Madam Mao highly valued her little daughter, valuing every child, but Ye Cao was not her own flesh and blood.
Lying in the pigsty, so small, she was also very small when she was brought to the Rong Family.
At that time, for the sake of twenty taels of silver, having raised her to this age, even if Madam Mao sold her, no one would have objected.
Rong Jinye was only nine years old but already reached her mother's shoulder; she was destined to be a beauty with a good figure and face.
The man called from inside the house, "What are you doing?"
Madam Mao replied, "Ye Cao is leaving; the chores around the house are a problem."
Rong Jinye clamored, "Buy another Maidservant? I want two!"
Madam Mao couldn't indulge her, "Do you know how much silver that costs? Selling her only brought in ten taels."
Rong Jinye asked, "Why didn't you ask for more? She is so capable, one is worth two."
Madam Mao instructed her daughter, "You forgot again. We are not selling her; she is promised to the Tan Family. Madam Gui wants her to marry in early. Tan Xianglin will enter studies at fifteen, and your brother will be fifteen next year. Entering studies early means he can go to the Prefecture City and attend that Songshan Academy; I heard they issue a Tuition Fee Subsidy. Once your brother is studying, why would we buy Maidservants to raise pigs? Do you like raising pigs at home?"
Rong Jinye didn't want to see pigs, they were noisy and smelly! But she was also angry, "Why promise her to the Tan Family?"
Madam Mao smiled, "Are you silly? What could Madam Gui possibly want from her?"
Rong Jinye was a little confused.
Madam Mao indulged her daughter, "Madam Gui wants someone to do the work, and we want Tan Xianglin to mentor your brother. It's that simple, understood?"
Rong Jinye had a new question, "Does the Tan Family raise pigs?"
Madam Mao got a headache, "Tan Xianglin enters studies at fifteen, and Madam Gui is waiting to become an Old Madam; she doesn't want to do any work."
Rong Jinye suddenly thought, "That pig?"
Madam Mao's expression changed, "Don't talk nonsense outside. What I tell you, you cannot repeat."
Madam Mao thought again and her expression changed, becoming very serious, "Madam Gui wants Ye Cao to work, just like a Mother-in-law wants a Daughter-in-law to work. You must learn too; if you marry well in the future, you will inevitably have to endure some frustration."
"I won't!" Rong Jinye ran off.
Madam Mao stood in place, helpless.
The man came out of the back door and asked, "Why haven't the pigs been fed yet?"
Madam Mao was angry, "Feed them now! You bring the lamp for me."
The man turned and went back inside, saying, "Have Jinye or Rong Zhi bring it!"
Madam Mao became even more agitated and shrieked, "My Rong Zhi needs to study! You actually want him to bring a lamp? Will it kill you to bring it once?"
The man did not come out.
Madam Mao continued to scold, "Your mother only cares about her daughter; will you rely on your Maternal Grandson in the future?"
The man could no longer bear it, came out of the room, picked up the lamp, and replied, "Isn't Rong Bai with his Little Aunt?"
Madam Mao, while carrying the bucket to feed the pigs, argued, "Your mother is with Dongmei; didn't I give her grain? Didn't I give her silver?"
Madam Mao poured the pig slop into the trough.
The few pigs quieted down.
The man put down the lamp and left.
Madam Mao threw the bucket aside and also left, saying, "Next Year I will only raise one, and slaughter it for the New Year."
The man replied from inside the house, "If you raise fewer pigs, there will be less lard."
Madam Mao paid no mind, "When Rong Bai enters studies next year, who will care about that bit of lard?"
The lamp was taken away, leaving darkness behind.
The pigs ate in the dark, regardless of whether they got it up their noses.
The door to Rong Yeman's side was down; no one was looking after her.
Rong Yeman was in pain; the Old Ancestor hadn't been this furious in a long time. Let her lie down a bit longer.
The things on her body remained still.
Although her spirit was strong, this body was exhausted; lying down like this, she fell asleep.
When the pigs were full, or half-full, it was quiet in the middle of the night.
Rong Yeman woke up from the cold. There was faint starlight outside and a cold wind; she wouldn't freeze to death in this season.
She smoothed things over; the book she was wearing was called *The Powerful Official's Koi Darling Wife*.
Her Paternal Grandmother was the Favored Concubine of the Minister of Revenue, Rong Yang, which displeased the Original Wife, Madam Luo, who then caused her death.
Rong Yang truly loved Madam Ni, and he truly loved Rong Qingfu, the son Madam Ni left behind; Madam Luo's internal resentment could not heal.
When she was born, Madam Luo fell ill and claimed she was a jinx, ordering her to be taken out and swapped.
The Fake Eldest Daughter who was swapped back received Madam Luo's favor and the admiration of many people in the Capital City and Jundu.
Currently, the Tan Family she was about to be sold to was the household of the powerful official Tan Xianglin.
Tan Xianglin's Birth Mother, Madam Gui, was highly ambitious, so when Tan Xianglin showed promise and was about to be sought after for marriage, Madam Gui planned to use someone to take a spot.
This matter was very important to Madam Gui, which is why she gave Madam Mao ten taels of silver.
The plot had not yet begun, and she was treated like a beast of burden, not even counted as a person.
Let her lie down a bit longer.
Rong Yeman's eyes widened: she actually brought a Spatial Dimension!
The Old Ancestor was very accustomed to using a Spatial Dimension, but when she transmigrated to modern times, she had nothing, except for a brain.
She honestly worked like a laborer and died on the operating table.
Now seeing the Spatial Dimension, she excitedly scooped up a handful of grass and threw it out.
No problem!
This Spatial Dimension was 4 meters long × 3 meters wide × 2.5 meters high, equivalent to a twelve-square-meter room, or thirty cubic meters of space.
Not small, quite good!
There was movement outside.
It was Madam Mao getting up early to check on the person.
It was cold in the morning, and Madam Mao was a bit unaccustomed to it; she hadn't done chores like cooking early in the morning for a long time.
If her Mother-in-law were home, she would also get up.
Madam Mao stood at the dilapidated doorway, frowned, and called out, "Ye Cao!"
Hmph, the pigs weren't awake yet.
Madam Mao called out a few times, tidied up the branches and sticks on the ground, went inside, approached Ye Cao, bent down, and slapped her shoulder hard.
That hurt!
Rong Yeman simply played dead; you can never wake someone who is playing dead. The Old Ancestor was quite professional at playing dead.
Madam Mao slapped her again, no reaction?
She touched her forehead; it was very hot!
"Pah! A lowly life, and I still have to wait on you!" Madam Mao cursed angrily and left.
She had to cook; the rice was already in the pot. She brought over a bowl of water, grabbed Ye Cao, and poured it into her mouth.
Rong Yeman was indeed thirsty; she drank a little hazily, and the cold made her sneeze!
She sneezed on Madam Mao's face, who threw Ye Cao down and left.
Rong Yeman fell onto the thin layer of grass, feeling that if she was tormented a little more, she could transmigrate again; this time, even if the Second Senior Brother screamed his throat raw, she wouldn't come back.
Madam Mao placed the bowl to the side.
Rong Yeman climbed up by herself, drank the water, lay back down, and continued to sleep.
Although she couldn't fill her stomach with water, the morning was still very cold, but lying down, even if she died, she would lie down.
Hazy in her mind, Rong Yeman was tormented again.
Rong Jinye rarely woke up so early; it was light now, and she wasn't afraid anymore.
Although there were a few pigs here, they weren't squealing yet.
Rong Jinye grabbed Ye Cao's hair; it looked like dry grass, and she was afraid of lice when she held it.
Madam Mao came out of the Kitchen and asked, "What are you doing?"
Rong Jinye was clever, "Letting her be lazy; it's time for her to get up and work!"
Madam Mao said helplessly, "She leaves tomorrow; don't torment her so much that she can't go out."
Rong Jinye paused, "Who doesn't know what she's like?"
Madam Mao got angry, "Are you going to stop caring about your brother?"
It was fine if Huangmao Village was used to it, but it couldn't be known by all the surrounding villages; would the Tan Family not lose face?