After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 851 Dilemma
Haitang paused after hearing this, then asked, "Are you sincere?"

It's not that she is overly suspicious or likes to think the worst of people, but she has seen too many bad things in her two lifetimes and can't believe that there are really concubines in this world who respect the principal wife wholeheartedly.

If it was in the past, when Hai Baozhu and his mother still needed Fang's living expenses, it would be understandable that Hai Baozhu's biological mother was so attentive and careful to Fang. But now that things have changed, Hai Baozhu can return to his hometown to inherit the ancestral property with peace of mind, but Fang is going to take her daughter away from home and stay away from the Hai family. Can Hai Baozhu's biological mother still maintain her original attitude?
Ma also understood why her granddaughter asked this question. When she answered, her expression was quite meaningful: "At least your cousin, your second uncle, and your brother all think that she is not pretending."

Others might be deceived by Hai Baozhu's biological mother, but Hai Chang'an and Hai Jiao were not people who could be easily fooled. They did not find anything wrong with her, which meant that she probably truly respected Fang.

Haitang thought that Haijiao had seen Hai Baozhu and his mother in his previous life. If they were treacherous, he would not have been unaware of it. There must be honest people in this world. Fang, as the principal wife, was able to sacrifice her reputation to protect her late husband's family business and the life of her concubine's son. So, Hai Baozhu's biological mother, as a concubine, could also be a truly honest concubine who would not cause trouble.

Ma said, "Baozhu's mother's surname is Qiu, and she is not from Yongping Prefecture. She was bought by your cousin from a man. Your uncle wanted to take a concubine, and originally had his eyes on a young singer, but his parents did not allow it, and were unwilling to pay for her. He made a scene, but it didn't work out, so your cousin spent her own money to buy a maid from a man and gave her a face to him as a servant. Then he stopped talking about the young singer again."

Fang had chosen the person herself. She had naturally examined her appearance and personality carefully. She was beautiful and gentle, but also sensible and not the kind of person who loved to quarrel. She had no parents, family members or fellow villagers to instigate her. The maids and servants who were arranged to serve her in her room were also honest people, so she lived a peaceful life.

Aunt Qiu had never had a good life at home. She was often beaten and scolded by her husband. But after she entered the Hai family, she had no worries about food and clothing. The mistress was also kind and amiable. Except that her husband had a strange temper and the rules at home were a little strict, there was nothing wrong with her. It was a pity that she was not blessed. After only two years of good life, the pillars of the Hai family died one after another, and their lives fell into decline. But even so, she became pregnant, and the mistress took good care of her, allowing her to give birth to the child safely without suffering. After her husband died, someone in the family wanted to harm the child, and the mistress took great pains to send them away. Although they had not been able to go home for many years, they had enough food and clothing outside, and their son could also study under a famous teacher and take the imperial examination, with a bright future...

If Qiu was a reasonable and honest person, she would not have any complaints against her former mistress Fang. Fang was so smart that she was chosen because she believed that she was not an ungrateful person.

Therefore, after reading Fang's detailed description of Aunt Qiu's past experiences in the letter, Ma was more inclined to believe that she was not an ungrateful person and really wanted to serve Fang. In the past, she had to take her son to avoid the Jiang family's assassination and could not serve the mistress all the time, but now that their family of four can finally be reunited, she also has the opportunity to devote herself to the mistress, so how can she find an excuse to escape?
It was fine that her son was busy with school and couldn't leave. As a concubine, she should serve the mistress. If she didn't do it now, after a few years when her son passed the imperial examination, the mistress would definitely let her take care of him, so as not to hurt her son's dignity. She didn't dare to disobey the mistress's wishes, so she could only take advantage of these few years to repay her mistress's kindness...

Ma told Haitang what Fang said in the letter and sighed, "Your cousin is also worried. She really doesn't want Qiu to stay by her side and serve her. She hopes that Qiu can go back to Yongping Mansion to take care of Baozhu. But Qiu is so stubborn, and she can't refuse too firmly, for fear of hurting Qiu's dignity. Now she doesn't know what to do."

Hai Xiya asked, "After all, my niece has remarried. Does Mrs. Qiu still respect her as the mistress?"

Ma nodded, "That's right, that's why my niece said she was stubborn." Hai Xiya smiled and said, "It's a good thing that Qiu Shi doesn't forget her roots and knows how to be grateful. With such a biological mother teaching him, Baozhu will be a sensible child and will be filial to his stepmother in the future. Since Qiu Shi insists on staying with the mistress to serve, you can just let her go. If my niece is worried that Baozhu will be left unattended in Yongping Prefecture, then arrange for two reliable people to serve him and persuade Baozhu to study hard. When he passes the examination and becomes a scholar, he can go to Beijing to prepare for the provincial examination. By then, their family will be reunited, and mother and son will be together. Are you still worried that no one will take care of the child? My niece has suffered for so many years, and now she has finally made it. Qiu Shi and Baozhu both know how to be grateful and want to repay her kindness. She will have a long good life in the future."

As he spoke, he put away his own letter, took out another unopened one, put it in his arms, stood up and said, "I'll go sit with my cousin. Baoshun also wrote a letter to my cousin. I think my cousin must have come back by now."

Ma and Haitang stood up and saw him out, then went back to the inner room and sat down.

Ma lowered her voice, "I knew your grandfather would say these words. How could he know the details of this? It is because Qiu is honest and does not forget his roots, and Baozhu knows how to be grateful, that things are difficult to handle! Otherwise, why would your brother write a letter to tell us all these things?!"

Haitang blinked, and soon understood: "My cousin brought her daughter to Beijing because she wanted to completely cut off her past in Yongping Prefecture and live in a place where no one knows her. Then she doesn't have to worry about the past events causing rumors and affecting her and Sister Baozhu's future. She considers herself a widow, and with our family as an arm, it will be much easier for her to find a good marriage for Sister Baozhu. But Aunt Qiu stays by her side to serve her, and Baozhu will move in when he passes the exam to become a scholar. Their identities are clear, and they are inseparable from the Hai family. It will be difficult for my cousin to conceal her past and get rid of the influence of her past experiences!"

Although the surviving people of the eldest and second branches of the Hai family do not care about Fang's remarriage, the world may not think so. The Hai family members have been protected by Fang for many years, and they have also gossiped about Fang in private, let alone unrelated outsiders? Once the neighbors in Beijing know Fang's experience, not to mention the daily gossip, Hai Baozhu's marriage alone will be difficult to resolve. There will always be people who dislike her mother's remarriage and her stepfather's identity as a criminal. It will not be so easy for her to find an innocent and decent family.

Fang was anxious to get away from the Hai family for her daughter's future. Anyway, the Hai family had Hai Baozhu as the successor, and the Hai family no longer had to face the pressure from the Jiang family and could live in peace. Fang thought she had done her duty to the Hai family and could leave them with peace of mind to pursue a new life for herself and her daughter. But Hai Baozhu and Qiu insisted on staying with her in order to repay her kindness, which in turn hindered her.

But Hai Baozhu did it out of filial piety, and Qiu did it to repay a favor, so who can say that their actions were wrong?
Fang couldn't bring herself to chase the man away, and she was afraid that her daughter's future would be affected. She was in a dilemma now.

Haijiao wrote a special letter to his grandmother to explain the matter because he himself was undecided whether to play the good guy and persuade Qiu to leave.

(End of this chapter)