Chapter 13 — The day they married into the National Palace, I personally tore apart their dignity

The day the news of Dai Ly Tu officially accepting the case was transmitted to the palace, the atmosphere in the palace was unusually quiet. There were no passersby. No one spoke up. Even the smoke rising from the kitchen was much less than usual. Her grandmother's institute was closed and never opened all day long. In the early morning, the third lady of the house, using the excuse of being sick, fled back to her hospital without stepping out. Manager Chu didn't know when he had fled, and he hadn't even had time to pack up the blankets or luggage. The servants, five or three in number, gathered in hidden corners, nodding their heads and whispering loudly. As soon as they see me, they immediately scatter. I sat in the courtyard, leisurely peeling a plate of tangerines. Thanh Hoa stood next to him, his palms were wet with sweat.

“Miss, did something happen?”

“Something will definitely happen.”

“But it's not our problem.”

In the afternoon, Tham Nghien Chi returned from Dai Ly Tu. He went straight to my hospital. There weren't too many expressions on his face, but his steps were much steadier than before.

"Dai Ly Tu has officially accepted the case, Dai Ly Tu Khanh has also personally reviewed it."

"After reviewing Ton Ba Vien's letter and the handwriting comparison notes, he immediately signed a document ordering someone to come and interrogate him on the spot."

“Tomorrow my uncle will be summoned.”

“What about your mother?”

“I went to see her.”

His voice lowered a bit.

“She didn't say a word, just sat in the Buddha hall chanting sutras.”

“When I walked in, she took one look at me and then said just one sentence.”

“She said... you are more cruel than your father.”

I did not answer. He did not continue to mention it anymore.

“One more thing.”

He took out a piece of paper from his sleeve.

“Van Nuong's half-life contract.”

“I took it from my mother's closet.”

“Didn't she stop you?”

“She doesn't have the strength to stop anymore.”

I received that yellowed piece of paper. The handwriting above is crooked and clearly states:

“Liu Van, seven years old, selling price thirty taels of silver.”

In the lower right corner is a bright red handprint. Thirty taels. Eleven years in the life of a lady. In return, it was only worth thirty taels of silver. I carefully put away the contract to sell myself.

“I will bring it back to Van Nuong.”

When Van Nuong accepted the contract to sell her body, her hands shook violently. She turned it over and over countless times, then pressed the paper tightly to her chest, bent down, and squatted right on the ground. A long time passed. She slowly stood up.

“Sister, I'm leaving.”

“Where are you going?”

“I want to go to the south of the city.”

"In the south of the city, there is an embroidery workshop. Before, when the old lady forced me to learn female embroidery, the master who taught me was the one who came out of that embroidery workshop."

“My embroidery skills are not bad, enough to support myself.”

I asked Thanh Hoa to bring out a bag of luggage. Inside were fifty taels of silver and two sets of clothes to change into. She looked at the luggage and shook her head.

“You have helped me too much.”

I stuffed the suitcase into her hand.

“You helped me do something, this is what you deserve.”

“What did you help me with?”

“You have helped me see clearly into the hearts of the people in this palace.”

“That is worth more than fifty taels of silver.”

She Hold your luggage tightly and respectfully pay me a grand ceremony. She bowed deeply. Bend until your forehead almost touches your knees. After standing up. She turned around and left. When stepping out of the hospital gate. She turned her head to look at me once. Then smile. I stood in front of the courtyard gate, silently watching her back as she walked away. A girl of ten or seventeen years old. Carry a bag of luggage on your back. Go through the long hallway. Step out of the side door of Ninh Quoc Cong palace. Never looked back. Half a month later. Dai Ly Tu's case has had results. Chu Chinh Duc's charges of fabricating secrets and appropriating assets were clearly proven, he was dismissed and imprisoned. The old case of Ninh Quoc Cong palace was retried. Old Ninh Quoc Cong's crime of embezzlement was changed to the crime of murder in management, and the title was approved for inheritance. Tham Nghien Chi officially inherited the title. The lady walked out of the Buddha hall. In just a short time, she looked like she had aged ten years. When you meet me. She didn't say a word. Just quietly looked at me. In those eyes. There is also resignation.