Happiness Consist in Contentment

Chapter 27 Farmer’s Wife

There was a three-entry courtyard on Wenxin Street in the capital, which was Liu’s Mansion.

The male protagonist Liu Hanlin was a well-known old Hanlin in the capital. He was a Tanhua, but he stayed in the Imperial Academy for most of his life as an editor.

[Member of the Imperial Academy]

[The third rank in ancient Chinese Imperial examination]

However, this Liu Hanlin was still a very good person. He has a gentle temper and was stable in his work. It’s just he didn’t know how to curry favor with the higher authorities. That’s why he was still a sixth-rank editor.

Liu Hanlin was in charge of revising the royal annals, this job can be summed up in one word: Leisurely.

The one that went to work on time and leave work on time. The one that only got a salary and no other crumbs to earn. The kind of leisure that even the emperor may not even remember.

In short, Liu Hanlin’s work was very simple and inconspicuous, and at the same time very leisurely.

Normally, Liu Hanlin can stay in this position until he retires. However, the battle for the throne has spread to him, and he was suddenly and inexplicably thrown into prison for the crime of improper wording in the revised royal annals.

For this matter, if it was said to be a big crime, it can be a small crime, but if it was a small crime, that’s not necessarily the case.

It all depends on the mood of the current emperor. So it was a tragedy for Liu Hanlin and Liu’s family.

    ……

Inside the Liu Mansion, in the main courtyard.

Madam Liu anxiously walked back and forth, looking at the door from time to time, hoping to see her sons.

The daughters-in-law stood on the side, their faces full of anxiety, and their hands were twisting the handkerchiefs. They were all uneasy.

The figure of Liu Fan, the eldest master of the Liu family, appeared in the courtyard and hurried into the house. Madam Liu looked at him nervously, and so did the others.

Liu Fan gasped and said, “Mother, this son has already made an inquires, father is fine in the prison and has not been tortured. However, the situation is not optimistic, I’m afraid…” 

Madam Liu asked urgently: “Afraid of what?”

“I’m afraid our house will be ransacked.”

Everyone was shocked!

Madam Liu’s eyes went dark, she leaned back, and Liu Fang who was sitting by the side got up very quickly, walked over a few steps, and caught her.

“Mother.”

Liu Fan also stretched out his hand to support Madam Liu, and said loudly, “Quickly, go get the doctor!”

The eldest young madam hurried to order a servant to invite the doctor.

Liu Fan said to Liu Fang, “Fourth younger sister, leave mother to me.”

“Okay, elder brother.”

Liu Fang let go of her hand, allowing Liu Fan to pick Madam Liu up, walked into the inner room, and placed her on the bed to lie down.

Liu Fang stood where she was and didn’t follow.

The second sister-in-law and the third sister-in-law went in to help, and everyone else stayed in the main hall.

The fourth young madam said worriedly: “Is father-in-law really going to be okay this time? Our house is really going to be ransacked? Then what should we do? Are we going to be sent into exile or sold into official slavery? Then what about my child? They are still so young…”

As she spoke, she couldn’t help but choked up and sobbed.

The fifth young madam said, “It should be impossible. Although the emperor is old, he is not really a fool. He will definitely find out the truth of the matter and give justice to father-in-law.”

The fourth young madam cried and said “Fairness? What kind of justice is there in this world? Look at how many innocent people have been wiped out overnight in these years. Are they really so heinous? Our emperor can’t see how difficult the people are. He is high above, He only cares about his royal inheritance, how can he care about our lives?! Poor my child…”

The sixth young madam frowned and said: “Sister-in-law, be careful! Our family can’t stand any trouble now “

The fourth young madam sobbed, “I don’t want to, but our family is already like this now, can’t I tell the truth?”

The sixth young madam sighed, “Even so, we can’t just be so depressed. Things haven’t reached that point yet. We’re confusing ourselves. If something really happens, then what should we do then?” 

“It’s just a death, and that’s it anyway.” The fourth young madam said hopelessly, walked to the side, and sat down.

The sixth young madam shook her head and said, “Not necessarily.”

Everyone looked at her, and she said unhurriedly: “Who is our father-in-law? It’s just a sixth-rank editor of the Imperial Academy. What’s more, the great crime of beheading and exterminating the family will not fall on his head.”

Liu Hanlin was just a little transparent, no matter how the nobles above fight, at most he will be implicated and become cannon fodder, but he will not be specifically targeted.

And as long as no one targets him, his crimes can be easily spared.

Of course, it was probably impossible to continue to be an official, but the lives of the family can be saved, and there was no problem with this.

Therefore, Liu Fang was not worried at all.

The previous mission had improved her political acumen, so she understood what her sixth sister-in-law said.

The fourth madam couldn’t believe it: “Really?”

The sixth young madam nodded, “Father’s position is not high, and he has no special talents. He has been an editor at the Imperial Academy for so many years. Even though he doesn’t have many connections, At least, there are still a few good friends, as long as one or two of these people can intercede for the father-in-law, the nobles will definitely not embarrass the father-in-law.” 

“Then, don’t we need to do some arrangements?”

“It’s natural.” Liu Fan came out from the inner room and said to his younger brothers and sisters, “Don’t worry, I have let the second younger brother go, and there will be news in the evening. Brothers and sisters don’t need to worry too much. Fourth younger sister also doesn’t need to worry too much. Father will be fine.”

Liu Fang was never worried, and the fourth young madam was much relieved.

“However, ransacking the house is definitely inevitable, we still need to make preparations early.”

Everyone understood: If the house was ransacked, then they would really be destitute.

So, from now on, they have to prepare early.

The eldest young madam just came back, and when she heard this, she said: “Don’t worry, I will immediately check the property in the mansion, try my best to deal with all the property in the shortest time, and prepare what we need.”

Liu Fan listened and nodded his head, he said: “It’s best like this. Now everyone should go back and make preparations, don’t delay. Mother, I can watch over here.”

The second young madam also came out of the inner room. The others went back together first.

Liu Fang went all the way back to Anshiyuan. She was used to the name, so when she grew up, she changed her yard name into Anshiyuan.

Aunt Chen was sitting in the main room waiting. When she saw Liu Fang come back, she stood up and asked her, “How is it? How is the master?”

[Yi niang (姨娘) The tittle use to address a concubine]

Liu Fang looked at her biological mother on this mission. Even though she was nearly forty years old and had become a grandmother but the charm was still there, graceful and beautiful.

Liu Fang touched her own face. She has a beautiful biological mother, so her face was also very beautiful in this mission.

She was happy O(∩_∩)O~~!

“Father is fine. Eldest brother has taken care of everything, Auntie doesn’t need to worry.”

[Only the legal wife can be called mother by the children, whether they were born from the legal wife or concubines]

Aunt Chen breathed a sigh of relief, “That’s good, that’s good. What about Madam? Is it okay?”

Liu Fang shook her head and said, “Eldest brother got the news, I’m afraid our family is going to be ransacked this time.”

“Ransacked the house?!” Aunt Chen was shocked!

“Un, but it shouldn’t affect the life of our family. It’s a blessing in misfortune.”

Aunt Chen stroked her chest and said, “That’s good, that’s good.”

Then she asked, “Then madam?”

“Mother passed out after hearing the news, but it’s probably not a serious problem, otherwise the eldest brother will not let me come back to prepare.”

“Prepare? What preparations?”

“If the house is raided, then we have to make preparations for the future. Make plans early. I was also thinking that maybe the elder brothers will not be able to keep their jobs, so we have to count the money in our hands earlier and make preparations.” 

Aunt Chen suddenly said, “Well, what your eldest brother say is not wrong, you’re thinking also right. I’ll go and make the preparations now.”

Liu Fang said to Aunt Chen, “Auntie, remember to find some old clothes, not showing one’s money is the right way .”

Aunt Chen smiled and stroked Liu Fang’s hair and said, “Don’t worry, I have also escaped the famine and suffered, so I know what to do.”

Liu Fang smiled, this is the best.

At that moment, the entire Liu Mansion was extremely busy.

The next day, the eldest young madam gathered her servants and asked them to pawn all the valuables in the mansion, and then began to dismiss the servants bit by bit, and sold all the property and shops! Including Madam Liu, the dowries of the young madam should also be dealt with. It made the Liu Mansion look like it has gone bankrupt.

Liu Fang and Aunt Chen also disposed of all the belongings in their hands, even pawned all the clothes and jewelry, and replaced them with small bank notes, which were sewn into worn-out coarse cotton shoes.

The soles of the shoes were thick, so it was not easy to see that the banknotes were hidden.

Madam Liu and the other young madam immediately did the same when they saw it, and they all discarded those brocade clothes and jewelry.

As for the masters, they were begging for help with panicked looks and scattered a lot of belongings.

In this way, it made outsiders feel that after the catastrophe, even if the Liu family survived in the end, they would basically be bankrupt and destitute.

When the final disposition came out, Father Liu did not suffer a serious punishment as expected, but at the same time his official position was gone, Liu Fan and his brothers’ jobs were also taken away, and their property was confiscated.

Madam Liu was truly relieved after the decree of confiscating the house come out.

Because they had already made preparations, the people in the mansion calmly allowed the officials to search the property in the mansion.

Looking at the empty Liu Mansion, the officials was silent.

How to confiscate this? The entire Liu Mansion was as clean as if it had been looted by bandits. What else could they confiscate?

Liu Fan said embarrassingly to the officials, “I’m really sorry. All the property in the mansion has been pawned, and the money has been distributed everywhere. This, this house has already been sold… If it is not for the emperor’s imperial decree, the family will have had to move a long time ago. I’m really sorry, I’m sorry…”

What else can the officials do? They didn’t resist the decree. They had lost everything. could this also be counted as a crime?

So they went through it thoroughly and made sure that there was no valuable property in the entire Liu Mansion. They even opened the bags carried by Madam Liu and the others. Inside were all coarse cloth dresses, coarse cotton shoes, and cloth shoes. This was not something that can be used to hide the property.

Therefore, they returned empty-handed.

It’s also because Father Liu was originally a six-rank editor, his official position was too small, and his salary was not high. Liu’s daily expenses were very low, and his family’s life was relatively simple, only maintaining the dignity of a normal Hanlin family.

What’s more, before the officials come to inspect, Madam Liu had already acted like they were losing the family fortune, even the dowries of the female relatives were sold clean.

Even if they look so impoverished now, outsiders will not find it strange, let alone delve into it.

Only in this way can the lives of their family be truly protected.

Madam Liu stood in front of the gate of the Liu Mansion, looking at the house where she had lived for most of her life, her eyes were flushed.

Liu Fan supported her and said: “Mother, let’s go, don’t look, we still have to pick father.”

Madam Liu nodded, wiped the corners of her eyes, “Okay.”

The family got on the simple mule cart, and went all the way to the prison.

Father Liu didn’t suffer any injuries, but he was a little haggard and his hair became grayer. It was obvious that this incident had hit him hard. The concept he has always believed in has been shaken, and bitterly disappointed.

It doesn’t matter if he was not an official, at least his family was safe and sound, and no need to endure hardships.

The family didn’t say much outside the prison, got into the mule cart, rushed to the outer city, and rented a yard in the inn to stay temporarily.

After washing up, Father Liu had dinner, and then he said to the crowd: “Fortunately, there is no harm, but we can’t stay at the capital anymore.”

Liu Fan nodded, “What father said is right. It’s just we have no relatives in our hometown. Even the tombs of grandparents and maternal grandparents have already been moved to the capital, where is our family going to settle now?” “

“The farther away from the capital, the better.” Father Liu said lightly, and he sighed, “For the time being, let’s see how far can we go. The children are still young, so we have to take care of them.”

The grandchildren in the family were indeed very young. The oldest was no more than eleven years old, and the youngest was only about one year old. With such a large family, there were not many servants around, they all had to do the work themselves, and they naturally have to be extremely careful.

Liu Fang looked at the relatively peaceful family and felt relieved. She was not afraid of accidents. What she feared most was that the family was not in harmony. That will be deathly!

Father Liu had just come out of prison and was exhausted, so he took a rest without saying anything.

Everyone withdrew and went back to their rooms to rest.

The next day, Madam Liu asked her sons to take their daughters-in-law back to their natal homes to inform their family that their family was leaving the capital.