Chapter 3 — Hoa Mi Revenge of Vengeance

That evening at dusk, Tham Thanh Van's mother, Mrs. Tham, suddenly came from the Eastern courtyard. Old Lady Tham followed her son into the To family's main courtyard. According to the house rules, the son-in-law's mother's family is not allowed to live in the main courtyard. The To family arranged for her a separate small courtyard in the East, with her own kitchen and well, and nothing lacking in clothing, just a little distance from the main courtyard. Old Lady Tham criticized the distance. After arriving at the hospital, every time she met anyone she complained that she was "chased by the To family into corners, caves and alleys". She arrived just as I was in the lobby comparing the harvest at the tea hills with Treasurer Luc. The shopkeeper is a long-time friend who was personally trained by the Patriarch. He manages two of the Su family's most profitable tea shops. He has a loyal nature, but his courage is a bit small. When he opens his mouth to speak, he always has to look at the other person's face first. As soon as Mrs. Tham entered the door, she slammed her stick on the ground, her voice was as shrill as the nightingale her son was raising.
"Van Ngam, your room is really bustling, the whole family is talking and laughing. I was wondering why the evening tea hadn't been boiled in the hall yet, turns out everyone was busy."
The shopkeeper immediately stood up and bowed, bowing his head and retreating towards the door.
“The mother is here.”
I put down the tea and cake in my hand, stood up to welcome it, "There is white wood ear soup in the hall, let me have someone scoop you a bowl." Old Mrs. Tham did not bother to answer, instead she walked to the table with her cane, her eyes swept around the forms and samples spread out on it.
"Are you calculating the books again? All day long, you've been calculating, calculating to the point of falling over. On the way here, I heard the servants moving their lips, saying that the silk shop had a deficit again this month?"
“The silk shop did not lose money this month.” I calmly replied, "Last month there was a payment, which was debited to this month's books. Both sides offset each other, still making a profit."
"Interest? So why did I listen to Thanh Van say, the money from the pottery kiln is still owed, I've urged her three times but still can't get it back?"
Old Lady Tham tapped her cane again and raised her voice,
"Your Su family has such a large fortune, why is there a lack of money everywhere? As I see it, it's because you sit here calculating every day, the more you count, the poorer you get."
The room suddenly fell silent. The shopkeeper retreated a little more. The two maids standing outside the door also bowed their heads. I looked straight at Mrs. Tham. She was wearing a handwoven robe taken from the Su family's treasury, her wrist was wearing a gold-encrusted jade bracelet left by my mother, and her hairpin was made by Kim Phuong Chau from the Su family's long-standing gold shop. From top to bottom, there was not a single item brought from the Tham family.
“A mother teaches righteousness.”
I lowered my eyes, my tone was steady, "It's because I'm not resourceful enough, making you worry."
"What's the use of worrying? What you should be worrying about is your stomach."
Old Lady Tham plopped down on the Grand Master's chair, put her cane on her lap, and tapped on the table in front of so many people.
"It's been three years. My son has been in your Su family's son-in-law for three years, and she hasn't even been able to lay an egg. If this matter were set according to the Tham family's rules, he would have been a concubine long ago. Does your Su family's family law not take care of this matter?"
As soon as this sentence ended, Shopkeeper Luc's face turned red. He didn't dare say a word, picked up the tea and cake on the table and quickly walked out, looking like he was running away. Xuan Vu stood behind me and said something in a low voice. I couldn't hear clearly, but I heard the sound of her hand tightening the corner of the apron.
“The mother is right.” I still only respond with those four words.

Old lady Tham glared at me, seemingly very dissatisfied with my indifferent attitude. Perhaps she had already prepared countless harsh words, but seeing that I did not resist, on the contrary, she felt like punching a bag of cotton, so she coldly snorted and stood up with her cane.
"Let me tell you, no matter how big your To family's fortune is, if you don't have an heir, you won't be able to do anything. Sooner or later, Thanh Van will have to have a son to inherit this house. If you can't give birth, don't blame someone else for giving birth to you."
She turned and walked away. The sound of the walking stick tapping on the green stone, echoing far and wide. In the room, there were only me and Xuan Vu left. Xuan Vu tugged at her braid, her voice trembling in frustration:
"On what basis does she dare to scold someone like that? What does her family wear and spend on things that aren't from the To family? A mother living with her son-in-law, in front of outsiders, she dares to say that someone can't give birth, where does her dignity go?"
“She doesn't need face.”
I bent down to catch the teacup that had just been nudged by Mrs. Tham, my movements were extremely gentle.
"What she has is a son who has lived with her husband for three years, and now his feathers are strong."
“So should we just be patient like that?”
I don't answer. Outside the courtyard, the nightingale sang again. That sound echoed in the sunset, like an invisible thread, slowly pulling something out. The next day, something happened to the To family, neither big nor small. Around Than time in the afternoon, master Trieu at the dyeing factory rushed to find me, reporting that a jar of indigo blue dye in the factory was completely ruined. The ingredients are newly mixed, the water is old well water, the process has never changed, but no matter how much the fabric is soaked in the jar, the color will not change. After soaking it for a day and a night, taking it out is still gray. Master Zhao has worked for the To family for fifteen years and has never had an incident like this. Let's go with him to the dyeing factory to have a look. The water is good water, the ingredients are premium ingredients, and the jar is not cracked. But when we lifted up that fabric to see, it was indeed very unusual. The color seemed to have been sucked dry by something, leaving only a thin layer of lining color, which the wind blew through and the color faded away.
“Miss, do you need to bring that jar of water for someone to check?” Master Zhao asked.
"No need." I put down the cloth, wiped my hands, "Change the pot of water and do it again. Throw this one away."
After Master Trieu left, I stood in front of the dyeing workshop door and looked towards the birdcage placed in the corner of the yard. The nightingale is preening its feathers in the cage, looking extremely leisurely. The first disaster of my previous life was a flooded silk warehouse. This life is different, starting from the previous dyeing factory. Just two days after the bird was brought back, the To family's luck has already begun to leak. Returning to the room, before I could even sit down, Tham Thanh Van pushed the door open and walked in. Today he was wearing a moon-white robe, tied around his waist with a yellow silk belt decorated with flowers from the Su family's treasury, his whole body exuding gentleness and elegance.
“I heard something happened to the dye factory?”
“It's just a pint of broken blue, it's not a big deal.” I flipped through the books, without looking up, "Master Zhao mixes the ingredients and it's done."
“I have sent Manager Ton to investigate.”
Tham Thanh Van sat down opposite me, poured herself a cup of tea, leisurely adjusted her sleeves,
"Look, I told you not to shoulder everything alone. I'm keeping an eye on the store, so you can rest assured and rest."
“I will personally investigate the matter at the dyeing factory.”

“There she is again.” Tham Thanh Van smiled, put down the teacup, "Van Ngam, you've been like that since you were little, you always wanted to worry about everything. When Patriarch was still healthy, he once said that you were destined to be a housekeeper, but a housekeeper doesn't have to work to the point of exhaustion. Look at your face, it's even worse than last month."
I raised my head to look at him. The smile is still the same, the gentle personality is still the same.
"Master, do you think my poor complexion is due to fatigue?"
“What if not?”
He replied quickly, his eyes calm, even with a hint of concern, "Have you been sleeping well lately? I just sent someone to bring back some wild ginseng from Thien Muc Mountain. I'll have the kitchen stew it for you later." I stared at him for three breaths, then bowed my head and continued flipping through the books.
“Thank you, Miss.”
He sat for a while longer, mentioning that half of the money from the pottery shop had been paid, and the rest would be received at the end of the month. I hummed a few times, then he stood up and left. Passing by the bird cage, he stopped and whistled at the nightingale. The nightingale immediately sang in response, the sound was both sweet and melodious. Tham Thanh Van smiled, turned and walked out of the courtyard gate. I followed his back. His steps were leisurely and gentle.