Chapter 6: A Man Must Be Useful
"My story is a bit long."
Lu Qiniang kept chattering.
Originally, she supported her three daughters with her own strength and lived a pretty good life.
Later, by chance, she entered the Zhou Mansion to do some rough work.
The three daughters also helped out in various parts of the Zhou family's residence, and all four of them had income.
Daya learned needlework in the embroidery room; Erya was favored by the housekeeper and helped to run errands, and also learned to read and do accounting; although Sanya was young, she was also able to run errands and deliver messages.
"...I originally thought that girls should have more experience, stay in the Zhou Mansion for a few years, earn some dowry, and preferably learn to read and write. Then the four of us can come back and buy a house and land. Life will be so much better."
"What happened next?" Xiao Yan was listening carefully.
He saw Lu Qinniang's expectations for the future, and there was hope for the future.
"Then some messy things happened. I think it's still not safe for girls there. There are few clean masters in the Zhou Mansion. Don't set your sights on my three girls."
"Don't you want them to marry high there?"
Xiao Yan knew that many people were willing to rely on the Marquis' Mansion and were unwilling to come out.
"Eat according to your ability," Lu Qi's mother said, "I'm a useless mother. Even if I marry into a rich family, won't they still be criticized behind their backs for the rest of their lives?"
Work hard for your own food, and don't think about anything else. This is Lu Qinniang's life motto.
"And they don't treat people as human beings." Lu Qiniang thought of the two dead girls who were as beautiful as flowers, and felt that under the overwhelming wealth of the Marquis' Mansion, there were countless bones, and there was nothing to be nostalgic about.
"Over the past two years, including the annual bonuses, I've saved over fifty taels of silver. Who would have thought that when I was about to leave, I fell seriously ill and spent all the money."
"Fifty taels of silver in exchange for a piece of fat meat. My meat is so precious." Lu Qiniang said self-deprecatingly.
Xiao Yan didn't expect that Lu Qinniang had just suffered a serious illness and would use her remaining little money to buy him.
His heart was touched for a moment, and after a while he said, "Those who survive a great disaster will surely have good fortune in the future."
"You still have to study and speak nicely." Lu Qiniang was happy, "Xiao Yan, I want to discuss something with you."
"you say."
"I don't know a single word myself," Lu Qiniang said, "but I've seen the young ladies of the Zhou Mansion. They've read books and they're different. Even my second daughter has learned a few words and she's different! When you were at my house, I didn't expect you to be able to do anything with your body. In your free time, could you teach my other girls to recognize five words a day?"
Here, women who read will be laughed at.
But Lu Qiniang didn't think so.
"...If studying is not good, why would men go to school? Men are the smartest. They must have gained benefits, so they don't want women to go too." Lu Qiniang said, "I just don't believe it. I can live a muddled life, but my three girls must live a clear life."
"I can teach them. But," Xiao Yan said carefully, "I think that as their foster mother, you are too indulgent towards them. I'm afraid they won't be grateful to you in the future."
"I don't like what you said. Whose children don't spoil themselves? I bought them back not as maids, but as daughters." Lu Qiniang said, "Little girl, it's better to be strong so that you won't be bullied in the future. Who doesn't have some problems?"
"Even though they're not my own, I treat them as my own. Isn't it right to spoil them? People are all made of flesh and blood. When I'm old, maybe I'll become unreasonable, and they'll spoil me, too."
Lu Qiniang said with a bit of pride, "Look at Erya, isn't she a strong girl? She won't suffer any loss even if she eats shit. But this girl, when I was sick, I originally planned not to treat her and leave the money to them. But Erya banged her head against the wall, saying that if I didn't treat her, she would die first. That girl, hard on the outside but soft on the inside, no matter how many times I told her that she would suffer such losses, she would not change..."
"I have my own problems, so how can I not tolerate my daughter having some? She is just picky and likes to be coquettish, what kind of problem is that? It's just that I am not ambitious enough. If I had money, I would dress her up beautifully every day. This is what a mother would want."
Xiao Yan was silent for a long time, but it felt like there were bells and drums beating loudly in his mind, and the echoes made his scalp numb.
He seemed to understand something.
Lu Qiniang said that was "a mother's thoughts."
It turned out that he had a stepmother and a biological mother, but he had never had a "mother" like that.
His stepmother asked him to do his best and bring honor to the family.
His biological mother asked him to give in and be patient, to pave the way for his elder brother and to open up new paths for his younger brother.
He made a mistake, no one would say he was excusable, no one would forgive him, and no one would remember the contributions he had made to the family.
Even he himself kept blaming himself and gave up on himself, thinking that he was not good enough and brought shame to the family.
He was in a daze during the days of imprisonment and humiliation.
He seemed to be walking on an endless dark road, alone, without seeing a ray of light.
He always felt that after struggling for more than 20 years, he had nothing in the end. His heart felt as if it had been burned by a fire, leaving only desolation, and he could not blame anyone else.
But it was not until this moment, after hearing Lu Qinniang's words, that Xiao Yan had an epiphany.
For the first time, he clearly understood that he had never been loved as a child by his parents.
What they loved was the brilliant young general, not the joke that had offended the powerful and was framed and ended up in a miserable state.
When he was in trouble, he thought about them; but none of them did anything for him.
Lu Qinniang actually didn't have to do it.
Because if her so-called "favor" is really a favor, then the people who want to repay her can form an army of thousands.
"Xiao Yan, what do you think? How about four words a day?"
"Okay." In the darkness, Xiao Yan opened his eyes, with soreness in the corners of his eyes.
"Then I really didn't buy you for nothing." Lu Qin's mother said happily, "Don't worry, as long as I have a bite to eat, you will have one too. However, your family is so rich, someone will come to pick you up..."
When the time comes, just give her some tips and she will have money, right?
"No." Xiao Yan's tone was cold.
Lu Qiniang could tell he was unhappy, so she didn't say anything else. "Go to sleep, we'll talk tomorrow if there's anything else."
Soon, she began to breathe evenly, not snoring, but the dog was snoring.
Xiao Yan originally thought that he would not be able to sleep, but perhaps because he was too tired or the quilt on the kang was too warm, he soon fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, Xiao Yan was awakened by the quarrel in the yard.
Lu Qiniang, who always spoke loudly, was now accompanying Xiaoyi. "This matter is all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding..."
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