My elder sister forced me to become a concubine; I was reborn and remarried into the emperor's

Although Wei Nanxun never intended to harm anyone, she was by no means a saint who would forget what she had been wronged by and still consider others.

The Wei family didn't treat them like family, saying so many slanderous and defamatory things, and even kicked them out of their home. If she could still consider their feelings without any resentment, then she truly deserved to die.

But she couldn't ignore her father's feelings; these people were also his relatives, his blood brothers.

Even if Madam Wei and his aunt were not considered, his uncle and his two other uncles always treated his father well, never mistreating him or looking down on him.

Especially their eldest uncle, who was an upright and kind man, and one of the few gentle people in the Wei family who treated his siblings with kindness.

He was implicated by the Crown Prince for no reason, and with winter approaching, being exiled to a frigid place like Ningguta at this time of year would likely cost him half his life.

And then there's my fourth uncle's family, all gentle-tempered people who never spoke ill of them.

If we ignore them, and a house full of women and children who are too weak to even kill a chicken and unable to support themselves, if something really happens, my father will live the rest of his life in guilt and regret.

With so many mouths to feed, and still wanting to live the life of the Duke's mansion as before, how could the meager inheritance allocated to their father be enough to support them?

Therefore, helping others is fine, but there should be limits.

This cannot be said by the father; it must be said by her.

Moreover, her father is a kind-hearted man. He hasn't experienced life and death, so he hasn't completely given up on this family and may still harbor some illusions. She has to constantly remind him of their current situation.

As expected, upon hearing her words, Wei Rongde looked at her in surprise. He had already made a preliminary plan in mind when he heard about this matter.

He also owns a house in an alley very close to his current home, which is much larger than this house. He originally planned to keep it as a dowry for Wei Nanxun in the future.

Unexpectedly, she brought it up first, and even used the dowry left by Yan Niang.

"Xun'er, that was left to you by your mother, how can you do this?"

“Father, things are inanimate, but people are alive. How can you abandon everyone just because it was Mother’s dowry?”

Wei Nanxun spoke with utmost sincerity, and then took Wen's hand again: "Fourth Aunt, don't worry. Even though we didn't get any extra houses when the family divided, and we spent most of our savings to buy the current house, barely making ends meet, as long as I'm alive, I won't let you go hungry."

These words were less meant for Wen Shi and more a reminder to Wei Rongde.

Back then, my aunt and the old lady didn't leave them any way out at all. They planned to push them out to their deaths. They even gave him the worthless business and the ancestral house in the countryside.

Finding them a place to shelter them from the wind and rain is fine, feeding them is fine, and taking care of them for a while is fine too.

But if they do nothing and still need maids and servants to wait on them, and their unmarried cousins ​​get married in the future, they can't expect their father to provide a dowry, can they?

Even with mountains of gold and silver, it's impossible to support them.

Upon hearing Wei Nanxun's words, Wei Rongde, whose mind had been clouded by the sight of Old Madam Wei's miserable state, instantly regained his senses.

He is not a Buddha who saves all sentient beings; he is merely a clay bodhisattva crossing the river with his children. He hasn't even settled his own family, so how could he possibly shoulder such a huge responsibility?

"Yes, Fourth Sister-in-law, don't worry. Although I'm having a tough time right now, providing food and lodging for a while shouldn't be a problem."

The Wen family wasn't stupid; they naturally understood their implication.

This is a reminder to her that helping is fine, but not endless.

But that was enough for her and her daughter. When she learned that her husband and others had been arrested and their home had been ransacked, she was utterly devastated.

She got through the most difficult days only because her daughter stayed by her side and comforted her.

As long as these people are alive, there is still hope. They are much luckier than those families where the men were beheaded and the women were forced into prostitution.

Having benefited from the family's glory and enjoyed a comfortable life for so many years, they should also bear the cost of the family's downfall.

"Thank you so much, Second Brother. These past few days, even my family has been avoiding me, afraid of getting into trouble. Your help at this time, just by providing lodging and food, is already an immense favor."

Wei Nanxun had little contact with her fourth aunt's family in both her lifetimes, but in her memory, her aunt always had a gentle smile.

Hearing her heartfelt gratitude, Wei Nanxun also felt a sense of belonging to the same family.

If the Wei family are all like this, how could she not help them when something happens?

Unfortunately, with her aunt and grandmother around, she could never let go of her prejudices against this family.

After sitting and talking for a while, Wei Heyu returned with Wei Siyuan. Wen Shi stood up tactfully and said, "A-Yuan, come here."

Seeing that her daughter had been changed into a thicker set of clothes and was carrying a food box, Madam Wen's eyes reddened slightly. She respectfully curtsied and said, "We have to move tomorrow, so I need to hurry back and pack my things so as not to delay my second brother's time."

Wei Siyuan was very well-behaved, thanking them earnestly before saying goodbye.

"Mother is still in a daze, and I'm afraid it will be a bit of a hassle for my second brother for a few more days. Once the house over there is all cleaned up, my sister-in-law and I will come to pick up Mother."

Wei Rongde wanted to say that taking care of his mother was also his duty, but before he could say it, Wei Nanxun tugged at his sleeve.

He swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue: "I'll find someone to show you the way and help you pack your things, otherwise you definitely won't be able to finish in a day."

He even considered finding a maid to take with him. Although more than ten people couldn't serve him all, they could still help with laundry and cooking.

But Wen refused, saying, "We're already struggling to support ourselves, how can we possibly need a maid? We need to recognize our current situation before we can start living a real life."

It was precisely because of these words that Wei Nanxun once again looked at this aunt with higher regard.

After everyone left, Wei Rongde was still in a daze for a long time, and he sighed deeply.

"How did things get to this point?"

He sighed to himself, then looked at his daughter and patted her shoulder, saying solemnly, "Xun'er, don't worry, I know what you're worried about. Your father won't make a mistake, and I know my own limitations. I won't let you and your brother down."

Wei Nanxun shook his head: "Father, you were able to build up your business and support the entire Duke's Mansion with just those few loss-making shops in the mansion. Not to mention, you now have a fleet of ships, connections in the Western Regions, and camel caravans. You can rebuild your family business in just a few years."

"My grandmother and the others were just a dozen or so women, and their food and clothing didn't actually cost much money."

“It’s not that my daughter is stingy and can’t bear to part with this money, but people’s hearts are never satisfied. You took them all home and took care of them from the beginning, giving them the best food, clothing and other necessities, so that they could continue living the life they used to live. Then they will want more. What if Aunt wants to manage the household? What if Grandmother, relying on her status as an elder, wants to arrange marriages for us? What if the sisters want dowries when they get married? What if they want to match the previous marriages? Or what if they want to rescue Uncle and Uncle?”

"Father, to tell you the truth, in my heart, family only consists of you and my younger brother. I don't care about the life or death of others."

"I am being so agreeable today, and I am even willing to give up the dowry that my mother left me, all so that you can have peace of mind."

When Wei Rongde heard that Madam Wang wanted to manage the household and the old lady wanted to arrange a marriage, he realized that this was not impossible; on the contrary, given their personalities, it was almost certain to happen.

He suddenly came to his senses, his pity and confusion gone: "You're right. Once Mother wakes up, I'll personally take her back."

-

Over there, Madam Wen quickly returned to the Wei family with her daughter, only to find that in addition to her two sisters-in-law, there was an unfamiliar stranger there as well.

It was a middle-aged man dressed as a butler, with shifty eyes. As soon as he saw the mother and daughter return, he kept rolling his eyes and scrutinizing Wei Siyuan carefully.

"This must be the Fourth Madam. She has a very dignified air about her, and the young lady is also quite beautiful."

As he spoke, he reached out and took Wei Siyuan's hand.

Although Ms. Wen did not know who this person was, she had a gut feeling that he was not a good person. She hugged her daughter tightly and took a few steps back.

He asked warily, "Who are you?"

Accompanying the mother and daughter back was a servant who had previously served the second wife in the West Garden. He was quite tall and strong. Upon seeing them, he immediately stepped forward to protect them and subdued the ill-intentioned man with one hand.

There were cries of distress all around.

Li quickly crawled out of the house next door and acted as a mediator between the two sides, rescuing the man.

"Oh dear, I saw a group of women who couldn't lift a finger or carry anything heavy. I kindly wanted to help you find a way out, but you actually resorted to violence."

After being rescued by Li, the man stared at Wen and her daughter. As soon as he saw the servant, he began to mock them.

"Oh, so you've already hooked up with some random guy so quickly. What are you pretending to be so high and mighty for? Pah!"

Lady Wen was a proper lady from a respectable family, and she had never suffered such an insult before. She was so angry that she trembled all over.

The servant boy spoke up righteously, "I am the Second Master's servant. I specially escorted the Fourth Madam and her mistress back. I will take them to the mansion in a moment. Where did you come from, you petty thief? Be careful, or I will report you to the authorities."

Upon hearing that it was Wei Rongde's people, Li immediately showed joy, "That's great, my second brother has sent someone to pick us up."

Seeing that he couldn't get anything out of him, the man spat again and left reluctantly. As he left, he said to Madam Li, "Third Madam, you'd better think this through. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Li looked visibly flustered, and after giving a few perfunctory replies, she managed to get the man to leave.

She kept her mouth shut. When Madam Wen asked who she was, she didn't say, so Madam Wen didn't press the matter further.

Knowing that Wei Rongde had found them a new house and even sent people to help, not only were the girls overjoyed, but even Madam Wang finally showed a hint of happiness.

"At least those father and daughter have a conscience; where are the people who helped us move our things? Let's hurry up and move the rest of our things over there."

The officials took away all the valuables, but they turned a blind eye to everyday items like clothes and needles, not completely cutting off their livelihood.

All sorted out, each household had several boxes of cages.

Many things that these ladies would never have given a second glance to in the past are now treasured, as they are afraid of losing one and having to spend money to buy it again.

Every family has more or less hidden some money for self-defense, but the days ahead are long and who knows what unexpected things might happen, so it's always better to be careful with money.

When Wen saw that her sister-in-law was making such a matter of course to ask Wei Rongde to provide men, she hesitated for a moment.

"Sister-in-law, this is the person my second brother found to guide us. It's better if we carry our things ourselves."

Wang immediately became displeased, frowning and saying unhappily, "What does the second son mean by this? He eats well, dresses well, and lives well, yet he won't even send a servant. Is he trying to force us to our deaths?"

Upon hearing this, Ms. Wen felt uncomfortable.

Her rule for surviving in the inner quarters was to be obedient and not offend anyone. In all the years she had been married into the Wei family, she had never said a word back and always did whatever her sister-in-law and mother said.

But things are different now; she has to think about how she and her daughter can survive.

Moreover, after experiencing the fickleness of human relationships, it is truly rare for someone to offer help in times of need, and some disagree with Wang's statement.

“Sister-in-law, you know best what happened when Second Brother divided the family property. They got the old house in the countryside, and their current residence was renovated at great expense. The house we live in was left by Xun'er's mother as part of her dowry. They have already treated us with the utmost kindness, so how can we be picky?”

"We have our own hands and feet, we don't need to rely on others for everything."

Wang had already suffered many blows, and was further upset by her third sister-in-law's words. When she finally heard some good news, even her usually most obedient fourth sister-in-law contradicted her.

"You, you went over there and got bewitched? How come you can't even tell the difference between close and distant relatives?"

"All I know is that these past few days, even my own uncles and brothers have been avoiding me and have not dared to see me. My second brother, who separated from us, should have stayed far away from us, but he did not."

As she spoke, Wen took Wei Siyuan's hand and said softly, "A-Yuan, let's go move."

The little girl nodded obediently: "I can carry it too. I'll help Mommy carry it."

After saying this, the mother and daughter went straight back to their house, carried the trunk out little by little, and put it down to rest when they couldn't carry it anymore. In short, they didn't ask anyone for help.

Wang was so angry that her face turned pale and then red. She wanted to talk to Li, but she saw that Li was also carrying two daughters, slowly lifting boxes out of the house.

The two in her room were completely useless; they just kept their heads down like mute people.

Unlike them, both of Wang's daughters were born to concubines, which is why she poured all her heart and soul into Wei Mingzhao.

Because they were daughters, it was just a matter of providing some dowry. They could even help their sons after they got married, so she didn't harm the two of them. However, she raised them to be extremely petty and not at all like daughters of the Duke's mansion.

"What are you standing there for! Hurry up and move some things."

Since birth, the two illegitimate daughters had been used to obeying their legal mother and dared not contradict her. They did whatever she said.

They moved the boxes from dawn till dusk, and it was thanks to Wei Rongde's thoughtfulness that he sent a mule cart to help them move the boxes.

Otherwise, moving from the west side of the city to the east side would take them three to five days with just a few people.

Upon arriving at the house, Wang Shi became unhappy again. There were fifteen of them in total, and the house was a three-courtyard siheyuan, with only the east and west wing rooms and the back room where the servants lived, apart from the main house.

The old lady will definitely live in the main house, so who will live in the side room and who will live in the lower room?

Besides, they were used to living in the courtyard of the Wei family. This house was too shabby for Wang Shi to live in by herself. Now she had to squeeze into a room with so many people. How could she stand it?

“I knew Wei Rongde had ulterior motives. This small, dilapidated house is hardly enough for so many of us.”

Wang stood angrily by the screen wall, but her two younger siblings ignored her.

Li was simply too tired. She had never suffered so much before, and unlike Wang, she couldn't order her illegitimate daughter around. She couldn't bear to let her daughter carry things, and she even strained her back when she got off the mule cart.

She's content as long as she has a place to shelter from the wind and rain, fills her stomach, and gets some sleep.

Wen, on the other hand, had come to terms with it, knowing that she and her sister-in-law were not compatible and that it would be a waste of breath to exchange a single word.

Fearing she might cause trouble again, he took the initiative to say, "It's just the two of us, A-Yuan and I. We can choose any empty room. You two sisters-in-law can choose first."

Just then, the servant who had led the way went back and brought them dinner.

Each of the three families had three dishes and a soup, which was nothing compared to before, but they had been hungry all day. Who would complain about such food when they had clean meals?

Before Wang could even voice her opinion, her two younger siblings had already received their meals and moved into clean rooms with their children.

She could only stomp her feet in anger, but she had the backbone to make her two illegitimate daughters eat, preferring to go hungry rather than accept this handout.

By the time everything was settled, it was already late at night.

Wei Siyuan and Wen Shi only had one quilt, so the mother and daughter slept on the same bed.

Just before falling asleep, Wei Siyuan whispered, "Mother, I don't want to get married. I'll be very obedient. Please don't sell me, Mother..."