“Most had mostly said that this was a strange topic. Or why I like to talk about the more negative parts of our reign. But I find it an interesting study, a way to look at others and realize that they very much controlled how we could see it. And also, how it is so easy to split. As the saying goes, ‘Long united must divide, long divided must unite’.”

“That is true.” She knew that it was always so. It has happened for almost three times as it was alone. And a necessity. They always had the truth with what they were then right now. With the tribes also choosing to invade and border them very closely. Something which was was always true regarding it as well. Just as she was mostly hearing it with an active interest in any.

“I wonder, do you have a map?”

“One at home. Actually two large ones, and a few dozen small maps on cities or towns. Since my father runs all around the country anyway, so he mostly takes us with them, or my mother thinks it’s a good idea to follow him. Which is why we’re here right now.”

“Is it the small town a little further and closer to the Yellow River.”

“Because it flooded them recently. The destruction was rather immense, and we’ll be here for most of the year. Just as I add another city or town I have visited in exceptional detail on how it looked like when it was destroyed. By the time I can even manage to visit it, it is done. By the end of it, I can add being able to stomach massive destruction and also be sent to remote places.”

“Does it bring a lot of prestige?”

“We are very very respected. That’s about it, just as we don’t settle permanently. And I say not being a part of the court seems preferable to my father, as he likes to deal with this crisis. Since it means that most people are just trying to survive, not making the effort to turn things into their favor. But there are exceptions to this rule. But they are rare.”

“I can’t even think of anyone who would do that, unless they were already set and have no sense of decency.” And as her mother liked to say, to never do this just in case in the future it turned out to be them. And they always had those days when they were low and needed someone to. It was one to show neutrality, and another to take pleasure or profit out of the fall of another.

“You will be surprised. But either way, it shows you who can be trusted and who can’t. As for those in the court, as my father suggests, they are those who gloat over the fall of another and capitalize on it. And makes it a lot more difficult once you see what they are willing to do, or see what they do to another family there.”

“I don’t doubt it. If you ever been on the end of disapproving looks, you will realize that it really has no effect on you. All there is that they do it because it makes them feel better, makes them think that they have made the right choices. And most importantly, if they didn’t manage to find much happiness, then they won’t make it any easier.”

“My mother does care a little if she knew what your mother worked in. Just as he had done his best to hide it. And she doesn’t leave the house much, so other than meeting you for the first time in another time. Since she wants to help you prepare for the wedding.” And she understood that it was going to be awkward.

“You’ll be staying with the Jiang family?”

“I’ll be there. I imagine that it would be awkward. But shouldn’t she know if you’re here?”

He shook his head. “She doesn’t know that I’m visiting you here, she adheres to the idea that I should wait until the day of marriage. Just like my father, I was curious, my father encouraged it. Since he had his suspicions.”

“I imagine it would be an interesting occasion. And I didn’t meet him, right?” Chaoyun asked.

“You would be right. And yes, you didn’t, or haven’t. We are planning to have another, since they didn’t want it to be so big. Suggesting that you were shy.”

“More like I was completely out of place there.” Unfamiliar with the surroundings and rather forced into the whole scenario. She admitted that it was a truth there.

“I agree, you were very much out of placed in there. You didn’t know what to do, you distanced yourself from any woman or didn’t stay in the inner banquet.” Separate banquets were always what happened, and it was rare for them to meet. Unless of course, it was a family affair. And this was far from it.

“I wonder, how do you think of your father’s legacy?”

“He helped a lot of people and managed to do so while earning honors from the imperial court. That’s positive and largely better than leaving behind a legacy where you basically got to where you were because you were agreeable, not because of your skills, your talents.”

“At least it isn’t because you begot as many sons as possible. Which happens to be our purpose.”

“That is by far the worst. Since I know women may not always have children and sometimes it’s the fault of the man. Having children is no always an easy thing, some wish desperately for it. While others have too much that they wish or need to sell their daughters off to brothels.”

“Always a daughter but never a son. As it is.” And always will be when it came for them. “I was left here because they would not have wanted. If I were a boy, they would have gladly ignored my low birth.”

“But make you remember it for the rest of your life. Just like how my cousin has it, where he is constantly reminded of his mother’s low birth and being told that he can’t achieve anything in life if at all. It isn’t a nice road, and sometimes the main wife makes his life rather difficult. Not in a good sense, and she doesn’t have any children of her own.”

And in its own way, she understood the rationale behind this. She understood why it was so, it was painful to realize and also admit something. Just like how most women had to have children, regardless of whether the child would take their life or otherwise. Even as it was common. To the extent that few people have tried or would even try considering it as well.

“So, she adopted him?”

He nodded. “Yes, she did adopt him. Necessity and he was the oldest son to my uncle. And why I was thankful even as they certainly hoped to my parents that they did have more than one son. Just a few years later and they had their second.”

“Well can’t say anything as I was technically adopted by my mother when I was given to her. She has largely treated me as her own, just as I have no idea whether she truly wanted children.”

“Because if she did, there was always the door for her to marry into the family and eventually have a child of her own. Not stuck it out to raise her, the daughter of a close friend but little else. But either way, she did do her job well, at least better than neglecting you or working you to death.”

“Though I can fully attest that most of this was because she had gone through a rather terrible upbringing as well, thus she did not want it for me at all.” They had a huge laugh, just as they continued to talk.