Wanjin Lady

Chapter 5: Release of Concubine
The two sat down.

Aunt Cui looked at Hongmei on the left and Luping on the right, seeming to want to say something but stopping herself.

Wen Wan then said, "Aunt, if you have anything to say, please speak directly."

"Miss." Aunt Cui called out, and her tone paused for a while, as if she found it difficult to speak.

Then she hardened her heart again, "Miss, I...I think...I wrote a letter to release my concubine and would like you to sign it. The master is ill now, I...I...I really..."

At this point, Concubine Cui began to cry. "Although I have some feelings for the Master, I'm not as capable as Concubine Liu. I haven't been able to give birth to a child. When the Master passes away, I'll have no place in the Wen family. As the saying goes, a wise bird chooses its tree to roost in. Besides, I'm only twenty-five or twenty-six now. If I could remarry... it wouldn't be difficult."

Hongmei despised Concubine Cui for being so ungrateful and cursed, "Master has been very kind to you! That year, you fell ill on the street and no one paid any attention to you. Master picked you up and gave you a bowl of hot soup! Otherwise, you would have frozen to death or starved to death! Now that the situation has changed, Master has fallen ill, and you're already planning your own future!"

Aunt Cui's face flushed as she explained, "But I have served the master for four or five years! I have already repaid his life-saving grace with my own body. What else do you want from me?"

"A drop of kindness should be repaid with a spring of gratitude. Moreover, the master saved your life. You shouldn't abandon the Wen family at this time!"

"Are you asking me to sacrifice my entire life for a meal? Is there such a good deal in this world?"

Hongmei was furious. "What about Concubine Liu? Concubine Liu is a concubine just like you. Why isn't she as ungrateful as you?"

"Liu Yi Niang cried and argued to be the master's concubine. She and the master love each other. Now she is in charge of the household and has a second daughter. How is her life any different from that of the wife? How can I compare with her? I am only 25 years old now. Even if I marry again... I can still give birth to a boy and a girl. Do I have to waste my best years in this house just because I eat a meal at the Wen family? What's more, if the master lives for a hundred years, not to mention you and me, even the eldest daughter——"

Aunt Cui looked at Wen Wan with tears in her eyes, "Even you, young lady... might be sold to a brothel."

Although Aunt Cui's words were exaggerated, the status of women in the Great Chen Dynasty was not high, and it was not uncommon for families to be wiped out. This was especially true for a family as wealthy and powerful as the Wen family. As long as the head of the family fell, the clan members would do everything they could to turn the family property into clan property.

The first article in the Dachen Law regarding inheritance is: If there is no descendant, the household will be extinct.

And this "hou" refers to male offspring.

In other words, from a legal perspective, once Old Man Wen died, the Wen family was officially certified as extinct, and the clan members could legally seize and sell off all the property in Old Man Wen's hands.

This is also the reason why Wen Wan is anxious to find a son-in-law.

She just wanted to go out on the street and snatch a man to marry.

Then go to the father and leave the son.

This way, at least we can stand firm legally.

Hongmei was about to argue again and almost blurted out the fact that Wen Wan was marrying into her family. Fortunately, Wen Wan spoke up in time to stop her.

The young lady spoke softly, without a trace of accusation or questioning, but instead revealed a hint of pity, "I remember... Aunt Cui was forced to live in Ping County after her family was confiscated, right?"

Aunt Cui bit her teeth lightly and replied "yes" in a husky voice.

Then he lowered his head in shame.

If she hadn't been forced into a desperate situation, why would she be willing to be unfaithful?
The Wen family was on the verge of collapse, and as a mere concubine, she could only try her best to protect herself.

She knew that it would not be easy to get the concubine's letter, so she was prepared to be scolded and rebuked by Wen Wan.

"You have no relatives. Where can you go after leaving the Wen family?"

"I... I have a cousin in Bozhou. Her family owns several hundred acres of fertile land and a few shops. A few days ago, she wrote to me, saying that if I went there, she wanted me to find a job in the shop."

Hongmei jumped up, "Well, well, Aunt Cui kept saying she had no relatives, and now this so-called cousin has appeared out of nowhere! Is your dead father going to come back to life in a few days? Does that mean you're in such a hurry to find a new home as soon as Master falls ill?" Aunt Cui's tears welled up, and she kept wiping them with her handkerchief. "Young lady, I swear to God, we only recently made contact. You know, when my father committed a crime, the women in our family were sold to all over the country. I only found out about my cousin in Bozhou a year ago. It's just that Master is now beyond saving, so I...I...that's why I tried to write to her to find a way out."

"It's okay." Wen Wan didn't care at all, which made Hongmei angry.

Hongmei was sold to the Wen family when she was five or six years old. She signed a death contract and had no ties, so she was naturally loyal to the Wen family.

Wenwan's eyes soothed Hongmei. Seeing this, Lu Ping quickly pulled Hongmei to the side and held the anxious Hongmei, "You, you, the eldest lady will make her own decisions. Why are you, a girl, so anxious?"

Hongmei was so anxious that she burst into tears. "How could I not be anxious? You saw it too. The day before yesterday, the elders of the Wen family brought more than a dozen young men from the clan and surrounded the courtyard. They were almost ready to move and tear it down. If it weren't for Concubine Liu calling a few brothers from her family, our courtyard would have been taken away by the clan! At such a critical moment, Concubine Cui still wanted to leave. What kind of heartless person is this?!"

Lu Ping didn't know how to comfort her, so she just looked at Wen Wan for help.

Wen Wan ignored her and looked at Aunt Cui below.

Aunt Cui's waist was soft and she was too weak to wear clothes. Her eyes were red from crying, and she seemed to be feeling guilty. Even when Hongmei pointed at her nose and scolded her, she did not say anything back, but just turned her face away and shed tears secretly.

Wen Wan sighed softly, moved her sleeves slightly, and came to Aunt Cui.

She reached out to help Aunt Cui up, and patted the back of her hand comfortingly, "I'm glad you have a place to go. Bring me the letter, and I'll sign and stamp it."

Aunt Cui looked at her in disbelief.

I originally thought that if I wanted to get the letter of release today, I would have to suffer a lot.

How come...the young lady agreed so readily?
Wen Wan ordered Lu Ping to take out Old Man Wen's seal, and then looked at the stunned Aunt Cui.

Aunt Cui couldn't help but look over.

The afternoon sun fell on the young lady's fair and clean face, making her pupils look even deeper.

"It's not shameful for a woman to live for herself. It's not easy to come to this world once, so don't let anyone down, and don't let yourself down either."

Yes.

Recalling the years of fighting cancer.

Her sister broke up with her boyfriend because of her.

Her parents' hair turned white overnight because of her.

It seemed as if she was the only one left in the eyes and hearts of the three of them.

She really wanted to tell them: Don't do this for her.

She also hoped that they would not be hindered in their lives by her.

Hongmei opened her mouth and wanted to say something, but her brain felt like it was hit hard by someone, and her throat was instantly entangled by a thin thread of chaos.

"Hongmei, go find Madam Liu and give Madam Cui twenty taels of silver."

Hongmei came back to her senses slowly, responded in a low voice, then walked out with her head down.

(End of this chapter)