Chapter 8 — Cui Van Chieu

I told Xuan Dao to retreat. Help him sit down on the chair. "Qi Dien." "You should go back." He grabbed my hand. "I'm not going back." "Van Chieu..." "Don't marry him." "Marry me... okay?" I pulled my hand back. "You're drunk." "I'm not drunk!" He suddenly raised his voice. "I've never been sober like this." "Van Chieu... I know I was wrong." "Forgive me." "Let's start from the beginning... okay?" I gently shook "No." His eyes turned red. "I will change." "I really will change." "She doesn't like me drinking." "I will quit." "She doesn't like me being cold to her." "I'm with her every day." "She doesn't like On Du Lan." "I will retire her." "What do you want..." "I'll give it to you..." I interrupted slightly. "I just want... you to let me go." "Qi Dien..." "That's the only thing I wish for." want." His whole body stiffened. I continued to say: "In my previous life." "You saved me once." "This life." "I saved your life." "We consider it all paid for." "From now on." "You and I..." "No one owes anyone else." "Each person has their own life." "That is the best ending." "Each person has their own life..." He muttered again. Suddenly burst out laughing. "You got your wish." "What about me?" "Ci Van Chieu... have you ever thought about me?" "Without you... how can I live?" I turned around. "Te Dien." "Go away, don't come again." He stood behind me for a long time. Time to leave. He asked softly: "Van Chieu..." "If I die... will you cry for me?" I did not answer. He didn't ask any more. Just leave quietly. … The day they became married. Ten miles of red pageantry, brilliant all over the road. I put on my robe and stepped onto the palanquin of the Lam family's palace. The sound of firecrackers and wedding music filled the sky. When the palanquin passed the palace of Vinh Ninh Marquis, we saw the big gate tightly closed. The front door was quiet, not a single person in sight. Everything... is no longer related to me. The palanquin slowly moves forward. I closed my eyes to rest. The love, hatred, infatuation, entanglements of the past life... have all become passing clouds. In this life... I just want to live for myself. The wedding took place extremely smoothly. Praise heaven and earth. Enter the cave room. When Lam Nghien lifted the red veil, his eyes were extremely gentle. "Van Chieu." "I will treat you well." I nodded slightly. "I know." He held my hand. "The past is over." "From today onwards..." "Let's live well together." "Okay." The red candle light shook. The whole room was filled with an atmosphere of joy. Outside the window. The moonlight is just beautiful. … Three days later. The day of the dowry came. Seeing my rosy face, father was extremely relieved. "Lin Nghien has treated you well." "Then father is also relieved." I smiled. "You are very good." Father hesitated for a moment and then said: "Qi Dien..." "He has left the capital." My movement of pouring tea stopped. "Is that so?" "Two days ago." "He asked himself to go to the Northern Realm to defend." "If you don't have a decree, you can't return to the capital." Father sighed softly. "Your Majesty has approved." "I just nodded. "That's good." Father looked at me. "Don't you ask why?" I put down the teapot. "Father." "He is him." "I am me." "His choice... has nothing to do with you." Father looked at me for a moment. Finally burst out laughing. "Yes." "It's father who is confused." "Come on, try the tea Long Tinh just brought over." The scent of tea gently spreads. Years of peace. … After becoming married. Our life is simple but peaceful. Lam Nghien works at Han Lam Institute. Every day I leave early and come home late. But no matter how busy he is, he always takes time to talk to me. Ask me what I did today. Happy or not? We begin to learn how to manage housework. Occasionally communicate with ladies and young ladies in the capital. Most of the time I still stay at home reading books and practicing writing. One day. Xuan Dao smiled and said: "Miss." "These days, people

I smile more than before. "Really? I unconsciously touched the corner of my lips. It turns out... after letting go of someone, life can be so easy. Half a year later. I'm pregnant. Lam Nghien is as happy as a child. Every day he leans close to my belly to talk. He also said that in the future he will teach his child to read and write. Father sent a lot of nutritious food back from Bac Canh. The letter only wrote one sentence. "My daughter is safe, my heart is extremely comforted." chuyen... Deu dang dan tro nen tot dep. Con Te Dien... Thinh thoang chien bao tu Bac Canh truyen ve. Nguoi ta noi The t.u phu Vinh Ninh hau dung manh thien chien, lien tiep lap cong lon. Nhung... Ta chua tung lang nghe ky. … Nu nhi cua ta chao doi vao mua xuan. Ta dat ten con la Lam Niem An. Mong con ca doi binh an, thuan loi. Lam Nghien om nu nhi ngoi canh ta. Ta tua dau tren giuong, nhin hai nguoi. Trong long binh yen chua once. That's enough. Husband and wife respected each other. It was a peaceful year. In the capital, there were many guests who came to congratulate. "I heard that The Tu was seriously injured in Bac Canh." "That battle was extremely cruel." "The Tu went straight into the enemy camp." come in." "Your Majesty wanted to summon him back to the capital to recuperate." "But he refused." "Saying that the North was not at peace and had no face to return." I held my daughter to comfort her as if I had never heard of her. On Du Lan also came. She had remarried a rich merchant in Jiangnan. Now she followed her husband to the capital to do business. Her clothes were gorgeous. But her appearance was extremely haggard. She came to me. She wanted to say it and stopped. "Forget it, sister...""... no." "Lady Lam." "Brother Dien..." "You have never forgotten me." I raised my eyes to look at her. "Miss Wen." "Today is my daughter's first birthday party." "Don't say things that make others unhappy." She bit her lip. "But in Bac Canh..." "Every time there is a battle." "You rush in first." "Like..."