Chapter 118: The Clash of Two Mothers-in-Law

"Mother and daughter-in-law paraded through the village, greeting everyone they met cheerfully. When asked if they were visiting their grandson, Mrs. Wang warmly replied, 'Indeed, it's been so long, and I've missed him terribly.'"

"Her voice was exceptionally warm and friendly."

"Their voices reached the Lu household even before they did, making Mrs. Lu perk up her ears at the sound."

The Wang mother and daughter-in-law had been waiting too long.

Lu Popo adjusted her clothes as she secured the door to the grain room. Straightening her clothes also straightened her facial expression.

As the Wang mother and daughter-in-law entered the courtyard, they greeted warmly, "Mother-in-law!"

Lu Popo concealed her decade-long resentment; she welcomed them as usual with a smile, "Oh, the child's grandmother and aunt are here? Come in and sit."

While guiding them into the main hall with a smile, she subtly glanced at the basket Wang Popo was carrying. Covered with a cloth, its contents were hidden.

Wang Popo was crafty. Lu Popo didn’t know how she interacted with her daughters-in-law's families, but whenever she visited the Lu's, she always brought a basket. Villagers thought it looked respectable, not knowing that she never actually took anything out of it.

She let the mother and daughter-in-law sit under the eaves of the main hall, where the light was best. It was common for villagers to invite neighbors to sit under the eaves for a chat.

Lu Popo went to the kitchen to pour two cups of warm water, chuckling, "It's Little New Year today, isn't your family busy? How come you have time to visit us?"

The main hall was just a few steps from the kitchen. The Wangs didn’t dare to roam around too obviously. They surveyed the room until they saw Lu Popo coming from the kitchen. Quickly adjusting their demeanor, they chuckled, "The dusting and stove offering are taken care of by the daughters-in-law. It's been over a fortnight since Chunniang returned home, so we came to see her. How quiet your home is! Where is everyone? Not even Chunniang or her sisters-in-law are here."

Lu Popo's face beamed with a smile, "Our family is fortunate. Remember we told you about the small business in the county? Chunniang must have mentioned it."

Mrs. Wang and her daughter-in-law were taken aback.

They had often heard Wang Chunniang grumble about her mother-in-law's secretiveness with money, comparing her to a thief, never letting a word slip outside.

Mrs. Wang, feeling awkward yet unsure if her daughter had spilled anything to her in-laws, and curious about what would be said next, vaguely chuckled, "I've heard bits and pieces, but nothing specific. What does this have to do with everyone not being at home?"

Mrs. Lu noticed her acting but pretended ignorance, still smiling warmly, "Well, we've been doing some small business in the county. We got lucky and met a few people. Recently, we had a delivery job. Someone's friend needed laborers for a big garden construction. It's all rough work; got a word in through someone we know. With the county in such chaos, it’s unsafe to keep going there daily. Working as laborers is safer. Everyone capable of working in our family has gone. Chunniang and Liu Niang are even helping with carrying sand and soil. The pay is less than men's, but it's something. We're saving up, hoping to buy more grain. It’s so expensive now."

Pausing, she then changed the subject, "By the way, mother-in-law, did you manage to buy any grain?"

Mrs. Wang knew she couldn't afford grain with the prices sky-high. Who would spend so much, especially when her daughter's family was already stockpiling? The thought of how much they might need made her heart race, her eyes almost longing to peer into Mrs. Lu's securely locked western room, but she composed herself, "We did, but it’s not easy to get. It's so expensive, and they only let us buy a tiny amount each day. Plus, the road to the county isn't safe now."

Wang's elder daughter-in-law, seeing her mother-in-law missing the point, interjected, "Auntie, what kind of labor work is your family doing? How much do they earn daily? Can others join in?"

Mrs. Lu replied, "It wasn't easy to get in. We owed someone a favor to secure the jobs. It's been more than ten days now, and all positions are filled."

She then gently but earnestly urged Mrs. Wang, "In-law, buying grain is an urgent matter. Didn’t my son send you a message before? Our second son mentioned that the north is in turmoil, many commoners have revolted, declaring themselves kings. It's chaotic, right? We even have refugees here now. We must stock up on grain. It’s not enough just to have enough for next year. What if things get worse?"

Mrs. Wang's eyes darted around, "You're right. How much have you stockpiled?"

"We've stored..." Lu Pozi began, but after just three words, she hesitated, a flicker of caution crossing her face before she quickly masked it and said awkwardly, "Not much, really."

Wang Family's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law: "Sure, we believe you."

However, both maintained an understanding silence and didn’t pursue the topic further. They had come today because Wang Chunniang hadn’t visited her maternal home for a long time, feeling uneasy and wanting to check on the situation. They were also curious about how much grain the Lu family had stored but didn’t want to alarm anyone.

Wang Pozi laughed and covered her mouth: "I shouldn't have asked. Please, ignore what I said."

Lu Pozi gave an embarrassed smile: "Actually, I reacted instinctively out of fear. We've seen our share of turmoil at our age. Our families are in-laws; there's no need for such suspicion. Honestly, our Lu family can't compare to your Wang family. Ah, the village we originally lived in was ruined by soldiers and bandits. My husband is the only male left in his generation. He has no brothers, not even uncles or male cousins to rely on. Our family line is practically extinct. If real chaos breaks out... If it really breaks out..."

She hesitated here, unsure whether to continue.

The women of the Wang family, especially the eldest daughter-in-law, were quick-witted and immediately responded: "Don’t worry, Auntie-In-Law. If there's chaos, we are in-laws after all. How could we not take care of your family?"

Lu Pozi looked at them, still hesitant: "I trust you, but the Wang family is so large. Would you really be able to take in outsiders like us?"

Wang Pozi replied: "How are you outsiders? Doesn’t everyone have relatives? In difficult times, shouldn’t we support each other? But, really, do you think things will get chaotic here?"

She still seemed somewhat skeptical.

Observing her expression, Lu Pozi sighed: "Don’t be in disbelief. There are too many rebels. We don't talk about it openly, only within the village and with close relatives as a precaution. But now, there's no need for us to say anything; the news has already spread throughout the county."

The Wang family's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law exchanged glances, feeling the need to ask Lu Pozi for more details about the situation in the north.

Lu Pozi was forthright and shared everything she knew, leaving the Wang family women, who initially came just to check on the grain for peace of mind, pale-faced with concern.

Despite their worry, they still thought about Lu's grain. Wang Pozi patted Lu Pozi's hand: "Don't worry, Auntie. If chaos really breaks out, come to our Wang family. Without boasting, we Wangs are not lacking. My husband has a say among his brothers; we can surely take your family in."

Lu Pozi hummed and hawed, only asking somewhat awkwardly under the enthusiastic assurances of the Wang women: "When we first told you to buy grain, did your family also inform your clan? Did the Wang clan buy any grain?"

This was clearly a worry about whether following them would mean insecure food supplies.

The Wang family did indeed pass on the message, but it was secondary to the news of Lu Erlang's safe return. When Lu Erlang returned, grain prices in the county had already skyrocketed; who would willingly pay that much?

Rebellions happen annually, just some bandits challenging the government, usually quelled swiftly. Initially, nobody took it seriously, and even when they did, they were reluctant to buy at exorbitant prices. What if the disturbance was only in the north and didn't affect the south? Investing one’s life savings in grain, only to see prices drop, would leave them with no one to turn to.

However, Wang Pozi said aloud: "We did buy. As soon as Dalang sent us the message, we informed every family in our clan. The next day, Chunniang's uncles and aunts were purchasing grain in the county. We couldn’t afford much grain, but we did stock up on beans."

While a few families did buy grain, claiming that all had done so was an outright fabrication.

Mrs. Lu appeared to believe this, visibly relaxing: "That's good to hear."

"Hopefully, it won't come to chaos. But if it does, we'll seek refuge with your family and rely on your help," she added hesitantly.

"The Feng family isn't bad either. They care for Liu Niang, just that they have one less son than your family and fewer clan members."

Hearing potential competition, Mrs. Wang, confident in her family's larger numbers, remarked, "In such times, strength lies in numbers. Your children, including Tiger and Stone, are so young. I must ensure the safety of my five grandchildren."

Mrs. Lu pondered this and seemed convinced.

She advised Mrs. Wang, "Your family should keep buying grain daily; money won't matter if things turn chaotic."

The Wangs inwardly scoffed at Mrs. Lu's apparent concern, which they interpreted as an attempt to exploit the Wang family's resources while guarding her own grain.

Out loud, they agreed, "Absolutely, you're right. We didn't realize the situation up north was so serious. We'll notify our clan immediately upon our return."

They meant it – stocking up on grain benefitted their large family.

Mrs. Lu's smile was the most genuine since encountering the Wangs that day.

Satisfied, the Wangs felt their visit was worthwhile, sensing an opportunity to eventually move Lu's grain to their home.

The thought eased their worries about the northern unrest. After all, the entire Lu family was laboring to amass grain, a potential boon for the Wangs.

Already having heard and discussed the news from the county through the village grapevine, the Wangs had processed their initial panic. Now, their primary concern was securing grain, and the Lu family was unknowingly preparing to bolster their reserves.

The Wangs left content, only wishing they could've confirmed the Lu's grain stock for complete peace of mind.

With over a decade as in-laws, the two understood each other well. Wang Pozi clutched her stomach and frowned, groaning twice and bending over: "What did I eat to make me feel like this?"

She started to look like she was going limp.

She grabbed Lu Pozi's hand: "Oh, it's unbearable, Auntie, Auntie, where is the outhouse? Help me get to the outhouse."

Lu Pozi really wanted to spit in her face. After over a decade of being in-laws, even though they didn’t visit often, how could she not know where their outhouse was?

But Wang Pozi was pretending, and she played along enthusiastically, asking with feigned tension what was wrong as she helped the person towards the outhouse.

The eldest daughter-in-law of the Wang family also followed a few steps but stopped at the courtyard gate and didn’t go any further.

Lu Pozi helped Wang Pozi walk a few more steps, casting a discreet glance towards the courtyard gate before the person returned inside.

Look, once they see everything is fine, they quickly scurry back to Wang Family Gully, better not to linger here and bother her anymore.