Li’s mother clicked her tongue twice. “What a pity for Qinglan and the children.”
“You really can’t see into a person’s heart. Qinglan bore a son and a daughter for the Liu family, and in the end, when disaster struck, everyone just went their own way.”
“Yes, yes… life is unpredictable. By the way, your Xianglian has been staying at your home for so long—she’s not going back yet?”
Li’s mother didn’t expect them to bring up her daughter again. She replied, “Of course she’ll go back eventually. It’s just that Chen Lang can only take care of the two children and has no way to look after Xianglian, so she’s recovering here. These past few days she can already stand and walk a bit. In a few more days, she should be fully recovered.”
“That’s good. If you ask me, Chen Lang is probably living quite comfortably with just the two kids. You’d better have Xianglian keep an eye on him—don’t let him end up like Liu Shun.”
Li’s mother didn’t take it seriously. “Whether he learns or not, my Xianglian doesn’t want him anymore.”
“What?”
“Oh, I mean Xianglian knows what she’s doing.” Li’s mother smiled and stood up. “It’s getting late, you all keep chatting—I’ll head back to rest.”
As she walked home, she muttered complaints about the village women. When she opened the door, she saw Li Xianglian and her husband sitting inside drinking tea. She sighed.
“When did you get back? I didn’t see you at the village entrance.”
“I came back from the west side,” Li’s father said.
“Oh. You must be hungry—I kept some food warm for you.”
“I’ve already eaten. Don’t bother. Sit down and rest.”
Li’s mother sat down and smiled. “How was it today?”
Li’s father nodded. “Not bad, just riding a horse is a bit tiring.”
Mother and daughter froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. Li’s mother reminded him to be careful in everything.
Li’s father had intercepted Chen Lang’s letter and brought it back for Li Xianglian to read.
Aside from mentioning the twenty taels of silver from the bank, the letter told him to take good care of himself and the two children—and to keep Li Xianglian steady.
At this point, he must not divorce her. Before returning to the capital, Li Xianglian still needed to serve them.
Just as Li Xianglian was thinking about her next move, her mother returned.
She paused for a moment, then said happily, “I’ve got it.”
Li’s mother looked confused. “Got what?”
“Let our daughter explain,” Li’s father said.
Li Xianglian smiled. “Father, bring me pen and paper. I can imitate a letter and send it to Chen Lang. That way, it will ease his suspicions.”
Only then did Li’s mother understand.
Li Xianglian examined the paper—letters from the capital would naturally use finer paper. Fortunately, her father had once worked at a school and obtained some high-quality sheets similar to those from the capital. Chen Lang wouldn’t suspect anything.
In the forged letter, she wrote that life in the household wasn’t going well, that Chen Lang should spend money sparingly, treat his wife properly, and wait until she secured her footing in the household before bringing them back.
The next day, Li’s father went to the courier station and handed the letter to another messenger to deliver.
When Chen Lang received it, he was overjoyed. He had expected it to mention money, but it didn’t. Instead, his mother told him to treat Li Xianglian well. He couldn’t understand it at all and replied with a hint of anger.
That reply was intercepted again by Li’s father and brought back to Li Xianglian.
After reading it, she let out a cold laugh. Li’s mother was furious.
“That scoundrel! He dares to belittle my daughter like this. You bore him a son and a daughter, and he calls it a ‘test’! Bah! As if everyone covets his status. He’s not even a heir yet, and already dreaming of it. Just a concubine’s son—does he even deserve it?”
In her reply, Li Xianglian repeatedly mentioned the need for money—to build connections, buy gifts for a cousin’s birthday, and cover the children’s expenses—asking for another one hundred taels.
Li’s father was stunned. “Xianglian, one hundred taels… isn’t that too much?”
Li’s mother nodded. “Even in my dreams, I wouldn’t dare imagine that much money.”
“It’s nothing,” Li Xianglian said, handing the letter to her father. “I just need to get back everything I’ve given all these years. Then I can leave him.”
Li’s father hesitated. “Isn’t that asking too much?”
“This isn’t what I’m asking for—it’s what Chen Lang wants,” Li Xianglian said with a raised brow. “Have you forgotten how he treated me? Behind our backs, he might already be meeting that Xu Caishan with the children. The children may even have accepted her as their mother. Where does that leave me—their real mother?”
Li’s mother was stunned. “Is that really true?”
“Absolutely.”
Li’s father grew angrier at the mention of Chen Lang. “Fine. I’ll send the letter tomorrow.”
“But even if money comes from the capital, without the merchant name, we can’t withdraw it. Won’t it just stay in their account?”
Li Xianglian nodded. “I’ve been thinking about that these days. Maybe we can get the information from the children.”
That night, she thought long and hard. In her previous life, she had never heard Chen Lang mention the merchant name. But asking the children might expose her. It would be better to gather information elsewhere.
When Wen Zhile came for her final follow-up, she took the opportunity to ask, “You’ve seen a lot as a physician—how much do you know about the capital?”
“The capital? Why do you ask? Do you have relatives there?”
Li Xianglian shook her head. “To be honest, I suspect Chen Lang isn’t really surnamed Chen. His identity might be fake.”
Wen Zhile looked at her thoughtfully. “If you’re asking this, you must have found something. I’m fairly familiar with the capital. What do you want to know?”
Her eyes lit up. “The Zhongyong Marquis’s residence.”
He raised a brow. “I know a little.”
“Is the marquis surnamed Zhao?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know the merchant name used by the household?”
He thought for a moment. “They do have private businesses—cloth, tea, and others. Which one are you asking about?”
“Which business would the wives or concubines usually manage?”
He smiled, already understanding her intent. “Jingsi Silk.”
Li Xianglian smiled back at him. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
With that information, Li’s father successfully withdrew the twenty taels.
Meanwhile, Chen Lang was still worrying about money. The household grain was nearly gone. In the past, Li Xianglian handled everything, but now she ignored him—even the children.
Furious, he smashed things around the house.
“Father, I’m hungry,” little Chen Xuan cried. At her age, she couldn’t endure hunger.
In just ten days, the children had grown thin, sallow, and dirty—like beggars.
Chen Lang glanced at her irritably, not wanting to respond. But as she kept whining, he finally snapped:
“If you’re hungry, then stay hungry! What do you expect me to do? Go find your mother!”