Chapter 44

“Well, that’s fine too! Use it as an excuse to deal with him,” Shen Qing said nonchalantly.

Xiao Wanling felt this kind of solution only treated the symptoms, not the root. The Wu family had taken in a live-in son-in-law, hoping he would shoulder responsibilities and support the household, but instead, the man relied on the women and the elderly of the Wu family, living off them shamelessly.

Shen Qing asked, “Forget about him. You didn’t want to buy the Han family’s shops before—why the sudden change of heart?”

Xiao Wanling replied, “They were too expensive before. Now it’s forty taels per shop, and they’re also giving in tables, chairs, and pots. I think it’s a good deal.”

Shen Qing hadn’t kept his promise; it was only a matter of time before she gets pregnant and she didn’t want the child to go through hardship.

Seeing how hard life was for the women in the village, she was more determined than ever to earn and save more money. If it ever became unbearable, she would just leave this place.

Shen Qing was curious. “How much silver have you saved, exactly?”

Xiao Wanling said, “I haven’t settled the accounts for year-end yet!” The teahouse alone brought in eight hundred wen a day. Once the restaurant and pastry shop opened, she’d earn even more.

***

The farm supervisor delivered the kitchenware and grain Xiao Wanling had purchased. Jiang Ting and Gu Yaofang carried the goods inside.

Jiang Ting commented, “Aunt Wu’s only been gone a day, and her place already looks like a cattle pen! That man’s filthier than a beggar!”

Gu Yaofang was thinking, “When is he leaving? His eyes give me the creeps.”

Sister-in-law Lu walked over, wiping tears from her eyes. Jiang Ting guessed confidently, “Had another fight?”

Sister-in-law Lu nodded. She’d become numb to it. “He lent out the dried meat we were saving for New Year!”

Jiang Ting rolled her eyes. “Then he should go get it back himself! Wants to play the good guy but uses the food you worked hard to buy as favors? No way!”

Gu Yaofang nodded vigorously. Compared to that, her own days didn’t seem so bad.

Sister-in-law Lu’s eyes turned red. At least someone understood her. Lu Dahai would only say that she was petty and stingy. “I might as well just live with you instead!”

Jiang Ting laughed. But when she thought of her own troubles, her heart felt heavy again. “I can’t even catch a break!”

Sister-in-law Lu had mentioned this matter to Xiao Wanling. Jiang Ting’s parents had thrown her out, forcing her to remarry. Right after she did, her supposedly dead husband came back. The three families were still locked in a messy dispute.

When the farm supervisor delivered goods, Sister-in-law Lu carried half a sack of sesame into the shop. “Deputy General Shen said he’s leaving in ten days. Guess we women will be spending New Year alone this year.”

Xiao Wanling was stunned. “He never told me that!”

Upon hearing this, Sister-in-law Lu began to suspect that Lu Dahai was lying to her again.

Uncertain, Xiao Wanling went to ask Shen Qing, “Are you leaving in ten days?”

Shen Qing was carving wooden arrows with a dagger. “No. Hunting’s been profitable. I can also sell the pelts.”

Xiao Wanling, reassured by his clear answer, threw herself back into managing the shops.

The teahouse would sell tea exclusively, the pastry shop pastries, and the restaurant would focus on unique dishes.

Sister-in-law Lu was rolling glutinous rice balls with a smile on her face. “Just add some fermented rice wine, and they taste this good?”

Though the pastry shop and restaurant hadn’t opened yet, Jiang Ting, Gu Yaofang, and Sister-in-law Lu all helped out at the teahouse.

Seeing how generously and patiently Xiao Wanling taught them, they took the learning seriously. The pastry shop buzzed with excitement. People came to buy wine-fermented sweet rice balls, white fungus soup, and lines stretched a hundred meters for tofu pudding.

They still needed steamers for the pastries, and the restaurant lacked large pots and full seasoning stock. Xiao Wanling had the farm supervisor procure everything.

Gu Yaofang looked at Xiao Wanling admiringly. “Your family must’ve been well-off. Most women can’t even read a few characters!”

Xiao Wanling said, “I started reading as a child.”

Sister-in-law Lu said, “Those characters all look like ants to me. I can’t remember any of them!”

Xiao Wanling poured four cups of tea. “If you want to learn, I’ll teach you. Jiang Ting, you’ll need to match receipts when making deliveries in the future.” That would prevent any mistakes.

Jiang Ting nodded, excited but also a bit anxious that she wouldn’t be able to learn. She spent several days just learning numbers from one to ten.

Xiao Wanling knew it would take time and wasn’t in a hurry. It was the same when teaching Shen Qing. He had made fast progress and could now memorize a few characters each day.

The departure date drew closer, but Shen Qing still showed no signs of preparation. Lu Dahai took the chance to find Shen Qing when Xiao Wanling wasn’t around.

Lu Dahai said, “Deputy General Shen! If you don’t go this time, the rest of us will get reassigned to other units. No chance for any merit, and if something goes wrong, we’ll be the ones taking the fall! The brothers are counting on this to earn military honors!”

Shen Qing continued carving arrows, one stroke at a time. “I’m not going.”

He couldn’t bear to be away from Xiao Wanling for even a day. All he wanted now was to live his life with her.

Seeing how much money she was making, he was worried too. He secretly carved characters under the silver he gave her.

That night, Xiao Wanling held a silver ingot in her hand, flipping it over and over. The character “Shen” had become more clearly etched. She looked at Shen Qing and asked, “You are that free these days?”

Shen Qing looked a bit guilty. Remembering that she said he could always just ask, he replied, “This way, I can find you.”

Xiao Wanling: “And if I melt the silver down?”

Shen Qing: “Even if you spend it all recklessly, I’ll still find you!”

That was why he stayed up in the mountains every day, bringing her all the silver he earned.

So, Shen Qing had always thought she would leave. And truthfully, Xiao Wanling had been planning to, but before she fell in love with him. She had wanted to find a beautiful place to cook her favorite dishes and stay with the one she loved.

Looking into Shen Qing’s eyes, Xiao Wanling said seriously, “I really won’t leave.”

Shen Qing half-believed her. Everyone said Agricultural Officer Xiao would leave here eventually, either to serve the Prince of Jin directly or at least open a shop in the city and make a fortune. She’d surely have a better life if she left.

He always worried that one day, someone else would see her value and take her away.

The thought terrified him. Hugging Xiao Wanling tightly, he said, “I want to stay with you. Whenever I open my eyes, I want to see you.” He kissed her cheek and then her forehead continuously.

Yin Sheng passed by outside the courtyard, his face bruised and swollen from being pummeled by the new recruits. He was seething with resentment.

News had gotten out that Deputy General Shen wasn’t going to the front. The new recruits, eager to seize credit, had started undermining the veterans. He’d risked life and limb to earn his military pay—now they wanted to steal it back.

He swung his sword at roadside branches in frustration. His chest felt like it might burst. No, he had to go confront them.

Just as Shen Qing and Xiao Wanling were settling down for the night, the Xue brothers carried Yin Sheng back.

Lu Dahai came running to knock on the door. “Deputy General Shen! Something’s happened!”

Shen Qing quickly dressed and rushed out. Xiao Wanling followed, but he was already gone.

The Yin and Lu families lived next door to each other. Yin Sheng was laid out on a wooden plank, covered in blood. If it weren’t for his clothes, even Sister-in-law Lu wouldn’t have recognized him. She was so scared she ran back inside.

Lu Dahai smeared herbal paste on Yin Sheng’s face. Xue Defu pressed on the wound to stop the bleeding. Xue Dean held a sword, shouting furiously, “I’m going to kill those damn recruits!”

Just as Shen Qing arrived, he heard those words. “Nonsense! Under Prince of Jin’s command, rewards and punishments are clear. Think about your family!”

Xue Dean threw his sword to the ground. “The emperor’s far away—those bastards can twist the truth however they want! It was our achievement—how is it suddenly theirs?”

“It’s all because Deputy General Shen isn’t going. That’s why they dared pull this!” Xue Defu’s face was sprayed with blood, and his anger erupted.

Shen Qing pressed on Yin Sheng’s wound and wrapped it in gauze. “Go to my house and get some medicine for injuries!”

Lu Dahai immediately fetched Sister-in-law Lu, and the two rushed to Shen’s house. Xiao Wanling, upon hearing that Yin Sheng was injured, brought medicine for injuries and went with them to find medicinal herbs.

They dug up Bletilla striata and Imperata cylindrica, and she told them they could also use plant ash as an emergency remedy. After the Lu couple went back, Xiao Wanling rushed to find Xue Zhengyang to ask where the wandering physician lived and bring him over.

When Xue Zhengyang heard someone needed a wandering physician, he thought one of his three sons was hurt. Just as he stepped outside, Old Lady Liu started wailing, scaring him half to death. He nearly collapsed, and Old Lady Liu looked like she was about to faint too.

Xiao Wanling said, “Uncle Xue, don’t worry—it’s someone else.”

Old Lady Liu’s expression changed. She turned and went back inside. “Old man, stay out of it!”

Xue Zhengyang turned to Xiao Wanling. “Ignore her. Let’s go!”

The physician lived in a grass hut up in the mountains. When they saw a light inside, both Xue Zhengyang and Xiao Wanling breathed a sigh of relief. Hearing it was an external injury, the physician packed up some herbs, shouldered his medicine box, and followed them.

Only after bringing the physician did everyone else realize they had panicked and overlooked him entirely. They just thought that the physician was dozens of miles away on mountain roads to the city, and it was night, so the city gate might not be open.

Yin Sheng’s bleeding was stopped, and the physician prescribed medicine before leaving.

Before anyone knew it, it was already 2–3 a.m. Xiao Wanling was exhausted and went home to sleep.

No sooner had she left than a widow and her children, dressed in mourning clothes, came seeking help. They cried, saying the new recruits were trying to steal their deceased husband’s credit and demand compensation and that they could lie with their eyes open for the sake of profit.

These new soldiers had come later. The war wasn’t even over, and they were already pulling tricks.

Shen Qing hesitated!

After Xiao Wanling got home, she felt a dull pain in her belly. She counted—her period was ten days late. A suspicion grew in her heart.

When Shen Qing returned and saw her looking unwell, he said he’d fetch a doctor. Xiao Wanling stopped him. “It’s almost dawn. Let’s wait till morning.”

Everyone was exhausted and needed rest. She didn’t want to trouble him further. The next morning, at first light, Shen Qing brought the wandering physician.

Lu Dahai happened to stop by. He glanced at Xiao Wanling. While he urged Shen Qing to hurry, Shen Qing said to her, “I’ll be right back.”

The physician took her pulse. “The pregnancy pulse is too weak. The fetus is not firmly established. You must be extremely careful.” He wrote a prescription, brewed the medicine, and warned her not to overexert herself before leaving.

After drinking the medicine, Xiao Wanling felt much better. She planned to wait until the three-month mark to tell Shen Qing. Right now, he was constantly worried, and people were coming to him daily.

Shen Qing returned briefly, saw the medicine packet on the table, and poured her a cup of water. Then he took meat and grain to the widows and orphans. Not daring to face her, he slept in the adjacent room.

Xiao Wanling slept until noon and felt much better. She discovered Shen Qing resting in the other room. It was better to sleep in separate beds. Since the baby in her belly was here, she had to try her best to give the baby the best.

Sister-in-law Lu brought her a meal and told her to rest at home. She said the three of them could manage for another two days. She also said that the men were leaving tomorrow, and Lu Dahai wouldn’t be around to annoy her anymore. It was completely different from her attitude during the first recruitment.

Sister-in-law Lu smiled and said, “No more fighting over a few wen. Deputy General Shen will surely return with honors this time!”

Xiao Wanling froze, thinking she’d misheard. Her hand, halfway through writing an order, stopped.

Sister-in-law Lu looked embarrassed, realizing she’d said too much. She guessed Shen Qing was behind the house and went to ask him, “Deputy General Shen, you didn’t tell Madam Xiao about leaving?”

Shen Qing hesitated. “I haven’t figured out how to bring it up yet.”

Sister-in-law Lu said, “Well, hurry up! She’s not feeling well, and even if you’re going, you should at least tell her.”