Chapter 38: Are You Alright?

Chapter 38: Are You Alright?

Zhang Ma, with her extensive connections, pounded New Year rice cakes with an attitude, a style, and the momentum of a thousand troops.

Xianjin couldn't help but grin widely.

Following that, Zhang Ma elaborated on the events of the afternoon, embellishing them with details to make the story more vivid.

Mr. Chen Liu had a hunch about what it was all about. He first flew into a rage at home, cursing shrilly, "You little bastard, you've tricked me once and now again! May you not die a good death! You shall not die a good death!"

Xianjin nearly choked on a hot glutinous rice ball.

This... seemed... to be directed at her?

Since her transmigration, she had used all her wit and intelligence against Mr. Chen Liu, employing every trick in the book from five thousand years of Chinese history, showcasing a full repertoire of deceit, fraud, and theft against him.

On one side, Mr. Chen Liu cursed heaven and earth, while on the other, Manager Dong, despite his sparse hair, had no lack of strength. After saying, "Forgive me," he subdued Mr. Chen Liu in a few moves, and as an added measure, filled a sack with the gold and jewels from the display cabinet. He escorted Mr. Chen Liu from Shuidong Street to the old residence, where before the elders of the Chen clan, the precious items were scattered across the ground, followed by a sobbing Mr. Chen Liu.

"Slap, slap, slap—" Zhang Ma even provided sound effects.

Mr. Chen Liu slapped himself repeatedly with both hands, enacting a scene of a middle-aged man's public confession of "I'm not human," "My courage has been eaten by a dog," and "I know I'm wrong, I won't dare again." First, he clung to the legs of Uncle Seventh, the oldest member of the Chen family, refusing to let go, then proceeded to kowtow dozens of times to Lady Qu.

"...Useless."

Zhang Ma pursed her lips, "No one knows what grave mistake Mr. Chen Liu committed, but neither clinging to someone nor kowtowing worked. In the end, he tried to rush out and bash his head against a pillar."

Zhang Ma stuffed some roasted peanuts from beside the glutinous rice balls into Xianjin's mouth.

"Lady Qu sidestepped to let him hit it, only saying, 'If you die now, I will swear a deadly oath in the ancestral hall, ensuring that my nephew and great-nephew will have food and clothing, and can pursue their studies.'"

Xianjin noticed that Zhang Ma displayed an astonishing talent for recounting gossip—she could perfectly repeat such a refined sentence!

"So did Mr. Chen Liu hit it?" Xianjin asked, struggling to swallow the glutinous rice and peanuts in her mouth.

Zhang Ma snorted and shook her head, "Him? Bash his head against a pillar? A dung beetle would die of shame before he would—when Lady Qu said that, Mr. Chen Liu stopped crying instead."

"He began to curse the heavens, first blaming his parents for dying early, then his brothers for not caring, and finally, the heavens for being unjust, allowing villains to prosper." Zhang Ma shook her head, "In any case, he didn't blame himself for being obsessed with wealth or for betraying his ancestors. His curses infuriated Uncle Seventh, who ordered someone to stuff a cloth strip into his mouth and drag him away."

As Zhang Ma spoke, she stuffed another handful of dried jujubes into Xianjin's mouth.

Xianjin rolled her eyes, choking.

"In the end, after the elders deliberated, they decided to use family law, flogging him a hundred times before sending him back to Ningde Village—the oldest Chen family home. They wouldn't allow a doctor or medicine for him. His descendants wouldn't be punished by family law, but none of them could remain in Jing County or engage in the paper industry. All the sacrificial fields, houses, silver, and shops under his household's name were confiscated. The clan would provide no further assistance to this branch of the family, and after the new year, they would remove the Chen family seal from the travel permits and registers of this branch at the official office."

Reclaiming land, removal from the clan records, and excommunication were the most severe punishments under ancient clan concepts, often exceeding legal penalties in severity.

The descendants of Mr. Chen Liu could still live their lives; they could do business and buy new properties to establish themselves anew. However, they couldn't continue their studies—a person expelled from the clan, having committed heinous crimes, how could they aspire to become officials?

Of course, if one insisted, saying that studying was merely for cultivating one's character and not for entering government service, then... please, go ahead.

After hearing the gossip, Xianjin ran off like the wind.

If she didn't run, the eight-treasure rice would soon meet in her mouth.

The matter of opening the ancestral hall was handled swiftly. That night, Xianjin heard wailing and howling in the courtyard. After a while, there was complete silence, presumably because the hundred lashes had been administered, and Chen Laoliu had been dragged away. The next morning, Manager Dong was seen rushing in and out, likely calculating the affairs and properties under Chen Liu's name.

Before the Lantern Festival, Mr. Chen Liu, who had controlled the Jing County workshops for over a decade, passed away in Ningde Village.

When this news came, everyone was eating breakfast.

Chen Fu remained silent for a long time after hearing it. Instead, Lady Qu naturally served Xianjin a serving of oil-soaked bamboo shoots, then beckoned everyone, "...Eat, we don't speak of unlucky things during the first month."

Chen Fu glanced at Lady Qu, thought for a moment, and then buried his head in his meal.

Third Madam Sun, who had been silent like air since arriving in Jing County, suddenly trembled, her ceramic spoon clinking against the bowl rim with a crisp sound.

Xianjin looked up, and Sun recoiled as if electrocuted.

Too scary!

She had heard why this Mr. Chen died.

It was simply because he had stood in the way of this dead girl, and thus was ensnared by He Xianjin's schemes!

Otherwise, considering the closeness between Mr. Chen Liu and the main branch of the Chen family, would he have died just for embezzling five or six hundred taels?

This... this was just standing in her way...

Back then, no, no, not even back then! Just two months ago! She had treated this dead girl with vegetables, not feeding her enough, and found her a widower who looked like a rat!

Compared to Mr. Chen Liu, her offenses against this girl were countless and unforgivable!

If Chen Liu was dead, how far was her own grave?

Madam Sun trembled for two days, growing increasingly frightened. The more she looked at Xianjin's perpetually smiling face, the more she felt that this girl harbored sinister intentions. Pacing around the room, unsure of what to do, she finally clenched her teeth and stomped her foot, summoning Chen Fu with a demeanor of utmost obedience.

"...Jinjie is different now. With Mr. Chen Liu gone, I suppose the matters of the Jing County workshops have fallen into her hands, right?" Madam Sun asked submissively, her head lowered.

Chen Fu retorted, "Why shouldn't they fall into my hands?"

Madam Sun choked, "Do... Do you want to manage them yourself?"

Chen Fu shook his head, "Not really."

Madam Sun: ...

Then why are you arguing!

Madam Sun felt a sharp pain in her chest, wanting to lash out at Chen Fu as usual. But she hesitated, mindful of Chen Fu's protector—the notorious Lady He. Taking a deep breath, she continued with a demure expression, "Jinjie is now wonderful in every way, treating our Chen family well in every aspect, but there's just one thing that's not good—"

Regarding Xianjin, Chen Fu furrowed his brows and asked, "What's wrong with that?"

Mrs. Sun replied meekly, "After He Xiaoniang's death, her ties with the Chen family have been too few, relying solely on her heartfelt loyalty to you—our merchant families mostly favor our own kin. Now that you're at the helm in Jing County, if one day you no longer wish to be here, it could become problematic."

"—But do we still value Jinjie? To what extent? And if we don't, what will happen to our Jinjie?"

This struck a chord in Chen Fu's heart.

Chen Fu furrowed his brows in thought before nodding, "Indeed so."

Seeing that Chen Fu also found her argument convincing, Mrs. Sun contained her excitement. "I have a way to turn the situation around!"

Chen Fu lifted his chin, "Go on."

"Make Jinjie a daughter-in-law of our Chen family! You forgot, Silang is yet unmarried! Once Jinjie's mourning period is over, Silang can propose, and then she'll be a legitimate member of our family. Not just managing one shop, but even four would be acceptable!"

Mrs. Sun was almost admiring her own wit; how clever she was! With He Xianjin currently in high regard, the old matriarch clearly relies on her now. Since she's relied upon, Mrs. Sun didn't mind Silang taking He Xianjin as a concubine! Alright, if not a concubine, then as a wife wouldn't be unacceptable either.

Then she would be the mother-in-law, naturally having authority over He Xianjin. No matter how defiant He Xianjin might be, would she dare to seek revenge against her mother-in-law?!

"Are you alright?"

Chen Fu said incredulously, at a loss for words.

----

"She's alright?"

Xianjin suddenly stood up, her expression as if she had just swallowed a large turd.