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A Niu had known the cook long before Zhu married Wang Jiang.
Zhu originally sang at a teahouse, and it was unclear when she came to Yun Family Village. All that was known was her surname was Zhu, she was beautiful, and her singing was delightful, though she had a bit of a temper.
When she first arrived in Yun Family Village, someone took a liking to Zhu and proposed to marry her, but Zhu insisted on being a wife and not a concubine.
Most of the better-off families had already married and had children. Even if they hadn't, they wouldn't allow their sons to take a woman who sang in a teahouse as their legitimate wife. In poorer families, there were many unmarried men, but Zhu claimed to come from a poor background and did not want to suffer again. She turned down every suitor until she met Wang Jiang, finally finding a good home.
"How did the cook come to know Zhu?"
"This is a long story. According to others, there was an incident where Zhu was singing at the teahouse and caught the attention of some ruffians. These men pretended to be drunk while actually drinking tea and took the opportunity to harass Zhu. A man who couldn't stand it stepped in to help her. Unfortunately, those ruffians became jealous and later ambushed him in an alley, beating him to death. When Zhu heard about this, knowing it all stemmed from her, she devised a plan to lure those men into a guest room and used her beauty to extract the truth from them while the magistrate was in the adjacent room. The truth came out, and none of those men escaped; they were all imprisoned. The cook is the widow of that man and was brought into the Wang Family by Zhu. So Brother Li was right; the relationship between the cook and Zhu is indeed quite different."
"I remember that the cook seemed rather taciturn, but when facing Zhu, her words carried an undertone that left no room for refusal. At that time, I didn't think much of it; I assumed she was like Deer Lady—someone with a big temper who liked to meddle. But it turns out there’s this backstory between Zhu and the cook."
"This story hasn't been widely discussed," Li Mao rubbed his nose.
"It's normal for Brother Li not to know; these matters are rarely mentioned now. If I hadn't just overheard your conversation with Madam, I might have forgotten about them myself."
"Though I did not kill Boren, he died because of me. Therefore, the cook should harbor resentment towards Zhu since her husband died because he intervened in Zhu's affairs. However, what Zhu did afterward made it difficult for the cook—who is truly the victim—to criticize her. If I were the cook, I might not hate her anymore, but I certainly wouldn't feel grateful towards Zhu."
"The cook doesn't seem like someone who would be magnanimous either. That day at the Rouge shop, although she appeared respectful on the surface, there was a hint of disdain for Zhu in her eyes. Perhaps outwardly she respects Zhu, but secretly she may resent her. I misspoke earlier; we can't compare this cook with our Deer Lady. Deer Lady may act as if she's in charge publicly, but privately she definitely respects the manager as if they were her superior."
"I hope Deer Lady sees me as family rather than as a master," Xing Ruyi said with a slight bitter smile and shook his head. "This man acted bravely to save Zhu but ended up bringing disaster upon himself and lost his life. From the cook's perspective, it's normal for her to resent Zhu or even feel anger or jealousy towards her. After all, her once-happy family fell apart because of this beautiful disaster named Zhu. If only the cook were more understanding, she might even begrudge Zhu for finding someone good for herself."
"That is, your own husband died tragically to save you, a fox... demon, while you, on the other hand, smoothly married into a good family and became a young mistress. What gives?" Li Mao imitated the manner of a streetwise woman, hands on her hips, making a jealous and resentful expression that made Xing Ruyi and A Niu want to laugh.
"As for Zhu, she is likely aware of the situation here. She brought the cook back to the Wang Family for placement, not just because the cook's husband once helped her out of a predicament, but also because he ultimately met with misfortune. So she fulfilled her duty by using her beauty to capture the criminal who harmed her benefactor. Clearly, Zhu is a woman of both courage and wisdom who knows how to repay kindness. Furthermore, the master in this government office cannot simply be summoned at will; it doesn't guarantee a clear resolution of cases either. The beggar is a prime example. Initially, Zhu was able to invite that master to the guest room next door, which surely required more than just money. From Zhu's perspective, she has done everything in her power to repay the help she received from the cook's husband.
Zhu is a clever person; she knows that the cook may not feel grateful for what she has done. Therefore, whether openly or subtly, she treats the cook with respect and offers much tolerance. In fact, she even specifically arranged for the cook to live in a guest courtyard just one wall away. These are all Zhu's good intentions—avoiding any discomfort for the cook living in the Wang Family, giving her more space to move around, and preventing any awkward encounters between them. However, the cook may not see it that way.
Now, I have my second question. If the cook was called to the main courtyard by Zhu late at night, why didn't Zhu wait for her to arrive before leaving? In the Wang Family, aside from the male head Wang Jiang, who else was there? What could have happened that made Zhu leave so suddenly on such a cold winter night without even putting on socks? My third question: Was the cook harmed before or after Zhu was attacked?
Zhu not wearing socks indicates that she left impulsively; perhaps when she went out, she never expected to go so far. That's why she didn't wear socks or greet the cook—because Zhu thought she'd be back quickly. As for whether the cook was harmed before or after Zhu's attack, that question remains unanswered. If one recalls what the shopkeeper said before, dead people can indeed speak; it's just a matter of determining who came first by examining the bodies of both Zhu and the cook.
Do you think this Yun Family gathering is like Divine Capital Luoyang? Do you think we can just enter and exit as we please? Dead people can talk, but right now we can't see these dead people. Besides, we're just casually chatting and guessing; we're neither trying to help that beggar seek justice nor trying to act as officials overturning a case—there's no need to be so serious about it."
"Clearly it's the shopkeeper who's taking this seriously while we're being casual," Li Mao scoffed, cracking her whip hard against the ground before shouting "Go!"
"The customs of the Golden Tang Dynasty are much more lenient towards women compared to previous dynasties. However, even with this leniency, it's still inappropriate for women from common families to receive guests barefoot. Whether it's outsiders or even in front of their husbands and parents, it can be seen as lacking decorum. But while there are standards and rules, poor families often don't adhere to them.
It's not that they don't have standards; rather, their actual circumstances don't allow for it. For instance, in farming families, unmarried girls and married women must work in the fields just like men do. With little money at home, they might choose to go barefoot while working in order to save on buying shoes and socks when conditions permit. Yet even in farming families during harsh winter months, they wouldn't walk around barefoot.
Thus A Niu speculated whether there might be such a situation: perhaps Zhu never actually walked out alive from that bedroom; instead, the cook arrived at the main courtyard after Zhu had been attacked and happened upon the murderer coming out from inside—someone she recognized—which led him to commit murder.
In other words, perhaps the murderer only intended to kill Zhu."
After A Niu finished speaking, he glanced at Xing Ruyi with somewhat uncertain eyes. Xing Ruyi nodded lightly in response. A Niu let out a breath and was about to say something more when he suddenly realized that their carriage had stopped again. Looking up, he saw an old woman leaning against the doorframe as she opened the cotton curtain before him, causing him to instinctively stand up and bump his head with a "thud."
"Who are you? What are you doing in this mountain?" Although the Old Woman was blind, her ears were very sharp. Hearing the sound of hooves, she knew that those who came were not here to seek Changshan guests. "If you are lost, please go back the way you came. When you reach the seventh intersection, turn right, and after a short walk, you will see Town; if you have come to the mountains looking for wild goods, please turn back. Don't be fooled by the dense Plants on this mountain; there is actually not much wildlife here. Even now in winter, during summer and autumn, it is quiet here, and you won't even see a single bird; if you are here to gather herbs, please follow the road in front of my house southward. Cross over two mountains, and you will reach Wild Herb Valley. There grow Plowhead Grass, Lychee Grass, Dwarf Tea, and some White Hair. Although I don't understand them well, they can still be sold for some money; if you are going to see the Temple of the Goddess, please turn back. That temple is unlucky and there is nothing worth seeing."
"Mother, it's me, A Niu. I brought a Female Doctor with me; she can help you with your eyes." A Niu said as he jumped down from the Carriage and walked to the Old Woman's side. "Madam, this is my mother. Usually, people come to this mountain often; my mother's eyes cannot see, so when she hears the sound of hooves, she thinks strangers have come into the mountains. Please don't mind her; come inside!"
Although Xing Ruyi knew that the Old Woman could not see, she still smiled shyly and walked gently to the Old Woman's side, taking her other hand. "Hello, Mother. My name is Fox Demon. I heard from A Niu that your eyes are not well; I have studied medicine for a few years and specialize in treating eyes, so A Niu asked me to come help you."
"Fox Demon? That's a nice name; I suppose your parents hoped you would be clever in everything," the Old Woman said as she patted Xing Ruyi's hand. Looking down, she caught a whiff of the Rouge fragrance on Xing Ruyi mixed with a faint Herbal Medicine scent. Her tightly furrowed brows relaxed a bit as she gently held Xing Ruyi's wrist and led her into the house. "In this rural place and out in these mountains, there isn't much to offer a distinguished guest. A Niu, quickly bring out those wild Chrysanthemums we gathered. Madam, don't look down on these wild Chrysanthemums; they may not be precious but taste quite good when brewed into tea. They clear heat and relieve fire—perfect for this dry season. Also, bring out those stored mountain goods as well. It's rare for a distinguished person who can treat illnesses to visit us; we must treat her well."
"Thank you, Mother; but there's no need for mountain goods. I just had Turnip Cake at home, and my stomach is still feeling full," Xing Ruyi replied.
"You also love Turnip Cake?"
"I do love it; it's just that I don't make it very well," Xing Ruyi said as she glanced at the stove.
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