The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 639 - 637: Even a ferocious tiger will not eat its cubs

Chapter 639: Chapter 637: Even a ferocious tiger will not eat its cubs

Wang Yongan’s eyes were bloodshot, his expression painful as he punched himself, "Do you think I, as her father, am willing? Jinchai is the only child we have, the pearl in the palm of my hand. My love for her is no less than yours! To watch my own daughter become someone’s concubine with my eyes wide open, I would rather give my life to Lord Gao! Tomorrow, I will go and apologize to Lord Gao! Whether I have to give my life or something else, let me, her father, bear it all! I absolutely won’t implicate you and our daughter!"

Lady Qian collapsed into her seat, her expression changing as she struggled for a long time.

Wang Yongan just held Lady Qian, "It’s all because I am useless! Tomorrow, you and Jinchai should leave early, the farther the better! If you can find a good man in the future, as long as he treats you well, treats our Jinchai well, I’ll be at peace..."

Lady Qian trembled all over, shaking her head in panic, "Official! Are we really out of options? Can’t we think of some other way? Jinchai is my life! How can I let her become a concubine for Lord Gao? He’s old enough to be her grandfather!"

"Official, let’s beg Lord Gao, let’s be oxen and horses for him, but we can’t throw Jinchai into the fire pit!"

Wang Yongan’s eyes flared with a hint of annoyance. This Lady Qian, usually so gentle and accommodating, listening to everything he said, all just a façade!

Now that it has come to a matter of life and death for himself, even if he feels somewhat reluctant, isn’t it a situation without choice? Where there’s life, there’s hope. If he is all right, then the whole family will be well!

She could only remember the maternal sentimentality, not giving a thought to her husband’s future.

Truly a woman’s short-sightedness!

He huffed coldly, pushing Lady Qian away.

Caught off guard, Lady Qian tumbled to the ground from the bedstead, staring blankly at Wang Yongan.

Wang Yongan’s face was cold, "Enough! Enough! It seems after all that I, Wang Yongan, am unlucky. My parents do not favor me, and even my wife and daughter never consider me at all! It’s true what the old saying goes, ’A husband and wife are like birds in the same forest, who fly separately when disaster strikes.’ I, Wang Yongan, haven’t reached a dead end yet, but my wife and child are pushing me towards one——"

Lady Qian choked up, "Official, even a tiger doesn’t eat its cubs! If we offer Jinchai to Lord Gao as a concubine, how will we face anyone outside in the future?"

Wang Yongan scoffed, "As long as we can curry favor with Lord Gao and earn his esteem, who would dare to object? Even if someone did, would they dare do it to our face? Who doesn’t talk behind others’ backs, and who isn’t talked about behind their back? By then, apart from the Magistrate’s Lady, in this Mangqi City, who else will have a higher status than you? I bet all the women of the county will come to ingratiate themselves with you!"

"You’re not being thoughtful enough. If I were really despised by Lord Gao, what kind of life could we lead? As a Scholar, if I were scorned by the County Magistrate, how could I protect you and our daughter? Not to mention others, just Zhang Pengju, that old rogue, would probably kick us while we’re down."

"And Jinchai, if things go wrong, she might even be sold off by Zhang Pengju to some filthy place. Have you thought about that? Would you rather Jinchai ended up in such a place? Even as a concubine to Lord Gao, at least she’d be a government official’s family, draped in gold and silver, commanding servants and maids. Isn’t that a good life?"

"It would spare her future suffering and save her father’s life! With such a perfect solution at hand, why can’t you understand? Besides, I am her father. I brought her into this world, and now, as I face imminent danger, as a child, shouldn’t she show some filial piety?"

Wang Yongan argued vehemently.

Lady Qian wiped away her tears, "But, but, can Jinchai agree? Since she was little, we told her she was destined to be a Scholar’s wife. Having been brought up with high expectations, how could she resign herself to be a concubine?"

These words frightened Lady Qian as well. If it was as Wang Yongan had said, being a concubine for the County Magistrate would indeed be a better fate than ending up in that filthy place.

Seeing Lady Qian relent, Wang Yongan finally showed a gentle smile, pulled her up from the ground, and said, "About this matter, you need to persuade her kindly first, tell her that our family is in a time of crisis right now. If she is obedient and helps her father get through this difficulty, I will naturally remember her sacrifice. If we’re united as father and daughter, she in the inner quarters and I in the front court, won’t the entire County Yamen be under our control one day?"

"Lord Gao isn’t that old, she just needs to win him over properly. If she bears him a son or even half a daughter, since I don’t have a son of my own, I’m counting on this grandson for my lifetime. Won’t the family property eventually belong to that child? Jinchai will also have someone to rely on in her old age!"

"If she doesn’t listen, just tell her what I said before, about being sold to that disgusting place, unable to live or die. Let’s see what she chooses then?"

Lady Qian was still somewhat unwilling, but catching Wang Yongan’s gaze, she swallowed nervously and reluctantly agreed before leaving the room.

Jinchai, already worried and unable to sleep, faintly heard what seemed like arguing from her parents’ room next door.

Listening against the wall, she couldn’t hear clearly, but seemed to catch her own name being mentioned. Her heart immediately tensed.

In the middle of the night, why would her parents be arguing about her? What could it be for?

After a long while, the noise from the argument subsided. Jinchai stood on the floor but before she could move, she heard a knock: "Jinchai, open the door, it’s your mother——"

Jinchai bit her lip, stood for a moment, then went to open the door.

Lady Qian’s eyes were still red, and she forced a smile, "Tonight, shall I sleep with you, is that okay?"

Jinchai wasn’t foolish; she knew Lady Qian had something to tell her. Without a word, she turned over onto the bed and lay down with her back to Lady Qian.

Lady Qian walked to the edge of the bed. Looking at Jinchai’s back, tears welled up again. Her own flesh and blood she had nurtured was as precious as her own eyes. Never had she suffered from her younger days.

She had painstakingly raised her to be so beautiful, and even literate to boot. Wherever she went, she received nothing but praise.

Such a fine daughter, her precious heart and soul, was now to be given away to an old man as a concubine. Which mother could bear it?

Yet, to defy Wang Yongan’s wishes, Lady Qian dared not.

After much hesitation, she finally said, "Jinchai, you know, your father was planning to send your elder cousin to the County Magistrate as a second wife, but now she’s been kidnapped on the way, and she hasn’t been found all night. I fear the chances are slim.

"Your father has already promised the County Magistrate. Now that your elder cousin is gone, if we don’t present someone to the County Magistrate, I’m afraid your father will be discarded——"

Jinchai had long suspected something like this. Hearing Lady Qian’s words, her heart felt bitterly cold. She turned over and sat up, glaring at Lady Qian, "I will not be a concubine! Mother, I refuse to be someone’s little wife! Can’t our family buy another maid to send instead? Why must I be the one? How will I ever be able to face anyone in the future?"