Both Ye Yunniang and Chunyao agreed with this; if Xiumei had met a man who truly cared for her, she wouldn't have ended up like this.
That afternoon, Ye Yunniang not only fried round dumplings but also fried noodles, dough flakes, and fish.
Ye Yunniang packed a good amount for Chunyao and Liang Maimiao.
Chunyao and Liang Maimiao refused, saying their own children had already eaten plenty that afternoon. Taking a whole basin more was really too much.
After some back-and-forth, the two finally left carrying the basin.
Ye Yunniang had tasted the round dumplings until she was full. She asked the three children if they still wanted dinner.
Li Pan and the other two shook their heads; they were also full and couldn't eat anymore.
"Then let's wash up and go to bed early." Ye Yunniang boiled two large pots of hot water, bathed the three children first and tucked them into bed. Then she carried hot water to the bathing room in the backyard to wash herself and her hair.
Having spent the whole day in the kitchen, she was covered in grease.
After washing, she soaked her clothes to be washed the next day.
Returning to the front courtyard, she went to the main room first; the three children were already fast asleep.
After tucking them in, Ye Yunniang returned to the side room, sat in front of the charcoal brazier to warm herself and dry her hair.
Focused on drying her hair, Ye Yunniang didn't notice someone climbing over the wall into the Li household.
By the time she realized, the intruder had already reached the side room, pushed open the door, and stood before her.
"Don't scream, pretty one. My knife has no eyes." A ruffianly man, his face covered, held a dagger. The blade pressed against Ye Yunniang's neck.
Sitting by the charcoal brazier, Ye Yunniang's previously relaxed heart sank.
What to do?
"What do you want?" Ye Yunniang dodged the thief's hand as it reached for her.
"Don't move. My dagger isn't for show." The thief pressed the blade harder against Ye Yunniang's neck.
Feeling the cold steel, Ye Yunniang stayed still.
Satisfied, the thief used the dagger to flick open the collar of Ye Yunniang's garment.
Having just bathed and planning to dry her hair before sleeping, Ye Yunniang wasn't wearing her outer coat, only a sleeping jacket, with the top button at the neck undone.
Under the oil lamp, her fair neck resembled fine white jade, glowing with a soft luster.
It dazzled the man, captivating him for a moment.
Now was the chance.
Disregarding the dagger cutting her neck and ignoring the burn on her hand, Ye Yunniang grabbed the charcoal brazier and flung its contents at the thief.
"Ah—" The thief screamed, staggering back from the scalding coals.
Seizing the moment the thief was startled by the coals, Ye Yunniang twisted around, grabbed the cleaver by the bed, and swung it with all her might at the thief.
The thief had just brushed off the burning coals from his clothes when Ye Yunniang's cleaver arrived; he blocked it with his arm.
His winter padded jacket prevented a serious cut, only breaking the skin, but it enraged him. "You bitch!"
Ye Yunniang didn't respond, just swung the cleaver at the thief again and again with all her strength.
Forced back step by step, the thief was driven out of the room.
Ye Yunniang followed him out, hacking fiercely with the knife in her hand while shouting at the top of her lungs.
"Help! Catch the thief!..."
During the struggle, she even fired the hidden needle from her ring.
"Where's the thief?"
"At the Li house!"
"Quick, someone!"
...
Hearing the commotion outside, the thief knew his goal for the night was impossible. Protecting his injured arm, he snarled, "You bitch, I won't let you off."
He ran toward the backyard, as the front was no escape.
"Mother, what's wrong?"
"Close the door!" Ye Yunniang's warning came too late.
Bang! The Li family's gate was kicked open.
The thief grabbed Li Pan.
"Ah, let me go!" Li Pan, caught in the grip, screamed.
"Let go of my son!" Ye Yunniang wanted to rush forward, but the thief's dagger was pressed tightly against Li Pan's neck, so she dared not move.
Tie Xiong charged in with others and saw Ye Yunniang disheveled, her clothes in disorder, holding a cleaver whose tip was still dripping blood.
"Let the child go." Tie Xiong pointed his sword.
Other neighbors, armed with shoulder poles, brooms, axes, sickles, scissors, kitchen knives, and more, surrounded the thief.
Seeing the people pouring in, the thief panicked momentarily. "Don't come closer. Come closer, and I'll kill him."
"Don't hurt my son." Seeing the trickle of blood on Li Pan's neck, Ye Yunniang's heart ached terribly.
"You bitch, you ruined my face. I'll ruin your son too." That basin of coals from Ye Yunniang had not only singed the thief's hair but also burned his face.
As he spoke, he tightened his grip; Li Pan struggled to breathe.
"Stop! Breaking into a home at night is already a crime. Harming a child adds to your guilt." Tie Xiong's voice carried a warning for the thief to reconsider.
"If it's all crime, what does one more or less matter?" The thief glared at Ye Yunniang. "Ye Yunniang, you're vicious. You left a message for me to come during the day, and at night you try to kill your lover."
"That's bullshit! Yunniang was with us all day from morning till night, busy frying round dumplings. When did she leave any message?" Chunyao stepped forward, not letting the thief smear Ye Yunniang's name.
"Exactly, I was with Yunniang the whole time. Don't you slander her." Liang Maimiao also testified. "Let the child go now."
Some believed it, some didn't.
"Not necessarily. It takes two to tango."
Slap! Slap!
"Does that sound?" Ye Yunniang glared fiercely at Niu Dajiao. Her son's life hung by a thread, and Niu Dajiao was still making snide remarks. Ye Yunniang felt murderous rage.
"You dare hit me?" Niu Dajiao covered her face.
"You slandered me; hitting you is the least of it." Ye Yunniang pointed the blood-stained knife at Niu Dajiao.
Niu Dajiao stepped back in fear.
Ye Yunniang turned back to the thief. "What will it take for you to release my son?"
"Simple. Take off all your clothes, and I'll let him go." The thief leered.
"Shut your mouth!" Tie Xiong tried to rush him.
The thief stepped back, tightening his grip on the neck.
Li Pan's eyes bulged from lack of air.
"Stop!" Ye Yunniang's heart broke.
"Hurry up, or your son dies." The thief increased the pressure again.
"Mother, don't!" Li Pan struggled to speak.
How could Ye Yunniang watch her son die? "Fine, I'll do it. Loosen your grip on my son."
Without hesitation, Ye Yunniang began unbuttoning her jacket.
"Yunniang, you can't!" Chunyao grabbed her hand to stop her.
"Yunniang, don't." Liang Maimiao also came over to plead.
"Pan'er is my son." Ye Yunniang said no more, but that one sentence was enough. Chunyao and Liang Maimiao withdrew their hands.
"Quick, take them off, take them off!" Granny Wang, who had a grudge against Ye Yunniang, was gleeful.
No matter what happened today, Ye Yunniang wouldn't come out of this unscathed.
Ye Yunniang undid two buttons, then paused.
"Hurry up!" the thief urged.
"Loosen your hand a bit," Ye Yunniang demanded.
"You're in no position to make demands."
"If you don't loosen up, I won't undress. If my son dies, I'll kill you and go with him." Ye Yunniang gritted her teeth. "Beside me is the prefectural constable, highly skilled in martial arts. You have no leverage. You can't escape."
"Mother~" Tears welled in Li Pan's eyes.
The thief hesitated for a moment, then loosened his grip slightly.
Li Pan gasped for air. "Mother, don't. I'm not afraid to die."
"Pan'er, I only care that you're safe." Compared to her son's life, her own chastity meant nothing.
