novelraw Chapter 471 - 0446: The County Magistrate’s Family’s Happy Occasion (3)
Chapter 471 - 0446: The County Magistrate’s Family’s Happy Occasion (3)
Bitao and Lily also saw it.
The two maids had never seen so much money and valuables before, both were startled and widened their eyes, "Miss..."
Has their young lady struck it rich?
When Fifth Miss Zhao got married, her dowry was only three thousand taels and a shop, with fifty carriages of trousseau.
The dowry of other young ladies was twice that of her young lady.
After Fifth Miss Zhao was dismissed, all those dowry items were taken back by the eldest madam.
Later, when they sued the Qian family, the money compensated by the Qian family was also taken by the eldest madam.
Apart from the reputation of being a dismissed wife, their young lady got nothing.
Yet the eldest madam gained nine thousand taels of silver for nothing.
However, outsiders were spreading rumors that the money compensated by the Zhao family ended up in their young lady’s pocket, saying she turned misfortune into fortune.
Some sour people even said that if Fifth Miss Zhao remarried a few more men and got compensated a few more times, she could become the richest person in the county.
The maids heard these words but didn’t dare to tell Fifth Miss Zhao, who just recovered a bit from her illness, how could she handle more agitation and possibly attempt to drown herself again?
Fifth Miss Zhao closed the copper box lid, saying to her maids Lily and Bitao, "From here to the old residence is ten miles. The old madam must be tired from the long bumpy ride. Once she gets off the carriage, you all should prepare the bed immediately so she can rest."
The two maids replied in unison, "Don’t worry, Miss, we will arrange it well."
The old madam gave such a large amount of wealth to their young lady, so even if the young lady doesn’t instruct them, they will take good care of the old madam.
Fifth Miss Zhao looked at Old Mrs. Zhao and sighed in her heart. The family connived against each other, each plotting and scheming, just to find the fifty thousand taels of silver the old madam supposedly lost.
The whole family was in a huge uproar.
Even the two aunts who had been married off for decades came back to coax and question the old madam about where the silver was.
The old madam sometimes said there was silver, sometimes said there wasn’t.
Several months had passed, and no one had found the silver. They all thought the old madam was confused and mistaken, that there never was any silver to begin with.
But no one expected that the old madam had given the silver to her.
Let those who neglected her and the old madam be envious and regretful now.
.
Before long, the carriage stopped in front of an old house.
The house was at the easternmost part of a village by the river.
The two servants guarding the gate had received the news early. They had cleaned up around the house and opened the big doors to welcome them.
Li Yuzhu stepped off the carriage, surveying the surroundings. She found that it was a tranquil village, close to the county town, nestled beside the mountains and rivers, very suitable for resting and living.
Li Yuzhu, accompanied by Sister-in-law Chai, helped Fifth Miss Zhao settle the old madam. Then she prescribed some medicine for Fifth Miss Zhao before leaving.
On her way back to town, Li Yuzhu was peering out to enjoy the scenery when someone in a passing mule cart called out to her, "Miss Li, is that Miss Li?"
The voice was very familiar. Li Yuzhu looked carefully and found that it was Aunt Qing, the concubine from the County Magistrate’s mansion, who was calling her.
Aunt Qing waved to Li Yuzhu, smiling, "Ah, it really is Miss Li."
She smiled and stepped down from the mule cart.
Li Yuzhu also got off her cart.
"What are you doing here? Where are you going?" Li Yuzhu glanced at her mule cart and asked with a smile.
The curtains of the mule cart were lifted by someone, allowing Li Yuzhu to see the little maid sitting inside with Aunt Qing.
Besides this little maid, there were several large and small packages inside the cart.
"I talked to the lord, and he agreed to let me go, so I am now a free person," Aunt Qing replied with a smile.
While speaking, Aunt Qing’s face was full of joy.
Free person?
Li Yuzhu was very surprised.
She sized up Aunt Qing, and indeed, Aunt Qing’s attire today was very plain; she wore only a silver hairpin and a pair of very small silver earrings.
Back in the County Magistrate’s Mansion, although Aunt Qing also dressed plainly, she was after all the woman of the County Magistrate. Dressing too poorly would be a disgrace to him, so although not luxurious, her clothes and jewelry were necessarily expensive.
Her current appearance was only slightly more presentable than that of common townswomen, even less ostentatious than the housekeeper’s wives of the Zhao family.
"Why did you decide to leave? Did the lord or the lady treat you badly?" Li Yuzhu asked.
In those days, some girls from poor families, unable to marry into wealth, would become concubines of wealthy men.
For example, that Miss Qian, Yue, who wants to climb up the ranks.
Aunt Qing shook her head, "It’s not like that, it’s my own decision to leave. I don’t want to be a concubine, I want a life of one husband and one wife. The madam and the lord have been very kind to me. When I left, the madam gave me some silver coins as dowry and also let me take Lili and all my former clothes and jewelry, and sent me off with a mule cart."
So that’s how it is, this Aunt Qing is quite open-minded.
"Miss Li, my maiden name is Qing, and my nickname is Yingzi. You can call me Miss Qing or Ying Niang, don’t call me Aunt Qing anymore, I’m no longer an aunt." Aunt Qing added.
Li Yuzhu said, "Alright, Miss Qing." She then asked, "By the way, where do you plan to go now? You’re only taking a little maid with you and you have all this luggage, aren’t you worried about safety?"
Miss Qing smiled and said, "I’m going to find a distant relative who lives in a nearby village. When I was leaving, the lord wrote a handwritten letter for me, instructing me to show it to the local Pavilion Chief or village chief, saying that I wouldn’t be bullied or looked down upon there."
The county magistrate made thorough arrangements.
As long as Miss Qing doesn’t leave Qingyang County, she will be protected by the county magistrate.
After all, having lived together, the county magistrate is a man who remembers sentiments.
"In that case, I’m relieved, Miss Qing, take care." Li Yuzhu grasped her hand.
Miss Qing waved to Li Yuzhu, got into the mule cart, shook the reins, and the mule began to move forward again.
Li Yuzhu watched her depart before getting into the carriage herself.
Sister-in-law Chai said, "Was that the county magistrate’s concubine, Aunt Qing?"
Li Yuzhu said, "She is no longer an aunt. She is Miss Qing."
Sister-in-law Chai laughed, "Yes, she is Miss Qing, but she really has an open mind, not willing to remain as the county magistrate’s concubine and choosing to live in the countryside."
Li Yuzhu said, "Everyone has their own aspirations. I think by doing this, she might find happiness, who knows. Isn’t there a saying, ’Better to be a wife in a humble family than a concubine in a wealthy one’? There are many rules in a grand household, and those who love freedom cannot get used to it."
Sister-in-law Chai said, "Miss Qing’s decision is admirable, unlike that Yue from the Qian family!"
When mentioning Miss Qian Yue, Sister-in-law Chai snorted disdainfully.
Li Yuzhu laughed, "She’s probably regretting it bitterly now."
"Sadly, there is no medicine for regret in this world. Let her regret it for the rest of her life!" Sister-in-law Chai let out a cold laugh, "Made our Fifth Cousin get mocked, I surely won’t sympathize with her, serves her right!"
Li Yuzhu also did not feel sympathy, she indeed deserved it.
.
Li Yuzhu and Sister-in-law Chai returned to the shop in the city. The boy who was driving had just parked the carriage when Li Lixing, standing in front of the Li family’s sibling’s shop, quickly ran towards their carriage.
"Li Yuzhu, why did you take so long? I’m worried sick, hurry and come down, quick, quick!" Li Lixing was jumping anxiously outside the carriage.
Li Yuzhu amusedly asked, "What’s the matter? Why are you so anxious?"
Sister-in-law Chai got off the carriage first and lifted the curtain to help Li Yuzhu down. She explained to Li Lixing, "Oh, we accompanied my cousin to a village ten miles away, so it took a while."
Li Lixing said, "My mother is ill, she’s been vomiting badly. Li Yuzhu, you must come back with me to check on her."
Li Yuzhu’s expression changed slightly, "Vomiting? Did she eat anything? Did she catch a cold?"
Li Lixing waved his sleeves anxiously, "How would I know? She’s just vomiting, her face is as pale as a sheet, and my father was so scared he urged me to find you. I came here on horseback, my ears are red from the wind."
"Your mother is vomiting until her face is pale, and your ears getting cold is a problem? You ungrateful child!" Li Xing’an scolded him coldly with hands on hips.
Li Lixing grumbled, "I wasn’t complaining, I was just saying that I came quickly by riding a horse instead of a carriage."
Li Yuzhu said, "Then there is no time to lose. I’ll go see the county magistrate’s wife." But soon enough she was dumbfounded; she couldn’t ride a horse!
Going by carriage would be too slow.
Mu Yuanxiu led Li Lixing’s horse over, reached out, and helped Li Yuzhu onto the horse’s back, "Hold on tight."
Before Li Xing’an could complain, and while Li Lixing was staring in shock, Mu Yuanxiu had already ridden the horse off with Li Yuzhu.
Li Lixing stomped his foot, "Mu Yuanxiu, you rode off with my horse, how am I supposed to get back?"
Sister-in-law Chai’s young worker had not yet dismantled the carriage’s stand, so Sister-in-law Chai said, "Don’t worry, just ride in my carriage. Pulling out the mule cart would be slow anyway, my carriage is all set."
"Thank you, Sister-in-law Chai." Li Xing’an pushed Li Lixing into the carriage and hurriedly drove the carriage to catch up with Mu Yuanxiu and Li Yuzhu.
.
When Li Yuzhu and Mu Yuanxiu arrived at the County Magistrate Mansion, the horse had just stopped when Li Yuzhu hurriedly ran into the inner residence of the county magistrate’s wife.
She saw that in the bedroom, the county magistrate’s wife was lying on a couch, looking exhausted.
The county magistrate was anxiously pacing in circles.
But the county magistrate’s wife nonchalantly chided him, "I’m fine, why are you so worried?"
"Why not be worried? You vomited all the fish balls you ate just now, your face is as pale as can be." The county magistrate stomped his foot in anxiety.
Li Yuzhu hurriedly greeted them, without waiting to inquire further, immediately went to check the county magistrate’s wife’s pulse. After a moment, she joyfully exclaimed, "The madam is not ill, she is expecting!"