Side Story Three
Zhao Village.
In the early sumr evening, a gentle breeze blew. Many villagers returned ho from working in the fields, carrying hoes and shovels, chatting and laughing, their faces filled with happy smiles.
Walking into the street, one could see many farmwives sitting together, casually chatting about their daily lives.
"Life is getting more and more promising now, HA HA."
"Who says it isn't? After selling those big fat pigs from our farm this year, we'll be able to build another tile-roofed house and find a wife for my son. Life is truly getting better and better."
"Say, Shi Tou's wife, your family must have made a lot of money, right? Your family was one of the first to start working with the Dong Family."
"Not at all, it's about the sa as everyone else. We have a large family, so our expenses are high too..."
As they were chatting, a woman in ragged clothes suddenly approached from a distance. The villagers assud she was a beggar who had co to their village for food and didn't pay her much mind. However, after listening to their conversation for a while, the woman suddenly walked over and interjected, "The Zhao Dong family you're talking about, where do they live now?"
The won on the street looked at this woman, thinking she had heard about their village's affairs and ca to inquire about the interesting news. A proud expression couldn't help but appear on their faces.
One of them said, "You're looking for Zhao Dong? They don't live in the village anymore. The whole family moved to Capital City. Only their estate is still here."
"Capital City? Then... then what about the other mbers of the Zhao Family?" the woman asked again.
The chatty won, having nothing much to do, answered the woman's questions.
"Other Zhao Family mbers? The eldest and second branches of the Zhao Family are no longer in the Zhao family registry. As for the third and fourth sons of the main family, they were driven out of the village by the village chief long ago for committing offenses."
The woman's eyes widened, and she asked eagerly, "Then... then what about the two sons of the eldest branch's family?"
Another woman said, "The two sons and the daughter of the eldest branch? They are all with Zhao Dong's family now. And let tell you, every one of them is very successful!"
A nearby woman excitedly interjected, "More than just successful, they're incredibly successful! The older of the two sons is now an imperial rchant. The fruits eaten by the nobles in the Imperial Palace are all supplied by his family."
"The younger son is even more remarkable; he's now a highly esteed general by the emperor's side! And the young girl is also doing incredibly well. I heard she runs a silk emporium in so province, and the nobles in Capital City buy their clothes from her."
The won chattered excitedly, not noticing the light in the ragged woman's eyes or the surprise on her face. Once the won ntioned that both sons were now in Capital City, the ragged woman turned and hurried towards the village outskirts.
"Hey, that woman is really strange. Why was she asking about Zhao Dong's family? She seed very concerned about the Dong Family's two sons, didn't she?"
"Yes, it's really strange. The Dong Family wouldn't have such poor relatives, would they?"
"They shouldn't. Oh, wait! Don't you think that woman looked a bit familiar? How co she looked so much like Zhao Yu and Zhao Cheng's unreliable biological mother, Miss Zhu!"
"Heavens! Now that you say it, she really does look like her! She was just too dirty and disheveled; I didn't recognize her at all!"
"She wouldn't be going to find Zhao Yu and Zhao Cheng, would she? That heartless mother! She abandoned her own children, took everything, and ran off with another man, completely disregarding whether her children lived or died. Now that she's heard her children are successful, she wants to co back? How utterly shaless!"
「Capital City, at the entrance of the Zhao Residence.」
A woman in ragged clothes was wailing and creating a scene at the entrance.
"Heavens, a curse on them! Everyone, co and see! General Qian Niuwei Zhao Yu, that unfilial son! Now that he's successful, he refuses to acknowledge , his own mother!"
"SOB SOB SOB! Why is my life so bitter? I painstakingly raised you, tending to your every need, through thick and thin! Now that you're all successful, one a general, the other a great rchant, you refuse to acknowledge your poor mother!"
"Oh, heavens! Why is my life so hard? SOB SOB SOB!"
So many years had passed, but Miss Zhu's loud voice hadn't changed a bit. She sat on the ground, shouting and wailing. The bodyguards at the gate could only sternly tell her to leave, but they dared not harm her. Consequently, Miss Zhu yelled with even more self-righteousness. Soon, she attracted a crowd of onlookers, who gathered around, pointing and murmuring.
"What's happening? General Zhao's mother? Isn't General Zhao's mother Mrs. Sun, Zhao Dong's wife?"
"That's right. Where did this mother suddenly appear from?"
"Could she be so concubine or the like? Kicked out for so reason?"
The surrounding people discussed this animatedly, and Miss Zhu's cries grew even louder.
"A curse on them! My children's father died young, leaving , a widow, to raise three children all by myself, toiling for half my life! That vile woman, Mrs. Sun, couldn't bear sons herself, so she snatched mine and drove out of the house! Why is my life so wretched? Oh, my husband, I have failed you!"
Miss Zhu was spouting utter nonsense, shouting and screaming. However, the onlookers didn't know whether she was telling the truth or lying, and many were skeptical. Nevertheless, with all this clamor, Miss Zhu had managed to significantly tarnish Zhao Yu and Zhao Cheng's reputations.
「anwhile, in the Zhao Clan House, the atmosphere was heavy.」
Sun i was furious. "This filthy hag! She doesn't consider her children in the slightest! How can there be such a mother in this world!" I want to rush out right now, have soone beat that shaless scoundrel Miss Zhu, and throw her out of Capital City! However, she was, after all, Zhao Yu and his siblings' biological mother. This matter still depended on the wishes of Zhao Yu and his siblings.
At this mont, Zhao Yu was already in his room, fuming.
"She actually has the gall to say she raised , tending to my every need! How can she be so..." He wanted to curse Miss Zhu, but she was, after all, the one who gave birth to him. He forcibly swallowed his abusive words and said, "She wasn't the one who raised us! It was Uncle and Aunt!"
"I've never seen such a mother! She was the one who abandoned us back then, and now she's the one who cos back shalessly!"
"She even dares to slander Uncle and Aunt! I'm furious! She can curse , but she cannot sling mud at Uncle and Aunt! I'm going out now to have soone drive her away!"
Liu Baixue patiently consoled him, "My dear husband, don't be rash. She's outside shouting at the top of her lungs. If you go out and drive her away now, you'll just be confirming her claims. Your current status is sensitive; you can't afford to be careless in the slightest."
"With her making such a scene, countless people have likely heard her. Those onlookers don't care whether it's true or false; you and your siblings will inevitably be branded as unfilial."
Zhao Yu grew increasingly angry. "Then what do you suggest we do? Just let her stand at the gate slandering us?"
Zhao Yu was so furious because he and his elder brother had already t Miss Zhu a few days prior. Although they felt no affection for this biological mother, she was, after all, the one who had given birth to them. The current emperor places great importance on filial piety. That single word, "filial," could crush a person. The two brothers hadn't said they wouldn't acknowledge this biological mother. However, there was a condition: she was not to appear before their aunt and uncle or cause them any trouble. Therefore, after so discussion, the two of them had arranged for a house and land in the countryside for her, provided her with a few servants, and intended for her to live out her days there in retirent.
Reviews
All reviews (0)