Magistrate Li entered the house, and Old Lady Zhong sat on the couch, her smiling eyes narrowed into a slit, gesturing for Magistrate Li to sit down. "This time you went to Hangzhou City, theres something big that happened that you didnt tell me?"

  "Whats the big joy about." County Magistrate Li thought she was talking about Shan Ge going to accompany Wang Ye to read, trying to appear calm and composed, but the joyful air couldnt be suppressed no matter what, overflowing in all directions.

  "You were raised by me with a single wipe of my buttocks and a single pull of my pants, how could I not know you? Look at your excited expression, such a big happy event, why didnt you tell me?" As soon as she saw the look on County Magistrate Lis face, Old Lady Zhong was immediately convinced, her excitement mixed with a lot of annoyance.

  He actually dared to deceive her too! First, it was that box of silk, and then this big thing, who knows if theres anything else... The more Old Lady Zhong thought about it, the more annoyed she became. In Taiyuan Prefecture, he wouldnt have dared to do such a thing! She should have bitten her teeth back then and not let him become the county magistrate. Indeed, once he got into office, he changed... And also, she hadnt expected that the eldest son of the prefecture would be in Jiangning Prefecture...

  "Old lady, actually this matter... isnt really a happy event..." County Magistrate Li suppressed his joy and thought vaguely about how to explain it away.

  Before County Magistrate Li could think of a way to gloss over the situation, Old Lady Zhongs face turned gloomy as she began to scold: "Have you told your wife about this? Even Ninth Sister-in-law knows about it, but Im the only one being kept in the dark. Is that what you mean? Or is it what your wife means? I knew it from the moment those clothes were taken out of the trunk. Now that youve become successful and risen to office, you think youre above me? Youre looking down on me because Im old? Because I was once a slave?"

  Old Mrs. Zhong said as she burst into tears.

  Magistrate Li hastily said, "Not even you... Old lady, what are you saying? Without the old lady, there would be no me, no this family... Old lady..."

  "From the moment you insisted on becoming an official, I knew... " Old Lady Zhong wiped away tears one by one. "Im afraid for you, youre a fool, and you havent suffered enough at the hands of others yet! Ah? Others have become high officials, do you think you can win them over with just a proud face and sacrificing your wife and children? Do they look up to you? Look up to this illegitimate child born of a slave? How could you not weigh the pros and cons? How could you do something so shameless? Tell me! Didnt you become an official just to spite that wicked person? Ah? Wheres your backbone? How can you be so spineless... "

  "Old lady, no... Im not... really didnt know, it was only when we arrived at Jiangning Prefecture that day that I found out, he had someone invite me..." County Magistrate Li was so anxious that he stuttered a bit, he really hadnt.

  "He lets you be called? He calls you and you go? Are you a dog? Youre not even as good as a dog in his eyes! Called to go, you go, youre not even as good as a dog!" Old Lady Zhong spat a faceful of saliva at County Magistrate Li.

  "It was my fault, old lady, please calm down, it was my fault, I..." County Magistrate Li knelt down with a thud and admitted his mistake, just like every other time, the explanation was unclear, but he was at fault.

  "You know you were wrong." Old Lady Zhong took a long breath, seeming to calm down a bit. "Alright, this marriage, you didnt keep it from me, now I know about it. Ill take charge of this matter! This is a good match, this is Dongnis good fortune!"

  "Marriage?" County Magistrate Li was shocked, "What marriage..."

  "Youre really good at pretending, I know everything clearly." Old Lady Zhong looked down on County Magistrate Li with a slant, "Youve accepted all the betrothal gifts from Wang Tongzhi..."

  "Old lady, Wang Tongzhi has had a wife and children for a long time..." County Magistrate Li was so angry that he couldnt help but laugh.

  "You have a wife and children? You really dare to fantasize." Old Lady Zhong sneered, "First think about your own background! Any family with some dignity would not marry into our kind of illegitimate family. As for Dongnis marriage, if youre being urged by your wife to have a proper wedding, Im telling you that youll have to look among the lower classes! Dongni has been spoiled by you people, how do you expect her to live?"

  "Old lady, its not..."

  "Isnt it? You think youve become a high-ranking official, and youre above the law? Youre just an official now? And Dongni is an officials daughter, right? You really dare to think like that! Which family doesnt consider three generations when marrying off their children? No need to consider three generations, just look at your mothers head, she was a slave, a slave!" Old Lady Zhong continued to spit on County Magistrate Lis face.

  "Ive heard that Wang Tongzhis family is extremely wealthy, and hes already a fourth-rank official at such a young age. What great prospects lie ahead? His life is really enviable, his sister is beautiful, and Dongni will definitely like her. And his wife comes from a merchant background... Im telling you, after Dongni enters the mansion, shell give birth to sons within a year or two, and whats this about being a wife or concubine..."

  "Old lady, dont say that!" Mr. Li stood up with a huff, at this moment he was really furious, without the old lady there would be no him, the old lady could make him do whatever she wanted, but if she let his daughter become someones concubine, he would rather die than agree!

  "Old lady, you can do whatever you want, but Winter and Xia, no matter what, cannot be given to someone as a concubine, even if I die..."

  "Are you talking to me? How dare you say such a thing to me? Back then, I protected you day and night... I risked my life..." Old Lady Zhong burst into tears.

  "Old lady, its my fault. I was a bit hasty just now and shouldnt have spoken to you like that..." County Magistrate Li immediately softened up, spoke in a low and humble tone for a few sentences, then couldnt continue, only hanging his head in shame standing before Old Lady Zhong.

  "…Id rather be a rich mans concubine than a poor mans wife! Ive lived for so many years, what havent I been through or seen? In that evil den of the Bo household, I risked my life to protect you as you grew up. Ive been through and seen too much, let me tell you..."

  "Old lady! No matter what, even if I die, I wont let Dong Jie and A Xia become concubines to anyone! Its absolutely not allowed!" Magistrate Lis voice was low, but extremely firm. This was his bottom line, his children were his bottom line.

  Old Mrs. Zhong stopped crying, staring at Magistrate Li, who hung his head low and remained silent and still. After a while, Old Mrs. Zhong slapped her thigh with both hands and burst into loud wailing.

  Li Xia heard this, tiptoed and held her breath to run out for dozens of feet, turned back to glance at the upper house in the center of the backyard, happily spun around a few times, and skipped away.

  She knew how to deal with her father and this old lady.

  County Magistrate Li returned to the front hall not long after, and Old Lady Zhong fell ill. Mrs. Xu hastily sent someone to invite a doctor, and brought Li Dong over in a hurry to ask after her and attend to her.

  At dinner time, County Magistrate Li was in a bad mood. Li Xia would occasionally glance at him, and Li Wenshan would glance at Li Xia before looking at his father again. His father didnt seem happy; was it related to Ah Xia?

  Li Dong handed over a steaming bowl to Magistrate Li, "This is ginseng old chicken soup, stewed in steam for three or four hours. Father has been working too hard these days."

  Complete works txt download, full text free, e-book, remember 77 reading books