Chapter 139

Chapter 139

midst the laughter and conversation, Mu Qing entered. "Greetings, Elder Lady, Lady. Second Aunt, Sister Xing Huang has returned with a mother and daughter. She says they are the family of a fallen soldier, and Second Master asked to have them sent back."

Meng Die regained her composure. "I understand." Rising to her feet, she said, "Grandmother, Mother, I'll go see what's going on."

Lady Hou instructed, "You've worked up a sweat from eating. Put on your cloak so you don't catch a chill."

"Alright."

Meng Die rose to her feet and started walking back with Mu Qing. "Do you have any idea what's going on?"

Mu Qing replied, "Sister Xing Huang sent me to look for Second Grandma as soon as she returned. I saw that mother and daughter pair, though. They were dressed rather thinly, so I suppose they're not having an easy time."

They quickly arrived at Qixia Courtyard. Upon entering the main hall, Xing Huang rushed over. "Second Grandma."

Then came two thuds.

"Oh dear, get up quickly," Meng Die said, untying the strings of her cloak. Hulu promptly took the cloak from her.

Wan'er helped Madam Rong to her feet.

Meng Die took her seat, a smile playing at the corners of her eyes. "Please have a seat. How should I address you?"

With her daughter in her arms, Madam Rong was visibly restrained and spoke with hesitation, "M-my husband's family takes the surname Mu, while my maiden family bears the name Rong."

Meng Die's gaze fell upon the young girl shivering and huddled up, and she swiftly averted her eyes. "Lady Rong, please take a seat. There's no need for formality here; make yourself as comfortable as you can."

Rong Shi sat down on the chair with great caution, occupying only half of it, not daring to sit fully.

Meng Die glanced at Xing Huang, who promptly responded, "Second Master's intention is for Sister Rong and your daughter to reside temporarily in our estate. As for the specific accommodations, Second Madam can make the arrangements."

Meng Die nodded and said to Ah Xue, "Take two people and prepare the western wing in the backyard."

"Okay."

Meng Die then turned to Lady Rong, "I can see that your journey has been tiring. Why not freshen up, change your clothes, and rest for a while? We can chat more when you're feeling more refreshed."

Lady Rong nodded repeatedly.

Meng Die said, "Xiao Yu, take them to freshen up."

"Yes," Xiao Yu replied, her naturally upturned lips forming a gentle smile. With a touch of baby fat on her cheeks, she had an endearing and harmless appearance. Approaching Madam Rong, she said, "Madam Rong, please follow me."

Madam Rong glanced at Xing Huang, who nodded at her. In a soft voice that barely audible, Madam Rong said, "Thank you for your trouble."

Watching the mother and daughter's figures vanish through the entrance, Meng Die addressed Wan'er, "Go to the main residence and ask Mother and my two aunts if they have any suitable warm clothing for that young girl we just met."

"Ai."

Meng Die: "As for Lady Rong…" Meng Die herself stood a head taller than Lady Rong.

Xing Huang continued, "When I returned, I asked Ah Xue to fetch her clothes. Ah Xue's figure is quite similar to Sister Rong's."

Meng Die nodded and rose to follow Xing Huang into the inner chamber. "What exactly happened?"

At the mention of this, Xing Huang's face fell. "I've never heard anything so horrifying in my life."

The Rong family was impoverished, and at the age of seventeen, Rong's parents, lured by the dowry, promised her hand to the thirty-seven-year-old Mu Laosan. The Mu family was equally poor, with three brothers; the older two had managed to marry before they turned twenty, but by the time it came to Mu Laosan, they were burdened with debts and unable to afford a bride. It wasn't until Mu Laosan himself worked tirelessly and saved some silver at the age of twenty-seven that he could finally wed Rong.

Mu Laosan cherished his hard-won wife greatly. For Rong, who had never known a day of ease in her own family, having someone to care for her brought happiness, despite her husband's age difference. The couple lived harmoniously, occasionally dreaming about their future together.

Then, news arrived that the imperial army had suffered losses on the frontlines and more soldiers were needed. With three brothers, the Mu family was inevitably among those conscripted. Ordinarily, it would have been Mu Laoda or Mu Laoer, who already had sons, to go. However, fate decreed that it was newlywed Mu Laosan who was sent off to war.

Only much later did Rong learn that her two sisters-in-law, leveraging their status as mothers of sons, had threatened to take their children back to their own families if their husbands were sent away. Both Mu Laoda and Mu Laoer had knelt before Mu Laosan, begging him to go in their stead, vowing to take care of Rong and prevent her from remarrying. Reluctantly, Mu Laosan left behind the meager hundred-odd copper coins he had and joined the military.

Not long after Mu Laosan's departure, Rong discovered she was pregnant. The Mu family was initially overjoyed, but when she gave birth to a girl, their enthusiasm waned. As the child was born during the season when osmanthus flowers blossomed in August, Rong named her Osmanthus.

Without a man to support them and living in poverty, life for the Rong mother-daughter duo in the Mu household was far from ideal, with irregular meals. However, Rong Shi persevered through gritted teeth. The turning point came three years after Mu Laosan's departure when a letter arrived from the postal station, informing them of his whereabouts.

The Mu family then discovered that not only had Mu Laosan survived joining the military, he had even become a minor leader and inquired about Rong Shi's well-being.

They hired a village scholar to pen a reply, emphasizing that his wife had remained loyal and had given birth to a daughter.

A year later, another letter arrived, accompanied by five taels of silver and a small wooden rattle drum. The silver was for Rong Shi, and the rattle drum was for their daughter. From then on, the Rong mother and daughter's living conditions improved significantly. Rong Shi's father and mother-in-law treated her better, whereas her two sisters-in-law, though still critical, dared not cause too much trouble.

Just as Rong Shi eagerly awaited Mu Laosan's return from war, she received the devastating news of his death in battle, right before the anticipated victory. Mu Laosan fell on the eve of their triumph.

Fallen soldiers were entitled to pensions, and Mu Laosan had also made contributions in his time. Knowing that he had left behind only one daughter, his superior, out of compassion for the orphaned girl, generously added another 100 taels from his own pocket, bringing the total sum to 200 taels to be delivered to the Mu family.

With this money, the Mu family arranged a funeral and built a tomb for Mu Laosan. There was an argument between the Mu family's two branches over who would perform the ritual of breaking the funerary bowl – a tradition indicating that the nephew who did so would effectively become the deceased's son, inheriting his estate if there were no biological sons. Eventually, the first branch triumphed, and it was Mu Yao, the second son of the eldest family, who performed the ceremony for Mu Laosan.

Rong-shi was not involved in these matters and had no say. At that time, she was utterly distraught, weeping without any thoughts beyond her grief.

Just as the seventh day after the funeral, known as the "head seven," passed, Mu Laosan's mother approached Rong-shi for a heart-to-heart: "Zhaodi, now that Third Brother is gone, you're still young. There's no need to remain bound to him. Our family will support you if you decide to remarry."

Rong-shi panicked: "Mother, I..."

Mother Mu said, "Listen to me, I'm aware of the situation with your family. When we said you could remarry, we didn't mean for you to return to your maiden home. Our intention is for you to consider this place as your family from now on. When you remarry, according to custom, our family will provide you with a dowry, including a set of wedding attire. You've been loyal to Third Brother Mu all these years, and he did leave some silver behind. Therefore, we'll also provide a set of bedding."

Rong Shi's heart stirred. To say that she had deep feelings for Third Brother Mu would be a lie. They had been married for less than half a year before he left for several years. She almost forgot what he looked like. Besides, she was still young. At her age, no one in the village remained unmarried. Each eventually remarried.

Rong Shi asked, "What about Guihua?"

Mother Mu replied, "Guihua will have us, her grandparents, and if push comes to shove, there are still her two uncles. We can't let you take her along, and it'll be easier for you to marry again without a child."

Rong Shi felt completely reassured and agreed to remarry, leaving Guihua in the Mu family.

The Mu family was very proactive and swiftly found a man from another village for Hongshi. It was said that this man was extremely diligent, albeit rather simple-minded and unable to express himself well. His previous wife had run away with a peddler, leaving him with only a daughter. Hongshi would certainly not have to endure hardships if she married him. If she could give birth to a son, their lives would flourish even more.

Hongshi nodded in agreement upon hearing the conditions. Thinking about her upcoming marriage, she decided to wash all of Guihua's clothes once again. She didn't have deep feelings for Mu Laosan, but she genuinely doted on her daughter who relied on her.

While washing the clothes, a neighbor and good friend, Qi Shi, quietly approached her. "Zhaodi, do you know anything specific about the man the Mu family found for you?"

Hongshi replied, "What's the matter? My mother mentioned he's honest and hardworking, with a daughter. His wife left him for a peddler."

Qi Shi spat, "They really said that? They're pushing you into a pit! I have a cousin who married into that village. That man beats his wife; whenever he's in a bad mood, he beats her relentlessly. His previous wife was beaten a lot because they only had a daughter. Eventually, she couldn't take it anymore and ran away—some say he even beat her to death. After his wife left, he started beating his daughter. That poor girl has never had a moment's peace; no one in their village is unaware of this."

With a splash, the garment slipped from her hand and fell into the river, creating tiny ripples as it floated downstream with the gentle current.

Qi quickly fished it out. "You should use your head a bit more. Since Mu Laosan left you such a large sum of money, they'll have to treat you well and provide for you. If they send you away, they'd save themselves quite a bit of silver."

Rong couldn't spare a moment for the clothes in the basin. "I'll go back and ask about this carefully."

Qi grabbed Rong's arm. "Don't mention that I told you."

Rong replied casually, "I won't." With that, she swiftly rushed back to the Mu residence.

It was unclear if she was influenced by Qi's words or if Mu Laosan's spirit was watching over her from above. Upon returning home, Lady Rong moved with a lighter step. Upon hearing voices coming from within the room, she, for some inexplicable reason, hid behind the window to eavesdrop without revealing herself.

This revelation laid bare the truth: Not only had the Mu family found her a man known for beating his wives, hoping she would meet her end at his hands – for only in her death would there be none left to champion for Guihua – they also intended to betroth Guihua as a child bride to the landlord's family in the neighboring village. That household had a foolish grandson, some five or six years older than Guihua, who was likewise prone to violent outbursts.

The Rong family immediately erupted into chaos. To her surprise, the Mu family's pretended amiability was utterly discarded as they all joined in to beat her relentlessly, leaving her bruised and battered. They also assaulted Osmanthus. Ultimately, the mother and daughter were both locked up in the storage shed.

Hearing this, Meng Die's anger boiled over, causing her to smash the teacup in her hand. "With such moral corruption and disgraceful behavior, do they fear being struck by lightning or divine retribution?"

Meihong's eyes brimmed with tears as she listened. "I thought she was in her thirties just now. Turns out she's only twenty-three."

Hulu asked, "How did they manage to escape?"

Xing Huang scoffed. "Escape? There's no way they could have."

How could a frail woman and a young girl possibly escape? The day after they were imprisoned, the Mu family came to forcefully take Guanhua away, planning to send her immediately to the landlord's house in exchange for silver.

Madame Rong went berserk, dragging her battered body to bite Mu Laoda and injure Mu Laoer with a wooden rod, nearly blinding him. Fearing her continued madness, the Mu family locked her back in the shed, intending to starve them for a few days until they were completely weakened before sending the mother and daughter away – one to the landlord's household, and the other to the agreed-upon man's home.

Just when Madame Rong had lost all hope, Li Ai's rescue team arrived. Ning Qiang was in charge of this area; he had been chosen for this mission because of his past good relationship with Mu Laosan while they were in the military camp. On his departure from the capital, he brought back Mu Laosan's belongings and, accompanied by his partner Zhao Hu, delivered them to the Mu family.

The Mu family members were all extremely courteous, showering Ning Qiang with gratitude. Watching Mu Laoda and Mu Laonai silently weep over Mu Laosan's belongings, Ning Qiang's eyes also reddened. "What about your sister-in-law and niece?"

The weeping figure froze. The expressions on Mu LaoDa and Mu LaoEr's faces instantly became extremely awkward. A pang struck Ning Qiang's heart. On his journey, he had seen men fall in battle while their wives remarried. He assumed that Mu Laosan's wife had done the same, and now he feared he had touched a nerve with the Mu family. "If it's inconvenient to meet your sister-in-law, I can settle for seeing my niece."

Mu Laoda's lips quivered as he struggled to speak. "She... she..."

"Oh no, the house is on fire!"

A neighbor's sharp cry startled everyone in the house, and Ning Qiang bolted out, followed hastily by the rest of the Mu family.

Smoke billowed from the small shed adjacent to the main house, and as the haze thickened, Ning Qiang frowned. He thought he heard a cry for help.

"Mother... cough, cough..." A girl's sobbing voice echoed from within.

Ning Qiang's expression changed drastically. With a swift stride, he rushed to the shed, eyeing the lock on top. Drawing his waist knife, he sliced through it with a swoosh. The lock fell with a thud, and Ning Qiang pushed open the door. Inside, a woman lay on the ground, while a tattered little girl wept upon her.

In an instant, Ning Qiang deduced the identities of the mother and daughter. Extending his hand, he lifted the girl up, and she instantly wailed in heart-wrenching despair, "Mother, Mother..."

The woman on the floor stirred slightly. Those accompanying Ning Qiang hurried in to carry her out. A gust of wind swept past, and flames licked out from the shed.

The dazed Mu family finally snapped out of their stupor and rushed into the kitchen, grabbing buckets and basins to fill them with water, which they then poured onto the shed. Neighbors also hurried over to lend a hand.

After a frenzied effort, the fire was successfully contained, though half of the shed was destroyed. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

Ning Qiang looked at the little girl, his brow deeply furrowed. "What happened here? This must be your niece, right?"

Old Lady Mu opened her mouth but didn't speak. Eldest Brother Mu gave a wry smile. "I won't hide it from you, Brother Ning. This is my sister-in-law and niece. Since she hasn't remarried, I still address her as such."

Ning Qiang raised an eyebrow.

Wood Elder: "Third Brother is gone, and we never intended for her to spend her life in mourning. But who would have thought that right after his funeral, she'd start a relationship with a man from another village? We couldn't bear it, so we argued with her. Our anger escalated, and things turned physical."

Ning Qiang was not easily deceived: "What's the story with my niece?"

Wood Elder: "She wants her mother, and we can't do anything about that. Besides, we had no idea when she started seeing this man. It made us uneasy, so we confined them both in the storage shed, planning to release them at night."

"Mei," said Rong, her vision blurred from hunger, but she mustered the strength to sit up, "I didn't seduce anyone. They were planning to give Orchid to a fool as a child bride."

Wood Elder's expression darkened: "Do you dare say you didn't entertain the thought of remarriage?"

Rong: "I do wish to remarry, but..."

Brother Mu: "Brother Ning, you heard that. As soon as Third Brother left, she was eager to remarry. I just can't bear the thought of it."

Rong: "You..."

Ning Qiang observed the osmanthus flower firmly clutched in Rong's hand, then cast his gaze over the faded and patch-laden garment adorning her frame. Lifting his eyes to scan the Mu family, all attired in impeccable order, a sneer curled at the corner of his lips. "How do you intend to handle this?"

Eldest Sister Mu: "Third Sister has left, and there's nothing inherently wrong with her wanting to remarry. I was just upset back then that she was already involved with someone while Third Sister's body was still warm. Now, it's certain that our Mu family can no longer keep her, nor do we wish to. We plan on sending her away tonight."

Rong: "I didn't, I didn't seduce anyone. I didn't..."

Ning Qiang: "Where's Osmanthus?"

Eldest Uncle Mu: "Osmanthus is a member of our Mu family, so of course, we're taking care of her."

As they spoke, a carriage approached from a distance, accompanied by several servants. It stopped in front of the Mu residence. A man lifted the curtain and placed his hand on the servant's arm, casting a disdainful glance at the humble dirt road before carefully stepping down from the carriage. He couldn't wait to call out before entering the courtyard, "Didn't you say you'd send her over today? Why hasn't she been sent yet? Cough... What's that smell?"

Rong instinctively held Osmanthus tightly.

Master Mu's face froze.

Ning Qiang cast a glance at those alighting from the carriage. "Who are you? Whom are you here to receive?"

The wooden steward from the noble family on the carriage glanced at the tall and sturdy Ning Qiang and frowned. "And who might you be?" He then turned to Old Man Mu. "Mu Zhu, I'm only offering this good opportunity to your family because we're still considered distant relatives. As for Guahua, will she be sent or not? If you're not going to send her, return the deposit, and we'll choose someone else."

Uncle Mu's face lit up with a smile. "Of course, we will definitely send her off properly."

Ning Qiang moved closer to Lady Rong and Guihua, doing so subtly without attracting attention. "What exactly is going on?"

Uncle Mu said, "Nephew, as you can see, our family still dwells in thatched cottages, a clear testament to our poverty. Furthermore, Rongshi is remarrying, and Guihua, poor child, has neither father nor mother. Thus, I've arranged a fine marriage for her with the landowner's family from the neighboring village. Once she's there, she'll be a young mistress, living a life of luxury and abundance, which is far better than staying with our impoverished family."

Rong: "That one is a fool."

Wooden Father shot her a stern glance. "What nonsense about being foolish or clever? What good is intelligence if it doesn't fill your belly? Can it compare to the life of a landowner?"

Lady Rong: "At such a young age, he often loses his temper and resorts to violence."

Madame Mu: "What nonsense are you talking? Which wife doesn't endure a few scoldings or slaps? You think everyone treats you like a precious treasure, just like our Third Son does?"

Madam Rong trembled with anger, unable to utter a single word. She merely clutched onto Osmanthus, weeping profusely.

Old Master Mu reached out to pull Osmanthus away. "Let's go."

"Wait a moment," Ning Qiang interjected, stretching out his hand to stop Old Master Mu.

Old Master Mu discarded his facade. "Nephew, we are grateful that you've brought Third Son's belongings to us. But this is a matter concerning the Mu family, so we hope you won't intervene."

Madam Rong held Osmanthus tightly. "Father, Third Brother has just passed, and his body isn't even cold yet. Are you really going to sell his daughter? Don't you fear that he might come looking for you at night?"

Wooden Father's face was brimming with impatience. "I'm Osmanthus's grandfather; would I harm her? Hurry up and don't provoke Manager Mu." He reached out to grab Osmanthus's delicate little arm.

Ning Qiang held onto Wooden Father's arm, causing the old man's expression to darken. "Is it your business, my nephew, to meddle in our Mu family's affairs?"

"Our Mu family's matters aren't something an outsider like you should intervene in," Wooden Second said as he led the village chief, clan elders, and a group of young and strong villagers rushing over. Many of them carried pickaxes and wooden clubs. An elderly man, leaning on his cane, stood at the front, staring ominously at Ning Qiang.

Ning Qiang didn't release Wooden Father's arm. "As an outsider, I naturally have no right to interfere in the Mu family's affairs."

The elder and Wooden Father's expressions softened. Wooden Father said, "Let go then."

Ning Qiang didn't let go. "I didn't come all this way just to deliver Third Brother Mu's belongings; there's another matter."

Old Man Mu asked, "What is it?"

Ning Qiang replied, "While Third Brother Mu was alive, he had already arranged an engagement for Osmanthus in the military camp. After his passing, the family concerned took pity on Osmanthus. Since I happened to be on official business here, they entrusted me with the task of bringing Osmanthus to the capital."

...

Old Man Mu was stunned. Eldest Brother Mu said, "You just say she's engaged? Do you have any proof? You're not trying to abduct our Osmanthus, are you?"

The burly men standing behind the elder instantly surrounded Ning Qiang and Zhao Hu, who were both holding gleaming daggers at their waists without a word.

Ning Qiang remarked, "This sword is from the military encampment, and I possess a travel permit for this journey, along with an official letter issued by our supreme commander. If you doubt my words, you are welcome to verify them at the yamen. As for the matter of spiriting away your family's osmanthus flower—Guai Hua, I presume—if it puts your minds at ease, you may accompany me to the capital and see for yourselves whether my claims hold truth."

Elder Brother Mu: "Third Brother has arranged a betrothal for Guihua? Mere words hold no weight. Now that Third Brother is gone, Guihua's marriage must be decided by Grandfather."

Ning Qiang sneered, "Do you think it matters whether you consider it valid or not? Third Brother originally arranged for Guihua to marry into the Ding household, who holds the rank of a Hundred-Man Commander—a sixth-rank official, higher even than a county magistrate. Shouldn't you ask their opinion before deciding it doesn't count?"

The elder, leaning on his walking stick, replied, "I cannot take your word for it. If you wish to take osmanthus away, you must leave behind a token."

Ning Qiang: "Very well." With a swift movement of his wrist, the knife flew from his hand and embedded itself in front of the elder, causing the man to stumble backward in fright. A hint of a smile tugged at Ning Qiang's lips. "This is a specially crafted knife from our frontline military. How about leaving it as a token? Allow me to remind you that we have had to exchange permits at every location on our journey. I have also registered my visit to your domain."

The men who had been circling Ning Qiang and Zhao Hu with menacing intent reined in their thoughts. Many eyes turned to the elder leaning on his cane. The old man's gaze settled on Rong Shi, and he pulled a sinister smile, "It is only proper that items from the military camp serve as tokens of trust. Since Osmanthus' father has betrothed her, our Mu family is not one to go back on our word; you may take Osmanthus. However, Rong Shi, she has violated the code of femininity. Men, bind her and drown her in the pond as a warning to others."