Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Both of them were serious about building a proper life together, and when it came to marriage, sooner was better than later.

Old Liang selected several auspicious dates, and they finally chose the nearest one—the sixth day of the next month, just over half a month away. This gave Dun Zi enough time to tidy up his home.

Because he helped take care of the mules, Dun Zi had been living in the outbuilding with Uncle Chen. Now that he was getting married, he naturally couldn’t continue living on the main estate. He cleaned up his three small adobe houses, hired someone to re-thatch the roof, replaced the doors and windows, and even built two large *kang* beds inside, modeled after those in the outbuilding.

Since Zhang Cuihong had two children, living together would be inconvenient, so the west room was set aside for the kids.

Out of respect for the Manor Head, villagers came to help. With many hands, the work went quickly. Although a few people teased him, no one dared go too far—after all, Shi Dunzi worked for the Manor Head. If they provoked him and he complained to the Manor Head, they’d be in serious trouble.

Once the house was nearly ready and the wedding date approached, Dun Zi took advantage of a trip to town to buy two bolts of homespun cloth. He gave them to Zhang Cuihong so she could make new clothes for herself and the children. The last time he saw them, their clothes were patched; for the wedding, they ought to wear something new.

The thought of soon having a wife and children filled him with energy. He became more cheerful and even sang a tune on his way back with the cart.

He wasn’t originally from Qingshui Town—he had fled there with his parents during a famine. His parents died early, and he didn’t even know where his hometown was. The only thing he remembered was a native folk tune from his childhood.

“Oh, the mountains are high, and the waters are green—I was born among these hills, farming and weaving—”

As he approached Zhengzhuang, he saw a crowd gathered around Zhang Cuihong’s house from a distance. He whipped the mule a few times to hurry over.

After stopping the cart, he pushed through the crowd into the yard. There, he found Zhang Cuihong with her hair in disarray, her clothes torn, her face swollen, clutching her two children and weeping.

Shi Dunzi was shocked. “What happened?!” he exclaimed.

A fierce-looking woman nearby spat and said, “This shameless widow tried to seduce my husband! I’ll tear her face apart!”

“I did no such thing!” Zhang Cuihong cried. “It was your husband who tried to molest my daughter! I was only fighting him off!”

Zheng Youtian, standing nearby, cursed angrily, “Nonsense! Do I look like that kind of man? You’re the one who tried to seduce me, and when I refused, you started a fight!”

The onlookers murmured among themselves. Xiao Ni was too frightened to do anything but cry, but Da Ni, slightly braver, managed to explain what had happened.

“He’s lying! He lured Xiao Ni away with candy, took her behind the firewood pile, and tried to pull down her pants… I was so scared, I called for Mother, and then they started fighting.”

Hearing this, the crowd turned their eyes to the Manor Head, shocked that he could be such a person.

Enraged and humiliated, Zheng Youtian picked up a large stick from the ground and swung it at the mother and her children. “I’ll teach you to spread lies!” he roared.

Shi Dunzi quickly stepped in front of them. “Don’t you dare hit them!”

“Get out of my way! This is none of your business!”

Dun Zi mustered all his strength and charged at Zheng Youtian in fury, knocking him flat on his back.

Seeing this, Zheng Youtian’s relatives rushed forward, throwing punches at Dun Zi. A dozen of them surrounded him, beating him until someone shouted, “Stop! You’ll kill him!” Only then did the mob disperse, leaving Dun Zi bloody and unconscious.

Zhang Cuihong screamed in terror, “Someone fetch a doctor! Please, help!”

*

Wang Ying, unaware of the incident, was wondering why Dun Zi was so late returning when the gate was suddenly knocked open.

Uncle Chen opened it to find strangers carrying the bloodied Shi Dunzi into the yard. “Heavens! What happened?” he cried.

Everyone inside rushed out at the commotion, horrified by the sight.

Uncle Chen called Dun Zi’s name several times but got no response. He checked for a pulse—Dun Zi was still breathing faintly. “He’s alive!”

Chen Qingyan said, “Quick, go get the doctor!”

Uncle Chen immediately ran to fetch the village doctor. One of the men who had carried Dun Zi, a relative of the Zhang family, recounted everything that had happened.

“Unacceptable!” Wang Ying was livid. How dare they bully someone under his protection? Even when beating a dog, one must consider its owner! Their brazen attack on Dun Zi showed they had no respect for him whatsoever.

“Qingyan, go fetch Chen Xi at once!”

“Don’t upset yourself. I’ll go right away.”

Soon, Chen Xi and his son Chen Dashun arrived. Having heard about the incident on the way, they were equally furious. Chen Xi told his son to gather all the able-bodied men in the village—they would go to Zhengzhuang and demand justice!

Uncle Chen returned with the doctor, who applied acupuncture needles. Dun Zi regained consciousness but had a broken nose and a large, egg-sized lump on his forehead.

Dun Zi struggled to get up, intent on going to Zhang Cuihong, but Wang Ying stopped him. “Stay here and rest. This matter is far from over!”

Ignoring Chen Qingyan’s attempts to dissuade him, Wang Ying boarded the mule cart and headed to Zheng Village with the villagers.

Meanwhile, Zheng Youtian thought little of the incident. Used to bullying others in the village, he assumed the matter would blow over—after all, the man he’d beaten didn’t seem important.

But shortly after returning home, he heard urgent knocking. His wife asked warily, “Who is it?”

Chen Xi shouted, “Open up! We need to speak with Zheng Youtian!”

The moment the gate opened, twenty or thirty men stormed in, cursing and yelling, “Where is Zheng Youtian? Show yourself!”

“Wh-what do you want?” Zheng Youtian’s wife stammered.

Chen Xi barged into the house and dragged out Zheng Youtian, who had been hiding.

Wang Ying stepped down from the cart and confronted him. “So you’re the one who attacked my servant?”

Zheng Youtian pretended not to know. “Who are you, sir? I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

Chen Xi kicked him. “This is the Manor Head of Chen Village! The man you beat is his servant!”

“Oh! This is all a misunderstanding! I had no idea he worked for you, sir—I wouldn’t have dared lay a hand on him otherwise! Let me pay for his treatment. Please, have mercy on me!” Zheng Youtian thought a few humble words would settle things, but Wang Ying wasn’t having it.

“I have plenty of money—I don’t need your paltry compensation. Beat him as severely as he beat Dun Zi!”

At Wang Ying’s command, several young men began punching and kicking Zheng Youtian. He cried out, “I’m the village head! Our Manor Head is Squire Zheng! If you harm me, this isn’t over!”

Wang Ying spat. “Fine! Let’s see if the Zheng family would risk offending the Chen family over a petty village head like you!”

Squire Zheng was merely a minor gentry who had bought his title—his family wasn’t even as wealthy as the Chens. Besides, Lady Zheng was friends with Li Shi. Even if Zheng Youtian complained, the Zheng family wouldn’t dare retaliate.

The commotion drew a crowd from Zhengzhuang. Some of the men who had joined the earlier beating sneaked away in fear when they saw the Chen Village men. They were bullies who preyed on the weak but wouldn’t dare confront strong, resolute men.

After beating Zheng Youtian for fifteen minutes, he was barely breathing. Only then did Wang Ying call a halt.

“Next time, think twice before bullying someone! Learn who you can and cannot mess with. Let’s go!”

Chen Qingyan quickly followed him back to the cart, musing that A Ying had become more quick-tempered since becoming pregnant.

When they returned home, Zhang Cuihong and her two daughters were waiting at the gate. She kowtowed to Wang Ying. “Thank you, sir, Manor Head! Thank you!”

“Please rise. Uncle Dun Zi is badly injured. These next few days, I’ll need your help taking care of him.”

Zhang Cuihong said, her voice choking up, "It's only right. If it weren't for protecting the three of us, he wouldn’t have been beaten like this..."

The mother and her two daughters moved straight to the Chen Family Village. With someone by his side to care for him, Shi Dunzi recovered quickly. Upon learning that the master had stood up for him, he was immensely grateful and swore he'd work himself to the bone to repay the master's kindness.

The incident in Zhengzhuang soon reached the town. Not only did the Zheng family not cause trouble, but they also sent ten strings of cash as compensation. As for Zheng Youtian, he was directly dismissed as estate manager by his master and reduced to a tenant farmer—they had no intention of making an enemy of the Chen family over a servant.

On the sixth day of the ninth month, an auspicious day for weddings, sacrifices, blessings, and alliances, Shi Dunzi and Zhang Cuihong were married surrounded by the blessings of relatives and friends.

Their wedding was very simple: they only set up two banquet tables, and a string of firecrackers was set off to mark the occasion.

Naturally, the masters Wang Ying and Chen Qingyan attended. Old Liang, Qing Song, and Qing Huai also came to join the festivities, along with Uncle Chen and Chen Xi’s family, and Aunt Zhang’s family.

The feast was modest: three meat dishes, three vegetable dishes, and leek and egg dumplings as the staple food.

Nobody minded the simple spread. It was not easy for these two to come together, especially after the incident that had occurred. Shi Dunzi’s facial injuries hadn’t fully healed yet. Fortunately, he was alright, and they could now live a settled life.

The happiest about the wedding were Da Ni and Er Ni. The two girls, wearing new clothes their mother had made, ran around excitedly, their little faces flushed with joy.

Their mother told them they now had a father, and they would have enough to eat and wear, and no one would bully them again!

*

After Shi Dunzi’s wedding, it would soon be time for Lin Qiu’s wedding.

Wang Ying’s belly was growing day by day. Now four months pregnant, the baby bump was becoming noticeable, and his old pants were getting too tight. In the evening, he took out a new pair of pants made by his Third Aunt and tried them on—they were loose and comfortable.

After bathing, the two went into the experimental field to pick some peaches to take back to town the next day.

This time, there were more peaches than the last, each fruit round and plump, looking delicious. Wang Ying held a basket below while Chen Qingyan climbed the tree to pick the peaches. They worked together smoothly, filling the basket in no time.

As Wang Ying bent down to pick up a peach, he suddenly exclaimed, "Ah!"

"What’s wrong?" Chen Qingyan quickly jumped down from the tree and helped him sit down.

"Nothing, I just felt something move in my belly."

"Let me see!" Chen Qingyan lifted the shirt and pressed his cheek to the rounded belly, but after a while, there was no movement.

"Maybe I imagined it..." Before he could finish speaking, his belly trembled lightly again.

This time, both of them were stunned.

After a moment, Chen Qingyan came to his senses and asked, "Is... is this the baby moving?"

"Probably."

Becoming parents for the first time was a novel experience for both of them. "Does it hurt?"

Wang Ying shook his head. "It doesn’t hurt, but it feels strange—like a little kitten gently scratching inside."

Chen Qingyan gently kissed his belly. "Be good, move again for your father."

As if understanding, the little one inside kicked once more, sending them both into laughter.