Chapter 639 Life has to go on.
If the old man, the Jin family patriarch, were still alive, seeing Hongxiu, Lüyi, and Yingge in such a pitiful state, with tears streaming down their faces, he would most likely feel a pang of sympathy and then run to bed with it.
But in front of Hongxiu and the other two was not the dead Jin family patriarch, but the Jin family matriarch, a woman over fifty years old.
Women naturally have the saying "cherish the fairer sex," but if the woman is a concubine of your husband, it is already magnanimous of the matriarch of the Jin family to show any pity for the three women, Hongxiu.
Hongxiu and the other two had lived in brothels since childhood, so they knew that such behavior was useless to the matriarch of the Jin family. However, they still had to maintain the proper demeanor.
So, after crying out a couple of times, before the matriarch of the Jin family could get annoyed, Hongxiu and the other two stopped crying and knelt on the ground with tears streaming down their faces, looking at the matriarch of the Jin family sitting at the head of the table, hoping to gain some pity.
The matriarch of the Jin family is now enjoying the most carefree time of her life. She has survived the most difficult period of her youth, and now her two sons are grown up, her eldest daughter-in-law is pregnant, and her shameless husband who contracted genital disease is dead. As long as she gets rid of the three concubines left behind by the Jin family's master, she will be the matriarch of the entire Jin family and the one with the most say.
Therefore, the matriarch of the Jin family was in a pretty good mood at this moment.
Furthermore, the matriarch of the Jin family was a righteous person. She knew that Hongxiu and the other two were young girls in this era who had no choice. They entered the Jin family as concubines only to survive, and it would be even better if they could live a good life without worrying about food and clothing.
Otherwise, Hongxiu is old enough to call the Jin family's young master "father," so how could she tolerate the age difference and submit to the Jin family's young master?
The matriarch of the Jin family sighed as she looked at the three young girls kneeling below, and then slowly said to them, "Don't be afraid. Although I said I would let you leave the Jin family, life outside is not so easy."
You have served Lord and me for many years. I have treated you like cats and dogs, but after all these years, there is some affection between us.
"Don't cry yet, listen to my plan first."
Hongxiu and the other two were naturally grateful and kowtowed to the matriarch of the Jin family. Then they knelt obediently and listened to the matriarch of the Jin family tell them about the arrangements for the three of them.
"You are allowed to take your private savings and the things currently in the house with you when you leave the Jin family."
I've arranged for someone to rent a house in Fuyuan Alley. After you move out of the Jin family's house, you can stay there for about six months.
After the matriarch of the Jin family finished speaking, the old woman beside her took out a few sheets of paper and handed them to Hongxiu.
Hongxiu couldn't read. She could only look pitifully at the matriarch of the Jin family.
"One is the lease agreement for that house, and the other three are your indentures."
After you leave the Jin family, go to the government office to cancel the contract and become good people from now on.
If you get married in the future, you can come home and let me know. Out of consideration for our past relationship, I will certainly provide you with a dowry.
"Madam, Madam..."
Upon hearing this, Hongxiu and the other two could no longer hold back. They cried softly and kowtowed to the matriarch of the Jin family.
Madam Jin waved her hand at the three of them without saying anything, then turned to the old woman beside her. The old woman then came closer again, took out a wooden box, and opened it for Hongxiu and the other two to see.
"Here's one hundred taels of silver for the three of you to keep."
Whether you split it equally or whatever, it's fine with me. Just consider it a gift to thank you for your many years of service to the master.
...
"Therefore, leave home in five days."
"lady……"
“You are still young and both are young girls. If you find a suitable man after leaving home, it would be good for you to remarry.”
If you don't want to get married, even though you have money, it will eventually run out. You might as well use it to open a small shop and run a maid business.
If you want to do business, you can tell Granny that you can use our connections. Whether it's a cloth shop or a cosmetics shop, at least you'll have some income and be able to make a living in this city.
Alright, I've said everything I needed to say today. How things turn out from here on out is up to you all.
The matriarch of the Jin family said these words truly for the good of Hongxiu and the other two.
Although the matriarch of the Jin family was actually impatient with the concubine of her son-in-law who had died a dishonorable death, she wanted to get rid of the three of them from the Jin family.
However, the matriarch of the Jin family not only sold the indenture, allowed them to bring their own money, and even rented a house for them to live in, but also provided them with a way to establish themselves. Moreover, she said that the three of them could use the Jin family's influence.
She has truly considered the future of Hongxiu and the other two enough, and deserves their heartfelt gratitude.
The three women, Hongxiu and her companions, had received guidance from Li Sanniang when they left Chang'an. Although they were quite apprehensive about leaving the Jin family, they were somewhat prepared.
Regardless, five days later, after they kowtowed to the matriarch of the Jin family in the courtyard with their bundles, the three of them left the Jin family, supporting each other.
Half a year passed in the blink of an eye. The three of them moved out of the house that the Jin family had rented for them earlier and rented a house in the market to live in again.
The three of them had encountered difficulties in the past six months. After all, they had been concubines of wealthy merchants. Although they had been released, how could they not gossip in the marketplace?
Fortunately, the Jin family still showed some protection towards the three of them, which allowed them to survive the first six months.
None of the three had any intention of remarrying, at least not at the moment; they were only thinking about how to survive.
Thus, Hongxiu suggested following the advice of the matriarch of the Jin family. The three of them took out more than half of the one hundred taels of silver and bought a shop with a small storefront in the front and a place where people could live in the back. They opened a general store selling things for women.
Not only rouge and face powder, but also hair accessories, hairbands, purses and belts are available; the main business is selling small items.
At the beginning, the three of them suffered, after all, their reputation was not good, so why would respectable women go to a shop run by a promiscuous concubine?
Even at the very beginning, there were some vulgar rumors circulating in the streets, and Yingge, who was a bit weak-willed, almost committed suicide because of those words.
If it weren't for Hongxiu's strong personality, who took a broom and beat up the woman gossiping at the shop entrance, the shop would have gone out of business in just a few days.
It wasn't until the matriarch of the Jin family sent a servant to the shop that the people around realized that the wealthy Jin family had no intention of ignoring their three virtuous concubines.
Therefore, some people followed the lead and tried to curry favor with the Jin family by sending their female relatives to the shop. Gradually, the three of them continued to run the shop.
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