487 The Painful Past (2)

The flash within Madam Qu's eyes didn't go undetected. Nan Hua noticed it, but she didn't say anything because there was really no need for Madam Qu to know that she noticed that kind of gaze.

It would be better to let her thought that she had won.

"I'm going now!"

After Madam Qu left, Nan Hua looked at the jewelry box in front of her. She could feel her heart thumping even though she couldn't remember much about this box. There were only some broken images flashed within her mind, too few to form a complete story.

As she opened the box, Nan Hua noticed that there were some jewelries made out of jade. Her hand stretched forward and pressed the compartment at the bottom before a pair of necklace could be taken out. The necklaces were small and light, but it was exquisite.

100 days' ceremony.

It was only now the images in Nan Hua's head become clear. Her mother didn't care about the jewelries so much because they were nothing more than monetary possession. What she cared the most was these two necklaces.

These are the necklaces used for her and her twin brother's 100 days' ceremony.

And it was also an unforgettable day for her mother.

That day, Madam Qu gave birth to Nan Hou Xiang, disturbing the ceremony. Even though the ceremony itself was not long, Madam Qu had a labor right in the middle of the ceremony. At that time, Nan Shu Cheng had only put the necklace on Nan Luo.

He didn't even hesitate to leave, rushing to his beloved woman. Her mother had to finish the ceremony by herself, resisting the urge to cry because of what her husband did to her and her children.

The images of her mother crying came to Nan Hua's mind.

Nan Hua looked at the two necklaces and kept it away in a secure place.

…

Madam Qu rushed back to her quarter and smashed anything that hadn't been smashed by her husband the night before. The servants were all looking at her in confusion. Just a few moments ago, she was still happily prancing here and there.

But now, it was clear that she was so angry.

"Mom."

Nan Hou Xiang didn't have any class for the day. He furrowed his eyebrows when he saw his mother busy smashing the porcelains and everything that could be smashed within the room.

"That b*tch is so annoying! Why did Nan Shu Cheng had to let her stay here?" Madam Qu roared.

Nan Hou Xiang's eyes flickered, finally understanding why his mother become so short tempered. He sighed and waited until his mother had calmed down slightly before he spoke, "Mother, Father needs a promotion."

"What?"

"Haven't you heard that if Father didn't manage to do his work properly, he would be transferred to other cities?" Nan Hou Xiang was more rational than his mother. "If he proved that his household problem was settled, he might have a chance to stay in the Capital City and even for more promotion.

And if he didn't take Nan Hua in, the people outside would be speaking about how he mistreated his daughter. At that time, there would be no other choice but for Nan Hua to stay in other cities with her relatives. What do you think will happen to Father once that happen?"

Another fierce rumors would spread.

Nan Shu Cheng's current position had been unstable as of recently. If he had to face another series of rumors that proved his incompetence, his enemies wouldn't hesitate to push him down. At that time, the entire family would be implicated.

How could they possibly stay behind when Nan Shu Cheng was transferred to another city or even a prefecture?

Madam Qu's face changed. "That b*tch is really annoying."

"It wouldn't be that long, Mother. Once Nan Hua is of age, she will be married to Long Qian Xing." Nan Hou Xiang snorted. "And besides, it's not like you have to deal with her by yourself, Mother."

"Indeed." Madam Qu sneered. "Come here, Hou Xiang. There are some things that I want to tell you."

Nan Hou Xiang looked at his mother with a strange gaze but obeyed. Listening to his mother's plan, he didn't have much reaction. Even though he had been studying in the academy, he was not that familiar with how the ladies were conducting themselves.

If he had to say, he was incapable of giving his mother any useful advice if he had to think by himself.

"You can try, Mother."

Madam Qu beamed. "In that case, I'll do it later during family meal."

Nan Family had a time when they would gather together to eat meal once a week. Nan Shu Cheng was usually busy, but he would spare some time each week to have dinner together with the entire family.

Of course, that also included the other concubines.

Madam Qu didn't really like the idea of gathering with other concubines, but Nan Shu Cheng liked it very much. On that day, he would choose one of them to stay for the night and usually the other concubines were trying their best to seduce him. It took so much effort for Madam Qu to try keeping Nan Shu Cheng on the bay.

Yet, it hadn't been working too well for the past few weeks.

Ever since the matter of the court was so overwhelming because of the rebellion, Nan Shu Cheng had grown so busy. He would pick randomly from the concubines he had, making Madam Qu fuming.

However, Nan Shu Cheng would just give some far etched reason to her.

This made her even angrier from time to time.

Now added with Nan Hua, her temper grew worse.

"Mother, don't act so hastily. You have to keep your temper." Nan Hou Xiang was a bit worried with his mother's condition. His mother didn't want his father to stay with other women, but Nan Shu Cheng's personality made it a bit difficult.

"I know," Madam Qu grunted before returning to her room, trying to dress her best for the night.

Nan Hou Xiang looked in the direction of his mother's room while thinking about her age. If he was his father, he also wouldn't choose his mother considering that his father had just selected a few young and fair concubines.