The climate in Jiangnan is humid, unlike the Capital City.
Just past May, the weather is already very hot and humid.
Today’s weather is quite nice, except the sunshine is a bit glaring.
Steam rises from the ground, sticking to one’s skin, very sticky.
In the dilapidated small courtyard, by the well.
A thin little figure is struggling to draw a bucket of water.
She desperately turns the wheel, attempting to lift the water bucket full to the brim.
But due to her lack of strength.
Every time she can’t hold it for long, the just-raised bucket rolls back down with a clatter along the rope.
She rubbed her already red little hands, stomped her foot in frustration, helplessly continuing.
Unfortunately, she is too weak.
Every time the bucket is halfway up, she runs out of strength.
The recent time she almost touched the bucket, but as soon as she let go of one hand, the bucket dropped back into the well.
Just as she was infinitely despondent and sad.
A tall figure stood behind her, extending a long arm to effortlessly take over the handle.
He gently turned it a few times and then reached out, pulling up the bucket full of water.
Tang Xun’s eyes first lit up, then her cheeks suddenly reddened.
"Why are you here?" Her voice was like a mosquito’s buzz.
The Prefectural Governor slightly curled his lips.
"Why shouldn’t I come? It’s not the first time!"
Although Tang Xun is stubborn, inherently aloof, she is after all a maiden yet to be married.
In front of someone she wholeheartedly likes, her reaction is identical to any other girl, full of shy embarrassment.
Seeing she didn’t speak, Xia Jingfeng spoke again.
"Don’t worry, I’ve already arranged everything, soon I’ll marry you!"
Tang Xun’s face blushed red.
"You are so strange, what is there for me to worry about!"
After saying that she paused, but couldn’t help asking concernedly.
"Are you okay, those people...didn’t trouble you, did they!"
Xia Jingfeng squinted his eyes and curled his lips.
"They wish!"
Not asking how her family was, he came up eager to show concern for himself first.
This shows how much those people have disappointed her.
And for someone as kind as her, what kind of sadness and heartbreak must she have experienced to be so disappointed?
Xia Jingfeng dared not think further, he glanced around.
No look was fine, but one look was enough...
In the depths of his inscrutable cold eyes instantly gathered a fierce storm, colder than glaciers.
"What are you doing?"
Tang Xun: "..."
She was somewhat puzzled, seeing Xia Jingfeng’s strange look, but the good-natured girl patiently answered.
"I’m drawing water! You saw it, didn’t you?"
Xia Jingfeng lightly tapped her forehead, sternly questioned.
"You are a young lady!"
"How can such rough work fall upon you?"
Such tasks, even a slightly higher-status maid wouldn’t have to do themselves, right?
Not to mention, she is a young lady!
Tang Xun nodded understandingly.
"So that’s it!"
She, long accustomed, indifferent replied.
"Xiao Chuan was called by my elder sister, the others...I don’t know where they went!"
Xiao Chuan is an orphan she picked from outside as a child, always kept by her side to live together.
However, Lady Tang does not acknowledge nor allow him, so Xiao Chuan’s food and uses all come from her meager allowance.
Although...her allowance is so pitifully small, it’s like having it or not makes almost no difference.
Still, she is a young lady, nothing blocks the legitimate mother.
So, Lady Tang always didn’t go too far to force her to death, hence she’s survived until now.
She and Xiao Chuan share the allowance, lack food and warm clothing, yet fortunately haven’t frozen or starved to death, the two of them depending on each other through these years.
Every time she thinks of this, she feels very grateful.
Of course she knows where all the others went.
But in her eyes was not resentment, only a feeling of surviving a disaster.
Xia Jingfeng felt something was amiss.
"How long have they been gone?"
Tang Xun thought for a moment then said.
"Out since morning, haven’t returned yet!"
She seemed to have sensed something was wrong as well, so she gave a bitter smile.
"This can’t be counted as anything!"
"Elder sister usually often calls her to serve, occasionally for several days showing no sign to let her back!"
"These days..."
Lately these days they are more outrageous.
Lady Tang madly tortured her (being snubbed at Hou Mansion what good can she do? Only able to reach this level of incapability).
Preventing the kitchen from providing her meals, driving away all her servants, not even letting water-fetching rough tasks be spared.
Isn’t it?
To eat, one must purchase with their own Silver.