《The Fake Phoenix ‘s Fate》


 Chapter 1: The scam Prophecy (part 1)

    In the 28th year of the Minh Duong Dynasty, on the crowded street of the capital, some people were busy going back and forth, others were busy buying and selling. The resounding call of solicitation was interspersed with the shouts of street vendors from the rickshaw pullers.


    ¡°Papa, we don''t have much money, why do you waste it on silk? Keep that and buy me some chicken thighs.¡± Complained a fat boy wearing a long blue bronze dress, his two small hands carrying a pole with a bagua flag, trying to follow the old man in front of him.


    Hearing this, the old man who seemed to be in his forties with dotted grey hair tied up like an onion on the top of his head, was leisurely walking in front, suddenly stopped. He resolutely turned around and hit the child hard on the head, growling loudly:


    ¡°How many times have I told you, call me master while we are outside, do you want to eat bran?¡±


    The little boy immediately shrank back in fear, nodded his head like how people pound garlic cloves, obediently adjusted his rucksack, and followed behind like a tail. The two of them stopped at a clothing shop on East Street, which was known as the most exclusive cloth shop of the upper class.


    ¡°Are you going to buy clothes or....?¡± Seeing the two people, the salesman immediately came to say hello while judging their appearance.


    ¡°I came to buy some fabrics to make clothes for my disciple¡±. The old man waved the horsetail whisk on his hand, narrowed his eyes, and answered with a fairy gesture.


    The salesman heard that the customer came to buy fabric and immediately greeted him with a smile, removed his defensiveness, led the way and inquired about the color and fabric that the customer was looking for.


    ¡°Sis, do you think this color will match her skin? Will such a bright color reveal her belly?¡± - A charming lady in a blush pink skirt with a crystally clear voice chatted with her companion while choosing fabrics.


    ¡°Being pregnant is being happy, I couldn¡¯t understand why she always has to hide, obviously just to show her importance.¡± - The elder lady who wore purple-robed said, her voice filled with jealousy - ¡°If back then our mama hadn''t underestimated his low background, and refused his proposal, then the Minister''s lady now would be my position!¡±


    ¡°Sis, why are you talking about this so casually on the street?¡± - The lady in pink was so startled that she dropped the roll of fabric when she heard those words.


    ¡°Fear of what? With such an abnormally large belly, I don''t even know if she will be able to give birth or not. Still not clear if it''s a boon or a bane.¡± - The girl in purple still spoke harshly.


    Seeing her sister acting like that, the girl in pink could only sigh, pulling her sister''s hand and dragging her to another fabric counter to continue shopping. Unknowingly, their conversation had reached the ears of the old man, who was still pretending to be picking fabrics a shelf away.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    The old Taoist went around pretending to look at the fabric and eavesdropped on a few more of the nobles¡¯s conversations until the salesmen showed an impatient expression, then he just randomly chose three piles of cloth and paid the bill. Then he put down a deposit and booked the best tailor to make the new decent custom clothes for him and his disciple.


    The job was done, the old man smiled and greeted the salesmen and then leisurely walked towards a nearby inn to eat. Pulling up his back shirt, he sat down and ordered three dishes. During the waiting time, the old man leaned out and waved his hand to a beggar nearby, then whispered a few sentences, and delegated a bit of work for that boy to do.


    ¡°Master, whose turn this time?¡± - As if used to these things, the fat boy asked while eating roasted peanuts.


    ¡°Stupid ass like you can never be useful. Use some brain, which of those stories are worth it?¡± - The old man put the horsetail whisk on the table, faintly glancing at his gluttonous disciple.


    ¡°I surrender! Just explain it already. I''m starving to death¡±


    ¡°You little s¡­¡± - He threw a pea to the boy''s forehead.


    Moments later, as they were both munching on chicken, the beggar boy returned. He stood outside lustfully looking at the plate of meat.


    ¡°Master Van, I have the news you want here, can you give me a piece of meat?¡± - Beggar boy used his dirty bare hand to wipe the drool on his mouth.


    The person with the self-calming title of Taoist priest was no other than the sitting old man. Hearing the beggar''s words, he smiled faintly, picked up a few pieces of boiled chicken thigh and threw it at the boy.


    Although the beggar boy was quick, he only managed to keep only a part, the remaining two or three pieces fell to the dusty ground, but as the street beggar life had always been attaching with hunger and thirst, he did not hesitate to sit down and pick up dirty meat, wave off the dust and put them in his pocket.


    ¡°That Minister guy is living on Thieu Hung Street. I heard his wife is four months pregnant.¡± - After saying that, he spread his dirty hand towards the old Taoist waiting for the reward.


    ¡°Only that? What useless news! Those pieces of meat are enough, don¡¯t you dare ask for money. Begone.¡± - The fat kid followed the old script, still chewing the food in his mouth.


    ¡°Kim Dong, don''t you get tired of saying the same thing like this every time?¡± - The beggar boy scowled at the fat boy, then turned to the Taoist and said - ¡°Master Van, if you pay me, I will give you one more piece of information.¡±


    ¡°Haha, Kim Dong, don¡¯t you see that? Even this beggar kid is smarter than you. It''s only been a few times that he already knows how to bargain.¡± - The Taoist priest laughed, took five copper coins and threw them at the beggar''s feet.


    ¡°The Minister''s wife is the first daughter of the Marquis, her name is Duong Ninh Lan. The last time she gave birth to a boy, she liked to eat spicy dried meat. This time, it is rumored that she is pregnant with twins. Call me next time if you need anything else.¡± - The beggar boy bent down to pick up the money while saying, then he stuck his tongue out to tease Kim Dong before running off into the alley.


    ¡°What good is that information, you son of a bitch!¡± - Angered by being tricked by this boy, Van priest stood up and cursed.


    Kim Dong didn''t care what was going on, still focused on the food. Feeling that there was no point in cursing more, Van master adjusted his appearance, glanced at his son, sighed and said:


    ¡°If you were as crafty as a part of him, you would have saved me a ton of money.¡± - Looking at the boy still sticking his head in the plate, he helplessly exclaimed - ¡°Eat, eat. Only eat. Hurry up and go to work.¡±

 Chapter 2: The scam prophecy (part 2)

    Early Spring in the 28th of The Minh Duong Dynasty, in the backyard of the Duong family, three ladies were gathered around drinking tea and chatting when a servant ran in and reported:


    ¡°Madam, a Taoist priest is requesting to see you. He said that he saw a strange omen last night, so he wanted to meet the Lan lady to verify the YiQing hexagram symbols.¡±


    ¡°Huh, those who claim themselves to be priests are all scammers, why don¡¯t you kick them out but go here asking me instead?¡±- A woman in her thirties cracked her melon seeds and waved her hand. - ¡°Tell them to go away before I give them a good beating.¡±


    ¡°Danh¡¯s wife, you don''t need to be impatient. Ninh Lan is pregnant and a Taoist priest comes to the door, perhaps he may tell us some good news. Just let him in.¡± - The oldest lady with a kind face answered and ordered the servant to invite the Taoist in.


    Van Khoi and his disciple leisurely followed the maid''s footsteps to the house, being a master in the art of deception, so he knew how to keep his dignity, one hand waved the horsetail whisk, another stroked his beard, his eyes were half closed as if he was thinking.


    Kim Dong followed him but feeling stressed even though this was not the first time he followed his father into the noble family like this. Remembering the instruction, the boy put his hands together as if praying to hide his trembling and try his best to look natural.


    When entering the hall, except to greet the oldest lady sitting on the chair, Van Khoi pretended not to care about anyone else, just stared at Madam Lan''s big belly, then pretended to frown and pressed his phalanges to calculate, helplessly exclaimed:


    ¡°The boon is great¡­ but the bane is no less!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± - The oldest lady had a kind face, but it can also be threatening when angered.


    ¡°Madam, please keep it together,¡± - Van Khoi tries to calm her down - ¡°If you want to hear my vision, please remove unnecessary ears. The less to know, the better¡±


    ¡°Nameless scammer, don''t play tricks with my mother!¡± - The second lady yelled as if trying to get the old lady''s favour.


    ¡°My bad! My bad!¡± - Van Khoi pretended to chuck his tongue and bowed - ¡° My name is Van Khoi, I''m a Taoist. Last night I had a vision, because of this urgent matter, I almost forgot the etiquette. I hope you will forgive me.¡±


    Hearing his name is a bit surprising for all the ladies because, after all, he has been working in this region for many years, the successful infiltrations in several wealthy families, also helped him gain some prestige.


    ¡°Children, both of you go out¡± - The oldest lady softened her voice to command her children to retreat, then pointed to the chair closest to her in the left row and said to him - ¡°Taoist, please sit down then. I have heard your name for a long time, did not expect to have the opportunity to see you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Madame, for not blaming me for the sudden disturbance.¡± - He sat down solemnly on the chair, when he saw that the group had all left and there was only one maid still standing beside the old lady, knowing that she was someone to be trusted, he did not continue to pretend and go straight into the story - ¡°The Phoenix spirit has reincarnated into Lan¡¯s Madame womb, unfortunately only a half of it is there¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± - The old lady frowned.


    ¡°About four months ago, the Phoenix descended to the Southeast. As I checked, it must be present at your house. Originally, it was not my business to get involved in your household affairs, but it was rare to have a Phoenix''s fate, so I couldn''t stop myself from paying more attention. Last night the vision was faint, I pressed my phalanges to calculate, and it showed signs that the fetus was being pinched. It¡¯s good for the twin to have a different gender, but if it''s a twin girl¡­¡± - He chucked his tongue out for a long time - ¡°How could an imperfect Phoenix stand on a Parasol tree for long?¡±*


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">The legend said Phoenix only stands on the Parasol tree(Firmiana Simplex). It''s the symbol of the Queen¡¯s power and statement.</li>


    </ul>


    The old lady seemed to understand what he said, her brows furrowed tightly, it¡¯s very difficult to determine the gender of this fetus. After thinking for a while, she suddenly thought of something and asked: ¡°What if they are both males?¡±


    ¡°Phoenix fate only applies to the female, based on what I see, the lady is not pregnant with male twins. There are always unpredictable things that can happen, so we have to wait to find out.¡± - Van Khoi pretended to be thoughtful, stroked his beard, and slowly said - ¡°Fate will change when you determine to change it¡±


    ¡°If they are twin girls, is there any way to make the Phoenix spirit complete?¡± - The old lady seemed to believe him, she asked urgently.


    ¡°When the lady gives birth, if I am not too busy, I will try my best to set up a formation to gather the spirit into her,¡± - The old man poured a little tea from the cup on the lid, and poured back the water in the lid to the cup to illustrate his meaning - ¡°This is not a simple ceremony, i need time to check up some ancient bibliographies but it might be on time.¡±


    ¡°Please pay attention to my case, I''ll pay no matter how much it costs. A Thien,¡± - The old lady turned to her maid and ordered - ¡°Bring some small gifts for our noble sage.¡±


    ¡°I haven''t done anything yet.¡± - Van Khoi vigorously shook his hand to refuse, pretended to be righteous, added a few more sentences, then stood up to say goodbye - ¡°Phoenix fate is closely related to the rise and fall of the country, I will do my best to protect her, just hope the family will not reveal the birth of the fetus to anyone to avoid unnecessary troubles.¡±


    ¡°Of course, we will follow the instructions of the sage. And here are nothing but small gifts, I hope you accept them. In the future, when it¡¯s done, there will surely be a big reward in return¡± - The old lady held his hand, signed A Thien to put the silver package into Kim Dong''s hand.


    ¡°I will do my best, please don''t worry too much. I will leave now, Madam, please take good care.¡±


    Leaving the Minister''s residence, the father and son hurried back to their secluded little hut. Taking off their bulky clothes, wearing house dresses, and drinking water while resting because it was too hot outside.


    ¡°Papa, how did you guess her fetus is twin girls?¡± - asked Kim Dong while pouring out the silver from the brocade bag to count.


    ¡°Didn''t you notice that when we entered she had a casket with spicy dried meat? When she was pregnant with her first son, she used to eat sour, but this time it will definitely be female.¡±


    ¡°That beggar is really something else, he can even track down people''s old habits!¡± - Kim Dong smirked and said - ¡°But aren¡¯t there some cases in which mothers crave sourness and still give birth to girls?¡±


    ¡°Do you really don''t know how to blame destiny? Son, our job is to look at faces and talk.¡± - Van Khoi reached for a nearby handheld fan and waved it to cool him down.


    ¡°But for anyone who I met, if I say that they all have Phoenix fate then the whole city became a phoenix nest?¡±


    ¡°The Duong family is a minister, his wife is Marquis¡¯s daughter, with his wife''s family support, his future is immense. After ten years from now, he may even climb up to become prime minister, and then his daughter must definitely go to live in the palace, if not becoming imperial consort, at least she will be Second-Lady of the Emperor. What''s wrong when I say she has Phoenix¡¯s Fate? Got it?¡± - Van Khoi used the fan¡¯s handle to scratch his itchy back.


    ¡°So why is it called half Phoenix destiny? Isn''t it enough to say praises and get the rewards?¡± - Kim Dong sat up straight and argued.


    ¡°Those so-called nobles always have a dream to climb higher, you have to make them afraid, so that they will ask for your help and we can earn more.¡±


    ¡°Oh, this job is so troublesome, papa, just make a quick buck and then go home to be a landlord for the rest of our life. I''m tired of cheating others like this.¡± - Kim Dong sulked lying on the chair, putting his hand on his chest to rub it - ¡°My heart''s still pounding like crazy!¡±


    ¡°I know I can''t count on you. Let me just get you some more to marry a wife. Now go cook some food, your old man is hungry, rest for a while and go look for more good deals.¡± - Van Khoi said, glancing at his lazy son who was still sitting there, then raised his foot and kicked his ass, causing Kim Dong to fall back on the ground and shouted - ¡°Double time!¡±

 Chapter 3: The karma’s seed

    Early autumn of the 28th of the Minh Duong dynasty, the backyard of the Duong Minister was in turmoil, servants and subordinates were running back and forth in a rush, everyone''s faces were full of anxiety and panic.


    Lady Lan was about to give birth, but because the pregnancy was too large, it was difficult to deliver. In the room, the midwives were surrounding the pregnant woman to take care of her.


    Outside, the Elder Lady sent her subordinate to invite Van Khoi priest, but the servant returned to report that he had suddenly left the capital two days ago, which enraged her because the priest had already confirmed five times that he would definitely come. She kept standing in front of the labor room''s door, impatiently looking inside.


    When the children''s voices were heard, the Elder Lady hurried to the door of the room, and two midwives came out, each of them holding a newborn baby.


    - ¡°The twins are female, Madame.¡± - A Thien, who was already staying in the labor room, came out and whispered to her ear. Van Khoi''s prophecies were known only to her, so she clearly understood the meaning of this sentence - ¡°Lady Lan exhausted and fainted.¡±


    The Elder Lady approached the two nieces, and with a trembling hand she lifted wrappings of each child and looked at the two newborn children.


    ¡°The priest was right! It can¡¯t be helped¡± - She muttered in disappointment then glanced at A Thien, nodded, and signaled her to do what she had instructed before, then said to the two midwives - ¡°Follow me to the bathroom.¡±


    The wooden door of the bathroom closed after the three of them entered. The old Lady gazed closely at the two nieces, and she pointed to the child with a red birthmark patched on the temple and sighed heavily. Seeming to have made up her mind, she closed her eyes and nodded.


    When the same door opened again, only one little girl was lucky enough to continue to breathe the earthly air, she snuggled into the midwife''s plump breasts and sucked. A tiny hand kept swinging in the air happily, not knowing what had happened to her sibling.


    On that day, the backyard of the Duong family suddenly lacked few servants, the pungent smell of blood pervaded from the maternity room, but it was not only from the Lan Lady.


    - ¡°Create drama, receive karma!¡± - The Elder Lady narrowed her old eyes, looked at the sky and sighed. - ¡°Doom has come to us all¡­¡±


    It was only mid-noon, but the sky suddenly became overcast, dark clouds covered more than half of the sun. A Thien was on her knees wiping each brick crevice line, she looked up at the sky while her whole shaking body was trying to squeeze out the water from the cleaning towel.


    This was the third time she cleaned the floor, but she still didn''t feel it was clean enough. Looking at her silhouette reflected in the wooden basin of water, she kept seeing that instead of water there was only blood, panicked, she threw the rag on the ground, got up, and ran straight to the door.


    ¡°Run where?¡±


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    ¡°Ma...madame!¡± - Frightened because she accidentally hit the Elder Lady, A Thien almost screamed. To the later days, she still couldn''t believe how such a benevolent woman could coldly order the extermination of her niece and nearly ten other people''s lives. - ¡°I¡¯m...m just going to get more water to clean the room.¡±


    ¡°You''ve been with me for so long, don''t I know you well enough? A Thien, don''t be afraid.¡± - Knocking the wooden cane on the ground and then calmly getting into the room, the Elder Lady slowly peered at each brick under her feet - ¡°I am the one who created this karma, but still not afraid. What are you scared of? Are you afraid that I will kill you too?¡±


    ¡°Madame! It¡¯s not like that¡± - A Thien panicked, knelt down and banged her head on the brick floor.


    ¡°Keep working with peace of mind, I''m not someone who can¡¯t tell right from wrong, this time you have done a great deed, my whole family must thank you.¡± - The Elder Lady turned around to face the kneeling maid - ¡°You will be my niece¡¯s nanny in the future, grow old with her and be one of my family members.¡±


    ¡°Madam, it is such a pronounced honor, I swear to devote all my strength and wisdom to protect Miss Nguyet from now on, she will be my one and only Lady!¡¯ - When A Thien finished speaking, she bowed three times.


    ¡°Alright, I think it''s clean enough. Finish it and pack your things back to the Moon gate. Use all your heart to take good care of the baby. This secret must be treated as if it has never happened.¡± - Finally, she tapped the wooden cane on the ground as if to warn and left.


    A Thien sighed in relief because she was not only luckily getting out of danger, but also taking a new step to a higher status. Gently, she fondled the heart that was still bouncing fiercely in her chest and immediately went back to clean the floor one last time, took away the bucket of water and walked toward the door. Only stopped for a moment, kneeling down and mumbling prayers to herself, then quietly closed the door and left.


    At the Southern gate, Lady Lan was lying on the bed while holding her little soundly sleeping daughter, her finger lightly contouring the baby''s soft lips and smiling happily. The Elder Lady sat at the end of the bed, her hands clasped on the top of the wooden cane, her view locked on the child, but no one knew what she was thinking.


    Lady Lan was playing with the child, but for a moment her eyes stopped at the expression of her mother-in-law and quickly withdrew as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°Today, my husband came back too late, I don''t know if there is anything on the court¡± - She absentmindedly speaks.


    ¡°That''s man business, women just need to take good care of the family, raise and educate children. You don''t have to think too much!¡± - Listening to her story, the Elder Lady was a little startled and then reluctantly looked for an answer. - ¡°How are Van Truong''s studies these days? You have to urge him, no matter what, he is the eldest son, in the future our Nguyet will need a lot of help from him.¡±


    ¡°My dear mother,¡± - Lady Lan stopped fondling the baby, she looked up at the old lady and asked - ¡°What did the old Taoist say to you that day? Why can''t you tell me? I have heard that you are still looking for him until now.¡±


    Seeing her daughter-in-law''s adamantness, the Elder Lady sighed and waved her hand for the servants to retreat. When the door of the room was closed, she said slowly:


    ¡°Our little Nguyet has Phoenix fate!¡±


    ¡°Who said? He? - Lady Lan covered her mouth in surprise. - ¡°Do you plan to¡­¡±


    ¡°Plan to what? You think I''m going to kill him?¡± - The old lady glared at her - "The priest said that her Phoenix fate was defective, he promised that when she was born, he would come and perform the magic ceremony to gather the soul for her. But I don''t know why he has gone, I still can''t find him now.¡± - She signed.


    ¡°I am just¡­¡±


    The atmosphere in the room was as if freezing, the two women sinking in their thoughts, deeply understanding what those two words ¡°Phoenix fate¡± mean, hardly ignoring it''s powerful temptation, for that they would do everything to remove the word ¡°half¡± in it no matter what it takes.


    ¡°Madame, Lady Lan, Master has just arrived!¡± - The sound of a servant from outside the door woke them both from their dream.


    ¡°Alright, I''ll go back to my room. Go ahead and talk to each other.¡± - Hearing that her son had returned, the old lady stood up and prepared to leave.


    ¡°Yes, mother. About the Taoist, I will ask the people of the Marquis for help, I hope we can find him soon.¡± - Lan lady said.


    ¡°That''s good.¡± - Nodding satisfied, the old lady pushed the door and walked out.


    From the room, Ninh Lan could hear her husband talking happily to his mother in the yard. She still held her baby daughter in her arms, gently swaying while softly singing folk lullabies with her sweet voice.

 Chapter 4: The Confession

    The door opened softly, then steady footsteps approached the bed. ???ng T?ng Thanh stood in front of the bed, gently looking down at his beautiful wife who was holding the baby, the unshaven black beard still could not hide his handsome young face.


    He smiled, took off his coat and hung it on the wooden folding screen behind him. A maid came in to pick up the leftovers that he had took off and also brought warm water and fresh towels for him to clean his face and hands.


    ¡°Have you eaten anything yet?¡± - Ninh Lan asked in a soft and sweet voice.


    ¡°When I heard the news from the butler that you had given birth, I immediately returned home as soon as I finished the work. Let me dry my hands, then give me my baby, I''ll see how much her weight is that makes your belly so big.¡± - He made fun of his wife. - ¡°Have you given the baby a name yet?¡±


    ¡°You, go down and cook some hot soup for the master to drink. Take your things and leave.¡± - Ninh Lan gave an order to the maid, then gently handed the baby to her husband''s embrace. - ¡°Take it easy, don''t wake her up. Your mother set her milk name* is Nguyet Nhi. Our baby is still waiting for papa to nominate her.¡±


    (*Milk name or false name is a way to call a baby at home and confuse the evil.)


    ¡°Haha, a fat duck is born in the autumn, let¡¯s call her Thu Nguyet.¡± - Tong Thanh carefully hugged his daughter to estimate her weight, used his eyes to memorize the image of the baby, and then looked at his wife''s belly - ¡°I see that she is much smaller than your belly was, maybe the rest is fat huh?¡±


    ¡°That is what I wanna tell.¡± - Ninh Lan said with a serious face even though she knew that her husband''s words were just a joke. - ¡°Mother has something to hide from me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Although I fainted a while after I gave birth, I know there were two babies. Hardly understand why mother and A Thien insist that there is only one. The midwives and a few other maids went missing¡± - Ninh Lan looked at her husband''s foolish face, then stopped, knowing he didn''t understand, she said directly - ¡°I have thought a lot, maybe one baby could miscarry, mother was afraid I was sad, so she hid it. Darling, you know that I am not a weak person, I just want to meet her once and give her a proper burial. But till now, I couldn¡¯t ask much from mother.¡±


    Hearing this, ???ng T?ng Thanh could only remain silent, he could not fully accept the fact that he might have lost a child. When Ninh Lan saw his reaction, she halted, just pursed her lips and waited for her husband to think it through by himself. After a while, he returned the baby to her hand, said with a heavy tone and left:


    ¡°You play with her, I''ll go see my mother for a while.¡±


    His footsteps stopped in front of his mother''s complex, Tong Thanh standing and looking up at the sign named Thanh Tam gate. His whole body was feeling heavy from inside out, his mind was in agitation. Through Ninh Lan''s words, he knew that there was something hidden in this matter. Originally, the butler had reported twins, but now there is only one left.


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    If it simply miscarried, then why would his mother have to hide like that, but this is his biological mother, there''s no reason for her to harm her nieces. So what was the reason?


    ¡°Master? Why didn''t you come in?¡± - The maid name Thuy ?iep had a basin of hand sanitizer in her hand, and it seemed that she had just come back from the kitchen, caught him standing in a daze, and asked - ¡°Madame is in the bedroom, lemme announce.¡±


    He was a little startled, looked at the maid, then followed her in. At the main door, he stopped to wait for Thuy ?iep to announce his appearance. The maid quicky come back, hurriedly said:


    ¡°Madame said you can come in. Master, allow me to leave¡±


    He just nodded slightly and went in, straight through the main hall to his mother''s bedroom. The old lady had changed her clothes, sat cross-legged on a Vietnamese rattan daybed, next to her was a low tea table with two cups of hot tea. Seeing him, she patted the empty space next to her.


    ¡°I know what you want to ask, sit down.¡± - Looking at his balking expression, she speaks with a cold voice - ¡°The priest said Phoenix would reincarnate into our house, but Ninh Lan was pregnant with identical twins. For the future of the ???ng family, it is better to make a mistake than to miss it. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Mother!¡± - Unexpectedly hearing the truth from his mother, ???ng T?ng Thanh could only gasp in fear.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you gone through all the tears and blood to get to this position, why be so surprised?¡± - The old lady gently pushed the teacup towards him, sighed softly, and seemed to sink into a vast space, her hand waving a rattan fan.


    ¡°So¡­ where''s the baby?¡± He took a sip of tea to soften his dry lips and asked.


    ¡°Nguyet Nhi¡¯s elements lack The Wood, so I buried her under the yellow Apricot tree right next to Lineage hall. While cultivating the Phoenix spirit for Nguyet Nhi, keeping vigil of her ancestors, enjoying the scent of smoke, considered that she was not in vain reincarnated. That''s the best for her!¡±


    ¡°But¡­ what if she is¡­¡± - He stammered, unable to say all the words in his mind.


    ¡°She has a birthmark on her temple. Have you ever seen a queen have a defect on her face?¡± - Seeing her son''s confused face, the old lady chided - ¡°How can a man be able to revive the family if he acts like a woman. Finish this, go back to your yard. What needs to be done must be done decisively. As for Ninh Lan, do you know what to say?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I was clear.¡± - He raised his teacup, drank it, and left.


    The old lady narrowed her eyes as she followed her son''s figure and sighed. She threw the rattan fan aside, called the maid into her room to help her fan, and lay down on the rattan daybed, her hand resting on her forehead, and thought vaguely.


    Leaving Thanh Tam gate, Tong Thanh felt like walking in a daze, not knowing where to go, lowering his head to look at the ground at his feet, hesitated for a moment, but after a while he seemed to have made a decision.


    He stopped under the yellow Apricot tree. Gently lifting his back shirt, he squatted down and looked at the loose ground around him, his bare hands lightly stroking each layer of soil. Until he couldn''t get anything, he sat down on the tree stump, looking up at the sky, his hands hanging helplessly.


    ¡°Please rest in peace.¡± - After a moment he whispered softly and then stood up, brushed his dirty hands and hid them under the hem of his shirt, and slowly left that place.


    ***


    At the same time at Thanh Tam gate, a beautiful maid who wearing a sky blue shirt with a plum blossom brooch on her head rushed in and reported:


    ¡°Madame, indeed, Master has stopped at that place and dug around the tree for a while.¡±


    ¡°Well, he''s my son, I always know what he''ll do. That silly son!¡± - Listening to the maid''s report, the old lady gently put down her arm that was resting on her forehead, blinking at the top of the ceiling. - ¡°Thuy Diem, did you clean up the debris well enough?¡±


    ¡°Madame, rest assured, all the bones of those people have been put together and buried in another place. The lady''s part, as the shaman said, I specially kept on the beams from the roof, surrounded by "wood element" to store. Till we find that Daoist priest and use it for the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Good, I always feel satisfied when you do the work. Thuy Diem, if Tong Thanh had listened to me and accepted you, I would have been less miserable.¡± - The old lady turned her head to look at the direction where she was sitting and said faintly - "That Ninh Lan is stubborn and stupid, what is ¡°a couple for a lifetime¡±? Without the Marquis¡¯s power, she wouldn''t survive for long. She is a good girl, just too simple for this complicated world¡±


    ¡°Lady Lan is blessed and prosperous. Madame, how dare a slave like me dream of being a concubine for Master? I will ruin the bloodline.¡±


    Hearing her maid unobtrusively, the old lady also stopped complaining and waved her hand to the maid to retreat. Just continued to lie and staring at the ceiling for a while and then closed her eyes to sleep.

 Chapter 5: Premeditation

    Behind the high walls of an aristocratic family there are always buried many conspiracies, the death of some servants was just like an autumn leaf falling. The Duong family had returned to the same dignified atmosphere as before, and the Elder Lady, whose smile was so kind, was still praised by everyone as the archetypal gentle mother since all the witnesses were all burnt to ashes.


    Lady Lan finally seemed to have overlooked the loss of her child, she again happily took care of the remaining child who carried the Phoenix''s fate with all love and pride. Duong Tong Thanh still cleverly took advantage of every chance of the officialdom and got promoted, it seemed to the outsiders that the family¡¯s prospect was due to having a good education, origin, discipline, and being blessed by their ancestors.


    Duong Nguyet Nhi was six months old and her growth was now particularly rapid. Sitting on Van Truong''s lap, her chubby hands tugging at his shirt, trying to grab the silver chain dangling at the collar and making a baby''s nonsense sound.


    The boy, whose eyes were glossy black and eyebrows were bushy lance-shaped, happily laughed and used his thin hand to pamper his little sister''s cheek.


    ¡°Truong Nhi, how are your studies these days?¡± - The Elder Lady suddenly came in from outside. She stopped at the threshold of the door when saw her grandson playing, unsatisfied.


    ¡°Don''t worry, Grandma, everything is just fine, I just come here to play with my sister for a while and then I will go back to my study library.¡± - Van Truong was only nine years old, so he was very afraid of his grandmother.


    ¡°You have to focus on studying so that in the future you can support Nguyet Nhi. Men should rove freely and create their own careers, and should not be encapsulated in the backyard of women. Do you understand?¡± - The Elder Lady admonished.


    ¡°Grandma, I''m going back to the library then. Please enjoy the tea with my mother.¡±- Van Truong didn''t want to be lectured anymore, so he quickly handed over his young sister to the maid and left.


    Lady Lan stood up, ceded her seat to the Elder Lady and then sat down in the front seat on the right, received Thu Nguyet from the maid, holding the restless daughter in her embrace, till her son totally disappear, then turned to her mother-in-law and said:


    ¡°Mother, please do not be too strict with him. You might not know that the teacher often praises Van Truong for being a good student at school. I think¡­¡±


    ¡°He is the first grandson of this family, all the hopes of the family are in his hands.¡± - The Elder Lady seemed agitated - ¡°People said: Mother''s darlings are but milksop heroes. I cannot take this risk!¡±


    ¡°I just meant it''s good to give him a break¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you not seen enough Mandarin''s Sons who are nothing but slackers in this capital? If you don''t urge him to strive, who will support Nguyet Nhi in the future?¡± - Angered, the Elder Lady knocked the wooden cane on the ground. - ¡°How long can she stand in that position without the support of her mother''s side? Instead of being so leisurely, try to help Nguyet Nhi have more brothers as well as help this Duong family to not be as solitary as now.¡±


    After saying that, the Elder Lady immediately got up to leave, and Lady Lan could do nothing but stood up and helplessly bowed to her mother-in-law. The harsh words just now seemed to cut her heart into pieces, she burst into tears. The little naughty Nguyet Nhi sitting in her mother''s lap as if she was aware of the change of her mother''s mood so she cried too.


    Duong Tong Thanh has just returned from the Palace, his face was sanguine and bright because these days his work was quite favorable. Holding a package of pastries bought by the roadside, he walked straight into the backyard. As soon as he reached the threshold, he heard the sound of his little daughter crying loudly. He hurriedly ran inside, and surprised when he saw Ninh Lan''s eyes were filled with tears, he immediately threw the packet on the table, hastily wiping his wife''s tears and asking: ¡°Lan Nhi, why are you crying?¡±


    ¡°I''m just a little homesick, don''t you worry.¡± - Then Ninh Lan gave Nguyet Nhi to her husband - ¡°Come on, go hold your daughter for a while. Darling, comfort the baby.¡±


    ¡°Come here to your father.¡± - He nuzzled his daughter, gently rocking the baby, his eyes still did not leave his wife''s face, trying to comfort her he said - ¡°The day after tomorrow is my day off, I will take you both back to visit the Marquis¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Ninh Lan earned the attention of her husband, so gave him an enticing smile, her cheeks were red, and she slightly lowered her head to tuck the fallen hair over her ears. She always knew how to skillfully show off the elegant lines on her face, making it difficult for Tong Thanh to take his eyes off.


    Seeing the cake package on the table, she knew that her husband had bought it, she merrily picked it up, opened it, took a bite to try, and then gently fed her husband a piece. Although the couple had been married for ten years, they were still passionate about each other like the newlyweds. The whimpers were quickly covered by the happy laughter.


    ***


    A Thien stood unnerved in front of Thanh Tam gate, hesitating to walk in. Suddenly being summoned by the Elder Lady made her nervous. At the same time, Thuy Diem came out from inside, seeing A Thien standing there, the lass sneered and said:


    ¡°Why don''t you come in? Dare you let The Lady wait?¡±


    There was animosity between the two before and every time they met without a fight they wouldn''t have an appetite, but in this such a sensitive period, Thuy Diem''s ??sharp words seemed to bring another layer of meaning, which made A Thien more afraid. Without arguing like usual, she just lowered her head and walked inside slowly.


    ¡°Did the cat eat your tongue?¡± - Thuy Diem''s ??eyes widened, she pursued - ¡°Normally, you will bite other people whenever you open your mouth, but why is it so quiet today?¡±


    A Thien was in no mood for an argument, so she just walked straight in, each step heavy as if carrying a rock, deep inside her heart she told herself that Thuy Diem must know what the Elder Lady called her for. As soon as she reached the living room, she caught a glimpse of the Elder Lady who was sitting on the rattan daybed, softly she said: ¡°My Lady, A Thien is here.¡±


    ¡°Come in!¡± - The Elder Lady gave permission, then A Thien walked in with her head bowed, and stood on the right side facing her superior.


    ¡°Ninh Lan still won''t let you go into Nguyet Nhi''s room?¡±- She sat on the Vietnamese rattan daybed for chess-playing and spoke with an unpredictable voice.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ Lady Lan is still angry because I didn''t tell her the truth about that day.¡± - A Thien answered carefully.


    ¡°She is truly stubborn.¡± - The Elder Lady softly sighed when talking about Ninh Lan, after a while, she said - ¡°I don¡¯t care how you do it, you must make her accept you. I don''t want to keep the worthless around. I need you to be on my granddaughter''s side and guide her to be strong. If you can''t do this menial by yourself, what is the meaning of your existence?¡±


    ¡°My Lady, please give me some more time, I will gain her trust.¡± - A Thien hurriedly knelt down in fear.


    The Elder Lady only glanced at her, then she took the wooden bowl full of chess pieces and threw it straight at the maid''s face. The sound of the collision echoed, the chess pieces fell on the brick floor accompanied by the sound of blood drop, A Thien bit her lips and did not make a sound, the blood flowed down and dyed one of her eyes red. She still dared not blink or wipe it away, trying to keep her back straight.


    ¡°I don''t need you to gain her trust. I want you to teach Nguyet Nhi things which her fragile mother couldn''t. Remember?¡±


    ¡°Yes My Lady, I am clear.¡±


    ¡°Good! This is the only time I give you help. Scat!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, My Lady.¡±


    A Thien got up, took three steps backward, then turned and got out of there. When she reached the door of the living room, she called Thuy Diep to come in and serve the Elder Lady. Seeing the blood stains on her face, Thuy Diep sneakily stuffed her handkerchief to A Thien, and quickly went inside.


    A Thien just crept into a corner of the yard near the kitchen hall, still clutching at the handkerchief, lowering her head and thinking until she heard the sound of footsteps coming, she immediately sobbed and used handkerchief to wipe her face.


    ¡°A Thien? What are you doing there?¡± - A clear female voice coming from the crowd.


    A Thien didn''t answer, just hurriedly turned her back toward them and shook her head, those girls still didn''t leave, but went straight to her in curiosity. One of them approached A Thien, when that girl saw the wound and blood mark, she gasped in horror as she covered her mouth. Soon after that unusual reaction, the other three girls also did the same, then looked at each other, surprised and said:


    ¡°Oh my God!¡±


    ¡°Who did that to you?¡±


    ¡°Go and bandage it up! Wounds that are as deep as that will leave scars.¡±


    ¡°I made a mistake and was punished by The Lady.¡± - A Thien choked - ¡°Now I don''t dare to go to the locker room to ask for medicine, can you gal help me get it?¡±


    Hearing that, the crowd cheered A Thien up, and soon they agreed to help. One of the maids named A Du was willing to help A Thien find some bandages, and the others would help her do her duty. When all the four girls left, A Thien returned to her room. In the meantime, she dipped a handkerchief in cold water to wipe the dry blood mark on her face, that pitiful expression soon disappeared, replaced by cold, and cunning eyes.


    Not long after the news that A Thien was beaten spread to the Southern gate, Ninh Lan was knitting socks for her daughter by the window, faintly smiling as she listened to the maid''s story. When her personal maid saw this expression, she immediately waved her hand for the out-round maid, who was telling the story, to retreat. She still held Thu Nguyet in her arms, gently swaying back and forth to let the baby sleep in sound.


    ¡°The Elder Lady is getting more and more outrageous day by day, after all, why does she have to force that maid into Miss Nguyet''s room?¡± - The maid made a complaint. - ¡°Even the stratagem of ¡®Inflict injury on oneself to win the enemy''s trust¡¯ has also been used.¡±


    Even though she was but a maid, she dared to criticize her superiors, which proved her position in Ninh Lan''s heart was not simple. Ninh Lan gently put down her unfinished sock, propped her chin to look through the window, then gently said:


    ¡°My mother-in-law is the jack of all trades, but she is just too demanding. Nguyet Nhi is still a little baby and she has already planned to poison her mind. Her lack of confidence really comes from the insecurity of being a step wife.¡±


    ¡°My lady, I thought when you''re not married into a high-status family you would not have to worry about fighting, but this kind of mother-in-law is a headache for you.¡± - Said the maid.


    ¡°Tu Nhi, do you think I should accept her or not?¡± - Ninh Lan turned back to look at her maid and asked.


    ¡°If she has come to assist Miss Nguyet, then let her use her skills to convince you, my lady.¡± - Tu Nhi replied - ¡°If that girl can not, it is easy to have an excuse to refuse with the Elder Lady.¡±


    ¡°I''m looking forward to seeing what she can do to convince me.¡± - Ninh Lan smiled, looking into the void - ¡°Growing up with my mother-in-law for such a long time, I really want to know whether she is the good, the bad or the ugly?¡±

 Chapter 6: A Thien’s plan

    A few days have passed, and A Thien has not come to the Southern gate to implore for a chance, this is completely beyond Ninh Lan¡¯s expectation, who thought that maid would use that wound to seek some pity. Feeling like A Thien had completely vanished from the ???ng family, Ninh Lan was too curious to wait so she ordered Tu Nhi to find out if that maid was still alive or not, while she was loitering around the garden on the leafless path on her own.


    Ninh Lan had just reached the corner of the hall and was being hit by a maid, but instead of bowing for mercy, that maid quickly turned around and tried to run. She yelled angrily: ¡°Stop there!Turn around!¡±


    ¡°Lan lady, please forgive me!¡±- A Thien obediently knees down.


    ¡°you?¡± - Ninh Lan startled when she saw the maid, asked in surprise - ¡°Why did you not show yourself but sneaking away when saw me?¡±


    ¡°To my lady, I''m not neat enough, so I was afraid of dirtying your eyes¡± - A Thien lowered her head.


    Stare from above, Ninh Lan could still see the scar near her temple that was scabbing, the surrounding area expansive in dark purple, clarifying the throwing force was very strong. Ninh Lan sighing softly, asked:


    ¡°My mother seems to be very angry with you.¡±


    ¡°It''s all my fault¡±- A Thien answered briefly, with absolutely no attitude of narration.


    ¡°Which area are you on duty these days?¡±


    ¡°Im... ¡°- At this point, A Thien faltered.


    ¡°To speak!¡± - Ninh Lan pretended to be angry.


    ¡°Elder Lady ordered me to work in the Moon gate, but¡­¡± - She halted as if choosing suitable words to say - ¡°Currently I''m keeping vigil outside Moon gate at night.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you can go now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my lady.¡± - After saying that, as if she was pardoned, she hurriedly left.


    Ninh Lan slowly walked towards the bridge on the fishpond. Standing in the middle of the bridge, looking at the small fishes swimming in a row following the curve of the pond shore. The mind wind shook her thin orange chiffon skirt layers, but she seemed to be sinking into an unlike world, until being awakened by the sound of coming footsteps, she suddenly turned to look.


    ¡°I have just met her.¡± - Ninh Lan speaks first - ¡°Do you think it''s a coincidence?¡±


    ¡°Luck on you my lady, I have been searching all over the residence without seeing her, and you were easily met without any effort.¡± - Tu Nhi slowly walking to the owner''s side - ¡°My lady?¡±


    ¡°The ancients still say that children spoiled because of their mother''s pampering. My life path is too easy-going, I wondered how my life would be if Marquis had some other cunning woman as my mother-in-law. I might end up harming my daughter with my sluggish personality after all.¡± - While being emotional, Ninh Lan picked up a handful of food from a bowl hanging on the bridge''s railing and lightly sprinkled it into the lake. - ¡°Mother might be right¡±


    ¡°Seems like A Thien has the ability to make my lady change your mind. So when do you plan to let her come into Nguyet Nhi''s room?¡±


    ¡°That mysterious girl still has a backstage, because today she didn''t seek my promotion.¡± - Ninh Lan smiled - ¡°She is not simple, just wash our eyes and wait for her performance.¡±


    ***


    At the same time at Thanh Tam gate, Thuy Diem hurriedly ran in and reported what she saw. The old lady nodded as she understood and pointed at her shoulder, signaling the maid to give her a massage.


    ¡°I bet A Thien will find a way to enter the Moon gate, you are my only left concerned. You both have served me for nearly eighteen or nineteen years, I hope that I can arrange things for all of you before I die¡± - Old lady said with half-lidded eyes.


    ¡°My Madame, serving you is my biggest honor, I dare not forget, Thuy Diem vows to stay by your side forever.¡±


    ¡°Okay, no need to say these flattery words,¡± - The old lady lightly smiled and patted her maid hand - ¡°At the end of this year, if Thanh Nhi doesn''t want to keep you as concubine, I will marry you to To Hoa. Although he is ten years older than you, he is a progressive man, in the future you both can help Thanh Nhi manage this place. What do you think?¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°My Madame, I conditionally listen to you¡±. - Thuy Diem smiled and replied, but the bottom of her eyes shone with reluctance, she cleverly hid her true feelings, still massaging - ¡°It''s too hot, do you want to eat some cassava dessert?¡±


    ¡°That''s nice!¡± - The old lady nodded. - ¡°Just do like last time, it''s fine, not too sweet.¡±


    ¡°My madam, let me tell Thuy Nhi to come in and replace me.¡±


    She indicated and waiting for the old lady to respond, Thuy Diem immediately went to the kitchen to cook a cup of cassava starch with alum sugar. Sitting next to the stove, she seemed to plummet into her thoughts, her cold face completely contrasted with the flickering red flame.


    ***


    A month later, the whole ???ng family happily held a party to celebrate ???ng T?ng Thanh''s promotion ¨¤ter he made new merit. Originally he was the youngest second-rank official at the time, he was now promoted to the first-rank official when he was only over thirty, becoming a mostly important man beside the emperor. With all good news coming within such a short time, people believed that Nguyet Nhi is the lucky star of the ???ng family.


    Late after the party, Ninh Lan was sitting in front of the bronze mirror grooming herself, trying to take off her makeup to go to sleep, suddenly the window was push-in from the outside, a young woman''s hand threw a crumpled piece of paper toward her position, she shouted in shock, thought someone was set an ambushed.


    After her screeching halt, the servants rushed in from all sides. Tu Nhi also returned from the kitchen with a bowl of refreshing soup which Ninh Lan had requested for her husband, in case he would need it when returning from the party.


    ¡°My lady, What''s up?¡± - Tu Nhi was surprised to see the panic on everyone''s face in the room, after hearing about the consequences, she asked the servant to light the lamp to patrol from inside out of the Nam gate, while she herself picked up the paper, gently opened it and read the content privately to her owner - "It wrote: ¡°Master, library room, be careful". My lady, it''s easier to see that letters are intentionally distorted to hide the handwriting.¡±


    ¡°Is my husband in danger?¡± - Ninh Lan''s face turned ashen, hurriedly got her outerwear on the hanger, put it on, and then ran with the group of servants to get husband ''s library room. There were some quick-witted servants calling for more guards to gather.


    Ninh Lan and a large group of people surrounded the library room, seeing the flickering light inside, she softly called out her husband''s name. At this moment there was a crash in the room, but no one answered.


    Impatiently, Ninh Lan pushed the door and rushed in, seeing that the reading desk was empty, Ninh Lan moved to the next resting room behind.


    Under the flickering candlelight, Tong Thanh was so drunk that he was unconscious lying on the bamboo bed breathing evenly, the strange thing was that he seemed to be naked, with a piece of blanket draped over his body. Beside the bed was the broken ceramic shard of a vase, the water in the vase strewn a row of bare footprints towards the tea table in the corner.


    ¡°Step out!¡± - Ninh Lan shouted.


    The servants who had already surrounded the room, hearing their lady shout like that, immediately raised their weapons toward the tea table in a ready-to-battle position. Knowing that she couldn''t hide anymore, Thuy Diem crawled out and knelt down in front of Ninh Lan.


    Judging by looking down at the maid half-naked wearing a brown bib on the ground, and her husband without a piece of clothing on the bed, Ninh Lan was dumbfounded. The servants lowered their weapons, looked at each other in fear. The whole room is tranquil except for Tong Thanh''s steady breathing.


    ¡°Van Tuan, Van Hung stay here to serve your master. Don''t let him get cold.¡± - After a shocking moment, Ninh Lan regained her strength to assign work to the servants. - ¡°Take her back to the Western gate, wait for the master''s orders. The rest, retreat.¡±


    ¡°Thanks my Lady!¡± - Thuy Diem was relieved when heard Ninh Lans'' decision. A triumph feeling running in secretly in her stomach, her plan already works. With this situation revealed in front of other workers and recognition of the old lady, she would easily become master''s concubine.


    Ninh Lan didn''t bother to answer, turned and walked straight back to her room, her steps a bit sloppy. Thuy Diem stood up, pulled back her clothes and followed a servant to the West gate, all of Ninh Lan''s reactions made her feel gloating. ¡°Being first lady of master but she is too feeble¡± - Thuy Diem jeered and thought to herself.


    Thuy Diem thinks that she only needs to give birth to a son, and in the future hardly guess what else she can attain. That illusion makes Thuy Diem feel happy, hugging a soft blanket and falling into a beautiful dream.


    Holding the anger to return to the Southern gate, retreating most of the servants, Ninh Lan rushed into Tu Nhi''s arms and sobbed, she still couldn''t believe that her husband had favored another woman. Tu Nhi could only purse her lips and pat her lady''s back, silently listening to her sobs: ¡°My lady, have you calmed down yet?¡±


    Ninh Lan stopped crying, faced Tu Nhi''s question, she just nodded her head slightly, sat up straight, took a handkerchief to wipe her tears and was ready to listen.


    ¡°Have you ever thought about the one who threw that paper? What is the intention?¡± - Tu Nhi slowly digs up the matter.


    ¡°You mean?¡± - Pinpointed the problem by her personal maid, Ninh Lan grimaced.


    ¡°Thuy Diem could not afford to just throw the paper to make you jealous and ran back without alerting Van Toan who were guarding the library.¡±- Tu Nhi analyzed - ¡°She also doesn''t need us to come and catch her now, it''s too risky. Wouldn''t it be better to wait for tomorrow morning while she is still in bed next to the Master?¡±


    ¡°Do you mean the thrower wants to disturb Thuy Diem''s plan?¡± - Ninh Lan''s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°My lady, I thought about it a lot and realized the person who hates her the most is A Thien, isn''t she?¡± - Tu Nhi got up and went to the tea table to pour Ninh Lan a cup. - ¡°Besides that, this is the best way to score and give us a flavor!¡±


    ¡°So why didn''t she come to see me directly?¡±


    ¡°The whole ???ng family, above and below, everyone knows that Madame wanted to put Thuy Diem on the master''s bed. But who dares to report her maid?¡± - Received the empty tea cup from Ninh Lan''s hand, put it back in its place, and then Tu Nhi continued - ¡°It''s definitely an internal conflict!¡±


    ¡°But even so, the fact that she was being naked in the same room with my husband was done and dusted, what else can be done?¡± - Ninh Lan is depressed.


    ¡°My lady, do you want to listen to me this time?¡± - Tu Nhi grabbed Ninh Lan''s hand, knelt down next to her, looked up and asked sincerely.


    Seeing the care and faithfulness from the maid who grew up with her, Ninh Lan nodded and followed her plan. The dancing wick in the night makes people''s hearts unsettled, the long night is quiet because of people''s moods that are dreary.


    Nighttime is the rise of villain intrigue and crime, under the cold moonlight, no one knew that night A Thien was invited to the Southern gate and quietly left as she had come. No one knows what those three women compromised, but the next day A Thien officially became the great maid in charge of the Moon gate, and was respectfully called Auntie Thien by all the servants and maids under her command.

 Chapter 7: Old stories

    The supper atmosphere was unusually quiet, Tong Thanh secretly glanced at Ninh Lan a few times while eating. The old lada kept quiet, her face was as cold as ice, just ate a little and then returned to her complex.


    Although Ninh Lan felt the variation in the atmosphere, she still calmly picked up food for her son and ate it leisurely. At the end of the dinner, Tong Thanh alibi and quickly took off to the library to check his official documents.


    Ninh Lan followed her son to his complex named Truc Vien in the East of the resident, and stayed for a while to sit and read some books.


    ¡°Mama ¡­¡± - Van Truong stammered when only two of them were in the room, but he didn''t know how to express what he wanted to ask.


    ¡°Ask what?¡± - Ninh Lan didn''t bother to raise her eyes, still starting at the page.


    After some time, the boy still couldn''t speak, she sighed, closed the book, looked directly into Van Truong''s eyes and said calmly - ¡°The man need to be brave enough to carry the sky on his shoulders, and step on the earth, why are you so timid? If you want to ask about Thuy Diem¡¯s case, just ask directly. Son, I''m your mother but a tiger!


    ¡°That''s not what I mean!¡± - Van Truong denies.


    ¡°Not me!¡± - Ninh Lan gently explain - ¡°You are his exact copy, faltering, making me sad. Son, in the future, you must love your woman wholeheartedly and trust her. If you have a misunderstanding, say it frankly, don''t let the doubt dig a hole between husband and wife.¡±


    ¡°Mama, I understand.¡± - Witnessing his mother''s sad face, Van Truong came to comfort her - ¡°Later, I will protect you and Nguyet Nhi.¡±


    ¡°It''s dark, just read a bit and then rest, don''t try too hard, it might hurt your eyes.¡±


    Leaving her son''s complex, Ninh Lan hugged a little bit of thought and went straight to the Moon gate. The melodious lullaby came along with the sound of children coaxing, the sturdy maids who kept vigil at the gate saw the lady coming, both bowed and opened the door for her.


    Inside the room, A Thien gently shook the bamboo crib while singing a folk song. Two other young maids dressed in light brown clothes stood at the corner. When they saw Ninh Lan, they bowed and retreated according to her instructions.


    ¡°My lady, Miss Nguyet is still not asleep, would you like to hold her for a while?¡± - A Thien stood up and gave her a chair and asked cautiously.


    ¡°You?¡± - Ning Lan sat on the chair and continued to shake the cradle for her baby, watching Thu Nguyet yawn and ask barely.


    ¡°My lady, do you think I''m too cruel?¡±-  A Thien calmly asked her back.


    ¡°Actually¡­ You help me rinse my problem, but the method is really cold-blooded. I''m wondering it''s good or bad to let Nguyet Nhi learn from you.¡±


    ¡°My lady, between me an her, there was still a mortal enmity, sooner or later, one have to be remove¡± - A Thien still crouching low - In a normal family, I might be a threat, but for where she will go, she can''t be naive or rely on love. I do not defend myself, just to remind you that in her path, only the last survivor is the winner.¡±


    ¡°May I know things between you and Thuy Diem?¡± - Said Ninh Lan.


    ¡°In the past, the Elder lady wanted Thuy Diem to be a concubine for Master¡¯s half-brother and control him, but she trapped me to replace her, I lost my virginity on that day. After that, Elder lady used the excuse that Mr.Danh had a bad temper and pushed him to the border, keeping his wife here to suppress.¡± - A Thien explained - ¡°The hatred between me and her is much more, till now could not count anymore. She bullied and destroyed my life, then I just took her life. Isn''t it fair enough?


    Ninh Lan did not answer her, and sang a lullaby to lull her little girl to sleep. Until she left, she only gave the rattan fan to A Thien, implying that she would continue to take care of Nguyet Nhi.


    ¡°Thank you for your trust, I will definitely do my best to protect the young lady.¡± - A Thien happily knelt down and said goodbye to Ninh Lan.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The moonlight above made her shadow stretch on the flat ground, Tu Nhi slowly followed behind, knowing that the owner was not happy, so she was careful not to make a sound. The small road amongst each owner¡¯s complex was not too far, Ninh Lan suddenly stopped at the intersection between West complex and the South, sighed softly and asked:


    ¡°Do you think ghosts exist in this world? Has she left yet?¡±


    ¡°Lady!¡± - A Tu was stunned, thinking that the owner was haunted by the death of the other maid, she stood closer, holding Ninh Lan''s hand as comfort - ¡°I am here.¡±


    ¡°Not because I''m scared¡± - Seeing the warm action of the personal maid, Ninh Lan grinned with delight - ¡°I''m not afraid, that''s nothing more than a wandering soul. Dare to dream of my husband, even she it a ghost i will defend¡±


    ¡°If so, let''s go back, my lady.¡± - The maid who was carrying the lamp in front said, trembling slightly.


    ¡°Tu Hoa, you are really¡­¡± - Ninh Lan laughed. - ¡°Okay, let''s go back.¡±


    Their group just arrived at the Southern gate and saw Tong Thanh waiting under the lantern. Still angry, so Ninh Lan didn''t bother to look at him but went straight into the room, the two maids voluntarily stopped to let the owners have their own space.


    ¡°Lan!¡± - Tong Thanh hurriedly chased after - ¡°Don''t be angry with me, I never touched her!¡±


    ¡°My love, still you don''t understand, I''m not mad at you for what has happened that night.¡± - Ninh Lan wiped out her hand from her husband''s hand - ¡°What makes me sad is your suspicious attitude towards me. That''s just a little nameless maid, if I wish for her to vanish, it''s easy like a piece of cake.¡±


    ¡°Lan, it''s just that I was a bit confused at the time. You also know how miserable me and my mother''s past was with the poison games, I don''t want such things to happen in this backyard anymore¡± - Tong Thanh hastily grasped his wife''s hands, looked at her urgently - ¡°I never wanted to dirt your hand with blood. It''s my fault for doubting you, forgive me.¡±


    ¡°And that''s how you assume I was involved in her death? Do you think I''m such a coward? I''m Marquis¡¯s daughter, a royal lady like me has to compete for endorsement with a maid?¡±


    ¡°That''s not what I mean! You know what my feelings for you are like, there''s no room for others!¡± - Tong Thanh was distraught before the anger of his wife, he quickly grabbed her lap - ¡°At that time, I¡­¡±


    Ninh Lan, already forgiving him, but her pride is hurt, brushed off his hand, ran into the room and slammed the door, leaving Tong Thanh standing outside to continue to explain. Nearly an hour later, his voice was hoarse, Tong Thanh immediately sat down on the threshold, pretending to be inadequate.


    Ninh Lan was satisfied with her ego at this time, so she giggled and walked over to open the door for him to come in. Just waiting for that, he rushed to pick her up, closed the door and hugged the beauty straight to the bed, only the sound of scolding and cooing could be heard in the room under the dancing oil lamps.


    ***


    Thu Nguyet''s 1st Birthday Party was nearby, feeling that the cold war between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law should come to an end, Ninh Lan personally stewed a bowl of chicken soup and brought it to Thanh Tam gate.


    ¡°Mother, about Nguyet Nhi''s 1st Birthday party, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised that you need my opinion, isn''t that every single thing in this house managed by Lady Lan?¡± - The Elder Lady looked angry.


    ¡°I know what you are angry about.¡± - Ninh Lan said while signaling for the maids to retreat. But the two maids beside the Elder Lady were still waiting to receive instructions from their real authority.


    ¡°You can go¡± - The Elder Lady agreed to let them leave.


    ¡°It''s been a long time since we sat down and talked peacefully like this.¡± - Ninh Lan exclaimed - ¡°I know that you want the best for the family and so do I. But assigning a woman to his room is not the way, will a child from a different mother have pure love and support for the breadwinner? Can you be sure that they will not turn the spear towards Nguyet Nhi one day? The civil rebel is more deadly than the outdoor foe.¡±


    ¡°Enough of that, you have to respect me before you beat my dogs, after all, she is my maid of honor!¡± - The Elder Lady, however, was somewhat convinced by her daughter-in-law''s words, skipping the concubine matter, she just spoke out her feelings.


    ¡°You won''t believe it if I simply deny it. However, the shopkeeper of the pharmacy Trieu Thinh confirmed that it was one of our maids who came to buy the Datura powder even though she was fully covering her face. Mother, you can take a look at this handwriting yourself!¡± - Ninh Lan walked over and placed the stained paper on the table in front of the Elder Lady. - ¡°The amount of this poison is so much that it cannot be used as an excuse to treat her asthma. Even if she drank this, where is the rest of it?¡±


    The Elder Lady still kept a calm expression when looking at the handwriting on that piece of paper, although her heart was agitated, but knowing that what Ninh Lan wanted was not to pursue the truth, she was relieved. After a moment of silence, she accepted her daughter-in-law''s offer, smiled slightly and was ready to reconcile.


    ¡°Thanh Nhi just got promoted not long ago. Considering the situation, don''t be too ostentatious and cause people¡¯s jealousy, just hold a small party.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will listen to you, Mother.¡± - Ninh Lan gently answered - ¡°Chicken soup is still hot, please drink it while it still good¡±


    The problem was solved, the Elder Lady smiled graciously and drank the bowl of chicken soup, while praising and discussing the medical ingredients in the soup, the harmonious scene between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law made outsiders adore.

 Chapter 8: The sickness of an old soul.

    Following the Elder Lady''s advice, only the relatives and a few close colleagues of Duong Tong Thanh were invited to Thu Nguyet''s birthday party, although no small number of subordinates secretly sent congratulatory gifts to the family. According to the custom of the official place, he still received those gifts, and reserved a table worth of food to send to their home as a thank you, and also a signal of approval of the relationship with those people.


    In the yard at this time, the lights were on, there were five tables in the front yard for Tong Thanh and his male peers, another six tables were placed in the backyard along the fish pond for the relatives and the guest ladies. The atmosphere was vibrant and relaxing, so many delicious dishes were displayed.


    ¡°Sis Lan, quickly bring Thu Nguyet up, I want to say hello to my little niece.¡± - Said a beautiful young woman. Her mother was Ninh Lan''s mother''s sibling.


    ¡°Where''s A Thien? Quickly carry Thu Nguyet out to meet the ladies¡± - Ninh Lan suddenly remembered and looked for her to give an order. Then continued to chat with her cousin - ¡°Phuong, I heard that your marriage with the Chief of the Tomb Honored Guards has already been planned?¡±


    ¡°Yes! It''s early next year!¡± - The other girl blushed and said shyly - ¡±So today, if you don''t let me see Nguyet Nhi, I won''t have the opportunity to meet you both in the next half year, I haven''t  even finished my wedding embroidery work.¡±


    ¡°Alright, she will come soon. Have you prepared a gift yet, as her aunty, you have to give the best of them all.¡± - Ninh Lan joked, then looked at everyone in the yard and lamented. - ¡°It''s been a while since I heard anything about sister Yen?¡±


    ¡°Poor her, my mother and her both are too demanding, she ended up wasting her youth.¡± - The girl named Phuong shook her head slightly - ¡°In the end, she mistakenly chose that filthy bastard, and day by day washed her face with tears.¡±


    ¡°Lady Lan, Miss Nguyet has arrived.¡± - A Thien walked up with the baby in her embrace and interrupted the conversation between the two.


    Ninh Lan smiled and got Nguyet Nhi in A Thien''s arms, put the baby in her lap, and parodied a baby voice: ¡°Nguyet Nhi greets aunty, and wishes you have a sweet smooth marriage next year, and have a happy life and lots of luck forever later. Now where''s my gift?¡±


    ¡°You are still as childish as before. Hold her well so I can wear this bracelet for her. I went to Thien Lac pagoda by myself and asked the abbot to bless it.¡± - She carefully removed the silver bracelet carved with lotus flowers from the silk, and gently put it on Thu Nguyet''s neck.


    Ninh Lan smiled when she saw her daughter holding the silver lotus pendant and playing, looking like she really loved this gift and not letting go. The ladies nearby also saw this scene and gathered around to cheer.


    Thu Nguyet wears a red bib embroidered with contrasting lively colors of butterflies. Her big round black eyes blinking naively, blush white skin that accentuated her plump lips, she now looked like a little angel, it could be imagined that when she grows up she will be beautiful.


    When one started, the others would follow suit, other ladies also gave master-worked toys to the little girl in turn, Lady Lan smiled on behalf of her daughter to thank them. Moments later, a maid brought up a wooden tray covered with red silk containing a few auspicious items for Nguyet Nhi for the traditional selection etiquette.


    On the tray, there is a colorful silky flower ball symbolizing dance skill, a gourd¡¯s plucking stick made from iridescent conch shells representing music skill, a fragrant agarwood cannon symbolizing the chess skill, a box with the scarlet cinnabar makeup powder represents painting skill and a Tusk ink brush symbolizing for education.


    (* Ancient people highly judge women''s talent based on their skills such as: Dancing, playing musical instruments, chess, painting and making poems¡­)


    Looking at the traditional etiquette tray specially prepared for the baby, all the noble ladies lightly admired, then together they clapped their hands to encourage little Thu Nguyet.


    At the same time, the baby was sitting on the wooden daybed, raising her black big eyes to look around, and then quickly be attracted to those colorful objects. Rapidly reaching out her chubby right hand to grab the silky flower ball, the adults shouted and then competed with each other to say favorable words to congratulate Lady Lan.


    ¡°Miss has one more choice!¡± - A Thien had never taken her eyes off Thu Nguyet, so she was the first to see the baby use her left hand to pick up another object from the tray.


    The adults marveled again when they saw Thu Nguyet picking up the box of cinnabar and simultaneously clapping and praising. Thu Nguyet didn''t pay much attention to these people, she put the silky ball aside and poked the box with her fingers and hooked the red cinnabar powder all over her face and dress.


    ¡°Congratulations to Lady Lan, in the future, she will surely be both beautiful and talented.¡± - A lady in a pink brocade flattered.


    ¡°Thank you Madam Truong! - Ninh Lan responded


    ¡°Your little baby is playful and smart, and will definitely become a great muse in the future. Congratulations Lady Lan!¡± - Another lady also butters up.


    Ninh Lan carefully answered each person, her happy and proud eyes did not leave her child''s side. At the same time, the Elder Lady and the Marquis¡¯s woman were chatting a few tables away, involuntarily turning to the crowd. The Elder Lady was pleased to see her daughter-in-law''s behavior and then praised Ninh Lan in front of her mother''s side with a lot of wholesomeness.


    When the Elder Lady''s eyes stopped on her naughty niece on the daybed, her pupils suddenly shrank at the red streak on Nguyet Nhi''s temple. Her heart battering, a shock rushed over, causing her to faint down from the chair. Fortunately, there was Thuy Diep behind her, so she was able to catch her superior in time.


    The Marchioness hurriedly called for her daughter - Ninh Lan, the maids gently spread the mattress on the ground and helped the Elder Lady lie there while waiting for the doctor to come¡­This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Mama, what''s going on? Why did my mother-in-law faint?¡± - Ninh Lan worriedly asked her mother.


    ¡°Maybe she had a heat syncope because of the sun? Before that, we were still talking normally.¡± - The Marchioness was bewildered - ¡°Quick! send someone to report this to your husband.¡±


    ¡°Thuy Nhi, go find Master!¡± - Ninh Lan turned around and ordered - ¡°There are many people outside, try not to cause panic.¡±


    Thuy Nhi nodded in response and quickly ran to the guest hall. Soon the doctor had also arrived, he quickly ran to kneel beside the Elder Lady and took off his tool box. Then asked people around to spread out and lower the blinds to avoid drafts then performed acupuncture.


    ¡°Everyone did a great job! Fortunately, the Elder Lady did not move too much, so she is stable now!¡± - After the acupuncture was finished, he used a towel to wipe the sweat from his forehead and said to Ninh Lan - ¡°Everyone should be careful when moving the Elder Lady to her room, it is best to avoid the wind. I will prescribe some medicine for her.¡±


    ¡°So why did my mother faint?¡± - Ninh Lan asked worriedly.


    ¡°At this age, she must avoid inciting excessive anger, which can easily cause evil energy to rush to her heart. If this happens again, remember to gently let the person lie down, use a small hot needle to prick the blood at the tips of the fingers, toes and ears while waiting for the doctor.¡± - He said while swiping his ink brush - ¡°People of this age should do as they please.¡±


    Taking the medical prescription from the doctor, she carefully sent him out, and ordered the housekeeper servant to escort the doctor home. When Ninh Lan returned to the garden yard, she saw Tong Thanh clasped his hands behind his back and paced back and forth with a worried expression. As soon as he saw her, he ran over and asked:


    ¡°How''s mother? When can we bring her back to the room?¡±


    ¡°She is saved now, I don''t know why she got angry all of a sudden!¡± - Ninh Lan shook her head and sighed and said - ¡°The doctor told us to let her stay here until she was fully awake, then carefully lift her back, to avoid both the wind and strong movements.¡±


    ¡°So can I get in?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you should come with her for a while and then go back to the guest hall. The guests are still there, lemme take care of the rest.¡± - Said Ninh Lan.


    Tong Thanh nodded to his wife and lifted the curtain to visit his mother, then he returned to the hall with the guests. After some time, the servants brought a soft bed to carry the Elder Lady back to Thanh Tam gate.


    The other female relatives and guests were no longer in the mood to have a party, so they split up and chatted while waiting for the male guests outside to finish the party to go back home. Feeling that the Elder Lady''s situation was stable, Ning Lan sent someone to inform her husband so that he could calmly treat the guests.


    In the late afternoon, when the party was over, Tong Thanh tried to finish the work of a host, farewell guests and only when there was no one left then he rushed back to Thanh Tam Gate to check up on his mother.


    ¡°Look at you, all sweaty!¡± - Ninh Lan used a handkerchief to wipe his forehead - ¡°Mother is fine now.¡±


    ¡°I was planning to cancel the party, but after hearing Thuy Nhi''s report, I tried to continue to treat guests until now.¡± - Tong Thanh took that handkerchief to wipe his neck, then looked up at his mother''s bedroom and asked - ¡°Did mother tell you why she fainted?¡±


    ¡°From the moment she woke up, she only drank medicine and ate porridge. Perhaps it would be easier for the mother and son to talk to each other.¡±


    Tong Thanh patted the back of his wife''s hand, understood, then stood up and walked into the inner room. He knew that his mother did not like Ninh Lan from the beginning. Remember that day, when the Marquis asked him not to have any concubines after marriage, his mom frowned and criticized Ninh Lan for not fulfilling the four virtues, also because the position of the mother-in-law''s family was higher at that time, so his mother agreed in frustration, even though she ostracized the bride.


    ¡°Mama, are you feeling better?¡± - Sitting down by the bed, watching his mother''s eyelids still moving, knowing she was not asleep, he said.


    ¡°Maybe I''m about to die.¡± - She still didn''t open her eyes, but began to play the old people''s trick - ¡°Restlessly!¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that? The doctor said that if you take the medicine regularly, all will be good.¡± - Realizing his mother wanted his attention, he grabbed her hand and gently patted it. - ¡°What makes you so angry?¡±


    The old lady''s body trembled, she opened her eyes, looked at her son, and began to cry. Tong Thanh tried his best to comfort her. Ninh Lan heard it from outdoor, she impatiently entered and asked:


    ¡°What''s the matter?¡±


    ¡°You go out.¡± - The old lady shouted - ¡°You all too, get out.¡±


    Knowing her illness, Ninh Lan did not dare to disobey, although she did not understand why, she and the maids still withdrew quietly, carefully closing the door, leaving the mother and her son alone.


    ¡°Mama, what did Lan Nhi do to make you so angry?¡± - Tong Thanh had a headache at his mother''s attitude, but he still complied.


    ¡°Thanh, everything I do is for you, for the future of the Duong family. Even if those cliques torment me, I will not falter. Promise me that you will do your best to bring Nguyet Nhi to that position¡­ That''s our family honor!¡±


    ¡°Just follow the flow, mama. I am also doing what I can to ensure her future will shine...¡± - Tong Thanh said slowly - ¡°But we have to see how God wishes¡±


    ¡°Find! You must find that Taoist!¡± - The Elder Lady almost shouted, her red eyes looking at her son - ¡°Only he knows how to fulfill Nguyet Nhi¡¯s fate. I have to see it with my own eyes before I die.


    ¡°I''m still looking for him!¡± - Seeing his mother so agitated, he panicked and held her back, using a warm voice to reassure her. - ¡°Mama, sleep, I''m here.¡±


    After a while, the Elder Lady seemed to be tired, so she fell asleep, still muttering a few broken words. Tong Thanh sadly sat on the edge of the bed, gently waving a rattan fan to cool his mother''s sleep.


    After a few days, the Elder Lady regained her strength, but she always avoided meeting her niece. Realizing the strangeness, Lady Lan stopped carrying Thu Nguyet to Thanh Tam gate, and also told Tong Thanh her doubts. On his day off, Tong Thanh stayed at Thanh Tam gate with his mother to drink tea and play chess almost the whole day. After he had withdrawn all the outsiders, he softly asked:


    ¡°Mama, lately why don''t you want to see Nguyet Nhi anymore?¡±


    ¡°Do you have nothing to do but poke your nose in the women''s hall?¡± - The Elder Lady frowned and said - ¡°Why doesn''t that Lady Lan ask me directly but has to go around like that?¡±


    ¡°Mama, don''t be mad at Lan Nhi, she''s afraid that she has made you angry for some reason, so she doesn''t dare to ask.¡± - Seeing his mother angry, he hastily explained - ¡°Lan Nhi always tries to please you, out of pure filial piety, please be more generous with her.¡±


    ¡°I don''t hate her. - The Elder Lady, when playing chess, put down the cannon in her hand and said quietly - "It''s just that the Duong family has only had Van Truong so far, what will our future be like? I wanted you to have a concubine but that¡¯s not for a love affair, why doesn''t she understand this?¡±


    ¡°Mama, have you ever thought of my other half-brother, he is now just a low-ranking official in a distant borderland. Do you expect Van Truong''s future to be treated like him¡­¡± - Tong Thanh sighed in reminiscence - ¡°Wasn''t everything changed because we successfully won our father''s favor? I don''t expect history to repeat on my mainline son.¡±


    ¡°But you and I are here. Who dares¡­?¡±


    ¡°Wasn''t my grandma still there at that time? But you still won!¡± - Tong Thanh interrupted his mother''s words.


    The Elder Lady fell into silence, her son''s explanations were solid, helping her realize her mistake. Tong Thanh slowly placed his horse to attack his mother¡¯s charitot and continued:


    ¡°The last winner is the luminary. Why do we need to create more enemies for ourselves?¡±


    ¡°All right, I''ll never bring this up again.¡± - The Elder Lady finally agreed to compromise.


    They played chess for two or three more rounds, and the Elder Lady checked, Tong Thanh laughed and surrendered even though still had a way to move. Knowing that he let her win, the Elder Lady glanced a little.


    Seeing that his mom was in a better mood, he immediately lifted a cup of stewed chicken soup nearby and passed it to her, rhythmically waving a fan with one hand. Watching his mother finish eating, he ordered the maid to clean the dishes and help her sit on the counter of the daybed and lean on folding pillows.


    ¡°Mama, you still refused to tell me what made you angry about that day. Please share with me, let me carry it with you.¡±


    ¡°Thanh, Nguyet Nhi is all my hope and my pride. I can hate anyone but her, do you understand? But in this life, there''s too much blood on my hands, so I don''t dare to touch her," - she said quietly - ¡°This is guilt, not contempt.¡±


    Tong Thanh nodded slightly, although he didn''t understand why his mother did not want to make it clear, he did not try to force it anymore. When she expressed her desire to take a lunch break, he immediately left the complex and returned to his library, checked all the work from the subordinates, and finally returned to the Southern gate. The fresh scent of flowers emanating from the inner room made all his worries disappear, he smiled and walked inside.