Soldiers were everywhere, and corpses littered the fields.

This year, war has raged and bandits have run rampant, leaving the people in misery.

This season, natural disasters have been incessant, with locusts swarming everywhere, leaving fertile fields barren.

This month, in Fanzhou Prefecture's main city, heavy rains caused a disaster, leaving three households without a single grain of harvest.

Greater City East, one hundred and thirty miles.

Tulín Village.

Midnight.

The moon struggled hard between the thick clouds, but only a sliver managed to shine through.

The wind, imbued with the spirit of the mountains and forest, howled wildly.

At the foot of the hills east of Tulinchang Village, a dilapidated thatched hut echoed with wails.

"Father, sell me to buy food."

This year's book has already brought tears to his younger brother and sister. He said resolutely,

"Son, don't speak!" Fang Yan, the father of Fang Er, felt as if a knife was twisting in his heart.

Fang Yan, who was originally under forty, suddenly looked several years older. His face seemed withered and gaunt.

The Fang family was originally a scholarly family from the north.

It is said that eleven generations before the Fang family, an ancestor once visited the imperial court, and another ancestor served as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy.

And Fang's descendants, in order to escape the war and disaster, constantly fled south.

One branch hid in the mountain ravine outside the city, and now it is the third generation.

Fang's family has always been the scholar family in the village.

Fang's father, Fang Yan, was the village schoolmaster and also a farmer. Their life in the village was fairly comfortable.

And now, with a great disaster upon us, the villagers themselves struggle to eat, let alone send their children to school.

Therefore, the Fang family's life became increasingly difficult.

Year after year of warfare, bandits, and heavy taxes have pushed the rural villagers to their limits.

This year's disasters have resulted in a large number of deaths.

Although Fang's family was the only scholarly family in the village and respected by all, they were now at their wit's end.

"I don't want my brother to leave! I'd rather..."

"I don't want my brother to leave...sniffle..."

The younger brother and sister cried out.

Seeing the two children so well-behaved, Madam Wang, their mother, could not help but cry like rain. She swallowed her sobs silently on the side.

Fang is the eldest son of the Fang family. Although he is only 11 years old this year, he is remarkably intelligent.

He began to learn letters and read from the ages of two or three, following his father.

He is exceptionally talented and extremely diligent. He has been studying for over eight years now.

Although Fang is not yet well-versed in literature, he has a certain foundation.

If one were to be born in a prosperous time and study diligently like Fang, it is estimated that they could pass the imperial examinations and achieve the status of a scholar.

Just because he has been malnourished for a long time, he looks very thin and frail, only resembling an eight or nine-year-old child.

While Fang Yue, the younger sister, was only 7 years old, her youngest brother, Fang Mu, was just 4 and even more frail.

"Alas...child, you are brilliant and quick-witted. If you were born in a time of peace and prosperity, you would surely achieve fame through your studies. Alas, to be born in this world..."

"Son, oh... Father is sorry for you!"

Fāng Yán said, some empty eyes welled up with two lines of turbid tears.

"Father, sell me and exchange the money for some silver. That way, we can get through this year's famine. Otherwise, if things continue like this, my younger brothers and sisters will die!"

After a pause, he firmly stated, "As the eldest son, I should think of my younger siblings."

"Son, let father think of a way again!" Fang Yan shook his head helplessly.

"Father, Mother, our household has been out of grain for three days now, and we still owe grain. Now the crops have failed, and even the nearby wild vegetables and grasses are running low…"

"Father, mother, my younger brother and sister are still young. If they are sold, I'm afraid they will be treated as mere 'two-legged sheep'..."

Speaking of this, Fang couldn't say any more.

Upon hearing this, the Fang family couldn't help but be astonished.

"Fang said slowly, "Even if our brother and sister manage to escape being sold, they won't remember the way home!"

"I'm different. I've grown up, and I need to go out and experience the world. Who knows, maybe I'll make something of myself."

To protect her younger brother and sister, Fang pleaded with her father to sell her.

The cuteness and obedience of the child make people feel sorry for them.

"...Son..." When the father heard these words, he fell silent for a moment.

"Oh... my child, you are also the mother's heart. How could she bear to part with you..."

Wang, who had been choking back tears previously, suddenly couldn't hold it in any longer. She pounded her chest and started wailing loudly.

"Father, Mother, your child is unfilial. In the future, I won't be able to often serve you both. Your child will definitely work hard and make something of himself. In the future, I will definitely treat you both well."

With a thud, Fang Pu knelt down and kowtowed three times to his parents, each bow accompanied by a loud "dong."

Sporadic sobs, until dawn.

Hearing the cries, the villagers all sighed in sorrow.

Born into this world, people have long been accustomed to such things.

Just tonight's heartbreaking cries should make many people sleepless.

The next morning, the sky was filled with a light mist.

The refreshing mountain mist that usually soothed the soul was today a source of added sorrow for the Fang family.

Creak—creak—

A stench of decay filled the air as a rusty car roared through the quiet mountain village.

Only a sharp-nosed fellow was seen driving a cart with a canopy, slowly arriving at the Fang family's door.

There was also a big, burly man on the car watching over four or five children about the same size as Fang.

This sharp-faced man was called Zhang Er, and the big fellow was named Zhang Bao.

These two were cousins, notorious scoundrels in the city.

This time, hearing about the flood, they planned to buy people at a low price and sell them to the city to make some money.

If others refuse, they will use their weak skills to forcefully buy and sell, even injuring several people.

Tulins village is located against the backdrop of a mountain range. It has no hunter households, and the Fang family is highly respected, so these two rogues dare not cause trouble here.

"Mr. Fang, are you home?" Zhang Er's sharp voice sounded like a weasel, making it unpleasant to hear.

At this moment, Fang picked up the few tattered belongings wrapped in a patched cloth and pushed open the creaking wooden door.

Fang Yan and Wang followed behind, their faces full of worry.

Wang Shi choked back a sob, while Fang turned her head away, unable to meet her mother's gaze.

As for younger sister Fang Yue and younger brother Fang Mu, because they are young, they cried most of the night yesterday and haven't woken up yet.

Seeing Fang carrying a package, Zhang Er was somewhat pleased.

However, at this time, Wang pulled her son back and did not want him to leave.

"Mr. Fang, please let your family member Fang come with me. I'll give eight taels of silver and half a bag of rice. It's enough to help your family through this difficult time. Besides, Fang going to the city is also fortunate."

Zhang Er, while speaking, also imitated the manner of scholars and stepped forward to bow to Fang Yan.

This man was quite crafty and knew how to use polite gestures with scholars, making it easier for him to get what he wanted.

Although Zhang Er's bow was awkward, even a bit comical, Fang Yan still returned the gesture with seriousness.

Eight taels of silver, although only the price of a decent meal in town, can really feed a family from a remote farm for half a year.

This money can indeed help the Fang family get through their current difficulties.

Fan Yan looked at Nianzi, asleep on the straw mat in the room, and then at his sensible eldest son. For a moment, he was torn between two choices.

"We won't sell, we're not selling!" the woman on one side cried, but her words were firm and resolute.

"Didn't we agree last time? Even scholars should be reasonable!"

Saying that, Zhang Er's face turned fierce.

(Editor in charge：solo leveling novel)