Chapter 37: The Confucian Merchant's Third Uncle

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  Aunt Zhao listened to Qifang's words, but didn't rush to respond. Instead, she looked at her with a puzzled expression, as if asking: "What's so special about their Zhuangzi that it's caught people's attention? Isn't it just a Zhuangzi that recently had a fire? Where did its value come from?"

  "Auntie, did they dig out a hot spring in the villa today?" Wang Qifang understood the question mark in Zhao Auntie's eyes and spoke out her concerns. "Originally this villa wasn't very attractive, but with a hot spring it's different. Since over 100 years ago when Master Li looked everywhere for people to build a hot spring villa, finding hot springs and building villas became one of the necessary industries for our big shot Zhous. But there are so many aristocrats in the world, while hot springs are limited. Over the past hundred or more years, so many new officials and nobles have emerged, not all of them necessarily having a hot spring."

  "I, on the other hand, can't rely on my natal family and was kicked out by my husband's family. What difference is there between me and ordinary commoners? Without power or a powerful backer, I'm just a weak woman, yet I hold onto this scorching hot spring. This isn't good fortune, it's calamity!"

  "Besides, I'm already four months pregnant. In another two or three months, my belly will start to show. By then, Feng the manager will definitely find out, and I'm sure the news will spread quickly in the capital. When that day comes, if I'm still without a reliable support, you, Zhao Ayi, and the baby in my womb will become thorns in certain people's eyes, objects they'll want to get rid of as soon as possible."

  "So, I must have someone to rely on. The royal family, and Mrs. Zheng, are not people I can rely on. My brother has been following his master to study and travel for many years, so I don't want to disturb him either; the only ones I can count on are my uncles, although Mother is no longer here, but after all, I am still the legitimate granddaughter of the Li family, they shouldn't ignore me, right?"

  Ji Fangsheng feared that Zhao would not understand her meaning, so she poured out all the thoughts she had been pondering for an entire afternoon.

  "Seventh girl, you finally understand!" Zhao's eyes met Wang Qifang's, and after seeing her firm gaze, she first let out a soft sigh, then said with a delighted tone: "What you said is right, the Wang family has Zhengshi, perhaps they won't help you. But the Li family is your birth mother Li's maiden home, and there are two biological maternal uncles in the family, you can find them to support you when you suffered grievances in the Zhao family... Alas, unfortunately, you..." The young lady had always been obedient and tolerant since childhood, never daring to tell others even when she was wronged, hiding alone in a corner and secretly crying.

  Madam Zhao couldn't help but recall the scenes of Qi Fang's childhood, in the Wang family's deep mansion and large courtyard, by the broken old small yard, a weak and small figure was curled up, with tears on her tender little face, and under her half-old clothes were bruises.

  "Hehe, Auntie, in the past I wasn't being unreasonable, I mistakenly thought that Uncle didn't like me and also didn't dare to ask for help from either of my uncles!"

  Gui Fang saw Zhao's face full of sorrow, as if she had thought of some unpleasant past events. She rubbed her nose and smiled awkwardly. Wang Gui Fang said this not to lie, after the last time Wang Gui Fang and Wang Yi merged their souls, for Wang Gui Fang's first half of life, she still understood it relatively well. In her deep memory, there were indeed records of two uncles, only the images of the two people were very vague.

  "Sigh, this isn't your fault either. Every time the two uncles came to the Wang household, they were either blocked by Master Wang at the outer courtyard or deliberately hidden from view by Zheng-shi, so they never got to see you."

  Compared to Qi Fang's vague memories, Zhao's impression of this past was quite deep. Several times, she couldn't bear to see Zheng's indifference and cold treatment towards Qi Niang, so she secretly sent a message to the Li family asking her two uncles to help Qi Niang out.

  At first, the two uncles received the letter and rushed to the Wang's house to reason with Old Man Wang, demanding to see their nephew and niece. However, each time they were turned away by Old Man Wang and Zheng TaiTai with various excuses.

  Later, the eldest uncle was promoted to Beijing and the third uncle went to Haicheng for business. They rarely came except to send things to Qiuniang and Dashao every year. Those gifts that passed through Zheng's hands eventually reached Dashao's hands with losses, not to mention Qiuniang who was almost forgotten.

  "I said I only remember having two uncles, but can't recall what they look like," Listening to Zhao's words, it seems that these two uncles don't seem as indifferent to me as they appear on the surface.

  "Ah, the two uncles actually doted on Seventh Sister and Eldest Brother, but because of Madame's passing, the relationship between the Wang and Li families became increasingly distant. Moreover, First Uncle and Master had differing political views; if not for Eldest Brother and Seventh Sister, the two families might have turned from relatives to sworn enemies!"

  Zhao Ayi was the personal maid of Li Tai Tai, Qiu Fang's biological mother. In other words, she was a member of the Li family. Later, when Li Tai Tai married into the Wang family, she arranged for Zhao Ayi to marry one of the Wang family's junior stewards. When Qiu Fang was born, Zhao Ayi had just given birth to her own son. As it happened, Li Tai Tai had a difficult delivery and entrusted her newborn daughter to Zhao Ayi before passing away.

  One reason is that they value Zhao's loyalty; secondly, Zhao's family members are all Li's slaves, and they are not afraid that she will betray her master in the future and cannot treat their daughter well; thirdly, Zhao has a familiar relationship with the Li family, so if the daughter suffers any grievances in the Wang family, they can still ask Zhao to send a message to her brothers.

  However, even if you have something to ask for in front of the two uncles, they will not sit idly by. Zhao Ayi has almost grown up with Mrs. Li and is very familiar with her relationship with the two young masters of the Li family. It's just that thinking about the past, Zhao Ayi said regretfully: "Alas, if you had more contact with your uncles and aunts when you got married, Zheng Shi would not have dared to be so presumptuous as to steal the dowry left by Madam... Those were all good things, some of which were even left by your grandmother for Madam... It's not that they're worth a fortune, but now they're rare and precious items that you can't buy with money... Tsk, tsk, but they were all taken advantage of by Zheng Shi and her foster daughter Ba Niang.

  Facing Zhao's pitiful appearance, Wang Qifang also felt helpless. She bit her lip and said in a low voice, "Auntie, my mother's dowry, the Li family should have kept a record of it, right? Didn't they all say that in ancient times when a woman married into her husband's family, the dowry brought by her natal family was usually recorded in detail? Hmm, the Li family is also a prestigious family, they should have kept a record too!"

  Aunt Zhao's eyes widened instantly, scanning Wang Qifang up and down like a radar. The inquiring and suspicious gaze made Wang Qifang want to bite her tongue off - was she wrong again, making Aunt Zhao suspect herself?!

  "Madam, did you hear that? Qiuniang has really made progress!"

  After a moment of silence, Zhao's nanny suddenly burst out laughing, her face creasing with laughter, and suspicious tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. She turned away, quietly wiping away tears, then patted Qifang's hand encouragingly, "That's right, Seventh Lady, you're absolutely right! Not only does the Zhao family have a receipt for the dowry, but I also have detailed records. Since you thought of this, we must get in touch with those two uncles!"

  "Hum, Zheng family, do you think the Li family's things are so easy to swallow? In the past, Seventh Lady didn't pay attention to these matters, and her family members were controlled by the Zheng family, so she didn't dare to tear off her face to help Seventh Lady fight for it. Now that Seventh Lady has made progress, how can you swallow it down, we'll let you spit it out!"

  "Is Big Uncle still in Beijing? Is Third Uncle in Haicheng?"

  Whew, Wang Qifang secretly let out a breath of relief and thought to herself, Zhao Ayi, don't scare people like that!

  "That's right, now Eldest Uncle is an official, serving as a servant in the Ministry of Rites, a third-rank official," said Zhao Ayi, mentioning this eldest uncle with a face full of pride and self-satisfaction. "Third Uncle is still in Haicheng, he is the only Confucian merchant in Haicheng, and also a dignified holder of the Imperial Examination!"

  "Rushang? You say Sanjiu is a Rushang?"

  Wang Qifang's eyes lit up when she heard this, and she thought to herself that maybe she could first find this Third Uncle to discuss their relationship. A Confucian merchant? A Confucian merchant from a prestigious family? Then the energy on this Third Uncle must be quite significant, perhaps her cotton business would have a partner...

  P.S: Ah, sorry for the late update!