Happiness Consists in Contentment

Chapter 28 Farmer’s Wife

As for Madam Liu, she took her servant who insisted on following her—Liang momo—in a rented carriage to visit her two biological daughters and her concubine daughter, Liu Fang elder sister from the same biological mother—Liu Zhi.

[Momo (嬷嬷) An address to elder maids]

Madam Liu’s eldest daughter⎯⎯Liu Ru, married the Fang family, who was also a scholar of the Imperial Academy. Scholar Fang and Father Liu were close friends. This time, he pleaded for Father Liu in the court, which reminded the emperor of Father Liu.

Otherwise, the emperor might really destroy the entire Liu family.

When they arrived at Fang Mansion, Madam Fang was still very friendly and intimate with Madan Liu. Of course, she laminated a few words with Madam Liu.

Finally, she said: “This time, my husband was also frightened. I am afraid that he will leave the capital and go back to his hometown soon.”

Madam Liu looked at her in surprise when she heard this, she glanced at her daughter.

Liu Ru nodded with a smile.

Madam Liu had mixed feelings in her heart, and she didn’t know what to say.

Madam Fang didn’t say much and found an excuse to left, leaving Madam Liu and her daughter to chat.

Seeing her mother’s worried face, Liu Ru comforted her with a smile, “Mother, don’t worry, father-in-law has his own way, and I will be fine.” 

What else could Madam Liu say? They have no command over their life, it all depended on what the emperor thinks.

Therefore, she just told her daughter a few words before leaving Fang’s mansion and went to Liu Zhi, the concubine’s daughter.

Liu Zhi was married to a seventh-rank minister of the imperial court. Like Father Liu, he was a little transparent.

But Liu Zhi’s in-law’s family was not as richer as Fang’s family. At least Madam Fang was born to a former Minister of Industry, so the dowry was quite generous. Scholar Fang’s family was also come from a wealthy family, and their life was still very affluent.

Liu Zhi’s in-law’s family⎯⎯Feng’s family, only had a small income, and they basically lived on Feng Chengshen’s salary, and their daily life was really quite simple. If it weren’t for Liu Zhi’s dowry and good business management skills, life would have been even more difficult.

When Madam Liu left Fang Mansion, Madam Fang also gave a gift which was five hundred taels. When they arrived at Feng Mansion, Madan Feng was the same, but the family didn’t have much money, and the gift was only one hundred taels.

[Cheng Yi (程仪) gift of money for a friend going on a journey]

On the contrary, Liu Zhi secretly stuffed three hundred taels for Madam Liu when she sent her out, and said, “Mother, daughter only have this. The family is struggling now, so don’t dislike it.” 

Madam Liu felt ashamed when she heard this. The dowry she gave to Li Zhi added up was only two thousand taels. She also never gave any extra support for this concubine daughter. Now she was still so considerate and gave her three hundred taels, which made her feel ashamed and moved.

“You,” Madam Liu said hesitantly, “You have to live well, don’t worry about your father and your aunt, they are all fine.” 

Liu Zhi smiled calmly, nodded, and said: “Un, mother, you should also take care “

Madam Liu’s eyes turned red, and she rarely smiled at her and said, “Okay, okay, good child…”

Liu Zhi helped her into the carriage, watched her go away, and sighed in her heart: Actually, her mother is already very good. At least no matter how much she hates concubines, she has never grinded them, and she still takes good care of them. She is already very satisfied and grateful. I just hope that in the future, mother will be safe and sound. 

As for the auntie? Liu Zhi smiled, but she didn’t need to worry.

Aunt Chen was stronger than anyone could imagine. After all, she survived so many hardships and was unharmed. Although she later became a concubine, she still lived a happy and carefree life.

Liu Zhi looked at the blue sky and silently prayed: She hope her family will be happy and worry-free from now on!

    …………

Madam Liu sat in the carriage and said to Liang momo, “I never expected that second daughter would still treat me like this. As expected a friend in need is a friend indeed It makes me very ashamed.”

Liang momo was also filled with emotion, ” That’s right, the second young madam didn’t have much money at first, and she only had a farm of two hundred acres and a shop outside the city. Three hundred taels must be her income for a whole year.” 

Madam Liu nodded, wiped the corners of her eyes, and said, “I’ll subsidize her after the turmoil is over. Think about it, second daughter or sixth son, they are all good children, it was my fault before.” 

Liang momo nodded in agreement.

It’s just that Madam Liu never expected that when she arrived at her younger daughter’s house, she can’t believe she can’t even enter the door.

Liu Yin, the youngest daughter of Madam Liu, did not show up. She only sent a servant out, at the corner of the door stuffed a purse, and said: “The eldest young madam said since madam is leaving the capital, she will not delay your time. This is the eldest young madam’s heart, I hope that madam will not dislike it.”

Madam Liu was originally full of emotion from her concubine daughter’s dedication to her, but now she was chilled by her younger daughter’s calcutation.

Madam Liu didn’t take the purse, “Madam Anping and eldest young madam didn’t want to meet me?” 

The servant bowed his head respectfully, “Madam went to a banquet and is not at home, young madam is indeed busy, she didn’t say she wanted to meet you. “

Madam Liiu’s youngest daughter—Liu Yin was married to the Marquis Anping.

The Marquis Anping was honorable and famous. This time at the court, he also pleaded for Father Liu. The wife of the Marquis was also from a noble family, and she was always kind to Madam Liu, but unfortunately she went out early in the morning and was not at home.

Liu Yin was dealing with family affairs in the mansion and when she heard the servant said that her mother had come, she felt disgusted. The house has already been ransacked, so why didn’t keep a low profile? Didn’t she know that she was embarrassing herself by coming to the door now? she didn’t know what her mother thinks, and she didn’t think about her daughter at all.

Her heart was full of resentment, so Liu Yin naturally didn’t want to see Madam Liu, so she asked her personal maid to take the banknote and put it in a purse, and handed it to the servant who notified her so that he could send her mother away.

Madam Liu never expected that her daughter, whom she loved since she was a child, would treat her like this.

Her face turned blue, and she said coldly: “In that case, I will not disturb you, farewell!”

After finishing speaking, she didn’t even look at the purse, turned around, and left with Liang momo.

When she reached the door, Madam Liu turned her head and said to the servant: “Please tell the eldest young madam that after today’s farewell, she and the Liu family will have nothing to do with each other. Please take care of yourself. In the future, you don’t need to say I was her mother. From today onward my daughter is dead!”

The servant looked at her in shock, “Madam, this…”

Madam Liu ignored him and walked quickly while holding Liang momo‘s hand. The moment she walked down the stairs, boarded the carriage, and lowered the curtain, she spat out blood.

Liang momo was taken aback, “Madam?!”

Madam Liu closed her eyes, grabbed her hand tightly, and said, “Don’t make a sound, don’t let people see or hear you.”

Liang momo‘s eyes were red, nodded in response, “Yes, madam.”

Madam Liu’s mouth was still stained with blood, she smiled sarcastically, closed her eyes, and said: “Didn’t you hear? The young madam of the Marquis Mansion said that I am just an in-laws. Now my husband has lost his official position, and I should have lost my imperial order, so what kind of Madam am I?”

[A title granted to the mother or wife of a high-ranking official in the Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties]

[Fu ren (夫人) is a polite address to a married woman. The wife or mother of official with a title was also addressed as Madam]

Liang momo choked up and couldn’t speak, she could only look at Madam Liu’s tightly closed eyes and shed tears.

The third young lady is too much! and too indifferent!

    ……

Liu Fang was sitting inside her room making embroidery when Qiu Yu, the servant girl, walked in quickly and said to her, “Miss, it’s terrible. Madam passed out as soon as she came back, and even invited a doctor.”

Liu Fang stopped what she was doing, raised her head and frowned, and said, “Didn’t mother go to say goodbye to my elder sisters? Why did she fall ill as soon as she came back?” 

Qiu Yu walked a few steps closer and said in a low voice, “I heard that when madam arrived at the third young lady’s house——the Marquis Anping Mansion, she was kicked out by the third young lady, that’s why…”

Liu Fang was stunned: No wonder!

But she wasn’t surprised by this.

If she had to describe the four young ladies of the Liu family, Liu Fang will not talk much. With memory and mature thinking, they were naturally well-behaved and sensible. The eldest young lady, Liu Ru, looks like an elder sister. She was very kind to her younger siblings and has a gentle temperament. As for the second young lady, Liu Zhi, because she was a concubine daughter, and Madam Liu didn’t like concubines very much, so she has always been very taciturn.

The third young lady was completely different.

When she was born, Madan Liu thought that she would never get pregnant again. After all, she was not young anymore. But she was conceived just like this, and she was still a daughter, so she grew up with a lot of love and affection.

In this way, Liu Yin was naturally spoiled to be very selfish.

She only cares about her own happiness. She never cares about other people’s life or death.

Liu Fang as the younger sister and also a concubine daughter. A bystander sees through everything, she has already seen clearly the bad nature of this third elder sister.

In the past, when the family was fine, Liu Yin wanted to establish a good relationship with her natal family for her own sake, so she naturally coaxed Madam Liu.

But now? Oh, things have changed. It’s normal for her to show her true nature.

Madam Liu was hit for a while. After that, she will understand, and maybe she won’t be entangled.

After all, she was not a dodder who has not experienced wind and rain.

After listening to this, Liu Fang was very calm, and said, “Go and see if the doctor has left or not, and send my regards. Mother probably doesn’t want to see me very much now.”

Having just been hurt by her biological daughter, Madam Liu might feel even sadder if the concubine daughter went to care for her.

Liu Fang was not interested in being a caring daughter. Anyway, she was not mother’s biological daughter. As long she followed the rule. Everyone keeps an appropriate distance, it will be good for each other, and she will also more at ease.

Qiu Yu nodded in response, and said, “I don’t know what the third young lady is thinking, but she doesn’t even meet her biological mother, it’s too cold.”

Liu Fang smiled, this third elder sister has always abandoned her worn shoes. It was only natural for others to treat her well, but if others treat her badly, then it was a crime.

[Qi zhi ru bi lu (弃之如敝履) a Chinese idiom that refers to throwing away things that one thinks are worthless]

Now that the Liu family has become like this, it was a wonder if she care.

Before Father Liu was still in the prison, the eldest sister Liu Ru and the second sister Liu Zhi even went back to Liu’s mansion to have a look and ask questions. But this third sister Liu Yin? Heh, since the accident in the Liu family, she has never been seen,

Not even a servant was sent over.

Liu Fang still remembered that Madam Anping even sent her personal maid to greet Madam Liu.

But the third elder sister Liu Yin? She has always pretended that there was no such thing, as if she was not from the Liu family, and she has never had a natal family like the Liu family.

Liu Fang really saw what it means to be selfish and snobbish.

    …

Madam Liu lay on the bed and drank the medicine. Liu Fan looked at her and sighed, “Mother, don’t be sad. The third younger sister…”

Madam Liu smiled wryly, and said, “I just didn’t expect it. I didn’t expect her to be like this. She used to speak so nicely! But now? Heh. That’s it… Anyway, our family is leaving the capital, and whether she is good or bad by then has nothing to do with us. “

Liu Fan sighed and remained silent.

    ……

Father Liu was so angry that he was almost out of breath in the study.

He said to the second master⎯⎯Liu Ying, “From now on, we will treat it as if there has never been such a person in our family! No matter who it is, you are not allowed to have any contact with her again! Do you understand?” 

The second master Liu Ying responded respectfully with a blank face “Understood, father. This son will remember.”

Father Liu said bitterly, “I’ll see if she can live a prosperous life in the future!”