Free Web NovelChapter 1324: Chapter 1322: A Trip to the Capital City
The news that all three young ladies of the Tang Family were taken as concubines by the wealthy Old Master Huang soon spread throughout Jinling City.
Both Old Master Tang, who was hiding from his debts, and Lady Zhu, who was struggling as labor at the Zhu Family, received the news one after the other.
Old Master Tang was utterly devastated.
Those three daughters, although not pampered, were still his legitimate daughters and considered as precious as pearls.
They were raised in luxury, clothed in silk and satin.
He had thought that when they reached a beautiful age, he could find good husbands for them, thus providing some support to the Tang Family.
Unexpectedly... despite raising them to such an age, none of them ended up married.
Although disappointed, they were still his daughters, and the affection was there (which is why he divorced Lady Zhu but continued to treat the three daughters the same).
Now, hearing that they were all taken into a house by an old man as concubines, and that this old man was actually his nemesis,
the feeling was... a mixture of unwillingness, heartbreak, and reluctance, but more than anything, infinite hatred!
"That old bastard!"
He cursed through gritted teeth, pacing in circles, but didn’t take any further action.
The loyal servant boy beside him asked a question.
"Master, I heard the manor has been cleared out, everything that could be sold was sold, even the young ladies were sold!"
"Should we use the silver to hire someone to rescue the young ladies?"
Old Master Tang looked around at the humble house he was in, contemplating the only remaining One Thousand Taels of Silver he had.
After a long struggle, he finally shook his head.
"No need to rescue them!"
Who knows how old the news is, even if rescued, they’d probably already have been taken.
Then they’d be even harder to marry off, and they’d likely need to be supported by him, which would make the rescue futile.
"Master, I..."
He looked exhausted, shaking his head wearily and said.
"I’ve raised them to this point, that’s about the best I can do!"
"The fact they ended up like this... simply means they have bad luck!"
"I... am powerless to help!"
"Besides, I can’t follow them for their entire lifetime; eventually, they’ll have to marry... eventually have to..."
The servant boy instantly understood and didn’t ask any further.
Rationality returning, Old Master Tang quickly brushed the issue aside.
His current situation wasn’t any good either.
With just a small amount of savings, he hid in a modest house outside the city.
He didn’t dare go out or show his face, and even the servant boy could only come out at night.
The taste of hiding from debts, sneaking around in secrecy, was truly tormenting.
He was already struggling to take care of himself, how could he take care of others?
There’s no need to mention Lady Zhu’s side.
No matter how much she felt unwilling, heartbroken, or devastated,
she still couldn’t change the fact that all three daughters had married an old man.
After crying for days and nights, under the disdain of Old Master Zhu, she still had to continue doing all kinds of dirty and tiring work.
Even in the bitter cold of winter, and despite her delicate hands having developed all kinds of chilblains,
she still couldn’t stop.
She had to work like a servant woman, laboring until the very end of her life.
...
At the residence of the Magistrate.
Xiao Chuan reported all the gossip about the Huang Family that she had gathered to Tang Xun.
As she recounted, she gestured exuberantly, as if finally avenging herself and settling old scores.
Tang Xun couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time.
"I already knew!"
Xiao Chuan opened her eyes wide.
"Madam, you’re amazing! Didn’t Huang’s family initially say they were only buying maids? How did it become concubinage now?"
"Did you foresee this from the beginning?"
Tang Xun shook her head.
"More or less!"
"That household and the Tang Family are nemeses; how could those three have a good life there?"
"So... no matter what unfortunate events happen, they’re all expected!"
Xiao Chuan suddenly realized, about to continue speaking.
Tang Xun quickly interrupted.
"Alright, no need to bring this up again in the future!"
Having gone through these events, the resentment that had accumulated in her heart over the years had long since dissipated.
She wouldn’t hit them while they were down, nor would she help them.
It was as if they had never known each other, just treating them as strangers was fine.
Xiao Chuan promptly closed her mouth.
"Yes, Madam!"
...
Outside the window it was gloomy, with gusts of wind faintly heard.
Tang Xun, who was preparing the large sheet of paper, slowly looked up, feeling a hint of anticipation in her heart.
"With this weather, could it snow this year?"
Just as she finished speaking, Xia Jingfeng walked in from outside.
"Master!"
Tang Xun squinted, smiling as she approached.
Xia Jingfeng took off his cloak and handed it to her, while accepting the hot tea passed over by Xiao Chuan, sipping it before speaking.
"It’s so cold outside!"
"I feel it’s much colder this year than previous ones!"
Tang Xun arranged his clothes on a rack with a smile.
"Isn’t it!"
"I also feel it’s very cold this year!"
"In previous years, we would only need to use charcoal by the year’s end, but this year it’s only just turned to December!"
Xia Jingfeng grasped her slightly cold hand, feeling pained.
"In cold weather, rest if your hands and feet are cold, health first!"
Tang Xun quickly shook her head.
"I can’t!"
"My health is already poor, if I don’t work harder, when will I ever learn?"
She said, proceeding to a table by the window before he could reply.
She smoothed the large prepared sheet of paper, picked up a pen dipped in ink, and began writing stroke by stroke.
...
For the past few months, Tang Xun had put aside almost everything else, focusing solely on learning to read and write.
In her words,
for every character she knew, she had to be able to write it, and write it well.
Thus, for nearly half a year now, she had consistently learned twenty characters a day.
Not only understanding their meanings and pronunciations, but also practicing them repeatedly.
Until she could flawlessly write them out in the most standard small ornate script.
As of now,
she could fluently read poetry collections, classics, and operas, works that were relatively simple.
She could even write beautifully in a small ornate script.
She wrote with focus, while Xia Jingfeng watched intently beside her.
Occasionally providing some guidance.
The two stood by the window.
One writing, one watching, with one graceful, the other elegant.
A perfect pair of talented individuals, an idyllic picture, a scene full of spring warmth.
...
After finishing practice, fine rain began to drizzle outside.
The two sat by the window, watching the rain and chatting leisurely.
"I just said it might snow this year! Turns out, it’s just rain!"
Xia Jingfeng chuckled.
"Do you think this is the Capital City?"
"Every winter, the Capital City is blanketed with snow, a heavy one!"
"Every time it snows, I would go out in search of red plum blossoms!"
"Red plum blossoms?"
Tang Xun smiled, with a hint of loss amid her envy.
"White snow and red plum blossoms, it must be beautiful! Sadly, I’ve rarely seen it since childhood!"
"I... hardly ever go out!"
Xia Jingfeng took her hand.
"In the future... I will take you to the Capital City to see the snow!"
