Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity
Chapter 23 - 20: Rumors

Chapter 23: Chapter 20: Rumors

Just as the conversation was happening in the west wing, the east wing wasn’t idle either. Over here, Mrs. Fang’s mother, Li, was chatting intimately with her daughter.

"Mom, you haven’t visited me for a long time. Is everything okay at home? Is little brother’s health alright?" Mrs. Fang was also emotional seeing her mother after such a long time.

"Everything is fine! Your brother is hardly needing any medicine now. When your father passed, I was pregnant with your little brother, otherwise, how could your brother’s health be so poor? It even dragged you sisters down."

"What are you saying, Mom? Once little brother recovers, marries, and has kids, you can finally relax." Mrs. Fang quickly tried to comfort her mother. Over the years, her mother had worried a lot about them, leaving her hair half-white.

"My daughter, I’ve let you down. I know you’ve had a tough time these past years, but I had no choice. You know you only have two sisters. Your eldest sister is also having a hard life, and while your youngest sister is doing somewhat okay, she constantly supports our family and her mother-in-law is already dissatisfied. Your younger brother Huai Shan is still small. If our family wasn’t in such dire straits back then, I wouldn’t have agreed to marry you into the Gu family for the betrothal gift. Now, you’ve been wronged, and I dare not defend you with your brother still small. My poor Er Ya, you’ve suffered all these years." Li held Mrs. Fang’s hand, looking at her daughter’s increasingly aged face over the years, her heart filled with guilt. If it wasn’t for the Gu family’s bride price back then, they wouldn’t be in a position where they can’t even raise their heads.

"Mom." Mrs. Fang also couldn’t hold back her sorrow. When her father passed away early, her eldest sister already had a marriage arranged. When it was her turn, Gu Chengli from the Gu family happened to be seeking a bride. Everyone knew a few years ago the old Mr. Gu remarried a young and beautiful stepwife. Gu Chengli was eleven when she joined the family, not much older than him. Being young, she was bound to have her own children. The Gu family isn’t particularly wealthy, just ordinary farmers. If more siblings came along, with Mr. Gu being old, wouldn’t they rely on the eldest and second sons for support? With the parents around, they wouldn’t split the family, meaning the younger ones would depend on the two brothers. And with the stepmother being unrelated, would she care for the children of the previous wife?

That’s why at the time, it wasn’t smooth going for Gu Chengli to find a match, failing attempts in two villages. Gu Chengli was honest and hardworking, but being too honest isn’t good, especially in such a special family.

Just then, Li had the matchmaker approach for the second daughter, as the family was so poor they couldn’t put food on the table. With so many mouths to feed, and although the eldest daughter was just married off, she married an equally poor farm family as ours, with the betrothal gift already discussed and not much.

"When the Gu family came to propose, I was also hesitant, but your little brother was ill and we had no money for medicine, not even food to eat at home. My daughter, don’t blame me but I had no other way. If there was any other choice, I wouldn’t have taken that step. I know back then I asked for twenty pounds of black flour and five hundred coins, and your mother-in-law disagreed. I thought if she disagreed, then fine. I couldn’t bear to part with you anyway. At worst, we all starve to death and join your late father earlier. But who knew your father-in-law agreed, once the words were out, there was no way out. I couldn’t watch your brother die, right?" Mrs. Fang Li wiped her tears with her sleeve. "All these years, your mother-in-law has given you a hard time over this matter, always finding you displeasing. I know this, so I didn’t dare come see you easily. Seeing you today, why have you grown so thin? My poor daughter!"

The two held each other and cried bitterly for a while before Mrs. Fang stopped her tears. "Mom, let’s not cry. Though life is hard, the father of my children treats me alright. He’s honest, sincere. These years have passed by, and once the kids grow up, things will get better." Having cried, Mrs. Fang felt somewhat relieved. Gu Chengli was honest and dull, usually, Mrs. Fang handled everything herself, feeling life lacked hope, taking each day as it comes. Thinking of these things, her eyes lost their sparkle again.

Li, seeing her daughter’s expression, could only sigh. It’s hard to say if the second daughter will ever have a good life, it’s all fate! Why is the fate of our mother and daughter so tough? The eldest daughter, though she has a mother-in-law, her husband is the eldest son, so she won’t suffer too much later. The youngest daughter has few brothers, plenty of land, and even if they split the family, they won’t live badly. But this second daughter, with a mother-in-law who isn’t related, too many brothers, and the younger ones still small. Alas!

After chatting for a while, Mrs. Fang remembered the relatives were still there, so she needed to go cook. She told Li to rest in the room. Li wanted to help, but Mrs. Fang stopped her, calling the eldest son to accompany the mother in the room while she went to the kitchen to prepare food.

Meanwhile, Gu Chengyu took a rest inside for a while when Mr. Gu came in. Gu Chengyu heard his father talk to Mrs. Gu. "Dear, recently there’s been talk around the village about a monk coming to our house. What should we do? Doctor Li was there at the time, and I forgot to tell him not to spread it around." Mr. Gu mentioned this with worry, creasing his brows and pacing around the room with his hands behind his back.

"Let them talk! It’s not like it’s a bad thing." Mrs. Lv said indifferently from the bed, glancing at the worried Mr. Gu. She had her own thoughts about this but it wasn’t the time to share them yet.

"With talk of a monk, they’ll surely talk about the jade. People don’t know the jade is broken. Even if they did, who knows if someone might still covet it? You know the jade is inside Xiao Bao and can’t be taken out. It’s not the thief who scares me, but those with ill intent. And if a well-connected family wants to see the jade, do you let them? If not, they’ll say we’re stingy. If we do, we can’t take it out." Mr. Gu felt the jade was a troublesome matter.

"What’s there to worry about? Let them talk. Say the jade is a precious item, and showing it everywhere might damage it. The jade was nearly broken to begin with. Besides, have you seen anyone flaunting their treasures to others? The Zhao family’s got plenty of treasures in the village, and you don’t see him flaunting them, do you?" Mrs. Lv rolled her eyes at Mr. Gu, thinking him foolish.

Mr. Gu pondered and agreed. Who would flaunt their family’s wealth? Those people just take advantage of his good nature.

Gu Chengyu was speechless. If this were the peaceful times of his past life, no one would bother with such things. But in ancient times, gossip was rampant. Any minor issue in a household quickly spread everywhere, likely due to idle minds. He hoped the family would stay alert for the next few days to avoid attracting thieves.

As Gu Chengyu heard Mr. Gu and Mrs. Lv discuss how to guard against thieves at night, he realized it was none of his business and decided to sleep. In truth, it really wasn’t his concern.