Chapter 7 — A Nhuoc's New Parents

09

After the competition, Bui Kieu Nhien came to To palace more often. At first, his maternal grandfather had a very negative opinion of him, feeling that he was a rude martial artist and unworthy of his mother's talent. Bui Kieu Nhien is not angry either. Every day, he brought the good wine he had stored to find his grandfather, sat at the stone table and listened to his grandfather talk about the court and the laws of Dai Te. Feeling sleepy, he fell directly onto the stone table and slept, his snores echoing like thunder. Grandfather was angry and came to beat him with a stick. When he woke up, he rubbed his eyes and continued to laugh and pour wine for his grandfather.

“Old Grand Deputy, stop pretending.”

Bui Kieu Nhien pushed the wine cup over.

"Thanh Lam married that old man who only knew how to read mechanical books, and everyone knows how much frustration he suffered. Although I am rude, I do not deceive people."

“The sword in my hand can not only kill the enemy, it can also protect you and your mother for the rest of your life without shedding a tear.”

The grandfather looked at him, remained silent for a long time, and finally drank the entire cup of wine.

“That's it.”

Grandfather sighed.

“This marriage, I won't stop anymore.”

That night, in the To palace garden, Bui Kieu Nhien officially prayed to his mother. He stuffed a small box into his mother's hand.

"This is my entire inheritance. Three buildings in the capital, two manors, and the benefits and rewards of the past few years, all are in here."

He looked at his mother, his eyes bright as stars.

"Thanh Lam, I don't know how to write poetry, nor do I know how to speak soft and pleasant words. But I guarantee that from now on, you and A Nhuoc will be my lives. Whoever dares to let you two suffer, I will make his whole family unable to rest in peace."

The mother opened the box and glanced at it, tears shining in her eyes.

"Bui Kieu Nhien, although A Nhuoc is not your biological child, if I marry you, she must call you father."

“That's even better.”

Bui Kieu Nhien turned his head to look at me hiding behind the fake mountain, grinning.

“A Nhuoc, come here.”

I ran out and stood before him. He squatted down and looked at me.

“Ah Nhuoc, I will be your new father, are you willing?”

I looked at him and nodded heavily.

"Consented. He didn't steal my things, he took me horseback riding, and even bought me candy."

“Good.”

He picked me up, threw me into the air, then caught me again.

"From tomorrow onwards, you are the eldest lady of General Dinh Vien's palace. If you look at anyone you don't like, just use the whip I gave you to whip him."

I hugged his neck and laughed loudly. I finally have my own new father. The wedding date was set for late fall. Mother said this was a remarriage, there was no need to make it too big, just invite a few close people to dinner. But Bui Kieu Nhien refused.

"This is my first time marrying a wife, so why should I let myself suffer? Ten miles of red clothes, a large palanquin carried by eight people, something indispensable. I just want the whole capital to see, how glorious I am when To Thanh Lam marries Bui Kieu Nhien."

On the big wedding day, the entire street of Vermillion Bird was covered with red silk. Bui Kieu Nhien wore a bright red dress, riding a tall, majestic horse at the head of the bridal procession. I stood in front of the To palace gate to send my mother onto the palanquin. Today I also wear a red dress, with two small red bells tied in my hair. Just as the palanquin was about to depart, a small green cloth palanquin stopped street corner. The father stepped down from the palanquin. He was so thin that he was deformed. The robe that once fit him was now worn empty on his body, as if hanging on a bamboo tree. He stood away from the crowd, looking straight at the palanquin. Bui Kieu Nhien immediately reined his horse, his eyes cold, his hand placed on the hilt of the knife at his side. The bride procession stopped and everyone looked at their father. Parents don't cause trouble. He just stood there, looking at the joyful and brilliant palanquin, his eyes filled with regret. I held Mom's hand and stood on the steps looking at him. He saw me. His lips moved, without a sound he called out "A Nhuoc". I didn't pay attention to him, turned around and loudly called Bui Kieu Nhien:

“New father, let's go quickly, we're about to miss the good time.”

Bui Kieu Nhien laughed loudly and replied:

“Okay, let's go now!”

He waved his hand, and the bride procession continued with gongs and drums, completely leaving his father where he was. I watched the palanquin go away, took down the red whip from my side, and waved it in my hand.

“Chat” sound.

Extremely resounding.

10

I followed my mother into the general's palace. Bui Kieu Nhien said yes, he gave me the best hospital in the general's palace. Not only did he have a swing in the yard, he also ordered people to build a small martial arts training ground next to it, inside were displayed all kinds of small weapons, all made of wood.

“A Nhuoc, girls just know how to read books, it's not enough, they also have to know how to protect themselves.”

Every morning before dawn, Bui Kieu Nhien called me up and taught me to stand up and do basic exercises. At first I complained that I was tired, squatted for a while and cried. If he was in the Minister's Palace before, his father would definitely say:

"Ah Nhuoc, listen, don't practice anymore. How does a girl learn these rude things?"

But not Bui Kieu Nhien. He held the ruler and stood next to me, not hitting me, just looking at me.

"Are you done crying? After crying, continue to stand. My daughter, she sheds blood and sweat, not tears."

I shed tears while standing still. After standing, he will use warm water to compress my feet, then stuff me with a piece of cinnamon cake.

“Is martial arts training difficult?”

He watched me devour the cake.

“Suffering.” I nodded.

"Suffering is right. If you endure suffering within suffering, in the future no one will dare to force you to suffer."

I looked at him blankly, as if I understood or not.