Chapter 11 — Hoa Mi Revenge of Vengeance

Today the Patriarch's spirit is quite good. Perhaps because he was able to see his old friend again, he could lean back on his pillow and sit up and say a few words.
"Old Luc, you're here. Good, good."
“Old man, I came to visit you.”
"Where is your son who works on the waterway? Is he still doing business on the river?"
Luc Truong Thanh stepped forward from behind, bowed and bowed. Patriarch looked at him twice and said one sentence:
"Exactly like your old man. His eyes are sharp, but his mouth is too soft, he needs to practice more."
Luc Truong Thanh's face turned red and he repeatedly nodded yes. Patriarch turned to look at me again, his voice suddenly lowered:
"Girl, please send someone to get the iron box from the third shelf on the left of the front yard bookshelf and bring it here to me."
Our hearts are shocked. The iron box on the bookshelf in the front of the hospital, since childhood, the Patriarch had strictly forbidden anyone to touch. Xuan Vu quickly ran to get the box. Patriarch used his dry, thin fingers to push the lock, took out a thin white scroll from inside, and handed it to Luc Hanh Vien.
“Old Luc, please keep this thing.”
Luc Hanh Vien opened the white book to look through it, his fingers suddenly trembled.
"Old man, this is the core evidence of the Su family at the chamber of commerce. What did you give it to me for?"
“Leave it to your care.”
Patriarch leaned back on the pillow, half-closed his eyes, "When Van Dau needs it, give it back to her."
“The old man—”
“Stop asking.” Patriarch waved his hand, "You take care of this girl for me. The people of the Tham family are not the good kind."
The room fell silent for a few breaths. Luc Hanh Vien rolled up the white book, stuffed it carefully into his chest, then bowed deeply and bowed deeply to the Patriarch. After sending the Luc family and children off, I stood silently on the porch of the main courtyard for a long time. Patriarch knows everything. People always know that Tham Thanh Van has problems. But he was so sick that he couldn't do anything. He could only take advantage of the time he was still a little sick and entrust the To family's most important treasure to someone trustworthy. Xuan Vu walked up from behind, rumpled his apron with his fingers, and said softly:
“Madam, just now when Master Luc left, he left a message for this slave.”
“What question?”
“He said, he recently found out something.”
"Shen Miss is participating in the election for President of the Chamber of Commerce next month, the identity listed on the recommendation letter is fake."
"He did not use the name of the Su family's son-in-law to run for election, but stole the To family's brand seal and used the title 'Representative of the Su family' to register."
“Does Eldest Miss know about this?”
My hand pressed tightly against the jade hanging on my side, the cold air seeping deep into my bones. Using the title of To Family Representative to run for President of the Chamber of Commerce. Not the title of son-in-law. It's the identity of the To family. He wants to completely replace the Su family. The nightingale attracting luck is just a trick, the position of President of the Chamber of Commerce is his real purpose. Once he sits on the President's chair, he will become a prominent figure in the Jiangnan business world. Even if the To family turns into a soulless corpse, he will not be afraid. He can use the name of President to make business connections, expand his path, and establish his own family. The Su family's hundred-year legacy is, in his eyes, just a stepping stone. After using it, throw it away.
“Did Luc Truong Thanh say anything else?”
"He asked Eldest Miss, at the great election of the Chamber of Commerce next month, who will the To family send?"
“He said that if you need help, the Luc family is ready to pass on a few words for the eldest lady.”
I was silent for a moment.
“Tell him, the Su family will send me.”

From that day, Tham Thanh Van's attitude changed completely. He no longer pretended to be considerate. No more going to the West Court to gossip about a few gentle and empty words, no more offering tea and giving ginseng to show fake concern. He seemed to peel off the bulky mask, revealing the cold gears and rivets underneath. He ordered Manager Ton to carry all the books of the To family's stores straight into his study, strictly forbidding me from touching even a word. He asked Mrs. Tham to stand up and declare: Miss Long's body is restless, she needs to rest, and from today onwards, she no longer needs to manage family matters. All large and small tasks are decided by the family. He sent the shopkeeper Luc away from the tea shop, replacing him with the confidant he brought. Within three days, there were only two people left beside me who could be of use: Xuan Vu and Vuong Ma Ma. Even Master Trieu at the dyeing factory ran to ask me to sign the application, but was stopped by the ladies guarding the gate.
"Eldest Miss is resting. If there's anything, go find Auntie."
Those women were all arranged by Mrs. Tham. Two people, one woman guarding the front door, the other woman guarding the side door, from dawn to dusk, took turns monitoring. I have been under house arrest in the West Court. Xuan Vu angrily walked around the room, her braid almost being torn in half.
"He's under house arrest! Why does he dare to put people under house arrest?"
"This is the To family's yard! You are the eldest lady of the To family!"
"He depends on the work, now this house is his voice."
I sat in front of the window, watching the nightingale jump back and forth in the cage, my voice calm and unwavering.
“He thought that by locking me up, he could cover up all the information.”
“He didn't know that Luc Truong Thanh had taken away Patriarch's core evidence.”
"He doesn't even know that the nightingale sucking his luck is irreversible."
“But Eldest Miss, the Great Chamber of Commerce has only twenty days left.”
“If you can't go out, how can you participate?”
“It'll be okay to get out.”

I picked up the letter on the window sill. The letter had no signature, just a single line. It was a piece of paper tied to the leg of a gray pigeon that flew through the window early this morning. Above is written: On the day of the grand election, I will arrange for someone to pick you up at the back door of Tu Hien Lau. There are no lost accounts. But that handwriting looks very familiar. It is the handwriting of Taoist Thanh Hu. Three days before the big selection, Tham Thanh Van did something that surprised everyone. He held a "Thanksgiving Party" right in the Su family's lobby. Gather all the managers, treasurers, and petty servants from up and down the Su family to gather, arrange eight sumptuous feasts, and then publicly announce three things. The first thing is that the old lady of the Su family is in a critical condition and can hardly stand it. The position of President of the Chamber of Commerce is temporarily shouldered by him. In the general election next month, he will be the only representative of the To family to run for election. Second thing, Eldest Miss has recently been exhausted and has moved to the back yard to recuperate, all matters in the house are handled by him. Third, a distant relative of the To family, Bach Thi To To, who is virtuous and virtuous, will move into the Eastern courtyard from today, helping to manage the internal affairs of the house. As soon as these three sentences ended, the people sitting on the eight trays in the lobby had countless colors. Among the managers and treasurers, several people who had done business with me clearly looked uneasy. But most of them remained expressionless, picking up food and drinking alcohol indifferently, as if they had already understood. The treasurer was not present. He has been transferred. Master Trieu sat huddled in the corner of the tray, his head bowed, eating rice and not even a drop of wine. Venerable Master sat in the first position on Tham Thanh Van's left hand, the rosary in his hand whirling around. Near the end of the party, he stood up to offer Tham Thanh Van a glass of wine, his back bent so that it was almost parallel to the table. But when he finished drinking the wine and turned back to his seat, his steps slightly paused. Very short, so short that only those who deliberately observe can detect it. He adjusted his hat on his head, looking like he was making an unconscious choice. Xuan Vu put his ear to the window and overheard all of this. I can't get out of the West courtyard door, but the courtyard window is next to the small alley behind the lobby. Just put your ear close, the whispering sound of each tray can be heard clearly. The nightingale in the cage let out two cries.