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Suddenly slapped for no reason, Li Nan's Mother was momentarily stunned. She lay on the ground, staring blankly at the ceiling, unable to gather her thoughts.
Her cheek throbbed painfully; this sensation was completely different from when she slapped others. Back then, her palm hurt, but inside, she felt an immense satisfaction.
The lights in the bedroom suddenly brightened, and Li Nan's Mother saw her deceased mother-in-law sitting on the bed, while Dead Man Da Kui stood beside her with an honest expression. The look in her mother-in-law's eyes was nothing like the kind warmth she remembered; instead, it was cold and venomous, like a snake lurking in a grass nest.
Li Nan's Mother couldn't help but shiver and called out softly, "Mother!"
"Hum!" The old lady responded displeasedly and pointed towards the kitchen outside. "What time is it? Why aren't you quickly making dinner for Da Kui? Also, how long has it been since you chopped firewood in the yard? It's getting colder; do you want us to freeze to death? And that water tank—why is there only half a tank of water? If you can't fill it before dinner, don't even think about eating!"
Li Nan's Mother was filled with frustration, but now she was facing two ghosts, not living people. Even if she was angry, she couldn't express it; she could only respond sullenly and go to the kitchen to cook.
While cooking, she occasionally glanced outside from the corner of her eye. Corpse Granny sat in her bedroom while the ghostly man silently followed her like a supervisor.
After finishing the meal, she went to chop firewood! When she picked up the heavy axe, she almost threw out her back. Li Nan's Mother found it strange; when she watched Honghua chop wood before, she never thought the axe was heavy. But now, holding it felt like carrying a block of iron weighing dozens of pounds. One swing down missed the wood and nearly hit her foot instead.
Tears of grievance fell from her eyes, but Corpse Granny continued to urge her from behind relentlessly.
One piece, two pieces, ten pieces, twelve pieces... By the time Li Nan's Mother chopped the eighteenth piece, she heard a rooster crowing.
All evil spirits fear the light. Li Nan's Mother glanced at her ghostly husband and noticed a slight change in his expression. Then came Corpse Granny's displeased voice: "Let’s stop here for today. The soup is too sweet, the vegetables are too salty, and these buns are steamed too hard. If it's still like this tomorrow, I’ll have Da Kui deal with you properly. Da Kui, remember this: you can't be good to your wife; you can't listen to her or indulge her. No mercy—hit hard and tear down the roof!"
Li Nan's Mother bit her lip in frustration; both hands were covered in blisters from chopping wood, and now they hurt deeply.
Finally, the ghostly man and Corpse Granny left. Li Nan's Mother let out a sigh of relief and collapsed weakly onto the ground before opening her mouth to cry loudly.
As she cried, she felt a coolness on her head. Opening her eyes revealed it was her son Li Nan.
"Nan'er! Nan'er! Please save your mother; you must stand up for me!"
"Mother! Did you have a dream?" Li Nan asked while holding a piece of cloth soaked in cold water. "What did you dream about? Why are you crying so fiercely even in your sleep?"
"A dream?" Li Nan's Mother wiped her face and finally realized that she was still lying on her own bed.
As she regained some composure and raised her hand to look at it, although it hurt a bit, there were no blisters from chopping wood. She quickly pulled on her clothes and went outside to take a look. In the yard were indeed eighteen pieces of chopped firewood; on the stove sat a pot with food inside that had already gone cold.
"It's real! It's all real!"
Li Nan's Mother whispered in fear, a layer of cold sweat forming on her forehead. Her legs felt weak, and she could barely stand.
"What is true? Mother, what are you talking about?"
"Nothing... nothing!" Li Nan's Mother leaned against the stove, taking a weak breath. "Nan'er, how long has it been since we visited your father and grandmother?"
"Many years, right? I’ve mentioned it to you several times, but Mother, Father and Grandmother have long turned to ashes; there’s no need for offerings."
"Is that how you speak to your mother?"
Li Nan initially thought so, but seeing his mother's strange expression, he swallowed the words and remained silent.
"Although your father was not a prominent figure and did not bring us any glory or good days, he is still your father who gave you life. If I don’t need to make offerings, then you, as my son, shouldn’t go either. Those who understand this know that you don’t grasp my deeper meaning; those who don’t might think I’m teaching you to be unfilial."
"The double silver coins at home are all managed by me; they are mine. If I were to offer sacrifices to Father and Grandmother, I would have to spend money on offerings. It would be better to save that money to buy you some meat," Li Nan said, feeling somewhat displeased as he looked at Mother's somewhat stingy face. "Not only did you not let me go when my father-in-law passed away, but you also didn’t allow Safflower to go empty-handed. Mother, there’s no one else living like you do."
"I’m doing this for your own good! Besides, what father-in-law? Safflower has already been divorced from the Li Family. Even if she became a ghost, her deceased father has nothing to do with us," Li Nan's Mother scolded, regaining some strength. "Hurry up and buy some things; we’re going to visit your father and grandmother! The New Year is approaching; we can’t let them be alone over there!"
"Except for the first three years after Father and Grandmother passed away, haven’t we been doing just fine every year?" Li Nan replied but did not move. "Let me be honest with you. The copper coins and loose silver you gave me before were partly used to buy rice and grain; the rest was spent on medicine for you. Right now, if I buy offerings for Father and Grandmother, I won’t even have money left for paper and ink for my studies. If you really want Father and Grandmother to have a good New Year, think of a way yourself. If there’s nothing else going on here, I’ll go study."
"Let me think of a way? What can a wife like me do?"
"When we didn’t have money before, you always had Safflower think of ways. She’s also a woman; if she can think of ways to earn money, so can you." Li Nan’s expression changed: "You’ve always said that I should focus on my studies and prepare for the imperial examination. As for the household chores like buying firewood and groceries, I shouldn’t worry about them. Yesterday when I bought rice and grain was already me being considerate; let’s leave the money-making matters to you for now!"
"You unfilial son! Do you want me to learn from Safflower and wash clothes for others?" Li Nan's Mother pointed at Li Nan.
"If you have other ways, that would be fine!" Li Nan’s gaze turned cold: "In those early years after Father and Grandmother passed away, didn’t you find a way to support me? Now let’s make it a little harder on you; once I pass the examination and become an official, I will surely repay you."
All the resentment and anger dissipated upon hearing Li Nan’s last words. Li Nan's Mother smiled: "It’s not that I want to be angry with you; it’s just that I’m getting old and can’t do those hard jobs anymore. Think about those years; how difficult it was for me. First your father passed away unexpectedly, then your grandmother followed suit; our family was so poor that we could barely make ends meet. Yet I still managed to raise you up and marry you off.
"But you're right; you're destined to become an official in the future and will be marrying into the Zhou family. It wouldn’t be appropriate for someone in your position to work like this. Don’t worry about the money; I’ll find a way so that you won’t suffer."
"What other ways do you have?"
Li Nan's Mother pulled at her lips: "I still have some jewelry saved from earlier years; although they aren’t valuable items, they can be pawned for some silver in case of emergency. You should also pay attention to matters concerning the Zhou family; as long as that works out, neither of us will have anything to worry about."
Regarding the Zhou family’s matters, Li Nan had heard his mother mention them once before and had taken it to heart. Having lived in poverty all his life, he originally hoped that the imperial examination would change his fate. However, now his master had presented him with an even better opportunity. Becoming an official was undoubtedly good, but someone like him without any background would still be assigned elsewhere even if he became the top scholar.
If luck is on his side, he might be able to become a governor in a more remote area. If luck is not on his side, he could end up as a seventh-rank county magistrate. With no power or influence at home, it would be nearly impossible for him to rise any further.
The new arrival in Luoyang City, Lord Xie Xuan, is a prime example. Despite being a Top Scholar, he was sent away for many years. If it weren't for the connections of the Xie Family, how could he have returned to the capital and attained his current position? Of course, he, Li Nan, cannot compare to Xie Xuan. Although the Xie Family does not have significant backing in court, they are still a prestigious family. Even as a seventh-rank county magistrate, they would not have to worry about food and drink. As for him? If he truly became a seventh-rank county magistrate, he would likely spend his entire life struggling in that position.
Therefore, rather than becoming an official, it would be better to listen to his mother and become a son-in-law of the Zhou Family. The Zhou Family has both official connections and multiple properties; even if he were to live carelessly, he could still enjoy a comfortable life.
Though Li Nan thought this way in his heart, he still put on a troubled expression: "I still need to think about marrying into the Zhou Family. After all, it's about taking a wife. I don't know what kind of person the Zhou Family Daughter is. If I end up marrying someone who doesn't please my mother, wouldn't that make things difficult for her?"
"The Zhou Family Daughter is not some country girl like Safflower; she is at least a wealthy young lady who is well-educated and sensible. I've already inquired about her; although her looks may not be the best in Luoyang City, she ranks among the top three. Years ago, there were rumors that the Emperor had taken a liking to her and intended to bestow her upon his son as a concubine once she came of age. It was only because the Zhou Family has no other daughters that this plan was abandoned. Just think about it—what kind of place is the palace? All the beauties are hidden away inside! If the Zhou Family Daughter's looks weren't outstanding enough, how could she have caught the Emperor's eye?"
Li Nan suddenly felt delighted at this thought but still tried to hide it: "These are just rumors; how can outsiders know what the Zhou Family Daughter really looks like?"
"Whether it's true or not, you'll see for yourself soon enough." Li Nan's mother said while rubbing her waist: "I've already found someone reliable to propose to the Zhou Family. The news should come back in a couple of days. Nan'er, just wait to be a good son-in-law of the Zhou Family!"
"What about Father and Grandmother?"
"Didn't I just say that? First, find some jewelry; you can pawn it to buy offerings for your father and grandmother and also share this good news with them. That way, they won't worry and keep me up at night!"
Thinking about last night made Li Nan's mother feel a chill; all the good mood she had from visiting the Zhou Family vanished in an instant!
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