Chapter 218: One must rely on oneself to handle one's own affairs

Hu Yu'er supported her mother, secretly giving her strength.

With her daughter's help, Madam Hu regained her senses and looked directly at the woman sitting quietly reading a book at the head of the table.

At this point, one should normally greet them, but since ancient times, it has always been the person of lower status who speaks first.

It's really hard to say who was superior between Madam Hu and Chunzhi.

Su Zhenzhen was clearly aware of this unspoken rule. She stepped forward and asked familiarly, "Sister Chunzhi, where is Prefect Hu? Madam Hu wants to see him."

The way Su Zhenzhen addresses people here is quite subtle. In this era, people with official positions are usually addressed by their official titles.

Only commoners are addressed by their surnames, and Su Zhenzhen was referring to Prefect Hu and his wife.

The implication is clear: these two are obviously a couple, so who are you, Chunzhi?

Chunzhi continued reading, multitasking, "I've been reading military books lately, and there's a saying: 'Place yourself in a desperate situation, and you will survive.' I don't quite understand this saying. Back in the border region, when the barbarians broke through the pass, you and His Highness only had Old Man Bai by your side. If I hadn't led the troops out to fight back then, wouldn't your situation have been considered a desperate situation? And how would you have found a way to survive?"

Su Zhenzhen didn't expect Chunzhi to bring up past favors as soon as she opened her mouth.

If Chunzhi hadn't arrived with his troops in time, although he could have killed all the barbarians who broke through the pass with his thunderbolts, innocent civilians would have inevitably been harmed.

Although those people were ignorant and foolish, they were all vibrant lives.

She, Su Zhenzhen, has no right to arbitrarily deprive him of his rights; doing so would only bring her further consequences.

So, if you really think about it, they owe Chunzhi three lives.

Chunzhi had never asked for anything in return before, but now she's made a stunning move.

The debt of gratitude for the lives lost is enough to force Su Zhenzhen to stay out of her private affairs; that's quite a huge investment.

This also shows that Chunzhi was determined to get Hu Wen.

Su Zhenzhen couldn't understand it, nor could she accept it.

"Speaking of that time, I still remember my sister telling me that she and her husband were childhood sweethearts and had a deep and unwavering relationship."

The subtext is, have you forgotten Xu Hua, who died? He's still entangled with Hu Wen here.

Chunzhi let out a heavy sigh. "My husband has the nation in his heart, but not his family. That's why my mother-in-law has gone to extremes. Perhaps in the eyes of the world, my mother-in-law has gone mad. But she just wants to continue the family line. She's just a woman confined to her home. Why be so harsh on her?"

Su Zhenzhen's mind raced through all the previous images. Was it Old Madam Xu or Xu Hua who said it? Let Chunzhi and Hu Yong be together, have a child and continue the bloodline of the Hu and Xu families.

But Hu Yong has become an idiot, and it's unknown whether he can still function in that area as a man. Even if he can, Chunzhi would probably be unwilling, after all, he's such a rotten person.

And by sheer coincidence, Hu Wen also shared the surname Hu, and was related to the Hu family of the Imperial Guards, which was also the maternal family of Old Madam Xu.

Chunzhi wants to have a child to continue the Hu family bloodline, and Hu Wen is a very good candidate.

The problem is, he's a married man.

Although this is not illegal, it is morally unacceptable.

Furthermore, it would be easier to explain if it were simply about sperm donation.

But the fact that Hu Wen was able to paint Chunzhi's portrait added a touch of ambiguity and allure to this already immoral affair.

Su Zhenzhen didn't know what Hu Wen was thinking, whether it was love that grew over time or infidelity.

Throughout history, such situations have implicitly placed all blame on women, while men have been seen as hiding behind women and reaping the benefits of the times.

Su Zhenzhen didn't intend for Hu Wen to completely disappear, but since both sides were showing signs of something, she had to nip those little flames in the bud.

Furthermore, according to rumors, if the woman is not willing, the relationship cannot proceed.

Therefore, as long as Chunzhi gives up the idea of ​​having a child through artificial insemination, Hu Wen will have to keep his thoughts to himself even if he has them.

Conversely, even if Hu Wen had no such intention, as long as Chunzhi harbored the thought of having a child through a prostitute, Hu Wen would eventually do something to betray Madam Hu.

Therefore, the crux of the problem lies with Chunzhi.

This is also what's giving Su Zhenzhen a headache.

Chunzhi didn't care about people or feelings; she just wanted to have a child with Hu's bloodline to fulfill Old Mrs. Xu's last wish to continue the family line.

Is it wrong? It's not wrong. The problem is that you're targeting married men, which creates a contradiction.

Su Zhenzhen had no way of answering Chunzhi's question, nor could she answer it.

Who knows if the child raised by that crazy old lady Xu will be just as crazy as her?

Fortunately, Su Zhenzhen had already started the conversation, so it wouldn't seem undignified for Madam Hu to speak at this point.

"Sister-in-law Xu, thank you for your hard work with the affairs of Yangcheng these days." Madam Hu bowed and expressed her gratitude.

Madam Hu's ability to manage the backyard of the prefectural governor's mansion so effectively was undoubtedly due to her skill. From the moment Chunzhi replaced Hu Wen as the head of Yangcheng, she sent people to inquire everywhere and discovered Chunzhi's background. She learned that Chunzhi's husband's surname was Xu, and that she was raised by the Xu family's matriarch. The Xu matriarch was Hu's daughter, a legitimate relative of their ancestors, and according to seniority, Madam Hu had to address the Xu matriarch as her aunt.

This powerful woman in Yangcheng was her cousin-in-law; the two should be sisters-in-law.

But now, instead of being sisters-in-law, I want to be sisters with her.

There has never been such an absurd thing in history, where a widowed sister-in-law was taken as a concubine by her brother.

Madam Hu's thanks were not only meant to remind Chunzhi of her place, but also to show off her status as the wife of the prefect. The prefect himself was in charge of all the affairs of Yangcheng; as someone who had usurped the position, she could only be considered as helping out. As a guest helping someone, the host should naturally express her gratitude.

Chunzhi finally put down the book in her hand and looked up at Madam Hu.

"We're all family, why are you speaking like we're from different families?"

Su Zhenzhen realized something was wrong; there was a trap in those words.

We're family, but how are we family? Are we family because of Old Mrs. Xu, or because of Hu Wen?

If Madam Hu continues down this line, Chunzhi will be able to take the opportunity to advance further.

Fortunately, Madam Hu was also a shrewd woman; she didn't respond to Chunzhi's words and started talking to herself.

“When I married my husband, he was just a small vendor in Yangcheng. He lived a hard life in his early years. I asked him if there was any way to get in touch with the Hu family. After all, General Hu was very famous, and even working as a clerk in his army would not lead to a bright future. But my husband said that although the two families were related by ancestry, they had long been separated by five degrees of kinship. Even if they were really relatives, they would inevitably be separated by two separate families.”

You have to rely on yourself to handle your own affairs.

Later, my husband gained the appreciation of a nobleman through his painting skills, securing a government position. He then painstakingly climbed the ranks to become a prefect. This journey was fraught with peril, the hardships of which are beyond the comprehension of outsiders. I often think, if only a relative had lent a helping hand back then, would my husband have had to endure such hardship?

Su Zhenzhen secretly admired Madam Hu's words; they were truly insightful.

When my family was poor, you never lent a hand, but now that we're rich, you call us family?