Chapter 30

Early in the morning, Xiao Wanling brought breakfast with her to go pick tea, only to see a group of women gathered in front of the road where the village shops were. All of the Han family’s shops had shut down, and the market, usually held three times a month, had also been suspended.

Streaks of gray were now visible in Aunt Wu’s hair, making her look several years older than just a few months ago. “This morning, another ten carts of grain were taken from the city. They say the granaries are empty. How are we supposed to survive?”

Aunt Wu and her daughter-in-law earned two hundred wen a day between them. After expenses like meals and tea, they could barely get by. They worked without rest, and the coarse linen they made in their spare time hardly sold. Once the weather cooled, it would be even harder to move.

Since arguing with Old Lady Liu, Cheng Qiao’er found herself less troubled—Old Lady Liu no longer dared to openly harass her. The household had been oddly quiet, and with only a few squabbles in months, life felt surprisingly peaceful. Even her waistline had shrunk.

“Take life one day at a time. Compared to what our men must be enduring, this is nothing,” said Gu Yaofang, usually a quiet presence.

Cheng Qiao’er covered her mouth and giggled. “Second Sister-in-law, are you missing Second Brother?”

Gu Yaofang blushed, twisting the hem of her clothing. “Elder Sister-in-law, please stop teasing.” Since marrying into the family, she hadn’t borne any children, and Old Lady Liu often took out her frustrations on her. Lately, she had taken the brunt of the household’s woes in silence.

Everyone saw it, but the couple was meek as cotton. No one wanted to get involved.

Their banter lightened the mood.

Just then, the tea supervisor walked over from the village entrance and waved. “No tea picking today. Head to the fields—we’re harvesting crops.”

Soybeans, sesame, and broad beans were all ready for collection. Cheng Qiao’er was assigned to work with Xiao Wanling, pulling up soybean stalks. Without recent rain, the work was tough; even with grass wrapped around their hands, their palms turned raw and red.

“I wish I’d brought a knife,” Cheng Qiao’er muttered, eyeing Xiao Wanling enviously. Her own had been taken by Old Lady Liu. Next time, she’d have to ask a steward to get her one—it was hard work, and she wouldn’t be able to do embroidery like this.

Xiao Wanling said, “You carry the stalks over to the field ridge. Later, we’ll need to haul them to the drying grounds near the village.”

Grateful, Cheng Qiao’er smiled and used a stick to carry the bundles to the drying yard.

Golden wheat lay scattered across the threshing yard, where oxen dragged heavy cylindrical stones to flatten the stalks and separate the grains.

Old Lady Liu was using a stick to beat sesame stalks. She glared at her daughter-in-law. “Cheng Qiao’er, can’t you see your mother-in-law’s parched? Go fetch me a bowl of tea! It’s nearly noon, and lunch isn’t even ready!”

Cheng Qiao’er spread out the soybean stalks. “When the supervisor says it’s time, you’ll eat.” She knew Old Lady Liu was picking a fight. If she left for the kitchen, people would say she was sneaking food.

Old Lady Liu grumbled, “You won’t even bring me tea. Think you’re above me now? We never should’ve let Defu marry you!”

Cheng Qiao’er, having kept quiet for too long, finally snapped. Her chest rose and fell with rage. She flung down her stick. “Are you crippled or sick? You’re not the oldest here, yet you act like an empress, expecting us all to wait on you!”

Her words poured out like beans from a sack, leaving Old Lady Liu stunned. By the time she reacted, Cheng Qiao’er had picked up her stick and started to walk away.

Refusing to be humiliated, Old Lady Liu lunged at her. The two began fighting in full view of the entire field.

Xiao Wanling had just finished a row of soybean harvesting when she heard the shouting. She stood and saw Old Lady Liu clawing at Cheng Qiao’er’s hair like a madwoman. Without a second thought, she ran toward the commotion.

Gu Yaofang tried to pull her mother-in-law away, but the old woman had a bull’s strength. Cheng Qiao’er’s face was going pale.

Xiao Wanling grabbed Old Lady Liu from behind and locked her in a chokehold. The older woman struggled to breathe and loosened her grip. Cheng Qiao’er finally broke free.

“Murder—! Cough cough—she’s trying to kill me!” Old Lady Liu’s hoarse cry made everyone freeze. The usually gentle Xiao Wanling had just shown a fierce side.

Cheng Qiao’er wiped her face and saw blood on her fingers. Enraged, she yanked at Old Lady Liu’s hair. The older woman screamed, sending chills down everyone’s spines.

“Stop this at once!” The tea supervisor arrived and looked at the disheveled pair. “It is time to finish work. What are you doing?”

Xiao Wanling released Old Lady Liu and picked up her sickle, examining it against the light. The blade was nicked and dull—she’d need to sharpen it.

Old Lady Liu collapsed onto the ground, wailing. “Supervisor, you must help me! Xiao Wanling incited my daughter-in-law to murder me!”

Cheng Qiao’er spat. “You were the one who went mad and tried to tear out my hair! You evil hag! Not satisfied with tormenting me at home, now you want to order me around in public too!”

Old Lady Liu shrieked, “She cursed me first! Ask everyone here!”

The tea supervisor shouted, “Family matters stay at home! Old Lady Liu and Cheng Qiao’er, after lunch you’re on dish duty. Scrub every single bowl!”

He glanced around at the stunned crowd. “Time to eat!”

Old Lady Liu shrieked again, “Why isn’t Xiao Wanling being punished? Are you protecting her?”

Xiao Wanling pulled Cheng Qiao’er away. If she hadn’t intervened, Cheng Qiao’er would’ve lost a chunk of scalp.

Old Lady Liu tried to rally the others, complaining loudly, but everyone had worked all morning and was too hungry to care. They brushed her off and went to eat.

Only when no one was left did Old Lady Liu reluctantly go for her meal. She glared at the watery gruel in the basin. “You all fished out the good stuff! So selfish!” She scowled at Gu Yaofang for not saving her some, oblivious to the sorrow on everyone’s faces. She kept ranting at her quiet daughter-in-law.

Xiao Wanling and Cheng Qiao’er left and returned to their hillside, where they roasted rabbit meat.

As the sizzling aroma filled the air, Xiao Wanling tossed a leg to Grey Wolf, who happily trotted off to its den.

Cheng Qiao’er forgot all about the earlier fight and dug in. She took a sip of the cool tea Xiao Wanling handed her, then sighed. “The men have been gone so long. Not even a single letter…”

Xiao Wanling cradled her teacup. “How long is this war going to drag on?”

They heard a carriage approaching and went to the slope. It was another grain transport cart. They both sighed.

Cheng Qiao’er muttered, “Lunch today was thin enough to see your reflection. One of these days, there might be nothing left.”

Xiao Wanling said nothing. She had asked Sister Zhang to help source some grain, but there’d been no word. Even the city seemed affected.

Finally, a servant from the Zhang household named Lai Xi arrived, carrying a bag of grain and a letter for Xiao Wanling. After collecting food and water, he left.

The sack weighed about thirty jin and included several sprouting, shriveled potatoes—but Xiao Wanling was thrilled. She had finally gotten her hands on potatoes.

She locked the door and opened the letter. Sister Zhang had written that the Han and Jin families were stockpiling grain and selling it at extortionate prices. They had advised Madam Ji to monopolize food supplies. Could it all really be Madam Ji’s doing?

Back at Prince of Jin’s manor, wagon after wagon of grain rolled in. Madam Ji finally smiled.

Nanny Peng whispered, “See, Madam? People always say there’s nothing, but squeeze them hard enough and they produce.”

Madam Ji fanned herself lazily. “Mm. Give her two taels of silver.”

Smug, Nanny Peng accepted and threw a look at Nanny Xun. She added flatteringly, “Madam hasn’t had much appetite lately. Why not summon Madam Xiao to bring something novel? I’d love to see what tricks she pulls now, since Qishan Village is probably starving.”

Madam Ji felt hot and requested something cool and refreshing. “The usual food is dull—I’m bored of it.”

The palace guard relayed the message. Xiao Wanling considered various ideas, but none seemed quite right.

“The Madam is waiting. “Hurry!” the guard urged, clearly expecting her to prepare it on the spot.

Xiao Wanling asked politely, “Could I trouble you to get me some ice?”

The guard nodded and rode off, returning an hour later with a maroon food box emitting cool mist. Wrapped in white cotton cloth, it bore the “Han” family crest.

Xiao Wanling mashed cooked, cooled mung beans into a paste, added sweetened water, and poured the mixture into a prepared bowl. She packed it into the food box with the cotton to keep it cold. By the time the mung bean ice arrived, a thin crystalline layer had formed on the golden bowl’s rim like glazed glass.

Madam Ji looked at the unique treat and used a spoon to scoop a sliver. The cool, sweet taste was refreshing. She ate over half the bowl before she realized.

Nanny Xun whispered, “Did Madam enjoy it?” Madam Xiao said their village lacks ingredients. She asked if we could bring some next time.”

Madam Ji laughed behind her fan. “She’s quite bold, making conditions. Give her whatever she needs. Tell her to make it lighter—I’ve outgrown some of my clothes. If she can’t manage, she can figure it out in the capital next month.”

Outgrown her clothes?

Xiao Wanling guessed Madam Ji wanted to slim down—light, appetizing food that reduced body fat.

Perfect healthy meals they were. Prince of Jin’s household had everything she could need. She prepared hard-boiled eggs, marinated meats, fresh cabbage hearts, sliced fruit, and a quarter of a steamed sweet potato and sprinkled everything with roasted sesame seeds.

The guard took the meal and galloped back.

With leftover ingredients, Xiao Wanling made herself lunch, rested a bit, and then headed out with her basket.

At the village threshing ground, many were working. Today was rice harvesting. Women hauled stalks over while oxen trampled them.

When Xiao Wanling arrived, everyone paused to look. She had left earlier when the prince’s guards came and only now returned.

Old Lady Liu bristled. It was Xiao Wanling who’d “spoiled” Cheng Qiao’er into being so unruly. She sneered, “How grand of you, Madam Xiao. The rest of us are sweating, and you show up now?”

Xiao Wanling replied coolly, “What does it have to do with you?”

Stunned, Old Lady Liu glared. With her son gone, she couldn’t win against Xiao Wanling, so she slinked away and went to complain to the farm supervisor.

“That Madam Xiao’s lazy again. I tried to correct her, and she talked back!”

But the supervisor was already overwhelmed. Prince of Jin’s household had made yet another grain demand, and it seemed like nothing could ever satisfy them. Hearing Old Lady Liu’s nagging only gave him a headache.