Chapter 122

Chapter 122

After returning, Wang Yingniang was also distressed and shed tears over the matter, cursing the family repeatedly, "I've never seen such people. When we went to their village, I knew they weren't good people."

She then looked at Mrs. Zhang's injuries, "This will probably take a few days to heal."

Mrs. Zhang, feeling very comforted, knew that everyone was so concerned about her.

This matter couldn't remain hidden, and many villagers already knew about it. They had just settled Mrs. Zhang when the village headman's wife arrived.

Her visit wasn't entirely unexpected. Usually, she didn't come by often to buy anything, except when her daughter-in-law returned.

The village headman's wife first examined Mrs. Zhang's injuries and exclaimed, "I know a doctor who specializes in treating bruises and sprains. Their ointments are particularly effective. You should give it a try."

Lin Chunyan quickly asked about the doctor's whereabouts and name. Upon hearing that the doctor lived near Constable Sun's house, she decided to invite him over for another opinion.

This waist injury could be serious or minor. If treated well, it would only require some bed rest, but if not, it could prevent heavy work for the rest of one's life and cause frequent discomfort.

Mrs. Zhang was concerned about the cost and mentioned that Dr. Hou had already seen her, "He is a renowned doctor in our town."

Seeing the village headman's wife, she asked, "Is there something you need today?"

The village headman's wife explained her intention, "We can't let this matter go easily. The people from Hongjia Village have been going too far, daring to make a scene at your establishment, too! I think we need to teach them a lesson."

Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong immediately applauded the suggestion, agreeing that they should go and make a scene in their village, "So they won't dare to come to our establishment again. Let their villagers keep an eye on them, which is better than being extorted."

The village headman sent his wife to convey this message, wanting to stand up for Lin Chunyan's family and earn their gratitude. Lin Chunyan thought for a moment and said, "They are probably still in detention. We'll wait a couple of days until they return."

"They won't be held for long. They just came to cause trouble and didn't damage anything. At most, they'll be held for a day before being released."

The village headman's wife, being quite knowledgeable, made the situation more urgent.

"Does that mean this will just be glossed over? My mother's waist is still in pain!"

"That's why we can't let them off easily."

Without Lin Chunyan needing to call anyone, many people had already arrived, each holding a stick, with Erlang and Uncle Lin leading the way.

Though Erlang was usually quiet, he was harboring a lot of anger. He had been looking for the Hongjia villagers to deal with them but hadn't had the chance to confront the old couple. He had been holding in his anger.

"Chunyan, we can't let this go. We must go back and fight! We'll ravage their homes, and if they dare to cause trouble again, don't blame us for being ruthless with our weapons."

The village headman's wife quickly said, "I'll go and call more people. Originally, we planned to discuss this matter. Please wait here."

She left hurriedly. The people who had come were those who often helped them, so Lin Chunyan didn't want to be formal but only reminded them not to injure anyone, so they wouldn't be blackmailed later.

Everyone nodded, understanding the limits.

Second Aunt Lin and the others wouldn't be joining, as they stayed to keep Mrs. Zhang company. Mrs. Zhang, regretting that she couldn't witness the commotion, was frustrated, "Oh, heavens, I want to go and ravage their homes too."

Even Zhao Huaizi had come. His arm was injured and couldn't exert much force, but his left hand was still fine. After being bedridden for so long, he remained tall and imposing, enough to intimidate others.

"Huaizi, you're about to get married. You need to settle things at home and shouldn't go." Seeing him, Second Aunt Lin advised.

Zhao Huaizi waved his hand dismissively, "There's nothing much to settle at home. Aunt Li will come to help. Besides, it won't take long."

Although his marriage with Madam Sun didn't work out, he had been interacting more with Aunt Li. After all, she had been the one caring for him when he was unconscious and injured. He couldn't forget this kindness.

This situation was advantageous for both households. After all, they lived in the same village and couldn't avoid running into each other.

Grandma Li was genuinely worried that there was no one to help her, but with this favor in mind, Zhao Huaizi would help out whenever something came up, and that was enough.

When enough people had gathered, a large crowd headed towards Hongjia Village. The younger ones like Doggy and Zhao Muyang followed behind, and even Maiya, from Hong’s wife’s family, came along.

He felt somewhat apprehensive about going to his grandmother’s house for a fight, but Pomegranate urged him to come, saying that almost everyone in the village had pitched in, and their family had to help.

Moreover, this incident was somewhat connected to their family. Although Hong’s wife had unintentionally caused trouble for Lin Chunyan’s family, Hong Zhuzi had also been stalking around. If things escalated, the two villages might become enemies.

The younger ones saw this as a fun outing, chattering and bouncing around all the way. By the time they reached the entrance of Hongjia Village, Village Headman Li gestured for everyone to halt.

They opted not to go to the old couple’s house first since they hadn’t returned. Instead, following the headman’s advice, they went to find Village Headman Hong of Hongjia Village.

Village Headman Hong was napping at home and woke up to see a crowd at his door. Upon closer look, he realized it was the same group as before. He was so terrified that he nearly fainted. Staring with wide eyes, he asked, "What’s going on here?"

Village Headman Zhang spat in disgust, "Don’t pretend! How could you not know about this major incident? Why does your village keep bullying ours? Do you think we’re all dead?"

As soon as Village Headman Zhang finished, someone from behind shouted in agreement, and others followed, their voices so loud that they startled Village Headman Hong.

"This is a misunderstanding. I just found out about it, and it’s not our problem. The old couple lost their son and went mad, but they didn’t inform us in advance."

Uncle Lin couldn’t be bothered with his words and was about to start a fight with Erlang. Seeing this, Village Headman Hong quickly got up, not daring to say another word, "Grievances have their heads, debts have their owners! Go find them. What does this have to do with me?"

"How does this not concern you? The two people from your village and Hong Zhuzi have been stealing and causing trouble! Why don’t other villages have such problems? I think it’s because you’re not a good village headman."

Village Headman Zhang dared to say this because he had investigated the situation. People in a village are usually related to some extent, and Hongjia Village was no exception. Both Hong Zhuzi and the troublemaking old couple were distantly related to the village headman.

Even though other villagers knew what these two had done, with the village headman protecting them, no one gossiped or pointed fingers.

Lin Chunyan understood that someone was protecting them. When Uncle Lin and Erlang started fighting, she didn’t stop them.

However, there wasn’t much valuable stuff in the farmer’s house. His wife had already protected the pots and pans, but they just pulled down a few quilts behind the village headman, threw them on the ground, and stomped on them.

Lin Chunyan took a few more glances at Village Headman Zhang, not expecting that he had planned this in advance. She wouldn’t have thought of it this way.

Village Headman Zhang naturally saw Lin Chunyan’s gaze and had a look of smugness in his eyes.

After finishing this, the people from Qingshan Village issued more threats, "If anyone from your village comes to cause trouble here again, we’ll come straight to you. Don’t think our entire village is dead!"

Among them, apart from the second and third branches of the Lin family, the most aggressive was Jiang Qin’s husband.

Firstly, this was the best way to make the villagers see them as a family. Secondly, the methods taught by Lin Chunyan’s family for handling wild vegetables and bamboo shoots were really useful, so they had to help.

While Village Headman Hong was heartbroken about his quilts, the people from Qingshan Village had already left his house and headed to the old couple’s house.

Some people from Hongjia Village wanted to help, but seeing so many fierce people from Qingshan Village, they were afraid of offending them.

And hearing about the old woman and man’s actions, they felt disgusted. Some had long disapproved of how they treated their son and secretly cheered.

A few men gathered together, holding sticks and watching, without taking any further action.

The people from Qingshan Village were ruthless in the old woman’s house, smashing several bowls into pieces.

Unfortunately, the old couple was still locked up, so they couldn’t scare them.

"The old couple isn’t here, but their godson is in the village! He’s hiding like a coward now. We absolutely can’t spare him!"

Lin Chunyan had long known that the godson was behind this and agreed, "We can’t spare him!"

The godson had hidden in his old house as soon as he heard that people from Qingshan Village were coming. Unlike Madam Song’s godson, he was an orphan, which was why the old man had valued him.

Maiya saw everyone rushing through the village and, using his knowledge of the village, quickly found where the adopted son was hiding.

The Village Headman told the villagers to deal with the adopted son inside the house and went out to explain to the people of Hongjia Village, "It's not that we people from Qingshan Village are unreasonable. You know, it's not easy for a village to have someone successful. This young lady from our village finally managed to open her shop, and they went to create such a disturbance."

The people of Hongjia Village looked at each other. Hong Zhuzi's mother, fearing this would affect them, hurriedly said, "This has nothing to do with us. It was that family who did it. Our Zhuzi is still mining!"

Village Headman Zhang chuckled and turned into the house.

The adopted son was crying out, hugging his head, saying this had nothing to do with him and that they should go find the old man and old woman instead.

"Even though he's called an adopted son, he has no relationship with them. They’ve lost their minds. Why am I involved?"

"How can you say you're not involved? You’ve acknowledged the adoptive relationship, so you're family. And do you dare swear it’s not your fault?" Lin Taohong, hands on her hips, said.

This son was orphaned, with his parents long dead. He had acknowledged the old man and old woman as his adoptive parents, hoping they would help him marry, only to find out they didn’t have much money.

He often heard how hateful Lin Chunyan’s family was, having caused the misfortune of their two sons, one of whom had left home, and the other stayed in bed all day.

The adopted son only needed to inquire a little to find out who Lin Chunyan's family was and that they now had a prosperous shop in town, with excellent cooking skills, which gave him this idea.

Now, how could he dare to swear? He stammered, unable to speak. When others saw this, they immediately understood and destroyed his house.

"My son, are you alright?"

The old woman and the old man returned home the next day from the yamen, seeing their house in ruins. They didn’t start cleaning but first checked on their adopted son, calling him affectionately.

The adopted son hid his sharp gaze and said, "Adoptive father, adoptive mother, why are you here? I told you to rest if you’re hurt. Did the people from the yamen give you a hard time?"

The old man sighed, "There’s no place to lie down. These ruffians even threw the bedding on the floor. It's really too much."

The villagers informed them about the chaos caused by Qingshan Village. Hearing this, the couple didn’t dare say anything more, fearing the Village Headman would be angry and drive them out.

The old woman asked, helpless, "Son, what should we do about this?"

At this point, the adopted son didn’t dare to act rashly. When the old man and woman returned, they mentioned people from the escort agency and officials from the yamen, saying that if there was another incident, they would be caned.

Seeing so many strong men from Qingshan Village with sticks also scared him, so he waved his hand and said, "How would I know what to do? This has nothing to do with me. I told you two to stay at home and not cause trouble, but you wouldn’t listen."

The old man and woman were stunned. When had he ever said that? Previously, he had been urging them to cause trouble in the town.

The old woman was about to ask stupidly, but the old man, quick-witted, stopped her. Knowing their bedridden son was useless, the only person they could rely on now was this adopted son. He forced a smile and said, "We old folks were confused. From now on, son, we'll listen to you. Let’s live together."

The adopted son looked at the mess on the floor, everything smashed. Although they hadn’t hit the old couple, it was worse than being beaten since they would have to spend money to replace everything.

But where would they get the money? The adopted son felt regret and looked at the old man and woman, finally eyeing the clothes the old man wore.

"Father, we need to eat. We can’t even have a bowl to eat from. Do you still have any money?"

The old man certainly didn’t want to take out the money. He had let his own son starve to death, so he shook his head, "How could I have any money left? We're old and have seen many difficult times. Let's just make do."

The adopted son sneered, "How can we make do? You’re too old, and I can’t bear to watch you suffer. If it really doesn’t work, I’d rather go back to my own home than watch you suffer like this."

This implied he wanted to sever ties with them. The old woman, fearing this, hurriedly nudged the old man and told him to give the adopted son a few coins, deliberately saying, "It's okay. The money will eventually be our son's. He's not going to spend it recklessly."

The old man still didn’t want to give it, so the old woman said, "Think about it. When we die, someone has to perform the funeral rites for us. Do you want to leave this world alone?"

The old man feared this the most, so he had no choice but to take out a few coins from the cabinet and hand them over.

The adopted son saw clearly where the old man hid his money and the key. He took the money, his eyes darting cunningly, and left without saying a word.

On the way back, Lin Chunyan was still thinking about the Village Headman's matter. Unsolicited kindness often hides ulterior motives. The Village Headman had only been an ordinary acquaintance before, not especially close, so this sudden change left Lin Chunyan feeling uneasy.

The Village Headman was also concerned that Lin Chunyan might overthink it, and only said that their shop's business must not suffer any setbacks. "Many villagers rely on your shop for their livelihood. This time, our village was commended for paying taxes promptly. After much consideration, I realize that much of our improved living standards are thanks to your shop."

The Village Headman felt somewhat awkward saying this. He had always been wary that Uncle Lin from the second branch might try to usurp his position. However, after observing for some time, he found that the second branch had no such intentions and were entirely focused on making money.

While feeling relieved, the Village Headman also felt somewhat envious. In the past, his family had the best living conditions in the village, but that is no longer the case. Not only did Lin Chunyan's family surpass them, but even those close to her were living better lives.

However, there was still a scholar in his family, which provided the Village Headman some consolation. He thought that since they were fellow villagers, maintaining a good relationship with Lin Chunyan's family would be beneficial.

The return journey was tiring, so Lin Chunyan went to Peng Pingan to buy some watermelons for everyone who accompanied her to quench their thirst.

Initially, Peng Pingan didn't want to accept payment, but Lin Chunyan insisted, "Business is business. I know you're selling these watermelons in town, and I can't let you incur a loss."

Peng Pingan accepted the money, feeling a little embarrassed.

The men started eating the watermelons immediately and said that if there was a next time, Lin Chunyan should come directly to them without any hesitation.

When Lin Chunyan and her group returned, they saw that not only had the number of people in Mrs. Zhang's room not decreased, but there were a few more, all chatting and laughing with her.

When they saw them return, the people in the room immediately asked how it went.

Before Lin Chunyan could speak, Lin Taohong vividly recounted everything, even mimicking how the adopted son had spoken.

"I don't think that old couple will have any good days ahead."

"Yes, evil people will face their own retribution. They are not good people."

Lin Fengdie hadn't come for some time. She had been helping Li Shi dye wool at home, thinking that white wool wasn't attractive and dyed wool looked better.

The yarn is unlike fabric; it requires multiple dyeing sessions to fix the color. As she grumbled, Lin Fengdie talked to Lin Chunyan.

"Big sister, you don't know. Last time when you came to my house to buy yarn, I saw Dong Xiaoniang. She’s truly beautiful."

Lin Chunyan held a plate of edamame and passed it to Lin Fengdie.

These edamame are boiled in water immediately after picking. A bit of salt is all that’s needed, and they have a unique fragrance when eaten.

"The edamame is done. I think the mung beans and soybeans will also be ready soon."

A bountiful harvest is always a joyous occasion. Earlier, Mrs. Zhang collected a lot of mung beans from the village, and many families began planting more. Some even asked Mrs. Zhang early on if she needed them.

If not, they would save the mung beans to make bean rice, which is more filling than regular grains.

Naturally, Lin Chunyan’s family wanted these mung beans. Not only can they be used to make vermicelli and bean jelly, but at this time of year, snow-soaked bean water can be boiled for a refreshing drink. Later, mung bean cakes can be made. No matter what, they would eat them all.

Lin Fengdie kept eating the edamame as she spoke. "The peddler who visited our village before, I think he’s quite nice. He even helped Dong Xiaoniang carry the yarn. I think he’s interested in her."

Lin Chunyan became curious. "Haven't you been helping with work at home every day? How do you know so much?"

Lin Fengdie looked completely justified. "Of course by watching. You can tell just by looking."

Lin Chunyan was shocked. How could she not have seen these things? But when Lin Fengdie explained, it seemed so straightforward.

Lin Fengdie then mentioned the cicada nymphs they caught last time. "After we went back, we fried them in oil. They were really delicious. When should we go catch some more to eat?"

For the children in the village, cicada nymphs were a rare delicacy, especially when fried in oil. They were incredibly tasty.

The last batch that Lin Chunyan caught was fried too. The outer skin was crispy, but the meat inside was very fragrant.

She also felt like eating some, so she suggested they go catch cicada larvae together in the evening.

"Why don't we first take a look at Sanlang's fish pond? I heard they've put many fish fry in it and even planted lotus roots. When winter comes, the lotus roots from his pond will be given to all of you."

Lin Chunyan wanted to go take a look as well. A few young women weren't bothered by the heat and put on their hats before heading out.

Mrs. Zhang called out to them, "Where are you going? Haven't you heard the cicadas chirping non-stop outside? It's so hot."

When it was hot, there was no one on the village streets. Only the shadows of the trees were quietly cast on the ground. Every time Lin Chunyan walked on such streets, she always had a sense of being in a different world.

She looked up at the sky, passing through layers of light and shade.

The pond was quite large. It was clear that those big guys had put in effort. It had already been filled with water, and a few scattered lotus leaves were floating on the surface.

Sanlang was also planning to visit them. He pointed to the shrimp in the bucket and said, "You don't need me to make another trip. These were sent by Shitou, just enough for a meal."

Fish and shrimp weren't something they ate often, so Lin Chunyan accepted and invited them to have a meal at her place.

She planned to make shrimp chips with the shrimp.

After bringing them back, Lin Chunyan first removed the shrimp heads and veins, marinated them using scallions and ginger, then mashed the shrimp with a rolling pin, added some flour, rolled them into round patties, and fried them.

None of them had eaten shrimp chips before and were curious about what they were. Lin Taohong didn't mind the heat in the kitchen and went to help stoke the fire.

Lin Fengdie wasn't in a hurry to leave either. After sharing the previous news, her mouth was still going. She hadn't said enough yet and planned to take this opportunity to have a good chat.

She mentioned Zhao Huaizi and Wang Danie's engagement, "Wang Danie's family sent quite a lot of dowry. Her brothers likely feel guilty, and I saw quite a few carriages."

At that time, dowries were packed in boxes. To see if a family cherished their daughter, you'd look at how much dowry was given. It was said that in the Imperial City, large families had as many as one hundred and twenty-eight carriages of dowry, including fields and businesses, various antique vases, and more.

From small items like basins for face and foot washing to large items like a Luohan-style bed for sleeping, everything had to be prepared.

They weren't as particular here, and most people couldn't afford to give that many things. No one would give away fields as dowry either. Most families would just give a few yards of fabric along with bowls and pots.

Slightly more respectable families, like Wang Danie's, sent several carriages of dowry and even made some furniture, which had already been moved to Zhao Huaizi's house.

"Counting the days, it's approaching soon. I feel like he was injured just a few days ago."

Lin Chunyan casually remarked. Once the shrimp chips were fried, the children couldn't wait to eat them. Wu Lang was playing with a large yellow ball in the yard but rushed in upon hearing the calls, took the shrimp chips Lin Chunyan handed him, and crunched into them.

The crispy texture in their mouths drew praise from everyone.

"I think it tastes even better than shrimp."

Lin Chunyan agreed. This was a dish she loved as a child, and of course, it tasted great since it was fried.

Talking about this made her want to eat potato chips, but unfortunately, there were no potatoes here, nor were there any sweet potatoes to roast.

Fortunately, the pumpkins in the field were almost ready to eat.

Worried that Mrs. Zhang's injuries might leave lasting problems, Lin Chunyan still asked Erlang to make a trip and go invite the doctor specializing in injuries.

Mrs. Zhang wasn't too happy about it. She felt it was unnecessary to spend more money, and besides, the doctor was a man, which made her a bit embarrassed.

But when the doctor arrived, it turned out to be a young woman. Mrs. Zhang looked at her suspiciously and asked Erlang, "Are you sure you got the right person?"

Erlang scratched his head, "Yes, I asked several people before heading there."

The young woman smiled and said, "Our family has been doctors for generations. Not only me, but my brother and sister-in-law are also skilled. We can treat more than just injuries."

Mrs. Zhang was still uneasy, fearing the young lady might not treat her effectively, "You’re so young, what if you can’t treat me properly?"

The young lady, clearly used to such doubts, maintained her smile. "Then just come back to me; you know where we live."

Lin Chunyan prevented Mrs. Zhang from fussing and gently pressed her down so the young lady could examine her.

It was similar to what Dr. Hou had said: just a bruise, and a few plasters would suffice.

Lin Chunyan bought the plasters from the young lady and also gave her a jar of homemade pickled vegetables.

The young lady accepted it with a smile, "I’ve tasted this before, and coincidentally, my family lives near Constable Sun’s place."

Lin Chunyan looked at her in surprise; she hadn’t noticed any such family near Constable Sun’s home before.

Having another doctor as an acquaintance, especially a young lady, made Lin Chunyan very pleased.

After applying the plaster, Mrs. Zhang said she wanted to eat some pancakes, her tone pleading and a bit pitiful. Unable to refuse, Lin Chunyan went to the kitchen to make some.

"Let me make the pancakes; you should rest," Wang Yingniang urged Lin Chunyan.

Lin Chunyan smiled. "I want to make sauce-flavored pancakes."

Wang Yingniang, unfamiliar with sauce pancakes, helped out while remarking that Lin Chunyan had been too busy since returning and hadn’t rested at all.

To make the sauce pancakes delicious, the sauce must be well-prepared, and the dough mixed with hot oil to create a crispy layer, ensuring the pancakes are crispy on the outside and soft inside, making them irresistible.

Sitting on the kang, Mrs. Zhang had her hands cleaned by Wang Yingniang with a handkerchief, then picked up a pancake to eat.

"This is really good, so tasty."

Lin Chunyan ate with great satisfaction, savoring the crispy sound as she bit down, the sauce flavor gradually unfolding, followed by the soft pancake, the layers of texture making it endlessly enjoyable.

Nothing is more comforting than a good meal.

After finishing, they went to the yard to cool down.

Wang Yingniang brought out some straw she had collected from the fields during the wheat harvest. She had intended to feed the livestock at home, but now she brought them out.

Lin Chunyan asked, "What are you going to make with these?"

Wang Yingniang nodded. "I’m going to weave a fan."

There were already fans at home, the palm-leaf fans woven by Uncle Lin. He was skilled at handicrafts, but those fans were a bit heavy for the young ladies to hold.

Lin Taohong immediately said, "I don’t want one. I saw a peddler selling round fans with embroidered flowers; they looked so beautiful. I’ll buy one when he comes next time."

Wang Yingniang nodded and decided to make a couple of fans for Lin Chunyan.

Lin Chunyan didn’t help and just watched, looking as if all her energy had been drained, feeling a bit lethargic.

Seeing her weak state, Wang Yingniang felt a pang of heartache. "Are you tired? Should I help out at the establishment tomorrow?"

Lin Chunyan didn’t push herself. "Maybe I'm just not feeling well, I'll sleep and see how I feel afterward."

Lin Taohong came over and felt Lin Chunyan's forehead, finding it slightly warm, and immediately became anxious. "Why didn't you say so earlier? When the doctor came, she could have taken a look."

Lin Chunyan smiled. "I didn't feel uncomfortable earlier, only after lying down did I start feeling unwell."

It's like when you've been exerting effort, and only after you stop do you feel uncomfortable.

Mrs. Zhang was bored inside the room. By this time, everyone who came to visit had gone, and she felt it was dull. Hearing them talking outside the window, she quickly called Lin Chunyan into the room to lie down, "Don't catch a chill from the breeze."

"On such a hot day, where would there be any wind? I’ll just rest here for a bit."

Since Mrs. Zhang couldn't come out to pull Lin Chunyan, she only asked Lin Taohong to boil some ginger water, "Whatever ails you, a drink won’t hurt."

Wang Yingniang was about to stand up, but Lin Taohong saw that she had only woven half and thought that if they started together, they might have to begin again, so she didn’t let her move, saying she would go alone.

Lin Chunyan then said to Wang Yingniang, "See, she’s grown up, hasn’t she?"

"Yes, yes, it's not in vain that you care for her so much. She can still be counted on in important times."

Wang Yingniang worked swiftly, and after the palm fan was finished, Lin Chunyan tried it and found it was indeed lighter than the one Uncle Lin had woven, very convenient.

Wang Yingniang picked up more straw and started weaving again, saying she would weave more mats that could be used as cushions.

Lin Taohong was boiling ginger water in the kitchen when she suddenly smacked her forehead and asked Lin Chunyan outside, "Sister, if you're feeling this way, can you still go catch cicada nymphs tonight?"

Even now, she didn’t forget about catching cicada nymphs to eat in the evening.

Lin Chunyan gently placed the fan over her face, and the fresh scent of the straw wafted to her, but she shook her head, "Never mind, you all go. When you return, I’ll fry them for you."

Lin Taohong felt a bit disappointed. She didn’t know why she felt upset, even though she had originally intended to catch cicada nymphs for the food.

When the ginger water was ready and Lin Taohong was taking it out, she finally understood that it was because Lin Chunyan wasn’t going that she found it less enjoyable.