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墨書 Inktalez
Xia Muxin laughed even more heartily, thinking it was time to teach the Zhou Yousheng family a lesson for being so lazy and gluttonous.
Just when she thought the matter had come to a close, the Zhou Family came looking for trouble that very afternoon. They arrived with unfinished bread and pastries, a group of four or five, hands on their hips, shouting insults at the entrance of Xia Muxin's yard.
Their words grew increasingly harsh, making it impossible for the villagers working nearby to focus.
In this world, who isn’t gossipy? Especially in a small village like theirs, even the slightest disturbance would gather everyone together for hours of discussion.
In just one night, the Wu Family, the You Family, and Zhou Yousheng had all lost considerable weight; their hip bones were protruding, and their eye sockets were deep-set. With dark circles under their eyes resembling those of pandas, they looked quite alarming.
"I’m telling you, Xia Tieshu, this heartless behavior will surely bring retribution. Even if we take this to the Government, we have our reasons. If you don’t compensate us with a few hundred taels of silver, we won’t let this go."
Originally, this family had been secretly pleased about having food to eat these past few days. However, before they could even finish celebrating, they were left feeling drained. From last night until noon today, they had been running to the toilet so often that they felt like their insides were about to give out. They thought they needed some sort of explanation; after all, how could someone run a business and produce such toxic food? If this got out to the supermarket, who would dare eat anything from them again? So after some discussion, they were convinced that the Xia Family would have to pay them a hefty sum in compensation, which gave them the audacity to demand an explanation.
With all this commotion, the villagers dropped their work to watch the spectacle. Even Yang Dadong and his wife were called over. Of course, this was instigated by Zhou Guilian who had spread the word through Liu Mazi and others.
Even Zhou Qinglian and Wang Dafu—who usually kept to themselves—showed up. Wang Shoucai had gone to Kyoto and was now missing; his family's fate rested in Wang Dafu's hands. However, Wang Dafu was a typical wastrel who indulged in drinking and gambling. In less than a year, he had squandered most of his family's wealth and was on the verge of mortgaging their home. Fortunately for him, Meng Family was formidable; the property remained under her and Wang Shoucai's name. Even if others wanted to seize it from them, they lacked the means.
After falling into ruin, their land was returned to the villagers. Yet in this village, they were treated like pariahs—everyone wanted to see them suffer. After this incident, they rarely ventured outside. Meng Family had been bedridden out of anger for nearly six months now; it was uncertain whether she would survive the winter.
Clearly, although Zhou Qinglian’s clothing was decent enough, it was evident that her garments were outdated and her accessories were not in vogue.
Seeing the Zhou family crying so sorrowfully made her wipe her tears as well. With a voice full of anguish she lamented:
"What kind of people are these? Even without this familial connection, how can they harm my family like this? They are old and frail; how can they withstand such torment? The medical expenses will be astronomical! Not a single person has stepped forward to speak on our behalf; it seems they are determined not to let us live in peace."
Upon hearing Zhou Qinglian's words, Liu Mazi and several others echoed her sentiments in outrage. Each person chimed in with indignation; some even had veins bulging from their necks. It was clear how desperately they wanted those few hundred taels from the Xia Family.
"What’s going on? We made all of this ourselves. How could there be a problem? Besides, how did your family manage to get so much food?"
Aunt Liu grew increasingly suspicious. The Xia Family had long severed ties with the Zhou Family, and knowing Xia Muxin's character, she would never share food with them, even if it meant giving it to the villagers or feeding chickens. So she spoke up.
Moreover, all of this came from the Workshop; the Xia Family had no involvement in it at all. Everything was done step by step according to procedure, and the hygiene standards at the Workshop were impeccable. Muxin had thoughtfully provided everyone with two sets of clothing for the hot weather, making it convenient for them to change. Even when entering the Workshop, they had to tie up their hair and wear cloth caps. Therefore, she found it utterly unbelievable that anyone could get sick from eating this food.
If anyone were to be blamed for this incident, it certainly wouldn’t be those who worked there.
Perhaps someone had maliciously tampered with the food...
"I was just about to ask that! When has their family ever been so kind? Suddenly giving us so much food, we were grateful and ate it right away. Who would have thought that they had poisoned it? They wanted to put our family in danger..."
Aunt Liu's question hit the nail on the head as Wu Family twisted their murky eyes and began to cry out of fear.
"What happened? Does everyone know that my poisoned bait meant for rats was stolen? Did that person eat it? Are they dead? Oh... If I had known, I would have used less poison; I wouldn't have caused a death. And who would dare steal something like this? It’s just unfortunate that they stole poisoned food. My family has already reported it to the authorities. We were planning to wait for them to come down before making any decisions, but the poison acted too quickly. Tell me, whose family member has died?"
Just as everyone was speculating about the cause and effect of this incident, Xia Muxin emerged. She was surprised to see so many people gathered at her door but quickly put on a look of realization and offered a brief explanation.
"Bah! You’re the one who’s going to die; we won’t."
Upon hearing Xia Muxin curse them, Wu Family spat on the ground at her doorstep and shouted angrily.
"So it's your family! I thought our village had always been good-natured, with everyone working diligently and honestly. But there are always a few rotten apples..."
Wu Family's outburst only revealed their own flaws. Xia Muxin had clearly stated that all that food was meant for rats, yet the Zhou Family shamelessly stole it and now came looking for trouble after something went wrong. Their audacity...
It truly was despicable.
"Muxin, you prepared so much food for rats?"
Tang Sanwan had always envied Xia Muxin's family's success and felt frustrated every time she tried to oppose her, only to fail repeatedly. Although she had distanced herself from the Wang Family, most people in the village still sided with the Xia Family. She found it hard to move around in the village since few were willing to associate with her family. Yet she never reflected on her own actions; instead, she blamed everything on Xia Muxin's family.
She believed that their family must have prospered, so she incited the villagers to ostracize her. At this moment, having caught an opportunity, how could she stand by and do nothing?
Moreover, no matter how wealthy a person is, they shouldn't be so cruel-hearted as to feed such good food to rats. Isn't that a sign of brutality? At the same time, isn't it also a metaphor suggesting that these people are even worse than rats?
After all, there were very few in the village who could enjoy such delicacies. Even if someone could afford it, they would only be able to taste it and wouldn't have the means to satisfy their cravings.
If the villagers were to learn how black-hearted this person was, they would surely turn against him. At that point, it would be interesting to see how he would manage in the village.
"You've hit the nail on the head. The hundreds of acres of Cotton Field and Sweet Potato in Dayao Village are being ravaged by rats every day. The village chief said he has tried many methods to no avail. If this continues, these beasts will ruin the cotton, and as for the Sweet Potatoes, let's not even mention them. My family is counting on these for monthly payments to everyone. So we racked our brains trying to find a solution. In the end, we threw some food into the Cotton Field, but it was devoured completely. Unfortunately, that food wasn't poisoned; we wasted a piece of bread as big as my palm. Oh... how heartbreaking."
Hmph, does she really think I’m afraid of her? When it comes to deception, there are few in the entire Tianli Kingdom who can compare with me.
Xia Muxin provided a series of reasonable explanations that left everyone convinced. Moreover, this issue with rats was common; everyone hated them and wished they would disappear from the world because every year their harvests were stolen by these rodents. In everyone's hearts, they loathed these rats.
Furthermore, what Xia Muxin mentioned involved their monthly payments. Even if she spent a large sum of silver to buy dozens of pounds of meat and poisoned it to kill those rats, it wouldn’t make any difference.
This was a significant matter; it couldn't be taken lightly.
Xia Muxin's words left the Zhou Family speechless. Even those who had come just to gossip lowered their heads. The facts proved that it was indeed the Zhou Family who had stolen food from the Xia Family; how dare they come out and accuse the Xia Family?
It was truly a stroke of luck that they weren't poisoned.
The three members of the Wu Family stared wide-eyed like copper bells, but everyone else was already pointing fingers at them and shaking their heads in disappointment. After cursing at the villagers for a few moments, they left in disgrace.
"Muxin, next time you encounter such matters, be tougher so that these shameless people don’t take advantage and then act innocent when they come asking for justice. It would be better if they got poisoned," Aunt Liu advised Xia Muxin as she saw everyone leaving one by one. Their family relied on the Xia Family now; their relationship had always been good. Moreover, Aunt Liu had seen clearly how thick-skinned the Zhou Family was; since nothing happened this time, they would surely continue stealing next time. A single rat dropping could spoil an entire pot of porridge; this family's actions had tarnished the reputation of Daimiao Village.
"Aunt Liu is right. Muxin, you should be harsh with such people; otherwise, they won't know to repent."
The village chief spoke with deep sorrow, lamenting how much they had suffered at the hands of the Zhou Family over the years.
It was disheartening to see their true colors once again, a sight that made one feel nauseous.
"Thank you all for your concern. If there is a next time, I will make sure they pay for it."
*
Days passed quickly, and soon it was harvest season once more.
The Xia Family did not have much land, but they had plenty of hands to help. As was customary during this time, the Thresher was in high demand, and dozens had been ordered in just a few days. The Summer Forest father and son were so busy that they hardly had time to drink water. Shen Muhan was also occupied, assisting them with the chains and oil.
Finding machine oil in this era was no easy task; it could only be sourced from the western regions. Fortunately, Su Yan-Chu had managed to bring back a large barrel. Luckily, this oil was durable, and they wouldn't need much during the harvest season.
Since most of the villagers were placing orders, Xia Muxin not only kept the prices low but also offered some oil as part of the deal. With this oil, harvesting the rice for the entire village would be no problem.
"Er Dan, what are you doing standing at the door? Have you eaten? Is your family harvesting today?"
Early in the morning, Aunt Xia began setting the table for breakfast when she spotted Er Dan hesitating outside the yard. She couldn't help but raise her voice.
"Sister-in-law, we only have a small plot of land at home; we finished harvesting it in two days. With so many kids around and so many mouths to feed at home, not everyone can go out to work in the fields. I thought I’d come over first to help you with your rice harvest; I can take my time with my own."
Er Dan scratched his head awkwardly as he stepped inside and explained.
Upon hearing this, Aunt Xia broke into a wide smile and teased him, "You silly boy! From now on, we’re all family; why act so distant? We won’t refuse your help, but you should also know your limits. If your rice can indeed wait two more days to be harvested, then let’s finish up here first. Afterward, we can all go together to harvest your side. We’re family; there’s no need for formality. Come on, sit down at the table! You need to fill your belly before working!"
At that moment, Xia Jihua came out carrying a large bowl of Century Egg and Lean Meat Porridge, steaming and fragrant. Seeing this, Er Dan hurried over to take it from her while playfully chiding her:
"Why aren't you wrapping it in cloth? What if you burn your hand?"
As she spoke, she walked over to the table and placed the large bowl of porridge in the center. Aunt Xia smiled broadly at the sight of Xia Jihua's flushed face and patted her shoulder before going inside to fetch other dishes.
The breakfast was quite lavish, with porridge as just a side dish, accompanied by cold dishes, buns, pancakes, and Wowo Bread. Of course, all of these were filled; otherwise, Xia Muxin would not have it any other way. After all, money earned is meant to be spent, and if one can't even satisfy their own hunger, what’s the point of earning?
According to Xia Muxin, no matter what losses one incurs, they must not skimp on their own meals.
The family enjoyed a hearty breakfast. Several women stayed home to manage household chores, especially with the children around. Laundry would take up half the day due to the hot weather. The number of breads had decreased significantly, and Xia Muxin wouldn't let Yan Zhouwan work herself too hard. The oven was already hot enough; overheating would only cause suffering.
After the meal, all the men except for Shen Muhan went out to the fields. Shen Muqing headed to Town while Shen Muhan went to Tea County to handle some matters. He had initially wanted to take Xia Muxin with him, but the heat was unbearable and the road bumpy. Since her monthly cycle had just ended, he didn't want her to tire herself out and decided to go alone. Yan Zhouwan and Xia Muxin followed Aunt Xia to the riverbank to wash clothes while Xia Jihua prepared Mung Bean Porridge and Salt Ginger Water to send to the men working.
At home were Ermiao and four children.
Xue Er was watching over them, managing everything without needing adult assistance—feeding, changing, and caring for them all.
The two younger ones were still unable to walk, just a few months old, lying in bed while Ermiao entertained them with cooing sounds.
Due to the busy farming season, the Workshop had been closed for five days. The Golden Python family was on guard outside the yard, watching over both Workshops as well as the nearby chicken coop and fish pond.
A few days ago, they heard that a farmer from a neighboring village had his fish pond poisoned; all the fish were lost. That family relied solely on that pond for their livelihood and was devastated enough to cry out loud and even report it to the county office. Xia Muxin kept this in mind and instructed the Golden Python family to keep watch; if there were indeed any ill-intentioned individuals around, they could teach them a harsh lesson.
She wouldn’t mind if they lost an arm or a leg.
"Muxin, next month you'll be fourteen. Are you planning on having children?"
Xia Muxin was washing her undergarment while mentally critiquing its shortcomings; it was too loose-fitting. Every time Shen Muhan reached out, he could easily touch her. She wanted to tease him but felt disadvantaged since she had to loosen his clothes first. Just as she was lost in thought, Aunt Xia suddenly asked.
They had been married for six months now; typically, couples would have children by this time. Moreover, this son-in-law valued his daughter more than his own life. In this era, a woman's ability to bear children was crucial. Aunt Xia had long wanted to ask but hadn’t found an opportunity due to how inseparable the couple seemed. Today, she finally found her chance.
Yan Zhouwan also paused her scrubbing, looking at Xia Muxin with a puzzled expression.
Xia Muxin felt that not wanting to have children was offending someone, so she explained, "Mother, we are still young. Besides, this supermarket has just opened two branches. If we have a child now, it would be inconvenient."
She was planning to open the third supermarket in Kyoto, and during this time, she had already discussed it with her husband. Once the Kyoto supermarket opened, she could comfortably focus on her pregnancy and childbirth. Shen Muhan had been very excited when he heard about it; the main reason for their trip to Tea County was because of this.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Having children is a major life event for women. You’re not short on money now; even if you don’t think about yourselves, you should think about Mu Han's child."
What kind of man in his twenties doesn’t have children? If they weren’t married, that could be excused, but these two were not only married but also very affectionate. It was bound to raise eyebrows.
Xia Muxin frowned slightly and noticed Yan Zhouwan chuckling to herself. She responded, "I understand. We will work hard on it."
If Shen Muhan heard this, he would definitely plan to stay in bed for three days straight to demonstrate how hard he was working to create their next generation.
She remembered that just the second night after her period ended, he couldn’t hold back anymore. He thought just once would be enough for her health, but what did "just once" even mean? She could count five times on her fingers now; while she was asleep, he didn’t even know how many times it had been.
This guy truly embodied a wolf.
Suddenly, she felt that being a married woman was quite tough.
Seeing her like this, Aunt Xia didn’t press her further. After all, Xia Muxin was the most sensible one in the family. She always thought she was still too young and not ready for children yet. However, Shen Muhan wasn’t young anymore; his family would likely start urging him as well. If they didn’t have a child in a year or two, it would surely become a topic of gossip. Those who didn’t know the situation would definitely talk behind their backs, and she feared it might affect their relationship.
"Alright, it's done. Let’s head back early to prepare dinner," Xia Muxin said.
From a distance, she spotted several members of the Zhou family rushing towards them with wooden basins in hand, urging them along.
Moreover, there were only a few people in the Zhou family; one person washing was already more than enough. Having three people come over was definitely not a good sign.
Moreover, these two families had just fought a smoke-free battle, and the Zhou family was defeated miserably. Given their temperament, they would definitely not let it go easily.
Aunt Xia and Yan Zhouwan watched the Wu family, You family, and Zhou Guilian bustling about, their mouths twitching. After hearing Xia Muxin's words, they quickly washed the last piece of clothing in their hands. By the time the three of them rushed over, panting, they stood up holding a basin full of clean clothes.
"Hey, who are these people? This Daimiao Village belongs to the Ouyang family. Except for that one piece of land, some people are just thick-skinned, taking advantage of others' water and land to wash their clothes."
When You family saw Xia Muxin and the others about to leave, they placed the basin on the ground and said sarcastically.
Xia Muxin almost burst out laughing; if You family had any brains, they were certainly less clever than a pig.
She was left speechless.
She exchanged a glance with Yan Zhouwan and her mother; both understood and completely ignored You family as they headed towards home.
"Hey, you really don't know how to appreciate kindness. This land belongs to the Ouyang family; your land is right there—a small piece. Don't walk where you shouldn't. This path was made with sweat and footprints; outsiders have to pay to pass through."
"I think you're going crazy over money!"
- End of Chapter -
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