On the way to escape famine, my parents divorced

Chapter 280 She can live without a man, but we can't!
(Thanks to reader 20190722155734725 for casting 1 monthly tickets.)
Qin Tao was so frightened by Li Chunli's words that she stood up immediately. She covered Li Chunli's hand and dared not move at all, covering it tightly. Li Chunli could not make a normal sound and could only make "uh uh ah ah" sounds.

“…A…Mother…I…”

"Shut up!
You must be really crazy!
"How could we go there?" Qin Tao pointed towards the main courtyard, the courtyard where the Prince of Zhenbei and his wife lived;
Then she lowered her head and whispered in Li Chunli's ear, "Think about it over there."

That's something you and I can talk about.

Don't hold a grudge against Li Shiyue just because she said a few unpleasant things!
You want to smear her? Fine.

You can say she killed someone at a young age, or say whatever she did on the road to escape famine;

But how could you possibly involve...that person!

You can't try to get close to her just to get involved!
You're asking for trouble!
But my cat, your mother, your brother, and I still want to live!
If you continue to be so reckless, I'll consider you my only child!

Hearing Qin Tao say this, Li Chunli was truly terrified!

If Qin Tao doesn't want her anymore, how will she survive in this Prince's mansion?

The tears that Li Chunli had just wiped away started flowing again like a burst dam.

Qin Tao said that, but how could she really ignore Li Chunli?

This is the child she carried for ten months, gave birth to, and raised little by little.

How could she bear to leave her?
How could she not want her?
Releasing her hand from Li Chunli's mouth, Qin Tao listened to Li Chunli's soft sobs and closed her eyes, forcing back her tears.

She reached out and put her arm around Li Chunli, who immediately reached out and hugged Qin Tao's waist, burying her head in Qin Tao's stomach.

"Mother, Mother... Waaah... Mother, please don't abandon me!"
If even my mother doesn't want me anymore, then I... then I can only die with the cat!
Mother, please don't abandon me!

Li Chunli looked up at Qin Tao, who was looking down at her, and said this to Qin Tao with tears and snot streaming down her face, her eyes already showing a resolute intent.

“I will never mention Li Shiyue again. She is a woman who can become an official, but I am not. I can only rely on men, I…”

Seeing Li Chunli, who still didn't know where she had gone wrong, Qin Tao felt regret once again.

"If I hadn't made her chase after the prince in the freezing cold, and instead forced her to find an honest man like her father, so she could have food to eat and a man to love her, wouldn't things be better now?"

There's no going back in life, so no matter how much Qin Tao regrets it, it's useless.

"Auntie?"

"Sigh," Qin Tao sighed resignedly. She reached out and slowly pulled Li Chunli's hand off her waist, then sat down facing her, holding Li Chunli's hand.

"Regardless of how Li Shiyue got her position, just remember this: as she said, you and she have no relationship anymore."

What she said is true. We are different from her. She can live without men, but we can't!
But we didn't do anything wrong.

Ninety-nine percent of women in this world depend on men for survival. Before marriage, they listen to their fathers and brothers; after marriage, they listen to their husbands; and if their husbands are gone, they listen to their sons.

"Look at all this," Qin Tao turned her head and glanced around the room, "this hibiscus-patterned gauze curtain, that soft pillow with auspicious patterns," Qin Tao's gaze then slid to the tea set in front of the two of them, "and this gilded crimson cup, and the compressed tea from Yangxian in Jiangnan," Qin Tao looked up at Li Chunli, who was still teary-eyed, "If you hadn't become the prince's concubine, how could you have used such fine things?"

"In your next life, and the life after that, you won't deserve to use these!"

"But, Mother, this concubine is ultimately..."

"Yes!

For someone like the Crown Prince, a concubine is nothing more than a plaything.

That's why your mother told you that you must have a son!

As long as you give birth to a son, then you are the master's mother. Even if the prince dislikes you in the future, you will still have your son!

With a son, you and the cat will finally have someone to rely on for the rest of your lives!

Qin Tao took out a handkerchief to wipe Li Chunli's tears, "Don't compare yourself to Li Shiyue, you are not the same kind of people."

Now that she has become an official, she is different from us.

You should be thinking about pleasing the prince as soon as possible, getting pregnant, and giving birth to a son!
For women of our social standing, being able to become a concubine for a nobleman is already a stroke of luck. Not everyone can be like Li Shiyue, a woman who is more capable and stronger than any man.

Someone like her, let alone becoming someone's principal wife, she probably won't even be able to get married.

Men in the world all prefer women who are chaste and compliant; no man would want Li Shiyue as his wife.

So why are you arguing with her about these things?

Li Chunli listened to Qin Tao's words with her head down. Qin Tao knew from her expression that Li Chunli was still upset.

"Sister Li!"

Li Chunli reluctantly raised her head, "You are not the same as Li Shiyue!"
Stop being so temperamental, you have to accept your fate!

Listen to your mother. Everything I'm saying is for your and the cat's sake!
While there's no one else around the prince like you, you should get pregnant as soon as possible and give birth to a son – that's the most important thing!

Did you look at the fire avoidance diagram I gave you?

Don't be shy, that's what men are after. If you please a man in bed, what can't you get?
I tell you…”

Qin Tao was talking to Li Chunli about how to coax men, how to get benefits from them, and how to make them happy in bed.
At this moment, Li Shiyue arrived at Xingsheng Tower.

She sat facing Manager Jin, drinking tea.

"...So, just before the New Year, the boss went to Sanshan Port to check the accounts."

Lady Li's timing is rather unfortunate. Perhaps she could leave a message, and I'll tell the master when he returns.

Li Shiyue nodded, then pushed the wooden box beside her toward Manager Jin.

"I will stay in the city for a few more days. If Ninth Sister returns, please tell her that I am waiting for her at Fumanlou Restaurant."

This is a thank-you gift from our village to Manager Jin!
Last year, when we first arrived in Andong and settled in Liujiatun, we encountered the Mohe barbarians. If it weren't for your great help, innkeeper, we might not even be alive today.

Last year we were short of money, but this year we've finally saved up some. We hope the shopkeeper won't look down on us for being unsophisticated.

No amount of money can repay the debt of gratitude we owe you for saving our lives, but this is all we have to say, and we hope you will accept it, sir.

"From now on, if the shopkeeper needs anything, just say the word!"

"Li Niangzi is a woman of true character; it was nothing more than a small favor for me."

After exchanging a few more polite words, Manager Jin saw Li Shiyue out the door.

When he returned to the house and opened the wooden box on the table, he looked at the gleaming gold ingots inside and couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in surprise, exclaiming, "It's actually gold!"

Yes, this box is full of gold, and the majority, or rather 95%, comes from Li Shiyue's dividends from the paper mill. It can be said that she has taken out all of the paper mill's dividends for the year.

The remaining half-tenth was contributed by each family in Liujiatun; it was all a token of their goodwill.

Don't take it seriously just because Manager Jin says it's a small favor.

Under those circumstances, Manager Jin had already done more than enough; it was far more than just a small favor.

Helping to settle the elderly, weak, women and children in the village, and leading them to find General Liu Tan, how could this be just a small favor?
You could say that Manager Jin only helped Li Shiyue and the others because of Yan Jiuniang's influence.

But this does not diminish Manager Jin's contributions.

Verbal thanks sound nice, but they don't translate into real action. Li Shiyue has always been a practical person.

Because face will eventually run out.

But mutual benefit can make a relationship last.

Thank you to reader 20190722155734725 for voting with one monthly ticket.

Thank you so much for voting again!