I just want to be a princess, no, you want to be a queen

After washing her hands, Yang Xier smiled at her sister with a sad look on her face.

If she had a way, why would she deceive herself here? This was not the 21st century she was living in. She had no way to go out to work, nor could she control her own destiny.

Yang Nian'er hugged her second sister distressedly and said angrily: "Where did Tian Qing go? Didn't he say he would find a way to go?"

Yang Xier suddenly remembered that there was a young man in this world who said he wanted to marry her.

She knew he liked her, but where could he find ten taels of silver? She didn't dare to hope for it.

The autumn harvest was coming to an end. Early in the morning, Yang Tiezhu took his two daughters to the fields to harvest corn.

"The second girl is about to get married, and she's still working for your father!"

Everyone in the village is an acquaintance, and we start chatting as soon as we meet.

Yang Sanmao from the village ahead saw Yang Tiezhu wearing new cloth shoes and said sarcastically, "The Tiezhu family is truly remarkable. For other people, having a daughter is a loss, but marrying off a daughter like you is worth several years' worth of harvest."

"Yes, we won't have to worry about eating meat anymore."

Some people looked down on Yang Tiezhu for being interested in that little bit of betrothal gift and marrying his daughter to Zheng the Butcher, who was twenty years his senior and a wife beater; some people were jealous of the huge betrothal gift of ten taels, and they all made sarcastic remarks.

Aunt Mao from the back street saw Yang Xier still wearing shabby clothes and said with a smile: "She is about to get married, why don't you buy two new clothes for the second girl? Don't be partial to your son."

Yang Xier knew that she was not concerned about herself, but just couldn't stand seeing other people's families have money. She lowered her head to work and didn't say anything, but she kept chattering non-stop, and it was obvious that her father was embarrassed.

It's a disgrace to my father, and I'm the one who's unlucky.

Yang Xier said, "Aunt Mao, I saw Hu Tou wearing a new cotton-padded jacket a few days ago. It was so beautiful. Is Lan Lan's new jacket also blue?"

Hu Tou is her son, and Lan Lan is her daughter. In this village, everyone is partial to their sons, not to mention the eldest.

Aunt Mao smiled and made light of it, not daring to instigate it again.

Yang Tiezhu straightened his back, his face full of pride: "Girl, go to the market tomorrow to buy two pieces of cloth and ask your mother to make you a beautiful dress."

Yang Xier cooperated with a "hmm" and continued to work with her head down.

An old man came back from the market carrying a shoulder pole, his face full of sorrow. "Have you heard? The Xiongnu invaded the border, and the Marquis of Chengyang and his two sons were killed in the battle."

Although Shangyang Village is not on the border, it is close to the border. When everyone heard this, they stopped their sickles in worry.

Yang Tiezhu, who had just received the betrothal gift and finally had some spare money, was even more nervous: "If they attack us, will this be the border?"

As a border village, in addition to paying taxes to the imperial court every year, they were also frequently plundered by the Xiongnu. It was difficult to survive year-round, let alone store any surplus food.

Yang Sanmao from the village ahead said disdainfully, "Our area is flat and level. If they really break in, we'll have to pack up and run for our lives."

The reason why a border is a border is because it is safe to defend. They are not even qualified to be plundered as a border.

Everyone chattered and asked the old man carrying the shoulder pole whether the news was true.

The old man carrying the shoulder pole comforted the villagers: "You don't have to worry too much. I heard that although Chengyang Hou is dead, Yanmen Pass has not been taken. The court has already sent reinforcements."

Yang Sanmao had been educated for a few years and knew a bit about the outside world. He hurriedly asked, "Is the reinforcement coming from the King of Ningyuan? In the past few years, the King of Ningyuan was stationed at the border, and the border was very peaceful. If it's him, there will be no problem."

The old man carrying the shoulder pole stroked his gray beard and waved his hands, "How could it be Prince Ningyuan? Prince Ningyuan was almost dying of illness. I heard that after being imprisoned by the emperor, he indulged himself in excessive sexual activities and played with women."

"Ah!" Yang Sanmao sighed, "What a pity! Such a great young hero fell into the hands of a woman."

"Bah, what a pity." Aunt Mao said disdainfully, "During the five years he was stationed at the border, the Huns didn't invade, but he ruined so many young girls. He deserved what he ended up like that. He's not the emperor's biological son, yet he's so presumptuous."

"Young men are full of vigor and vitality. What's wrong with having sex with a few women?"

Seeing that the two were about to quarrel, Yang Tiezhu hurriedly interrupted them and asked the old man carrying the shoulder pole.

"Who are the reinforcements? Is it okay?"

"I heard that he is the uncle of King Guangcheng. We probably can't invade him, but we are afraid that he will collect taxes." Historically, more taxes would be collected during wars.

The old man carrying the shoulder pole sighed, picked up the pole and left.

Throughout the year, the villagers hoped to save some food for the winter after the autumn harvest. Upon hearing this, they lost the strength to cut the corn stalks with their sickles.

The villagers looked at each other.

No one could decide whether the Huns would invade or whether the imperial court would collect more taxes. The only thing they could do was to work hard and hope to harvest a few more pounds of corn.

At the time, Yang Xi'er had no idea that the princes and generals they were chatting about would have a profound impact on her future. She watched as her backpack filled up with corn, and she and Yang Nian'er each carried one on their backs as they headed home.

A thin girl with a sallow complexion came from afar to the door of the house. She was wearing a coarse linen dress that was washed white.

"Miss."

Yang Nian'er happily took her hand and walked into the yard, shouting towards the east room: "Mom, my eldest sister is back."

Yang's mother was making a cotton-padded jacket for her son. When she saw her eldest daughter come back, she hurriedly pulled her daughter to sit down and talk. Four-year-old Yang Jiabao was sitting on the kang playing with grasshoppers.

Yang Pan'er took out a bag of lotus seed candies from her bosom, which contained six lotus seed candies. She took out two and handed them to Yang Nian'er, and gave the remaining four to Yang Jiabao.

Yang Jiabao grabbed two lotus seed candies with his chubby little hands and stuffed them into his mouth, saying in a baby voice, "Big sister, I want more."

"Also, there is more."

Just as Yang Nian'er was about to take the lotus seed candy out to find her second sister, she saw her eldest sister reach out, take the only two lotus seed candies in her hand, and give them to her younger brother.

She looked at her elder sister and younger brother with grievance, but since that was the candy brought by her elder sister, she couldn't say anything.

Yang Xier was drying corn in the yard. Seeing Yang Nian'er coming out angrily, she asked, "What's wrong?"

Yang Nian'er licked her palm and said unconvincedly, "Big sister gave all the lotus seed candies to Yang Jiabao."

"Okay, didn't Dad tell us to go to the market to buy cloth tomorrow, and buy you some candy on the way?" Yang Xier coaxed her sister while working.

"I don't have to eat that candy."

Yang Nian'er pouted and wanted to cry. She just couldn't understand why her parents were partial to Yang Jiabao, and even her eldest sister was partial to him.

Because he is a son.

Yang Xier didn't know how to comfort her sister. After she finished spreading the corn, she went to the shed to get a bamboo basket, went into the house to fill the rice and brought it to her father. As soon as she reached the door, she heard her eldest sister sobbing.

"The harvest was bad this year, and my father-in-law fell ill, so my parents-in-law thought of pawning me off."