The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 582 - 580: Should They Sell the Girl for Glory?

Chapter 582: Chapter 580: Should They Sell the Girl for Glory?

Moreover, during the time Wang Yongan was favored by the County Magistrate, Jinchai was already the most beautiful among the young girls, and since everyone else listened to their parents and gave way to her, she felt quite proud for some time.

Who would have thought that later on, when Wang Yongan was dismissed, she sought those sisters again, only to find everyone indifferent, even speaking rudely to her.

Frustrated, Jinchai didn’t leave her house for quite some days, cooped up indoors.

Now, seeing Wang Yongan coming in, she dully called out "Dad."

Wang Yongan’s eyes lit up. Now, Jinchai could barely be considered a young lady. The family had never treated her poorly, she had good food and clothing, similar to the twelve or thirteen-year-old girls in the countryside.

Wang Yongan, after all, was a Scholar and greatly believed in those principles. Ever since Jinchai turned seven, he rarely paid attention to her — "a grown daughter should avoid her father."

Even on the days when he saw her, he didn’t look much.

Today, troubled in heart, he looked a bit more and discovered that his daughter had, unknowingly, developed a slender figure and the poise of a young girl.

Her hair was jet black, and because she had been staying indoors, she wore only a hairpin made of rice pearls. Dressed in a light green cotton jacket and skirt, it made her small face appear even fairer.

Wang Yongan nodded and went inside the house.

Come evening, lying on the kang bed, Wang Yongan tentatively asked Lady Qian, "Jinchai is a grown lady now, shouldn’t we start looking for prospective matches for her?"

Lady Qian felt worried about this matter. A few days back, with her husband valued by the County Magistrate, quite a few people sought to betroth Jinchai.

But once her husband was dismissed by the County Magistrate, those people disappeared without a trace.

Besides, with Jinchai’s looks and character, she couldn’t bear to marry her off just like that; she had to find someone with titles and achievements that were her match, didn’t she?

Once Lady Qian shared these thoughts, Wang Yongan fell silent for a while, then tactfully said that today he found out that the First Master’s niece was the County Magistrate’s concubine and greatly favored.

Lady Qian was an astute person, having been with Wang Yongan for over a decade. Hearing the tone of his voice, she knew what Wang Yongan meant.

Immediately, she turned over and sat up on the kang bed, firmly objecting, "No way! Jinchai is still so young, how can we make her someone’s concubine? Besides, didn’t we agree before, that with Jinchai’s looks and literacy, she is better off being the wife of a man with a title than a concubine?"

Wang Yongan was also hesitant to decide. To send his daughter, whom he had painstakingly raised for over a decade, to be someone’s concubine did indeed feel too heart-wrenching.

But if he couldn’t find a way back into Prefect Gao’s service, how long could he endure?

Seeing Wang Yongan silent, Lady Qian hurriedly said, "I’m telling you, I’ll agree to anything else, but sending Jinchai to be a concubine is out of the question! Besides, everyone else sends nieces; don’t you have nieces too? Why not send one of them, why so ruthlessly send your own daughter?"

Wang Yongan replied irritably, "Do you think I haven’t considered that? But back home, only Laosan has a daughter, and you’ve seen her — dark and skinny. Can you bear to send her off?"

Lady Qian was unconvinced, "No matter what, I won’t agree to send my daughter! Whether you send your niece or your sister, it’s up to you!"

Wang Yongan slapped the edge of the kang bed, thinking of his own family – his niece was both dark and unattractive. He did have a sister, but she too was dark and plump.

Neither was presentable!

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He really didn’t want to send his own daughter. Now that he was a Scholar, he had some dignity to uphold. Offering a niece sounded more palatable, but sending his own daughter would just be selling her for glory.

After tossing and turning in bed all night, the next morning, Wang Yongan went out to drink.

Unexpectedly, he ran into his archenemy, First Master Zhang Pengju.

When Zhang Pengju saw Wang Yongan, he approached with a sneer masquerading as a smile, "Here you are drinking so early in the morning, Brother Wang. Is there something troubling you?"

Wang Yongan remained composed, with a smile still on his face, "Does Brother Zhang have the leisure to join me for a drink?"

Zhang Pengju let out a cold laugh, "I’m not as free as Brother Wang, who lives a carefree life. Nowadays, I have to handle all matters by the side of our superior. The paperwork is exhausting. I really can’t spare the time!"

"But Brother Wang, why would you drink such thin wine? It’s beneath your status! If you’re running short on money, have you seen the Auspicious Fabric Store across the street? You could tell the shopkeeper over there to give you some money for drinks on account of your sister. I think that could be arranged..."

With that, he walked away laughing loudly.

Wang Yongan watched Zhang Pengju leave with a face ashen with rage.

The words echoed in his mind: Auspicious Fabric Store? Sister?

After thinking for a moment, Wang Yongan rushed home and whispered something to Lady Qian.

Lady Qian looked at him in astonishment before finally nodding, gathering herself, and heading out.

It wasn’t long before she returned.

Wang Yongan hurried to meet her, "How did it go? What’s the situation?"

Lady Qian was still somewhat dazed, "I went into the Auspicious Fabric Store, pretending to buy fabric. Their fabric is indeed good—soft and thick, with nice colors. They even have a technique called ’Dyeing valves’ to create painted patterns directly on the fabric. If we weren’t so strapped for cash right now, I would have gotten a few yards for Jinchai to make a skirt. It would have been beautiful."

"What are you talking about all this for? What about the information I asked you to find out?" Wang Yongan interrupted impatiently.

"Oh, right. When I went in, someone was asking if the colors would fade and if it was the fabric praised by the ladies in the imperial palace. I heard the shop assistant saying their fabric is guaranteed not to fade and those ’Dyeing valves’ fabrics are the Empress’s favorite. He also said, he said..." Lady Qian hesitated to continue.

"Say it!" Wang Yongan saw the look on Lady Qian’s face and got a bad feeling, but he needed to know what had happened.

"I heard the shop assistant say that their fabric comes from the Auspicious Dye Workshop of Shiqiao Town, and that the colorfast and ’Dyeing valves’ patterned fabrics are made by a young Miss Wang..."

Hearing this, Wang Yongan felt a premonition stirring within him.

"That Miss Wang was driven by desperation. Originally her family was intact, with parents and four brothers. The family wealth was all spent on the second brother’s education to become a Scholar. But who knew that for the sake of becoming an official, this brother stole and sold the family’s land deeds, taking the silver from the sale and fleeing far away."

"Back home, the eldest brother had broken his leg. And the second, having been deceived by a so-called Divine Doctor into taking medicine, nearly lost his life. When their father heard the news, he was so enraged that he had a stroke. The whole family was nearly starving to death."

"That little girl, since childhood, had enjoyed messing with flowers and mixing colors for fun. When she saw how colors soaked into a handkerchief, she thought about trying it out. Unexpectedly, she truly had the talent. The dyes she created were not only vibrant but also colorfast. They were even offered as tribute to the palace. It’s said that the Empress loved them and had specially sent someone to award that young Miss Wang from the Wang Family."

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