Chapter 60 Sorghum Candy

Chapter 60 Sorghum Candy

Zirong was not as remorseful and panicked as the widow Zhuang. She twirled the gilded bracelet on her snow-white wrist and slouched lazily against the doorframe.

"What Wei Dexing? What recipe? If you're hungry for meat, don't spin tales. Don't bully us, a family of widows and orphans."

It seemed Zirong was determined to deny everything.

Meng Wudong's temper flared instantly. He rolled up his sleeves and cursed, "Shameless wretch! You disgrace your ancestors!"

Zirong hastily retreated a few steps, avoiding Meng Wudong's fist, veins popping. Her eyes darted around, and with a twist of her hands, she began to wail pitifully.

"We're wronged! We're cursed! What sin have we, a family of widows and orphans, committed to be bullied by a group of ruthless thugs?"

"One of you is the eldest son of the clan leader, another is the clan leader's in-law, and yet another is the clan leader's golden boy. If you don't like us, you can just accuse us of anything!"

"Heavens! Open your eyes and stand up for us poor souls!"

Zirong's cries were theatrical, each sentence rising and falling dramatically, sobbing as though her heart would shatter. It sounded genuinely pitiful, making it seem as though Qiu Huanian and the others were the bullies.

Yuchuan and Lansheng came out of the house. Seeing their mother crying, they immediately ran to Zirong's side, sat down on the ground, and began to wail in harmony, their voices ebbing and flowing.

The trio's wailing carried far in the biting winter air, drawing many villagers who were staying indoors to come out in thick coats to see what was happening.

This tactic, perfected in the wealthy merchant mansions of the capital, proved just as effective and troublesome in the village.

Judging by Zirong and her children's well-rehearsed act, they must have used this strategy successfully in the past.

"This, you—" Bao Ren, soft-hearted and mild-mannered, was at a loss.

He knew Brother Hua wouldn't act without reason. If he had been called over, it must be because Zirong and her family had secretly sold the sorghum candy recipe. But seeing the widow and her children crying so pitifully, Bao Ren's initial anger dissipated by half.

What if, what if there was some hidden suffering?

The onlookers, unaware of the sorghum candy recipe issue, saw the scene and assumed that Zirong's family had offended Qiu Huanian again, and that Qiu Huanian had finally lost patience and come to confront them.

Some well-meaning villagers advised, "Brother Hua, we're all neighbors. No matter how bad Zirong and her family are, don't force them to cry outside in the middle of winter."

"Since Bao Ren is here, let's clear things up. Make amends if necessary, and move on."

Zirong, clutching her chest, wept so violently she could hardly breathe. Hearing the villagers' words, a glimmer of victory shone in her eyes.

As a family of widows and orphans, they were inherently disadvantaged. A little show of weakness easily garnered sympathy. Since Qiu Huanian had no solid evidence, as long as she steadfastly refused to admit anything, what could they do to her?

Qiu Huanian listened to the surrounding voices and pursed his lips.

This was a downside of rising to power. As their family's situation improved, far outpacing most villagers, it became harder to gain empathy and support.

Like now, even though Qiu Huanian had always been kind and well-regarded in the village, and even though Zirong's family had been annoying in the past, the stark disparity between the two sides meant that when Zirong and her children wailed pitifully in the freezing cold, the villagers naturally sympathized with the weaker party.

Meng Wudong, irritated by the noise, cursed a few more times. Zirong and her children immediately shrank together, looking pitiful, crying and begging the heavens to clear their names, further swaying the villagers' sympathy.

Qiu Huanian watched Zirong coldly. If things continued this way, it seemed they would have to accept this bitter defeat and punish Zirong lightly.

But Qiu Huanian didn't want to back down.

He wanted to settle the accounts clearly, otherwise, who knew what might come next. One step back would lead to many more.

"Then let's do as everyone says and clear things up," Qiu Huanian stepped forward, grabbing Zirong's wrist.

"Before we talk about anything else, why don't you explain where the hairpins and rings you're wearing came from, and where the rouge and powder on your face came from? These things are worth at least a few taels of silver. You, a family of 'widows and orphans,' are quite resourceful."

"..."

Qiu Huanian's question seemed off-topic, but it piqued the villagers' curiosity.

Indeed, Zirong's family had been so poor that they had to borrow grain before. Where did they get the money to afford such luxuries in the middle of winter?

Zirong had already prepared her excuse and tearfully said, "The hairpins and rouge were gifts from my husband. What, do I need to prove our marital affairs to outsiders?"

Qiu Huanian smiled lightly, "Aren't you Bai Yanwen's concubine? If you and he are a couple, what about his legal wife?"

Zirong's face went white. She hadn't expected Qiu Huanian to know this.

Previously, when Fan Qi, Bai Yanwen's steward, came to Qiu Huanian's house to extend an invitation, Zirong had anxiously inquired and learned that Fan Qi was only there to invite a scholar from Zhang County to a banquet at The Garden of Harvested Blooms. She breathed a sigh of relief.

She figured Bai Yanwen had left Zhang County the day after the banquet and hadn't had time to get close to Du Yunse's family, so her secret was safe.

She had been nervous for a while, but when she didn't hear any rumors about her being a concubine spreading in the village, she finally relaxed completely.

Zirong assumed others thought like her. She thought that if Qiu Huanian's family knew her background, they would surely spread the word. Since there had been no movement, they must not know.

Once she felt safe, Zirong became bold again, and out of jealousy and resentment, she occasionally caused trouble for Qiu Huanian's family.

She never expected Qiu Huanian to know so much about her and had just been watching her antics without saying a word!

"Bai Yanwen was sent back to the capital long ago for offending an imperial envoy. Are you saying he specifically sent someone to Du Village to deliver things to you?"

"He ignored you for months, and then suddenly remembered to send gifts to a divorced concubine and her children, who were disowned for their mistakes?"

Qiu Huanian curled his lips and slowed his tone, "Of course, I'm not doubting your 'affection,' but your hairpins look like they're from a local jewelry shop, not from the capital. Why don't you come up with a better story for them?"

The word "affection" was dripping with sarcasm.

To spare Widow Zhuang any trouble, Qiu Huanian had kept quiet about Zirong being a wealthy merchant's concubine from the capital.

Zirong and her two kids had already cut ties with them, but Qiu Huanian still cared about Widow Zhuang's reputation and feelings.

When Zirong had brought home a man and insisted on marrying him, throwing a banquet before leaving and never coming back for years, Widow Zhuang had put up with a lot of gossip.

To protect her daughter's reputation, Widow Zhuang had spun many little lies over the years, convincing the villagers that Zirong was just too busy to come back.

If the villagers found out Zirong had run off to be a wealthy merchant's concubine, Widow Zhuang would be utterly humiliated.

In these times, daughters and sons from respectable, non-servile, and non-entertainer families considered being a concubine shameful. A concubine was just a more polite term for a servant, a willing degradation.

"Is it true? How could a good girl like her..."

"I remember now, when Zirong's husband held a banquet in the village, they didn't even perform the wedding ceremony. We thought he might hold another one back home, but now it seems..."

"Yuchuan and her brother always acted like young masters and mistresses in the village. Turns out they were disowned illegitimate children."

"Brother Hua doesn't seem like someone who would lie..."

Widow Zhuang trembled and hoarsely said, "Brother Hua, Brother Hua, don't speak carelessly. Even if you're angry with us, a woman's reputation is the most important thing. The two children still have to live—"

"Auntie, I'm telling the truth. How is that careless?" Qiu Huanian interrupted her calmly.

For Widow Zhuang, Qiu Huanian felt pity, but he wouldn't naively forgive everything. Wrongdoings must bear consequences, and exposing Zirong's shame was Qiu Huanian's way of retaliating against Widow Zhuang.

"If you don't believe me, you can ask Zirong yourself."

"It doesn't matter if Zirong doesn't admit it; we heard this from the magistrate. At the very least, we can confront the magistrate directly. Given Yun Se's ties with Magistrate Wang, I'm sure he'd do us this favor."

Qiu Huanian looked into Zirong's eyes, filled with evasion and disbelief, "A wealthy merchant such as Bai Yanwen arriving in Zhang County, Magistrate Wang would naturally investigate thoroughly. Not long after you arrived in Du Village, I knew your background."

"I let you stir up trouble without saying anything before, out of respect for your mother," Qiu Huanian glanced coldly at the ashen-faced Widow Zhuang, "But sadly, good deeds don't always pay off."

Widow Zhuang stumbled back a few steps. Qiu Huanian's insinuations and the villagers' gossip made her feel utterly humiliated. She desperately grabbed Zirong's sleeve, almost pleading, "Zirong, Zirong, quickly say that Brother Hua and the others misheard, it's not like this, it's not like this. At my age, I can't bear to lose face like this!"

Zirong, irritated by the pulling, knew she couldn't hide her past as a concubine upon hearing the magistrate mentioned. The Qiu family had long been influential in Zhang County, with connections everywhere, which drove her mad with jealousy.

She yanked her sleeve from Widow Zhuang's calloused hands and said defiantly, "So what if it is true? After all, I was formally taken into the household as a respectable concubine from a decent family, living a life of luxury as a mistress. Who cares about the empty reputation of a village woman toiling in the fields!"

"The saying 'mock poverty, not prostitution' might be harsh, but who can honestly say it's wrong?"

"You—you—" Widow Zhuang, shocked by Zirong's boldness, weakly slapped her and then knelt on the ground, wailing, "I have dishonored the ancestors of the Du family! How could I have raised my daughter to be like this!"

Widow Zhuang couldn't hit hard; her slap was more of a gentle tap. But for Zirong, who had never been struck before, it was a profound humiliation.

Just a backward old woman who'd never left Du Village, how dare she slap me!

"What are you acting for! When I brought Bai Yanwen back, you initially said no, but then you saw his money and agreed. You were naive and didn't realize such a wealthy man wouldn't marry a country girl as his main wife. Why blame me?"

Widow Zhuang shook with rage, shouting in a fit of anger, "You were already pregnant with Yuchuan at that time! If I hadn't agreed, would I have watched you give birth to a bastard of unknown father and be drowned in the river?"

So it was a scandalous affair, pregnant out of wedlock...

Some started to usher away the watching children and young boys and girls; such dirty matters were better left unheard!

Yuchuan bit her lip, teetering on the edge of breaking down. Thanks to her brother, she had long been the most favored young lady in the Bai household, even her elder sister had to yield to her. She never dreamed her background would be so... so...

Qiu Huanian shot a questioning look at Jiu Jiu, who firmly shook her head, indicating she did not wish to leave.

Du Yunse and Chun Sheng were also drawn out by the commotion outside. Hu Qiuyan sent Yun Kang and Chun Sheng to her house to warm up by the fire. Chun Sheng, excited to play with Yun Kang, forgot the commotion and left happily.

Qiu Huanian coldly watched the infighting between Zirong and Widow Zhuang, not forgetting the matter of the Sorghum Candy recipe.

"Since you can't explain where your hairpins and cosmetics came from, let me remind you."

"When you were inquiring about Bai Yanwen, you connected with Wei Dexing, the owner of the county's seasoning shop, and sold him the Sorghum Candy recipe your mother stole from my house. The money you used to buy jewelry, cosmetics, and meat came from him."

"How about it, does that ring a bell?"

"..."

Zirong had no defense left; her veil of shame had been lifted. Even if she wanted to play the victim and twist the truth, few would believe her now.

The folkways of Du Village were relatively simple; people like Zhao were in the minority. Zirong had even uttered 'mock poverty, not prostitution'—what wouldn't she do?!

"She could even steal and sell a recipe? Why didn't I think of that before?"

"Ugh, stop thinking about it! How could anyone from a village where generations have lived together do something that would make others point fingers at them, not fearing their ancestors would haunt them in their dreams?"

"Brother Hua's family has been good enough to Widow Zhuang, hasn't it? During spring plowing and autumn harvest, the mule was only allowed to be borrowed for half a day by each family, but Widow Zhuang could borrow it whenever she wanted. Jiu Jiu often helped her with work too."

"I think Zirong must have instigated this; otherwise, why would Widow Zhuang sell it now and not earlier or later?"

"Whether she was instigated or not, the recipe definitely came from her mouth."

Bao Ren's expression turned stern as he addressed Widow Zhuang and the others according to the rules, "Do you admit to what Brother Hua has accused you of? If you admit it, apologize and compensate. If not, we'll wait until you can no longer stay in the village."

Zirong sneered, twirling her long red nails through her hair, pretending not to hear anything, her demeanor utterly unrepentant.

Widow Zhuang struggled to her knees, hurriedly defending herself to Qiu Huanian, "Brother Hua, I didn't mean to sell your recipe. At that time, Mr. Wei just asked me how you usually made the Sorghum Candy (a traditional Chinese sweet). I thought he couldn't learn it just by hearing about it. Our family... we hadn't had a full meal for almost a month, so I... I..."

Under Qiu Huanian's indifferent gaze, Widow Zhuang's voice grew more hesitant, finally choking in her throat.

Qiu Huanian let out a cold, humorless laugh, "Do you really believe that?"

"When Zirong brought Bai Yanwen back, didn't you think the same? 'This man is so rich, and Zirong is carrying his child. Maybe he really is this infatuated, maybe he really is Zirong's good match?'"

"Turning a blind eye to the risks and potential consequences, reassuring yourself with wishful thinking, and justifying your gains—isn't that 'intentional'? What else would you call it?"

"..."

Widow Zhuang was struck dumb, her face pale as ash, unable to answer Qiu Huanian's question.

Under the increasingly disdainful gazes around her, she cried out, "How much do I owe? I'll risk my old life to pay you back, won't that do?!"

Qiu Huanian shook his head, "Why say that? What good is your life to me? It would only make me seem harsh toward my elders. Because of the leaked recipe, Meng Wudong and I lost six or seven taels of silver in a month. How can you compensate for that? How can you afford it?"

"..."

The heavy, gray sky began to snow once more. Though it was still afternoon, the outdoor light was as dim as evening. Villagers lacking proper winter gear gradually couldn't stand it anymore, and some who were worried about their livestock had already left.

Du Yunse brought a fur-lined hat and a hand warmer wrapped in new cotton cloth from home, gently placing them into Qiu Huanian's hands. Qiu Huanian smiled softly, allowing Du Yunse to adjust the hat on his head.

At this point, there was nothing more to say.

Although Zirong and the others' true colors had been exposed, the Sorghum Candy recipe was already lost for good. All of Widow Zhuang's possessions combined couldn't cover the losses. Even if they reported it to the authorities, without enough evidence, they couldn't touch Wei Dexing.

"Uncle Bao Ren, according to the clan's rules, what should be done about this?"

Bao Ren sighed deeply, "The clan has never dealt with anything like this!"

"Zirong is a woman who married out of the clan, and her two children aren't part of the Du family. At most, we can wait for the snow to let up and then expel them, not allowing them to stay in the village."

"As for your lost money, you can demand compensation, but how much they can actually pay is..."

Zirong pursed her lips, concealing her gilded bracelet behind her back. Yuchuan quickly pulled her new quilted jacket tighter.

Qiu Huanian didn't waste time trying to take their belongings, nor did he want to listen to more wailing in the cold snow.

"Please gather some people and search their house for any money. I only want the money."

Zirong had spent most of the money she got on beautiful clothes and jewelry, with a little spent on rice, flour, oil, and firewood. Bao Ren and his men roughly searched the house and found only two taels of silver and seventy-three copper coins.

Qiu Huanian took the two taels of silver and gave one to Meng Wudong.

"It's too cold. Everyone should go home and warm up. Don't stand outside anymore."

Qiu Huanian thanked Bao Ren. After most people had dispersed, he turned back to his main house. Widow Zhuang's thin lips moved, unsure whether to resent or thank him, all her words buried in the snow.

...

Back in the warm main room with the stove burning, Meng Wudong still felt unsettled.

"Brother Hua, you are truly kind-hearted to let those guys off so easily! If it were me, I would strip them of all their warm clothes, not give them a single penny, and drive them out of the village in the heavy snow, leaving them to their fate!"

Qiu Huanian shook his head. As Sixteen had previously remarked, he, a modern man raised in a society governed by law, sometimes came off as too "soft-hearted" in this ancient setting. Qiu Huanian believed that if necessary, Du Yunse, that proper gentleman, would be far more ruthless than him.

Qiu Huanian wasn't in a hurry to change himself. He was "kind-hearted," but not a soft-hearted pushover who couldn't distinguish priorities. When the time came, he wouldn't hesitate just because he couldn't bear to see lives lost. If all else failed, Du Yunse would be there to watch over him and remind him.

"Zirong and her two children's personalities and behavior will lead to their own ruin sooner or later. There's no need to rush it," Qiu Huanian reassured Meng Wudong. "Our top priority now is to cover our losses, find a way to break through, and reclaim the market share we've lost."

Break through? Meng Wudong was taken aback. The recipe had already been leaked, and Wei Dexing had even gotten in good with the shops in the city. How could they possibly cover their losses, let alone break through?

"Meng Second Brother, don't you trust me?" Qiu Huanian curled his lips into a smile. The rabbit fur lining on the brim of the wind cap he hadn't taken off yet made his face look even more like fine jade.

Du Yunse came over to help him remove the wind cap, and Qiu Huanian slightly lifted his chin to make it easier for Du Yunse to undo the ties.

Meng Wudong thought to himself at how harmonious their married life seemed and shook his head. "How could I not trust you? But Wei Dexing already has the recipe. Do you mean you have a better one?"

"The recipe for Sorghum Candy can't be improved, but others could be," Qiu Huanian replied with a faint smile.

He left them hanging. "The snow is heavy today, Meng Second Brother. Stay over. I'll have Chun Sheng warm up the kang in the back room. By tomorrow, you'll know what I'm talking about."

Meng Wudong, full of questions, spent the night on the newly heated kang in Qiu Huanian's back room. He woke up several times during the night, forcing himself to go back to sleep each time, and only got up when the sky outside was completely lit up.

The snow had stopped by evening the previous day, and today the sun was out in full force. It wouldn't be long before the snow on the roads outside melted.

Qiu Huanian also got up around the same time. After tidying himself up, he greeted Meng Wudong, who had come to the front courtyard. Jiu Jiu, who hadn't slept well the previous night, came in through the main gate.

"Jiu Jiu, what were you up to?"

"I heard some noise outside the courtyard earlier and had a look."

Jiu Jiu pursed her lips. "Brother Hua, I saw a carriage arrive early this morning outside Auntie Zhuang's house and take Yuchuan and the others away."

Qiu Huanian thought for a moment and nodded. "No wonder Zirong was so confident yesterday. It seems she had already worked things out with Wei Dexing to leave. Auntie Zhuang's house is old and in disrepair. Given the chance, Zirong wouldn't suffer by staying there."

Jiu Jiu looked down at the tips of her shoes and hesitated for a moment before saying, "I watched the whole thing quietly. It seems... they didn't take Auntie Zhuang with them."

Qiu Huanian was momentarily stunned. He took a deep breath of the cold, crisp morning air and let out a long sigh.

"In the end, it came to this... Regret won't change anything now."

Jiu Jiu nodded slowly. She felt as though she had suddenly understood many things and had grown up a lot in that instant.

Qiu Huanian only lamented for a short while before turning to the storeroom. He pulled out a large pile of raw materials he had stockpiled before winter and headed to the kitchen, ready to put his skills to work.

When he said he would find a way to break through and reclaim the lost market share, he wasn't just making empty promises. The method was actually quite simple—

He would use the "bundled sales" tactic, which many modern folks loathed but was ubiquitous in daily life, to achieve his goal.

The main product for this "bundled sales" strategy was targeted at the wealthier residents of the county town. The sales range wouldn't be as broad as that of Sorghum Candy, but the price and profit margins would be higher.

After comparing the available raw materials several times, Qiu Huanian settled on the most suitable product—popcorn.