Chapter 003 The wife becomes a concubine
Miao patted her head with relief, then her eyes darkened. "If your father heard what you said, he would be very proud of you. I wonder how he is doing now."
Xu Zhenying tried hard to imitate the original owner's tone, shaking Miao's arm and saying, "Don't worry, mother. I haven't heard any movement over there in the past two days. I think the situation is similar to ours. At most, they will just starve for a few days. I believe there will be no torture."
Miao was most afraid of her own husband being tortured. After hearing her daughter's analysis, she was a little pleased, but then she stopped her daughter and asked, "Why do you think so?"
The eldest brother also asked, "Dad and several uncles' cells are on the other side, quite far away from us. How does my sister know what's going on over there?"
Even her six-year-old sister, Xu Meixiao, looked up at her curiously with misty eyes, as if she was about to cry, "Sister, wasn't Daddy beaten? Auntie said... Daddy and the others were beaten every day... and said they were dying..."
I guess the little guy has heard it many times in the past few days, especially the aunt who often keeps muttering about death, and even the little guy has been infected by this anxious mood.
Miao frowned. Even a gentle woman like her couldn't help but complain, "Sister-in-law is really something. She has no control over her words. Why does she say these things in front of the children..."
Xu Zhenying coughed softly, not knowing how to explain himself for a moment, so he just muddled through, "I just... there weren't any screams coming from over there, and there wasn't a whiff of blood in the air. And I seemed to hear Second Uncle scolding me yesterday. He sounded full of energy, so I guess he's at least in good health."
Miao believed it now and breathed a sigh of relief, "It must be that the eldest and second brothers are arguing again."
Fourth Aunt, who had been watching the excitement from the sidelines, suddenly stared at Xu Qingying. After a moment's deliberation, she asked, "Sixth girl, are you really unwilling to become a concubine in the Zheng family?"
Xu Zhenying glanced at her, somewhat puzzled, and said, "Absolutely true."
"If you don't want to, can you please let my Fifth Lady go instead?" As soon as Fourth Auntie finished speaking, silence fell in the cell. Grandmother Huang's eyes widened. "Old Fourth Lady, what nonsense are you talking about again? How can a girl from the Xu family be allowed to be someone's concubine?"
Xu Anping was only fourteen years old. She was so frightened that her face turned pale. "Mom, I don't want to be someone's concubine! I don't want it!"
Fourth Aunt glanced at Huang and said calmly, "Mother, I only have Wu Niang as my child. My family lives far away, so I'm afraid they wouldn't even know if we chopped off their heads. Wu Niang is still young. If Second Uncle really committed a crime punishable by death, marrying into the Zheng family would at least save her life."
Huang was stunned and said, "How could it come to this..."
But later on, his voice became softer and softer, and finally he sighed helplessly, turned his back and wiped away his tears.
Xu Zhenying smiled slightly and asked instead, "Aunt Four, do you think the third son of the Zheng family is someone worthy of trust?"
Fourth Aunt lowered her eyes, her brows furrowed slightly, her eyes a bit confused. "Although he refused to fulfill the engagement with the Xu family, he didn't directly call it off. Instead, he gave the Xu family a way out. It's better than those who immediately cancel the engagement and pretend that they have nothing to do with our Xu family. I think... he still has some good qualities..."
Xu Yinxi, who was standing by, turned pale as she thought of the so-called good man her mother had arranged for her to marry, the man who had sworn to spend the rest of his life with her, and yet couldn't wait to send a letter of cancellation of engagement on the day the Xu family was released from prison.
Even in a panic, he refused to show up in person, but only sent a servant over to force his father to sign.
That's ridiculous.
Is he still afraid that Xu Yinxi will pester him?
She had known that her husband's love was unreliable, that the relationship between husband and wife was merely an exchange of resources, requiring intricate negotiation and trade-offs. But she hadn't expected that that shred of illusory love would be even more illusory than the moon in a mirror, vanishing in the breeze.
Xu Yinxi tried hard to pretend that she didn't care, but the smile on her lips was too forced and betrayed her feelings.
Then she heard Xu Qingying chuckle.
Her voice was quiet, and her tone was even calm, but the sarcasm in her voice could not be concealed. "Fourth Aunt, I'm afraid that even if I agree to this, the Zheng family won't agree."
Fourth Aunt looked at her and suddenly felt that Xu Qingying in front of her was indescribably strange.
That face hadn't changed at all, the dimples on her lips were still faint, and in a trance she was still the little girl who shyly called her Fourth Aunt.
But she looked relaxed.
Even the sarcasm in the eyebrows was lightly playful, as if they were not talking about some big deal like breaking off an engagement or remarrying, but just chatting about the weather.
"Sixth girl, what do you mean? Tell Fourth Aunt."
"It's not hard to guess what the Zheng family is up to. Master Zheng touts himself as a noble family, but his fortune is relatively new and his foundation is weak, so he has to work hard to maintain the appearance of being noble and aloof. So, knowing that Second Uncle's personality would make it impossible for him to agree to a woman from the Xu family as a concubine, the Zheng family is still determined to take me in. Aren't they just trying to get us to cancel the engagement? Everyone will praise the Zheng family for their loyalty and integrity, while the Xu family is being ungrateful."
Everyone was silent for a moment, as if they had not expected that the Xu family's move had such a hidden meaning.
Grandmother was furious. "That damned old woman from the Zheng family actually lied to me. When she proposed marriage, she praised my sixth daughter to the heavens, and now she's avoiding her like she's the plague. What a wretch! These wives of officials really aren't any good!"
Huang seemed to have completely forgotten that she had long been what she called a "government wife."
Miao just kept crying but didn't say anything, and was very anxious.
Xu Zhenying consoled her, "Don't worry, mother. A marriage is an exchange of political resources. We don't have any leverage right now, so we'll naturally be kicked off the gambling table."
As soon as she finished speaking, Second Aunt and Fourth Aunt both looked over. Fourth Aunt looked a little dazed, while Second Aunt looked thoughtful.
Even Xu Yinxi looked at her with an inquiring look.
Xu Zhenying turned a blind eye. She and Xu Qingying were actually two different people. Xu Qingying was a standard ancient lady, virtuous, gentle and humble.
As for her, Xu Zhenying, from her name, it can be seen that Old Man Xu has been committed to training her to become the successor of social leadership.
Perhaps sooner, the Xu family will discover the difference between her and Xu Qingying.
"Next time someone from the Zheng family comes, I'll take the initiative to ask them to cancel the engagement. Firstly, I don't want to make any extra enemies at this critical moment, so as to avoid being kicked when I'm down. After all, there are still people from the Zheng family serving in the court, and they are more than capable of dealing with the fallen Xu family. Secondly, a forced marriage is not a happy one, so I'd rather not have a treacherous husband like this."
Xu Yinxi muttered to herself, "Well said!"
She couldn't help but take a deep look at her sixth sister who had never attracted attention in the past.
It still has one nose and two eyes, but why does it look so much better than usual?
Also, when did this girl change her personality? Normally, she's like a taciturn person, only greeting each other when they bump into each other. Even though we live under the same roof, it's strange that we haven't seen each other many times.
Grandmother also praised her: "My sixth daughter has a strong character. That's right, our sixth daughter is so beautiful, are you worried that she won't find a good family?"
The eldest aunt said quietly, "That's nice to say... but you'll never get it again. If Sixth Girl wants to find another family like the Zheng family again, it will probably be as difficult as ascending to heaven. Besides, even farmers in the countryside have to think twice before marrying a girl who has broken off an engagement. Maybe it would be better for her to become a concubine of the Zheng family."
Xu Zhenying said calmly, "How could that be?"
"Eh... why not... You're young and don't know how powerful it is. A woman who broke off an engagement is no different from a slut—"
"No." Xu Zhenying interrupted her politely, "Didn't Aunt Gang say that we'll be taken to the vegetable market to be beheaded in a few days? I guess I won't even be able to farm in the countryside."
Everyone was stunned. For a moment they wanted to laugh, but then they felt that this was unlucky and it was very difficult for them to hold back.
Even Grandmother Huang's face trembled, and she pretended to scold: "Sixth girl, don't talk nonsense, it's very unlucky."
"And...Auntie, aren't you going to continue rolling around?" Xu Zhenying held up his chin, a smile on his lips. "Don't say it, I'm a little uncomfortable with the sudden stop of these ghostly howlings. Please continue singing, continue dancing... Let's all have fun before you die..."
My aunt's expression suddenly stopped. She stood there frozen with her mouth wide open, looking a little dull and funny.
This time, someone finally burst out laughing.
The dark clouds that had been hanging over everyone's heads for the past few days seemed to dissipate in an instant.
Xu Yinxi also laughed, but Lian tugged at her sleeve unhappily, "How disrespectful! Don't imitate the Third House's behavior; it's full of merchant habits."
Xu Lezhi snorted, thinking to himself that this damn girl finally spoke some sensible words today.
Xu Zhenying's first day of time travel ended with his great aunt playing musical instruments and singing.
Everyone was given a cold steamed bun for dinner, and Xu Zhenying didn't mind and ate it raw.
She has always been very adaptable.
But when night came, the lights in the prison dimmed, and in the distance there was the sound of the jailer's footsteps. Outside, the moonlight was bright, shining through the tiny window, seeming to dispel the eerie, stale atmosphere of the prison.
It's too quiet.
Tired from the day's commotion, or perhaps just hungry, the Xu family went to bed early. There were no beds in the cell, just a hardwood plank where Grandmother Huang and the Xu family's youngest children could lie down. Everyone else either sat or lay down, fully clothed, sleeping on the floor.
The Xu family has many children, four in total. Their grandfather passed away a long time ago, and there is an aunt in the family who is married and living a good life in her hometown.
The eldest wife had three sons, but in the original owner's impression, the eldest wife's family had a similar temperament to the eldest aunt, being cunning and treacherous and loving to take advantage of others. Except for the second son who studied for two more years and had a somewhat sour personality, they were not bad people.
Second Aunt had only three daughters, so she had no choice but to give Second Uncle three concubines: Lin Yi Niang, Chun Yi Niang, and Mei Yi Niang. These three concubines gave birth to two sons and one daughter, bringing the second uncle's generation to six children.
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