Chapter 195: Old Poisonous Woman

"Pack your things. Bring along the food and daily necessities. The newly harvested grain hasn't been dried yet. You can take your share of grain from us."

As Lu Granny spoke, she got up to help her grandson prepare. Wang Chunniang was already on the verge of insanity. She did hate her husband, and sometimes that hatred extended to her children who had betrayed her by locking her away with outsiders. But this kind of hatred was different from the one she felt towards her in-laws, younger brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, and outsiders. It was unstable and fickle, especially when it came to her children. Though she could curse them fiercely in her anger, she would not tolerate anyone harming her children's interests.

Upon hearing Lu Granny's words, Wang Chunniang lost her mind. Her blood rushed to her head, and she began to spew all sorts of insults, calling Lu Granny an old deceitful hag and a poisonous woman. Eventually, her madness led her to curse Ai Wu, wishing him to never grow up and for the Lu family to be cursed with no descendants.

The eldest siblings like Shuanzhu, Tiezhu, and Daniu were shocked and tried to stop her, while the youngest, Shi Tou, was already crying out of fear.

Huizi was ten years old. Although Dahu didn't dare speak in front of his grandparents, he and his brothers could ask her privately when they were cutting rice. They stood there, stunned, watching their mother curse frenziedly, then witnessed their father burst with rage, struggling with their mother through the fence.

Old Lady Lu didn't react much to being scolded herself; she endured it. But when she heard her youngest grandson, Awei, being cursed, her face turned livid with anger. She glanced at Awei, cowering in a corner, and at the weeping Shitou. With great effort, she held back her fury, allowing Old Man Lu, whose face had turned ashen, to take the two younger children out first.

The curses soon turned into muffled sounds as they were stifled.

When Lu Dagang covered Wang Chunniang's mouth, he genuinely entertained the thought of killing her. He believed that if he suffocated her, his family would finally have peace.

Lost in this fleeting thought, he was momentarily distracted. In that moment, Wang Chunniang fiercely bit down on his hand. It was Shuzhu who, having fetched the key from his grandmother, unlocked the door with his brother, allowing them to pull their mother away and bind her hands, silencing her with a gag. Only then did the cave regain a brief respite from the chaos.

This time, although the siblings were still shedding tears, they genuinely understood that they had no choice but to leave. They began packing their belongings voluntarily. Only Lu Dalang remained motionless, his hands trembling as his empty gaze fixated on nothing, not even bothering to move.

Lu Laowu didn't say anything; she merely helped with the packing in silence, occasionally asking if certain items had been included. It took them over an hour of bustling about, estimating the amount of grain belonging to their eldest branch that was still in the fields and deciding to contribute a portion from their own stock. When the larger items were mostly packed, she finally took a bowl and left the cave in the darkness.

...

At the Xu family's residence.

Old Lady Xu never imagined that Lu Laowu would visit at this particular moment. After a momentary surprise, she hurriedly invited her in.

Lu Laowu wasn't in the mood for small talk. "I've come over to ask for something from you."

The Xu family was taken aback. Old Lady Xu responded, "Is there something you need? Just tell me what it is; I'll try my best to provide."

"I recall that when your family entered the valley, you brought some alcohol, didn't you? I wonder if you still have it. If so, I'd like to borrow a few spoons."

Old Lady Xu nodded. "Yes, we did bring some, but not for drinking. We kept it to lower a child's fever; it's effective when applied to the body to reduce heat."

She then called out to Wei Lingzhen to retrieve it.

Intent on asking Lu Cai about the purpose of alcohol at this time, she reconsidered, given the distressing events that had befallen the Lus today. Instead, she changed the subject and asked if Lu Cai had eaten her evening meal.

Lu Cai shook her head. "I have no appetite."

For a moment, Madam Xu was at a loss for words on how to comfort her. Fortunately, the Xu family's cave wasn't large, and Wei Lingzhen had already taken a small wine jar from a shelf. It was unopened, and with Xu Shu's assistance, they removed the clay seal. She then poured wine into a large bowl for Lu Cai, filling it to about three or four cups. Lu Cai hastily said, "That's enough, enough."

Wei Lingzhen raised her gaze. "Is that enough? Auntie, don't hesitate if you need more."

Lu Cai replied, "Enough, thank you both so much. My home is still in chaos, so I'll take my leave now."

The Xu family matriarch and daughter-in-law accompanied her a few steps before returning. Still puzzled as to why the Lus needed wine at this moment, they decided not to dwell on it since it was only a matter of a few cups. Instead, they turned to Wei Qinghe and asked, "Are you really going to call Shen Lie and the others back tonight?"

Wei Qinghe nodded. "I've conveyed the message, and I've also roughly told Village Chief Zhou what happened."

He glanced at the sky. "At this time, Village Chief Zhou should be about to deliver the letter."

Upon hearing this, Madam Xu sighed. "This old lady from the Lu family seems to have aged by four or five years just since this morning."

In the morning, she had been brimming with joy while harvesting rice, but now, all that remained was a weary, weathered appearance. There was no trace left of her earlier vitality.

Zhou Cunzheng had indeed left the valley. At that moment, Shen Lie and the others were already making their way into it, with Shi Erbang assisting in concealing the entrance from the outside.

Meanwhile, Lady Lu had already returned home. She dug out a few pieces of charcoals from her hearth and was meticulously grinding them in a stone mortar.

The whole family had yet to have their evening meal, but no one could fathom what she was up to. Yet, no one bothered to inquire, as everyone's minds were preoccupied.

At this point, Lu Erlang had entered the valley and had a general understanding of the situation from Zhou Cunzheng. The Lu brothers didn't involve Shen Lie, Sang Luo, or Chen Dashan in their affairs. Instead, they asked them to return to their respective homes while the two brothers hurried back to theirs.

Old Lady Lu had finished grinding the charcoal into a fine powder. She picked up the bowl that had been on the wooden table and brought it over. It contained a bit of white wine borrowed from the Xu family. She poured the charcoal powder into the wine, creating a dark, mushy mixture. Then, she walked up to Lu Dalang, who was sitting dazed by the gate. "Get up, how long do you plan on sitting there?"

She handed him the bowl and said, "Go inside and make your wife drink this."

Lu Dalang didn't react, but Lu Shuzhu and his three siblings grew anxious and couldn't help calling out, "Grandma."

As Lu Erlang and Lu Sanlang hurried in, they saw this scene.

Old Lady Lu glanced at her returning sons but then turned to her grandchildren and said, "Don't worry, I'm wicked, but not so wicked as to poison your mother with a single dose of medicine. I just want her to behave and not cause any more trouble on the way out."

Lu Shuzhu and his siblings heaved a collective sigh of relief, but then they sensed the faint hint of self-mockery in the old lady's words. For a moment, they were all at a loss.

Lu Dalang held the bowl of medicine in his hand, but his eyes fell on Lu Erlang and Lu Sanlang. He seemed to come back to life as he urgently said, "Erlang, Sanlang, please beg Mother for mercy. Huizi and Shi Tou are still so young. How can they survive if they're chased out of the valley? They call you Second Uncle and Third Uncle; please beg her for them."

Madame Lu was angered by how he was still talking about the children instead of himself, and using family ties to pressure his younger brothers. She sternly shouted, "Go pour the medicine! They're Shuzhu's uncles, but you're their father. There are many people in the mountains now. Those without anyone to protect them have to live too, don't they? I never knew your spine was so weak. Do you even know how to stand up straight? No need to beg anyone. It won't make a difference. I've already told you the consequences."

Seeing his mother's expression, Lu Dalang finally dared not say anything more. He watched as Shuzhu opened the door and prepared to administer the medicine.

Would Wang Chunniang simply allow herself to be force-fed medicine? Moreover, she had no idea what it was. The moment the door opened, she struggled to escape. It took the three of them to stop and pin her down. After much commotion, they finally managed to pour the medicine down her throat.

Lu Dalang remained composed, but Shuzhu and Tiezhu's eyes were red-rimmed.

Madame Lu watched this scene, aware that she had played the role of the ultimate villain today. Looking at the two brothers, she asked, "Blame me?"

The two brothers hurriedly shook their heads.

Madame Lu smiled bitterly. "Blaming or not blaming me wouldn't change anything. People must take responsibility for their actions. In a while, I'll have to swallow my pride and beg Dashan to accompany your Second and Third Uncles to find a place to settle your whole family. Your mother mustn't cause chaos during the journey and harm others. We can't endanger everyone in this valley either.

"Your mother wasn't wrong when she scolded me. I am ruthless. On this trip, they might encounter wolves, leopards, or tigers. I can't guarantee that all of you will return safely after a few years, or that none of you will return at all. Who could predict such things? If something unfortunate happens, I'll accept the blame in your hearts. If you want to complain in hell, go ahead."

Only then did Shuanzhu become anxious. "Grandma, we really didn't mean to blame you just now."

Old Lady Lu interrupted him with her words: "I'm not asking for your assurance that you won't blame me. I don't mind whether you do or not. What I want to tell you is that the life you were originally destined to lead would have been much worse—infinitely worse—than what you've experienced. Just like in your mother's mocking description of the Jin family, a household of six reduced to three, and that's only because Shopkeeper Xu and their eldest brother risked their lives to save them."

"Only by barely escaping death can one truly comprehend the harsh reality outside. You've been spared from the real hell on earth; both the Shen and Chen families have shielded you. The peaceful year you've had is a gift of their kindness, not your entitlement. Even so, I must still humble myself to beg for their protection to secure your future, ha."

Madame Lu truly felt that her face was about to bury itself into the ground; how thick-skinned must she be to be able to speak to Chen Dashan after a while.

"If I were truly ruthless, I would have severed your mother's tongue, so that you wouldn't be misled by her twisted logic and end up trapped in her ways for life."

"But are you willing? Do you not hate me to the core?"

"When you leave, I have no other requests. No need to repay a drop of kindness with a spring of water; I've taught you all I could. Just remember not to repay kindness with enmity. Your father and mother, I can't set straight, but out there, if there's something I didn't anticipate, keep an eye on that. Don't let others regret ever helping our family."

"Filial piety, filial piety—it's indeed a duty. But sometimes, being filial doesn't mean simply obeying. You must learn to discern right from wrong on your own. As a grandmother, that's all I can say and do."

She turned around, took a bag of meat from the shelf reserved for their parents and the second and third branches of the family, then called out to Lu Erlang and Lu Sanlang, asking them to carry half a stone of grain and half a stone of beans. "Accompany me to the Chen family. We can't let Da Shan put aside his duties for nothing. I propose that the two of you, as uncles, help cover the cost of these grains for your five nieces and nephews. How about it?"

Lu Erlang and Lu Sanlang wouldn't dare refuse. They carried the bags their mother pointed at and followed her out.

Exiting the cave, they could still hear Wang Chunniang's hoarse curses, her voice strained after all that throat-clearing, wishing the old poisonous woman an agonizing death. Lu Erlang and Sanlang clenched their fists; despite their pity for the five children, they couldn't muster any sympathy for Eldest Branch at this moment.