Chapter 116: Response

Lu Dalong glanced at her, "You should indeed carry grain, but our parents must be informed. Without precautions, who knows what could happen. Learn from this and think of Shuan Zhu and the others. It’s not easy for a family to survive intact in war, let alone our family tied with several others. We only have a lifeline thanks to Chen's family and Shen Lian."

Unable to continue, he shrugged off her hand and headed out.

Knowing the gravity of the situation and slightly fearing his father, Lu Dalong first checked the kitchen, guessing his mother was preparing dry food there.

Reaching the kitchen door, he found not only his mother but also his sister-in-law, Feng Liuniang, and hesitated how to start.

Lu's mother, sensing her eldest son's troubled expression, put down the pot she was holding and told her daughter-in-law, "You continue here, I'll be back soon."

Feng Liuniang, noticing Lu Dalong's unease, nodded in agreement.

Lu's mother stepped out of the kitchen and walked a few steps towards the living room with her son before asking, "Is there something wrong?"

Lu Dalong, with a shaky voice, suggested, “Let’s talk in your and dad’s room. He should know about this too.”

Could it be that serious?

Lu’s mother felt a sense of apprehension.

Once back in the room, Lu Dalong, with his head bowed, narrated Wang Chunniang’s actions, prompting Lu’s mother to massage her temples.

The failure of marrying a good daughter-in-law was a lifelong regret. Despite caution and repeated warnings, she couldn’t prevent the betrayal from within her own home.

Lu Lao Han, who was about to sleep, darkened in expression: “Aside from our family, she didn’t leak anything about the other families, did she?”

Knowing his wife too well, Lu Dalong realized she never liked being at a disadvantage. After failing to sell tofu, she often bitterly complained to him, likely involving the other families. Thus, he dared not answer.

Lu Lao Han, trembling with anger, had just reminded other families to be cautious on his way back. The issue arising first in his own home frustrated him. He clenched his fist repeatedly, restraining his temper from breaking the tradition of a father-in-law not reprimanding his daughter-in-law and his personal principle of never hitting a woman.

In the end, the slap resounded on Lu Dalong’s face, loud in the silent night. Lu Er Lang and Lu San Lang, already in bed, heard the noise and hurriedly put on their clothes. Meanwhile, Wang Chunniang, feeling guilty, firmly shut her door, too frightened to step out.

“If your wife fails to behave, you'll take the punishment for her!”

With half his face burning from the slap, Lu Dalong, old enough to be a grandfather, acknowledged the deserved reprimand from his father, bowing his head, “Dad's lesson is right.”

Lu Lao Han, furious, exclaimed, “What good is my scolding? Are we fleeing alone? If it were just our family, I wouldn’t mind your in-laws and their kin joining. But we're relying on the Chen and Shen families, in a pact with five families. A slap for leaking our secrets is one thing, but what if you've compromised the other four families? What's the use of slapping you then? Even if I slapped you to death, would that resolve the risk for those families?”

Such matters weren't to be discussed loudly. Fuming, Lu Lao Han's voice remained low but intense, his chest heaving and hands trembling. His wife tried to calm him, urging him not to get too worked up.

Lu Lao Han, ignoring her, commanded Lu Dalong: “Starting before dawn tomorrow, you, Wang, Shuan Zhu, and Tie Zhu will carry grain to the mountains. Tie Zhu can use a backpack; you won’t carry our grain but help the other families.”

Lu Dalong, covering his face, had eyes red with emotion.

Lu Lao Han, visibly agitated, paced around the room, his heavy breathing audible. Lu Er Lang and Lu San Lang, now dressed, arrived asking, “Dad, Mom, Big Brother, what happened?”

Unable to articulate his frustration, Lu Lao Han just glared at Lu Dalong. Lu's mother briefly explained the situation, causing Lu Er Lang to frown deeply.

Lu San Lang, an 18-year-old usually sweet-natured, now visibly angered, kicked a stool with a loud thud, drawing everyone’s attention.

With a dark expression, Lu San Lang didn’t care about the stares; he had long disapproved of his sister-in-law.

“Dad, divide the house tonight. Let my sister-in-law leak whatever she wants to her family. She doesn’t care if Shuan Zhu and Tie Zhu starve, just let her keep leaking.”

The idea of splitting the family, coming from the unmarried youngest son, made Lu Lao Han frown and scold: “What nonsense are you talking about!”

Lu San Lang snorted, “I’m not talking nonsense. My sister-in-law’s nature will surely bring trouble to our family. As their uncle, I can’t ignore my brother’s family, but we must divide the house. I can’t stand this any longer. Since I’m unmarried, I'll stay with you, Dad and Mom.”

Lu Dalong, Lu Er Lang, and the others, including Shuan Zhu, who had come over upon hearing the noise: “......”

Lu Dalong was bewildered. Shuan Zhu and his brothers didn’t know what had happened but saw their father's swollen cheek, clearly having been hit by their grandfather, and then heard their uncle proposing a split.

Lu Er Lang thought, “The youngest really dares to speak out, but he’s right.”

His face cold, he remembered only surviving the battlefield thanks to Shen Lian and Chen Da Shan’s exceptional skills, which brought him and Shi Da Lang safely through dangerous terrain. They were united in hardship, which led them to band together. But now, his sister-in-law had betrayed not only four families but also Zhou Cun Zheng, putting all five in jeopardy.

No wonder his father was shaking with anger; Lu Er Lang's own veins were bulging with fury.

Did he not have in-laws? Didn’t his wife worry about her parents? Yet, he and Shi Da Lang could only help within their means, promptly informing about grain purchasing, procuring medicine, and secretly bringing their wife’s cousins to learn survival skills from Shen Lian.

They never dared ask for more, but his sister-in-law nonchalantly did and betrayed them without hesitation.

Lu Er Lang, recalling his wife’s tearful confessions upon his return, felt even colder inside.

“I also agree with dividing the house.”

Lu Dalong was stunned, first by his youngest brother, now his second.

Two of the three brothers proposed splitting, and they dared to speak it aloud, ensuring it was taken seriously.

In the silence, Lu Pozi suddenly suggested, "I think dividing the house isn't a bad idea. Either we divorce Chunniang today and send her back to her parent's home, or we split the house. From now on, whatever Chunniang does, good or bad, will first affect your smaller family unit. Any misstep or wrong word from her will directly impact her own children. Perhaps this will teach her a lesson."

She truly couldn’t bear to pull Chunniang along any longer, nor did she want to.

When Lu San Lang and Lu Er Lang spoke their minds, Lu Dalong was just stunned. But as Lu Pozi got serious, he immediately knelt down: "Mother!"

Shuan Zhu and his brothers panicked, crowding into the room. Even Wang Chunniang, who had been eavesdropping at the door, dared not hide anymore, rushing out to kneel as well.

Kneeling, she almost wailed, "Mother, it was unintentional."

"Quiet! Do you want the neighbors to hear?"

Even a calculated error can be forgiven under filial piety, but unintentional harm is truly chilling.

……

The Lu family split their house that very night, separating the eldest brother's family.

Shen Lian and the others found out about this the next morning at dawn when families gathered with their grain at his doorstep.

Lu Lao Han and Lu Pozi came personally with Lu Dalong’s family and the two children, Shuan Zhu and Tie Zhu, to apologize. This wasn’t the first family they visited; they had already helped other families carry three bags of grain each.

The incident unsettled everyone, so instead of just the men gathering for the grain carrying, the women also came to the small courtyard.

The Lu family sent many to help: Lu Lao Han, the three brothers, Wang Chunniang, and the two children Shuan Zhu and Tie Zhu, totaling six able-bodied individuals who could carry twelve bags of grain, with Tie Zhu carrying a little.

However, the six members of the Lu family were carrying grain for the other four families, not their own. Each family had three bags, as Lu Lao Han stated, their family’s grain would remain at home until the others’ was transported. Only then would they ask for help with their own grain, leaving the eldest brother's family's portion for last.

Even Tie Zhu was carrying the family's dry food and miscellaneous items.

The family's firm stance left no room for further criticism. Despite the annoyance caused by Wang Chunniang, the community sympathized with Lu's family due to their usual good conduct.

The incident with Lu's family served as a stark lesson to other daughters-in-law. Any thoughts of helping their natal families were reconsidered.

Everyone was aware that their parents also had their own familial support networks; it wasn't about survival but more about family strength. For families like Shi's and Lu's, their natal families were much stronger than their marital ones.

Married women tended to focus more on their immediate families and children, upholding the virtue of loyalty. A case like Wang Chunniang's, who carelessly exposed her family's vulnerabilities just for a moment of satisfaction, was indeed rare.

Fortunately, Shen Lian and Chen Dashan found a suitable place in the mountains to hide the grain in time. The county is still not in chaos, so everything is still manageable. Otherwise, they really had thoughts of punishing Wang Chunniang severely.

Shi Erlang's wife, outspoken and forthright, asked: "When your family transports the grain, Mrs. Lu won't be carrying it directly to the final leg, right?"

Her words clearly showed a lack of trust in Wang Chunniang.

Wang Chunniang felt as if her dignity was being trampled. Last night, her mother-in-law bluntly stated that she must honestly help carry the grain and stop wandering around, especially to her natal home, or they would consider divorcing her on the spot. Wang Chunniang was left with no choice but to comply without any chance to hide or escape.

Both Lu Lao Han and Lu's wife were embarrassed but also understood that this situation was beyond anyone's control. Mrs. Lu explained, "We asked Dashan about it. There's a resting spot about halfway along the route, a cave in the mountains. Our family is responsible only for carrying the grain to that point."

The original plan to split the journey in two was altered when Mrs. Lu, not wanting her daughter-in-law to travel too deep into the mountains, proactively sought a closer location from the Chen family to move the grain to initially.

Shi Erlang's wife felt somewhat relieved upon hearing this. Being neighbors for years, everyone knew about Wang Chunniang's natal family's character.

In her opinion, someone like Wang Chunniang should be divorced and sent back to her natal family. However, she also realized that Wang Chunniang knew too much about the interconnected families, and divorcing her at this point could provoke her to act rashly. It seemed safer to have her help with daily grain transportation.

Besides, there were still Shuan Zhu, Tie Zhu, Da Niu, Hu Zi, and Shi Tou – five siblings who had grown up under their watch. Being a mother herself, she couldn't bring herself to make such a harsh decision.

Finally, Shen Lian and Chen Dashan decided to focus all manpower on swiftly transferring 70% of the grain to the first hiding place. The plan was to execute this secretly, as the first hiding place was deep in the mountains and already remote, with a couple of young men guarding the grain with poisoned arrows, ensuring safety.

After transporting 70% of the grain, the Lu family will continue to carry the remaining 30%, while others proceed to the final destination with their loads.

Indeed, the Zhou family, including those residing locally, has risen in trust levels.

Firstly, besides having many relatives in the area, the Zhou family has no other issues. Everyone, except families like the Chen and Shen who fled here, has relatives. Secondly, the Zhou family, including the village chief, has proven reliable in their actions. For the second half of the journey, which is longer, more people are needed to transport the grain quickly.

Having come this far together, all will need to share the same trench in the future, including relying on the village chief for support in the village. Trust must be given where it's due.

This development has excited the Zhou family members, making them feel more integrated into the group.

With the first leg of the journey shortened and Wang Chunniang's issue catching everyone off guard, Mrs. Gan proposed that she would also help carry grain into the mountains.

Following Mrs. Gan's lead, Feng Liuniang and Qin Fangniang stepped forward, and the two daughters-in-law of Zhou Village Chief felt they could contribute too.

Each family left one woman in charge at home to care for the children, leaving Zhou Village Chief and Shen Lian in the village, with everyone else set to carry grain into the mountains.

Once the plan was set, they all quickly returned home to fetch the grain, being as discreet as possible to avoid drawing attention.

Before dawn, all the new participants and the grain to be transported were assembled at Shen Lian's halfway up the hill.

Zhou Village Chief, Shen Lian, Mrs. Chen, Mrs. Lu, the wife of Zhou Village Chief, the wife of Shi Erlang, and Sang Luo were the only remaining adults in the village.

Zhou Village Chief looked at the large group about to leave and said, "When it gets a bit lighter, almost half of each household will be empty, leaving only the elderly and the young."

He continued, "With so many of us leaving, we should devise a strategy and have a believable explanation for others."

Everyone remembered the last time they were reported to the village head.

Someone, envious or spiteful, might be watching their every move.

Mrs. Chen and the others exchanged glances, realizing the complexity of the situation.

If only the men were leaving, they could say they went hunting, but with women and older children also going, how could they explain it?

After some thought, Sang Luo suggested, "We could say that we’ve gone to work as laborers. The villagers know we often go to the county. With the price of grain so high, we can claim we found work there to earn money for grain."

While speaking, she quickly elaborated the idea in her mind, "Let’s involve Xu Zhanggui, say that a shopkeeper we know in the county has introduced us to a job, working in the gardens of wealthy families, with an uncertain duration."

"That could work," Zhou Village Chief paced and then said, "You and Lian should head to the county early in the morning, and by mid-morning, we'll coordinate a show in each household."

Everyone in the village knew that their families often went to the county early in the morning, men and women alike, to set up stalls or deliver goods, with the kids running errands or exploring the hills.

Although today’s grain movement might cause some minor disturbances, no one would suspect anything as everyone was accustomed to their early movements, and the particularly dark winter nights concealed their activities without torches.

The villagers would naturally interpret any noise as them transporting goods to the county, so all they needed was for Sang Luo and Shen Lian to return by mid-morning with the good news of finding work, prompting each family to pack a change of clothes in a bundle for Sang Luo to take the next day.

"With that, our act was successfully completed."

"The villagers might envy or even feel jealous, and some might even come to Shen Lian to ask for work, but no one would guess that our five families were secretly transporting grain to the mountains."

"Ever since learning about Wang Chunniang's incident, the tension and stress everyone had been carrying finally eased a bit, and smiles returned to their faces."

Chen Dashan said, "Those of us transporting grain will probably return on the evening of the third day. Remember not to approach the village too early in the evening; wait until it’s completely dark. Don't enter the village, just rest for the night in Lian’s kitchen and leave before dawn."

"This way, it would appear to others in the village that we never returned from our trip."

Shen Lian and Sang Luo had no objections. Sang Luo said, "We can also make room in the main house."

"That settles it then," everyone sighed in relief. Mrs. Chen added, "In the future, we'll quietly bring our bedding and the grain to Lian’s place after nightfall."

As dawn faintly broke and the villagers remained asleep, our group dared not linger any longer. Those with carrying poles shouldered their burdens, while others hefted their backpacks. Armed with weapons where possible, and lacking that, with hoes and sickles, they quietly entered the mountains with practiced coordination, striving to make as little noise as possible.

"Stay safe and look after the women and children," was the only advice they could offer.

This was the universal concern among the group.

Chen Dashan, Shi Dala, and Lu Erniu, well-acquainted with the mountains, nodded in agreement. "Don't worry, we'll all take roundabout routes to disperse on our way back."

After everyone had departed, only the seven who had come to see them off remained, along with Shen An and Shen Ning, who peered curiously from inside the house.

Lu Pozi, slightly bowing, apologized to the others: "I am deeply ashamed. My family's troubles have burdened everyone this time."

Chen Pozi sighed and comforted her, patting her shoulder: "You couldn't have foreseen this. It's alright, we had to move the grain quickly anyway. Just be extra vigilant with your in-laws from now on and handle them carefully."

Who would have thought that someone would be so foolishly misled?

Chen Pozi knew from Lu Pozi's private rants that Wang Chunniang’s indiscretions weren’t driven by family loyalty, but rather mindlessly blabbered during visits home, baited by a few cunning words.

The mention of ‘in-laws’ sparked a visible flicker of anger in Lu Pozi’s eyes.

"Wang Chunniang is just foolish, but her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law are downright malicious. Actually, old man Wang and his sons aren’t innocent either; they’re all bad apples."

"So they didn’t buy grain despite being informed, but instead they collectively manipulated Wang Chunniang, the simpleton, for their own schemes."

"Expecting to borrow grain? Ha!"

"Just wait, I’ll give them a taste of their own medicine."

Lu Pozi clenched her jaw, a sinister smile forming, “Don’t worry, I’ll ensure everything’s stable on that end until we’ve moved all the grain.”

"If they don’t want to buy grain, fine. Let them not buy a single grain."

Her smile was laden with a chilling determination.