Chapter 8 — Ten Years in the Backyard

The footsteps faded away, the door opened and closed again.

“Tham Thanh Tu, you won.”

“I admit defeat.”

"I shouldn't have hidden it from her, I shouldn't have imprisoned her, I shouldn't have left her to suffer alone for ten years."

"I'm just... too scared. I'm afraid that if you know the truth, you'll risk your life to avenge yourself. I'm afraid that if you step out of the palace, those people will kill you. I'm afraid of losing you... more than anything."

“I know you hate me.” He continued to say, "I also hate myself. I hate that I'm not strong enough, strong enough to be able to protect her honestly. I hate that I can only use this stupid method to keep her by my side, but watch her wither day by day."

"That year she married into the palace, wore a red cardigan and a red scarf. When I lifted the scarf, she raised her head to look at me, her eyes bright as stars. At that time I thought, in this life I will treat her well."

“But I broke my promise.”

"I forced her to sign a contract, locked her in the backyard, watched her smile at me, bow to me, as docile as a porcelain doll with no temper. But I knew, that was not her. The real Tham Thanh Tu, the girl who rode a small horse galloping in the fields of Giang Nam, the girl who reasoned with the shopkeeper because of an unfair account, the girl... who laughed until her eyes curled up."

"I asked someone to draw those pictures to remember her appearance. I was afraid that I would act too realistically, to the point where I would even forget why I had to act in this play."

"Thanh Tu, do you know, every first day of every month, I sit in your room, watching you bow your eyebrows and offer me tea, how much my heart aches? I want to hug you, I want to tell you not to be afraid, I want to say I'm here. But I can't say it, I can't do it."Page Nguyet Hoa Cac

“Because the outside is all eyes.”

"To Nguyet Nhu is, those concubines are, the eyes and ears of the court are also installed. I can only be cold towards her, can only pretend not to care. Because only then will they believe that she is not important to me, whether she lives or dies, I don't care."

He smiled bitterly:

"But my performance was ruined. That day I saw the injury on Canh Nhi's back, saw her hugging her child and crying for a pension, I immediately knew I couldn't continue acting."

“I can't let you go.”

"It's not that she doesn't want to, it's that she can't. When she steps out of the Marquis's palace, she won't be able to live for three days. Those who stare at the Tham family, those who want to borrow her to overthrow me, will pounce on her like a hungry wolf and tear her to pieces."

"So I can only continue to act. Acting like a cold and heartless husband, acting like a father who can tolerate his abused son. I think, at least like that, she's still alive. Even though she hates me, even though she lives worse than dying, at least... she's alive."

"But now, she doesn't even want to live anymore."

His tears fell drop by drop onto the coffin.

"Thanh Tu... can you come back... can you come back?"

He knelt down:

"I was wrong... I was really wrong... you can hit me and scold me, don't die... don't leave me alone..."

I lay in the coffin, listening to all that.

“She was so smart, so tenacious, why did she die so easily?”

His hand began to exert force, just as the coffin lid was about to be pushed open, the butler rushed in in panic:

"Master Marquis! It's not over! Miss Bieu... Miss To..."

“Her how?"

“She... she's gone crazy! She was in the courtyard screaming, saying... saying that the lady was not dead, saying that the lady took medicine to pretend to be dead!

On Thua Diep's face immediately darkened.

“Bring her in.”

To Nguyet Nhu was dragged in by two rude women.

“Show me! You've been tricked! Tham Thanh Tu is not dead! She is definitely on her way to Jiangnan right now! Quickly follow me! Hurry up..."

On Thua Diep walked in front of her and looked at her:

“How do you know?”

“I saw it!” To Nguyet Nhu grabbed his sleeve, "A few days ago, the little maid in the yard secretly went to get medicine from Doctor Lam Thai!"

“So why didn't you say anything sooner?”

“Because you want her to go, right?” On Thua Diep continued for her, "If you think she's gone, the position of Mrs. Hau will be yours. So you tolerated her plotting, and maybe even… gave her a hand.”

“No… not…” To Nguyet Nhu shook her head frantically, “I was going to tell you! It's just... I just haven't found the opportunity yet!”

On Thua Diep burst out laughing:

“Nguyet Nhu, you will always be like this. Forever calculating, forever looking for excuses for my betrayal."

He stopped looking at her and said to the butler:

“Take her back to the To family. Tell your father, if you let me hear her talking nonsense, the Su family, up and down, don't expect to live alone."

“No! Big brother, trust me! Tham Thanh Tu is really not dead! Please open it and see!”

To Nguyet Nhu's screams were gradually pulled away.

“Send orders down.” He said to the butler standing outside the door, “Madam… you will be buried three days later. According to Lady Hau's rituals, buried in the nest."

“Maquis…”

“Go away.”

8

I changed into a rough cloth outfit, used plaster to adjust my eyebrows, eyes, nose, lips, and then tied my long hair into the most normal hairstyle for a woman. A Nhuan had also finished translating, she held Canh Nhi's hand, the child had also changed into the appearance of a child, looking at me uneasily.Page Nguyet Hoa Cac

“Miss, where are we going?”

I gently stroked its cheek: "Go to Giang Nam, where you lived when you were a child."

“Father… isn't he coming with us?”

“I have my work to do. Canh Nhi, from now on, there's only us left."

He bowed his head, was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly: "Yes." The night patrol sounded outside, it was already the fourth watch. A Nhuan pushed the back door frame, outside was the most deserted alley in the palace. Shopkeeper Trieu's people were already waiting there.

“Madam, the waterway has been prepared, now Thin sets off on the boat, everything has been arranged, there are people along the way to help.”

I nodded and carried Canh Nhi into the car. Ten years later, I finally left that place. When the carriage turned the corner, we suddenly saw a person standing at the beginning of the alley ahead. It's On Thua Diep. The carriage passed by him. If he had turned around, he would have seen this carriage, but he still did not turn around. The car gradually left the Hau palace, my chest suddenly ached.

“Madam?”

I shook my head slightly, signaling it was okay. Autumn in Jiangnan is much gentler than in the capital. I live in the Tham family's old mansion. This house was confiscated ten years ago and is now abandoned. It took me three months to renovate, trying to restore its original appearance — father's study, mother's embroidery room, the small yard where the elder brother practiced martial arts, and the cinnamon tree. back garden. Canh Nhi really likes this place, every day he runs around the yard chasing butterflies, catching dragonflies, or squatting under a cinnamon tree to pick up fallen flowers, saying he wants to dry them and make tea for his mother to drink. The days pass peacefully, but we often wake up startled in the night. Then my chest started to hurt again, so painful I couldn't breathe. A Nhuan said, it was the residual poison from the medicine to fake death, after a while it will be fine. RUN OUT OF