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Madam Li led Yan Zhiqiang to meet the tenant farmers on the estate and learn about the situation of the estate. Afterward, the group set off back to the county town.

Following this, the management of the estate was entrusted to Yan Zhiqiang.

On the carriage, Daohua sat beside Old Lady Yan and said, “Grandmother, the estate is so big, Uncle Three definitely can’t manage it alone. Let’s come and help him during the spring planting season next year.”

“I thinkyou just want to come out and play!” Old Lady Yan tapped Daohua’s forehead, looked at Madam Li with a smile, and said, “Now that your parents are with you, this old woman will no longer manage your affairs in the future. Whether you can come out or not, ask your mother.”

Daohua immediately looked towards Madam Li.

Seeing her daughter’s bright, shining eyes, Madam Li smiled. Having spent some time together these days, she knew her daughter was somewhat unconventional, but this was not Yan Family Village, and she couldn’t do as she pleased.

Although their family was not an aristocratic one, the women didn’t have to strictly follow the rule of not setting foot outside the inner door; however, they couldn’ t go out at will either.

These days, because Daohua had just arrived in the county town, she had been given some leniency to run about. But afterwards, proper rules had to be established, or else other family members would have something to say.

After thinking for a while, Madam Li said with a smile, “Your father values education highly. Your third younger sister is already studying The Analects. As the eldest sister, you can’t fall behind.”

Daohua immediately said, “The Analects, I’ve read it too.”

Madam Li was taken aback, her expression one of pleasant surprise, “Daohua has also started studying The Analects?”

At that moment, Old Lady Yan chuckled and interjected, “This girl has a good memory indeed. Uncle Three has lamented to me several times, saying it’s a pity Daohua isn’t a boy. If she were, our family might have another chance of producing an imperial scholar.”

Madam Li was genuinely astonished, “Uncle Three thinks so highly of Daohua?”

Old Lady Yan said with a sense of pride, “Indeed. Do you still remember the grandson of the Clan Leader? He’s several years older than Daohua, yet he can’t keep up with our Daohua’s learning progress.”

Seeing Old Lady Yan’s proud demeanor, Daohua felt somewhat embarrassed.

The reason she learned so quickly was not because she was smart. She had the soul of an adult, naturally more able to keep still and focus than a child. Coupled with her nine years of mandatory education, how could she not outdo the children of ancient times?

However, this lifetime, her memory was indeed excellent. Not to say that she could remember everything at a glance, but she could remember eighty to ninety percent of the things after reading them three or four times.

She felt that this was probably because she had consumed high-quality food produced in her supernatural space.

The food grown in the space was of high quality and rich in nutrition, which, after consumption, would result in better physical development.

In the Yan Family, whether it was Old Lady Yan or Yan Wenhui and Yan Wentao, their bodies were much stronger than ordinary people after eating the products from the space for a while.

Just like Auntie Three from the Wu Family, theoretically, given the exposure to the elements in her hometown compared to Madam Li and Madam Sun, she should appear much more worn. However, because she partook of the space’s bounty, both her skin and figure were in no way inferior to the two madams who led pampered lives.

Madam Sun had privately asked Wu Family’s Auntie Three several times about her secret to maintenance. Unfortunately, Wu Family’s Auntie didn’t know herself, only saying she had never maintained herself specifically.

To this, Madam Sun was utterly incredulous. She had met plenty of village women and believed that Wu Family’s Auntie must have also led a similar existence to theirs in the countryside, hardly engaging in any farm work.

On the rest of the journey, Old Lady Yan wouldn’t stop boasting about how intelligent Daohua was, praising her to high heaven. If it weren’t for her gender, she was almost akin to the Wenchang Star descending to earth—so much so that Daohua herself blushed at the praise.

Yet, surprisingly, Madam Li did not sense anything amiss and listened with a smile, chiming in from time to time.

It was a case of one daring to speak and the other daring to listen.

Half an hour later, just as Daohua was holding her head, lost in thought, she suddenly heard Uncle Three mention that they had arrived at the city gate.

At this, Daohua breathed a deep sigh of relief.

They had finally arrived. If she had to listen any longer, she would start to believe the person Old Lady Yan and Madam Li were speaking of wasn’t her.

However, when they reached the city gate, the carriage unexpectedly stopped.

“Eh, why have we stopped?”

Daohua lifted the carriage curtain and saw that there was quite a crowd gathered around the city gate, blocking the way somewhat.

After waiting a while and the carriage still hadn’t moved, Daohua couldn’t help but lift the curtain again. To her surprise, Yan Wentao was already lifting the curtain from outside.

“Third brother, what’s happened?”

Yan Wentao explained, “Someone ahead is selling themselves to bury their father, blocking the road. Father has sent me to inform grandmother and great-aunt that we might have to wait a while before we can enter the city.”

Upon hearing this, Daohua’s eyes immediately shone with astonishing brightness, “Selling themselves to bury their father!!!” She had read about such scenarios in novels and seen them in dramas but never expected to witness it in real life.

Looking eager, Daohua turned to Old Lady Yan and Madam Li, “Grandmother, mother, I want to go down and have a look.”

Madam Li wanted to refuse but seeing her daughter’s hopeful expression, she found it hard to voice her objection, so she turned to Old Lady Yan.

Old Lady Yan had always known of Daohua’s nature and realized that if she did not let her leave the carriage today, she would probably pester them for half a day. So she said, “You’re not allowed to cause trouble, just watch from outside.”

Daohua immediately assured, “Don’t worry, I will definitely not cause any troubles.” Having said that, she swiftly got off the carriage.

Seeing this, the Old Madam Yan shook her head, “Who does this girl take after with such a temperament?”

The Li Family was gracefully composed, and the eldest was also restrained and prudent; how had they produced such a lively girl?

Madam Li said with a smile from the side, “The master said that Daohua’s temperament is very much like the Madam’s when she was young.”

Old Madam Yan reflected on her own youth and immediately laughed, “You’re right, that girl does indeed resemble me.”

Outside the carriage, Daohua had already pulled Yan Wenhui into the crowd.

“More than one selling herself to arrange her father’s funeral?”

At this moment, by the road outside the city gate, three bodies were laid out, each simply covered with straw.

In front of the bodies, three girls around fifteen or sixteen years old were kneeling.

Daohua took a close look at the three girls and noticed that one of them was quite pretty—it was her big watery eyes that, filled with tears from the loss of a loved one, made her look exceptionally pitiful.

The other two girls had very ordinary appearances; one of them was so emaciated she looked almost like a skeleton, which was somewhat frightening to see.

The surrounding onlookers showed sympathy for some, while others were simply there for the spectacle. Very few stepped forward to buy.

Times were tough for everyone; unless one’s family was quite wealthy, who would buy servants at this time?

Daohua glanced at the people around her and noticed that many men were looking at the girl with the good looks. A few young gentlemen had even stepped forward to comfort her.

Before long, a young man dressed as a scholar approached and gave the girl a piece of silver, “Miss, quickly go and bury your father.”

The girl looked up at the scholar but did not accept the silver.

Seeing this, the scholar immediately said, “I don’t require you to sell yourself; just take the silver.”

The girl shook her head and bit her lip without speaking.

Her stubborn look made the surrounding men’s hearts ache.

Yan Wenhui grew anxious on her behalf, “Why won’t she accept the silver?”

Daohua smiled, “Maybe that scholar just isn’t the one she’s aiming for.” The scholar’s attire didn’t look like it belonged to a wealthy person—perhaps the girl didn’t find him appealing.

“What?” Yan Wenhui didn’t quite understand and was about to ask when a noble young master dressed in brocade, surrounded by attendants, came over.

As soon as the brocade-clad young master stood still, the girl who had refused the scholar’s silver suddenly lifted her head with tearful eyes, looking pitiably at the young master.

Upon seeing the girl’s face, the young master’s eyes flashed with admiration and then he gently smiled, “I will take care of your father’s burial.”

Upon hearing this, the girl shed grateful tears, “Thank you, young master. I have nothing with which to repay you except to offer myself in return.”

Hearing these words, Daohua showed an expression that said as much.

“So the girl had her eyes set on a rich young master!”

Yan Wenhui also realized it by then.

Not just him, the others around also looked enlightened.

Watching the girl follow the brocade-clad young master and leave, the scholar stood there, flushed with embarrassment and anger.

That was when another girl spoke up.

“Please, young master, have mercy. I can cook, chop wood, and farm—there’s no task I can’t do. I am willing to work like an ox or horse in return for your kindness.”

The scholar glanced at the girl, tossed down some silver, and turned to leave the crowd.

The girl picked up the silver and bowed three times, shouting loudly, “After I’ve buried my father, I will come to serve by your side.” Having said that, she asked the surrounding refugees she knew to carry her father away for burial.

Now, only the emaciated girl remained at the site.

“They’re all pitiful souls!”

Daohua sighed. With two of the girls selling themselves for their father’s burial gone, the road had become much clearer, and the Yan Family’s carriage arrived. Yan Zhiqiang called for them to get on the carriage.

As Daohua turned around, the girl suddenly lifted her head as if mustering great courage and spoke with a hoarse voice, “I beg you, miss, to buy me.”