Transmigration: A Farm Girl’s Brocade
Chapter 586 - 297 Enjoying Happiness_2

Chapter 586: Chapter 297 Enjoying Happiness_2

Seeing her like this, Qian Yixiu was so angry she could hardly stand it. Her aunt had an optimistic and cheerful nature, no matter how great the difficulty, she always faced it calmly. But today, she must have been greatly wronged.

Lady Wu also noticed, and after the children had taken turns performing New Year greetings and distributing red envelopes to their elders, she called Qian Manxia into the western room, and Qian Yixiu, unabashed, followed them in.

Because he was used to rural customs, Wan Dazhong did not need to follow Qian Sangui and Old Man Qian to the front yard; they were all chatting in the eastern room. However, when he saw Qian Manxia being called out by Lady Wu, his face turned red involuntarily.

Lady Wu asked Qian Manxia, "Madam Xia, tell me the truth, did your son-in-law bully you?"

Qian Manxia’s eyes were a little red as she stammered, "No, my husband treats me very well."

Qian Yixiu pressed, "Then it must be your mother-in-law who treats you poorly?"

Qian Manxia still shook her head, "No, my mother-in-law is also good to me."

Lady Wu, frantic, raised her voice, "Oh, you’re going to drive your mother mad! You came out of my womb, do you think mother can’t tell when something’s on your mind? Speak up, what is it?"

Qian Yixiu also said, "Whatever it is, aunt, just say it. There are many of us here, and we can discuss any issue. If you keep everything bottled up inside and suffer injustice, we won’t even know and can’t offer any help."

Tears streamed down Qian Manxia’s face, when she finally spoke softly, "It’s just that, my mother-in-law said I am from the countryside and don’t know the rules of the Capital City. If I go out to social events, I’ll be laughed at. She said... she said that they want to take a ’Good Concubine’ for my husband who knows how to read and write, to assist me."

"Bullshit!" Lady Wu exploded with a curse, her teeth clenched, "Did your son-in-law agree to this?"

Qian Manxia shook her head, "My husband has never agreed, and my father-in-law even scolded my mother-in-law for it. My mother-in-law burst into tears and complained that it was so hard for her and her daughter when my husband and father-in-law were gone for more than a decade. She said that while they never enjoyed any blessings from my father-in-law and husband, I was the only one who did. My younger aunt-in-law also chimed in, saying I’m from the countryside and not even comparable to a servant, yet I was lucky enough to marry their brother. She accused me of being overly jealous by preventing their brother from taking a concubine and even stirring up trouble between her parents. My husband couldn’t stand it and scolded my younger aunt-in-law. She then made a fuss, crying and accusing me of driving a wedge between her and her brother. It was actually my elder aunt-in-law who came home and persuaded my mother-in-law and scolded my younger aunt-in-law before they settled down for a couple of days. But after two days, they would start making trouble again. Mother, Yixiu, I’m scared that if my mother-in-law takes advantage of my husband and father-in-law’s absence to really bring a concubine home, what should I do?"

After speaking, she covered her face with a handkerchief and burst into tears.

Qian Yixiu had heard that Wan Erniu’s wife, Lady Yang, was the daughter of a minor military official. When Wan Erniu and his son Wan Dazhong were hiding their identities and protecting Zhu Sujin in the countryside, their eldest daughter, Wan Yunniang, was only ten years old, and their youngest daughter, Wan Xueniang, was just one year old. Even Lady Yang hadn’t known if her husband and son were still alive, surviving only with her two daughters.

In truth, those years were incredibly tough for the three of them. The husband and son who served Prince Ning were declared "dead," and Prince Ning himself was driven out of the Capital City. Lady Yang’s own family, fearing being implicated in trouble, cut ties with them, leaving them to survive on their savings. When their savings ran out, they had to sell off their original compound with three courtyards and purchased a smaller residence to continue living.

Their elder daughter, Wan Yunniang, was very capable and had been the head of the household in the absence of the Wan father and son, with a useless mother and a young sister. She delayed marrying until she was eighteen and quickly married a man a year her junior who had attended school for two years and worked as an accountant in a shop. After the return of the Wan father and son, they gave the couple several hundred taels of silver, and they started a shop of their own, finally living better days.

Listening to Qian Manxia’s story, a significant reason why Lady Yang made life difficult for her was that she believed during those ten-plus years, the Wan father and son neglected her and her daughters, causing them to suffer greatly. Especially her two daughters who should have been privileged ladies of an official’s family, but instead, had to struggle for a living in public. In contrast, Qian Manxia, a country girl, had enjoyed all their fortune. Perhaps Wan Erniu felt he owed them, so he indulged them to some extent.

Lady Wu resentfully said, "The Wan father and son neglected their mother and sisters to protect the Prince Ning’s Heir, not for Madam Xia, so how can they blame Madam Xia for it? It’s just too unreasonable. Besides, what blessings of the Wan family has Madam Xia enjoyed? When she married into the Wan family, our Qian family was already living comfortably. Not to mention the businesses and lands, just the dowry of silver alone was several hundred taels."