"Mother, what are you looking at?" Li An peeked into the alleyway, but it was pitch black and there was nothing there.
"No, I didn't see anything." Ye Yunniang shook her head, silently telling herself that Zhang Er's life or death had nothing to do with her, so she shouldn't overthink it.
Thinking this, Ye Yunniang closed the courtyard gate and pulled Li An back to the house to rest.
Liang Maimiao arrived at the Li family's house on the afternoon of the third day, accompanied by Granny Xu.
"My parents are going to the mortuary. Do you want me to bring some paper money?"
"Yes, thank you for your trouble, Aunt Xu." Ye Yunniang handed the money she had prepared earlier to Granny Xu, asking her to burn an extra bundle of paper money for her.
Granny Xu took the money from Ye Yunniang's hand. "You talk to Mai Miao, we're leaving now."
Mrs. Xu and her husband, along with several other elderly people or those with strong birth charts, went to the mortuary together.
After watching them walk away, Ye Yunniang and Liang Maimiao went back into the house to talk.
"These past few days have been terrifying." Before Ye Yunniang could ask, Liang Maimiao began to recount her harrowing experiences over the past three days.
On the day of the execution, Liang Maimiao and her mother arrived at the execution ground under the guidance of the yamen runners.
When they arrived, they discovered that Zhang Er wasn't the only one being executed; Wang Daxing and another stranger were also going to be beheaded.
Having made their choice, Liang Maimiao and her mother approached a man they didn't know.
They gave the roast chicken they brought to the other party and also gave his family five taels of silver to obtain his consent.
The mother and daughter stood guard below this man.
During this time, she also met Granny Zhang, Zhang Da, Zhang San, and others. Feeling embarrassed, Liang Maimiao hid behind her mother, afraid to peek out, lest she be seen.
When the time came, the execution was carried out.
The heads of the three men were chopped off simultaneously, and blood splattered everywhere.
"I was so scared that I tried to hide under the platform. My mother was brave and rushed up to me, not caring that she would get wet." Liang Maimiao gagged twice as she said this.
Ye Yunniang poured ginger and brown sugar tea for her.
After drinking the entire beverage and feeling warm all over, Liang Mai Miao continued her story.
After dipping the steamed bun in the sauce, Liang Maimiao was hurriedly pulled away by her mother. She only glanced at the Zhang family collecting the body, no one asked about Wang Daxing, and the stranger was a young boy collecting the body.
Liang Maimiao and her mother took a donkey cart to her cousin's house in the countryside overnight.
"My cousin ate the steamed bun." Liang Maimiao said, then vomited twice more, took a big gulp of ginger tea to relieve the nausea.
“My uncle passed away before he could finish his steamed bun.” Liang Maimiao fell silent at this point.
"Please accept my condolences." Ye Yunniang got up and went to the kitchen, filled a pot with ginger and brown sugar tea, and poured it for Liang Maimiao.
"My cousin's family blamed my mother, saying that the time she brought the item was wrong, which caused my cousin's death."
"They locked my daughter and me in the woodshed and made our family pay to ransom us." Liang Maimiao said with a snort of a laugh.
“My mother spent 16 taels of silver on my cousin’s sake. Not only did they not give us the silver, they also demanded that our family give them another 100 taels of silver to compensate for my cousin’s life.”
Did you give it to them?
“How could they possibly give it to us? My father and elder brother, along with dozens of relatives, went to my cousin’s house, smashed up the mourning hall, and took back 10 taels of silver.” Liang Maimiao said with satisfaction at the end.
"Should."
“Yes, they deserved it.” Liang Maimiao’s eyes reddened as she said this.
Ye Yunniang handed over the handkerchief.
Liang Maimiao took the handkerchief and wiped away her tears. "What kind of mother is that in the world?"
On the way back to the city, she kept blaming me. She said that if I hadn't suggested not using Zhang Er's food, maybe my uncle would have been saved. She said it was all my fault for causing the family to lose money. Liang Maimiao became more and more upset as she spoke. She really didn't expect her own mother to say such things to her.
"She even made me pay her back the remaining six taels of silver." Liang Maimiao said, clenching her fist and slamming it on the table to vent her dissatisfaction.
Did you pay compensation?
"No. I won't pay. I'm already married, and the Xu family is my home for the rest of my life. The Liang family is just a guest. If they don't like me, I won't go."
Ye Yunniang didn't try to persuade her; there was no point in trying to persuade her about this. She simply poured Liang Maimiao another cup of ginger and brown sugar tea.
"I can't drink anymore. My stomach will explode if I drink any more." Liang Maimiao refused with a smile, but her smile faded when she saw the red wedding dress in the embroidery basket next to her.
"Where is the embroidery on the wedding dress?"
"It will be finished in five more days."
"Yunniang, you are truly amazing." Liang Maimiao reached out to touch the wedding dress, but then withdrew her hand.
It took Ye Yunniang five days to pack up her wedding dress and deliver it to the Liang family.
Ye Yunniang knocked on the Liang family's door.
Yang Guihua opened the courtyard gate. "Who are you looking for?"
"Sister Yunniang, you've arrived." Liang Hemiao came out upon hearing the voice, recognized Ye Yunniang, and walked to the door with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.
"The wedding dress is finished," Ye Yunniang replied, bringing a big smile to Liang Hemiao's face.
"Leave the wedding dress to me." The gentle voice was gone; Yang Guihua's tone was cold.
“Mother.” Liang Hemiao tugged at Yang Guihua’s hand, reminding her to be mindful of her attitude.
"Try it on first and see if it fits. If it doesn't, I'll take it back and alter it," Ye Yunniang said to Liang Hemiao, unconcerned about Yang Guihua's attitude.
"Oh, okay." Liang Hemiao took the wedding dress and went inside to try it on.
Yang Guihua turned and left with her, leaving Ye Yunniang alone in the yard.
"Ye Xiuniang, have some tea." Liang Hemiao's sister-in-law, Yang Xue, brought over the tea.
"Thank you," Ye Yunniang said, accepting the gift.
"No need to be so polite, Ye Xiuniang. I especially love the handkerchiefs with cat and dog embroidery patterns sold at the Baise Embroidery Shop." Yang Xue was very enthusiastic and took out a handkerchief with a kitten scratching a ball to show Ye Xiuniang.
The two talked for a while, using handkerchiefs as covers.
Liang Hemiao finished trying on clothes inside the house and came out.
"Sister Yunniang, the clothes fit perfectly and are very nice. Thank you," Liang Hemiao said again.
"It's not very good either," Yang Guihua interrupted coldly.
“Mother.” Liang Hemiao frowned. Ever since her mother returned from her cousin’s house, she had been talking to everyone as if they owed her money.
“I’m stating the facts. How did you embroider this? You didn’t even trim the loose threads properly.” Yang Guihua unfolded the veil in her hand.
At the finishing touches, there was a loose thread that wasn't cut off.
"I didn't notice," Ye Yunniang admitted her mistake.
"Just because you made one mistake, you can get away with it?" Yang Guihua persisted.
What do you want?
"What kind of attitude is this? You have a problem with your embroidery, and you won't let people point it out? It's your fault, so your wages will be deducted." As she spoke, Yang Guihua took out 10 coins.
"Mother, it was supposed to be one tael of silver." Liang Hemiao's voice was a little loud; her mother's actions were too shameful.
"Sister Yunniang, don't worry, I will definitely pay you your wages." Liang Hemiao said, heading back into the house to get the money.
"You're not allowed to go." Yang Guihua grabbed Liang Hemiao's hand.
"Ye Xiuniang, here's your wages." Yang Xue took out one tael of silver and handed it to Ye Yunniang.
Yang Guihua snatched it away, saying, "This family is in my own hands, and it's not your place to tell me what to do."
"Mother, I beg you. Give the money to Ye Yunniang." Liang Hemiao pleaded with Yang Guihua.
"Is there a problem with the wedding dress?"
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