The Daily Life of a Down-on-Hard-Life Medicine Girl Supporting Her Family

Chapter 139 Own People

"The infighting within wealthy families is truly terrifying." Zhao Minghua slowly sipped his tea. "That Xiao Chunqing is incredibly clever."

“A concubine’s daughter who can survive in the inner courtyard of the mansion should not be underestimated.” Chun Nuan nodded: “I didn’t expect that I would owe her a favor.”

Even Zhao Minghua didn't expect that the biggest help behind the smooth progress of this matter was actually Xiao Chunqing.

Beware of everything, but it’s hard to guard against house thieves!
Of course, Xiao Chunqing wasn't ruthless enough; if she had been, she would have ended it all.

"She's quite clever. Xiao Chunlan, who's become mute, can't do anything. And now that she's been sent to her estate to be kept under guard, there won't be any more trouble."

Why didn't she just end it all?

"Women, you know, always have a little bit of a competitive spirit." Speaking of this, Zhao Minghua felt that he understood it very well: "Xiao Chunlan has always enjoyed the treatment of a young lady in the Xiao family, so she became very arrogant and treated her half-sisters very badly, especially Xiao Chunqing, who is half a year younger than her, who suffered the most."

Only after asking did I learn that Xiao Chunqing resembled her aunt, possessing very beautiful features. Coupled with her gentle and kind nature, she was well-liked by everyone, from top to bottom. Even Xiao Changfa held her in high regard.

As the legitimate daughter, Xiao Chunlan would never allow anyone to overshadow her, so she started finding fault with Xiao Chunqing in various ways.

“Xiao Chunqing’s aunt is not very bright and is often taken advantage of, which drags Xiao Chunqing down,” Zhao Minghua said. “Otherwise, Xiao Chunqing’s status would have risen even higher, and she might have even surpassed Xiao Chunlan.”

How can I allow someone else to sleep peacefully under my bed?

Xiao Chunlan wasn't very bright to begin with, and she kept tormenting Xiao Chunqing.

"Xiao Chunqing spared her life probably so she could see how well she was doing."

This is what is meant by "killing someone by destroying their spirit."

She stole your place, married a man you didn't want, and yet she lived a wonderful life, flaunting happiness in front of you. Xiao Chunlan, imprisoned in a distant village, would not miss a single happy moment of Xiao Chunqing.

"You really know him well," Xiao Chunnuan said with a smile, looking at Zhao Minghua.

“Sigh, they’re all old foxes, what are they trying to pull off with these ghost stories? I’m familiar with their tricks,” Zhao Minghua said. “They all use the same tactics.”

"So who do you think is the culprit?"

“Taking a concubine, having illegitimate children,” Zhao Minghua quickly said, “but don’t worry, our Zhao family’s tradition absolutely forbids taking concubines, so these problems will not occur in our family in the future.”

Spring warmth made her face blush again.

This person started to get a little inappropriate as they talked.

Xiao Chunlan's matter has come to an end, and it can be considered that her grandmother has been avenged.

When I got home that night, I wrote letters to my elder sister and relatives in Mobei, explaining the whole story.

Yes, in her view, everything should be accounted for.

After drying the ink, Chunnuan read the two letters again to make sure they could both understand them before sealing them.

We're just waiting for Tang Liu to come back and exchange for it.

To Chunnuan's surprise, Tang Liu arrived the next day, accompanied by an important figure: Master Zhou.

"Seventh Master, please come in." Chun Nuan's heart raced, a hint of worry creeping in as she wondered what had brought this eccentric man to their small mountain village. "I wonder what brought Seventh Master here?"

"Hahaha, it's the East Wind, it's the East Wind!" Master Zhou laughed heartily. "Spring is here, congratulations!"

Congratulations?

Where does joy come from?

Is it to celebrate the passing of her grandmother?
Indeed, the old lady passed away, and apart from her family members who missed her, nothing seemed out of the ordinary to outsiders.

So it's normal that Master Zhou couldn't tell.

Seeing his beaming face, Chunnuan didn't know where to begin.

"Seventh Master, please have some tea." Chun Nuan personally poured him a cup of tea, and then poured another cup for Tang Liu: "Sixth Brother, have some tea."

"Oh, okay, thank you so much." Tang Liu was truly flattered: "By the way, I haven't congratulated you yet, young lady. It's a joyous occasion for your family."

Another piece of good news?

Chunnuan wanted to know if there was any new progress or a big order from her elder sister, but Tang Liu hesitated to show her the letter.

Every time they went to the capital, Chunnuan eagerly awaited this letter from home.

If he doesn't take it out, Chunnuan has no choice but to take out her own letter.

"I wonder when Seventh Master's caravan will return to the capital. There's a shop here in Chunnuan that sells books and I need help delivering them to my elder sister."

"No rush, no rush, let's read your letter first before we talk about it." After saying that, Master Zhou took out a letter from his pocket: "Look, there's good news, really good news."

It turned out that the eldest sister had sent a letter from home. Strangely, it wasn't Tang Liu who brought it, but rather this arrogant Master Zhou from Changzhou who personally delivered it.

Chun Nuan glanced at Tang Liu, whose heart was filled with mixed feelings. What could he say?
Are you saying that Master Zhou stole the credit?
Yes, ever since Zhou Qiye heard that the Emperor had bestowed a marriage upon Xiao Chunyu, who was to marry General Huaiyuan, he has been like a man possessed. He not only wanted to give Xiao Chunyu the things that were meant for her, but also demanded that Zhou Qiye lead the way.

As a result, all the benefits that should have been his were taken by Seventh Master.

Fortunately, Mo Lan was a kind girl and secretly slipped two taels of silver into her hand.

He also took the opportunity to ask some questions and learned that Xiao Chunyu was living a good life after marrying General Huaiyuan. Only then did he feel relieved and returned to tell Xiao Chunnuan.

"The letter isn't urgent; I'll read it later. I wonder, Seventh Master..."

"No, no, no, look at the letter now. It's true, there's good news. Your sister must have told you the good news in the letter."

Master Zhou was thrilled. From now on, he would have someone protecting him in the capital.

Yes, he not only met Xiao Chunyu, the eldest daughter of the Xiao family, but also the legendary General Xia Guangcheng of Huaiyuan. It was clear he was incredibly jealous; he hadn't even exchanged two words with the general's wife before General Xia arrived and he was then invited to speak privately.

To outsiders, it might seem like he was being targeted, but to Zhou Qi, it was an opportunity.

Sure enough, after chatting for a short while, General Xia took the initiative to say: "As long as you do your business honestly in the capital and don't cause trouble, you don't need to be afraid of trouble. You can come to him if you have any problems."

This is what I've been waiting for!
Master Zhou automatically categorized himself as belonging to General Xia's faction.

As he walked out of the general's mansion, he stood up straight.

"Look, there's good news in the letter."

Why would a decent person read family letters in front of others? Don't they have any privacy at all?
After being urged several times to wait until spring was warm, I reluctantly opened the sealed letter home.

You won't believe it until you see it: The Emperor himself has betrothed my elder sister to Xia Guangcheng. They are already married, and the couple is very loving. Panpan has become the eldest daughter of the General's Mansion. She is as close to the General as a biological father and daughter. Even the old lady likes Panpan very much...

"Isn't this a happy occasion? Isn't it a good thing?"

After seeing that Chunnuan had finished reading, Seventh Master Zhou asked.

“It is indeed a joyous occasion.” Chunnuan felt a mix of emotions: “Ever since the Xiao family’s misfortune, the entire family has been torn apart, and my eldest sister has endured too much hardship alone in the capital.”

With no one to rely on and no one to depend on, and even though there was no way out, she still managed to carve out a bloody path by rolling iron nail boards.

"My elder sister must be the talk of the town again now, right?"

Physician Xiao was beheaded, the Xiao family was raided, the men were exiled and the women were sent back to Shu. Xiao Chunyu, who was six months pregnant, almost died during childbirth. She survived but was abandoned by her heartless lover. She appealed to the emperor but was ostracized by noble ladies in the capital. She lived alone with her daughter on the estate and was still plotted against by someone with ulterior motives. If it weren't for Xia Guangcheng, what a terrible thing would have happened...

Each and every incident, which appears as a story to outsiders, is known only to those within the group; each one nearly became an irreversible tragedy.

Such an elder sister would certainly be the subject of much discussion among people in Beijing.

Also, those in-laws who disappeared when the Xiao family had their troubles, shouldn't they all be rushing to curry favor with them now?
“Of course,” said Master Zhou. “When we went to the capital, we heard everyone talking about it, and that’s when we learned that Miss Xiao had received a favor from the Emperor. Isn’t that wonderful? Your Xiao family’s return to the capital is just around the corner.”

Should we go back to the capital?

Chun Nuan shook her head. Seventh Master Zhou's view on the issue was still too one-sided!
Going back to Beijing right now might not be a good thing!

There are some things she doesn't analyze with others; she just keeps them to herself.

"Miss Xiao, if you have any letters or correspondence to send to the capital, just send someone to find me. Oh, and if I'm not here, find Tang Liu." Master Zhou instructed, "Tang Liu, remember this, from now on you will be in charge of all the Xiao family's letters. Make sure they are delivered quickly and safely, and that there are no losses."

"Yes, Seventh Master."

Need I say more? In all his years of service, what he liked most was sending letters home from the Xiao family. Whether it was in the capital or Changzhou, there were many benefits. How could the speed not be fast and the safekeeping not be careful?

Master Zhou then chatted with Chunnuan about the situation in the capital.

"Rumor has it that the eldest prince encountered danger a few days ago, and the harem was ravaged by bloodshed."

Master Zhou sighed, "The imperial family is truly more treacherous than the martial world. The person who could take your life might not be someone else, but your own family member. It's impossible to guard against them all."

"After all, there can only be one position." Chun Nuan had long known that this day would come. Of course, the masters behind those who plotted to harm the eldest prince were different, but their goals were surprisingly the same.

"Yes, your brother-in-law, General Tang, seems to be on the First Prince's side."

Zhou Qiye's few words startled Chun Nuan. Taking sides so early was not a wise move. She didn't want her elder sister to get into a quagmire again. She would have to remind her in her future letters.

"That's not true. The general has always been loyal to the emperor." Regardless of whether it was true or not, Chunnuan denied it first: "Seventh Master is joking. But this must never be said to outsiders, as it will have a great impact."

"That's right, that's right. Don't worry, I only speak the truth to my own people." Master Zhou said, "From now on, we're all on the same side."

Spring Warmth: I don't believe you! Xiao Chunyu remarried, and the emperor personally bestowed the marriage upon her. She married Xia Guangcheng, the famous Huaiyuan General of the capital.

This news shocked everyone in the Xiao family.

"Nuan Nuan, is the information correct?"

Mrs. Xu could hardly believe her ears: her poor daughter had gotten such a good marriage.

She was also familiar with Xia Guangcheng; he was a highly sought-after son-in-law in the capital.

Suddenly, Xu remembered something.

"No, Nuannuan, your eldest sister is already married."

"Yes, the marriage was arranged by imperial decree."

Judging from my aunt's panicked appearance, she might not necessarily be dissatisfied with this marriage.

My elder sister said in her letter that she was very good, and that General Xia treated her and Panpan very well.

"Oh no, oh no!" Upon hearing that the marriage had already taken place, Madam Xu was completely bewildered. "Chunyu, my daughter, why is your life so miserable?" What?
What's the situation with my aunt?
The eldest sister, with Panpan by her side, remarried a great general, but her life was still miserable.
This is the dream that so many young ladies in the capital yearn for but cannot have.

My beautiful dream was abruptly shattered by my eldest sister, and my aunt is still sighing and complaining here. It's true that people's joys and sorrows are not shared.

"Sister-in-law, what are you worried about?"

Madam Xu also felt that something was wrong with her eldest sister-in-law. Why was Xi sighing and complaining about such a big thing?
"You may not know this, but what is the real reason why General Xia is so old and still unmarried?"

"What is it?"

Is there more to the story?
Chunnuan was shocked. Could it be what she was thinking?
The eldest sister, who is a remarried woman, feels that as long as she has a home, she doesn't care about anything else.
If that's the case, I'll have to take General Xia's pulse and prescribe some medicine to help him recover. My elder sister has already suffered enough; we can't let her fall into another pit. God is so unfair!

"A wife-killer." This was a secret kept closely guarded in the capital, a secret known even to the matriarchs of prominent families.

Wife-killing?

Upon hearing this news, both Madam Xu and Madam Huang became anxious.

"That Chunyu, she..."

"Aunt, Mother, Third Aunt, the claim that you are cursed to be widowed is completely unfounded."

Hearing this news, Chunnuan breathed a huge sigh of relief. Thank goodness, she didn't need to intervene. After all, it was quite embarrassing for her sister-in-law to investigate her brother-in-law's... kind of problems.

“Aunt, you should know that there are many sordid affairs in the inner courtyards of high-ranking families that outsiders are unaware of. As for the matter of General Xia being cursed to be a wife, it is nothing more than a rumor spread by some people.”

These people's thoughts are understandable; if she can't have it, she doesn't want others to have it either.

The more people spread the story, the more exaggerated it became, until those who were afraid of death hesitated. The concubine's daughters, who were not afraid of death but were not qualified to rush forward, ended up being the eldest sister who got the benefits.

Chunnuan felt that she had grasped the truth of the matter.

After the explanation, Mrs. Xu felt a little relieved.

“Aunt, you really don’t need to worry,” Chunnuan said. “Even if this matter is fabricated, with the Emperor personally bestowing the marriage, which family would dare to object?”

"That's true. Sigh, I just hope Chunyu can live a good life and raise Panpan well. I just hope she stays safe and sound."

A mother asks for nothing more than this one thing.

"Don't worry, Aunt. My eldest sister's hard times are over, and things will only get better and better."

Chunnuan remembered something: Zhou Qi said that Xia Guangcheng was sent by the First Prince, and that he would have to take action if necessary.

"The matriarch of the Xia family is not an easy person to get along with."

Spring is here... What happened to not worrying?

When will my aunt's anxiety end?

"Aunt, my eldest sister said in her letter that Panpan is very much liked by the old lady."

"Your eldest sister only reports good news and never bad news."

Chunnuan understood this as well. Perhaps her eldest sister was indeed lying in order to keep them from worrying.

At the Xia residence, the old lady got up and asked, "Where is Panpan?"

"Madam, it's still early, Miss hasn't gotten up yet."

The maids serving her were quite amusing. As the saying goes, "one thing subdues another," and the old lady had initially been somewhat resistant to this marriage because she disliked that the lady was divorced by the Wu family and had a daughter with her.

Who knew that the adorable young lady would win over the Xia family the moment she entered their home?

The little girl smiled at everyone she met, calling the old lady "Grandma" repeatedly, which made her very happy.

It is no exaggeration to say that Miss Panpan's status in the Xia family is almost on par with that of the old lady.

Aside from sleeping, the old lady always had to see the young lady.

I miss him terribly if we don't see each other for even a moment.

"That child is so well-behaved." Grandma Xia herself didn't realize that her face was full of smiles as she said this: "I've never seen a child as well-behaved as our Panpan. By the way, Aunt Liu, isn't it the Minister's family's banquet tomorrow?"

"Yes, Madam, the Minister's family is marrying off their daughter."

"Go and tell Madam that she should bring Panpan with her tomorrow."

"Yes."

Aunt Liu was secretly amazed. Before, when the general had taken a liking to Miss Xiao next door in the manor, the old lady was furious and cursed Xiao Chunyu as a vixen who was trying to ruin her son's reputation...

No one knows what the general and the old lady said, but the old lady immediately relented.

After receiving the emperor's decree, she began preparing for the wedding diligently, without the slightest delay.

When the newlyweds entered the house, the old lady presented them with a family heirloom bracelet during the tea ceremony.

He was also kind and gentle to the new wife, and he was especially fond of Miss Panpan, taking her everywhere he went.

Aunt Liu went to Xinyuyuan to inform Xiao Chunyu about the banquet to be held the next day, and Xiao Chunyu was taken aback.

"Don't you want to go?"

Xia Guangcheng noticed the hesitation on her face.

“I am still observing mourning for my grandfather, let alone…”

The previous incident caused people in Beijing's high society to distance themselves from her, and she hasn't appeared in public for two years.

It's not that I'm afraid of anything, but I don't want to become the focus of people's discussion.

Over the past two years, she has come to understand one thing: life is what you live, and it's quite nice to live a quiet life behind closed doors.

In Xiao Chunyu's view, the so-called relatives and friends, and the so-called social interactions, were all unnecessary.

All she wanted was to live a good life with her daughter.

Xiao Chunyu was not averse to Xia Guangcheng, who had suddenly barged in, and she had no way to refuse the Emperor's bestowed marriage. However, she did not expect that her married life would be so harmonious, and even the picky old lady stopped making things difficult for her.

Upon entering the general's mansion, the household affairs were handed over to her.

This greatly surprised Xiao Chunyu.

You see, the Huaiyuan General's mansion possessed far more wealth than the Wu family's, yet the Wu family guarded their meager possessions with utmost care. That's just how people are; some are extremely wary of you, afraid you'll take even a small piece of their wealth; others are incredibly generous, genuinely afraid you won't use their money. That's probably the difference between liking and disliking.

People who like you pay attention to your emotional changes at all times.

Xia Guangcheng noticed the moment she showed any sign of not wanting to attend the banquet.

"Fine, if you don't want to go, then don't go." Xia Guangcheng waved his hand, signaling the servants to leave.

As soon as the servants left, Xia Guangcheng pulled her into his arms.

Xiao Chunyu... This man is really becoming more and more shameless.

"General..."

"You called it wrong, start over."

"Husband."

"That's right." Xia Guangcheng's lips curled up slightly: "You married me to enjoy life. You don't need to accommodate anyone. You don't have to feel wronged, not even at your mother's place. You can go if you want, and you don't have to go if you don't want to. You are my wife, and no one can force you."

Is it really that capricious?
Looking at the determination in the man's eyes, Xiao Chunyu felt particularly satisfied: This is a responsible man!
Unfortunately, she could not bear him children.

When he proposed, I made it clear that I would marry him anyway, saying that I was marrying a wife, not the mother of my child, and that we already had a child, Panpan. Nothing else mattered.

Xiao Chunyu disagreed, and when he pressed her, she said that she was also unable to have children.

That's great! Two people who can no longer have children have come together, and having Panpan seems to make their lives truly complete.

After their marriage, he protected her, pampered her, and doted on her. Everyone in the general's mansion truly treated her as the mistress of the house.

This is something that the Wu family cannot compare to at all.

It must be said that the General's Mansion had strict family rules, and the servants were definitely not like the Wu family, who were all disorganized, cunning, and even betraying their masters for personal gain...

"You're not in good health, so please rest more. I'll talk to your mother."

"is this okay?"

"What's wrong with that?" Xia Guangcheng said, "I cherish my own wife. If I don't care about you, who will?"

Besides, if anyone dares to hurt him, he'll break their legs!
Xia Guangcheng carried the person to the bed and cuddled with him for a while before calming himself down and going to his mother's courtyard.

"Where is your wife?"

“Mother, Yu’er is frail and has to manage the household affairs. Please don’t take her out for social events anymore; it will tire her out.”

"You..." The old lady laughed in exasperation: "If you don't tire her out, who will? Your daughter-in-law is your own, so go ahead and make her suffer. If she gets exhausted, it's all your fault."

“Mother…” Xia Guangcheng’s face turned as red as a boiled shrimp. How could she say that?

"I know you're thirty and only just starting your virginity, but you should still be careful not to exhaust your wife. You should take care of your own wife." The old lady said, "Never mind, I won't take her tomorrow, I'll just take Panpan."

"Mother, Panpan is still young, and you are getting old..."

"Don't give me that crap. I didn't have a daughter-in-law or a granddaughter, fine. But now that I do, you're protecting your daughter-in-law and won't let me take care of her, and you won't let me take care of my granddaughter either? Aren't you going a bit too far?"

Xia Guangcheng... My mother is so willful; she wants to take Panpan out to show her off.

“Mother, you can take them. I’ll arrange for people to protect you.”

"Okay, you can make the arrangements. It doesn't matter if I'm by my side, but Panpan must have two reliable and capable people by her side."

"Yes, mother."

Zhizhi was speechless. How could someone make such a huge mess? She copied and pasted again! She'll go write three thousand words to replace it now. You can call Zhizhi stupid, everyone.

(End of this chapter)