It was strange indeed.
Houses, if inhabited by people, are seldom too shabby.
Once abandoned, they rapidly lose vitality, corners collapse, beams crack, and tiles fall.
It had been just over six months since the Jiang siblings left the dilapidated temple, yet the two small houses had already fallen into disrepair with wind whistling through the corners.
The only thing that remained unchanged was the ever-smiling big Buddha.
Jiang Sheng stopped the carriage and fished out three incense sticks from a corner of the temple. She lit them carefully and put them in place.
"You're still so superstitious," Zheng Ruqian stuck his head out and asked.
Jiang Sheng rolled her eyes at him. "This isn't superstition. The Buddha blessed Jiang Sheng with enough food to eat and allowed Jiang Sheng to be with her brothers forever. Of course I should thank the Buddha."
She put her palms together and bowed deeply three times.
Back in the carriage, they continued on towards Shili Pu village. Over half a year, the village had not changed much.
Faint wisps of smoke rose with the wind, and children's crisp shouts filled the air.
Old women clucked disapprovingly, gossiping about this family and that.
Uncle Zhao's cart was still tied at the door - he probably knew Little Jiang Sheng was gone and there was no one left to steal it.
From Zhou Zhiqiang's house drifted the occasional scolding, though now mixed with answering feminine voices, faint but firm.
They arrived at Zhang Qiquan's door.
Fang Heng reined in the horse and handed the reins to Zheng Ruqian before jumping down and rapping on the door.
"Who is it?" Came Auntie Liu Cui's voice from within.
Fang Heng called out loudly, "It's me, Fang Heng, come to see Uncle Zhang."
Liu Cui's eyes widened in surprise. She put down her winnowing basket and hurried over, but did not open the door. Instead, she questioned doubtfully, "Really? Are you really Fang Heng?"
This... who else could it be?
Fang Heng was stunned speechless, confused.
Jiang Sheng, clever as always, whispered a reminder, "Do you have any secrets only the two of you know?"
Fang Heng understood at once. "The traps up the mountain have been undisturbed for half a year. I came to ask Uncle Zhang if we should switch them out for cage traps."
The small traps could only catch large, clumsy animals. More agile prey could evade them, but cage traps could ensnare anything.
This was something Zhang Qiquan had discussed with Fang Heng before.
Only then did Liu Cui relax. She opened the door and at the sight of the Fang siblings, her eyes instantly reddened. "It really is you."
This simultaneously made Xu Mo and Chang Yan frown.
Before this, there had been imposters?
Fang Heng tethered the carriage at the door and brought in the pastries he'd bought. "Auntie, where's Uncle Zhang?"
"He... he's lying in bed." Liu Cui's eyes were bloodshot.
This wasn't winter. It was the season for sowing, when every able body was needed in the fields. How could anyone laze about in bed?
Even slow-witted Fang Heng sensed something amiss. In a few quick strides he entered the cramped hut and saw Zhang Qiquan listlessly sprawled on the bed. One leg was bound to a tree branch and wrapped in white cloth, looking crudely like the splint Xu Mo had worn when he broke his leg, only rougher.
"Wha-what happened?" Fang Heng exclaimed in shock.
Beside him, Liu Cui's eyes flooded with tears again. "It was money that brought this misfortune."
The Zhang family had three sons total. Zhang Qiquan was the youngest. Though it was said that emperors loved their eldest and commoners doted on their youngest, Zhang Qiquan had not been especially favored by his parents. Rather, he was somewhat estranged from them after leaving home to work at a young age.
Five years ago, Zhang Qiquan had returned to Shili Pu village in his twenties, ready to take a wife. His parents had arranged matches with several village girls, but none caught his fancy.
In the end, he took a liking to the orphaned Liu Cui.
His parents disapproved and looked down on Liu Cui, but Zhang Qiquan persisted until they finally wed. The couple had lived contentedly for five years.
In those five years, Liu Cui's belly had never quickened with child, and her in-laws had given her trouble over it. But farming families struggled to find even one wife - where would they get the money for a concubine, or to divorce and remarry?
Not until the money from selling the tiger hide, twenty-five taels of silver.
Liu Cui wept as she recounted, "My husband had already decided how to split that twenty-five taels. Five taels for his parents, five for Eldest Brother, five for Second Brother, and the last ten for us."
"But they were convinced that because I was barren, keeping even ten taels would be useless. They goaded my in-laws into demanding all the money. My husband refused, of course, and the three families have been fighting from New Year's til now, relations almost severed."
"A few days ago, Eldest and Second Brother, no, those beasts disguised themselves as acquaintances come calling. I opened the door without wariness, and they rushed in to beat me..." Here she choked on a sob. "My husband shielded me, and they beat his leg until it broke."
The branches binding it were the work of the new physician in town. He had charged a full tael of silver for his services, much to Liu Cui's anguish.
"How outrageous," Fang Heng clenched his fists in anger. Even if the Zhang brothers had fought each other it would be excusable, but for an elder brother to beat his younger brother's wife was inexcusable anywhere.
He looked ready to erupt.
Xu Mo coughed lightly and held back his younger brother.
Chang Yan stepped forward with a smile. "Uncle Zhang's limbs were all healthy before, and he could barely protect Auntie Liu then. Now that he's bedridden with a broken leg, how will Auntie defend herself if ruffians come knocking again?"
As if on cue, Liu Cui muffled a sob into her hands.
Zhang Qiquan's expression crumpled and he hastily gestured for Liu Cui to restrain Fang Heng.
"Don't be rash," Xu Mo also pulled on his younger brother. "Listen to what Uncle Zhang says first."
Zhang Qiquan gave Xu Mo a grateful look before turning solemnly to Fang Heng. "No matter what, they are still my elders. I was absent for years seeking my fortune, leaving my parents wholly dependent on their care. I owe them."
So when he had earned twenty-five taels from the tiger, he had readily offered to split five taels per family.
But he hadn't expected such greed from his brothers' families, unwilling to leave the earner with any share.
"So I should just let them bully Auntie?" Fang Heng retorted.
Zhang Qiquan fell silent again.
If it were only himself suffering some injustice, he could bear it; but he couldn't drag Liu Cui into it when she was innocent.
"Perhaps... they didn't mean to hurt so badly, just... lost control." Zhang Qiquan mumbled weakly.
Fang Heng was ready to explode with rage. Where was the decisive, gallant man who slew the tiger neatly and bought his wife a hairpin with the reward money? He had become a fool enslaved by filial piety!
Sensing the imminent eruption, Xu Mo coughed again to restrain his brother.
Chang Yan smiled and stepped forward. "Uncle Zhang was barely able to protect Auntie Liu before with all four limbs intact. Bedridden now with a broken leg, how will Auntie defend herself if ruffians come again?"
As if on cue, Liu Cui muffled a sob into her hands.
Zhang Qiquan's expression crumpled and he hastily gestured for Liu Cui to restrain Fang Heng.
"Don't be rash," Xu Mo also pulled on his younger brother. "Listen to what Uncle Zhang says first."
Zhang Qiquan gave Xu Mo a grateful look before turning solemnly to Fang Heng. "No matter what, they are still my elders. I was absent for years seeking my fortune, leaving my parents wholly dependent on their care. I owe them."
So when he had earned twenty-five taels from the tiger, he had readily offered to split five taels per family.
But he hadn't expected such greed from his brothers' families, unwilling to leave the earner with any share.
"So I should just let them bully Auntie?" Fang Heng retorted.
Zhang Qiquan fell silent again.
If it were only himself suffering some injustice, he could bear it; but he couldn't drag Liu Cui into it when she was innocent.
"Perhaps... they didn't mean to hurt so badly, just... lost control." Zhang Qiquan mumbled weakly.
Fang Heng was ready to explode with rage. Where was the decisive, gallant man who slew the tiger neatly and bought his wife a hairpin with the reward money? He had become a fool enslaved by filial piety!
Sensing the imminent eruption, Xu Mo coughed again to restrain his brother.
Chang Yan smiled and stepped forward. "Let's make a wager with Uncle Zhang. Let's see if his brothers come around again, shall we? If Uncle Zhang wins, we'll pay the ten taels of silver for you. If he loses, take Auntie Liu and fly far away."
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