My strength increases by one percent every day; I can destroy stars with my bare hands.

"Father, Mother, please don't sell me. I can do many things, and I only need to eat one meal every two days."

Amidst the crowd, heart-wrenching cries ripped through the air, leaving listeners utterly devastated.

Zhang Cuier, who was twelve or thirteen years old, had a sallow complexion and dry, yellow hair. She looked at her parents, pleading with tears streaming down her face.

Seeing this, Zhang Ergou and his wife felt no reluctance whatsoever; their eyes were only on the wealthy man's money.

"With this money, we can pay our taxes and have some left over to buy Dazhuang a new set of clothes."

They paid no attention to Zhang Cuier, as if she were just an insignificant object being sold.

"Hahaha, now that you've taken my money, you're mine. Take him away."

The wealthy man, Qian, laughed lewdly, his large belly revealing a lewd expression on his face.

Zhang Cuier and Li Ling'er were about the same age. Although they were malnourished and thin, they were pretty and charming.

The wealthy man had been coveting it for a long time, and now he finally got his wish.

"Alas! Zhang's daughter is living a life worse than death in the hands of the wealthy Qian!"

"The wealthy man was ruthless; many of the young girls he bought didn't even live more than a few months."

"God! How are we supposed to live?"

"..."

Qian the landlord was notorious in the surrounding villages; everyone knew of his cruelty.

If Zhang Cuier falls into his hands, she won't live more than three months before being brutally murdered.

Zhang Cuier knew her impending fate, but her parents didn't care whether she lived or died. How could a little girl like her resist?

"Take him away."

At Qian Da Hu's command, several fierce-looking servants behind him grabbed Zhang Cui'er, who was struggling desperately, and tried to forcibly take her away.

The villagers were struggling to survive, and even those who had paid taxes, though reluctant, were powerless to help.

"stop!"

Just then, an angry shout rang out.

Upon hearing that someone dared to ruin his plans, the wealthy Qian's greasy face instantly contorted with rage, and he blurted out...

"That bastard dares to..."

He turned around, ready to deal with the fool who dared to speak, but suddenly froze, the words he hadn't finished choking him, stuck in his throat, unable to come out.

The person who spoke was Li's father. Upon seeing Li's father, all of Qian's anger vanished instantly, replaced by intense fear.

"So it's Master Li. I didn't know it was you. Please forgive me, you are a magnanimous man."

The way the wealthy man Qian changed his expression so quickly was astounding. His anger instantly turned into a fawning smile, truly demonstrating his ability to be both assertive and yielding.

In the surrounding villages, the wealthy Qian family was notorious for their tyranny, yet they dared not provoke the Li family.

The Li family produced a son who became a squad leader, a position that even some officials dared not neglect, let alone a wealthy landlord like him.

Ignoring the wealthy Qian's attempts to curry favor, Li's father turned his gaze to Zhang Cuier.

"How much did my family pay for Zhang Cuier?"

Watching Zhang Cuier's small body struggle desperately, Li's father felt as if he were seeing his own daughter from a few months ago, and he empathized with her.

A surge of compassion welled up within him, and his eyes were filled with unbearable pity.

He knew all too well what kind of torment and humiliation a powerless and impoverished girl would suffer and be driven to utter despair if she fell into the hands of a tyrant like Qian Dahu.

Seeing his good deed ruined, the wealthy man was furious, but dared not show it.

At this moment, Zhang Cuier seemed to grasp at the last straw, and a glimmer of hope appeared in her empty and desperate eyes.

She struggled to kneel on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly to Li's father.

"Uncle Li, please save me! I eat very little, I can do anything... mmm..."

Before Zhang Cuier could finish speaking, Qian Dahu gave a signal, and several servants quickly restrained Zhang Cuier, covering her mouth to prevent her from speaking further.

"Master Li, Zhang Cuier was sold to me by the Zhang family and is now a member of my Qian family. I don't want to sell her anymore."

The wealthy man, blinded by lust, was unwilling to give up Zhang Cuier.

Moreover, he was in the right at this moment and believed that Li's father could not do anything to him.

"Yeah?"

Li's father's eyes turned cold, and without saying another word, he turned and left.

"snort!"

Watching Li's father leave, Qian the wealthy man snorted coldly, a smug look on his face.

He thought that Li's father had given in and dared not oppose him.

As Zhang Cuier watched Li's father leave, the faint hope in her eyes gradually faded away.

She knew that her only chance to escape the tiger's den was gone.

Just as the wealthy Qian was getting carried away and preparing to take Zhang Cuier away, Li's father quickly returned, followed by the tax collector Sun Yun and a group of yamen runners.

Seeing the officials approaching menacingly, the surrounding commoners and wealthy man Qian instinctively tensed up. The wealthy man Qian's expression changed, and he immediately sensed something was wrong.

"Gentlemen, it was he who forced us to buy and sell."

Li's father pointed at the wealthy Qian, and a group of officials immediately surrounded him.

"So you're the one forcing a sale? And you dare offend Master Li? Do you even know what your punishment is?"

Sun Yun's stern questioning carried a sense of oppression, causing Qian the wealthy man to tremble and feel a chill run down his spine.

"Sir, this is all a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding!"

The wealthy man was terrified and immediately knelt down to beg for mercy.

He originally thought that Li Xuancang was far away on the border, and even if the Li family received the protection of the court, they would not have any power. As long as he did not provoke them, he would be fine.

Seeing that Li's father could command government officials, he realized how terribly wrong his thinking had been.

Even though Li Xuancang was far away on the border, the Li family was not someone he could afford to offend.

"Sir, I don't want this girl anymore. I'm willing to give her to Master Li. Everyone can testify to this."

The wealthy man, Qian, was jolted awake and immediately changed his attitude, handing over Zhang Cuier, who had been the catalyst for the whole affair.

He no longer had any lustful desires and only wanted to settle things peacefully and get away as soon as possible.

Sun Yun did not agree, but instead turned to Li's father and asked for his opinion in a gentle voice.

"Mr. Li, what do you think?"

Li's father wanted to rescue Zhang Cuier, and having achieved his goal, he didn't want to cause any more trouble.

"That's fine!"

Upon hearing this, Qian the landlord and Sun Yun and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

Mr. Qian was a wealthy landlord with connections in the county government, and Sun Yun didn't want to offend him too much.

But if Li's father insisted on punishing Qian the tycoon, Sun Yun would have no choice but to bite the bullet and carry out Li's father's instructions.

Fortunately, Mr. Li knew how to handle the situation, and everyone was happy.

"Release them now!"

The wealthy man failed to catch the fox and ended up in a mess, looking disheveled and embarrassed.

He was furious, but dared not vent his anger on Li's father or the officials, so he could only take it out on the servants.

The servants hurriedly released her. After being freed from her restraints, Zhang Cuier knelt at Li's feet with tears in her eyes, kowtowing repeatedly to express her gratitude.

"Thank you, Uncle Li, thank you, Uncle Li..."

She didn't say anything to repay the debt, she just kept kowtowing, and blood soon appeared on her head.

"Child, get up quickly."

Mr. Li looked distressed and quickly helped him up.

"Come on, let's go home!"

Li's father took Zhang Cuier away, and Zhang Cuier followed closely behind him, never looking at her biological parents again.

Seeing this, the other villagers sighed with regret. The wealthy man had gained nothing but lost some money and left in a huff.