Abandoned Peasant Girl Has Her Own Space

Chapter 6: Greed

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“Ah! How much money does a girl from the county town expect for a betrothal gift?! Your father and your grandfather are the only ones in the family who work in the fields. We didn’t have much harvest this year!”

“I don’t care. I insist on marrying a city girl. Oh, right! Isn’t Juxiang already 10 years old?”

“Yeah, don’t even think about it. She’s even poorer.”

“No, Mother, do you think we’ll have money if we sold her to a rich family to be a servant girl? I heard from a well-to-do classmate of mine that they paid more than ten taels of silver to buy a servant girl! Won’t I have the money to get married then? We might even have spare money to buy me a horse carriage!”

“That’s right! I wonder if your grandmother and the others will agree?”

“They will. You can suggest it after dinner. And I’ll chip in after that.”

“Alright! I understand.”

After a while, Madam Wang could be heard chiding someone in the main residence kitchen. “Juxiang, the fire’s way too strong. Is that just because you don’t have to spend the effort chopping firewood?!”

A moment later. “Juxiang, are you brainless?! Why are you just sitting there and not adding firewood to the fire? The pot isn’t even hot anymore. How are you going to stir-fry the vegetables?”

When the meal was finally ready, the family ate in the dining hall. Juxiang sat in the kitchen and waited. After they finished eating, Juxiang went in to collect the bowls and chopsticks and poured the leftovers into another bowl. She was already very used to washing the dishes.

After washing up, Juxiang carried the food to her dilapidated house. When she saw her sister sitting at the door, she smiled and said, “Little Sister, come and eat!”

Meanwhile, in the main residence, everyone seemed to have a tacit understanding. After eating, they sat around the dining table until Juxiang left with the food. Only then did Madam Wang say, “Old man! I heard from Second Daughter-in-law that there is a man in her maternal hometown who’s looking for a wife. They are able to give five taels of silver as betrothal money! Our Juxiang is already so old. It’s time for her to get married, lest others say that we don’t care about her future. What do you think?”

Tian Zhuangzhu tapped his pipe and said, “You can make the decision on this matter. All girls have to get married when they grow up.”

“Aye! Alright then.”

Weixin couldn’t couldn’t suppress himself anymore and shot Madam Liu a look. Madam Liu caught her son’s signal and said, “Mother, Juxiang is still young! She’s only ten years old this year, too young to get married. If the villagers found out about it, they’ll scold us to death!”

Madam Ma couldn’t stay calm anymore. Madam Liu was ruining her plans. “Sister-in-law, that’s not true. Third Brother and his wife are no longer around. What’s wrong with Mother thinking about their children’s marriage early?”

Madam Liu replied, “Sister-in-law! Let me finish. I’m not saying that Mother is wrong. What I mean is that Juxiang is still young. Only the men from your family, my father, and I are working] the fields. The annual harvest is only this much. Juxiang is already ten years old. She can go to a rich family to help earn some money. Won’t this reduce the burden on the family? Mother, what do you think?”

Weixin quickly added, “Grandma, my classmate is very rich. His family pays more than ten taels of silver to buy a servant girl! Our Juxiang is good-looking, so they will definitely be willing to pay morefor her a lot of money. Grandma, what do you think?”

The moment she heard the sum of more than ten taels of silver, Madam Wang’s eyes widened. She immediately decided without a second thought, “Yes, Juxiang is indeed a little young to get married at the moment. In this case, Weixin, go and ask your classmate when he might be coming to pay and take her away. We can send her over as an alternative!”

“Alright, Grandma, the next time I come back, I’ll take Juxiang there and bring the money back for you.”

Seeing that her plan had been ruined by the eldest son’s family, Madam Ma said angrily to the children, “Everyone, time to go. Those who should study, study; likewise for those who need to embroider.” Madam Ma carried Yuelan and urged the two elders to leave. Tie Shan, who was watching from behind, was puzzled. Why was she so angry? Mainly, Madam Ma had not discussed it with Tian Tieshan in advance, so Tian Tieshan could not help.

The Juxiang sisters, who were eating in their dilapidated house, knew nothing about what had transpired. They had no idea that their lives were used by this family to satisfy their own greed and desires. How sad their parents would be if they were still around and knew about this.

Neither did Wunian know that like her sister, the day would come for her to take on housework, and when she grew a little older, she would also be sold, like her sister.

After dinner, Wunian said like an angelic little girl, “Big Sister take a rest, Wunian will wash the dishes.”

Juxiang was terribly moved when she heard this. “Good Little Sister, I’m not tired. I’ll wash up. You’re still young. I’ll teach you how to do the dishes when you’re a little older.”