Chapter 159

Chapter 159

"Mother, stop beating around the bush and tell us quickly." Lin Taohong didn't bother greeting Lin Fengdie and instead urged Mrs. Zhang to share the information she knew.

Lin Fengdie was also staring at Mrs. Zhang, her eyes shining brightly.

Mrs. Zhang subtly shifted to the side before she began, "Your second brother has never spoken up for anyone before. This time, not only did he speak up, but it was for a young woman. How could your Second Aunt Lin not have noticed the underlying situation? She's been hinting at it to him several times."

Erlang had wanted to be honest with his family for a long time. He and Li Meiniang had always behaved with propriety, never doing anything inappropriate. But now, the situation made him feel as if he had done something wrong.

However, Li Meiniang disagreed. It had been fine before when they could see each other and talk every day. But ever since Li Meiniang started working at the establishment, doing laundry work, their last connection had been severed. She avoided him whenever she saw him.

This made Erlang feel like he was digging himself into a hole.

Shitou, on the other hand, was still the same as before. As soon as he saw Erlang, he greeted him warmly, as if he knew nothing about the situation between the two.

Erlang had no idea what Li Meiniang was thinking, and he remained silent like a clam. No matter what Second Aunt Lin asked, he wouldn't say a word.

This troubled Second Aunt Lin greatly. She feared that Erlang was hiding something from her and worried that something might really be going on between him and Li Meiniang. Every time Lin Cuixiang returned from working at the establishment, Second Aunt Lin would talk to her about it for a long time.

Even Sanlang couldn't escape this. Second Aunt Lin asked him about Shitou and his mother.

Sanlang was busy every day peddling goods around the town and sometimes even in the village. When the roast duck first came out, he took it to sell too, but the roast duck didn't sell as well as the sesame pancakes. Not many people were willing to spend money on roast duck frequently.

At first, Sanlang didn't understand why and asked Lin Chunyan about it. He mentioned that the roast duck sold very well at the establishment, so why couldn't he sell it?

Lin Chunyan laughed and explained it to him. Sanlang understood the reasoning, but he just felt uncomfortable since he had been selling goods smoothly before, and now that he couldn't, it bothered him.

When Second Aunt Lin asked him, Sanlang only shared what he knew and wondered why she was inquiring about these things.

The more Second Aunt Lin listened, the more alarmed she became. She had only known that Li Meiniang had been doing laundry work with Shitou, and that Shitou was well-nourished and helpful at home. But she had never known that Li Meiniang's husband had been 'killed' by her.

It was one thing if it was just that, and she wasn't someone who couldn't understand. But what if Li Meiniang really had a fate that could bring harm to her husband? What if she brought harm to Erlang too?

When they heard what Mrs. Zhang had said, Lin Chunyan and the others were momentarily stunned. It was Lin Taohong who spoke first, "I thought Second Aunt only disapproved because Meiniang has a son, but it's actually because of this."

Mrs. Zhang sighed, "Exactly. But your Second Aunt hasn't spoken to Erlang about it yet. There's bound to be more trouble later."

Just like Zhao Huaizi and Madam Sun, even without family opposition, it wasn't easy for the two to be together.

"Every pot has its lid, and everything happens for a reason."

When Mrs. Zhang said this, she couldn't help but think of herself, and she cursed fate inwardly.

Why was it that other women got husbands who lived decent lives, while she had been stuck with someone like him?

But then she thought, fortunately, they had already divorced. Otherwise, she would still be secretly mocked as a barren hen.

But now, wherever she went, people treated her with respect. Who wouldn't say she was a fortunate and blessed woman?

The Village Headman's yard was filled with people, and it was decorated festively and lively. After waiting for a short while, they heard the sound of gongs and drums in the distance.

A group of children ran outside, saying the bride was coming, and they all wanted to go see the excitement early.

Lin Fengdie couldn't contain herself either and grabbed Lin Taohong's hand to run. Lin Taohong couldn’t wait to see what was happening, wanting to distance herself from Young Miss Zhang.

Earlier, while standing in their yard, Zhang Zhuyu had been watching them from the window, her gaze lingering on their clothes for a long time.

Like Mrs. Zhang, Lin Taohong liked to dress more prominently when there were many people around, wearing her best clothes. This might have made Zhang Zhuyu think that Lin Taohong was doing it on purpose.

Even if she had no intention of doing so, Lin Taohong refused to bow to Zhang Zhuyu and snorted, dismissing the thought.

Before long, the sounds from afar grew closer. Lin Chunyan and Wang Yingniang joined them, and everyone stood on their toes to look into the distance. Sure enough, they saw Zhang Tianhe riding a tall horse.

He was dressed in a red wedding robe, looking truly magnificent.

"Tsk tsk, it's been a long time since anyone in the surrounding villages has seen a groom marrying a bride on horseback!"

"No wonder he's our Village Headman. The Li family provided a generous dowry. Who among us could afford that?"

Lin Chunyan looked further back and saw the carriage next to Zhang Tianhe. It was decorated with many ornaments, clearly showing the effort put into it.

However, Miss Li, sitting inside, didn't look too good. The carriage had been traveling on country roads, which she had never experienced before. The bumpy ride made her feel uncomfortable, and she almost vomited several times.

Worse, a matchmaker was watching her closely, so she couldn’t even complain. Miss Li suffered all the way and finally arrived at the Zhang family.

She had never been to the Zhang family before and only knew about their conditions from the servants. She knew they were just an ordinary farming family. If it weren't for the promising future of Scholar Zhang, she would never have considered such a family.

She just hoped to survive the first month so she could move to town as soon as possible.

Lin Chunyan watched as Miss Li was helped out, stepped over a brazier, and performed the ceremony with Zhang Tianhe. She felt a strange emotional stirring.

People in the house, the yard, relatives attending the wedding, villagers, and the Village Headman and his wife all wore smiles and showered the couple with congratulatory words. Their ears were almost calloused from hearing so many well-wishes, but they still couldn't get enough.

It was estimated that Mr. Li's house had never been this lively.

"Quickly, send the bride to the bridal chamber," the matchmaker called out, and someone came to help Miss Li walk into the room.

As Zhang Tianhe saw her leave, he turned his head and once again saw Lin Taohong.

When he rode the horse back earlier, he had already noticed Lin Taohong. She wore brand-new clothes that made her look especially delicate. Her previously immature face had clearly matured.

Now, seeing Lin Taohong again, she was pulling Lin Chunyan to the bridal chamber to see the new bride, her face showing a bit of a coquettish smile, making her look even more endearing, as if one would want to pinch her cheeks.

Zhang Tianhe wasn’t sure what he regretted, but he quickly pushed the thought aside and followed behind the Village Headman to toast.

Lin Chunyan couldn’t shake off Lin Taohong and had no choice but to follow her to the bridal chamber. "We agreed to stay only for a little while. I still need to check if they need help in the kitchen."

"They definitely don’t need help; there are plenty of people in the kitchen today!"

Lin Taohong grumbled dissatisfiedly but immediately smiled when they entered the new house. "This dress is really beautiful."

It was the most beautiful wedding dress she had ever seen, embroidered with flowers and adorned with beads.

Lin Chunyan was also seeing such a wedding dress for the first time. The beads on it probably weren’t cheap.

Miss Li, with her veil still on, couldn’t tell who was speaking from the voices alone and felt a bit uneasy. It was natural to feel this way when surrounded by strangers. Lin Chunyan noticed Miss Li's fidgeting hands and asked the matchmaker, "When will the veil be lifted? Should we just leave the bride sitting like this?"

The matchmaker never stopped smiling. "The veil will be lifted at the auspicious time, and then the bride can meet everyone. But we still have to wait a little longer."

Hearing Lin Chunyan's voice, Miss Li finally knew there was someone familiar in the room and slightly relaxed.

Lin Chunyan walked over to Miss Li and struck up a conversation.

Meanwhile, Lin Taohong started bickering with Zhang Zhuyu. As the proper younger sister-in-law, she felt that Lin Taohong and Lin Chunyan had taken away everyone’s attention as soon as they arrived. Not only did the bride, but even the matchmaker seem to prefer talking to them.

She inwardly scoffed, thinking that Lin Chunyan and the others were just trying to ingratiate themselves with her new sister-in-law.

Her new sister-in-law had a higher status than any of them. The Village Headman's wife told her to rein in her temper a little, and maybe her new sister-in-law would graciously help her find a desirable husband.

The two of them shot daggers at each other from the corner. Lin Taohong was impatient to deal with her and was afraid that if Zhang Zhuyu lost control, she might dirty her new clothes. Zhang Zhuyu felt the same way, so even though they were glaring at each other, they kept a good distance between them.

Fortunately, the matchmaker finally announced that the auspicious time had arrived, and Zhang Tianhe was escorted over, holding a ceremonial weighing scale in his hand.

After the commotion, Lin Chunyan saw Wang Yingniang come over, carrying a small plate with a few bite-sized snacks on it. Wang Yingniang smiled and winked at her.

These snacks were made by the Village Headman's wife for convenience, so the new bride could eat without smudging her lipstick.

The gluttonous Lin Taohong's stomach started to rumble when she saw the snacks Wang Yingniang brought. If it weren't for the crowd, she would have reached out to grab one.

Wang Yingniang naturally noticed and smiled helplessly, taking Lin Taohong's hand as they walked outside. She whispered, "I saved a few for you, knowing you'd want to eat them."

Lin Taohong immediately brightened up and happily followed Wang Yingniang outside.

Lin Chunyan nodded at Miss Li, who had already had her veil lifted, indicating that she was going out for a bit. Miss Li was somewhat reluctant but couldn't say anything to keep her there, so she continued talking with Zhang's relatives.

Zhang Tianhe ate two of the snacks but didn’t dare to eat more. He didn’t know what they were made of, but they were not only delicately crafted but also soft and sweet.

Even the matchmaker seemed pleased and commented, "Some families have made them this delicate before, but they weren't this sweet and fragrant. These are really good. I wonder if they're for sale."

"These are really yummy!" Lin Taohong ate two pieces without hesitation and handed two to Lin Chunyan. She then turned to Wang Yingniang and said, "Yingniang, your snack-making skills are truly unparalleled now!"

Naturally, Wang Yingniang was pleased. "If you practice every day, you might get just as good at making them."

They were made with eggs and flour, and they were indeed fluffy and soft, very suitable for eating at this time.

Lin Chunyan also ate two to fill her stomach a little and, thinking that Lin Cuixiang, Second Aunt Lin, and some other women helping were all busy in the kitchen, decided to go take a look.

But they were all chased out and not allowed to help.

Second Aunt Lin was too busy to leave and, finding a moment when there weren't many people around, lowered her voice to speak to Lin Chunyan. "Yanchun, you need to go up the mountain for a bit later. I'm always worried something might happen."

Everything up the mountain was under Second Aunt Lin's supervision, and she had been keeping it in mind.

Lin Chunyan nodded. "I'll go up and take a look now. It's not like I haven't made an appearance in front of the Village Headman."

Only then did Second Aunt Lin feel reassured.

While helping with the cooking, these relatives—whether from the Zhang family or the Li family—had discreetly asked so many questions that Second Aunt Lin became increasingly alarmed.

Seeing that it was about time, Lin Chunyan left Lin Taohong there and went up the mountain with Wang Yingniang.

"Do you really think someone would be crazy enough to go up the mountain?"

"Of course, today is such a good day that even if someone bumps into them, they can say it wasn't on purpose and that they didn't know they couldn't go up."

At the foot of the mountain, Liu Niangzi had brought out a stool and was sitting in the sun. Seeing someone approach from afar, she stood up and waved. "Everyone’s busy up there, so no one should be going up for fun."

Lin Chunyan and Wang Yingniang didn’t expect her to be guarding there and quickened their pace to come over.

Liu Niangzi couldn’t see clearly who they were and thought they were being reckless. When she realized it was Lin Chunyan and the others, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, what are you two doing here? You should be back at the Village Headman’s place. The feast will start soon."

Her tone carried a hint of longing and regret. Lin Chunyan asked with a smile, "Auntie, why aren't you eating at the feast? Why are you sitting here?"

"I got stuck with the job of watching the entrance," Liu Niangzi said awkwardly. Someone had to guard the mountain and stop people from going up. Of course, she couldn’t block those coming from the other side, but she could stop most of them.

Their livestock group was unfortunately selected, and to make matters worse, Liu Niangzi was chosen in the internal lottery within the group.

Lin Chunyan couldn't help but admire Liu Niangzi's luck and changed the subject. "Hey, do you think we could raise geese up on the mountain?"

Liu Niangzi, who had been feeling a bit down, immediately brightened up. "Yan Niang, you want to raise geese? Let me tell you, it's definitely possible on our mountain. The place is huge! But when you pick the goslings, I have to go with you. There's a lot of tricky business involved."

Lin Chunyan nodded. "Alright, when the time comes, I'll make sure to ask you to come along."

Even after they had walked a long way, Lin Chunyan could still see the smile on Liu Niangzi's lips.

Regardless of anything else, Liu Niangzi was really good at raising animals. Even Wei Ruo was getting the hang of it.

"Did you hear what Die Niang mentioned earlier?" Wang Yingniang asked in a low voice, glancing back at Liu Niangzi.

Lin Chunyan nodded, her tone turning cold and firm. "Some people get all high and mighty once they have a little cash!"

She rarely spoke so harshly, and Wang Yingniang, thinking she was talking about Peng Pingan, nodded in strong agreement.

"Brother Peng is really something. How could he just hand out money like that? I think it's because he's too easily influenced."

However, Lin Chunyan was actually referring to Old Man Peng.

Lin Fengdie's family lived not far from Liu Niangzi's old house. Old Man Peng had been living alone and naturally found life rather tasteless.

He only had Peng Pingan, his son, and seeing that they had become prosperous, especially since Liu Niangzi was now receiving a monthly wage, he became extremely envious. He went to see Liu Niangzi many times, hoping to reconcile with her.

Liu Niangzi, though a bit messy, couldn't stand nonsense. She was still bothered by the previous incident, but Old Man Peng's tearful pleas did touch her heart a little.

Still, she consulted Wei Ruo first.

"Bah!" Wei Ruo, usually easygoing, put her hands on her hips and scolded, "He doesn't really understand his mistake! People like him, no matter how sweet they talk, are just trying to swindle money. Once the money is in hand, they might even harm their own mother."

Wei Ruo's words turned Liu Niangzi's face pale, and she asked trembling, "Is that really possible? He wouldn't dare!"

"Wouldn't dare? There are plenty who would kill for money! He could just pack up and leave, take the money, and marry another wife. By the time anyone notices, the poor mother's grave will be covered in weeds."

Liu Niangzi knew Wei Ruo's background. Given their circumstances, who would have willingly married into their family? They had been through countless matchmakers. When they saw Peng Pingan, they thought he looked quite satisfactory with his thick eyebrows and big eyes. But as soon as anyone inquired about the two of them, the match would fall through.

However, Liu Niangzi had never looked down on Wei Ruo's background. Who could choose their birth? If they could, wouldn't everyone want to be a young lady of a wealthy family?

In fact, Liu Niangzi found Wei Ruo to be very knowledgeable and would ask her about everything. After realizing that Old Man Peng had ill intentions, she stopped paying attention to him.

Unfortunately, both of them were too focused on the chickens and ducks on the mountain and forgot about Peng Pingan.

When Liu Niangzi didn't fall for his tricks, Old Man Peng immediately went to Peng Pingan, saying how wrong he had been. There were plenty of people like that in the village, but Liu Niangzi and his wife wouldn’t let it go.

After hearing all this and seeing Old Man Peng's graying hair and dry, bony hands, Peng Pingan felt a pang of sympathy and gradually gave quite a bit of the family's money to support him.

Old Man Peng was lazy. Once he had money, he started thinking about marrying another wife. Otherwise, he would have to do all the housework himself.

But with a wife, washing clothes and cooking would be her job, and he could just wait to be served again. With a bit of luck, he might even have another child, which would surely infuriate Liu Niangzi.

There weren't many old bachelors in the village, apart from him, there was Xing Hua’s father.

Xing Hua’s mother had died under unclear circumstances, and her father didn't have much affection for her. She was wrapped in a straw mat, and that was the end of her life. It’s worth mentioning that Xing Hua was sold for a hefty sum, and her mother hadn’t taken much medicine during her illness, saving quite a bit.

When folks asked Xing Hua’s father about it, he’d just laugh and say, "I’m saving that money to get myself a wife."

The men all got it and exchanged knowing smiles.

Xinghua's father had indeed found a widow who had fled as a refugee. They moved in together without even bothering with a simple wedding feast.

Seeing this, Old Man Peng was envious, but he didn’t think about finding someone from outside the village. That would take time, and who knew how long he’d have to wait?

There was already someone right there in their village.

He had his sights set on Ding Hui Niang.

And he had a perfectly valid reason. It was because of the incident with Ding Hui Niang that he had ended up in his current situation, while everyone else had gone on to live good lives.

Old Man Peng couldn’t get over this injustice.

He also envied her for being able to work and earn money now. He deliberately waited for Ding Hui Niang to finish work and stood at her doorstep, waiting for her to return.

Upon seeing him, Ding Hui Niang would avoid him, not out of fear, but to prevent Liu Niangzi from overthinking.

They were both working in the mountains now and were heavily relied upon by Lin Chunyan. She was worried this might cause problems for everyone.

When he saw Ding Hui Niang approaching, he quickly put on a smile and went over. "Hui Niang!"

At the sound of his voice, Ding Hui Niang felt her skin crawl. Instinctively, she picked up a rock from the ground.

Old Man Peng was startled and said, "Look at you, why are you so angry? What are you doing with that rock? Put it down! I need to talk to you!"

Ding Hui Niang didn’t drop it but instead stared at Old Man Peng and asked, "What do you want?"

The gate to Li Shi’s yard was open, and since they had started the wool yarn business, there were always people coming and going. Ding Hui Niang was afraid someone might see them and felt her palms sweating.

But soon, she realized she had done nothing wrong. There was no need to be afraid.

Ding Hui Niang calmed herself, gave him a tight smile, and asked, "What do you want?"

The look in her eyes made Old Man Peng uncomfortable, but he still mustered the courage to say, "Your man is in no shape to support you. He’s just a burden. How about we team up and I’ll help you take care of things?"

Ding Hui Niang was almost angered to laughter by his shameless proposal. "Help me? Have you earned even a single copper coin, or can you actually do any work around the house?"

"I can help you work in the fields. I have strength," Old Man Peng retorted dissatisfiedly, "At least I’m better than your useless husband. Besides, if you want to keep supporting him, I’m fine with that."

Old Man Peng thought he was being very generous. A man who just lay in bed all day, needing only food, but somehow expected her and her child to remain loyal to him.

In the past, Ding Hui Niang might have considered it, to escape the life of hard-earned money. But now, she had become a respected person. Who didn’t call her Ding Niangzi? Many people envied her for being able to help make the ham.

Not to mention, there wasn’t a single man in the village who caught her eye.

She knew exactly what these men were like.

Without a word, Ding Hui Niang threw the rock she was holding, hitting Old Man Peng square on the forehead.

"I’ll teach you to spout nonsense! Look at yourself! You’re delusional!"

As Old Man Peng was being dazed by the hit, another rock was thrown, landing on his body.

"Ouch! Are you rebelling? You think a former streetwalker dares to hit people!"

Another thud followed, and then a series of rocks came raining down on him. In pain, Old Man Peng had no choice but to run away with his head in his hands.