Chapter 6 — Books Hidden Under a Dry Well

"I woke up once last night and saw it." I took down the bronze key and placed it in her palm. "I took it out from my sleeve." Co Minh Chau stroked the word Nguyen on the key's surface, tears falling. "It was my mother who left it for you." I said: "Maybe she left it for you, Miss, just hidden in my clothes." Co Minh Chau shook his head: "Before my death, my mother called you alone and talked for a long time. At that time I was so feverish that I was unconscious, I only heard her say to believe A Duong." I still remember that night, my wife held my hand, her nails digging deep into her palm. She said: "Please protect Minh Chau. You must also protect yourself." There was one more sentence, but her breathing was so weak, I couldn't hear it clearly. Co Minh Chau returned the key to me: "You keep it. If this is a road, let me find it." Outside the door, Xuan Dao suddenly ran in. Her face still had cracks from the cold in the laundry room, panting. "Sister A Duong, something happened to the Ta residence." I asked: "What happened?" Xuan Dao said: "Second lady ordered someone to lock old Trieu in the payment room. I heard him say that the Co family's store not only has three rooms, the Ta family has always collected rent over the years." Having finished speaking, Xuan Dao's legs softened and he sat down on the threshold. I poured water for her, she lifted the cup with her cracked hands. "I didn't come to please you." She spoke first as if afraid I would misunderstand, "I just really can't watch anymore." Co Minh Chau leaned on her pillow: "If you tell us this, Mrs. Ta Nhi will punish you." Xuan Dao smirked: "I've been banished to the laundry room, where else can I be punished?" I asked: "Where is Old Trieu locked up?" "The room at the back." Xuan Dao lowered his voice, "Tonight the Luong family is coming to bring the wedding ceremony list, the palace is very chaotic. Old Trieu's son will come to bring food. He owes me a favor, I can ask him to let you in in half a moment." Co Minh Chau immediately said: "It's too dangerous." I said: "If we don't go, three days later they will blame us." Xuan Dao looked at me: "Do you really dare to go?" I asked again: "Do you dare to lead the way?" She put the cup down firmly: "Dare. Anyway, I don't want to wash stinky clothes all my life." At night, I changed into the heavy-duty maid's clothes brought by Xuan Dao and entered Ta residence from the side door. Xuan Dao walked in front, whenever she met someone, she would scold her. "What are you looking at? The laundry room needs hot water. Can you make up for delaying Second Lady's clothes?" She scolded with great force, but on the contrary, no one stopped her. Outside the back room, a teenager carrying a box of food was waiting, his face ashen. Xuan Dao kicked him: "Don't hurry up yet?" When opening the door, the teenager said in a low voice: "Only half a moment." In the damp room, Mr. Trieu was tied to a chair, with blood at the corner of his mouth. Seeing me, he was slightly stunned. "Are you the Co family's maid?" I squatted in front of him: "Where is the Co family store?" Old Trieu coughed a few times: "You can't fight them." "Whether you can fight or not is up to us. You just need to tell the truth." He looked towards the door: "If I tell you, my son won't survive." I took out the bronze key and brought it before him. Old Trieu stared at the key, the blood on his face completely disappeared. "Why is the key to the Nguyen family in your hand?" I said: "Lady Co gave it to me." His voice trembled: "She still left behind tricks?" "Where?" Old Trieu was about to open his mouth when suddenly there were footsteps outside. Xuan Dao quickly said: "The second lady is here." Old Trieu immediately shut his mouth. I stood up and hid behind the closet. The door was pushed open, Dieu Thi walked in, and behind was Ta Hanh Chu. Ta Hanh Chu frowned: "Mother, why do you have to tie up Uncle Trieu?" Dieu Thi said: "He is old and confused, took the wrong books, and almost harmed the Ta family." Old man

Trieu bowed his head: "Second lady, this old slave hasn't said anything yet." Dieu Thi's voice was extremely calm: "It's best that you don't say anything. Your son is only sixteen years old this year." Ta Hanh Chu lost patience: "Mother, is there any problem with the Co family's property?" Dieu Thi looked at him: "Hanh Chu, you want to marry the Luong family's daughter. The Ta family needs to borrow the Luong family's power. The Co family has failed, do you want to ruin your future because of an escaped daughter?" Ta Hanh Chu was silent. Dieu Thi said again: "That maid has a sharp tongue, sooner or later she will cause trouble. Tomorrow I will send someone to take her to the mandarin's palace, telling her to steal the old lady's seal and sneak into Ta palace." Ta Hanh Chu said: "Co Minh Chau will cause trouble." "She's so sick she can't get out of bed. When the Luong family walks in the door, who will remember her?" The space behind the closet is narrow and dusty, making me want to cough. I heard Ta Hanh Chu lower his voice and ask: "Mother, does the money to rent the Co family's property really go to the palace?" Dieu Thi smiled coldly: "The clothes you're wearing, the books you've read, the friends you've made, which of these things didn't have to be built with money? Now it's too late to ask whether it's real or fake." Ta Hanh Chu did not say more. Before leaving, Dieu Thi advised: "Take old Trieu out of the city tonight and make it clean." After the door closed, Xuan Dao rushed in to untie the rope.