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Chu Lingxuan finally realized why he always found Chen Feng’s face somewhat familiar, it turned out that she looked so much like Mr. Chen!
Although Chu Lingxuan hadn’t voiced his thoughts, Steward Luo understood his meaning. He nodded and said, “Yes, Ms. Chen does indeed resemble Mr. Chen. It’s said that Mrs. Wang announced her pregnancy just a month after marrying Chen Ming, who was nearly dying at the time. How could…”
He paused, then continued, “Moreover, Mrs. Wang gave birth to Mrs. Chen prematurely after just over Seven months of marriage. It’s certain that Ms. Chen is Mr. Chen’s biological daughter.”
Thinking about the two women’s experiences, Chu Lingxuan sighed and felt deeply saddened. It was striking to realize that there were women in the world who shared a fate similar to that of his mother — enduring and persevering. For them, perhaps death would bring relief, but they endured suffering for the sake of their children.
Then there was Chen Feng. The first time he saw her, she was in such a pitiful state, bullied by the son of a county official. If he hadn’t happened to witness it and lend a hand, he shuddered to think what might have happened. She was a true noblewoman, and she should have been able to live in dignity. Thinking about this, he felt he should treat Hanyan better…
Chu Lingxuan took a sip of tea and sneered, “Mr. Chen has always had a good reputation. They say he is gentle, courteous, and a just official, a rare and commendable one. Even the emperor has praised him. But who knew he had such a big weakness? If someone with ill-intent gets ahold of it, his reputation will be ruined. Old Lady Chen’s misdeeds make one wonder if Mr. Chen truly didn’t know the truth, or if he was pretending to be ignorant. If he knew, and yet let Mrs. Wang get pregnant and then kicked her out, it speaks poorly of his character.”
Steward Luo bowed again and said, “When Old Lay Chen drove Mrs. Wang out of the Chen family, news of Mr. Chen’s success in the provincial examination in Huan Province hadn’t reached our Ji Province, and he hadn’t returned. The old lady Chen’s public explanation was that Mrs. Wang was not virtuous and was envious. Her mother-in-law said she lacked knowledge of poetry and was unlikely to enhance her husband’s life, so she wanted to take another concubine for her son. Mrs. Wang disagreed, cried and made a scene, and even requested to stay. Old lady Chen was so furious, she almost died of anger, and could only chase her back to her family home. As for how Old Lady Chen pressured Mrs. Wang to leave, and how she made Mrs. Wang’s stepmother promptly marry her off, and why Mrs. Wang was willing to remarry without revealing the reasons, no one knows.” He quickly added, “Perhaps one reason for Mrs. Wang’s quick remarriage was to secure a status for her unborn child.”
Chu Lingxuan slammed his teacup onto the table and sneered, “Even with that old woman’s silver tongue, she can’t change the fact that Mr. Chen drove Mrs. Wang away after achieving success in the imperial examination. I detest people like her the most, willing to do anything to satisfy their selfish desires.”
Seeing his master getting worked up, Steward Luo thought of his master being forced out of the house and felt bitter. After a moment of silence, he asked, “Sir, since Ms. Chen is Mr. Chen’s daughter…”
He instinctively said “daughter,” then realized how ridiculous it sounded and quickly corrected himself, “Oh, I mean Mr. Chen’s biological child, should we continue to have her serve Miss Hanyan as a needlework master?”
Chu Lingxuan replied, “Of course we should. Hanyan likes her, and she cares for Hanyan deeply. She is the most suitable, um… master. Considering her character and intelligence, even if Mr. Chen is her biological father, with such a grandmother, also his true feelings aren’t known, and he certainly wouldn’t want to acknowledge his heritage. Old Lady Chen wouldn’t want to acknowledge her for the sake of her son’s reputation. She is connected to our mansion, and it may be a good thing for her.” He then looked up and told the father and son, “Her current family is vulnerable, so while she’s here, you should try to take care of her and her family as much as possible.”
The father and son of Steward Luo bowed in agreement.
Chu Lingxuan added, “If there’s a powerful force, I don’t mind you using my name, or even the Marquis’s name, to suppress them.”
The father and son of Steward Luo bowed again. Previously, the master despised them using his name to oppress others, saying it would tarnish his reputation…
…
Luo Xiao chuckled and said, “Sir, did you know? The Nine-Spice Braised Pork you enjoy eating was a recipe purchased by Xile Restaurant from Ms. Chen. She makes it even more delicious than the restaurant. I was planning to ask Ms. Chen to prepare some for you to take to the camp tomorrow. However, I was waiting to report to you after discussing her mother, Mrs. Wang’s situation with my father, and I haven’t had a chance to visit her. Should I ask her to prepare some now?”
Chu Lingxuan waved his hand and said, “Next time. It’s late now. Besides, she’s just settled in and must be busy.”
…
In the middle of the night, Chen Feng was sound asleep when she was suddenly awoken by sobbing. It sounded somewhat like Mrs. Wang’s voice. She quickly sat up, moved her head closer to the window and widened the gap slightly. The sobbing had subdued, but when she listened closely, she could still discern it was Mrs. Wang’s voice.
It seemed like Mrs. Wang had covered her mouth, but the sobbing continued. In the silent night, it sounded somewhat mournful and chilling. Occasionally, she could also hear Chen Ming’s gentle voice, but she couldn’t make out what he was saying.
A gust of cold wind blew in, causing Chen Feng to shiver. She quickly closed the window gap.
She lay back down but couldn’t fall asleep for a long time.
Mrs. Wang appeared gentle and refined, yet she was strong and resilient, crying like this, she must be deeply heartbroken and distressed.
Chen Feng felt a pang of sadness and lay in a daze for a long time before finally drifting off to sleep. Shortly afterward, she was awakened by the crowing of a rooster. She thought to herself that Mrs. Wang surely hadn’t slept well last night. She had to get up first to prepare breakfast. After breakfast, she would need to tend to the vegetable garden, fetch water, and do the laundry. She couldn’t let Mrs. Wang do these outdoor chores in the past few days. After completing these tasks, she would have to go to work at Tangyuan. It wouldn’t be right to take a day off on her first day.
She also realized she needed to quickly hire a couple of laborers to do these rough jobs. However, the house was too small to accommodate more people. It seemed that the plan to build a larger house had to be implemented ahead of schedule, even before next year.
As Chen Feng stepped outside, the sky was just beginning to lighten. The old courtyard was quiet, the three of them hadn’t woken up yet, and she couldn’t enter to start a fire and cook. She then carried the firewood back to the new courtyard, where she’d prepare breakfast. She had some polished rice, flour, and a few condiments to work with.
She simmered the rice in a pot, kneaded the dough, and then went to the vegetable garden with Zhui Feng to pick some green onions and pluck a radish. Upon returning, she made scallion pancakes and prepared a radish salad.
As she was boiling a few eggs she had collected from the chicken coop, she heard the sound of the door opening.
It was Chen Ming stepping out. He was about to carry firewood for cooking when Chen Feng walked over and said, “Dad, I’ve already prepared the meal. You can go to my place to eat.”