Chapter 42

When the Zheng mother and daughter saw Li Die’er, they secretly followed behind them and saw her entering the back door of Ruyi Pavilion; Madam Zheng was filled with deep regret. Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed backward.

Zheng Qianqian quickly supported her mother. “Mother, Die’er doesn’t have that kind of ability. Call her back—those recipes all belong to the Zheng family!”

The five members of the family matched their stories and went to the Zhang family to demand her return.

But as soon as they reached the Zhang residence, they were chased away. The expressions on all five faces looked quite embarrassed.

Madam Zheng screeched, “Bring my daughter-in-law Die’er out! Your Zhang family is shameless, stealing our recipes!”

The front gate of the Zhang residence opened. Madam Zhang stood in the doorway and said coldly, “If a poor family does something so disgraceful, don’t be afraid of becoming a laughingstock—keep causing a scene if you dare!”

Soon, a crowd gathered outside the Zhang residence, pointing fingers at the Zheng family.

“You sold your own daughter-in-law to someone else as a servant. Have you no shame?”

Zheng Ming hunched his shoulders and lowered his head. With his large belly and vacant expression, he looked rather foolish. When he suddenly raised his head with a murderous glare in his eyes, the onlookers recoiled in fear.

“Pretending to be weak the whole time, huh?”

“If you’ve got a recipe, take it to the authorities. Pestering women and children in the street—what a disgrace! You’re not even fit to be called human!”

An elderly man with a head full of white hair pointed at Zheng Ming and said angrily, “From this day on, don’t you dare call yourself my student!”

And then there were all the nasty whispers, some so furious they felt like slapping themselves in the face—fooled by this man for so many years.

Seeing his teacher, Zheng Ming panicked. He turned and glared at Madam Zhang. This crowd must’ve been brought by her!

The murmurs around them grew louder. The crowd was riled up; some even spat on the ground in disgust.

The Zheng family fled in embarrassment.

Old Master Zheng scolded them furiously. “Wretched woman! Why didn’t you treat your daughter-in-law better before? Useless fool! Can’t even keep your own woman! And you, go back to your husband’s home—stop meddling in your maiden family’s business!”

Old Master Zheng shot a glance at his disappointing son, flung his sleeve, and left, leaving the remaining four too frightened to breathe.

Zheng Ming figured his father was still fuming. He decided to wander a bit and wait for him to cool down before returning.

As he walked alone, suddenly his eyes went dark as he was dragged into an alley, put into a sack, and beaten.

One of the attackers pinched his nose and growled, “You beast! You even air your marital problems in public! Say one more word, and I’ll take your damn life!”

Lai Xi waved his hand. The servant boys dropped their clubs and scattered. They waited several days but heard nothing about Zheng Ming reporting the attack to the authorities. Lai Xi cursed him silently—what a coward.

***

Xiao Wanling received a letter delivered by Madam Zhang and learned about what had happened to Li Die’er. She sent a jar of wine to the farm supervisor, tacitly acknowledging the matter without bringing it up.

The farm supervisor smiled, “No need for such courtesy, Agricultural Officer Xiao! It’s year-end; we should settle accounts with the Zhang household too!”

Xiao Wanling nodded. “Yes, I happen to need to go to the Zhang residence!”

Li Die’er’s nature was too soft. She better not be sweet-talked by the Zheng family into going back.

Shen Qing had been busy with training the past few days, so Xiao Wanling drove the carriage herself. She also planned to buy some winter fabric and a few pounds of new cotton.

At the city gate, she saw Sister-in-law Lu carrying a bamboo basket on her back. She said she was heading into town to sell woven cloth and eggs. Xiao Wanling asked curiously, “Sister-in-law Lu, hasn’t Brother Lu’s military pay arrived yet?”

Sister-in-law Lu shook her head. “My man has gone to urge them several times already!”

Xiao Wanling thought of the twenty taels of silver Shen Qing had given her—Lu Dahai had lied. She decided to have Shen Qing remind Lu Dahai later.

They parted ways at the city gate—Sister-in-law Lu went to the market, while Xiao Wanling headed to the Zheng residence. The Zheng family lived in a narrow alley not far from the river on the west side of town. The gate was piled with miscellaneous junk, and the whitewashed gate had a visible crack.

Old Master Zheng wasn’t home. Madam Zheng, wearing a grayish-blue robe and head wrap, stood at a doorway, berating someone, “Sleeping all day long! I told you to bring her back! That duck we had in hand has flown away!”

Someone inside the house grunted, but whatever they said was unintelligible.

A woman with narrow eyes and a resemblance to Madam Zheng spat out a sunflower seed shell and said, “Look at other men who give women some money to make them happy and then ask for the money back. Do they need to be taught?”

Xiao Wanling quietly backed away. This household was filled with nothing but filth. No wonder Li Die’er had been sold.

She went to Ruyi Pavilion to find Li Die’er. When Li Die’er saw her, she was delighted. “Why did you come? It’s so cold outside.”

Xiao Wanling replied, “I came to check on you. I overheard your in-laws scheming to trick you into returning.”

The smile on Li Die’er’s face faded a little. Her mind went to bad memories. She suddenly grabbed Xiao Wanling’s hand and said, “I won’t go back to the Zheng family. They treated me like a servant. They wouldn’t let me sleep, eat my fill, or stay warm. Outside, they pretended to be kind, but… but no one believed me!”

Xiao Wanling patted her hand to comfort her. “As long as you don’t want to go back, there’s nothing they can do to force you.”

Once they can’t gain anything from her, the Zheng family would probably turn on each other anyway.

“Just stay here in peace,” Xiao Wanling said, then left to take care of other matters.

On the main street, she found a beggar and had him deliver a recipe to the Zheng family, saying it was for the daughter-in-law of the house.

The beggar did as instructed. “Madam Zheng couldn’t understand it and asked Young Master Zheng to take a look. He snatched the recipe and wouldn’t give it back. I saw them start fighting, so I ran off.”

Xiao Wanling gave him five wens and turned away. That recipe was an incomplete version of the Snowy Red Bean Paste, and it wouldn’t be easy to make.

Thinking of how Shen Qing liked Snowy Red Bean Paste, she went to buy red beans, two bolts of cotton fabric, and some wool. She then went to the grain shop with her purchases. The oxcart was already piled high.

At the city gate, the guards recognized her and said that the woman who had entered town with her hadn’t yet returned. Xiao Wanling thanked them and waited outside the gate.

She waited for half an hour. Just when she thought Sister-in-law Lu wouldn’t return, she saw her appear with the bamboo basket on her back. Her silver hairpin was gone. Her hair was now wrapped in cloth, and she wore plain clothes. Her basket was full.

Xiao Wanling waved to her. “Sister-in-law Lu, are you stocking up for the new year?”

Sister-in-law Lu wiped the sweat from her forehead and face, placed the basket on the cart, and sat beside Xiao Wanling. “Yes! Luckily, the city guard told me you were waiting just before his shift ended!”

Before Lu Dahai returned, Sister-in-law Lu had still owned a few pieces of jewelry. Now that they were gone, she looked more worn and weary. How could her husband not notice the changes in his wife?

Xiao Wanling thought about buying the Han family’s shop and hiring a few women to help out. The Han family’s property had dropped in price, but none of the four shop units had been sold yet.

Today, Sister-in-law Lu had bought cheap offal and looked cheerful the whole way. When they passed the fork near Qishan Village, she suddenly slapped her thigh. “Oh no! I almost forgot the herbal wine and ointment for Aunt Wu!”

Xiao Wanling told her not to get off the cart and went into the village with the cart to deliver the items. “Why does Aunt Wu need the medicinal wine? Did Wu Ge’er fall again?”

Sister-in-law Lu hesitated, then said, “Though my man doesn’t care for our household and always helps others, he’s never raised a hand to anyone.”

Hit someone?

Xiao Wanling was stunned. Aunt Wu’s live-in son-in-law hit someone? “I heard he’s diligent and attentive, even treats Wu Ge’er like his own child!”

“Ha! It’s all an act.” Sister-in-law Lu gave her a look. “Aunt Wu’s coming out now!”

Aunt Wu came out to take the medicine, exchanged a few polite words, and went back inside. The fading bruises at the corner of her eyes were enough to enrage anyone.

Sister-in-law Lu sighed. “When a man hasn’t come home, you wait day and night. But once he’s back, he just brings more grief.”

Xiao Wanling thought of Jiang Ting’s former husband and her current one. It was too hard being a woman; sometimes you didn’t even get to make your own decisions.

When they got back to the gate of the house, the courtyard was pitch black. Sister-in-law Lu took out a fire striker and lit a torch. She waited until Xiao Wanling entered and lit the lamp inside before turning to leave.

Shen Qing wasn’t back yet?

Since returning with the snow fungus, he had gotten busier by the day.

Xiao Wanling carried all the goods from the cart into the house, sweating from the effort. She heated water, bathed, washed clothes, and sat by the candle wringing her hair when she heard a thud in the courtyard. She knew Shen Qing had jumped over the wall.

Shen Qing pushed the door open and walked in. “I had something to do, so I came back late. Don’t wait for me next time.”

Xiao Wanling: “You should rest early.”

Sensing she was upset, Shen Qing sat beside her and took the cloth to help dry her hair. “What’s wrong?”

Xiao Wanling looked back at him. “The military pay has been issued, right? But Brother Lu didn’t give any to Sister-in-law Lu.”

So it was about someone else’s matter. Shen Qing explained, “Brother Lu lent the money to Yin Sheng. He’ll get it back in a few days.”

Xiao Wanling sighed silently. “They’re waiting to prepare for the new year, and he lends the money to someone else?”

Shen Qing looked at her strangely. “I gave my silver to you. If you want anything, I’ll get it for you.”

Xiao Wanling was exhausted and in a foul mood from the day’s chaos. She just wanted to sleep. “Forget it. I have my own silver.” She tugged the cloth. “My hair’s dry.”

Shen Qing looked at her for a long while, scratched his head, and walked out. She was upset over someone else’s problem?

Then he saw her clothes drying on the rope. Usually, he did all the laundry. She must really be mad.

He went to the kitchen to boil water, but a full pot was already hot. The table was cleaned.

Shen Qing froze. He looked around the kitchen—no food had been left for him?

He sat down on the bench, feeling dejected. He didn’t even know what he had done wrong.

Wanling was upset. Did she want to buy something?

Then he’d go make some money. Shen Qing made up his mind, washed up, and walked to the door. He pushed, but it wouldn’t open. His face darkened. He turned and went to the next room.

He held a pillow and slept through the night. At dawn, he slung his bow over his back and headed into the mountains. When Lu Dahai saw him, he wanted to tag along to make some extra money for the household.

Shen Qing gave him a cold look. “Did you give her the money?”

It was the first time Shen Qing looked so stern. Lu Dahai rubbed his nose. “Once I catch something, I’ll give it.”

Yin Sheng overheard and joined in, hoping to earn some money for wine.

Shen Qing didn’t say a word and walked away. Yin Sheng leaned close to Lu Dahai. “What’s up with Deputy General Shen? Looks like someone owes him money.”

Lu Dahai thought about it. “He fought with his wife.”

Yin Sheng laughed. “Only Madam Xiao dares give Deputy General Shen a hard time!”

Shen Qing was walking quickly to begin with. Lu Dahai and Yin Sheng had to push themselves to the limit to keep up.

At noon, the three returned from hunting. Lu Dahai carried the game home, which made Sister-in-law Lu so emotional that she shed tears.

Yin Sheng, ever the hedonist, saved a little meat to dry and traded the rest for wine and groceries.

Shen Qing returned home, hitched the cart, and took Yin Sheng and Lu Dahai into town.

That night, as they came back, Xue Zhengyang was standing on the stone bridge, calling out, “Shen Qing! Congrats on acquiring two shops! When’s the grand opening?”

Lu Dahai and Yin Sheng both turned to Shen Qing. “Deputy General Shen, you bought the shops?”

Shen Qing looked blank. She bought two shops and didn’t tell him!

Cultural and Linguistic Notes:

• • • • • “The duck has flown away”: Idiom meaning a sure opportunity or gain has been lost.

• • • • “Fire Striker: A traditional fire-lighting tool made of paper or bamboo and treated with chemicals to maintain an ember.