Chapter 5 — This life is not a stepping stone

She finally realized that I was no longer a little girl for her to manipulate. That night, father came to my cottage. He did not ask where I got the salary book from, just asked:

“What do you want?”

“Establish your own civil status, decide your own marriage.”

“If a woman is not married, how can she establish her own household?”

“According to the law of the dynasty, a woman who is eighteen years old, has property, and is willing to pay taxes can establish a household.”

Parents squinted:

“Even the law has been investigated.”

“Before asking someone, you must know whether you are qualified to discuss conditions or not.”

He walked back and forth in the room. Outside, the north wind blew through the dry bamboo bushes, making rustling sounds. After a while, he asked:

“Has anyone else seen the notebook yet?”

“As long as I am at peace, there will be nothing.”

“You threatened your biological father?”

"When my father sold his daughter to a fifty-year-old man, he said it was filial piety. Now that I'm saving my life, of course I can only talk about filial piety."

He raised his hand. I don't dodge. That slap finally stopped in mid-air. He is a person who values his reputation very much, even if he hits someone, he is afraid of leaving a weakness. The next day, I received a female guardian's letter with a seal on it. La Thi tore up half the silk room. Cui Minh Thu was unusually calm. She is about to marry into the Marquis Palace. The wedding is scheduled for February next year, everyone says she has a good fate. Only I know how that splendid golden palace will swallow her up little by little. I don't advise. In my previous life, before she died, I asked her why she knew that impersonating a life-saving favor was wrong but still wanted to get married. She said:

"Why do all the good things have to be given to you? You're just a despicable person. If it weren't for you saving him, I wouldn't have seen that high branch, nor would I have climbed to such pain."

What she hated from beginning to end was not the Le family. She hates me for being alive. People like that are advised not to turn back. What we can do is just not continue to be her stepping stone. Diep Thanh fabric from Bat Phan Ward is sold to the North. I used the first money I earned to build a female park outside the city, specializing in taking in helpless widows and women abandoned by their husbands. Someone scolded me for being unlucky. I immediately invited the most scolding shopkeeper to come over and let him see the three thousand yards of fabric that the female conservatory made in one month. He immediately shut up and sent the order the next day. Respect in the world does not necessarily come from goodwill. Sometimes it's just because you hold something in your hand that someone else wants.

06

Before spring, Dinh Vien Marquis suddenly resigned. The reason is that someone spread throughout the capital the story of Thoi Minh Thu secretly meeting Chu Ky Bach. Thi La realized that this was my doing and led people to destroy Bat Phan ward. When we arrived, two dye pots were broken, Diep Thanh fabric was splashed with black ink all over the ground. Uncle Trieu's forehead was bleeding. Flip Dao held the books tightly, his arms were beaten until he couldn't lift them. The last thread of restraint in my heart suddenly broke. La Thi stood in the middle of the devastation and said coldly:

"Sister, you are not at peace, nor can you live a good life."

I walked in front of her. Hands up. A slap. Her face was tilted to one side. Everyone around was as silent as death.

"This slap is for Uncle Trieu."

I turned around and slapped him again.

“This slap replaces Flip Dig."

La Thi covered her face and screamed:

“I am your mother!”

“My mother died a long time ago.”

I lifted my foot and kicked over the ink tank next to her, black water splashing all over her dress.

“And this box replaces my cloth.”

Her family rushed forward together. Dozens of women from the female park rushed in from the back door. They had no swords in their hands, only wooden pestles and long poles used to dye cloth, but no one backed down. Outside in the street, the sound of horse hooves was heard. Le Canh Hanh led the guards of the Marquis Palace and ran over, shouting at everyone. He saw the blood in my palm and his expression immediately changed:

“Who hurt you?”

I avoid his hand.

“The little marquis arrived just in time. You have abandoned the engagement, why are you using me as an excuse?"

He was stunned:

"The divorce is not what I meant."

Lady Marquis believes that the Thoi family's family rules are unjust. Although he objected, he was not determined to keep his engagement with Cui Minh Thu. Today he came and wanted to say that the person he really wanted to marry was me. But before those words could be uttered, Cui Minh Thu rushed into the crowd. Her hair was messy and her eyes were red and scary.

“It's you!”

She pointed at me.

“You intentionally exposed the jade pendant, intentionally spoke about Chu Lang, intentionally seduced brother Canh Hanh. You stole my marriage!”

“Your marriage?”

I stepped over the destroyed fabrics, step by step towards her.

“The favor you stole, the marriage contract you planned to get, the bride price your mother intended to exchange for my inheritance, is there anything that truly belongs to you?”

“Shut up!”

She raised her hand to scratch. I held her wrist, forcing her down to the edge of the unbroken dye pot. The water in the jar was dark blue, reflecting her distorted face.

“Look clearly.”

I pushed her head down, forcing her to look at herself in the water.

“Ruining your marriage is when you secretly meet your grandmother. Abandoned his engagement with his sister, the Marquis despised and favored luxury. My mother destroyed my dyeing factory."

“There is not a single thing in there that is my fault.”

I let go.

“If you dare to impose this debt on me, I will let you and your mother know what is true revenge.”

In the end, Le Canh Hanh did not give up the kiss. He said in front of everyone that the day he fell into the water, although Cui Minh Thu did not save him, he did call for someone, and his morals were not as bad as rumored. If the Marquis abandoned the engagement just because of a few gossiping words, that would be truly ungrateful. People all over the street praised him for being responsible. Only I want to laugh when I hear it. He protected Cui Minh Thu not because he loved her. But because after he broke off the kiss and proposed to marry me, he would be known to be ungrateful and would change his heart when he saw someone new. He couldn't bear to give up his reputation.