Marrying a concubine and swallowing her dowry? The mistress turns around and marries a high-ranking

Chapter 272

From inside came Old Mrs. Qin's shrill, dissatisfied voice: "Why isn't dinner ready yet! Is it so hard to wash a few clothes? What kind of daughter-in-law can't even do a little housework like you! Useless thing!"

Yao Sujuan wiped the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve. The sweat got into her eyes, making them sting and hurt.

Because she had been carrying her pregnant belly and bending over for a long time, her back and waist ached as if they were about to split open. She also felt tightness in her chest and couldn't breathe properly. Her whole body was in pain.

Yao Sujuan felt extreme hatred in her heart.

She and Qin Shaoze faked their deaths and escaped to Xiqi, where they have been living for several months now.

In the past few months, her life has been like falling from heaven to the depths of hell compared to before.

When she and Qin Shaoze left, they only took cash and their most valuable jewelry and personal belongings. They couldn't take too much, otherwise it would easily arouse suspicion. She had to give up her personal maid, whom she had used for many years, so it was just her and Qin Shaoze who left.

When they arrived in Xiqi, fearing discovery by the people of Beiyi, they wandered around to many different places before finally settling down in this small town.

They bought a house, hired servants, and purchased furniture, clothing, and other daily necessities... They didn't have much money to begin with, and after preparing all these necessities, they were very strapped for cash.

At this time, Qin Laotai and Qin Xuanrui, who had also faked their deaths and escaped, also arrived in Xiqi after traveling thousands of miles.

Old Mrs. Qin and Qin Xuanrui were in a much worse situation than them.

An old man and a young child, one paralyzed by a stroke and the other only four or five years old—it would be a miracle if this group could walk the road safely.

They were originally accompanied by several servants who were supposed to escort them to Western Qi. However, the three guards soon harbored malicious intentions and, together, robbed Old Madam Qin of all her valuables before fleeing.

Only Qin's old lady's maid Ruizhu and Qin Xuanrui's wet nurse Wang Mama remained. These two were still somewhat loyal and took care of the grandmother and grandson. They went through countless hardships and dangers before finally arriving in Xiqi.

When they arrived in Western Qi, they were no different from a bunch of beggars.

Grandma Qin originally thought that everything would be fine once they arrived here, and they could finally live a good life again. But she found that Qin Shaoze and Yao Sujuan weren't doing much better; they were scrimping and saving, barely making ends meet.

Old Madam Qin didn't care about any of that. Her ability to cause trouble hadn't diminished at all from Bei Yi to Xi Qi. She immediately started making a scene, insisting on living the comfortable life she had as the old lady of the Marquis's mansion, demanding this and that.

Yao Sujuan's belly grew bigger day by day, but she still managed the household. She was driven to desperation by Old Mrs. Qin's nagging, and the household expenses were like water flowing away.

When Qin Shaoze gave up his title and official position as Marquis of Yongning in Beiyi, he realized that he actually had no ability to make a living outside.

His martial arts skills were ruined, and he didn't have any other special skills. The only thing he had was that he had been on the battlefield for a few years and had some experience in fighting. In the end, he finally managed to become a staff officer in the army.

Fortunately, he had never fought against this army, and no one here recognized him as General Qin Shaoze of Beiyi. He didn't dare to be too high-profile, and even if he wanted to, he couldn't, because his abilities as a staff member were really average; he could only make a living.

With meager income and expenses for his elderly mother, wife, and children, they soon found themselves unable to make ends meet.

They had no choice but to sell the two servants they had previously bought, and also sell the house, renting a much cheaper tiled house instead.

Old Madam Qin absolutely refused to sell her maid Ruizhu, because she needed to take care of Ruizhu, who was paralyzed on one side, and her wet nurse, Granny Wang, also needed to take care of the young Qin Xuanrui.

But as a result, there were no servants in the household to do other chores.

In the end, all these things fell on Yao Sujuan's shoulders.

There's no other way; she's the only one with nothing to do. If she doesn't do it, who will?

Qin Shaoze spent most of his time in the military camp and rarely returned home. Old Madam Qin, Qin Xuanrui, Ruizhu, and Granny Wang were in cahoots, working together specifically to target Yao Sujuan, a pregnant woman.

She was eight months pregnant, yet she still had to do laundry, cook, and clean. She was constantly scolded by Old Mrs. Qin, and her life was filled with misery.

Yao Sujuan put down the clothes she hadn't finished washing and had to go to the kitchen to cook first.

Just then, Qin Shaoze returned.