Call Me the Mother of Quick Transmigration

by Usui Takumii

not mine, from bubble tea translations.wordpress.

11. 101 to 110

Chapter 101 – The Widow's Adopted Daughter (part 1)

Li Su opened her eyes again. The scene she saw made her close her eyes in despair. It was the ancient times again and her family was still impoverished. It was terrible!

Li Su died when she was 80 years old in her last life. Yuan Wei Xiu, Jiang Rong, Jiang Qiao, and even Ou Yang Yi died before her. Li Su sighed a little when she saw the crying and heartbroken Yuan Lang. Fortunately, her family was already at their 5th generation. With so many children and grandchildren, Lang'er wouldn't be alone.

Li Su no longer thought about her previous life. She now had to think of what to do in this life!

While Li Su was thinking, the door suddenly opened. "Are you awake? Didn't you say that you sold the second girl1 today? The broker has come and you still can't get up!"

Li Su rolled her eyes impatiently. She heard sobbing next to her. It was the original owner's only daughter. Because she was a daughter, she didn't have a name, even at 5 years old!

Li Su sighed. "Don't worry. Mother won't sell you!"

The second girl was a little surprised, but didn't take her words seriously. Because she didn't give birth to a son for the Wang family, the mother always felt inferior. In addition, her father died in battle last year. After his death, there was nobody to send him off. Grandfather and grandmother cursed at the door of the house for 3 days and 3 nights. Mother cried, but didn't dare to make a sound. In the end, it was uncle's eldest son who dressed in mourning clothes and carried out the filial duties. He held the funeral for dad.

From then on, mother felt sorry for grandfather and grandmother even more. She was submissive to them and uncle. All the money given to her by the court after dad's death was taken by grandmother and grandfather.

This was far from enough. Uncle's eldest son wanted to get married, but didn't have enough money. So, grandma said that she would sell her to a broker and collect a bride price for her uncle's eldest son. The second girl knew that her uncle's family had money, but they didn't want to use it. After selling her, they wanted to use her mother as a workhorse for them!

Mother was reluctant at first, but she still wasn't convinced by grandmother. In order to get more money, grandmother planned to sell her as a prostitute. After mother knew, she only hugged and cried, saying that her life was hard. Why did she have a daughter?

In the dark, the second girl's tears flowed freely. She hated it! Why did she have such a family?

Li Su heard that the second girl was still crying. She knew that the child didn't take her words seriously. Children in ancient times matured early. At 5 years old, they already knew a lot. The second girl knew the position she and her mother had in the family. She was desperate and sad!

Li Su sighed. This was her mission in this world: Wang Si Qin, whose current name was 'the second girl'.

Li Su opened the door. Before her mother-in-law and aunt could speak, she closed the door.

Mrs. Wang Fang2 immediately raised her eyebrows when she saw that the second daughter-in-law, who had always been blindly subservient, was now acting a bit abnormally. "What are you doing? Do you want to regret it? Da Ge Er is our Wang family's only man. How can a single silly girl compare to him?! Hurry up! Don't make me do it!"

The eldest daughter-in-law was next to her, Mrs. Xiao Fang, Mrs. Wang Fang's niece. Because she was Mrs. Wang Fang's maternal niece, her mother-in-law was her aunt, and she was backed by her maternal family. The most important thing was that Da Ge Er was going to marry her daughter. They would pay 5 silver taels for her dowry. When the time came, her niece would bring back 10 silver taels. Whatever the amount was, she wouldn't suffer! Naturally, she was happy. Mrs. Wang Fang was just concerned with who should pay those 5 silver taels for her troubles.

The family could pay this sum, but Mrs. Wang Fang didn't want to take it out. So, she thought about it and remembered that there was a girl from her second uncle's house. She encouraged her mother-in-law to sell the girl. The girl looked like her mother, so she should be able to sell for a good price! She still remembered that when the second daughter-in-law washed her face, she looked like a water spirit.

Mother-in-law agreed, and the second daughter-in-law did not dare to disagree. If she did, then she would have the reputation of being rebellious and unfilial and would only be able to hang herself!

"Mother, Da Ge Er needs to be paid the dowry. This is something that eldest brother and aunt should worry about. Even if you want to sell the child, doesn't your sister-in-law have two daughters? Sell them! Why do you want to sell my girl? What's more, our head of family is dead. The court gave me his pension money. I didn't even see that money since it was taken by your mother. If the family really doesn't have the money to pay the dowry to Da Ge Er, then use the money our head of family got in exchange for his life! It is time to return the friendship Da Ge Er gave to our head of house!" Li Su said as she looked directly at Mrs. Wang Fang.

Mrs. Wang Fang's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?! You didn't even give birth to a son, so what kind of qualifications do you have to talk to me?! Open the door and hand over the second girl!"

Mrs. Xiao Fang was also angry. Her eldest daughter and third girl were going to marry into good families in the future so they could help Da Ge Er. Why would she be willing to sell them?! When she heard this, she rolled up her sleeves and went forward to open the door to grab someone.

Li Su snorted coldly. She passed by and pushed Mrs. Xiao Fang to the ground.

Mrs. Wang Fang and the others who were watching the excitement were stunned. Mrs. Li was a Jiang Nan woman. She was charming and timid. Her hometown suffered through a flood and she ended up here. She was fancied by the second child of the Wang family, Wang Er Lang, and married him. She was treated like a treasure by him. Mrs. Xiao Fang's family were pig killers. He was rich, as well as tall and strapping, so it was a surprise to Mrs. Xiao Fang's family that Mrs. Li managed to nab him. What a surprise!

"You dare to do something to your sister-in-law?!" Mrs. Wang Fang said angrily.

"So what? My man died on the battlefield. He died for the country. The court was righteous and exempted my family from taxation and forced labour. We also received the pension. Your family is enjoying an easy life in exchange for my man's life. Now you are about to sell my man's only blood to get a bride price for your eldest grandson! I have already said that you can use my man's money for your precious grandson so he can marry. You are too much that you still want to sell my second girl! Why?! Second girl is the only flesh and blood of my family. You want to sell her to a prostitute. Is there any grandmother like you in the world? I am in charge!" Li Su said angrily.

The people around only knew that the Wang family was going to sell their granddaughter. Although they were a little surprised, the Wang family had a good life in Shang Lin Village. These days, there weren't many families willing to sell children. Unless the family really couldn't afford it, who would be willing to sell their own flesh and blood? And, even if they wanted to sell the child, they would find a good place for their child. The Wang family wanted to sell their granddaughter, which caused others to sigh. Since it was not their business, they couldn't speak and could only murmur secretly. But, they had no idea that the Wang family wanted to sell their granddaughter to a prostitute! This was too much! This was sacrificing a child to be rich!

"Auntie, you are too much! Even if you want to sell your granddaughter, you should find a good place for her. It's better to sell her as a maid to a kind and generous family than to a prostitute!"

"That's right. What your second daughter-in-law said is right. If his son wants to get married and wants more money, then he should sell his daughter. How can he sell the second daughter's daughter?! Even though she is a daughter, she is also a daughter of your Wang family. When your second son was at home, he was very loving. Aren't you afraid that Wang Er Lang will haunt you in your dreams?"

Mrs. Wang Fang stared. "He was my son, so he should listen to me! He dares?!"

Li Su was also not polite. "Even if the head of my family is willing, I am not! Who dares to sell my daughter today?! Over my dead body!"

Mrs. Wang Fang's face was red with anger. She suddenly slapped her thigh, sat on the ground, and began to cry. "Er Lang, what kind of daughter-in-law did you marry? She is not filial! She is rebelling against her mother-in-law! My life is so bitter! Er Lang, why did you leave so early?! You are killing me!"

Li Su coldly watched Mrs. Wang Fang's performance. The original owner had read a few books and knew a few words. She clung a bit to old-fashioned ideas and also loved face. Every time Mrs. Wang Shi did this, she immediately surrendered and obeyed unconditionally. Now, Li Su had taken over and she didn't care about this.

"Why did the head of my family go so early? Don't you know, mother? It was supposed to be your eldest son who went to war. Didn't mother cry and let the head of my family go instead of his older brother? How did your second son die? It was you who sent him to his death!" Li Su said coldly.

The villagers didn't know that this had happened. Although they wondered how did the Wang family send their second son, who had no son, to be a soldier while the eldest son, who had a son, stayed behind. But, this was a family matter, so they didn't pay too much attention to it. Who knew that it was actually like this!

The gazes of the villagers towards Mrs. Wang Fang turned cold.

The head of the Wang family, Wang Da Shan, had been hiding. Now that the situation was getting worse, he gave his son, Wang Da Lang, a wink. Wang Da Lang understood. He changed his face and ran over to help Mrs. Wang Fang up. He gave her a look. "Mother, what are you doing? Da Ge Er's side will find a way. What she said is right. After all, second girl is the only blood of second younger brother. How can she be sold?! Dad has already driven away the broker. Get up quickly! Dad is angry!"

Then, he glared at Mrs. Xiao Fang, who was sitting on the ground. "Why are you still sitting there, stunned? What are you doing? Hurry and help your mother go back. Stop being an embarrassment here."

Mrs. Xiao Fang was confused now! She couldn't believe that Mrs. Li, who was weak enough to be blown away by a gust of wind, actually pushed her to the ground. This was incredible!

However, Mrs. Xiao Fang quickly got up and helped her mother-in-law back home. Her butt hurt so much. Mrs. Li, this bitch. She would let Ming'er clean her up! Ouch! It hurt so much! When she got back to her family, she wanted to order pork spare ribs and stewed soup to make up for it.

Wang Da Lang smiled again and stepped forward. "Younger siblings, these were all misunderstandings. Don't worry. Second younger brother's pension is for his parents, so I won't use it. I will find a way to get Da Ge Er's money. I promise I won't sell second girl." Wang Da Lang looked at Li Su with a little fire in his eyes. Mrs. Li's figure was slim and she was good-looking. She was better than Mrs. Fang. He originally thought that if he sold second girl, he could manipulate Mrs. Li. He didn't expect that she would make a fuss.

Li Su noticed Wang Da Lang's wicked eyes and stepped back. "Uncle, many things have happened in front of this widow's door today. Uncle should not drop by easily in the future. Since mum and dad have no plans to sell my second girl, then I can rest assured. I will go back first."

She turned to enter the door, then closed it with a bang!

Wang Da Lang touched his nose and laughed twice. He was thinking of a way to get rid of the ugly and waste-of-space second girl so he could achieve his goal smoothly!

When the people saw that there was nothing else exciting to watch, they dispersed.

In the room, Li Su looked at second girl with gleaming eyes. "How was it? I said I wouldn't sell you! Now, do you believe mother?"

Chapter 102 – The Widow's Adopted Daughter (part 2)

Second girl heard the movement outside the room. Her face was flushed with excitement, but she was still a little sceptical. After all, the contrast between her mother now and her mother before was too great. She couldn't believe it.

After all, she was still young. All her thoughts showed on her face. Li Su saw what she was thinking at a glance and then racked her brains to explain things. "Mother used to give off the impression of being weak. Before, your dad was not at home, so we could not fight them. I thought that it would be fine if your dad came back. I didn't expect that he would have a hard life and be unable to come back." When Li Su spoke, she bowed her head and wiped tears away at the right time.

When second girl heard her mother speak about her dad, her eyes were red. When dad was at home, he loved her a lot. Moreover, when dad was at home, grandmother and grandfather only spoke badly and didn't dare to do anything excessive. Why did dad die so early?!

Li Su wiped her tears and said, "Your dad is dead. We can't confront them head-on right now, otherwise they would deal with us. I just thought about continuing to endure it, even when your dad was sent away. If I wanted to make trouble with them, then I needed a reason. It just so happened that your grandmother offered to sell you for Da Ge Er's bride price, so I figured that was an opportunity. You see, I made a fuss today. If your grandmother wants to try anything in the future, then it won't be easy. This can be called using the best resources for the most important areas.1"

Second girl was still young after all. Although she was smart, she was still a far cry from being scheming and cruel. When she thought about it, her mother was right! She nodded ignorantly.

Li Su breathed a sigh of relief. What she was most afraid of was meeting a person who was too smart for her. Here, Wang Si Qin was not the female lead, but a female supporting role. She didn't have many appearances, but she was famous for being vicious.

Wang Si Qin was a brothel girl. Because she was beautiful and gifted, she was known as the Queen of Flowers2. In fact, she was a spy. When she was young, she was bought by a wealthy businessman with the surname Jiang who meticulously cultivated her as a tool to please high-ranking officials.

But Wang Si Qin was a schemer. She was not willing to be someone else's tool. After merchant Jiang gave her to the prefectural magistrate and the prefectural magistrate liked her a lot, she betrayed her original owner without hesitation. She implanted the idea that the prefectural magistrate should check the Jiang family's property, which he did. Merchant Jiang was imprisoned and died in prison.

The male lead was the son of merchant Jiang. In order to avenge his father, he kept his name a secret. He studied diligently and participated in the imperial exam. By coincidence, he got acquainted with the emperor and the princess who were in disguise. In the end, with the help of the emperor, the male lead successfully cleared his father's reputation and brought down the assistant minister to the Board of Revenue, who was formerly the prefectural magistrate! He learned from the assistant minister to the Board of Revenue that all the events that occurred back then were instigated by a woman named Wang Si Qin.

At that time, Wang Si Qin was the prince regent's favourite. Due to customs, the prince regent didn't dare to let her into his mansion. He placed her in a house on the outside and kept her there, loving her very much. It was said that the prince regent respected her opinion a lot. She was very courageous, daring to be blatantly corrupt.

The more the male lead investigated, the more he felt that this woman was really cruel and ruthless. She regarded human life as nothing. Anyone who offended her would not have a good end, either dead or in ruins. She was once at a banquet where the wife of a rank seven official wore the same clothes as her. She ordered for someone to take off that woman's clothes and throw them into the river. The lady was forced to commit suicide in shame. Another example was when a pregnant lady once mocked her behind her back for being unable to give birth. She ordered for someone to cut open the pregnant lady's belly and dig out the child. The mother and child died. There were countless situations like this. It was said that the most vicious thing she did was help a general engage in guerrilla warfare previously. For the sake of helping the generals with guerrilla warfare, she instigated the generals to pass off the massacre of hundreds of people in the border village of Shang Lin as a military achievement. There were too many evil deeds to list.

The male lead knew most of them, and he became even more determined to get rid of this vicious woman and avenge his father. But, to get rid of this woman, it was necessary to remove her backer, the prince regent.

At this time, the male lead and the emperor were close friends. The two joined hands and battled the prince regent in the court in a battle of wits. At the end, of course, justice was served and evil was defeated. The male lead assisted the emperor in completely eradicating the prince regent and his followers, and helped the emperor to power. Finally, he married the princess and became the emperor's brother-in-law. He reached the pinnacle of life.

Wang Si Qin was stabbed to death by the male lead after the prince regent fell from power. After her death, her body was thrown into a mass grave and gnawed on by wild dogs. Her body did not remain intact.

When Li Su thought of this, she sighed. In fact, even though Wang Si Qin was cruel, most of these matters were just what everyone said and not necessarily what she did. Most of these things were rumours that the young emperor ordered people to spread in order to discredit the prince regent's reputation.

There was only one thing that Wang Si Qin did, and that was to instigate the generals to pass off the massacre of hundreds of people in the border village of Shang Lin as a military merit.

Li Su glanced at second girl with a complicated expression. This kid really held long grudges! Forget it. Now that she was here, the plot shouldn't progress like it did in the original. She intended to live in Shang Lin Village with second girl. Prefectural magistrate? Wealthy merchant? Prince regent? Emperor? Ha, why bother with those?

Li Su looked at herself and second girl. It had been a few days since they took a shower. They were dirty! "Okay, now that you're up, hurry and eat breakfast. After breakfast, mother will boil some hot water and we can take a bath."

As soon as she mentioned breakfast, Li Su and second girl's stomachs growled. Li Su then remembered that they had nothing to eat at home. The family lands were all under Wang Da Shan and Wang Da Lang's names. The several acres of land that originally belonged to Wang Er Lang had also been taken away by Wang Da Shan. Wang Da Shan said that, since Wang Er Lang was not at home, he should rent them out. The mother and daughter did not have any source of income. The food they ate was sent by Wang Da Shan and Mrs. Fang Shi, depending on how they felt.

Because of the debacle surrounding selling second girl, Mrs. Wang Fang hadn't delivered any food for a few days. It would be likely that food wouldn't be delivered in the future.

Li Su frowned. "Good child. Be patient first. Mother will think of something."

"Mother, we can go to the mountains to pick some wild fruit to eat. I know where they are. If you are lucky, you can catch a pheasant." Second girl hesitated after she thought for a while. Before, her mother had been immersed in needlework and all the money she got was given to grandma. But, the food grandma gave them was just one meal and it wasn't enough. Although mother always let her eat first, she was still hungry. Sometimes when she was hungry, she would go to the mountains to pick wild fruit to eat. She was also very scared as there were beasts on the mountain, but she wanted to live!

The mountain! Li Su's eyes lit up. Her powerful skill finally had a use. She could hunt! She could get some animals on the mountain and exchange them for food at the market.

"Good child. I will go get the water. Close the door. We'll take a bath first." Li Su then went to the yard, carrying a pole and a bucket. She went to the well at the entrance of the village to bring back water.

Li Su originally thought that with her powerful skill, she would be able to easily carry the water. She didn't think that wouldn't be the case. She had the strength to carry the water, but she couldn't carry it on the pole well. The pole was difficult to use. The original owner was someone who couldn't carry anything on her shoulders and had never done tasks like this before. So, she had no experience.

Li Su tried for a long time and spilled most of the water. She wanted to throw the pole away and just carry it back in a bucket.

At this moment, an auntie who had watched the excitement, came over with a smile. "Er Lang's wife, the pole is not difficult. You have to use it like this." She gave Li Su a demonstration.

Li Su nodded, then tried it herself. Sure enough, she picked up the water steadily this time.

However, the bucket was only filled a little over half. Li Su put it down and refilled the bucket. The auntie smiled and said, "Half is half. There is a lot of water. Can you move it?"

As soon as the auntie finished speaking, Li Su had picked up the water steadily and walked a few steps.

The auntie's mouth was open in surprise. She was really not human! Er Lang's wife was thin and looked weak, so she didn't expect Li Su to have so much strength. But, when she thought about it, Er Lang loved his wife the most, so how would he be willing to let his wife do rough work?

Now that Er Lang was no longer around, and his relatives were black-hearted, they couldn't stand up for themselves. The auntie sighed.

At the other end, when second girl saw her mother go out and really came back with two buckets of water, she was very surprised. When dad was alive, dad was responsible for getting all the water. After dad went to war, nobody went to get water for them so she and her mother had to get it themselves. Now, her mother had carried 2 full buckets of water back. How could this not surprise her?!

Li Su put down the buckets. She was just about to pour the water into the tank, but then took a closer look at the tank and realised that it was too dirty. She poured half a bucket in and brushed the tank carefully. Then, she washed the lid. It was not enough. If she had time in the future, then she had to put the lid in hot water and boil it!

Li Su ran back and forth 4-5 times before she managed to fill the tank. Then, she boiled a pot of water. Suddenly, she heard a sob behind her, so she turned around to see second girl covering her mouth and crying while watching her.

"What's the matter?" asked Li Su.

"Mother, your shoulders are bleeding!" Second girl looked at Li Su's shoulder in distress. Mother had never done such rough work before. If it weren't for her, mother would…

Shoulders? Li Su didn't pay attention. When second girl mentioned it, she turned to look at them. Sure enough, the clothes on her shoulders had worn out and there was blood.

Li Su felt the pain now and couldn't help but frown. The original owner was too delicate. "It's fine. I'll just get some medicine later. You start the fire. We should boil the water."

Second girl wiped away her tears. She ran to the stove and started the pot again.

It was too dirty! Li Su looked at the dark water in the tank and couldn't help but frown. How long had it been since they'd taken a bath? Li Su washed it a few more times, but there was no more water in the pot.

Li Su frowned. It was too difficult to take a bath like this. Forget it. They would take it slowly.

Chapter 103 – The Widow's Adopted Daughter (part 3)

The two of them took a shower, then sat in the yard to dry their hair. The scent of the honey locust1 was nice. Li Su smelled the faint fragrance of honey locust on her hair.

"Mother, come in first. I'll apply some medicine!" second girl said softly.

"No need. It's just a light graze. Second girl, now that your father is gone, your grandparents and uncles won't care about us. From now on, we must rely on ourselves." Li Su motioned for second girl to sit down in front of her. She didn't have a towel, so she took a clean old dress and dried her hair.

Although the original owner was a bit weak and incompetent, she was still very diligent. The house was well cleaned. Though, Li Su thought there were many areas that needed improvement.

Second girl was silent for a long time. "Mother, don't sell me to a prostitute. I will let mother live a good life in the future."

Li Su was stunned. "Didn't mother tell you already? Mother won't sell you. Don't worry!"

Second girl didn't speak. She sniffed, likely crying again.

Li Su sighed, pulled second girl over, and looked at her seriously. "Mother will say it again. Mother promises to not sell you again. Not only will mother not sell you, but mother will also let you live without worrying about food and clothes every day. Do you believe your mother?"

Second girl shook her head honestly.

Li Su's eyes widened. "You don't believe I won't sell you?"

Second girl shook her head. "No, I believe that mother won't sell me, but I don't believe that you can let me live a good life without worrying about food and clothes." Dad couldn't do it when he was alive, so how could her weak mother do it? "Mother, why don't you sell me as a maid, but don't sell me with a life contract, okay? When I save enough money, I will redeem myself. Mother, when you sell me, collect the money yourself. Don't give it to my grandparents."

Second girl was serious. Li Su's nose burned and she pulled second girl into her arms. "You are a stupid child. Mother said that she wouldn't sell you so mother won't sell you. Your mother will let you eat your fill!"

Li Su couldn't see that second girl had tears in her eyes, but her eyes were calm.

Li Su let go of second girl and handed her the old clothes. "Dry your hair. Mother will go and see what's left at home. Then, we can clean up and head to the mountains."

Second girl's face remained as usual. "Mother, take the knife that dad left behind for self-defence!"

Li Su recalled the location of the knife and nodded. "Okay."

They packed their things and brought a few pieces of clothing. They had no food in the house. They were really poor. Li Su was depressed thinking of this. The original owner was very good at sewing. The original owner never asked for how much her needlework sold for, just accepted whatever her mother-in-law gave her. Being filial to the point of foolishness was a rare trait in the world.

Now, Li Su had transmigrated in and had no plans to continue sewing to make money for those bastards. Needlework hurt the eye the most and many women who embroidered had bad eyesight when they got older. She wouldn't take her health lightly. Additionally, her mother-in-law had all the materials for needlework. Wang Da Lang controlled the sales. She didn't want to ask for them.

Li Su spent a long time searching the house. She only found a little salt in the earthen jar. Li Su thought for a bit, poured out the salt, then took it away.

"Let's go!" Li Su was about to leave when she suddenly remembered something. She took some mud off the ground and wiped it on her and second girl's faces. When she was washing up just now, she noticed that they were really beautiful. As she was a widow and her daughter had no father, it was better to be careful.

Then, she hesitated, trying to decide whether they should wear a few more clothes to look fatter. After she thought about it, she figured it wasn't a fantasy martial arts world. There were no martial arts masters in Shang Lin Village, so she should be able to handle it. The original owner wore enough clothes.

Second girl obviously understood the reason behind Li Su's actions. Dad had asked them to do such things before he left. She didn't say anything since she wanted to see if mother had taken dad's words to heart. Fortunately, mother still remembered.

"Second girl, daughter-in-law, where are you going?" people asked along the way.

"There is no food at home. We are going to the mountains to try our luck," said Li Su as she lowered her head.

"Didn't your mother-in-law give you food?" Wang Si Hai, a prestigious elder in the village, called out. Second girl called him fourth uncle. It was said that he had been in private school for a few years and had high seniority. He always disdained talking to women, but because of the event this morning, Wang Si Hai felt he should stand up for justice and not let orphans and widows be bullied. If this incident spread out, then people would laugh.

Li Su lowered her head. "Mother-in-law said that the harvest in our land is not good this year, so…"

"Go back and stay there. I'll talk to your father-in-law later. You two are weak women. Won't you just be eaten by beasts when you enter the mountain?" Wang Si Hai said majestically.

Li Su stood there and didn't move. "Fourth uncle, they are Er Lang's parents. They are heartless. I can't tolerate injustice. Er Lang died early to show filial piety to his parents. Second girl and I will find a way to feed ourselves."

"You are a weak girl. How can you support yourself?" Wang Si Hai said with disdain.

"My grandfather was a hunter. When I was a child, my grandfather taught me a few tricks. I can set traps. As for whether there is any benefit here… It is better to die by fate than starve to death at home," said Li Su as she lowered her head.

After Wang Si Hai heard this, he said, "So it is like that. If that is so, then you should try your luck first. If you really find something, then you can give it to your uncle and let him take it to town to sell."

"Thank you, uncle!" said Li Su hurriedly. They then walked quickly to the mountains.

When other people saw this, they gathered around. "Second uncle, you have to take care of this matter. Da Shan's wife did too much. My mother's family's nephew works as an apprentice in town. He told me that the needlework that Er Lang's wife makes every month can sell for three silver taels! Da Shan's wife didn't give them a single penny. She gave it all to Da Lang. Er Lang's lands were leased to Old Zhang by Da Shan's wife. The rent from that is two silver taels and that was all taken away by Da Shan's wife. It is enough money to feed ten Er Lang families. Then, they also wanted to sell second girl. If this spreads, people will not only laugh at Da Shan's family, but at our entire Shang Lin Village."

Everyone was talking in a rush.

Wang Si Hai frowned. Everyone belonged to the same clan. His grandson would have his talents tested in the future. If Shang Lin Village had such a scandal, then his grandson's reputation could be affected. It was time to take care of it.

"I know. You don't need to say any more. I know it in my heart," Wang Si Hai said in a deep voice.

Li Su and second girl didn't care about what the people behind them were saying. The most important thing now was to support themselves.

The two entered the mountain. The path was rugged, and there were no roads in some parts. Li Su walked ahead and used a knife to cut through the branches and weeds. There were several cuts on her face and hands. Li Su didn't care about these.

Second girl followed her, her eyes strange.

"Mother, come this way," second girl said as she raised her head.

Li Su nodded. "Second girl, when you used to go up the mountain, was the road always like this?"

Second girl hummed in agreement.

"Next time, don't go up the mountain alone. There could be poisonous snakes in the grass!" Li Su said, turning her head.

"Mother, there is a pheasant over there!" second girl whispered suddenly.

"Where is it?" Li Su became energetic.

"Over there!" Second girl pointed over there.

"You go there. I'll go over there. We can flank it!" said Li Su excitedly.

Second girl nodded.

They walked in different directions.

Whether it was due to the stupidity of the pheasant or because of their good luck, they caught the pheasant after a while.

Second girl's face flashed with excitement. "Mother! Pheasant! Let's roast it!"

Li Su was a little tired. "How do you want to roast it?" She couldn't do it!

Second girl was excited. "I can! Mother, come with me!" She brought Li Su to a stream.

"Mother, lend me the knife." Second girl stretched out her hand.

Li Su handed her the knife. Second girl awkwardly killed the pheasant, skinned it, then cleaned it up. She picked up a pile of firewood, set a fire, then cut a branch and grilled the pheasant over the fire.

Although her series of movements were clumsy, they were very skilled. It seemed like she had done this a few times before.

Li Su looked stunned.

Second girl ignored the surprise in Li Su's eyes. In her opinion, there was nothing more important than filling your own stomach.

Li Su watched for a long time and sighed. What kind of life did second girl have before this? She was only 5 years old and she was forced to grow up like this. The original owner, second girl's mother, was really…

Li Su shook her head. "You stay watch here. I will go to the forest to see if there is any other prey!"

Then, without waiting for second girl to say anything, she left.

Second girl looked at the place where Li Su disappeared, and was silent for a long time.

Li Su walked aimlessly in the woods. When she was catching the pheasant, she realised that her 'strength like a cow' might not be useful here. Hunting wasn't just about having strength. One also needed skill. Other hunters used weapons. She only had her strength and she couldn't fight with her prey!

She should dig some traps, then wait and see. This was probably more suitable for her.

Li Su looked around. She picked up a thick branch, sharpened one end, and started digging traps.

She worked very hard, unaware of the time and pain it took to dig.

Second girl stood a distance away and watched for a long time. If it wasn't for the birthmark on the back of her mother's neck, or the fact that her mother remembered where her dad hid the knife, then she would have thought that the woman in front of her who looked exactly like her mother was not her mother.

She didn't understand why her mother suddenly changed. Maybe it was a blessing from her deceased dad in heaven!

Chapter 104 – The Widow's Adopted Daughter (part 4)

"Mother, don't dig anymore. If you dig traps here, you won't catch any prey," second girl reminded her.

Li Su was digging vigorously when she heard second girl's words. She raised her head and stared blankly. "Oh? Can't catch anything?"

"It is too close to the village. People often come through here to go up the mountain to pick mushrooms, so there aren't many animals here. The pheasant was too stupid."

"Ah? Is that so? I've been busy for so long!" Li Su was a little frustrated.

"Come over first! I've cooked the pheasant. Forget about it today. We can bring some tools tomorrow and continue further up the mountain," said second girl.

Li Su felt very hungry, but she looked at the pit she had dug. "What about this pit? Should I fill it in?"

Second girl thought for a while. "Maybe you can bury something sharp in the pit, in case an animal as stupid as this pheasant falls in!" Even if there was no prey, people could step on it, second girl thought maliciously. She remembered that sometimes her grandma would go up the mountain to collect mushrooms and would pass by here.

Li Su thought about it. She cut a few branches, sharpened them, and buried them at the bottom of the pit. She then climbed out carefully. Second girl had already brought a few branches and weeds over, then laid them on the trap.

Li Su clapped her hands. "Let's go back and eat the pheasant."

Second girl was stunned. She saw blood on Li Su's palm. She remembered that when dad was alive, he had often said that her mother's hand was one that did fine needlework, so she couldn't hurt her hands.

Li Su followed second girl's gaze and saw the wound on her hand. She couldn't help but frown. This body was too weak. When Wang Er Lang was around, she didn't need to do anything. Everything had been done for her. Her needlework could make money, even though Wang Er Lang went to war. That was why Mrs. Wang Fang only let her do needlework.

"It's fine. Isn't it just a scratch? It will get better soon. Come, let's eat! I'm hungry!" Li Su said with a smile.

When they arrived at the stream, Li Su washed her hands. She felt a slight pain when she poured cold water on her palms. She couldn't help but frown. This body was so weak. There was only a little bit of pain. She didn't know what the original owner did. She always felt that such an ordinary person could not raise such a daughter. Could it be that the original owner had a melodramatic life?

Li Su didn't know. After all, the original owner and Shang Lin Village were just names.

As Li Su was thinking, second girl tore off a corner of her clothes and bandaged the wound on Li Su's hand.

"By the way, I have some salt here. It would be more delicious with some salt," Li Su said when she remembered this.

Second girl glanced at her. "Mother, did you know that salt is very expensive?"

Li Su noticed the disgust in second girl's eyes. She was a little speechless. Yeah, how could she forget that salt and iron were scarce and important resources in ancient times. They were all exclusively managed by the government. Trafficking salt during these times was a felony.

"Don't worry. When I was roasting the pheasant, I put this on it. It tasted good." Second girl pointed to a few red fruits on the ground.

Li Su recognised the wild fruit. The locals used it as a seasoning as it tasted similar to chili.

"Mother, eat!" Second girl tore off a pheasant leg and handed it to Li Su.

Li Su smiled and took it. "Okay, thank you, second girl. You eat too."

Second girl would naturally not be polite. She tore off another leg and gobbled it up.

Li Su took a bite. It tasted really good. Then, she remembered. "Second girl, has mother given you a name? Second girl as a name is a bit too…"

"Name?" Second girl asked.

"Yes. Mother's last name is Li and the first name is Su. Your surname is Wang. Let me think… What is a good name? Bei Chen. How about Wang Bei Chen?" Li Su said after thinking. Although Wang Si Qin was a nice name, but Li Su didn't want second girl to become Wang Si Qin. She hoped that second girl could have a different life!

"Bei Chen?" Second girl had never read a book, so she didn't understand what Bei Chen meant.

"Bei Chen refers to the North Star in the sky. In short, it is a powerful and heroic name. How is it? Do you like it?" Li Su asked. In addition to the reference to the North Star, Bei Chen was often used as a metaphor for the emperor or a respected person. Was there a problem with this name during ancient times? Or, should she pick another one?

"I like it!" Second girl said, eyes wide with excitement. Bei Chen referred to a star in the sky? She liked the name. From today, she will be called Wang Bei Chen!

When Li Su saw that second girl liked the name Bei Chen, Li Su laughed. Since she liked it, she would use this name. There were probably few people in Shang Lin Village who knew what Bei Chen meant.

"Thanks, mother!" Wang Bei Chen's eyes sparkled.

Li Su touched her hair. "Okay, hurry up and eat. When we go back, we will tell people that we weren't able to hunt anything if they ask. We can pick up some mushrooms and take them with us."

Wang Bei Chen nodded. She wouldn't tell the villagers.

The mother and daughter had a good meal. They then dug a hole to bury the bones and feathers. After, they packed up and prepared to head down the mountain. Wang Bei Chen made a small basket from some wicker and then picked up some mushrooms.

Li Su also wanted to show off a bit by saying which mushrooms could be eaten, but when she took a closer look, she realised that she didn't know any of these mushrooms and had no idea which ones could be eaten. She looked over at second girl, no, Wang Bei Chen, and saw that she had chosen certain mushrooms; she hadn't picked them all.

In terms of these matters, it seemed that Li Su was no better than Wang Bei Chen, who was a child. She had no choice but to follow Wang Bei Chen and carry the basket for her.

While passing by the trap they set up, Li Su suddenly ran over to take a look. She found that the weed branches on the trap seemed to have moved. She was a little excited. "Second… No, Bei Chen. Wang Bei Chen, come here!"

Wang Bei Chen ran over and looked at the trap. She was a little surprised. Was she wrong? Were there more pheasants around here?

Li Su put down the basket and hurriedly pulled away the weeds and branches. She found a fat rabbit lying inside! The pointy branches pierced its belly, so the scene was a bit bloody.

When they saw this, they would not think about how cute it was. Instead, they salivated over it.

"Bei Chen, what do we do with this rabbit? Should we take it back or eat it now?" Li Su said excitedly.

Wang Bei Chen didn't want to bring the rabbit back because her grandma would definitely come and ask for it. She didn't want to give it to her. The pheasant was lean and didn't have much fat. When they ate it, their stomachs didn't respond. If they ate this fat rabbit, then they would probably get upset stomachs.

Wang Bei Chen thought about it, then sighed. "Bring it back!"

Li Su happily jumped into the pit, picked up the rabbit, and reset the traps. "Let's check again tomorrow morning. Maybe there will be something else!"

Wang Bei Chen sneered at her optimism. How could such a good thing happen?

The mother and daughter carried the fat rabbit and a basket of mushrooms down the mountain.

When they returned, they saw a half-full bag of things in the doorway. Third girl was squatting next to it, poking at the ants on the ground with a piece of grass, bored.

When third girl heard the movement, she raised her head and saw the rabbit in Li Su's hands. Her eyes lit up. She reached up to grab the rabbit. "I'll take this rabbit to grandma and grandpa!"

Wang Bei Chen's eyes darkened. Li Su raised her hand and third girl only grasped at the air.

"What is the meaning of this?" Third girl said angrily.

"Why would I give you the rabbit I caught? Go back and wait. I'll send some over later." Li Su didn't plan on giving it to them, but when she saw the things in the doorway, she thought that she couldn't go too far, so she said such a thing.

"Also, remember to keep the legs for us. If you don't give it to us, then I will tell grandma and she will take it for herself!" said third girl. "Grandma let me bring this to you!"

Hmph! At least her trip wasn't in vain. There was still rabbit to eat!

Third girl ran back, bouncing.

Li Su opened it and saw that it was half a bag of corn. Li Su was a bit disgusted, but it was better than nothing.

Li Su picked up the bag with one hand, then motioned for Wang Bei Chen to open the door. After entering, Li Su asked Wang Bei Chen to boil water, then picked up the rabbit. She cut it open and put half of it in the basket. "Send this to grand uncle's house and say that it was in thanks for his righteous speech today. Your grandma gave us half a bag of corn."

Wang Bei Chen's eyes lit up. She immediately left, carrying the basket. She would let others have this rabbit than her grandparents!

Li Su divided the remaining half into 3 parts. She kept one. She gave a piece to her neighbour, Wang Da Gen. Aunt Da Gen was a warm-hearted person. She was happy to receive the rabbit meat and gave Li Su 3 eggs and some vegetables. Li Su smiled and accepted it.

The last piece was placed on a plate. She took the plate and went to her father-in-law's house.

"Father, mother, this is the rabbit we picked up in the mountains today. I have brought it here for you to eat," Li Su said softly.

"It was such a big, fat rabbit! Why is there so little left?!" Mrs. Xiao Fang heard third girl say that the second daughter-in-law brought back a rabbit from the mountain. She had been thinking about it for a while. Stir-fried rabbit meat must be delicious and would be a good evening meal. But, she had brought so little. It wasn't enough.

"I gave half of it to fourth uncle. In the future, we will have to rely on fourth uncle to take care of us. I also gave a little bit to Auntie Da Gen to thank her for her care," said Li Su.

Chapter 105 – The Widow's Adopted Daughter (part 5)

Mrs. Wang Fang and Mrs. Xiao Fang almost fainted when they heard her words. "You wasteful wife! Is there anyone like you? The delicious parts were not given to your family first, but were given to outsiders. Da Ge Er is about to get married, so I wanted to give him some good supplements. Otherwise, how can he produce an heir to the family? You…"

Wang Da Shan noticed something. In fact, he noticed something strange since fourth uncle came in to speak for the second daughter-in-law.

"Okay! What do you have to say about this! Fourth uncle is an elder. You should respect him," Wang Da Shan scolded.

Mrs. Wang Fang was still aggrieved, but Wang Da Lang remembered something and winked at his mother. Then, Mrs. Wang Fang cleared her throat and gave up. "Forget it. Just give it to them. Next time, if there is something like this, remember to send it over to your family first. If you need to arrange it, arrange it with me!" Even if it was a favour, she had to do it. Why should she let this little bitch be a good person?

Wang Da Lang lowered his head and coughed when he saw his mother talk for a long time. He didn't say anything about it.

Mrs. Wang Fang remembered something and said, "Oldest girl, go to my room and get the needle and thread." Then, she said to Li Su, "Hurry up. You have delayed for a long time. Embroidery Manor is urging us."

Li Su sneered inwardly. "Mother, I forgot to tell you that my hand is injured. I am afraid I can't use a needle and thread during this time." She raised her hands and unravelled the cloth, revealing blood.

Mrs. Wang Fang and Wang Da Lang felt a little tight. "How did your hands get like this? Are you going to die?"

Although Mrs. Xiao Fang was upset that her husband was nervous about Er Lang's wife, she also knew that this nervousness didn't have another meaning. After all, in recent years, the money the family spent on fragrant and spicy food was earned by Er Lang's wife's needlework. Without this income, they wouldn't be able to do so. "I still have some medicine in my room, so hurry and take some back."

Li Su smiled. "Mother, even if my hands get better, I don't plan on continuing to do needlework."

"What did you say? If you don't do any needlework, then what will you two eat?" Mrs. Wang Fang said angrily.

"In the past two years, I have been sewing every day. I barely had time to rest, but we were still hungry. Mother, you always said that my craftsmanship wasn't good and that the cost of needlework was expensive and that I couldn't make a lot of money. Since that is the case, I will have to think of another way to support myself," Li Su said softly.

Mrs. Wang Fang was so angry. She was speechless.

Wang Da Lang was also reluctant to let this income go, so he smiled and hurriedly said, "Actually, I was about to tell you about my younger siblings. Although their needlework isn't very exquisite, I found a lot of outlets that admire my younger siblings' craftsmanship. They paid a lot. A purse for five copper1 and a veil for eight. If my younger siblings can embroider a Buddhist scripture like last time, they can sell for a couple of silver liang!" Actually, the Buddhist scriptures that Er Lang's wife spent half a year embroidering sold for a total of 50 silver taels. He collected 30 silver taels for himself to indulge in life. The remaining 20 silver taels were sent home.

Li Su laughed. This family was coaxing the original owner as if the original owner was a fool. First, the original owner was coaxed into selling her daughter, then the original owner sold her life for them. When the original owner lost her usefulness, she would have been kicked away.

"Thank you, uncle, for your care. However, I can only embroider a purse in a day and night, and that gets me five copper. I embroidered that Buddhist scripture for half a year and only earned one or two silver liang. If this continues, how can I support second girl and myself? Forget it! Thank you for your kindness. Second girl is at home alone. I will go back first." When Li Su finished speaking, she turned around and walked back without waiting for them to speak.

"You miserable wretch! Stay there!" Mrs. Wang Fang was so angry that she cursed.

Li Su turned around abruptly, her eyes fixed on Mrs. Wang Fang. "For the sake of Er Lang, I will bear it this time. If I hear this again, then don't blame me for what happens next time!" She looked around and saw the bolt of the door leaning against the wall. She picked it up and broke it in half.

Li Su threw the broken bolt on the ground and glared fiercely at them. "In the past, you humiliated me and used me. For the sake of Er Lang, I endured it. In the future, I will no longer tolerate this. If you don't believe me, then just wait and see!"

After that, she turned around and walked out.

As soon as she left the house, Li Su changed her expression. She had red eyes and she was crying.

When the villagers heard the movements and saw this scene, the nosy ones gathered around and asked Li Su what was going on.

Li Su stretched out her hands. "I picked up a rabbit today and sent it to my mother-in-law. As a result, my mother-in-law asked me to continue sewing. I said that my hand was injured, so I couldn't sew. Since I didn't make much money from sewing, I said that I wouldn't do it in the future. My mother-in-law and the others became angry. My uncle then broke the door bolt…" After she finished speaking, she softly sobbed.

"That's too much, Er Lang's wife. I can't say much about the past. Your needlework is not as your mother-in-law says. Your uncle sold the Buddhist scriptures you spent half a year embroidering for twenty silver taels. None of this money went to you? You need to be smarter in the future," an aunt whispered.

Li Su widened her eyes in surprise. "Really? Auntie!"

"Of course. Auntie is kind. Look at your in-laws and uncles. How do they live? They eat spicy food and a lot of fish and meat all day. When asked about where they got them from, they always said it was delivered by Mrs. Fang's family. They are eating your hard-earned money! This is not right! You should be able to have some!"

Wang Da Lang's family lived a good life. Naturally, there were people who talked about such things.

Li Su's face was full of sadness and astonishment, but her heart was full of joy.

As for Wang Da Lang's family, they were likely shocked by what just happened. They weren't aware of what was going on outside and what everyone was saying.

Li Su gave the rabbit meat and earned enough sympathy points. After she returned home, Wang Bei Chen was back and stood up excitedly when she saw Li Su enter.

Li Su closed the door and softly said, "Don't worry. Mother is okay. How does corn porridge sound for dinner? Your grandma gave us a few eggs and boiled an egg for you!"

Wang Bei Chen was relieved. She was afraid that her mother would suffer.

The two of them ate dinner. They went to bed early after boiling water and washing up.

The next day, before dawn, Li Su took Wang Bei Chen up the mountain. She figured that Mrs. Wang Fang would not give up so easily. Since they didn't retaliate last night, she expected them to come today. She didn't want to talk to them, so it was better to avoid them.

After going up the mountain, Li Su went to the trap they left yesterday. Wang Bei Chen followed and then shook her head, speechless. Did she really think there would be a pie from the sky?

"Bei Chen, come!" said Li Su, cheerfully.

Wang Bei Chen rolled her eyes. It couldn't be, right?

Wang Bei Chen stood at the edge of the trap and looked down at the miserable rabbit lying inside, speechless.

"How great. Although it isn't as fat as yesterday, it isn't bad. Bei Chen, how should we eat this rabbit today? Do you want to roast it?" Li Su happily jumped down and picked up the rabbit.

"Roast it and eat it! I brought a shovel today. Let's dig a few more traps! Your great uncle said that if we managed to get more game, we could sell it for some silver and exchange it for some grain," said Wang Bei Chen. Maybe the animals in this mountain were all stupid.

Wang Bei Chen roasted the rabbit while Li Su continued to dig traps in the woods. She had experience now, so she managed to dig deeper traps.

The two continued working on the mountain for the whole day before they finally descended.

As soon as they entered the village, someone saw them and hurriedly said, "Er Lang's wife, can you return home quickly? A messenger from your family is here!"

Li Su was a little surprised. A messenger? Who would come?

It turned out that Mrs. Wang Fang had returned to her senses this morning and called Mrs. Xiao Fang to go find Er Lang's wife to settle things. But, before they went out, they saw their fourth uncle come over with a black face.

Mrs. Wang Fang's expression faded when she saw him. The same thing happened to Wang Si Hai when he saw her.

Wang Si Hai admonished Wang Da Shan and Wang Da Lang until he was red in the face. When Wang Si Hai left, Mrs. Wang Fang didn't think of looking for trouble anymore. She just cried at home, saying that one of her family married an unlucky woman, or something.

Wang Da Lang had a black face. If Er Lang's wife really stopped sewing, then the family would lose a lot of income. No, this absolutely couldn't happen!

Wang Da Lang persuaded his mother to soften first and coax Er Lang's wife back. He was scolded by Mrs. Wang Fang as a result.

Wang Da Lang was furious and went out for a drink.

He didn't expect that when he left, someone would come over, point at his house, and say, "This is Wang Da Lang's place. Wang Da Lang took all the needlework."

Mrs. Xiao Fang was coming back from her mother's place with her son, Wang Da, when they saw someone blocking their door. They felt a little timid. "Who are you? Who are you looking for?"

"Is this Wang Da Lang's place? Are you Wang Da Lang's wife?" the messenger asked.

Wang Da had followed his father to town several times and recognised that the man was from Embroidery Manor. He smiled and hurriedly said, "So it is Boss Chen. Are you here to see my father? My father is not at home."

Boss Chen looked at Mrs. Xiao Fang hesitantly. "Did you make the embroidery Wang Da Lang brought us?" It didn't match. This person who looked so big and stalwart did not look like a person who could make such delicate embroidery.

Wang Da sighed inwardly. Maybe it was the needlework that caused them all this trouble! "No, no. My second aunt did all the embroidery. Is there something wrong with it? If so, go to my second aunt. It has nothing to do with our family."

At this time, Mrs. Wang Fang came out. She was standing behind the door and listening to their conversation. "These pieces were made by my second daughter-in-law and have nothing to do with our family. You can go find that cheap bitch! I just said that cheap bitch was not good for my heart, so I was waiting here! This cheap bitch who has a mother yet doesn't treat her well! What did you do that caused such a calamity to our family!"

1.(文钱) the first character is apparently used as a measure word for copper cash, so I've just translated it to copper. If anyone has a better suggestion, please let me know.↩

Chapter 106 – The Widow's Adopted Daughter (part 6)

Boss Chen was a little timid and subconsciously looked back at the few people behind him. Sure enough, all of them were ashamed and displeased.

Boss Chen had a drink with Wang Da Lang. He then decided to come to the Wang family. These idiots… These people were about to have a noble. Was this a good or bad thing?

Boss Chen cleared his throat. "Ahem. In that case, let us go find her!"

Wang Da Shan heard the news and ran back in a hurry. "Hey, Boss Chen, what's the matter?"

Boss Chen deliberated, but there was a cough behind him, so he straightened and said, "What is going on? The needlework you sent us had something that is a great taboo. Now, people are looking for the creator."

Wang Da Lang suddenly changed his face. "The needlework was all done by Er Lang's wife. Our two families have been separated, so she has nothing to do with our family. I will take you to find her."

Then, he hurriedly led the way and took them to the courtyard of Wang Er Lang's place, but the door was locked.

Xiao Zhen Ting remained silent. In fact, from the very beginning, he realised that his cousin's life might not have been easy. Since the day she disappeared, life in the Xiao family was not easy. Although he didn't know if Er Lang's wife was his cousin, if they were telling the truth that the embroidery was made by her, then there was a good chance that she was. After all, the stitching method was exactly the same as the work done by his cousin before.

So, while they were talking, he quietly ordered people to visit the village. The result was not a surprise.

Her husband was forced to go to war and died on the battlefield. As she only had a daughter, she was not well liked by her in-laws and was bullied by them, almost being forced to sell her daughter.

In an instant, Xiao Zhen Ting changed his mind. He had initially thought that, if that person was really his cousin and had married into a family that treated her well, he would take back his cousin and give her in-laws some money in return for taking care of his cousin for so many years. If his cousin didn't want to give up her child, then the child could come back with them. It wasn't as if his family couldn't afford to raise a child.

But, Xiao Zhen Ting saw that the Wang family behaved like this. If he didn't pursue this matter, then he would be extraordinarily benevolent. If Er Lang's wife was his cousin, then the in-laws would just be a burden to his cousin. They even humiliated his cousin, so he changed his mind. He would let the Wang family take the initiative to break their relationship.

The group of people rushed over for nothing. When they asked around, they learned that the mother and daughter had gone up the mountain to look for game. One neighbour looked at Wang Da Lang with dissatisfaction and said, "You are not afraid of a guilty conscience when you do such things? You forced them to go up the mountain to hunt to survive. Aren't you afraid of Er Lang coming back in the middle of the night and knocking on your door?!"

Xiao Zhen Ting's face became blacker.

Wang Da Lang saw him, but thought that Er Lang's wife was causing trouble this time. He hurriedly explained, "To tell you the truth, Er Lang is not my blood-related younger brother. My dad picked him up and brought him back. Our two families went our separate ways early on. What she has provoked really has nothing to do with us. If you want to take it up with someone, just take it up with her! Don't involve us!"

Mrs. Wang Fang turned pale with fright. She collapsed into Mrs. Xiao Fang's arms. "I said she was a misfortunate star! When Er Lang brought her back, she ran a fever. It cost me a couple of silver liang for the medicine. When she woke up, she didn't remember anything. She only remembered that her surname was Li. So, I said that such a woman was a curse and that we shouldn't keep her. Er Lang refused to listen and ended up losing his life and it hurt us! Nobleman, she really has nothing to do with our family! If you want to look for someone, then look for that mother and daughter!"

Auntie Da Gen couldn't stand it anymore. "Eldest sister-in-law, why are you talking like this? And you, Da Lang, don't talk such nonsense! When your mother gave birth to Er Lang, I was right there. I saw him with my own eyes and picked him up. You also picked him up."

"Our family's matters have nothing to do with you! If I said he was picked up, then he was picked up. If you don't believe me, ask my dad!" Wang Da Lang said.

Everyone looked at Wang Da Shan, who was standing silently behind Mrs. Wang Fang. He did not speak.

Mrs. Wang Fang slapped her thigh. "Da Lang is right. Er Lang was picked up!"

Wang Da Shan sighed. "Yes, Er Lang was picked up."

Wang Da Shan and his wife had said so, so this matter had been decided. The people in the village were helpless.

Li Su and Wang Bei Chen also heard these words. Li Su was okay, but Wang Bei Chen's face was flushed and she had tears coming from her eyes. Her whole body was trembling. When dad was still alive, he was filial to his parents. As a result, dad was thrown into danger. How could they do this? Were they even worthy of her dad? She hated this!

Li Su held her daughter in her arms and stroked her daughter's hair lightly. "I made those embroideries. What taboos did I commit?"

Xiao Zhen Ting took a deep breath. It was his cousin, Su Su. The last time they met was when his aunt's family left the capital and returned to their home town in Shan Dong to keep their filial piety. Cousin Su Su was only five years old at the time. Although that had been the last time he had seen her, he knew that the poorly described peasant woman in front of him was his cousin because she looked much like a younger version of his aunt.

"You made these embroideries?" Xiao Zhen Ting asked in a deep voice.

Li Su looked over and found that it was indeed the embroidery that the original owner did before. She nodded. "I did. What's the matter?" At the same time, she quickly ran through the embroidery in her mind to confirm that there was nothing taboo in the original owner's work. What kind of taboos could she commit in the embroidery?

"Take them away!" Xiao Zhen Ting said without talking nonsense. Someone immediately stepped forward to surround Li Su and her daughter. "Follow us!"

When Li Su saw Wang Da Shan's family hiding behind the crowd, she didn't dare to step forward. Besides, she didn't feel relieved handing Bei Chen to them due to their attitude towards her daughter.

As for the villagers, although there were kind people, it was harder to feed their children recently, so it wouldn't be right to have them adopt Bei Chen.

Forget it. She would let her daughter follow her. For better or worse, they would stick together.

Li Su was calm. "Let's go!" Li Su touched her daughter's head.

Li Su and her daughter were taken away like this.

By the time Wang Si Hai heard the news and hurried over, they were gone. Wang Si Hai was pale and his hands were shaking as he pointed at Wang Da Shan. "You… Are you even worthy of Er Lang?"

Wang Da Shan lowered his head in shame. Mrs. Wang Fang squeezed his neck and said, "Didn't you all say it? Er Lang was picked up."

"You! You bastard!" Wang Si Hai trembled with anger. His eyes rolled and he fainted.

Wang Si Hai was highly respected in the village. When everyone saw that he had fainted, everyone rushed forward to help him.

Wang Da Shan also wanted to help, but he was interrupted. "Don't put on an act. Fourth uncle is angry at you!"

Wang Da Shan felt dazed when he saw Wang Si Hai being carried away by the crowd. Mrs. Wang Fang was still chattering next to him. Wang Da Shan slapped Mrs. Wang Fang angrily.

Mrs. Wang Fang had been married to him for so many years. This was the first time she had been beaten. How could she bear it? She immediately rushed over and scratched Wang Da Shan's face.

Wang Da Shan's face was injured. He was embarrassed and angry. He kicked Mrs. Wang Fang to the ground and went forward to kick and punch her.

Wang Da Lang and Mrs. Xiao Fang were stunned. They hurried forward to pull the two apart.

After Li Su and Wang Bei Chen were taken away, they got into a carriage with white woollen blankets inside. It was clean and comfortable. Li Su was a little suspicious. Was this really how people who committed crimes were treated?

Wang Bei Chen was also a little sceptical. The two looked at each other and did not dare enter the carriage.

Xiao Zhen Ting came over. "I'll explain things to you later. Don't worry. I don't have malicious intentions."

Li Su still didn't move. Xiao Zhen Ting smiled and took out a purse. "Look at this."

Li Su took it and saw that the stitches were familiar. She then suddenly understood something.

"This was sent by my aunt when I got married. She said that you made it yourself. It is a pair, and the other one is with your sister-in-law," said Xiao Zhen Ting.

Li Su's eyes widened. It turned out that the protagonist halo really existed. This owner really had an spectacular life story!

On the carriage, Li Su finally learned the origins of the original owner, and it was really melodramatic.

The original owner was named Li Su, who was Xiao Zhen Ting's cousin. Her mother was Xiao Zhen Ting's aunt. Li Su's grandparents passed away more than 10 years ago, and Li Su's father returned to his hometown to observe a period of mourning for his parents. Later, Li Su's parents died. Her mother, before she died, worried about her daughter being left alone, so she wrote to her family and entrusted her to them. But, she died before the Xiao family messenger could arrive.

The original owner sold the property and went to the capital to join her grandparents' family. As a result, she encountered bandits on the road. The original owner fell into the river amongst the chaos and disappeared.

Since then, the Xiao family had been searching for the whereabouts of the original owner for 6 years. It was only half a year ago did the fourth young lady of the Xiao family, Xiao Zhen Ting's wife, return to her family home to attend the wedding banquet of her younger brother that she accidentally saw a familiar purse worn by a female family member.

After the fourth young lady went back, she told Xiao Zhen Ting about the matter. After they discussed it, the two of them quietly found that female relative and got her purse. They compared the two and they found that the way they were sewed was exactly the same. When they followed the trail, they finally found Shang Lin Village.

Wang Bei Chen looked at her mother in surprise. It turned out that her mother was part of the nobility!

Li Su was also a little surprised. "You can confirm it is me from just a purse? Are you mistaken? I am definitely not the only one who can do this stitch."

Xiao Zhen Ting smiled and said, "We have already investigated this matter. Cousin's needle technique was learned from the nanny. This technique was created by the nanny and was only taught to cousin. The nanny died, so you are the only one who knows how to do this. Moreover, your appearance is almost identical to that of auntie's appearance when she was young. I came with some people who had served auntie. When they saw you, they all said you looked like her."

Chapter 107 – The Widow's Adopted Daughter (part 7)

Li Su insisted. "But, people are similar! You still need to have conclusive evidence if you are saying this kind of thing."

Xiao Zhen Ting was a little helpless, but also a little happy. It seemed that, even though she lived like this for many years, her character remained the same. If an ordinary village woman heard of such a background, she would be happy to embrace it. His cousin still maintained a sense of reason.

Xiao Zhen Ting lowered his head slightly. "Actually, cousin has a birthmark on her body."

As soon as he said that, Wang Bei Chen asked anxiously, "What birthmark?"

"Cousin has a red mole on the back of her neck," Xiao Zhen Ting said.

Wang Bei Chen looked at her mother, excited. Li Su knew that it was true when she saw Wang Bei Chen like this. She touched her neck subconsciously. Wang Bei Chen said, "Mother, there really is a red mole on the back of your neck."

Xiao Zhen Ting smiled. "Now you can rest assured! You really are my cousin, and your name is Li Su. You were born into the Li family in Qian Tang. Your father used to be an imperial censor and your mother was the daughter of a rich and powerful family. The Li family used to be a prominent family in the last century, but it has now fallen. That is why my aunt entrusted you to the Xiao family before she died. It was just that, at that time, the river flooded and the news didn't get to us in time. By the time our family received the letter and sent someone over, it had been five months. The person who went to get you went to Qian Tang, but found it empty. We have let cousin suffer."

Li Su also felt a little sorrowful. It really was the law of the protagonist. "Where do you want to take me now?"

"You are the eldest young lady of the Li family and a cousin to the Xiao family. Naturally, you will be sent back to where you belong. These few years when you were missing can be regarded as a dream. Now that you have woken up, you should return to where you were originally," said Xiao Zhen Ting.

"I can't go back," said Li Su seriously. "The past six years weren't a dream. They were real. I do not remember the past. I don't remember all the etiquette and knowledge I used to have. The only memory I have left tells me that I am not the eldest young lady of the Li family of Qian Tang. I am just an ordinary woman in the mountains. Besides, how do you explain these six years? Also, what about my daughter, Bei Chen? What should she do?"

"You don't need to worry about this. You don't have any memories of the past because you hurt your head when you fell into the water. We will ask for a famous doctor to treat you. It doesn't matter if you aren't cured and that you still have forgotten everything. You are still you. You are my cousin and a cousin to the Xiao family. When we lost you, the Xiao family felt guilty and uneasy. Grandmother is already seventy years old and when she thinks of you, she cries. Every year on the day you and aunt were born, your grandmother will get sick. Uncle, father, and a few brothers all miss you very much, especially second older brother who went to pick you up in Qian Tang back then. Because he wasn't able to get you, he feels shame and regret. It took half a year to find you after we learned of your whereabouts. Su Su, do you have a heart?" Xiao Zhen Ting said seriously.

Li Su sighed. "I understood what you said. I didn't say that I wouldn't go back with you. I asked about what would happen in the future. What will we do from now on? I have forgotten all the social etiquette and any relationships I had with people before. I can hide in the house for the rest of my life, but what about Bei Chen? What should she do?"

"Mother, I can learn!" Wang Bei Chen said suddenly.

Li Su was dumbfounded and did not speak.

Xiao Zhen Ting smiled. "This child is good! She is like a child of our Xiao family." Then, he looked at Li Su and said, "Su Su, I remember that you were a very courageous child. You were decisive and not overly cautious. This child can't hold a candle to you."

Then, he whispered, "Cousin knows what you're worried about. After all, it's normal for you to worry about this as you haven't seen each other for so many years. But, Su Su, cousin promises you that the Xiao family isn't what you think it is. We have taken back all of my aunt and uncle's property and grandmother has been taking care of it for you. After learning about you, grandmother bought the house next to the Xiao family's house and put your name on its deed. You have your own family business, so you don't need to depend on somebody else. Grandmother is just reluctant to part with you and wants to live together. If you aren't happy staying at the Xiao family's place, then you can always move out later. Grandmother has said in front of everyone that she will give you her dowry after she passes away. Everyone agreed. As for Bei Chen…"

Xiao Zhen Ting frowned when he talked about this.

Li Su and Wang Bei Chen looked at him immediately.

Xiao Zhen Ting smiled. "Don't get me wrong. I don't dislike Bei Chen. In fact, all the younger generation are boys. The women in the family dreamed of having a girl. I was frowning at Bei Chen's name. Who gave her this name?"

Li Su felt a little guilty. "I gave her the name. What is wrong with the North Star?"

Xiao Zhen Ting glanced at her. "I should have guessed it was you." Who would give a child such a name in the countryside? "When you were younger, the name uncle gave you was not good. It was too angry of a name to give to the eldest daughter, so we had to change the name. Uncle was not happy, so grandmother let you leave home for more than a month and didn't let uncle see you. She also said that if uncle didn't want a daughter, then she still lacked a granddaughter. She frightened uncle so much that he didn't dare to hit you."

When he remembered the past, Xiao Zhen Ting smiled helplessly.

"You grew up and have experienced so many things. You should be calmer. I didn't expect that you would still be the same. The name Bei Chen is too impressive and can't be used," said Xiao Zhen Ting.

"That uncle will give me a new name?" Wang's second girl asked.

Li Su felt a little helpless. This girl…

Xiao Zhen Ting smiled. "It's better to be called Si Qin. Your mother liked the zither when she was younger." Although, with how she was now, she may have forgotten how to play the zither.

Li Su had a hand to her forehead for quite a while. After all of that, this name had made a comeback. She wanted to oppose it, but second girl liked the name and said, "Wang Si Qin. This name is good. Mother, I like this name."

What could Li Su do? She couldn't continue to go against their wishes. Besides, her daughter liked it. "Okay. You like it."

Xiao Zhen Ting saw that she had recognised the name and laughed.

The carriage made its way to town. Xiao Zhen Ting first took them to an inn, which had hot water and clean clothes. Xiao Zhen Ting found two maids to look after Li Su and her daughter. Then, he went to deal with some matters by himself.

He had many things to do, such as cleaning up the traces of Li Su and her daughter. He also had to figure out how to deal with the Wang family. The family had humiliated and tortured his cousin. Xiao Zhen Ting would remember this. If he did not report this matter, then how could he be worthy of being her cousin?!

At the inn, Li Su and second girl… Yes, because Li Su didn't like the name Wang Si Qin, so she called her by second girl. They happily took a shower, put on clean clothes, and had a nice meal.

Li Su sighed. "Second girl!"

"Mother, my name is Wang Si Qin!" second girl said seriously.

"Okay, Wang Si Qin!" Li Su changed her tune. "Have you thought about it? Do you really want to go to the capital and live with the Xiao family? Actually, I thought that, if what your uncle said is true and that I really have my own business, we can go to Jiang Nan to buy a few acres of land and live in peace."

"No, mother. I want to go to the capital. I want to see what it is like and I want to live a good life. Mother, I will learn. Dad said that I am very smart so I can definitely learn. I will not embarrass you," Wang Si Qin said seriously.

"Silly child. Mother is not much better than you. How would you embarrass me? It is just that it will be difficult for you!" Li Su said with a sigh. It wasn't surprising that second girl had such thoughts.

"Mother, I'm not afraid of hard work. I'm afraid of putting in hard work but not getting anything in return. What is wrong with your daughter? Your daughter can stand tall. Mother, I want to prove to everyone that I am no worse than anyone!" Wang Si Qin said firmly.

"Good child. You are ambitious. Your uncle believes you can do it!" Xiao Zhen Ting, who had been standing outside the door listening for a while, couldn't help but exclaim.

Li Su was startled. Xiao Zhen Ting continued. "Cousin, can I come in?"

"Come in!" Li Su looked at herself and Wang Si Qin. They were both neatly dressed. There was also nothing to hide.

"Don't worry, Qin'er. Uncle is very happy that you have such ambitions! Uncle has already written back to the capital and asked your aunt to find you a nanny. Don't worry, your aunt will arrange everything. As long as you are willing to learn, uncle will definitely find you the best teacher!" Xiao Zhen Ting said with satisfaction as he looked at the now clean Wang Si Qin.

"Thank you, uncle! I will work hard!" Wang Si Qin said, excited.

Xiao Zhen Ting looked at Li Su again. He suddenly remembered the scene of everyone playing together when they were children. His eyes reddened and he hurriedly looked away, suppressing his tears. "Look at you. Even the child is this ambitious. How old are you? Even if you have forgotten what you learned before, you can just learn it again!"

Li Su laughed. She wasn't afraid to start over. Anyway, there was no entertainment in ancient times. She was afraid that she would be involved in the turmoil in the capital again. Was there someone with the surname Xiao there? She wasn't sure if they were on the right side. The emperor hadn't ascended the throne yet. What was the regent's title before he became the regent? If she could remember it, then she could remind them not to get close to him.

Yong An Hou Mansion, in the capital, was where Xiao Zhen Ting lived. He was in the Qing Ning courtyard.

The wife of the fourth young master, Mrs. Wan, received a letter from her husband, who ordered her to open it quickly. After she read it, she was a little embarrassed. The nurse saw this and asked, "What is the matter, fourth young madam?"

Mrs. Wan handed the letter over. "Look at this, nanny."

The nanny quickly read the letter. "The fourth young master asked you to find a nanny for the young miss?"

Mrs. Wan nodded. "It isn't difficult to find a nanny. Mother can go to the palace and ask. However, I am afraid…" Mrs. Wan's mother was the An Kang Princess. Her grandfather was Prince Qi, who is the current emperor's mother's younger brother. After he died on the battlefield, Princess An Kang was raised and doted on in the palace by the empress dowager. As Mrs. Wan is her mother, she was conferred the title of county princess. Yong An Hou can be inherited, but along with it is an irreplaceable title. It shows the deep trust of His Majesty. Eldest aunt is Madam Yong An Hou and the daughter of His Majesty, Princess Qing Shan."

"Are you worried that the young miss will have lofty aspirations and won't be clear about these things?" asked the nurse.

Mrs. Wan nodded. She and her husband had a very good relationship, and she understood that her husband felt indebted to this young lady. So, it was a matter that needed to be handled properly.

Chapter 108 – The Widow's Adopted Daughter (part 8)

The nanny thought for a while, then said with a smile, "What is the problem? Young madam, think about it. Who cares about the young lady the most at home?"

Mrs. Wan reacted. "You mean I should go find grandmother?"

"Yeah! That young lady is the old madam's granddaughter. You can talk to the old madam about her," said the nanny with a smile.

Mrs. Wan nodded. "That's right. Qing Hua, have you gone to Auspicious Purple Hall to see if grandmother has rested? If not, I will talk to grandmother later."

A quarter of an hour later, Mrs. Wan went to Auspicious Purple Hall. At that time, Princess Qing Shan and her two daughter-in-laws were talking to grandmother. When Princess Qing Shan saw Mrs. Wan had arrived, she laughed. "Why did A-Yao come here now?"

Princess Qing Shan had a good relationship with county princess An Le. She also liked Mrs. Wan a lot. When Mrs. Wan married into Yong An Mansion, Princess Qing Shan was the happiest.

"Fourth master sent a letter saying that he has found his cousin. Now he is heading to the capital. In about a month, grandmother will be able to see cousin," Mrs. Wan said with a smile.

Old madam smiled widely. "Your sister-in-law has read the letter to me. Your aunt and I are setting up a room for your cousin."

Princess Qing Shan saw that Mrs. Wan seemed to have something on her mind and hurriedly said, "You have always been reasonable. If you have any good ideas, let's hear them."

Mrs. Wan laughed. "Grandmother and the princess are well-informed, along with eldest sister-in-law and third sister-in-law. Do I need to talk more? There was just one side point. The fourth master wrote back to me and asked me to find a few nannies. I think it is not cousin who needs the nannies but her daughter. I have not seen my niece and do not know my niece's temperament. I thought to come here to ask grandmother what kind of nanny I should find for my niece."

Princess Qing Shan smiled slightly. "If he wanted an ordinary nanny, then fourth master would have said so in his letter. But, he only told you. There must be a reason."

"Yes, the princess is right," Mrs. Wan said with a smile.

After the young madam heard this, she motioned for the maids to leave.

Mrs. Wan took out Xiao Zhen Ting's letter and gave it to the old madam. Mrs. Yang took it and read it to the old madam. She wanted to check the contents in case there was anything in the letter that would shock the old madam too much.

However, even if they didn't say it, the old madam knew it in her heart.

After Mrs. Yang read the letter, Mrs. Wan said, "According to the fourth master's letter, my niece is ambitious. As for the nanny…"

Princess Qing Shan took the letter and looked at it. This niece had a humble background, but was ambitious. She would be difficult to teach. However, it wasn't impossible. She was still young. Princess Qing Shan thought about it and said, "A-Yao, what do you think of Nanny Xu from Ning Shou Palace? She is gentle, modest, cautious, and has good manners."

Although she was asking Mrs. Wan, she was actually explaining things to the old madam.

The old madam thought for a while. "But, isn't Nanny Xu taking care of the empress dowager?"

"Yes." Princess Qing Shan nodded.

"Fine." The old madam nodded, then sighed. "That child has had a hard life. If anything happens in the future, you should teach her more. For my sake, don't fuss too much with her."

Princess Qing Shan laughed. "A-Ling was such a gentle person. As for Su Su… We have known her since childhood. We know her temperament. Even if she lost her memory, her temperament won't change. With Su Su's teachings, the girl should be fine."

The old madam sighed. "You are all not telling me something. But, I know that Su Su must have had a bad life these past years. Alas! I have two sons and one daughter, and many grandchildren. Pian A-Ling! Such a girl was left, but I lost her. For many years, A-Ling hasn't been in my dreams. I know she isn't blaming me!" Old madam began to cry again.

A few daughter-in-laws and grandchildren gathered around the old madam and quickly made her happy again.

Princess Qing Shan smiled. "Don't worry. Our family only has boys and we dream of having multiple girls. Su Su and our niece are here. We will love her and make sure nobody dares to bully her. Besides, with you here, who would dare to bully them? You can take the cane that father emperor gave you and hit those people. Nobody will dare."

After thinking about it, the old madam took Princess Qing Shan's hands and said, "This old lady has had a good life. All of you are good daughter-in-laws and granddaughter-in-laws."

Princess Qing Shan smiled slightly. When the old madam was younger, she was a decisive and outstanding young woman. In the second year of Wan De when father emperor first ascended the throne, the fourth prince rebelled. Prince Qi wasn't there that year. At that time, there were also spies staging an armed rebellion in the capital. They tried to assassinate father emperor at the palace banquet. At the critical moment, it was the old madam who turned the tide. She lifted the table and blocked the assassin's sword that was aimed at her father emperor, thus buying time for the guards to kill the assassin and successfully rescue them.

Therefore, father emperor has always respected and treated the old madam with courtesy, therefore marrying her and A-Yao into Yong An Mansion to show his favour. Even before she came, she was urged to be filial to the old madam. Princess Qing Shan was wise, otherwise she would not have stood out and been married into Yong An Mansion to be the future Yong An Madam. In the future, her son and grandsons would also be of Yong An Mansion. As long as Da Qi still existed, her children and grandchildren would always enjoy wealth.

On the way back to the capital, Xiao Zhen Ting talked to Li Su and her daughter about the situation in Yong An Mansion. Li Su remembered some plot points, so she wasn't as nervous or anxious as Wang Si Qin. She had no impression of the Xiao family, but she knew about Yong An Mansion.

Yong An Mansion had always clearly supported the young emperor. Therefore, the prince regent was dissatisfied and tried to suppress them. Their fate was not very good. Yong An Mansion had 2 sons and 4 grandsons. They died on the battlefield. The second branch of the family was also dead and even their hereditary title was almost lost. In the end, the young emperor took power and allowed Yong An Mansion's nephew to inherit the title.

Was Yong An Mansion's nephew Xiao Zhen Ting? Here it seemed like both legs were crippled!

Their ending was really miserable.

Prevent fires, prevent theft, and guard against the prince regent!

Li Su thought that if she told Xiao Zhen Ting to kill the prince regent in advance, would he treat her like she was a fool?

But, what was the prince regent's title before? She only knew that the prince regent was the young emperor's uncle. What rank was the uncle?

Li Su couldn't remember this.

"Mother, what's wrong?"

Li Su recovered. Xiao Zhen Ting and Wang Si Qin looked at her in surprise.

Li Su sighed. This was the distress prophets faced!

Xiao Zhen Ting smiled at her strange expression.

A month later, Li Su and her daughter finally arrived in the capital.

The carriage entered Yong An Mansion through the side door. After the sedan chair was changed, a young man lifted it to the second door, then stepped back. Several sturdy women came over, lifted the sedan chair, then went inside.

Just a few steps away, they stopped.

Li Su wondered why they arrived so soon.

Xiao Zhen Ting was surprised. "Eldest sister-in-law, third sister in law, what are you two doing here?"

A gentle voice responded, "The elder knows that you are here and has let my younger siblings and I welcome my cousin and niece."

The sedan curtain rose. Li Su took her daughter to the sedan. She noticed that her daughter's hand was trembling, so she gave her daughter a soothing look and motioned for her to stop being nervous.

Mrs. Yang looked Li Su up and down, then looked away and went to affectionately hold Wang Si Qin's hand. "Is this the niece? She grew up well. She and cousin seem to be made from the same mould. Elder will definitely like her. This is a small token from your eldest aunt. I hope that niece accepts it." When she finished speaking, she pulled a hairpin from her hair and put it on Wang Si Qin's head.

Wang Si Qin didn't dare to move. She turned and looked at Xiao Zhen Ting. When she saw that he had no objections, she just said softly, "Thank you, eldest aunt."

Li Su took a closer look and saw that it was a butterfly-like hairpin. This was obviously specially prepared for a young girl like Wang Si Qin. Sure enough, the people inside the mansion were all smart.

The third young madam. Mrs. Qin, also smiled and untied a white jade pony pendant from her waist. She knelt down and tied it to Wang Si Qin.

Xiao Zhen Ting introduced them. "This is your third aunt."

"Thank you, third aunt."

Mrs. Yang and Mrs. Qin saw that Wang Si Qin had skin that was a little darker and rougher, but they thought she was still beautiful. Although the statements were a little small-minded, they meant well. They smiled slightly.

Mrs. Yang and Mrs. Qin walked towards Li Su and Wang Si Qin.

When Li Su saw the old madam, the grandmother of the original owner, Li Su understood why Xiao Zhen Ting was able to confirm her identity as soon as he saw her. If this body was the same age as the grandmother, then she was pretty sure they would look very similar. This family's genes were strong.

"Su Su!" the old madam confirmed her identity when she saw Li Su. This is my Su Su! The old madam cried.

"Grandmother!" Li Su also exclaimed with great emotion. The two embraced excitedly. The people standing nearby wept sadly.

The old madam cried for a while, then remembered her great-granddaughter. She called for her to come up so she could take a closer look, then cried again. "When you and your parents returned to Qian Tang back then, you were the same size. I can't believe it's been ten years already."

"Great-grandmother, don't cry. You need to take care of your body." Wang Si Qin stood on her toes and wiped the tears away.

Li Su didn't expect this girl to do that.

The old madam held Li Su's hand with one of her own, and Wang Si Qin's with her other in distress. The three of them returned to their seats and sat down. Then, she asked, "What is your name? How old are you this year? Did you go to school?"

Everyone else was a little nervous, afraid that the girl would be ignorant enough to say everything. That would make the old madam sad. The old madam was too old, so she couldn't help but be affected by the excitement from immense joy or sorrow.

They didn't expect that the little girl was very sensible. She didn't mention any of her previous suffering and only said happy things, which made the old madam laugh.

Chapter 109 – The Widow's Adopted Daughter (part 9)

When the old madam heard that Li Su had taken Wang Si Qin up the mountain to dig some traps, she smiled. "You, you are an exceptionally bright kid. When you were young, you wanted to go hunting with your uncles. You were about two or three years old. Your grandfather wasn't willing to let you go to the hunting ground, so in order to make you happy, he took you up the mountain to dig a hole and set a trap. It is a surprise that you still remember what happened so long ago."

The old madam touched Li Su's hands, tears streaming down once again.

Li Su smiled playfully. "Did grandfather manage to catch any prey?"

The old madam was sad. She was also stunned by the question and thought about it. Perhaps it was because she was getting older that she couldn't remember the answer. Princess Qing Shan knew and said with a smile, "No. Father took Su Su and waited by the trap for most of the day, but nothing was caught. Later, the soldiers beat up two rabbits and threw them into the trap while Su Su wasn't paying attention. We ate fried rabbit meat that night."

When Princess Qing Shan said this, the old madam also remembered it. "Yes, yes, that is how it was."

Li Su smiled and said, "I was able to catch rabbits with the trap I dug."

"Really?" the old madam asked Wang Si Qin.

Wang Si Qin nodded. "Yes, stupid rabbits fell in every day."

The old madam held on to Wang Si Qin and smiled. "Okay, we will eat rabbits tonight."

Princess Qing Shan glanced at Mrs. Yang. Mrs. Yang immediately left.

After they talked and laughed for a while, a maid said that the eldest, second, third, and fifth masters as well as a few older brothers were here. Li Su could see her uncle and cousin, along with the fourth and fifth cousins.

Everyone sat down and talked about the past. They cried and laughed.

Finally, Mrs. Wan reminded them it was time for dinner.

Mrs. Liu said, "Grandmother, it is time to eat dinner. It's not a matter for us, but sister Qin and a few brothers are still young, so they can't stand being hungry!"

The old madam smiled. "Yes. When I saw Su Su, I was so happy and forgot about this. Let them prepare a meal!"

Princess Qing Shan and Mrs. Liu sat peacefully. Mrs. Yang, Mrs. Qin, and Mrs. Wan made arrangements immediately.

Li Su paid close attention to the Xiao family. This family really modelled the kindness of the men and the filial and virtuous nature of the women. Perhaps it was because the old madam stabilised the family, or perhaps it was because Princess Qing Shan respected the Buddha, but the atmosphere of the Xiao family was good.

Wang Si Qin had been observing the dining etiquette while she ate. She then tried her best to imitate it. Although it was a bit strange, it wasn't bad.

The others watched closely and smiled a little.

Mrs. Yang looked at Mrs. Wan slow down her movements and smiled.

After the meal, the old madam let everyone go. "All of you can return. Let us ladies talk freely."

Princess Qing Shan and Lord Yong An smiled at each other. Xiao hen Ting glanced at Li Su before he left. Li Su nodded slightly.

After washing up, the old madam, Li Su, and Wang Si Qin headed to bed. The old madam's bed was a traditional Jiangnan bed made of cedarwood. It was spacious and firm. Wang Si Qin lay down and looked at it, curious.

The old madam lay on the soft pillow and smiled. "Does Qin'er like it? When you get married, grandmother will give you one."

Wang Si Qin's eyes lit up. She obviously liked it, but she shook her head. "Thank you, grandmother, but I do not want to trouble you."

"Silly child." The old madam felt a little distressed at how sensible Wang Si Qin was. She touched Wang Si Qin's head and looked at Li Su. "Actually, grandmother also prepared one for you back then, but it's a shame…"

When the old madam started speaking of the past, she felt sad again. Li Su was afraid that it would affect the old madam's health, so she quickly cast a glance at Wang Si Qin. Quickly, do something!

Wang Si Qin quickly rolled towards the old madam. "Grandmother, don't be sad. Haven't we returned? Grandmother, because I am a girl, my paternal grandparents didn't like me and never smiled at me. Grandmother, you are the first elder to smile at Qin'er. Qin'er likes you! Grandmother, I hope you live a long time and be with Qin'er forever!"

The old madam listened with distress and joy. She put her arms around Wang Si Qin and comforted her. "Good, good. Grandmother loves you!"

Li Su shot an approving look at Wang Si Qin and Wang Si Qin smiled triumphantly.

The next morning, the old madam was still asleep when Princess Qing Shan and the others came over as they talked a lot the previous night. Li Su and Wang Si Qin got up instead.

"Su Su, do you remember me?" Princess Qing Shan asked with a smile.

Li Su shook her head. "I don't remember anymore. When I was picked up, I had a high fever for several days. When I woke, I didn't remember anything. I was told that there was a jade pendant on my body with the word Li on it. I didn't get to see the jade pendant as it was sold. In fact, if it wasn't for cousin telling me, I wouldn't know anything either."

Mrs. Liu smiled and stretched out her hand. The maid behind her handed over something that was covered by a cloth. Mrs. Liu took it and unveiled it. It was a piece of jade, and Mrs. Liu motioned for Li Su to come over.

She then hung the jade pendant around Li Su's neck. "Your grandfather carved this jade pendant for you when you were born. It has immense significance. You must not lose it. Keep it safe." This child couldn't be blamed. At that time, she didn't know and was at the mercy of fate. It would have been nice to protect her life, not just the jade pendant.

Li Su was a little surprised.

"Your cousin helped you get the jade pendant," Mrs. Liu said with a smile.

Li Su lowered her head and touched the jade pendant. On the front had the character 'Li', and on the back had a blooming peony. The peony symbolised wealth. The old man probably hoped that his granddaughter could be like a peony and be rich and honourable for a lifetime!

When she thought about it, the fate of the original owner was related to this jade pendant. During the time the jade pendant was lost, the original owner had a hard time.

She had no idea if the original owner was found in the end. If she hadn't worn this pendant, then Wang Si Qin would have been sold. The original owner, who was a coward, had no memory, had no maiden family, and had no opinion would have lived in the hands of the Wang family for goodness knows how long.

When Princess Qing Shan saw Li Su's silence, she sighed and thought Li Su was thinking about her life. Although her family didn't care about the missing 6 years, these 6 years still had an effect on Li Su. With Li Su's circumstances and with the support of the Xiao family, it would not be difficult for her to remarry, even if she did have a daughter. But, if she wanted to marry into a high-ranking family, then it would be difficult. But, if she wanted to marry into an ordinary family, then it would be fine. The Xiao family, however, would be the first to object, saying that it would be wronging this child.

The male family members wouldn't think about this. Mrs. Yang and the rest of the cousins couldn't say it. These words could only be said by Princess Qing Shan and Mrs. Liu.

It was not the time to say these things when the mother and daughter were here. They could talk about this later.

"Second aunt, I think that as Auspicious Purple Hall is grandmother's residence, it isn't suitable for Si Qin and I to stay there. Although grandmother is reluctant, the rules and etiquette should be observed. I hope that second aunt will help us," Li Su said deliberately.

"What do you mean?" Princess Qing Shan asked, then looked at Mrs. Liu.

"I heard from my fourth cousin that the place next door had been bought and I was wondering if I could move in there with Si Qin," Li Su said, embarrassed.

"You want to move out?" Princess Qing Shan frowned. "The old madam won't agree."

"Aunt, I have been married once already. Although my husband's family wasn't good to me, my late husband was very good to me. If it wasn't for him, I would be dead. I don't want to marry again. I still have Si Qin and uncle's support. In the future, I plan to live with Si Qin. Since that is the case, it is better to move out early." No matter how good the Xiao family was, Li Su didn't want to be confined there, not only for her sake but also for her daughter's sake.

Princess Qing Shan frowned. "I understand what you mean, but the old madam won't agree, and neither will your two uncles. Stupid child, if you aren't happy at Auspicious Purple Hall, then we have already cleaned up a yard for you two. It is near Auspicious Purple Hall and it is called Falling Pear Courtyard. Don't talk about moving out of the house anymore. As for the other things, I will discuss it with you later."

Li Su wanted to continue to argue, but the door curtain was pushed aside. "The old madam had a nightmare and wants to see cousin and the little miss."

Princess Qing Shan and Mrs. Liu hurriedly pushed Li Su and Wang Si Qin into the inner room.

When the old madam saw the mother and daughter, she held onto them and refused to let go. Even when she was washing, she didn't let go.

Princess Qing Shan saw this and looked at Li Su jokingly. Surely if Li Su saw this situation, it would be unlikely that she would want to move out.

Li Su also felt a little helpless, but she still comforted the old madam. On the other side, Wang Si Qin was sensible. Wang Si Qin grabbed the old madam's hand and helped the old madam out.

As the old madam could not do without Li Su and Wang Si Qin, Li Su hadn't had the opportunity to talk to Wang Si Qin since they reached Yong An Mansion. She finally had the opportunity when the old madam went to take a nap. Nobody else was around.

Li Su sighed in relief. "Si Qin, do you want to stay here or move out?"

Wang Si Qin didn't even think about it. She blurted out, "Of course I want to stay here. Why would I want to move out?"

Li Su expected this answer. "You can think about it. Although it is good to be here, you won't be as free compared to living outside."

"Mother, what do you mean by freedom? Although I don't understand, in my heart it is more important to live well!" Wang Si Qin said seriously.

Li Su sighed. "Si Qin, you may not know what kind of business the family has. So, I will tell you. It is enough for us to spend for a lifetime and it will be enough to prepare a generous dowry for you in the future. So, don't push yourself too much and don't tire yourself out."

Wang Si Qin shook her head. "Mother, I don't feel tired. I like this kind of life. Mother, I have to work hard. I don't want anyone to control my destiny anymore."

Li Su looked at her dumbly. This little girl had such ambition. She just wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing.

Chapter 110 – The Widow's Adopted Daughter (part 10)

Li Su thought that it was a good thing for a girl to have such aspirations. In fact, she admired Wang Si Qin a lot. She felt that Wang Si Qin was a budding feminist. But, she must not try to go in the wrong direction. What was the point of such an effort if it was just used to conquer men and use their power to achieve things?

Li Su felt that it was necessary to establish a correct outlook on life. She needed to make sure Wang Si Qin had the proper values and worldview.

As for how Li Su would say these things, she had yet to figure that out. She felt it was necessary to find examples of strong women from both ancient and modern times to make up a story to tell Wang Si Qin.

Who would be better to speak about first? Would it be the down-to-earth women, like Wu Zetian1, Mi Yue2, or Lü Zhi3? Or would it be the modern iron ladies, like Hillary4 or Merkel5? They were all related to political matters, so she wasn't sure if she could mention them. After all, she had to be careful who she name-dropped here.

But, if she didn't mention them, then who should she mention? Hua Mulan6 who joined the army on behalf of her father? Or maybe the female general, Liang Hongyu7? Or how about The Female Generals of the Yang Family8?

She didn't know history that well and didn't know what would happen in the future. If it wasn't the same, then she could say more.

Li Su figured she would understand history here first.

Li Su didn't beat around the bush and directly asked about the history. She was relieved. After the Qin, history had changed. Since there was no Chen Cheng-Wu Guang uprising9, there were no disputes between the Chu and Han. The first emperor died early and helped Su succeed the throne. He was a benevolent, courteous, person who kept the court and the people in harmony.

A hundred and twenty years after the Qin dynasty ended was the Han dynasty. But, this Han was not the same as that other Han. The Han dynasty ended after 160 years, and now it was Da Qi.

So, Li Su was relieved.

On this day, the men went to court after paying their respects. The kids went to class. Only the female relatives were left in Auspicious Purple Hall.

The nannies who were looking after Wang Si Qin had arrived. One was surnamed Xu and the other, Zhang. They learned the rules and all other matters. But, the old madam felt sorry for Wang Si Qin and thought that the nannies were too strict. The old madam said that Wang Si Qin was to learn things step-by-step and not rush. Nanny Xu and Nanny Zhang had gentle temperaments, so they abided by this. They only mentioned that the young miss needed to take care of her body first before they talked about other things.

The old madam was really satisfied.

Now, Wang Si Qin followed a few cousins to learn how to read. She also learned a lot from the nannies. The nannies also took care of her meticulously, so her complexion had vastly improved. Her words and actions had also become more generous. She was loved by everyone. Wang Si Qin was completely different from before.

Everyone was talking and laughing with the old madam about the fashionable fabric and jewellery in the capital. The old madam did not seem very interested.

Li Su smiled. "I just thought of a story. Grandmother, would you like to listen to it?"

The old madam was naturally happy. "What story? Let's hear it!"

"This story is called the Female Generals of the Yang Family. It took place in a fictional Song dynasty…" Li Su combined the story of the Yang Family Generals and the TV series, the Female Generals of the Yang Family into a story.

The female relatives, along with the old madam and Princess Qing Shan, listened to Li Su carefully. When they heard that the Yang family was to be framed by an evil-doer, when the seventh son went back to the first son, their eyes were red. Wang Si Qin and Mrs. Wan had hidden their faces and were crying.

The old madam's eyes were red. "The seventh son went back to the first son. How heroic!"

"Mother, what happened? What happened? Did the emperor find out about the Yang family's grievances? Did that dog officer get killed?" Wang Si Qin asked, excited.

Li Su smiled slightly. "Have patience and listen."

"Speak quickly!" the old madam urged as she wiped away her tears.

Li Su had no choice but to continue. Li Su spent the rest of the morning telling her story. When the children came back from classes, they were not welcomed by their mothers and aunts, and they could not smell any food. They were all a little surprised. They quietly walked into Auspicious Purple Hall and entered to hear that Tian Bo Mansion was celebrating Yang Zongbao's 50th birthday when the news of Yang Zongbao10 dying in battle arrived.

The next part was when General She took command at 100 years old and led the 12 widows of Tian Bo Mansion to the west. Li Su told the story all morning. Her mouth was dry, even though she had poured herself a few pots of tea. She had to run to the washroom a few times. She was tired and hungry.

When Li Su saw her nephews come back, she said quickly, "The kids are back from class. It's time to eat. Let's talk about it after a break!"

The old madam and the others still wanted to hear more. Even the children wanted to hear more. "Aunt, we aren't hungry. Keep talking!"

Li Su smiled bitterly. "Grandmother, surely you feel sorry for me. I've been talking all morning and my mouth is dry. Let me take a break. You should also take a break. After lunch, I can continue. Is that fine?"

The old madam still felt unsatisfied. "Oh, if you don't finish speaking, then my meal won't be as good. If you are really tired, then take a break. We can talk again after lunch. I won't need to rest."

The same could be said of Princess Qing Shan. "Yes, out of everyone from Tian Bo Mansion, only Yang Zongbao and Yang Huaiyu are left. Now that Yang Zongbao is dead and Yang Huiayu is still young, what will happen?"

Li Su smiled. "Next is the highlight!"

"Then continue!" everyone said in unison.

Li Su looked at everyone's eyes and felt like she had put her foot in her mouth.

"Can't we talk after eating?" Li Su finally fought.

Mrs. Yang hurriedly ordered for people to prepare a meal. Everyone ate the meal quickly in tacit understanding. After they finished they rinsed their mouths. Then, they all stared at Li Su.

Li Su had no choice but to continue. "The news came that Yang Zongbao died in battle. Tian Bo Mansion was celebrating his fiftieth birthday. This happy event turned into a funeral. They changed into mourning clothes. The emperor sent an imperial decree and ordered the Yang family to go to Xixia. General She changed from her auspicious clothes to a battle robe. She led the twelve widows to the west."

By the time Li Su finished the story of the female general of the Yang family, the sky had darkened.

Everyone was still immersed in the tragic ending. Wang Si Qin's eyes were full of light. It turned out that women could do so many things. This kind of life was so beautiful. She also wanted to be such a woman!

"Mother, is there anything else? I still want to hear more!" Wang Si Qin said excitedly. The story her mother told her was more interesting than the stories the nannies told her of women who sacrificed themselves.

"Yes. Tomorrow, I'll tell you a story about Hua Mulan going to fight on behalf of her father. Who said that women were inferior to men?!" Li Su drank a cup of tea.

"Mother, I want to listen to it now! Tell me tonight, okay?" Wang Si Qin said excitedly.

"I want to hear it too! Su Su, you are staying with me tonight!" The old madam raised her hands.

Princess Qing Shan and Mrs. Liu were reluctant to say anything, but Mrs. Yang, Mrs. Qin, and Mrs. Wan looked at Li Su pitifully. "Good younger sister, can't you tell the story tomorrow?"

"Let Su Su have some soup so she can wet her throat. Grandmother feels sorry for her granddaughters and daughter-in-laws! We can talk tomorrow!" Princess Qing Shan groaned.

Li Su also looked at the old madam pitifully. If she talked all night, she would probably lose her voice.

The old madam and Wang Si Qin nodded, disappointed. "Okay, tomorrow morning we can start after breakfast. Okay?"

Princess Qing Shan and Mrs. Liu breathed a sigh of relief. They saw the grandchildren sitting next to each other and Princess Qing Shan was surprised. "Why are you here? Didn't you go to school in the afternoon?"

Mrs. Wang and the others also panicked. "Why are you here?" When did they get here?

Xiao Yan Xi was the eldest grandson and the oldest out of his brothers. In this situation, he did his part and explained, "This afternoon we had riding and shooting class, but something happened at master's house, so we left. We didn't delay our homework."

Princess Qing Shan sighed in relief.

Before they could say anything, Xiao Yan Xi walked up to Li Su. "Aunt, next time you tell a story, can you wait for us to rest? We also want to listen." He then blinked and looked at Li Su with big eyes.

Li Su laughed, then hesitated. "Why don't you find someone who knows how to write so they can write it down next time I speak? If so, then you can read it in your spare time?"

Xiao Yan Xi and his younger brother nodded frantically. This was fine. Xiao Yan Xi looked at Mrs. Yang. "Mother!"

Mrs. Yang smiled. "Okay, mother will arrange it." This was even better. As a madam of the world, she had to deal with government affairs and social entertainment on weekdays. She couldn't come and listen to the stories. She was too embarrassed to ask for Li Su to wait until she was present.

In the evening, Li Su and Wang Si Qin slept in a jade screen cupboard in Auspicious Purple Hall. When Li Su saw that nobody was around, she asked in a low voice, "Si Qin, do you like the story mother told you today?"

"Yes! Mother, are there really female generals in the world? Can women really do so many things?" Wang Si Qin said in a low voice.

Li Su whispered, "Of course. Women can fight wars. There are women who write history books. There are women who are poets. There are women who become rulers and live through the ages! But, this can't be said in public since it is a taboo. In fact, mother told you this just to let you know that women should not underestimate themselves and should not be restricted by their status. The outside world is vast and there are so many things women can do!"

Wang Si Qin nodded slowly. She seemed to have understood something. Mother was actually afraid of her veering off the straight path, so did she work hard to compose these stories to educate and enlighten her?

Wang Si Qin smiled knowingly when she thought of this. If it was the her from before, then she did have thoughts like that. She used to want to achieve supremacy and control her destiny, and the shortcut was to conquer a man. But, her mother's story opened a new door for her. On the other side of that door was a world she had never seen before. It would be difficult to enter that world.

But, wasn't this interesting? This kind of life was more meaningful.

In the darkness, Wang Si Qin's eyes were full of a dazzling light.