Chapter 216 The stepfather changed his mind
He Danggui didn’t know why he asked this, so she said tactfully, “As a child, I can’t make much comments on the affairs of adults. But my mother is much happier and younger with self-cultivation in Taoist temple in recent years than with my stepfather’s family a few years ago. I’m happy for her. Magistrate He was convicted? What was the charge?”
He Fu lost his official position? He Danggui didn’t remember that when she was in her fourteen in her previous life. At that time, she was weeping for all sorts of people and affairs of Luo’s Family. It was hard to get the outside information. Later, she married into Lord Ning’s Mansion. It was heard a few years later that He Fu was no longer an official. He made a lot of money by doing shipping work on the sea and bought a house and a piece of farmland in Qingzhou City. Then he picked up He Danggui’s mother, Luo Chuanxiong. Having known that, Luo Chuanxiong immediately began to pack up and was ready to move to Qingzhou City.
At that time, He Danggui was shocked by that. She rushed back to Yangzhou City from Daning without eating or sleeping for several days. Finally, she stopped Luo Chuanxiong before Luo Chuanxiong left Luo’s Mansion. After questioning Luo Chuanxiong, He Danggui found out that He Fu had lost his job a few years ago. It seemed that He Fu had been in prison for some time. After coming out, he asked Luo Chuanxiong for money and gave Luo Chuanxiong a debit note on his own responsibility. After importuning for several days, he borrowed more than 3,000 liang silver and a box of pearl hairpins and jewelry from Luo Chuanxiong.
After He Fu left with a lot of cheques, Luo Chuanxiong began to regret. Therefore, she did not dare to tell Madam Luo and others about it. No one knew that her dowry had been cut nearly half. Her dowry which was totally worth more than 10,000 liang. But after she provided the money for He Fu to find an official position and supported his mother, his old sister and his brother-in-law, about 5,000 liang of her dowry had been used in He Fu’s family.
At that time, Luo Chuangu, Second Lord of Luo’s Family, was doing some mysterious business outside. At first, he used Second Branch’s own money. Later, Sun Meiniang was unwilling to give him money. Then Luo Chuangu tried to get money from the mansion, and even asked Madam Luo for money. When Madam Luo noticed the confused account of the mansion, she began to doubt him. So, after that, he had designs on his fourth sister, Luo Chuanxiong. When Luo Chuanxiong got married for the first time, Luo’s Family prepared a dowry of 10,000 liang. Although she was sent back by He Jingxian embarrassedly, she brought back all cheques and title deeds for farms of her dowry, which was still 10,000 liang. And although her second marriage was not decent at all, Madam Luo and others gave her some gifts, which were worth nearly 3,000 liang.
Therefore, Luo Chuangu schemed in his heart. His fourth sister should still have nearly 10,000 liang silver now. It was no use for a woman to hold so much silver. She would better bring a stake in his business. So, he asked Luo Chuanxiong to borrow 8,000 liang at a time.
Luo Chuanxiong was never thrifty. In order to keep self-esteem, even though she lived in natal family these years, she never took any money from the mansion. And now, she had less than 4,000 liang left. Luo Chuangu said that his business was so good, which made her be excited. She wanted to earn some money for her old age. After all, her only daughter, He Danggui, had just married to the northwest. And she didn’t know if she could see He Danggui in the future. Luo Chuanxiong left only 300 liang and gave the remaining 3,000 liang silver to Luo Chuangu. However, it was far less than Luo Chuangu’s expectation, so he was very angry. He took the cheques and left. Since then, the silver had gone. There was no principal, deed, receipt for a loan, and bonus.
When He Danggui interrogated Luo Chuanxiong and heard these bad things, He Danggui became more and more annoyed. She could understand why Luo Chuanxiong was not thrifty. Since Luo Chuanxiong’s childhood, Luo Duzhong always spoiled Luo Chuanxiong. The dowry, which was worth 10,000 liang, was enough for Luo Chuanxiong’s whole life, but she didn’t know how to refuse the borrowers. In the end, there was only 300 liang silver left! The only legitimate daughter of East Yard, the beloved daughter of the rich doctor Luo Duzhong, only had 300 liang silver!
Originally, He Danggui wanted to scold her mother severely. It could be seen that her mother was depressed when hearing these things, which made He Danggui feel distressed. If only she could live with her mother! However, the condition of Lord Ning’s Mansion was complex. Although she was favored by Lord Ning, she was on thin ice every day. She was very grateful to get Lord Ning’s permission to come back to visit her mother.
Wiping tears, Luo Chuanxiong told He Danggui that the immortal awarded her. When He Fu left directly after she gave 3,000 liang to him, she thought she did a wrong decision again. However, just a few days ago, several stewards went to Luo’s Mansion. They said with the accent of Qingzhou City that He Fu had made a lot of money by doing shipping work. He bought a house in Qingzhou City and became a local upstart. Now he was very concerned about Luo Chuanxiong. When he recalled all her past kindness, he often wept and sighed, hoping to repay her.
Hearing this, Luo Chuanxiong was very excited. Firstly, she had spent almost all her private money. Originally, she would not use the money from her natal family. Now she had to earn a living by serving the second sister-in-law, Sun Meiniang. When she took the indispensable 30 liang silver from Sun Meiniang every month, she had a feeling of exposing her scalp.
Secondly, she still had some hope for He Fu. Anyway, she had married him for 10 years. How many 10 years did a woman have? And how many times could a woman remarry? Though He Fu was so heartless, he repented and came back to her. Therefore, as soon as she heard that He Fu became rich and realized her kindness, she immediately began to pack luggage. As if she hoped to own a pair of wings and fly to Qingzhou City to see her new home. Even if the environment was not as good as Luo’s Mansion, she would be the hostess there and no longer have to bear the humiliation.
Hearing her mother’s story, He Danggui still felt that it was not appropriate. Although she had a vague impression of her stepfather, she would never forget his gloomy and lustful eyes when he jumped out of the window to abduct her ten years ago. It was her nightmare and had buried in her heart for 10 years. No way! She absolutely couldn’t let her mother go to find He Fu. He was morally corrupt!
But He Danggui didn’t know how to tell Luo Chuanxiong about it. Luo Chuanxiong was looking forward to see He Fu and the new home He Fu prepared. However, He Fu felt He Danggui up when she was only 9 years old. He did not leave quietly for the capital to begin his work, but probably planned to cheat He Danggui out and raise her to be a child bride.
Seeing her mother’s bright eyes, which represented the longing for a new life, He Danggui couldn’t tell the truth. She said, “Mother, I remember you have no silver, don’t you? In recent years, I have been favored by Lord Ning and has accumulated a lot of gold, silver and other rewards, which were worth 4,000 or 5,000 liang. But I came in a hurry and didn’t brought anything. It’s better for you to stay in Luo’s Mansion for another 2 months. I’ll go back and bring some money for you. Then I’ll hire some reliable escorts to follow you.”
He Danggui thought that she would try to stop her mother from leaving first. Then she would go to Wuying Tower and ask some spies to go to Qingzhou City to find out details about He Fu. A person who did too many bad things would leave a lot of traces. Then she would go to find He Fu and ask him not to consider about her mother again. Otherwise, her husband, Lord Ning, would not let He Fu go. He Fu, that son of bitch, didn’t deserve to have such a good wife like Luo Chuanxiong. Even if he really repented, Luo Chuanxiong shouldn’t give him any chance. Since he had abandoned Luo Chuanxiong once, he could abandon her again.
Looking at He Danggui lovingly, Luo Chuanxiong said softly, “My honey, you can save your money for yourself. You should focus everything on Lord Ning. Since you married him, your surname has become Zhu. Yesterday, I went to complain with Madam Luo and told her that I had lent my second brother more than 3,000 liang silver to do business. At last, I lost all my money. Hearing it and He Fu’s news, Madam Luo pitied me and was also happy that I could reap the rewards. She gave me a treasure box which had gold, silver and jewelry. These were worth 2,000 liang silver in total. Madam Luo said that when I went to Qingzhou City, I would be a wife in charge of the family and should be well dressed. I couldn’t lose the face of Luo’s Mansion.”
He Danggui wanted to find a reason to let her mother stay, but those stewards with Qingzhou City accent from He’s Mansion had loaded all the luggage cages into the carriage and urged her mother to leave. Luo Chuanxiong said goodbye to He Danggui in a hurry and told He Danggui to be careful and humble in Lord Ning’s Mansion. And He Danggui should treat her husband as her everything. Then Luo Chuanxiong turned and got into the carriage.
The coachman raised his whip. With the clattering of the horse’s hooves, Luo Chuanxiong left.
He Danggui worried a lot. Although her mother was in her thirties and had been practicing in Sanqing Temple for many years, she was always like a young and naive girl without any defensive mind. He Danggui hoped that nothing would happen on the way. It was not safe since her mother took the treasure box which was worth 2,000 liang!
He Danggui looked at Ming Ri, who rode with her from Daning. This man was Lord Ning’s henchman, who gave orders to Wuying Tower on behalf of Lord Ning. And sometimes he dressed up like Lord Ning to command the assassination of Wuying Tower. Hearing that He Danggui was going to visit her mother in Yangzhou City, Lord Ning immediately asked Ming Ri to come with her and protect her.
Thinking that, He Danggui smiled sweetly. Since Lord Ning gave such a heavyweight bodyguard to her, her position in his heart must be different. Ming Ri only obeyed Lord Ning, and even Princess Xie could not order him.
Seeing Ming Ri’s expressionless face, He Danggui entreated, “I worry about my mother and really want to follow her. But I feel faint at the moment since I came in hurry. Ming Ri, you are good at martial arts. I heard that when you went to the battlefield with Lord, you spent ten days and nights searching for him. It seems that you have great energy. So, please follow the carriage and protect my mother.”
Seeing that Ming Ri didn’t respond to her words with an expressionless face, He Danggui said in a softer tone, “They cannot go fast with a few carriages of luggage. You can take a few naps along the way and then follow up. If you help me this time, I will remember your kindness. If there is any assignment in the future, I won’t refuse. OK?”
Ming Ri nodded cockily and turned over to the horse. Then He Danggui grabbed the reins and pleaded, “Well, when you arrive at Qingzhou City, don’t come back in a hurry. Stay outside the mansion and investigate secretly to find out more details of my stepfather He Fu. If he is a vile man or he cheats my mother, you can go directly to see my mother and take her back to Yangzhou City anyway! Please!”
Ming Ri gave a snort and said coldly, “Concubine He, my Lady, I thought you are a smart person. I don’t expect that you can be like this. Once a woman gets married, she will become a man’s accessory and can’t get rid of it all her life. No matter whether he cheats her or betrays her, she cannot have other thought but keep silent. This is the right way to be a wife. Since your mother has married He Fu, she belongs to him. Above all, she is his wife. And secondly, she is your mother. You are always in the second place. You can never tie your mother, because now she is the accessory of someone else. Well, what does ‘if He Fu cheats your mother’ mean? Concubine He, my Lady, I can tell you for sure that there is no man who never cheat women in the world. None.”
Seeing He Danggui’s dazed and bloodshot eyes, Ming Ri waved his whip and said, “As an accessory of My Lord, you’d better concentrate on him. You didn’t have to wait for me. Have a good sleep in Luo’s Mansion and then find Lu Feng Escort to send you back to Daning. I’ll go back to Daning directly after dealing with the matter in Qingzhou City. Gee!” Then he crouched on his horse and ran away.
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