Chapter 2 — The Mother Who Wouldn't Go Hungry

Bui Canh turned his head to look at Lam Thi, full of indignation: "She doesn't respect her husband, doesn't have any morals, and is greedy for food and drink, making her yard full of smoke." "My son begged his mother to use the family law and give him thirty heavy rattan lashes to regulate the family style!" Thirty rattan lashes, hitting a woman from a house raised in luxury, didn't cost half her life. The model raised her eyes, her eyes falling on him. Bui Marquis sat next to him and knocked on the table, his voice majestic: "Madam, you manage the house, if this kind of powerful woman is not severely punished, how will you make everyone obey in the future?" "Don't be soft-hearted and lose your mother's face." Face, again, are these two words. I see the model's shoulders trembling slightly. Her eyes had a moment of panic. Fifteen years ago, the mother gave birth to Bui Canh less than three months ago. That was the child she almost lost her life due to bleeding at birth and was able to keep it. After giving birth, her body was weak and swollen. She had not even given birth yet. Bui Hau family had already brought a dancer with a waist as small as a willow to the palace. That was the first and last time she lost control in front of the Bui Hau family. She cried and asked why the Bui Hau family was so unloving. Bui Marquis stood in front of a whole yard of servants, pointing at her belly that had not yet recovered, his face full of disgust. "Look at your fat and stupid appearance now, do you still have half the dignity of a famous lady?" "I accepted the concubine to save face for the Marquis, to avoid embarrassing her out." That sentence was like a bone-cutting knife, raw and touching, eroding all of Lam Thi's dignity. From that day on, she dismissed all the chefs cooking salty dishes in the kitchen. Three meals a day consist of only light, watery soup. She used extreme self-torture to exchange for the thin, cold and hard shell she has now, and also to exchange for some "respect" like alms from the Bui Hau family. Now, history seems to be repeating itself. Marquis Bui sat high up, forcing her to use the same excuse to punish another woman who refused to go hungry. "Madam?" Seeing that the mother did not speak for a long time, Marquis Bui's voice lowered: "What are you waiting for? Do you want the husband to personally teach your daughter-in-law?" Bui Canh also urged: "Mother, quickly give orders!"04I stood on the street, looking at Bui Canh's indignant appearance, suddenly felt very funny. This man, the night he got married, criticized my rules for not being good. He turned around and moved to the library. In the past three months, he hasn't even had a letter. Now that he's back, the first thing to do is not to ask how his wife is doing, but to kneel here and ask his mother to give me thirty lashes. Thirty rattan whips. I considered that if I really beat her, even if I didn't die, I would still have to stay in bed for half a year. "Mother." Bui Canh bowed his head again: "Why are you still hesitant? Mrs. Tham is so unruly, if not strictly punished, in the future everyone in the palace will follow suit, where will the dignity of the Marquis Palace lie?" Bui Hau sat next to him, stroking his beard, leisurely adding: "Madam, Canh Nhi's words make sense." "You are the head mother, how this family rule should be enforced, you must know clearly in your heart." These words were said lightly, as if we were not discussing whether to beat someone or not, but rather discussing what to eat tonight. I look at the model. Her hand was placed on the pillow, her fingertips were white, and the blue veins on the back of her hand were stretched. The candlelight in the street danced slightly, illuminating her cold face from morning to night. She raised her head, her eyes glanced at Bui Hau's family, past Bui Canh, and finally stopped on him. That look was extremely complicated, like admiration, but also like feeling ashamed. "Mother." I suddenly opened my mouth, my voice was calm: "If you find it difficult, just fight." The mother was stunned, Bui Canh and Bui Hau were also stunned. I continued: "Thirty rattan whips, finished beating

I'm still breathing. But you said something nasty first, after we beat you, we're done." "From now on, you can eat whatever you want in this Marquis Palace, you can do whatever you want. If anyone tells you a single rule, I will use the rattan whip to whip you." "You!" Bui Hau banged on the table and stood up: "You want to rebel!" "Old master, calm down." The mother finally spoke up. Her voice was still cold, but carried an unprecedented determination. She stood up and walked forward. My face, looking down at me from above. Then, she turned around, facing Bui Hau and Bui Canh, saying word by word: "This rattan whip, I don't hit." Bui Canh impatiently: "Mother!" "I said don't hit, just don't hit." The mother's voice suddenly raised: "My daughter-in-law, it's not your turn to teach me how to manage." Bui Marquis's face turned pale: "Madam, do you know what you are saying?" "I know." The mother looked straight at him, her eyes level, not avoiding: "Fifteen years ago, in front of the servants, you said I was both fat and ugly, unworthy to be the matriarch of the Marquis." "From then on, I only ate one meal a day, drank water when I was hungry, pinched my thighs when I fainted." "For the past fifteen years, I have been thirty pounds thin. Have you seen enough?” Bui Hau was shocked by these words, opened his mouth but couldn't say a word.