Chapter 3 — Ten Years in the Backyard

On the bed, Canh Nhi moaned softly. I held your hand, hot as fire: "Canh Nhi? Mother is here, Canh Nhi?" The child slowly opened his eyes: "Mother... it hurts..."

"It doesn't hurt anymore, Canh Nhi doesn't hurt anymore." I caressed my child's forehead, my words were confused, "Mother is here, the doctor is coming soon, with medicine the pain will go away..."

"Mother... don't... don't take me away..."

I let go of your hand, walked in front of On Thua Diep, and knelt down.

"On Thua Diep, I want to retire."

He looked at me: "What did you say?"

"I said, I want a letter of retirement. I don't need the Marquis's wife. I don't need the honor and wealth of the Marquis's palace. I just want my child."

"Tham Thanh Tu, do you know what you're saying? You're retired, you don't have a penny."

"I know. But the contract also clearly states that if the Marquis is immoral and mistreats his wife and children, the contract can be invalid."

“When do I mistreat…”

“Taking my child away and letting outsiders torture me in the name of education, what is it if it isn't abuse?” I stood up, no longer kneeling, "On Thua Diep, if you have any conscience left, give me your retirement letter. From now on, you go your way, I will take you, live my life."

“You can't go.”

“Why?”

"Because your surname is Tham. The old case of the Tham family, you thought it was over? There are still people in the court targeting that case. You just stepped out of the marquis' palace, tomorrow someone will throw you in prison."

"So what? I have to use my life, my children's life, in exchange for the current peace? On Thua Diep, what can we rely on?"

"Rely on me to protect you. As long as you are still the wife of the palace, no one dares to touch you."

“Protect me?” I laughed out loud, "You protected me like that? Locked me in the backyard for ten years, let you constantly take care of me, sent my child out to suffer? Wen Chengye, that's called protection? That's imprisonment!"

"So what do you want me to do?! Tham Thanh Tu, how many eyes do you have watching the palace? How many people want to use the Tham family's plan to overthrow me? I'll leave you in the backyard, let Canh Nhi out, because that's the only safe place! Do you understand?!"

“I don't understand!” I waved his hand away, "I only know that the wound on my son's back is real! I only know that in the past ten years, my life is better than death! On Thua Diep, if this is the kind of protection you talk about, then I would rather die out there!"

We face each other. On the bed, Canh Nhi moaned softly again. I turned away, not looking at him anymore. I picked you up, both body and blanket.

“What are you going to do?”

"Take him away. You can stop me, imprison me, even kill me. But as long as I'm still breathing, I won't let my child stay here another moment."

A Nhuan was waiting outside the door. When he saw me coming out, he immediately ran over to carry Canh Nhi. I shook my head and hugged you tighter. On Thua Diep did not chase. I held Canh Nhi, the sunlight was bright, but I didn't feel warm. Returning to the main courtyard, I placed my child on my bed and covered him carefully with a blanket. A Nhuan has prepared warm water, I wring out the towel and gently wipe the sweat from your forehead. There were footsteps outside, it was Thai Doctor Lam coming.

"If you bother the physician, you must save my child."

Thai physician Lam responded and stepped forward to check his pulse.

4

"Madam, don't worry, the young master's fever has subsided. The old man has inserted a needle, given medicine again, and now he sleeps a little more peacefully. It's just the wound on his back..."

“How?”

He shook his head: "Skin wounds are not difficult, change the medicine at the right time, within a month it can be cured. But there are a few places where the tendons and bones are damaged, and I'm afraid it will hurt on a cloudy day later. Moreover, the child is still young, this time he is scared and has a high fever, I am afraid that the fundamentals are damaged and need to be treated for a long time."

“Disturbing the Royal Doctor.”

“That's what the old man should do.” He glanced at A Nhuan standing at the door, lowered his voice, "On the second floor, there is a small bottle in the medicine box. One pill a day, mixed with warm water for the little guy to drink. Externally, we only say it's a sedative tonic, remember, absolutely don't let others know."

Medical Lam Thai looked straight at me: "Madam, there are paths, once you take the first step, there will be no turning back."

"I didn't want to turn back."

He nodded, said no more, picked up the medicine box and left. A Nhuan sent him out, then returned a moment later, holding a bowl of freshly prepared medicine in his hand. Canh Nhi was awake, opened his eyes to look, heard footsteps and turned his head to see it was me, my lips moved, but no sound came out.

“Canh Nhi, take the medicine and you won't have any more pain.”

The medicine was very bitter, I frowned, but did not spit it out, swallowing it mouth by mouth. Waiting for the last sip, I took out the small bottle that Dr. Lam Thai gave me from my sleeve, poured out a brown pill, and placed it in your palm.

“This, eat it.”

Canh Nhi looked at the pill, then looked at me: "Nguyen, what is this?"

“It's something that helps you get better quickly.” I rubbed your forehead, "Do you believe me?"

I nodded strongly, put the pill in my mouth, drank it with warm water and swallowed.

“Miss, can we really go?”

“Maybe.”

“Where to?”

I thought for a moment: “Go to Giang Nam. The place where I lived when I was young. There are very, very old cinnamon trees there. In the fall, the whole yard is fragrant. There is also a river, there are a lot of fish in the river, please take me fishing, okay?" My eyes brightened for a moment, then darkened again: "But father..."

“No buts.” I interrupted, holding my child's hand tightly, "Canh Nhi, from now on, I only have you. Remember?

You looked at me for a long time, then slowly nodded: "I remember." Waiting for her child to go back to sleep, A Nhuan prepared pen and paper. The first letter, sent to the shopkeeper of Tay Nhai pawn shop: 「Please check the habits and weaknesses of the manager, prepare five hundred taels of white silver, ten top-quality vase of flowers. In addition, contact the Giang Nam headquarters, prepare three water routes, two land routes, and contact points along the way must be discreet.」 The second letter, sent to Doctor Lam Thai: 「Please take a medicine to fake death, take it and your veins will completely disappear, and you will wake up without any consequences. Again, I asked for two boxes of medicinal herbs to use to change my appearance. Come pick it up three days later.」 I folded each letter and handed it to A Nhuan.

“When will it be sent?”

“Now, go through the back door, be careful.”

A Nhuan nodded and quietly withdrew. To Nguyet Nhu. Wen Chengye's younger sister is also the person who actually holds power in the marquis' palace. On Thua Diep's mother passed away early, and this younger sister acted as acting housekeeper and did business in the palace for ten years. She is gentle and polite to everyone, speaks softly, even to me, this lady, always talks long and short, unable to find a single mistake. But it was that person, with one face smiling and offering me tea, on the other hand, ordering someone to whip my son.

“Madam.” A maid's voice came from outside the door, "Master Marquis is here."

"Canh Nhi is asleep."

“I know.” He walked came in, conveniently closed the door, "Doctor Lam Thai said, the fever has subsided."

“Thanks to Marquis's blessing.”