The Love of Passerby A

Chapter 486: A Survival Guide for Women in the Old Republic of China (25)

However, fate always seems to play tricks on people.

After giving birth to her second son, Cao Ce, her body was so damaged that she could no longer become pregnant.

At this time, General Cao did not stop his pace of taking concubines and married several concubines in succession. But unfortunately, none of these wives and concubines could give birth to a boy for him.

Poisoned by feudal superstition, General Cao suddenly came up with a strange idea: he believed that marrying close relatives would increase the chances of having a boy.

So he turned his attention to Gege's biological sister and forcibly took her into his mansion as his concubine. This woman was Cao Wanning's mother.

The princess's sister became pregnant less than half a year after entering the mansion.

Unfortunately, she suffered a difficult labor and went through untold hardships before giving birth to a girl, who was Cao Wanning, the youngest in the family.

The reason why she is called the "youngest daughter" is actually because when Cao Wanning was less than two years old, General Cao was unfortunately injured and lost his fertility.

In this way, Cao Ce's status as the eldest son and only son was truly stabilized.

Since Cao Wanning was her sister's left-behind daughter, the princess felt pity for her and kept her by her side to raise her.

Therefore, in the entire Cao family's backyard, the relationship between Cao Fangning, Cao Ce and Cao Wanning is the deepest.

However, Cao Wanning's feelings towards these two people were not so pure and innocent. He only followed the princess out of his own survival needs.

In fact, that princess didn't live long. She passed away when Cao Fangning was less than ten years old.

After all, as the daughter of a princess from the late Qing Dynasty, Cao Fangning resolutely took over all the household management affairs of the Cao family since her mother passed away.

What is amazing is that the little girl, who is only ten years old, can manage the entire household in an orderly and methodical manner, and no one dares to complain about her.

Because her mother was Manchu, Cao Fangning did not suffer the pain of foot binding. It was also because of this that she was able to step out of the boudoir and join the battlefield.

According to common sense, Cao Wanning would not have to endure the pain of foot binding, but her father, General Cao, told her earnestly: "Wanning, you and your elder sister are not the same person.

She has the ability to manage household affairs and accomplish great things. Even though she is a woman, she can still live like a man.

But you are different. You can only hope to marry into a good family in the future to survive in this chaotic world."

Afterwards, General Cao pretended to be emotional and said that if he had known earlier, he would not have sent Cao Fangning to study at a foreign school, as she would have become a wild learner.

Faced with her father's rare tenderness, Cao Wanning compromised and accepted his request to bind her feet.

By the time Cao Fangning found out, it was too late. Her toes had been forcibly broken and tied to the sole of her foot.

General Cao was very satisfied with Cao Wanning's obedience to him, and he even praised his daughter in front of the whole family.

The study room at night.

"Dad, Wanning is a Manchu girl, she doesn't have to bind her feet." Cao Fangning didn't understand why her father, who was obviously very open-minded, was so obsessed with foot binding.

"A Xu, one woman like you is enough for the Cao family." General Cao stated his plan in front of Cao Fangning, "You and A Ce are the ones who can revitalize my Cao family. Your other sisters are just tools I use to consolidate my power through marriage."

"Even so, they don't necessarily have to bind their feet." Cao Fangning has seen several concubines with three-inch golden lotus feet. They wore gorgeous shoes on the outside, but their feet inside had long been deformed, and the foot bindings had an unpleasant smell.

The outside of gold and jade is ruined and inside.

"All wives of big families are like this! It's not that I want them to bind their feet, but the man who wants to marry them needs such a person." General Cao said seriously, "At home, you are my daughter Cao Fangning, and outside, you are my adopted son - Cao Xu.

I don't need you to marry me in exchange for benefits, you just need to protect the Cao family for me."

General Cao looked at Cao Fangning with eyes full of sincerity and trust. She could only nod and leave the study.

Neither of them noticed that there was a girl sitting in the corner outside the door, crying silently with her mouth covered, and when they were talking just now, the study door was not closed tightly.

Only then did Cao Wanning realize that his father only treated his sister Cao Fangning and brother Cao Ce as his own children, and everyone else was just tools.

Then isn’t Cao Fangning a tool?

How is it possible? General Cao just knows his own physical condition and her ability, so he is prepared for both situations.

He admired his daughter's abilities, but was somewhat disdainful of her female identity. However, his son Cao Ce had not yet grown up and did not have enough prestige in the army.

As a last resort, he asked Cao Fangning to pretend to be his adopted son, using the pseudonym Cao Xu, to pave the way for Cao Ce.

If General Cao really passes away one day, this brother and sister will support each other and hold up the Cao family.

And the fact was just as he imagined. Cao Fangning took on everything for Cao Ce, and finally died on the battlefield to save his brother.

After her death, she couldn't even be buried as Cao's daughter.

The only rumor left was that the eldest daughter of the Cao family died of madness.