Chapter 10 — Hoa Ky in the middle of Hoe Hoa Alley

The "recipe" that Doctor Chu once did not dare to accept, this time was sealed in Dai Ly Tu's evidence box, next to the number card and salary book. 22 The case was tried for more than a month. The first time he went to work, boatman La suddenly changed his testimony. The palace family used their niece to threaten him. The night duty mama said he was in the Bui palace but he was still so scared that he couldn't sleep all night. Confronted by the third company official, he said he was old and remembered wrongly, there was no such thing as changing the seal. Co Y Nuong did not scold him. She just asked: "Who were your two sons driving the boat for that year?" Boatman Luo knelt on the ground, unable to raise his head for a long time. After leaving the workplace, the niece pursed her mouth, lacking front teeth, and didn't pay attention to him the whole way. When the next road was opened, boatman La himself asked for re-examination, recounting the entire process of changing boats, drowning food, and forging documents reporting floods that year. Not long after, someone clung to Manager Chuc's status as a servant, saying his testimony could not be testified. Bui Nghien Thu came to work at the old station once. When he returned, his shirt was covered in mud, and in his hand were three more letters from the Custodian that he had kept for many years. The wax seal has not been broken, and the date on the letter is from before the Luc family was confiscated. The contents inside can be compared with the testimony of boatman La, the number on the bamboo card and half a page of the shipping copy book. The opponent denied an evidence, Bui Nghien Thu went to search at an old service station, boat company or warehouse. During that time it rained a lot, the soles of his shoes were never dry. We don't close the store, we just put a wooden sign by the door: "Money still has to be paid, ask about the case, don't answer." Yet everyone came to ask. “Is the Lu family really about to be exonerated?” "Don't know." "Who did the palace family reveal?" "Don't know." “So what do you know?” “Today there is chive meat filling.” Business is even better than before. Every day, Co Y Nuong went to Dai Ly Temple to testify, and when she returned, she still sat down to wrap wontons. She is no longer afraid of being recognized, her hair is always neatly tied. Duong Yin was eliminated as quickly as the wind. The customer was missing a coin, and she could hear it from two tables away. “It's not forty-nine coins, it's fifty.” “Little lady, is even a penny counted?” “A penny is also money.” This word is very similar to me. I was very pleased but didn't dare say it. One morning before winter came, the mandarin pointed to Hoe Hoa alley. The Luc family's unjust case has been cleared. Lord Luc was released from prison and restored to his original position. The servants who died and those involved were given consolation money according to custom. Co Y Nuong and Duong Am had their crimes erased, and their old houses and lands were returned. The street was full of people kneeling. I hugged Tue Ninh and knelt on the outside. When I heard the words "little girl Luc Thi, Luc Tue Ninh", she was pulling my earring. After the official read the decree, Co Y Nuong did not immediately accept the decree. She turned around and bowed her head before me. I was so scared that I almost threw Tue Ninh out. “Madam!” She held my hand. “I owe you this bow.” Duong Am also knelt down. “I owe it too.” I frantically waved my hand, finally pulling Bui Nghien Thu next to me. “You quickly take care of them.” He looked at me. “I can't control Mrs. Luc.” “So what is the use of you?” People on the whole street burst into laughter. I bowed my head to adjust Tue Ninh's collar, tears falling drop by drop onto her head. He criticized me for wetting my hair, and used his small hand to push my chin. 23 On returning to Luc Trach, Duong Am stood for a long time in front of the door. The new sign has been hung, but the door step is still the old one, with a hole above it from an ax cut on the day of confiscation. Co Y Nuong did not let anyone fix it. “Just keep it.” When Lord Luc left the prison, he was so skinny that he had to be helped. He stood in front of the old door step for a moment, first hugging Co Y Nuong, then patting Duong Am's head. Tue Ninh hid behind my skirt, only willing to stick out one hand. He couldn't squat firmly, so he firmly held the door step and sat down, giving her his index finger. Tue Ninh grabbed it, he sat like that for a long time, unable to withdraw his hand. When it was my turn, he solemnly clasped his hands

ceremony. "Luc mo thanks you for protecting your wife." I quickly moved aside. "Don't thank me yet. The blacksmith shop still owes twenty copper coins, charged to your family." He was stunned. Co Y Nuong smiled and helped him into the door. He recuperated for a long time before returning to work. After receiving the allowance, he specially went to Hoa Ky to pay off those twenty dong. We moved to Luc Trach but did not close Hoa Ky. The two ladies in the kitchen couldn't make the old taste, Co Y Nuong immediately chased them to Hoe Hoa alley to study with me. One person criticized my youth, the other criticized my crude methods. After eating the filling I mixed, both of them shut their mouths. The following fall, the North finally sent letters back. Luc Hoai Chuong is still alive. After being attacked at Hac Thuy station, he rolled down a ravine and was saved by nearby villagers. When I woke up, it was winter and my passport and money were all gone. The letters sent by someone also had no news.