowd of people were arguing outside the General's Manor.
Uncle Su Chengan was also there. General Father Su Qing Tian stood on the steps, his brow furrowed, his expression extremely annoyed.
No one would be in a good mood if they were dragged out of a warm embrace.
Su Chengbai's entire arm was bandaged and slung around his neck. "Su Qing Tian, your daughter injured my arm. If you don't hand her over today, I'm not done with you!"
Su Qing Tian frowned, thinking that little girl was too much of a troublemaker, but he still had to protect her.
"I have heard about this matter. Third Brother first caused trouble at Big Brother's restaurant. It's only natural for this child to protect her sister. Third Brother should not bicker with a child."
You'er had just calmed down; he couldn't upset her again.
"Third Uncle, listen to what he's saying. I went to pick up my daughter openly, so how is that causing trouble?" Su Chengbai pulled out Su Qing.
Su Qing had been displeased with Su Yunmo from the start. Now that she had caused trouble and disrupted the household, he disliked her even more.
"I don't care how your General's Manor arranges for this girl. She has now offended an elder, and I will never agree to it!"
Su Yunmo stepped out of the door. "Since he is an elder, he should act like one. He insulted his brother and trafficked a young girl; he is not worthy."
"You shut your mouth! You have no right to speak here!" Su Qing harshly rebuked her. It was difficult enough that a child had stepped on him repeatedly. He glared at Su Qing Tian.
"I order you to chop off that girl's hands, make her apologize to Third Brother, and then throw her out to the suburbs! Otherwise, I will smash my head to death at your doorstep!"
Su Yunmo sneered. She had seen biased fathers, but never a father who was biased towards someone else's child.
If she remembered correctly, Su Qing only had one son, Su Qing Tian, right?
He was making a scene in public, in front of so many people, embarrassing Su Qing Tian. Where was the fatherly demeanor?
People coming and going were looking over, pointing and gossiping about the General's Manor.
Su Chengan looked at Su Qing Tian with some shame, feeling guilty.
With the situation escalating like this, he, as the elder brother, also bore some responsibility.
Su Qing Tian frowned. He could order people to drive them away, but that would give them something to talk about.
It wouldn't matter much to him, but he couldn't have You'er being gossiped about when she went out.