Chapter 35 Wen Ning Goes to the Border Town
The old lady took a sip of tea and looked at Madam Xue, "Now that we are the only two in this room, I will speak frankly.
Ever since the Marquis was poisoned last time, the doctor has declared that he would be childless. I had hoped that the baby in that girl's belly was the Marquis's, but it's such a pity..."
She paused slightly and sighed softly, "I took good care of that girl, and it was also a way to accumulate merit for the Marquisate. I only hope that in the future, God will be merciful and allow the Marquis to completely cure the poison. Even if he can one day adopt a child from a side branch, I will have done my best to repay my ancestors."
When Nanny Xue heard this, her heart sank suddenly. She had no idea that the Marquis had no hope of having children.
She slowly knelt down, her voice low and hoarse, "It was originally because of this old servant's stupidity that I didn't understand the situation and ended up making things worse. This reckless behavior has brought shame to the Marquisate. I am guilty, but I will punish you, Madam."
The old lady waved her hand and said, "You are not to blame for this. That girl's body will show her pregnancy sooner or later. You are just telling the truth. What's wrong with that?"
Aunt Xue agreed with tears in her eyes. Seeing a hint of fatigue in the old lady's eyes, she whispered, "Old lady, you are tired. Let me help you to rest on the couch."
The old lady could only lean on the pillow to take a rest. She could not let go of her heart as the Marquis was still unconscious.
…
The September morning breeze was already filled with fine frost. Wen Ning curled up in the van filled with cargo, subconsciously tightening her clothes.
Before leaving, Madam Zhou, who was by the old lady's side, gave her a purse containing five taels of silver and a travel permit.
The old lady is kind-hearted after all.
She also felt a little grateful in her heart.
Wen Ning had been away from the capital for a day and a night, and she only knew that the caravan was taking her to a place called Border Town.
"We'll arrive at the farm in half a cup of tea. Miss, please wake up first." The hoarse voice startled Wen Ning.
The weather-beaten-faced leader of the caravan lifted the felt curtain and pointed to the shadowy earthen slope in the distance.
Wen Ning hurriedly sat up, smoothed her hair, and replied in a low voice, "Thank you for your help."
The caravan leader knew she was alone and consoled her, saying, "That was the farm that the old lady came with as a dowry. Now it's under my management. Although it looks remote, it's quite safe.
The village head is a loyal and honest man, and the tenants all know him well. The old lady has specifically instructed that there will be enough food for the first three months, but after that, you will have to find a way to make a living on your own."
Hearing this, Wen Ning lowered her eyes and touched her belly gently, saying softly, "Old Madam, you have taken care of me. I will remember it in my heart."
Soon, the caravan's carriage stopped briefly at the intersection of the farm. The leader dismounted, spoke a few words to the head of the farm who came forward, and then hurriedly got on his horse and continued on his way.
The head of the village is named Guo, a strong man in his forties.
Seeing that Wen Ning was a woman, he would have many inconveniences, so he sent his wife Ji Xianglan to take Wen Ning to an old courtyard at the entrance of the village to settle down first.
A small square courtyard surrounded by a low blue brick wall, with two gray tiled houses, one straight and one side.
There was a thatched shed on the west side, and under the shed there was a mud stove and a pile of firewood, which looked quite neat.
Although the yard is a bit cramped, it is enough for Wen Ning to live in.
After agreeing on an annual rent of two taels, Ji Xianglan also gave two buckets of rice and flour and a few handfuls of vegetables.
Ji Xianglan was about thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old. She had a strong and well-proportioned body from years of hard work, and her round oval face always had a kind smile on it.
She only heard from her husband that the young lady who had just come to the farm was working for a wealthy family, but not long after she found out that she was pregnant with her late husband's child. The old lady of that family, considering the reputation of the mansion, allowed her to come to this farm to make a living.
Ji Xianglan looked at Wen Ning carefully and couldn't help but marvel inwardly: This young lady looks like a fairy who walked out of a painting. It is hard to imagine that she is a slave. If she said that she was a concubine who escaped from the palace, it would be more believable.
"My dear," Ji Lanxiang said cheerfully as she helped clean up, "Our head of the family said it's not easy for a woman like you to go out, especially when you're pregnant. If you need anything during the day, you can always come to us."
Wen Ning's lips curved slightly and she nodded, "Thank you, Sister Lanxiang."
Ji Lanxiang paused, then lowered her voice and said, "Since you are so beautiful, I want to give you a heads up. Although the people in this village are all honest families, there are also many young men.
Men are inevitably hot-blooded. If you want to be left alone, why not just say your husband is out doing business and will be back soon? That way you can save your dignity and avoid any ill intentions from others.
Ji Lanxiang added, "Of course, it's up to you whether you say this or not. With me and the boss here, no one will bully you."
Wen Ning bowed slightly and said earnestly, "I'm new here and young and inexperienced, so I really should thank you for your thoughtful consideration."
Ji Lanxiang quickly reached out to help her up, her laughter tinged with the cheerfulness of a farmer, "Oh, what are you thanking me for? I'm a woman too, I have children too, so I know how difficult it is for a woman to give birth and raise a child."
…
The courtyard was cleaned for several days and became clean and tidy inside and out.
The window paper was newly pasted on, reflecting the sunlight and looking bright and translucent.
After the weeds were pulled out, a small space was left to plant a few rows of seasonal vegetables: redroot cabbage, autumn cabbage, radish...
She would go to the market some other day and catch three or five chicks, raise them until the New Year, and make soup or steam eggs with them, which would be enough for her to chew on by herself.
But when it was late at night and everyone was asleep, Wen Ning was often awakened by nightmares.
Xie Jinglan's bony hand would tightly grip her neck, his knuckles almost digging into her flesh.
The man's voice was as cold as ice. "Tell me! Whose child is this!"
His voice seemed to come from far away, with a suppressed hoarseness.
'Why did you hide it from me?'
The moonlight filtered in through the window lattice. Wen Ning sat on the couch with her knees hugged. Cold sweat soaked through her shirt, and a suffocating feeling as if she was being strangled still lingered in her throat.
It was quiet all around, with only the intermittent chirping of autumn insects in the corner of the wall.
After a long time, she vaguely realized: this is not the Marquis' Mansion. Being sold into the Marquis' Mansion was an unexpected accident. She and Xie Jinglan were like clouds dispersing in the sky, and they would never meet again.
Thinking of this, Wen Ning slowly exhaled and his shoulders slowly relaxed.
…
Xie Jinglan woke up after being in a coma for two days and is now recovering well.
As soon as he woke up, he learned that Wen Ning had escaped without a trace.
The servants in the mansion were trembling with fear at first, and no one dared to mention a word about Wen Ning in front of him, for fear of offending him.
But after returning from a near-death experience, this master was surprisingly calm. He neither sent people to search everywhere nor showed any signs of rage.
Every day he went to court, trained his troops, and inspected the arsenal as usual...
Some bold maids began to gossip in private, "After all, that lowly maid has been married before. How could a Marquis of such status really take her seriously?"
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