She was working on this for the next couple of days which drew their attention away because of how different it was so. A way to ensure that she could still answer what she was doing, and today was when her mother was always charitable. And that was what she did.
This was a dessert given to the poor, and she always contributed trying her best, and they took it initially more than happy for anything. It was a simple soup that filled their souls with happiness, and she was happy to have helped them out right now when they needed it the most. Filled their hearts with joy and hope when there were little to none.
And her mother gave them options, and tried to help them at least earn enough to get by. Either through delivery, if they were still able to run and then to others or elderly. Either way, she did this often. “I’m going to miss this once it’s gone.”
She was right in this as well. Before opening the lid to take in the sweet smell. It was as good as anything and inside, she threw in as many things which she knew was healthy as possible. Something warm always filled the stomach as possible. And because they liked it. Before bringing it out, the weight no longer really bothered her at least at this point.
Going out, and placing it at the table set out for this. With a huge queue for all of them, giving them the chance to enjoy it. And the bowl was as big as she could, but also rationing it, with others also contributing. As well as her father who employed some to give out porridge to the poor. As the first he did as a local Magistrate, an offering to them.
She was in a way happy, even as this was usually by another rich family who wanted the chance to shine. And figured that it was best for him. As well as a more comprehensive way to deal with it. This was a town where sometimes bad harvests meant that families starved, and there were always family who needed this. As it meant a saved meal, or an extra meal each month. Better than nothing if at all.
And she started to pour a bowl for them, to the hungry eager faces. She passed it to them, and the girl thanked her. Before she did the same for the next who returned the same. The smiles made her happy very very much. Much more than she wanted it than anything else at this stage. At least when they could have thought about it then and there.
Before she noticed her father coming down here. With a smile for her at the very least. And then also overseeing everything. And her mother who had came down for almost no real reason other than to overlook too. She continued and not care, even as her father showed a lot of affection for all of the children there. Offering rice to their mothers who came here for aid.
And then passing by, taking the chance to interact with the townsfolk. “This was a great idea, and I thank you for being the one person who does this consistently, I imagine that it is not cheap.”
“I was one of those children. And each day I help them is a day that they need not worry so much about basic necessities, and one day is one day they could just laugh, play and be children. Offer what I never had, I feel that it’s the best way to move forward.” She walked down there as well, continuing to move.
“I wish no one could. That hunger, I can see how it limits and later on become the limiting factor for so many. And the basis for so many bad decisions, although selling daughters seem a little rare right now than before.”
“Because they see the economic value of one, a girl who can spin at an early age can provide for her family. And the difference between barely surviving and somewhat comfortable. Even then, they could do menial labor, become a serving girl by the time they’re ten. It just isn’t all that worth it to them to sell them off when they could provide. Sometimes better than the men.”
“It seems that I learn something everyday about their lives.” Even as he also continued to help and distribute and also listen to any pleas.
“That and some even when later on they’ll still be working in such a place. Entertaining men may not always be a really bad idea when they could have the money and also security. It isn’t about uncertainty and luck, but also skill. Women who understand themselves can learn to survive on anything without ever needing someone else. And I’m seeing few every take the chance.”
Which was far from what they were now here, at least as she knew. Then again, she was earning a fairly respectable amount entirely on her own with the same conditions as well. It also very very much applied to her as well. She was learning about herself in this at every way possible as well as others.
Understanding what she very much cared for and what she did not care at all. She enjoyed this, she also enjoyed other things as well then and there while they were now here. And then understanding that this was the same thing. Her mother never wanted her to associate anything with not enough, or lowering herself.
The same reason why so many women even then were at the very least thinking that such was immoral, something that only poor women did for a living. When it could be no different. “You’ll be surprised to learn that sometimes even those who do actually support their families and by sending them cash, allow themselves to save up for their own. There are always men who are willing to take girls like that, and some who prefer. Whether they are concubines or not, they always understand that nothing is truly beneath them.”
“I would expect you to condemn such women and girls.”
“When you learn how the religious live their life, and what they impose that will make you think twice about demeaning others. And that to me, no one has gone about their life in the wrong way if at all.”
“That is a good thing to teach her. And me as well, there were days back then when we were poor and I worked as a merchant in an effort to pay. We were very much reviled as well, and I learned that it was also very much like prostitution. You did your best to earn your clients no matter what they do to you, then the contempt. In a way, being a merchant and being a prostitute and has a lot more in common with it than I think not.”
“And that it seems that they dislike it when we made deals about things which exploit relationships, even as that is very much the same for families. Just that it is very very indirect, but it is very much the same sort.” He continued, and he was right. As well as feeling as though she was also being sold, and wondered whether she should be thankful that she sort of sabotaged herself.
And then a woman came in with another on her arms. The center was a woman with gray hair, and one that she took a little after in terms of her looks and face. A certain understanding of who she was, her paternal grandmother. She bowed her head even as she continued to serve, with a large smile
And the look she returned her was far from the perfect. Before walking up to her son, clear about what was to be done right now if they could have the chance to think about it. And she was somewhat afraid about when they were right now.
And then not speaking of anything right now then and there if at least when they could have thought about. “She would like to speak with us as well as Yi’er alone.” He called by her first name because of their relationship and because they were equals and somewhat intimate. In a way, they were her parents. One was her biological father while the other raised her.
And then they looked at each other while helping the other. Into a small room at the very least, an empty room while they could talk and she knew very much and well that it was not pretty. What she said as she learned would be a deal-breaker, at least in terms of where she stood. She was neither educated nor was she even well known.
Very much so, she had done herself in for this marriage. And she didn’t care, if it did not happen she was more than happy for it. It was far too early, and as she learned she didn’t want something that she was very much in doubts about. Or thinking about what was possible right now as they could have considered at the very least.
And when they needed or had to. She took a seat there, facing her back to the end. Which suggested that she was junior to them which was a positive part when it came to that at the very least while they were now here at long last anyway. The table could seat up to around twenty people when needed if at all at the very least right now.
“What have you done to me? I asked you to do one thing, ensure that this go ons without a single obstacle and there she goes giving them one reason to reject her.” The woman berated her grown son and he did not do anything because she was his mother. She gave him life and thus he rarely said anything. And learned how he was subservient to them right now.
“Mother, she was right to not lie about this. They would have figured it out, she was uncomfortable, she could barely read. If this waited a little longer I would have been convinced on how to do things, but here you are just making a rather poor effort at forging an alliance using someone who isn’t even your pawn. We have not made a good choice with this.”
Her mother had not said a word. But waited for him to use solid reasoning. “Mother, I hope you also see the light of the issue. They would have known, even if one of them were to come here. There would be no going back then. We would have ruined her for no good reason, and at the same time we would have lost our respect and prestige. She is not raised by us, and she owes her loyalty and piety to someone who has truly taken care of her. I cannot and I dare not say that I had been a father to her.”
“You should have allowed me to do that. They would not have known when they could have tried about when they were right now. You ruined a good chance for us to advance ourselves.”
“What does she gain from this? What right do you have?” Her mother asked. Asking the one obvious question missing. “This is for your own gain, for anyone else’s but not hers. This is not a match that she wanted if at all, and you never asked her. You never tried to accustom her. And I made a chance to ask about it. The terms were as though you were selling her, a wife in all but name. And if anything she could be turned away, sold, or even abandoned without anything. You had just sold her to the family.”
The woman was appalled. Even as he looked. “You are to blame too, since you would have saw it.” Not excusing her father at the very least if at all. And showing just what it was. “But at least you’re honest about it, and I expect that you did not know about this.”
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