Chapter 2 — Chieu Chieu Leaves Kinh

"What time is it now? The people from the general's household are about to arrive, aren't they?" Looking at her eyes that were no longer pure and her hands full of callouses, my throat choked, the tip of my nose burned fiercely. I don't know how to explain to her, and I can't bear to let her know the truth. I held her hand and was silent for a long time. When I opened my mouth again, I thought clearly in my heart: "Mother, I won't marry Tieu Dat anymore, let's go back to Giang Nam." Aunt Co was stunned for a moment, muttering and asking: "It's okay, why..." At this moment, the courtyard door was suddenly pushed open. Tieu Dat strode in. He bowed politely to Aunt Co: "Miss, yesterday I was caught up in urgent matters at the palace and could not deliver the bride gifts on time. Chieu Chieu is angry with you. Just now, thirty carts of bride gifts were carried into the Song household." "On the fifteenth of next month, I will send ten li of red silk to welcome Chieu Chieu into my household." Hearing Tieu Dat say that, she was so moved that tears welled up in her eyes, and she immediately forgot her initial doubts. I blushed, pushed Tieu Dat out of the courtyard, and dragged him to an empty corner. "I already said that I was breaking off the engagement. If you are not ending it, why do you keep trying to hold on?" Tieu Dat looked at me and sighed: "Of course I came to welcome my Chieu Chieu into my household." He reached out his hand to touch my face. I tilted my head to avoid it. He touched the void, a trace of frustration flashed through his eyes: "Chieu Chieu, our childhood bond of more than ten years, are you asking me to break off the engagement?" What else could I do but end the engagement? Because of my mother's circumstances, from beginning to end I told Tieu Dat that I could not hold a grain of sand in my eyes, much less allow him to accept concubines. But now, he has forgotten. I glared at him with red eyes and let out a cold laugh: "Tieu Dat, I will definitely end this marriage." Saying it did not hurt would be a lie. I truly loved the man standing before me. I didn't want to say much. I turned around to leave, but Tieu Dat leaned over and blocked my way. He grabbed my shoulder, forcing me hard in the corner: "I will not dissolve the engagement. I will leave your name and position as principal wife untouched. I guarantee you, no one can replace your position in my heart." "Three years ago in Mac Bac, I fell into the enemy's ambush, narrowly escaping death. It was Lam Uyen who, not caring for her life, rushed into the pile of dead people, took three stabs for me before carrying me out." "She was badly injured and can never bear children. Her existence will not have any impact on her, so why can't you tolerate her?" "She had no relatives. Because of me, she lived without name or status in the military camp for three years, without crying or making trouble, without fighting or taking. I cannot be ungrateful or unfaithful." "She saved my life. You could use many ways to repay me, but you always choose to marry me, which is a way of sacrificing my reputation." "Tieu Dat, do you know if on our big wedding day, you use your ordinary status to marry her, how will outsiders look at you?" Once a secondary wife enters the household, the principal wife is humiliated. He was silent for a moment, his lips moved, and in the end he didn't say a word. I smiled sarcastically and asked: "How did His Majesty finally feel secure in letting you go to the battlefield?" "A weak woman like Lam Uyen, how can I save you in a situation surrounded by enemy soldiers? And how can I find you accurately in a pile of dead people? You are so stupid and confused, how can His Majesty rest assured that you will be entrusted with the front line?" Tieu Dat suddenly shouted: "Enough!" "What does a woman like you understand? Do you think I don't know how to investigate?" "Don't use your dirty thoughts to speculate about others, Lam Uyen is just an ordinary girl." It turns out that in your heart, I am the one who measures the heart of a gentleman by using the heart of a petty person. "Tieu Dat! I don't want to see you again, get out of here!" Hating him to the point of madness, I pulled out my hairpin and drove it into Tieu Dat's arm. He did not let go, endured the pain, his voice regained its usual gentleness: "Chieu Chieu, don't make trouble anymore. Lam Uyen is gentle."

"When I enter the household, I will treat her with respect. You just do not understand her yet. Once you understand her, you will come to like her as well." "Think of Aunt Co. Can you bear to see her heartbroken and miserable because of you?" "I am older now, and my body is not what it once was. Do you think Aunt Co could bear the shock?" I tilted my head, not looking at him. "That's right, I know you always wanted to take Aunt Co away from the Song household." Tieu Dat took out a document with official seal from his chest and held it out, shaking it before my eyes. "When I returned to the imperial palace, I especially asked for grace. As long as you obediently marry me, on the day of the wedding, I will give you the imperial edict. At that time, her aunt will be able to take back her contract and leave the Song family properly and become a free person." I closed my eyes, exhausted and bewildered: "Why, Tieu Dat, why do you have to marry me?" Tieu Dat caressed my finger and said gently: