Every gossip was part storyteller, and a good storyteller never had qualms about stretching the truth a little if it improved the story. Sau was among the best. She crafted a thrilling tale, painting both Tuyet and herself as heroines against corrupt officials. Within a day, the story had traveled around town, growing more fanciful with each telling, and so, Le Tuyet, the Major’s Wife, instantly became a household name, beloved of the townsfolk.

