The Rise of a Farm Girl

Wang Jingru put two pancakes in her pocket and said as she walked, "These are what I earned through my labor. You can all eat your fill staying at home, so why can't I?"

Cousin, you are only a few days older than me, so don't scold me all the time. Besides, you may be too idle staying at home all day. I think you should go to the mountains to collect grass for pigs and firewood.

I am six years old. When I was three or four years old, I was already doing housework.

You have enjoyed the blessing for several years, and it is your turn now. Wang Jingyi blushed and was so angry that she couldn't say a word.

Wang Jingru returned to her room and put the pancake into her space, waiting to eat it when she was hungry, or to save it for her silly father.

Wang Jingru went to the town and was exhausted from the walk back and forth. She fell asleep in bed soon after lying down.

There was no conversation that night. The next morning, I got up and ate as usual. I put on my backpack and went to collect grass for the pigs.

The three siblings ate some more bread on the mountain. They picked up two bundles of firewood and a basket of pig grass, the same amount as yesterday.

Today was the same as usual. When the three of them returned home, it was already dark, and they went to the table to eat as usual.

As soon as Wang Jingru sat down at the table, she saw an unexpected person, that was her fourth uncle. As soon as her fourth uncle came back, the table was filled with a rich meal.

Moreover, Old Man Wang kept picking up food for his son. Didn’t he see the disgusted look on Fourth Uncle’s face?

Fourth uncle despised his parents, but at the same time he wanted to get more money from old man Wang.

Fourth uncle was even better at pretending. He kept giving all the dishes that his father put into Old Man Wang's bowl, and then said nice things to make Old Man Wang happy.

Dad, these are your favorite dishes, eat more. After saying that, he peeled all the vegetables in his bowl and put them into Old Man Wang’s bowl.

Old man Wang was so excited that he saw that his son was still relying on him. Old man Wang was very happy and ate the food his son picked for him.

Wang Jingru watched them perform the drama of loving father and filial son, and the dinner ended in laughter.

Wang Jingru and her two brothers returned to their room, while Old Man Wang and his fourth son, Wang Tiewei, returned to the house.

Wang Tiewei said, "Dad, if I want to get a higher grade this time, I have to use money to bribe people. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to get a higher grade. The students in our college who have the ability to do so have all spent money to bribe people."

I want to seek some advice from the most famous teacher, Liu Kaixuan. There is no mediocre student taught by Mr. Liu. But my family has no money. What should I do?

I want to buy an inkstone and give it to an old gentleman. The old gentleman doesn't like money.

But he likes all kinds of calligraphy and paintings, as well as inkstones, brushes and ink. I have already picked out the best inkstone, which costs 50 taels. Old man Wang lit up his pipe and started puffing without saying a word.

But our family can't afford that kind of money, Old Man Wang said. Our family can only afford 20 taels of silver now. If we sell our land, I'm afraid we won't be able to continue our studies in the future.

Our family has already sold the land. Although Wang Laosi and Wang Tiewei are educated people, they are bad at heart, just like Old Lady Wang.

Wang Tiewei said, why not sell the little girl from the third brother's family? She can still be worth some money.

I heard that Mr. Liu from the county liked young girls. His hobby was very special. It was said that countless young girls were tortured to death by him.

How much money could a little girl get from selling her? Even if she was sold, she wouldn't make up 50 taels! Old Man Wang was a little hesitant. After all, she was his granddaughter. Even if he was unhappy, he didn't want to sell her to a family like that and then die early.

But they had to do this for their son's future, as they really had no where to get the money.

Old man Wang was afraid that his three sons would come back and make trouble with them. He knew that his three sons were a bit foolishly filial and very obedient.

But if his child was really sold, he would fight to the death. So Old Man Wang hesitated to agree.

When Wang Laosi saw that his father did not nod in agreement, he continued to persuade him, "Dad, this opportunity should not be missed. Once I can make Mr. Liu happy, my future will be limitless."

The key is that Mr. Liu can write me a letter of recommendation for Xingyu Academy. Then I can go to the best academy to study.

Moreover, I have won the favor of the gentleman this time and received his advice. I have a good chance of passing the exam and I can make further progress.

When we have money in the future, we will redeem Erya. Wang Jingru didn't know that someone was plotting against her, but she was not afraid even if someone was plotting against her. She would hide in the space when she encountered danger.

The conversation between Old Man Wang and Wang Tiewei was heard by Old Lady Wang who came in. She immediately said, "You are just a liar. Just sell her. Why are you hesitating?"

That is the future of my precious son. No one can delay it. I tell you, old man, if you dare not respond, I will make trouble with you.

Anyone who dares to delay my son's studies will be punished.

With the participation of Old Lady Wang and the fourth son, who kept painting a rosy picture for him, Old Man Wang finally nodded in agreement.

Wang Tiewei saw that Old Lady Wang was in cahoots with him, so they got together to discuss how to sell Wang Erya smoothly.

Wang Tiewei said, "Mom, I will go back to town tomorrow, go to the county the day after tomorrow, and then find Mr. Liu's housekeeper. After we have negotiated something, we will quietly bring Erya to the town. The housekeeper and the servants will be waiting for her in the town."

Once Arya is loaded onto the carriage, she will have to listen whether she wants to or not. How capable can a six-year-old child be?

Old Mrs. Wang was still a little worried. She thought maybe the baby had fainted at home and was sold secretly.

Wang Laosi didn't think so. If his mother fainted at home and was taken away and sold, there would inevitably be walls that were impenetrable, and if someone found out, it would be terrible.

Our family's reputation would plummet.

If we take Erya to the town and sell her, we will say that she got lost. It is normal for a child to get lost and no one can blame us. We will just say that Erya wandered around and got lost by herself.

Let him wait there, he won't listen. Then you can go back to the village and tell them, and no one can say anything to us?

If I secretly knock someone out in the village and then sell them, it would be terrible if the villagers saw us.

When Old Lady Wang heard this, she realized that this was indeed the case, but she was in a dilemma again. What about my son? The key point is that Erya doesn't listen to me now!

I asked her to go to town with me, but she might not be able to go with me. Wang Tiewei said, "Mom, just say you are buying clothes for their family, one set for each person."

She will be happy to go with you. Old Mrs. Wang thought about it and it made sense. The third room hasn't worn new clothes for a long time. All the clothes they picked up were old clothes that the first and second rooms didn't want.

If I talk about buying clothes for them, Erya will definitely jump up and down and will have to go with me.

Okay, let’s do it this way. I think this should be done sooner rather than later.

When you return to town tomorrow, go to the county. When you come back from the county, I will take Erya to town.

Then he sold it to her. The two of them discussed it very well. Although Wang Jingru didn't hear it, his second brother heard it.

His second elder brother had a problem since he was young. He loved to eavesdrop, and what he liked to listen to most was his grandparents’ talk.

The two of them chatted in the middle of the night, and in their whispers, they always said that his second wife was stupid and scolded them for not working enough.

Therefore, the two children from the second wife hated the old couple.

After listening to the conversation, the second brother Wang Youjin came back angrily. Wang Youliang asked, "What's wrong with Youjin? Why are you still angry?"

I saw you come in angrily. Why?

Wang Youjin sat on the bed and said angrily, I just heard my grandparents and fourth uncle.

In the house, he said that he had no money to study and wanted to sell his younger sister to Mr. Liu from the county.

Everyone within a hundred miles of Mr. Liu knew him, and he spent a lot of money to buy young girls.

Not long after he bought the little girl, she was tortured to death by him.

My fourth uncle and my grandparents are so vicious.

Eldest brother Wang Youliang said, we must keep a close eye on our sister recently and take her with us wherever we go.

Don’t let Fourth Uncle and Grandpa and Grandma succeed.

I have to tell my sister tomorrow morning. My fourth uncle and grandpa and grandma want to sell him to Mr. Liu in the county, who has a special hobby.

Tell her to be careful, not to go to town with these people, and not to eat the food they give her.

The two brothers discussed it and went to bed early. The next day, before dawn, Old Lady Wang got up and made pancakes and fried eggs for her fourth son.

Afraid that her old son would be hungry, she made more pancakes and cooked three or four eggs.

She was very worried that her oldest son would not have enough to eat, and the main reason was that she was afraid that the first and second wives would see her. It was time for her to ask for white flour pancakes.

Every time Old Lady Wang's fourth son came back, she would want him to eat good food and would also take a lot of food with him when he left.

She was afraid that her grandchildren would see the delicious food she made and ask for it, so Grandma Wang got up very early.

He thought he was the only one who got up in the yard, but what she didn't know was that Wang Jingru was also up.

Wang Jingru hid outside the kitchen. When Old Lady Wang finished cooking and called her son to get up and eat, Wang Jingru put all the food into the space.

Not even a crumb was left for him. When Mrs. Wang and her son came to the kitchen, they saw that the table was empty, with nothing on it. Mrs. Wang was dumbfounded.

Wang Laosi was about to lose his temper, but before he could say anything, Old Lady Wang stopped working.

Old Mrs. Wang cursed loudly, "What a damn bastard, you stole the breakfast I worked so hard to make for my precious son."

Big brother, second brother, get up. Is this your fault?

The eldest and second sons' family were called out by Old Lady Wang before they knew what was going on.

Wang Jingru and her siblings were no exception, they were all called up and stood in the yard. They all felt puzzled and looked at Old Lady Wang with innocent eyes.

This made Old Lady Wang very angry. When she saw that no one took anything, she was so angry that she sat in the yard and started crying. The neighbors were woken up by her and they all climbed over the wall to look into the yard.

There are also families whose children were woken up and cried loudly. The scolding was very ugly. Let me tell you, you old woman woke up my grandson. My grandson was scared by you. You have to pay compensation.

I've never seen anything like this in your family. Other families haven't gotten up yet, but you're still staying in the yard, crying and howling.

Even if you want to cry, you have to wait until dawn when other people get up. You are disturbing the neighbors.

How big a thing could it be that would make you wake up so early and cry? Could it be that your youngest son came back and abused you? When Mrs. Wang heard this, she started scolding you, saying, "You are talking nonsense."

My oldest son is the most filial. Then Mrs. Wang said, I will leave the food I prepared this morning for my son. Eat it when you are hungry on the road.

But who would have thought that I had just put it on the table. I went to the room to call my old son to get up for dinner, but when I came back, I found that everything was gone, nothing was left.

Looking at the empty plate, I knew that he must have stolen all the food while I was away and called my son.

When I came back, I found the kitchen was completely empty. How could there be such a thief who stole everything, even the food.

Who the hell took my food and brought it back to me now?

Some people climbed on the wall and shouted loudly at Old Lady Wang, "Old Lady Wang, don't be angry. It's useless to be angry. The food was lost in your kitchen. It must have been stolen by someone in your family."

Just check each room and you'll know. After the man finished shouting, Old Lady Wang searched a bit and got up from the ground.

The kitchen was closest to Wang Jingru and her family's house, so she rushed into the room immediately.

I searched every room but found no clues. So I searched in vain.

I searched every room but couldn't find it. Not only that, I discovered a big secret.

Fifty taels of silver were found in the eldest brother's room, and the second brother also hid more than three taels of silver in his room.

This made the old couple very angry. They had no money to support their youngest son's education, but they had saved up fifty taels of silver.

Even if they divided the money, they could not rush to sell Arya. Now that they had money, they were not so worried, and they had money to buy gifts for their son and his wife.

Originally, when Old Wang saw that he had enough money, he didn't plan to sell Erya. But the fourth son, Wang Tiewei, insisted on selling her. Finally, the old couple nodded in agreement. The fourth son, Wang Tiewei, didn't eat at home, but went directly to the town to eat.

He was in a hurry to sell Erya, so he was in a hurry. At dawn, Wang Laosi returned to the town and then took a ox cart to the county.

When they arrived at the county and came to Mr. Liu's house, they saw the magnificent courtyard. The housekeeper asked the reason and found out that he was selling his niece.

The housekeeper looked Wang Laosi up and down, and despised such people in his heart, but he didn't say it out loud. He thought, "You must be a scholar, so I'll be frank with you. Pay the money in one go and give the person away with the other."

The housekeeper gave Wang Laosi fifty taels of silver to buy her out in one go. From now on, there will be no Wang Erya in your family.

Wang Laosi bowed and nodded to Liu Yuanwai's housekeeper like a pug.

Finally, Butler Wang had to go to town to do some work, so he took him back with him.

By the way, I also took the little girl back the next day. It was a good idea, but I didn't think about whether Wang Jingru was willing.

But this time they were destined to be disappointed. After discussion, the butler went to pick them up tomorrow.

Wang Laosi also returned to the town from the county town, and then returned to the village from the town.

It was already dark when they came back. After dinner, Wang Laosi discussed tomorrow's affairs with Wang Laotai.