Three years later, Su Quan was still alive, but this time not even medicine that Su Fei was giving him was helping.
Elders of Su clan came to him one evening and promised him to protect the two girls.
And they promised not to push them into marriage if they refuse.
They will be first girls in Su clan to make own decision if they wanted to get married or not.
The two girls few up in preety young women.
Su Fei was now sixteen and Su Yue was fifteen. And both refused to marry.
He nodded. "Su clan anyway has rule that girls marry after eighteen. It's fine."
If they choose to stay single for life, he will bless their decision.
That night both girls didn't move away from his bed and by first sunlight he smiled as he finally didn't feel any more pain and closed his eyes with last breath.
Cries echoed in silent street but as neighbors knew he was dying, they rushed to help the girls with rites and hurried his ashes.
As expected as well his ashes were hurried in beautiful white porcelain but no one dared to be greedy for it and closed his burial plate.
His son's knew about his sickness year ago, but not one came to visit and just reply came that they were busy.
His five daughters actually came and get gave each of them hundred silver taels as his last gift.
This was actually Su Fei's idea. She exchanged one golden peanut for thousand silver taels for separate expenses.
Even with these taels the five sisters would be safe until end of their life.
But they had to promise never to tell their greedy brothers and they brought news that made even calm Su Yue almost jump out of her skin.
All ten got in trouble by gambling and lost their lands. Now they rent land from village and not only gave to pay rent, they have to pay taxes and are barely surviving.
Su Fei had no plan to support the men of her family and just sent off her sisters and their husbands that came with bunch of gifts.
The days after that became even calmer.
No one in Su clan pushed them to get married as the two girls had enough money to live comfortably until end of their lives.
Once in while they would visit MeiMei and new friend Qinqin.
Unfortunately, Qinqin is getting married so Su Fei and Su Yue were concentrating to sew her sew gifts.
On wedding say, a long trail of people with wedding carriage came and dashing young man in bridal robe came to pick her up.
He was poor scholar but got married with buchers daughter.
Many sneered at him but he had reason for marrying her. She was friends with the three famous Su girls.
Su family might not be directly connected, but as their friend he was certain they won't close both eyes to her.
And he was right.
Beautiful wedding gown, eight chicken, eight pigs, eighty eight bags of rice, eighty eight bags of wheat flour, eighty eight bags of millet, eight rolls of simple cotton cloth and eight rolls of hemp cloth.
Eight silver accessories she was wearing, eighty eight silver taels that was humongous dowry for anyone and when he came back home he realized his wife had another hundred in paper money she hid.
"This is not dowry. I earned this by making buns and dumplings. Husband. I give this for you. Go for tests. But books. Get better teachers. With this money, you can at least reach official position."
The family had no idea about expra money and he kept it secret. He told his parents that she gave him eighty silver taels for her next test and for books, connections and more and they indeed treated her well.
The eight silver taels she kept on her own and had no need to touch it.
She never went to sell her again, but one year after that, her husband came back from Capital where he was doing his last text for official and gave her divorce letter.
"I'm sorry. I will work on Minstry of Finance and need connections. Minister Jiang has daughter that could help me rise in ranks. But she has no plan to be some secondary wife or concubine. I'm sorry. I will repay you all the money I used."
He took hundred eighty silver taels and gave her with divorce letter, not knowing this will seal his fate.
In there three years Su family became bolder and sent many of their family members around Empire that was by no means small.
A family Su was spreading but as they were not many, no one noticed their involments.
Su Fei watched the one year what the man in her friends side would do and as expected, the greed for power can take down even someone like him.
So she sent message to her friend with bird. *That full divorced my friend for power. Cut his wings, please "
Three days later she got answer. *No. Let him take fall with his new father-in-law. The fool dared to cut ties with his family and chose to become stay-at-home husband. Well, welcome to hell.*
That means soon the Wei family will rise.
Princess Mingzhu will soon become real princes by side of Emperor.
They really chose her father and the Emperor already spoke to them.
How she knew.
The dreams she would occasionally by big problems get.
But what Wei family didn't know was that third Prince disliked Wei family and already was making moves to destroy them, just to clean up any possible danger to his enthronement.
War is coming and not only war.
One night on full Moon she could hear whisper. The one she didn't year for years.
*Child, it's time. Get ready to run. Act like you want to stay with MeiMei and never come back. Unfortunately, the flood will stop you. And flood in this region won't last just one year. The flood will turn many counties into huge sweetwater sea. It's permanent. Save who you can save. But don't forget. Your life is yours now. No need to sacrifice it for anyone.*
A soft breeze touched her cheek and dissapeared.
Why us this whisper so familiar?
Who is it?
Who is calling me child?