Chapter 4 — I tore up the marriage letter, the father knelt for three days and three nights

Having finished speaking, he pushed the door open and stepped into the sunset, his figure quickly disappearing at the end of the alley. I stood at the door, clutching that stack of salt in my hand, the wind blowing through bringing with it the coldness of early spring. Manh Tam Nuong poked her head out from the side: "Are you gone?"

“This family is not bad.” Manh Tam Nuong smiled meaningfully.

I didn't answer, turned around and went back to the room, carefully putting away the pile of salt. Ten thousand pounds of salt is enough for the poor families in Lieu Lane to use for many years. As for the lead, we thought about it and decided not to accept Bui Van's offer for free. I wrote him a debt deed, gave him instructions, and asked Manh Tam Nuong to find a way to take it to Tran Bac Hau's palace. Whether Bui Van received it or not, I don't know, but I did indeed use the salt I brought - after the store selling salt at affordable prices opened, the eyes of the people in Lieu alley looking at me changed.

“Miss Shen, you are truly a living Bodhisattva!”

“Don't say that.” I laughed while weighing salt for people, "I'm just a tea seller."

The news about affordable salt spread, more and more people came to buy salt, from Lieu alley to the nearby Fresh Water Well alley, from the Fresh Water Well alley to the further Brick alley. Every day, before dawn, people lined up in my small shop. I was so busy that I couldn't help but Manh Tam Nuong took the initiative to come and help, even Mrs. Vuong at the end of the alley used a cane to bring me a basket of eggs. Busy but steady days. I thought my life would continue like that, no longer having anything to do with the noble and noble figures in the capital. Until the twenty-eighth of March. I went to the pharmacy in the south of the city to buy goods. When passing by Chu Tuoc street, the street suddenly became noisy.

"Get out! Get out! Master's palanquin!"

The crowd separated on both sides, a palanquin carried by eight people slowly approached from the end of the street, the palanquin curtain was dark blue, embroidered with the image of a fairy crane and auspicious clouds, golden tassels hung from the top of the palanquin, sparkling in the sunlight until it was dazzling. I stood in the crowd, carrying two large bags of medicinal herbs in my hands, and was jostled and swayed. When the palanquin passed in front of us, a gust of wind blew away a corner of the palanquin curtain. We clearly see the person sitting inside. Late Truong Dien. He was dressed in the dark red court uniform of the Prime Minister, with a black hat on his head, his appearance was as handsome as jade, he hadn't seen her in three months, he was thinner than before, his jaw line was sharp, between his eyebrows there was a bit of majesty that didn't make people angry, but in his hand he held a chapter he was reading, his expression was focused but cold, as if everything around him had nothing to do with him. In the crowd, there were people whispering: "Mrs. Co Thu really has an outstanding demeanor, but it's a pity that he hasn't gotten married yet."

"That's right, I heard that his Majesty cleverly refused several times when he wanted to propose marriage, and I don't know who he was waiting for."

"Waiting for who? Waiting for the person who got divorced from the Tham family?"

“Shh —— don't talk nonsense!”

I bowed my head, holding the medicinal bag tighter in my hand. It can't be waiting for me. A person who can write words like "has a volatile temper and cannot handle his responsibilities as a patriarch", how can he wait for me? The palanquin had gone away, the crowd gradually dispersed, I stood in place, suddenly feeling the medicine bag in my hand was heavy.

“Your Highness?”

A familiar voice rang out from behind, I turned Looking back, I saw a young woman wearing a light blue dress, her hair in a woman's bun, with a delicate appearance and gentle temperament. It's To Hanh. Co Truong Dien's cousin was also one of my few friends in the capital before.

“Hanh sister?” I was a bit surprised, "Why are you here?"

“I was passing by and just saw you.” To Hanh stepped forward, looking up and down at me, his eyes suddenly turned red, "Chieu Ninh, why have you become so thin?"

“Selling tea is tiring.” I smiled and said, "Don't cry, I'm fine."

“I…” she wanted to stop talking and grabbed my hand, “Chieu Ninh, his cousin ——”

“Don't mention him.” I interrupted her, "If you come to be a guest speaker for him, then this friend of ours doesn't need to continue anymore."

"No," To Hanh shook his head, "I just want to tell you that there is still a hidden feeling about my cousin's divorce."

“What hidden love?”

She opened her mouth, seemed to hesitate for a moment, and finally said: "I can't say specifically, but believe me, cousin is not a heartless person, that letter... was not his original intention." I was silent for a while.

“Sister Hanh,” I said, “regardless of whether it was his original intention or not, he wrote the letter, he withdrew the kiss, an adult, if he makes a choice, he must bear the consequences.”

To Hanh looked at me with complicated eyes.

“Chieu Ninh, you are no longer the same as before.”

“People will change.” I picked up the medicinal herbs, "Sister Hanh, I have to go home, the salt shop is still waiting."

“Wait.” To Hanh took out a fragrant bag from her sleeve and stuffed it into my hand, "Please take this."

I opened it and saw a stack of bills.

“I don't accept it.” I put it back.

My whole body shook.

“You… how do you know?”

“Do you think I'm blind?” To Hanh glanced at me, "Before, you weren't so afraid of the cold. In the middle of winter, you only wore cotton underwear. Now it's only March and you're wrapped up like a banh chung. It's not because you're afraid of the cold, but because you're afraid that others will see that your belly is already exposed, right?"

I instinctively used my hand to cover my lower abdomen. That's right, I'm pregnant.