Chapter 72:

Li Xiue saw the eldest son of the Pei family standing there with his hands behind his back, his gaze cold and his entire demeanor sharp and intimidating. It frightened her so much that her heart trembled. She lowered her head and spoke meekly, “I… I was just rushing over to help. I don’t know where they went.”

Pei Qian waved his hand dismissively, signaling for her to leave. Li Xiue, as if granted a pardon, hurried away, her mind racing with thoughts. Why would such a handsome and well-born young master frequently visit Jicheng’s home? Was he close to Jicheng? It didn’t seem so. Every time she had encountered him, Jicheng wasn’t home. Could it be…?

She had often heard people say that wealthy families might appear glamorous on the surface, but behind closed doors, they were capable of anything—affairs between young masters and their fathers’ concubines, wives cheating on their husbands—such things were all too common. If the eldest son of the Pei family had taken a fancy to someone else’s wife, it wouldn’t be anything extraordinary. No, she had to hurry back and tell Chunmu about this. Just the other day, she had heard from the villagers that the Pei family were major merchants who did business with the imperial court. If she could somehow latch onto them, she could live a life of endless luxury and comfort.

Chunmu wasn’t feeling well that day. He had originally planned to go to the fields to harvest corn but decided against it. When Li Xiue asked if he wanted to go to Jicheng’s place, he thought about it and declined. After all, he was a man. The last time he had been humiliated was already enough to shame him. If he went again, wouldn’t he just be lowering himself further? He was waiting for Chunfu to come and apologize to him. That girl needed a good scolding—she had forgotten her own family name after getting married.

Just as he was starting to feel drowsy, Li Xiue rushed in excitedly, shaking him awake. He wanted to get angry but didn’t have the energy. Helpless, he asked, “Why are you back so early?”

Li Xiue took off her shoes and climbed onto the kang, sitting beside Chunmu and holding his hand. She laughed for a while before speaking, “I have to say, your silly sister is quite something. Not only has she managed her life well, but even the young master of the Pei family treats her with great favor. I’m sure he’s taken a liking to your Chunfu.”

Chunmu frowned, displeased. “Don’t talk nonsense. Even though we’ve had our disagreements, she’s still a married woman. If her own sister-in-law spreads such rumors outside, how will we ever hold our heads up in Dongpo Village again?”

Li Xiue grew impatient. “Why won’t you believe me? At first, I thought it was just gratitude, but after seeing him, I could tell the way he looks at Chunfu is different—there’s admiration and… something else.”

Chunmu turned his back to her. “What ‘something else’?”

Li Xiue slapped his arm. “How can you be so dense? What kind of look does a man give a woman? Do you think I’m stupid?”

Chunmu remained unconvinced. No matter how beautiful Chunfu was, to a wealthy young master who had seen countless beauties, a country woman wouldn’t be anything special. He waved his hand weakly. “Enough. Don’t spread baseless rumors. Since you’re back, don’t go again. We don’t want people thinking we’re desperate to cling to them.”

Li Xiue, however, wasn’t willing to give up. She planned to go back later—if not at noon, then in the evening. She had heard that many people were visiting today, and Jicheng and his wife would surely be busy hosting. She refused to believe they would dare to kick her out.

Meanwhile, Chunfu and the others had gone up the mountain but couldn’t find Jicheng and the others anywhere. How could they dig traps without being seen? Chunfu called out, “Jicheng?”

Liansheng’s wife pursed her lips and looked deeper into the forest. “Maybe they went further in? They’re grown men with tools—they’ll be fine. Let’s just stay here and not go in. We don’t want to run into anything troublesome.”

In September, the wilderness had begun to wither. Wild chrysanthemums swayed in the wind by the roadside. Chunfu picked some and put them in her basket to dry for tea. Yuning followed behind, curiously observing the wild fruits she had never seen before. Chunfu handed her some wild grapes, and after wiping them with her sleeve, Yuning popped them into her mouth—they were surprisingly delicious.

The mountain was rich in edible mushrooms, many of which were delicious. Chunfu carefully picked some and placed them in her basket. She looked ahead but still saw no sign of the men. What were they doing? Dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dancing beams of light on their hair. A cool breeze blew, rustling their thin clothes.

“I think it’s getting late. Waiting here won’t do any good. Judging by these mounds of dirt, they must have gone far,” Jinjuan said, turning to leave. But just as she finished speaking, a piercing roar echoed through the forest, startling everyone. The dense foliage blocked their view, making it impossible to see what was happening.

Liansheng’s wife pondered for a moment. “Let’s go take a look. From the sound, the beast must be at a disadvantage. We’ll keep our distance.”

Chunfu had brought a sickle in her basket. She took it out and gripped it tightly, her body tense with caution. Yuning, however, was both frightened and curious, her delicate hands clenched into fists, veins bulging, her wide eyes fixed ahead.

As they ventured deeper, the light dimmed. Broken branches littered the path, clearly hacked by an axe. The footprints on the untrodden path were chaotic, unmistakably left by the men. After walking about a hundred steps, they saw a stream of bright red blood flowing down the path, the pungent smell of blood filling the air. Jinjuan shrieked, her voice trembling. “What happened? Could it be…?”

Liansheng’s wife scolded her. “Don’t scare yourself. They’re grown men.”

Chunfu carefully avoided the blood and took small steps forward. Suddenly, someone grabbed her hand. She turned to see Yuning, her beautiful face full of worry. Chunfu patted her hand reassuringly. Who wouldn’t be afraid in such a situation? But until they saw for themselves, they had to stay calm and composed.

Behind a large boulder, they found a wild boar lying on the ground, its belly torn open. Both women gasped in shock. The boar’s intestines spilled out, its mouth gaping, and a deep gash marked its neck. The earlier roar must have come from it.

Liansheng’s wife dragged Jinjuan over, clicking her tongue. “It’s dead. These men couldn’t even leave it intact. If they carry it down now, blood will be everywhere—how terrifying. And this smell might attract other creatures. Where did they go?”

They covered their noses, enduring the stench as they waited nervously. Eventually, Jicheng and the others emerged from the depths of the forest. Zhou Jing and Zhao Yun each held a boar’s leg, dragging out another boar that was still barely alive.

The men were surprised to see the women there. Zhou Jing, his voice clear and composed, asked, “Why did you come in? There could still be snakes around. Aren’t you afraid of getting bitten?”

“Why did you go after these things?” Chunfu asked.

Jicheng grinned. “We were planning to set up wooden stakes to block off the area, making it safer for people. But before we could start, these two showed up. Luckily, Zhou Jing is quick, or the other one would’ve escaped. They’re both big and strong—should fetch a good price. I was thinking, we won’t be able to eat much ourselves, so we might as well sell them to a restaurant. The customers there are picky, coming from all over. We’ll split the money among us. In times of need, silver is more reliable.”

Liansheng chimed in, “Everything on this mountain is yours. We’re just here to help. How can we take your money?”

Zhou Jing and Zhao Yun nodded in agreement. There wasn’t much work left on the mountain—just a couple more traps to dig. Besides, helping in such situations was only natural. Taking money for it would be wrong.

Ignoring them, Jicheng turned to Chunfu. “Go back and bring out our long wooden board. We’ll tie them up first.”

Chunfu nodded. Seeing the still-living boar dripping blood, barely clinging to life, she shuddered and hurried down the mountain with Liansheng’s wife and the others. When they returned, they found a carriage parked at the door. Panting, Chunfu glanced at Pei Qian, then opened the small shed to retrieve the wooden board. Just as she was about to lift it, a pair of strong hands pushed her aside and effortlessly carried it out.

Chunfu opened the door and smiled at Pei Qian. “There’s so much going on at home, I haven’t had time to properly greet you. What brings you here today?”

Pei Qian stood up, looking at her flushed face, and said softly, “No need to worry. I went to Jin Liuer’s place to ask you to make some fruit porridge for my mother. She said you were busy at home, so I came out of curiosity. Don’t mind me—I’ll just chat with Miss An.”

An Yuning, the daughter of the man who saw Pei Qian as the ideal son-in-law, forced a smile. They had no interest in each other and nothing to talk about.

“Miss An, knowing your father’s intentions, why are you still hanging around that poor boy? Aren’t you afraid of falling harder later? But you’ve got quite the temper—those sharp eyes of yours are fiercely protective. I wonder, if he ever finds out how you and your father have been toying with him, will he still treasure you?” Pei Qian smirked, watching Zhou Jing glance their way repeatedly.

Yuning wasn’t one to back down either. Smiling sweetly at Zhou Jing, she retorted in a voice laced with venom, “Eldest Young Master Pei, you should worry about yourself. Since your mother is here, shouldn’t you be with her instead of lingering here? Or is it just my bias, thinking you’re using excuses to covet another man’s wife? For someone of your status, that’s rather unbecoming, isn’t it?”

Pei Qian’s expression darkened at the jab. He snorted coldly. “No need for your concern.” He stood up, glanced at the woman who was anxiously watching Jicheng, then turned and left. Chunfu saw him go but had no time to dwell on it—with Jin Liuer around, she didn’t need to overthink things.

Yuning watched his tall, proud figure depart and scoffed. “What a petty young master, unable to handle a few honest words.”

The two wild boars were incredibly heavy. Zhou Jing and Zhao Yun had already exhausted themselves dragging one just a hundred steps—it was more grueling than labor. It took all four men to carry one back and tie it securely to the wooden board. After catching their breath, they returned to the mountain to fetch the other.

While resting, Zhou Jing walked over to Yuning, a hint of jealousy in his voice. “What did he say to you?” Deep down, he knew the answer. Compared to a piece of jade from Cangwu Mountain, if An the shopkeeper could secure a son-in-law like Pei Qian, he’d be overjoyed. But Zhou Jing was willing to gamble—staking his life and future on the slim chance that fate would favor him.

“Nothing much, just idle chatter. With everything so busy here, he probably felt out of place and left.” Yuning smiled at him, her expression calm and unreadable.

Chunfu had already prepared water for them. The temperature was just right now. She handed a warm towel to Jicheng. “What should we do with these? Send them tomorrow?” Blood still dripped onto the ground, and Abao happily licked it up, wagging his tail. Earlier, she had noticed the dog cowering in a corner, only daring to move after Pei Qian left. With such a timid guard dog, how could it protect the house?

Jicheng wiped the sweat from his brow and took a deep breath. “No, we’re not keeping them. I’ll go borrow a cart and send them off today. Fresh meat fetches a higher price at the restaurant. If we keep them here, they won’t sell, and they’ll just attract flies and trouble.”

No sooner had he spoken than people began showing up, arriving in twos and threes, all with the same ridiculous request: “Jicheng, you’re so lucky! Wild boars might be fierce, but they taste amazing. We’ve never tried it before—mind sharing a bit?” They had seen Jicheng return from the mountain twice now with massive boars, their envy and greed plain to see. For poor families, meat was a rare luxury, usually only seen during New Year celebrations. Many couldn’t help but stare longingly.

In the village, it wasn’t uncommon for families to share their good fortune with close friends. But Jicheng had never followed such customs. He turned to Liansheng. “I’ll go find a cart. Zhou Jing is good with words—he can come with me to town.”

Liansheng thought for a moment. “Third Uncle’s family has a cart, but he’s probably not back yet. Your… Qiaoyun’s brother has a horse cart. Maybe you can borrow his.”

“Got it.” Jicheng, carrying money on him, strode off. Seeing the man in charge leave, the crowd turned their attention to Chunfu, realizing Jicheng had no intention of butchering the boars for personal consumption. “Where are you taking such fine meat? What a shame!” they lamented.

Zhou Jing laughed loudly. “Whether it’s a shame or not is up to Jicheng. Why are you all making such a fuss? If you want some, go catch your own—just remember to do it on someone else’s mountain.”

Yuning had never seen him so assertive before. There was something almost childishly charming about it, far more interesting than his usual serious demeanor.

Chunfu sighed with a smile. These people had no real quarrel with her or Jicheng, but their fickleness was disheartening. Like grass swaying in the wind, they lacked principle and loyalty. Today, they might flatter you over a meal, but tomorrow, they’d curse you behind your back. Following wolves to scavenge scraps—what could you expect from them? She paid them no mind. Knowing it would take Jicheng some time to borrow the cart, she hurried to the kitchen to make flatbreads for the journey, so they wouldn’t go hungry.

Some, seeing no hope of gain, left. Others, still unwilling to give up, craned their necks for a better look. Only when Jicheng returned, loaded the boars onto the cart, and drove off did they finally spit in disgust, cursing him for his selfishness and lack of decorum. A small group gathered, listing all of Jicheng’s faults. On their way, they ran into Jicheng’s second uncle and sneered, “Your nephew’s really something now, isn’t he? Looks down on everyone—even you, his own uncle, might not get any respect.”

Life had indeed been hard for Jicheng’s second uncle’s family. Jikun had been harshly scolded by an old friend, leaving him terrified. The old man himself was seething with resentment. One day, after drinking too much, he lost his temper and beat Jikun. That shameless Chunju, thinking her pregnancy gave her leverage, acted like a spoiled young mistress, lazing about all day. After indulging her for a few days, she had grown even more arrogant—until he finally snapped and berated her, forcing her to rein in her behavior.

And why not? What right did a woman of loose morals have to strut around? Who gave her the audacity? He and his wife had agreed: once the child was born and reached one month old, they’d kick her out. The Ji family was respectable—they wouldn’t tolerate such trash under their roof.

With the little money left from Jikun, they could barely scrape by, but the old man felt uneasy. He missed Jiliang more and more. Jikun was his own flesh and blood, but he was nothing compared to the adopted son who had been so dutiful. Life had been so smooth back then. That damned Jikun brought nothing but trouble—better if he’d died abroad, at least doing something for the country. It was all his own fault for being soft-hearted. Now, life felt hopeless. He was too old for hard labor, and Jikun was lazy and useless, not even capable of sweet talk. Who could they rely on?

The more he thought, the gloomier he became. Without realizing it, he wandered to the old house where Jiliang had once lived. Weeds had overrun the place, and the vegetables in the garden had rotted, attracting swarms of flies. Clearly, no one had been here for a long time. This was all his doing. For the sake of a good-for-nothing, he had driven away the son who had been closest to him. Regret gnawed at him, but what could he do now?

In the past, he had feared Jiliang growing close to the third uncle’s family and forbade contact, even making Jicheng suffer for years. Now, seeing how well Jicheng was doing, he wondered why he had ever interfered. Jicheng had always cared for Jiliang—had he not stood in the way, Jicheng would surely have helped them financially. Why had he been so shortsighted? How had he let his family fall into such a state?

Lost in thought, he circled back home. His wife was busy cooking. Seeing him return, she pointed inside. “That ‘young mistress’ is at it again—says her stomach hurts and refuses to get out of bed. Jikun slapped her, and now she’s throwing a fit. Funny how her ‘pain’ disappeared.”

The old man took a deep breath, anger flaring again. “I’ll deal with her. Maybe we’re better off without this grandson. Look at Jikun and her—what decent child could they possibly raise?”

His wife stared in shock. Had the old man lost his mind? That was their own grandchild—how could he say such a thing?

When the old man entered the room, Chunju was lying on the kang, rubbing her belly and muttering about how she would live a life of luxury in this house, how she would make the entire Ji family serve her like slaves because of her son. He snorted coldly, grabbed her hair, and yanked her off the bed despite her screams. “You think I’d serve you? Look at yourself—do you even deserve it?”

He knew now—this was his punishment.