Chapter 53: Fifty-Third Chapter
In the morning, a fine drizzle begins to fall outside.
Standing at the door, looking towards the distant mountains, Yu Ying sees them enshrouded in mist, hazy and indistinct.
The cold wind strikes, and Yu Ying shrinks her neck from the cold.
Wen Xing, busy in the kitchen, sees her sister-in-law and hurriedly says, "Sister-in-law, your clothes are ready, I'll bring them to you in a bit."
Seeing the weather turn cold, Wen Xing has been busy stuffing hemp fibers into clothes for warmth these past days.
Yu Ying responds and looks down at Funing, who is also huddling her neck.
Funing's clothes are rather thin, and she's wearing straw shoes, her little feet peeking out.
Yu Ying also glanced at her own cloth shoes.
She had worn this pair for several months, both for gathering herbs in the mountains and visiting Yun County, and they were now severely worn, with the soles nearly breaking through.
The elder sister-in-law, wearing a straw hat, hurried from the kitchen to her room, then placed the clothes, now softened with hemp, into a bundle for Yu Ying.
Yu Ying took out Fuwei and Funing's clothes.
After giving Fuwei his clothes, she helped Funing get dressed.
Yu Ying thought the clothes would be stiff with the added hemp fibers, but after soaking the ramie fibers in water, they became much softer, not as rough as she had imagined when worn.
Though much softer, they were definitely not as soft as cotton.
Yu Ying also changed her outer garment behind the small screen.
A screen was placed between the two beds.
A mat made of cattails was set on a bamboo frame, completing the simple screen.
The room was now filled with many more items.
A reinforced bamboo table, covered with a tablecloth, held three bamboo cups, their rims smoothed by stones, ensuring they wouldn't cut the lips.
Each bamboo cup had different notches carved on it: one notch for Yu Ying, two for Funing, and three for Fuwei.
Besides the bamboo cups, there was also a new teapot.
This made drinking water in the evening much more convenient.
There was also a bamboo tube turned into a vase, with several bamboo branches inserted, adding a touch of elegance to the room.
After changing her clothes, Yu Ying, seeing the rain outside, didn't let Funing go out and asked her to stay inside to listen to her uncle's stories.
Having lived together for nearly two months, Fuwei had shed his initial lifelessness and indifference, now showing more vitality and emotional expression.
Sometimes, he would tell stories to little Funing, and over time, she grew closer to her uncle.
Yu Ying stepped out of the house, donning a straw hat, and headed to the kitchen. Seeing her busy sister-in-law, she asked, "Sister-in-law, do you know how to make cloth shoes?"
Wen Xing shook her head: "In the past, we wore straw shoes in winter. If it was cold, we'd wear socks inside. So, I only know how to weave straw shoes."
Wen Xing had endured hardships since childhood and now, as a mother of two, she had never worn cloth shoes.
During breakfast, Yu Ying also inquired if Luo Shi knew how to make cloth shoes.
Luo Shi said, "I haven't made them in over twenty years, and I'm not sure if I still can."
As the wife of a county official, she used to make clothes and shoes for her husband and son, but so many years had passed, and she wasn't confident of her skills anymore.
Hearing her mother-in-law and sister-in-law say this, Yu Ying thought that she would have to buy shoe soles from Yu County, but the tops could probably still be made by her sister-in-law and mother-in-law.
Even if buying soles, Yu Ying decided to wait a few days until after selling her herbs and getting some money.
Having money from selling the herbs would give her peace of mind, and she would feel more comfortable spending.
After breakfast, Yu Ying told her eldest brother that she wouldn't go herb-picking due to the rain and would rest for a day.
Fuzhen went to the He family to inform them of the rest day, then headed to Song Sanlang’s place.
Despite taking a day off, Fuzhen still went into the mountains with Song Sanlang and He Dala carrying a basket.
Yu Ying entered the herb storage room to check for any spoiled herbs.
Taking advantage of the rain stopping, she called her sister-in-law to check on the vegetables and herbs in the fields.
Since Ling Shui Village had no oxen for plowing, the fields were tilled by human labor, requiring the hiring of four people.
Her eldest brother, He Dala, and Song Sanlang, after gathering herbs in the morning, would also help in the afternoon.
With so many helping hands, tilling and sowing seeds in the five acres of land took about ten days.
Fortunately, after half a month, many seeds in the fields had sprouted, showing small green shoots.
The busy morning passed by quickly.
When lunch was ready, and her eldest brother and the others had not returned, Yu Ying asked her sister-in-law with some curiosity.
Wen Xing told her that they had gone hunting in the mountains.
Yu Ying, surprised, asked, "Why go hunting at this time?"
Wen Xing explained, "The weather has cooled, and it's raining, which means fierce beasts are less likely to come out. Plus, it's easier to catch rabbits in their burrows."
Yu Ying glanced at the gloomy weather outside, somewhat skeptical about their chances of catching any game.
Clearly, Yu Ying's intuition was off the mark.
By evening, they all returned, bringing back their hunted game.
Two plump wild rabbits and a wild chicken weighing around two pounds.
Although the weather had cooled, it had been autumn just a few days ago, so it wasn't surprising that the animals had fattened up.
Since Song Sanlang lived alone, He Dala and Fuzhen invited him to dine with their families.
Song Sanlang, not wanting to refuse anyone, suggested eating something simple at his own place.
After some discussion, they unanimously decided to have dinner at the Fu family’s home.
He Dala took the smaller rabbit and left the largest one and the wild chicken at the Fu family's home.
Yu Ying, having mostly eaten pork and eggs, with the occasional fish, had not tasted chicken in a long time and was also craving rabbit meat.
However, the wild chicken weighed less than two pounds, not enough for so many people, so Yu Ying decided to stew it with Chinese yam to make chicken soup.
Yu Ying, frequently venturing into the mountains, not only gathered herbs but also found various wild edibles like Chinese yam and wood ear mushrooms.
Late autumn was the season for harvesting fungi, so Yu Ying collected them whenever she found them, drying and storing them. By now, she had about ten pounds of dried goods.
Unlike the first time with the red mushrooms, this time no one questioned the toxicity of the mushrooms she gathered.
While her sister-in-law prepared the chicken and rabbit, Yu Ying rehydrated half a bowl of wood ear mushrooms, washed some shepherd's purse, and then cut some chives from the garden for a scrambled egg dish.
The vegetable plots in the small garden were well-maintained by Luo Shi and the sister-in-law.
On regular days, the sister-in-law and Luo Shi helped dry herbs and, in their spare time, made clothes and tended to the vegetable garden.
The garden had shepherd's purse, chives, sunflowers, and onions, but only the chives and onions were currently edible.
For this meal, they prepared Chinese yam and chicken soup, braised rabbit with wood ear mushrooms and other fungi, along with stir-fried shepherd's purse and scrambled eggs with chives.
The dining table couldn't accommodate everyone, so Yu Ying set up two tables, sparing Fuwei the need to come over.
They moved the small table inside, arranging one table for the women and one for the men.
Although the small house was crowded, it was filled with laughter and cheerful voices.
Yu Ying served a bowl of chicken soup to Mrs. Luo, saying, “Chicken soup is nourishing. Mother, you should drink a couple more bowls.”
Mrs. Luo took a sip of the chicken soup and felt a warm comfort spread through her body.
Yu Ying observed Mrs. Luo’s complexion. After two months of care, the signs of aging and hardship on her face had diminished significantly, making her look several years younger.
Her gaze then shifted to her sister-in-law.
Thanks to applying herbal face masks for about a month and no longer having to toil under the sun, her skin had lightened several shades and the sunburn had healed.
Her sister-in-law, who naturally looked young, now appeared almost seventeen or eighteen years old.
Seeing the results of her efforts, Yu Ying felt a sense of satisfaction.
Her eyes moved to the men’s table, where she saw a smile on Fu Wei's face. Although not as hearty as the others, it brought a lively presence to his demeanor.
After taking a sip of the steaming chicken soup, she sighed softly, wishing that life could always be as tranquil as it was at that moment.
However, knowing what the future held, she was aware that this tranquility would not last much longer.
It was precisely because of this that she cherished these days even more.
In the evening, Yu Ying went to her sister-in-law's room to help stuff hemp fibers into the quilts.
Since the weather wasn’t particularly cold yet, they only added a thin layer of hemp.
Fu Wei slept alone, so before the onset of autumn, Yu Ying had asked her sister-in-law to make a quilt just for him.
Meanwhile, Fu Wei took the opportunity, while Fu An was busy helping with the quilts, to use his crutches and bathe in the bathroom.
The bathroom had a bamboo stool, so there was no worry about him slipping and falling.
With an oil lamp lit in the room, while the family was busy with the quilts, Fu An suddenly asked, "Auntie, Uncle's leg is almost healed, so why does he still avoid me and keep it a secret?"
His question brought an abrupt silence to the room where everyone had been chatting.
Yu Ying looked at him and asked, “How did you know?”
Fu An replied, “Auntie, you said it takes a hundred days to heal bone injuries, and you mentioned Uncle’s leg would heal soon.”
Continuing, he sighed like an old man, “I'm not a three or four-year-old child. Besides, Uncle didn’t have shoes before, but now he does. And the bottom of those crutches are worn and muddy, obviously used outside. How could I not notice?”
Yu Ying and her sister-in-law exchanged a look, surprised by Fu An's keen observation.
Fu An continued, “I know Auntie is worried I might talk carelessly outside, but I've kept it to myself for over ten days. I haven’t mentioned it to anyone, not even to Dad, Mom, or Grandma. I’ve been holding it in for so long. If I hadn’t seen Uncle avoiding me and looking tired, I wouldn’t have said anything.”
Everyone: …
After holding it in for so long, was he really sure he wasn’t doing it on purpose?
Yu Ying regained her composure and instructed him, “Make sure not to tell anyone that Uncle's leg has healed, okay?”
Fu An nodded, “I’m almost nine years old; I understand these things. You can trust me, Auntie.”
After finishing with the quilts, Fu An helped carry them back.
Once inside, Yu Ying looked at Fu An and then, feeling helpless, informed Fu Wei, “He knows your leg is better.”
Fu Wei turned his gaze to Fu An.
Fu An repeated what he had said earlier.
Upon hearing this, Fuwei simply smiled faintly, showing no surprise.
Fuwei could tell that Fu'an was intelligent, just lacking someone to enlighten him; otherwise, he could be a bright scholar.
Fu'an didn't rush back to his room but insisted on hearing stories of knights-errant from his uncle.
After listening for a while, Yu Ying, along with Fu'an and Funing, went to take a bath.
When they returned from bathing, both children were already asleep on the big bed, snugly covered with the hemp-quilted blankets, sleeping soundly.
Yu Ying and Fuwei exchanged a smile.
Fuwei explained, "The kids got tired from listening, and when I told Fu'an to go back, he refused, wanting to sleep with you."
After saying this, he glanced towards the bed, his gaze resting on the spot where Fu'an was lying.
Just a month ago, that was his spot.
Yu Ying, upon hearing this, tucked in the children more snugly, her smile softening as she watched them sleep.
"It's cold outside, and it's raining. Let Fu'an sleep here tonight, I'll go tell sister-in-law."
As Yu Ying opened the door to leave, she saw her sister-in-law approaching, wearing a straw hat and carrying an oil lamp.
Yu Ying then informed her sister-in-law that Fu'an would be sleeping in her room.
After speaking with her sister-in-law, Yu Ying returned to her room.
She patted Fu'an, who was sleeping on the edge, and told him, in his drowsy state, "Sleep on the inside, it's safer than the edge."
Fu'an, half-asleep, obediently turned over and crawled to the inner side of the bed to continue sleeping.
Yu Ying also lay down but, still awake, she asked Fuwei behind the screen, "Is the quilt warm enough?"
Fuwei responded, "It's warm enough."
Yu Ying glanced at the two peacefully sleeping faces and spoke in a low voice, "The closer we get to the delivery date, the more anxious I become. Everyone is relying on the sale of these herbs. What if something goes wrong and we can't sell them?"
These herbs were gathered over two months by several families, representing their hopes.
It was Uncle He and Aunt He’s hope to redeem their son, their hope to improve their living conditions, and also Song Sanlang's hope for getting married.
Yu Ying couldn’t bear to think how everyone would cope if this hope was shattered.
After a moment of silence, Fuwei said gravely, "If the herbalist defaults, we'll find another way to sell them."
Yu Ying expressed her concern, "But 500 pounds of herbs... Small herbalists can only buy a hundred pounds or so, and with winter approaching, not many herbalists are purchasing. Even if there are, if I start looking aggressively, we might face suppression from other medical establishments."
Pausing, she continued, "And as for exporting, the roads are rugged and dangerous, we are few in number, vulnerable to bandits, and without transport animals and vehicles, both options are extremely difficult."
From behind the screen, Fuwei sat up, his dark hair falling over his shoulders, and said softly, "I’m not talking about those options."
Yu Ying, surprised, asked, "Then what other way is there?"
"The official route."
Confused, Yu Ying listened as he elaborated, "Every year, Yun County sends food and taxes to the Cangwu County government, escorted by a large group of officials. If we could arrange for our herbs to be escorted to the county government along with these, it would solve the problems of distance and danger."
After pondering for a moment, Yu Ying asked, "Would the county magistrate agree?"
Fuwei thoughtfully replied, "Yun County is poor; even without taking bribes, the county magistrate’s salary isn't enough to support a family. If we share profits with him after the sale, there shouldn’t be a problem."
From their experience redeeming her elder brother, dealing with officials demanding fees, and the county magistrate’s reaction to Aunt Cuilan's situation, Fuwei had a rough idea of the magistrate’s character.
He was not extremely corrupt, but still somewhat greedy.
Although slightly corrupt, he was pragmatic.
Yu Ying seriously considered Fuwei’s suggestion and after a long pause, said, "Even if not for this deal, for future large quantities of herbs, we could try this method. Partnering with the government office, that way, no one would dare cause us trouble."
While the two were discussing solutions, suddenly a loud "bang" came from outside, sounding like something large had collapsed.
The noise originated from the eldest brother’s room.
The loud sound startled Yu Ying, and even Fu'an and Funing were woken up by it.
Yu Ying reassured them, "Continue sleeping, I'll go out and check what happened."
Fuwei also put on his clothes, planning to go out with Yu Ying to investigate.
Yu Ying, carrying an oil lamp, and Fuwei, walking with a cane, left the room.
The noise having come from the eldest brother’s room, Fuwei suddenly remembered the bamboo bed he used to lie on there while his legs were crippled.
Back then, he could feel that the bed was not stable, and it risked collapsing if moved too much.
Since Fu'an wasn't sleeping with his parents tonight, only the couple would be in that room…
In a flash of understanding, Fuwei hurriedly limped along with his cane and grabbed Yu Ying's wrist, "Don't go."
Confused, Yu Ying turned to look at him. Meanwhile, Luo Shi also came out of her room to check and, seeing them, asked, "What happened?"
Fuwei glanced at his elder brother's room, his expression complex.
After a few moments, he tactfully explained to his mother and nominal wife, "The old bamboo bed in the elder brother’s room isn't very sturdy; it’s normal for it to have collapsed."
Luo Shi, being experienced, immediately understood, her face turning red as she said, "I'm going back to sleep, you two should also sleep early."
A moment later, Yu Ying also realized what had happened, feeling slightly embarrassed as she touched her earlobe.
In the moment their eyes met, it was as if they had touched upon something, and they quickly averted their gazes.
Yu Ying's cheeks were slightly warm, and she said uncomfortably, "Then, let's go back to our room."
Fuwei, with a slightly hoarse voice, replied, "Okay."
Chapter 53: Fifty-Third Chapter
In the morning, a fine drizzle begins to fall outside.
Standing at the door, looking towards the distant mountains, Yu Ying sees them enshrouded in mist, hazy and indistinct.
The cold wind strikes, and Yu Ying shrinks her neck from the cold.
Wen Xing, busy in the kitchen, sees her sister-in-law and hurriedly says, "Sister-in-law, your clothes are ready, I'll bring them to you in a bit."
Seeing the weather turn cold, Wen Xing has been busy stuffing hemp fibers into clothes for warmth these past days.
Yu Ying responds and looks down at Funing, who is also huddling her neck.
Funing's clothes are rather thin, and she's wearing straw shoes, her little feet peeking out.
Yu Ying also glanced at her own cloth shoes.
She had worn this pair for several months, both for gathering herbs in the mountains and visiting Yun County, and they were now severely worn, with the soles nearly breaking through.
The elder sister-in-law, wearing a straw hat, hurried from the kitchen to her room, then placed the clothes, now softened with hemp, into a bundle for Yu Ying.
Yu Ying took out Fuwei and Funing's clothes.
After giving Fuwei his clothes, she helped Funing get dressed.
Yu Ying thought the clothes would be stiff with the added hemp fibers, but after soaking the ramie fibers in water, they became much softer, not as rough as she had imagined when worn.
Though much softer, they were definitely not as soft as cotton.
Yu Ying also changed her outer garment behind the small screen.
A screen was placed between the two beds.
A mat made of cattails was set on a bamboo frame, completing the simple screen.
The room was now filled with many more items.
A reinforced bamboo table, covered with a tablecloth, held three bamboo cups, their rims smoothed by stones, ensuring they wouldn't cut the lips.
Each bamboo cup had different notches carved on it: one notch for Yu Ying, two for Funing, and three for Fuwei.
Besides the bamboo cups, there was also a new teapot.
This made drinking water in the evening much more convenient.
There was also a bamboo tube turned into a vase, with several bamboo branches inserted, adding a touch of elegance to the room.
After changing her clothes, Yu Ying, seeing the rain outside, didn't let Funing go out and asked her to stay inside to listen to her uncle's stories.
Having lived together for nearly two months, Fuwei had shed his initial lifelessness and indifference, now showing more vitality and emotional expression.
Sometimes, he would tell stories to little Funing, and over time, she grew closer to her uncle.
Yu Ying stepped out of the house, donning a straw hat, and headed to the kitchen. Seeing her busy sister-in-law, she asked, "Sister-in-law, do you know how to make cloth shoes?"
Wen Xing shook her head: "In the past, we wore straw shoes in winter. If it was cold, we'd wear socks inside. So, I only know how to weave straw shoes."
Wen Xing had endured hardships since childhood and now, as a mother of two, she had never worn cloth shoes.
During breakfast, Yu Ying also inquired if Luo Shi knew how to make cloth shoes.
Luo Shi said, "I haven't made them in over twenty years, and I'm not sure if I still can."
As the wife of a county official, she used to make clothes and shoes for her husband and son, but so many years had passed, and she wasn't confident of her skills anymore.
Hearing her mother-in-law and sister-in-law say this, Yu Ying thought that she would have to buy shoe soles from Yu County, but the tops could probably still be made by her sister-in-law and mother-in-law.
Even if buying soles, Yu Ying decided to wait a few days until after selling her herbs and getting some money.
Having money from selling the herbs would give her peace of mind, and she would feel more comfortable spending.
After breakfast, Yu Ying told her eldest brother that she wouldn't go herb-picking due to the rain and would rest for a day.
Fuzhen went to the He family to inform them of the rest day, then headed to Song Sanlang’s place.
Despite taking a day off, Fuzhen still went into the mountains with Song Sanlang and He Dala carrying a basket.
Yu Ying entered the herb storage room to check for any spoiled herbs.
Taking advantage of the rain stopping, she called her sister-in-law to check on the vegetables and herbs in the fields.
Since Ling Shui Village had no oxen for plowing, the fields were tilled by human labor, requiring the hiring of four people.
Her eldest brother, He Dala, and Song Sanlang, after gathering herbs in the morning, would also help in the afternoon.
With so many helping hands, tilling and sowing seeds in the five acres of land took about ten days.
Fortunately, after half a month, many seeds in the fields had sprouted, showing small green shoots.
The busy morning passed by quickly.
When lunch was ready, and her eldest brother and the others had not returned, Yu Ying asked her sister-in-law with some curiosity.
Wen Xing told her that they had gone hunting in the mountains.
Yu Ying, surprised, asked, "Why go hunting at this time?"
Wen Xing explained, "The weather has cooled, and it's raining, which means fierce beasts are less likely to come out. Plus, it's easier to catch rabbits in their burrows."
Yu Ying glanced at the gloomy weather outside, somewhat skeptical about their chances of catching any game.
Clearly, Yu Ying's intuition was off the mark.
By evening, they all returned, bringing back their hunted game.
Two plump wild rabbits and a wild chicken weighing around two pounds.
Although the weather had cooled, it had been autumn just a few days ago, so it wasn't surprising that the animals had fattened up.
Since Song Sanlang lived alone, He Dala and Fuzhen invited him to dine with their families.
Song Sanlang, not wanting to refuse anyone, suggested eating something simple at his own place.
After some discussion, they unanimously decided to have dinner at the Fu family’s home.
He Dala took the smaller rabbit and left the largest one and the wild chicken at the Fu family's home.
Yu Ying, having mostly eaten pork and eggs, with the occasional fish, had not tasted chicken in a long time and was also craving rabbit meat.
However, the wild chicken weighed less than two pounds, not enough for so many people, so Yu Ying decided to stew it with Chinese yam to make chicken soup.
Yu Ying, frequently venturing into the mountains, not only gathered herbs but also found various wild edibles like Chinese yam and wood ear mushrooms.
Late autumn was the season for harvesting fungi, so Yu Ying collected them whenever she found them, drying and storing them. By now, she had about ten pounds of dried goods.
Unlike the first time with the red mushrooms, this time no one questioned the toxicity of the mushrooms she gathered.
While her sister-in-law prepared the chicken and rabbit, Yu Ying rehydrated half a bowl of wood ear mushrooms, washed some shepherd's purse, and then cut some chives from the garden for a scrambled egg dish.
The vegetable plots in the small garden were well-maintained by Luo Shi and the sister-in-law.
On regular days, the sister-in-law and Luo Shi helped dry herbs and, in their spare time, made clothes and tended to the vegetable garden.
The garden had shepherd's purse, chives, sunflowers, and onions, but only the chives and onions were currently edible.
For this meal, they prepared Chinese yam and chicken soup, braised rabbit with wood ear mushrooms and other fungi, along with stir-fried shepherd's purse and scrambled eggs with chives.
The dining table couldn't accommodate everyone, so Yu Ying set up two tables, sparing Fuwei the need to come over.
They moved the small table inside, arranging one table for the women and one for the men.
Although the small house was crowded, it was filled with laughter and cheerful voices.
Yu Ying served a bowl of chicken soup to Mrs. Luo, saying, “Chicken soup is nourishing. Mother, you should drink a couple more bowls.”
Mrs. Luo took a sip of the chicken soup and felt a warm comfort spread through her body.
Yu Ying observed Mrs. Luo’s complexion. After two months of care, the signs of aging and hardship on her face had diminished significantly, making her look several years younger.
Her gaze then shifted to her sister-in-law.
Thanks to applying herbal face masks for about a month and no longer having to toil under the sun, her skin had lightened several shades and the sunburn had healed.
Her sister-in-law, who naturally looked young, now appeared almost seventeen or eighteen years old.
Seeing the results of her efforts, Yu Ying felt a sense of satisfaction.
Her eyes moved to the men’s table, where she saw a smile on Fu Wei's face. Although not as hearty as the others, it brought a lively presence to his demeanor.
After taking a sip of the steaming chicken soup, she sighed softly, wishing that life could always be as tranquil as it was at that moment.
However, knowing what the future held, she was aware that this tranquility would not last much longer.
It was precisely because of this that she cherished these days even more.
In the evening, Yu Ying went to her sister-in-law's room to help stuff hemp fibers into the quilts.
Since the weather wasn’t particularly cold yet, they only added a thin layer of hemp.
Fu Wei slept alone, so before the onset of autumn, Yu Ying had asked her sister-in-law to make a quilt just for him.
Meanwhile, Fu Wei took the opportunity, while Fu An was busy helping with the quilts, to use his crutches and bathe in the bathroom.
The bathroom had a bamboo stool, so there was no worry about him slipping and falling.
With an oil lamp lit in the room, while the family was busy with the quilts, Fu An suddenly asked, "Auntie, Uncle's leg is almost healed, so why does he still avoid me and keep it a secret?"
His question brought an abrupt silence to the room where everyone had been chatting.
Yu Ying looked at him and asked, “How did you know?”
Fu An replied, “Auntie, you said it takes a hundred days to heal bone injuries, and you mentioned Uncle’s leg would heal soon.”
Continuing, he sighed like an old man, “I'm not a three or four-year-old child. Besides, Uncle didn’t have shoes before, but now he does. And the bottom of those crutches are worn and muddy, obviously used outside. How could I not notice?”
Yu Ying and her sister-in-law exchanged a look, surprised by Fu An's keen observation.
Fu An continued, “I know Auntie is worried I might talk carelessly outside, but I've kept it to myself for over ten days. I haven’t mentioned it to anyone, not even to Dad, Mom, or Grandma. I’ve been holding it in for so long. If I hadn’t seen Uncle avoiding me and looking tired, I wouldn’t have said anything.”
Everyone: …
After holding it in for so long, was he really sure he wasn’t doing it on purpose?
Yu Ying regained her composure and instructed him, “Make sure not to tell anyone that Uncle's leg has healed, okay?”
Fu An nodded, “I’m almost nine years old; I understand these things. You can trust me, Auntie.”
After finishing with the quilts, Fu An helped carry them back.
Once inside, Yu Ying looked at Fu An and then, feeling helpless, informed Fu Wei, “He knows your leg is better.”
Fu Wei turned his gaze to Fu An.
Fu An repeated what he had said earlier.
Upon hearing this, Fuwei simply smiled faintly, showing no surprise.
Fuwei could tell that Fu'an was intelligent, just lacking someone to enlighten him; otherwise, he could be a bright scholar.
Fu'an didn't rush back to his room but insisted on hearing stories of knights-errant from his uncle.
After listening for a while, Yu Ying, along with Fu'an and Funing, went to take a bath.
When they returned from bathing, both children were already asleep on the big bed, snugly covered with the hemp-quilted blankets, sleeping soundly.
Yu Ying and Fuwei exchanged a smile.
Fuwei explained, "The kids got tired from listening, and when I told Fu'an to go back, he refused, wanting to sleep with you."
After saying this, he glanced towards the bed, his gaze resting on the spot where Fu'an was lying.
Just a month ago, that was his spot.
Yu Ying, upon hearing this, tucked in the children more snugly, her smile softening as she watched them sleep.
"It's cold outside, and it's raining. Let Fu'an sleep here tonight, I'll go tell sister-in-law."
As Yu Ying opened the door to leave, she saw her sister-in-law approaching, wearing a straw hat and carrying an oil lamp.
Yu Ying then informed her sister-in-law that Fu'an would be sleeping in her room.
After speaking with her sister-in-law, Yu Ying returned to her room.
She patted Fu'an, who was sleeping on the edge, and told him, in his drowsy state, "Sleep on the inside, it's safer than the edge."
Fu'an, half-asleep, obediently turned over and crawled to the inner side of the bed to continue sleeping.
Yu Ying also lay down but, still awake, she asked Fuwei behind the screen, "Is the quilt warm enough?"
Fuwei responded, "It's warm enough."
Yu Ying glanced at the two peacefully sleeping faces and spoke in a low voice, "The closer we get to the delivery date, the more anxious I become. Everyone is relying on the sale of these herbs. What if something goes wrong and we can't sell them?"
These herbs were gathered over two months by several families, representing their hopes.
It was Uncle He and Aunt He’s hope to redeem their son, their hope to improve their living conditions, and also Song Sanlang's hope for getting married.
Yu Ying couldn’t bear to think how everyone would cope if this hope was shattered.
After a moment of silence, Fuwei said gravely, "If the herbalist defaults, we'll find another way to sell them."
Yu Ying expressed her concern, "But 500 pounds of herbs... Small herbalists can only buy a hundred pounds or so, and with winter approaching, not many herbalists are purchasing. Even if there are, if I start looking aggressively, we might face suppression from other medical establishments."
Pausing, she continued, "And as for exporting, the roads are rugged and dangerous, we are few in number, vulnerable to bandits, and without transport animals and vehicles, both options are extremely difficult."
From behind the screen, Fuwei sat up, his dark hair falling over his shoulders, and said softly, "I’m not talking about those options."
Yu Ying, surprised, asked, "Then what other way is there?"
"The official route."
Confused, Yu Ying listened as he elaborated, "Every year, Yun County sends food and taxes to the Cangwu County government, escorted by a large group of officials. If we could arrange for our herbs to be escorted to the county government along with these, it would solve the problems of distance and danger."
After pondering for a moment, Yu Ying asked, "Would the county magistrate agree?"
Fuwei thoughtfully replied, "Yun County is poor; even without taking bribes, the county magistrate’s salary isn't enough to support a family. If we share profits with him after the sale, there shouldn’t be a problem."
From their experience redeeming her elder brother, dealing with officials demanding fees, and the county magistrate’s reaction to Aunt Cuilan's situation, Fuwei had a rough idea of the magistrate’s character.
He was not extremely corrupt, but still somewhat greedy.
Although slightly corrupt, he was pragmatic.
Yu Ying seriously considered Fuwei’s suggestion and after a long pause, said, "Even if not for this deal, for future large quantities of herbs, we could try this method. Partnering with the government office, that way, no one would dare cause us trouble."
While the two were discussing solutions, suddenly a loud "bang" came from outside, sounding like something large had collapsed.
The noise originated from the eldest brother’s room.
The loud sound startled Yu Ying, and even Fu'an and Funing were woken up by it.
Yu Ying reassured them, "Continue sleeping, I'll go out and check what happened."
Fuwei also put on his clothes, planning to go out with Yu Ying to investigate.
Yu Ying, carrying an oil lamp, and Fuwei, walking with a cane, left the room.
The noise having come from the eldest brother’s room, Fuwei suddenly remembered the bamboo bed he used to lie on there while his legs were crippled.
Back then, he could feel that the bed was not stable, and it risked collapsing if moved too much.
Since Fu'an wasn't sleeping with his parents tonight, only the couple would be in that room…
In a flash of understanding, Fuwei hurriedly limped along with his cane and grabbed Yu Ying's wrist, "Don't go."
Confused, Yu Ying turned to look at him. Meanwhile, Luo Shi also came out of her room to check and, seeing them, asked, "What happened?"
Fuwei glanced at his elder brother's room, his expression complex.
After a few moments, he tactfully explained to his mother and nominal wife, "The old bamboo bed in the elder brother’s room isn't very sturdy; it’s normal for it to have collapsed."
Luo Shi, being experienced, immediately understood, her face turning red as she said, "I'm going back to sleep, you two should also sleep early."
A moment later, Yu Ying also realized what had happened, feeling slightly embarrassed as she touched her earlobe.
In the moment their eyes met, it was as if they had touched upon something, and they quickly averted their gazes.
Yu Ying's cheeks were slightly warm, and she said uncomfortably, "Then, let's go back to our room."
Fuwei, with a slightly hoarse voice, replied, "Okay."
