The county magistrate left in anger. That night, the youngest son returned with the good news for his wife: they had a place to stay for the time being.
An orange orchard was looking for a temporary worker, just for a month or so, who would need to watch the nights and have a place to stay and cook for himself. Mother and son packed up their things and rushed to the orchard to stay and watch the nights.
As soon as they left, someone took advantage of the night to set fire to the dilapidated temple, which then burst into flames and burned to ashes. The corner where the mother and son had lived was doused with oil, and it was the worst burned.
The old lady stopped talking at this point and said, "You all know what happened next. I have to go back now! You've delayed me from doing so much work today!"
Wang Xipei had unknowingly eaten a bun as big as her face. She was listening with great interest and was unwilling to stop. She said, "I'll double the money you made for that job. Go on."
The old lady said, "I have agreed to this, but I will not be able to finish the work in time, which will delay other people's work. Young lady, when I have some free time, I will come back to earn the money for this storytelling."
Wang Xipei nodded and said, "Take care, Auntie. We bought a lot of buns here. I'll get you three."
Luo Qing quickly took out three buns and placed them in the old lady's basket. The old lady said, "I'm not polite, but I'm leaving. We locals all know what happened next. If you want to hear it, ask someone else."
When Wang Xipei asked, someone continued, "Originally, the concubine heard that the county magistrate had gone to fetch the child, and she was furious. However, the woman was determined to divorce him and only wanted the dowry. When she learned about this, she told the county magistrate to burn down the dilapidated temple. With no place for the mother and child to live, she naturally bowed her head and returned.
The fire started in the middle of the night, and it was not started during the day when the mother and son went out to work and had not returned. So I am afraid that the concubine intended to burn the mother and son to death.
The county magistrate blamed the concubine, and the concubine said that if he was really dead, all the trouble would be gone. All she would have to do was bury him with honor and write two heartfelt eulogies.
The county magistrate was persuaded again, but when he heard that nothing had happened to the mother and son, and that they had gone to the prefectural yamen to report the matter, the matter became a big deal, and he blamed the concubine for being too cruel and forcing the mother and son into a state of panic.
The matter was dropped because there was no evidence. But perhaps because she felt guilty, the dowry was returned.
Later, the mother and son used their dowry to buy this small shop. It was small but in a good location. There was a loft upstairs for sleeping and the shop was downstairs.
The buns she made were not tasty at first, but gradually they got better. The county magistrate's wife really put in a lot of effort.
The younger son did a lot of work and later wrote scripts for others, which were unexpectedly well received. He is now quite famous in this field, and two opera troupes in Sanjiang and Wuhu regularly use his scripts.
Mother and son endured these past few years, living comfortably. However, the county magistrate, once an upright official, had become a complete failure. He had been corrupt and corrupt in recent years, accepting bribes. When his crimes were exposed, he was punished for several crimes, including the concubine's arson. The two accused each other, and the whole family was exiled, including the eldest son and his family of three.
After the ruined temple was burned to the ground, the youngest son applied to open an ancestral hall, severed ties with his father, and changed his surname to his mother's. This was controversial at the time, but now people say it's a good thing he took this step.
Wang Xipei had just heard this and before she could express her feelings, she saw Jiang Tao striding towards her.
When he got closer, he reached out and took her hand.
Wang Xipei looked up at his handsome jawline and asked, "Where are you going?"
Jiang Tao said, "Didn't you say yesterday that you wanted to be a fisherman for a day, to catch fish and shrimp? You said you wanted to lie on a swaying boat and watch the clouds and sky merge into one?"
Wang Xipei's eyes sparkled: "Okay!"
Jiang Tao held her hand and stood still: "Although it is a big ship, with good handling and good weather, it is your first time on board and I am afraid you will feel dizzy. If you really feel uncomfortable, don't force yourself. We can return as soon as possible."
Wang Xipei's eyebrows curved, "I understand."
Xuanyuan Huaiyu's face had been gloomy and her eyes cold for the past two weeks, every time she received a tip-off. She accepted someone else's jade pendant, gave away her own purse, and let someone else hold her hand... Before she committed suicide, she hid her hand in her sleeve, refusing him to touch it.
If this continues, she will probably have to get married.
He thought of her wedding dress, phoenix coronet and bridal robe. He lifted the veil with a frivolous and playful smile, and was also stunned by her beauty.
Even though she was the most beautiful woman in the world, he only had Sister Ren in his heart. He turned around and left without saying a word.
He went directly to the Third Prince's Mansion and stood at the door for a long time without going in.
Entering the Xuanyu Restaurant across the street, he gave this to Sister Ren, saying it was a gift for his third brother and sister-in-law. The feeling in his heart cannot be expressed in words, so just take it as a blessing.
And now I am married.
Didn't Xuanyuan Mingrui humiliate Sister Ren back then? Now I've taken the person he wanted to marry, and I'll humiliate him time and time again in the future. What other woman could rank ahead of Jiayu? I'm really giving her face.
He sat in the Xuanyu Restaurant until dawn, looking at the Third Prince's Mansion from afar. He didn't touch the food on the table, but drank a jar of wine.
Did he even think about his bride, who had been sitting there all night? Did he just think she deserved it and shouldn't be angered? His mother seemed to have said, "Why?" He thought at the time, protecting someone is protecting someone, and taking anger out on someone is taking anger out on someone!
Because the Grand Secretary dared to say a word to Jiayu, he shot him with two arrows. He bled so much that he had to lie at home for three months and still couldn't recover. He was limping all the time. But when he saw Jiayu again later, he had learned his lesson.
He didn't let her kneel in front of the Third Prince's mansion and let his Third Sister-in-law vent her anger because he had to give the Wang family some face. It was not because he was afraid that his father would blame him, but because he was afraid that Jiayu would be hurt in the end.
He first heard the name Wang Xipei from Sister Ren after the Spring Festival Banquet. By then, Sister Ren was already the Third Sister-in-law, and even when she mentioned Fourth Brother's choice of Wang Xipei, she was still dejected. Just because she had caused Jiayu such grief, she deserved to be hanged and flogged to death.
He wanted to see who this person was, so he went through the hole in the wall to see her. She was just a little girl, and she was not worthy of bullying Jiayu.
…
When did the light in Wang Xipei's eyes go out?
He clenched his fist and secretly said, "Eyes like stars, shining brightly." He didn't mind extinguishing it for her again.
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