“I’ve never seen anyone fish in winter,” Manto said to Lu Wangji.
The group stopped by a famous scenic lake. Cen's mother thought that since they were out having fun, they might as well enjoy all the scenery along the way, since it was only a few days' journey.
"Do you think he can catch anything?" Mando asked.
"Fish can't breathe under the ice, so it should be possible; the incision is just right," the man said softly, turning to take the hand of the young woman beside him.
"Hey! We actually caught one! And it looks pretty fat!"
"Do you want some?"
I kind of want to.
"Then I'll have my junior brother go and buy it for you."
The young Mo family member still doesn't know why his senior brother has so much money. Before they came out, the Mo family had been living frugally for a long time. Although they, as the younger generation, didn't have to worry about money, only they knew how they were living.
————Five days later, in the border town
"Wow, Xiangxiang, this is Beining!"
Beining County was far more prosperous than Huo Xiaolong had imagined; it was indeed a bustling and charming ancient city. On the cobblestone streets, people were wrapped in cotton-padded coats, and the roadside vendors offered a much wider variety of goods than those in Pingyang County. Even the signs and pavilions of the roadside restaurants were as tall as three stories.
"Yeah, it's alright, I guess."
Actually, Hou Xiangxiang didn't really like Beining; she didn't have any good memories there. From the time she was old enough to understand things, all her happiness had been in Pingyang County, which she preferred—a quiet, ordinary little county where everyone was striving to live their lives.
"We're going to be separated soon, so don't run back by yourself. Wait for me, okay?"
The little girl carefully cupped Huo Xiaolong's face in her hands and said that she was afraid her younger sister would run back to Pingyang County if she was unhappy somewhere. That's just her personality; Hu Chaochao's behavior is normal too.
"No, my mom and the others will be handling their business for several more days."
"Um!"
Hou Xiangxiang nodded, took out a bronze mirror from her bag, and tidied her hair, which she had messed up while playing with the little dumpling. The innocent smile on her face vanished, and instantly, the naive seven-year-old girl transformed into a stoic, expressionless young lady.
Huo Xiaolong was stunned. This little girl is amazing! She can change her expression!
The little dumpling, who was the biggest cheerleader, clapped her hands on the sidelines.
"Wow, that's amazing! Little sister! Do it again!"
The taciturn young lady broke down in an instant, ignoring her neatly arranged clothes, and started fooling around with her friends in the carriage again.
"Xiangxiang, we'll be home at the next intersection."
"oh"
She really didn't want to go back to that dilapidated house, even though it was bigger and had more servants than the brothel. The young girl still found it extremely unpleasant.
If her own father hadn't died, she would never have wanted to come back.
Yes, a grand mansion is like a black hole that all women in the world yearn for, where they are surrounded by servants dressed in fine clothes and eating delicacies.
However, there is no freedom to scheme and plot; everyone has their own choices, but the rules of this world instill in women that there is only one choice.
Regardless of wealth or social status, staying at home and managing household affairs is the only option for a woman.
As for having children, needless to say, what do people say? Oh, women, having children is what you should do. If a woman doesn't have children, and you don't, you're an oddball, an incompetent wife, and an incompetent daughter-in-law!
"Little Dragon Sister, I'm leaving now."
Hou Xiangxiang reluctantly got out of the carriage and greeted the little girl inside. The little girl looked blank. From Huo Xiaolong's perspective, the prefectural governor's mansion behind them was not a home, but a den of demons that could devour her, a den of demons where anyone who went in would be skinned alive.
The sun was shining brightly today, so bright it was hard to open your eyes. She felt as if the little girl was surrounded by endless darkness, a terrifying darkness.
"Don't be afraid, little girl!"
Huo Xiaolong leaned half his body out of the carriage and said these words to her. As soon as he said them, the Lady Hou couldn't help but turn around and look at the two little people. What was there to be afraid of when returning to her own home? Besides, after this visit, she probably wouldn't come again.
"Don't be afraid, I'll get you out of here no matter what. No one can lock you up, not just you."
The little dumpling reached out her hand to Hou Xiangxiang, just like that afternoon when they sat on the ground in the Huo family's backyard.
Not only her, but also Long'er will pull one woman after another out of the abyss of the inner palace in the future. Only the two of them understand this.
"Yes! I believe you!"
The little girl grasped that hand back and smiled sincerely.
I believe in you, you will definitely take me away, and not just me.
Hou Xiangxiang turned around and stepped into the prefectural governor's mansion, which was covered with spirit banners. This time she was not afraid; this cage would no longer confine her.
The little girl knew that she might not be able to leave with her mother smoothly this time.
The son her stepmother bore for her father wasn't his biological son, and the relatives of the Cheng family wouldn't let her leave easily. She knew all this, and her mother had made two preparations.
If they don't release them, her maternal grandparents will send people to take them back.
"That's wonderful," the little girl thought.
Before them lay a scene of stark white: white paper, white flowers, and white banners. Lady Hou held her daughter's hand, each step treading upon the memorial offerings of the mansion's masters.
Upon reaching the main courtyard, Granny Hou had already dressed the two children in mourning clothes.
"Miss, please accept my condolences."
The wet nurse continued to call her "Miss" as always, from her childhood to the present, for decades. When Lady Hou heard the news of her husband's death, she secretly cried, but for some reason, her heart didn't ache.
Why was she crying?
Lady Hou could hear the weeping from the mourning hall from a great distance. It would be difficult if she were crying like them.
The woman placed her hand on her chest and looked around the house where she had lived for several years.
When Lady Hou took a liking to the Prefect, her parents did not agree. At that time, the Prefect was not yet the Prefect, but just a clerk doing odd jobs under the Prefect. However, the advantage of being a clerk was that one could be recommended by the Prefect.
But where would he get the money to smooth things over with the prefect? Almost all of this money came from the Hou family. Thinking of this, Lady Hou gave a cold laugh.
I was so stupid back then; I didn't even notice his obvious intentions.
It's not that I didn't notice; it's that I've been deceiving myself.
They once shared a youthful infatuation, and the Lady of the Marquis is only twenty-four or twenty-five this year. But from the moment the Prefect told her he wanted to bring a concubine into the household, her heart died, along with her youthful infatuation.
Lady Hou smiled at the wet nurse and said...
"Please accept my condolences, Granny. We all share your grief."
Granny Hou was terrified. What was wrong with her young mistress? Her husband was dead and she was still laughing. Could it be that the shock had affected her mind?
Seeing that her nanny was terrified by her own mother, the little girl smiled at her when no one was looking, and took her hand, saying...
"Grandma, we'll go home after the mourning period."
Upon hearing this, the old woman couldn't control her emotions. Tears streamed down her face. "How wonderful, how wonderful," she thought. The young lady had finally let go; the girl she had watched grow up was finally able to escape the mire.
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