She had originally thought she would spend the rest of her life this way: raising her child well, taking good care of her mother-in-law. No matter how difficult life beca, as long as she gritted her teeth and endured, she believed she could get through it.
Besides, ever since she had been able to work in the workshop, her family's financial situation had eased considerably. At least, they no longer worried about food and clothing, and her child could attend school and learn to read.
She had never considered remarrying. She was afraid others might look down on her son, and also afraid they might disdain her mother-in-law.
How many n were willing to raise another man's child, let alone that man's mother?
Actually, there were so, but...
She would rather continue living her life simply than settle for less.
But then he had just happened to appear in her ho.
And as it happened, he was an honest man.
And as it also happened, no matter how she looked at him, she felt comfortable.
On her way ho from work, she would often be filled with anticipation, just for the chance to see him a few more tis when she pushed open the door.
Her mother-in-law, who doted on her, was also willing for her to find another man. After eting him, she no longer felt the need to be reserved.
After all, she was a widow, a woman who had borne a child, not so innocent young maiden. What was there to be shy or hesitant about?
He ca to her house every day, and she had never once driven him away. Wasn't her aning perfectly clear?
But she didn't know what he was hesitating about. Perhaps... he was hesitating? Did he think *I* wasn't good enough for *him*?
In the end, however, he had sat down and eaten a al with her family, and he had even given her all his accumulated salary.
She had accepted it in front of him.
In her eyes, the matter between them was settled!
For this reason, these past few days, she would lie on her bed every night, thinking and thinking...
To say sothing rather bold, when she married her first husband, her heart had definitely not pounded like a frantic deer as it did now.
She had heard storytellers tell tales of scholars and beauties before.
I don't think of myself as any beauty, she thought, but perhaps this is what the storytellers call... love at first sight?
Her mother-in-law helped her prepare her wedding attire.
A widow remarrying wouldn't have a lavish ceremony. Her mother-in-law, also a woman, felt for her, doting on her as if she were her own daughter, so she wanted to prepare a wedding outfit with her.
Her mother-in-law said that while they couldn't make a grand display publicly, for fear of gossip, in the privacy of their ho, she should have everything other young brides had.
She was waiting for him to return, but...
The old woman was still crying, but the younger woman couldn't bring herself to shed a tear, though she felt an empty hollowness inside.
She stood up, walked over to her mother-in-law, and squatted down.
She wanted to say it was her fate; or that perhaps she truly was fated to be a widow, for two n had now died because of her.
If he hadn't t , if he hadn't had that last al with us, would he still have died?
Once, when her first husband had just died, the villagers had said such things about her. Afterwards, her mother-in-law had taken a broom and fought with those gossiping won.
But this ti, she herself believed it.
The old woman, wiping her tears, said, "Earlier, soone from the General's residence ca. They said... they said Yu'er... he... he was gravely injured. Paralyzed."
The woman abruptly looked up at her mother-in-law.
He wasn't dead.
He wasn't dead.
He wasn't dead!
"Oh, cruel fate! How could life be so bitter! You finally found another man, soone you could rely on, and now he's paralyzed! How could he be paralyzed!"
Joy still filled the woman's heart; she didn't react.
Seeing her daughter-in-law's expression, the old woman misunderstood her thoughts. She could only cup her daughter-in-law's face with her withered hands and say,
"Ni'er, before he went off to war, he gave you all his pay, and we all sat down and ate together. Ni'er, we must live with a clear conscience. You absolutely cannot, seeing he's paralyzed, just cast him aside.
We have to support him; we have to serve him.
This is our destiny; this is our destiny!
We can't do sothing so heartless, nor can we go back on our word, do you understand?
You must rember, that Yu'er, he is your husband. Regardless of whether he can walk or work, as long as your husband isn't dead, you must serve him, serve him for his entire life!"
The old woman had believed in one principle her whole life: a woman follows her husband, for better or worse, once she marries him.
The younger woman, however, smiled and said, "Mother, I understand."
As long as he's not dead, that's all that matters. I'm truly willing to take care of him.
At that mont, on the courtyard wall, the heads of two children slowly retracted.
Wolf Cub said to the sword maid, "This family seems pretty decent. In our desert, won willing to be this devoted are rare."
The conditions for survival in the desert were extrely harsh. If a man in a family could no longer stand and support his household, it was common for the woman to take her children and move into another man's tent.
The sword maid, like a little adult, crossed her arms and nodded.
"What about that silver?"
The silver, paynt for the military rit of over a thousand heads, was a sum that would shock anyone.
But the sword maid had stopped it from being delivered.
The Sword Saint had said he didn't want to conduct any tests.
Zheng Fan had agreed. However, in Shengle City, the sword maid couldn't resist acting on her own.
In a child's eyes, there are really only black and white. If soone wanted to beco her master's wife, then naturally, she would have to pass that test.
Wolf Cub patted his backside and said, "I hear we're moving. To the east—like, way, way out east."
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