☆, Chapter 123: Innocence Preserved
The three men were bandits who had sneaked all the way from Ganzhou. A few days ago, they arrived at Chahua Village and witnessed a burly man with a thick beard killing someone. The three were frightened and dared not steal anything, so they ran away. Unexpectedly, when they escaped to Hehua Village, they saw the same burly man killing someone again.
Having witnessed both actions, the burly man with the bushy beard decided to kill them. The three fought with him but gained no advantage and were instead injured. The burly man tied them up on the mountain and told them to come to the city in three days or he would kill them. He also said that if they were caught by the authorities, they must not betray him, or they would still be killed.
Today is the third day. The three originally wanted to run away, but early in the morning, the burly man with a bushy beard appeared and escorted them all the way to the city gate. He said that the whole county was full of his men, and if they didn't go in, or said something they shouldn't have after going in, he would immediately kill the three of them.
"These sachets and the dagger were taken from that burly, bearded man. He also asked them to deliver a message," Lord Zhao paused, looking at Zhou Mujiao, "that he said he would be waiting for you in the capital."
With the testimonies of these three petty thieves, both Zhao Yunjing and Lord Chen's innocence was preserved.
However, the identity of that burly man with a bushy beard, why he said he was waiting for Zhou Mujiao in the capital, and how the sachet and dagger that Zhao Yunjing always carried ended up in the hands of the burly man remain mysteries to this day.
“The academy is not safe anymore, Brother Zhao. Be careful from now on. No matter how much homework you have, don’t forget to exercise.”
"good."
As a local official, Lord Chen was considered quite good in Taohua County, so on the day of his funeral, almost the entire town's population came to pay their respects.
Zhou Mujiao and Zhao Yunjing also went, but they did not show themselves; instead, they mingled in the crowd.
Watching Young Master Chen and Miss Chen walk under a sky full of yellow paper, dressed in mourning clothes, Zhou Mujiao couldn't help but sigh.
In just half a year, Young Master Chen and Miss Chen went from being arrogant playboys and willful heiresses to adults who had no father to care for them and were forced to grow up overnight. It's truly unpredictable how things turn out.
Two days before the eve of the Lunar New Year, the new house was completed and handed over.
All the furniture had been ordered long ago, and they could move in as soon as it was delivered. The weather had been great these past few days, with plenty of sunshine, so Zhou Mujiao had the furniture and other items brought back to air out for a few days. It would be perfect to move in around the 28th of the lunar year.
After the children finished building the workshop, they all liked to wander around inside. The girls from the embroidery workshop also liked to stroll around the new workshop after lunch, and their faces were full of anticipation.
The New Year is just around the corner. Thanks to Zhou Mujiao, most of the people in Peach Blossom Village can have a good New Year this year. Those villagers who were too embarrassed to visit the Zhou family's new house just watched from the pavilion on the hillside, thinking that in two more years, when they have money, they will also build a beautiful house like the Zhou family's!
Zhou Mujiao led the children in a final cleaning of the house. Looking at the bright and spacious house, she smiled sweetly.
The Zhao family's new house and the Zhou family's new house stand side by side, each with its own gate. However, an archway was built in the wall between the two houses. When the archway is closed at night, it becomes a separate home; when it is opened during the day, it becomes a family home.
After washing her hands, Xiao Wu walked over with a troubled look on her face: "Sister, it's almost Chinese New Year."
“Yes, the New Year is almost here.” Xiao Wu has grown so fast in the last two months that he’s already half a head taller than Liu Liu. “We have our own house now. From now on, we won’t have to worry about being kicked out of the house by our uncles anymore, and we won’t have to worry about going hungry anymore.”
Xiao Wu sat down next to her, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke again: "Um... isn't the old lady our real elder?"
"Probably."
Why did you say "approximately"?
Even if they aren't truly caring for you or protecting you, they are still your elders.
"So... what will she eat during the Lunar New Year?"
Zhou Mujiao smiled and said, "Xiao Wu wants to bring the old lady over to celebrate the New Year together?"
Xiao Wu bit her lip and asked cautiously, "Sister, is it okay?"
"Of course you can." Zhou Mujiao patted his thin shoulder. "Our Xiao Wu is already eight years old. Although he can't stand tall yet, he's a little man now. A man can do whatever he wants. Do you want to go ask him yourself, or should I go with you?"
Xiao Wu had only met the old lady once. Although he wanted to get closer to her, he was still a little embarrassed because they hadn't had much contact. So Zhou Mujiao went with him.
In the Jiang family's courtyard, Xiao Wu stammered, "Grandma, my sister and I have finished building our new house, but we don't have any elders at home... My sister and I get along very well with you, Grandma. It's almost Chinese New Year, and we wonder if you would be willing to come to our house to celebrate the New Year with us?"
The old lady was both surprised and touched. She turned to look at Jiang Wuyu, who said, "The old lady is my mother. You've invited my mother to your home for the New Year, to be an elder in your family. You can't leave me out."
"It's great that Uncle Jiang is willing to come along!" Xiao Wu said happily. "With Uncle Jiang and the old lady there, those people from the Zhou family will never dare to bully us again."
Zhou Mujiao and her brother went out and brought back an old lady. The old lady had a kind face and looked somewhat like the Zhou siblings. The villagers were too embarrassed to ask, but they all said in secret that the old lady was Zhou Mujiao's maternal grandmother and Uncle Jiang was her maternal uncle.
Aunt Zhou, carrying a load of clothes from the riverbank, heard the discussion and spat, "What kind of maternal grandparents and uncles are they! Bai Xiuzhu lost her parents before she married into the family, and her older brother died less than two years after she got married. They didn't even leave any descendants! These two are obviously beggars picked up from the roadside! They're so desperate for relatives, yet they dare to call themselves successful. Bah!"
"If people would rather take in someone from the street as a gift than give you, their real relatives, a second glance, it means you're not even as good as a beggar on the street! If you're not even as good as a beggar, then what's there to be proud of?"
Aunt Zhou was so angry that she gritted her teeth and said, "I'll see how long she can be so arrogant!"
Eighteen appeared silently behind her and said in a low voice, "I'll let you in on a little secret, my sister Jiaojiao can be arrogant until she's a hundred!"
Taking advantage of moving into the new house, Zhou Mujiao formally introduced Grandma Li and Jiang Wuyu to the villagers, addressing them as Grandma and Uncle. As soon as these titles were used, Zhou's family became the laughing stock of the whole village again. Zhou's uncle was both angry and annoyed, but dared not do anything, because every time he did, they would be the ones who got into trouble.
"This Zhou Mujiao is too eerie! I suspect she might be raising a ghost in her house!"
"Just wait, if you raise a ghost, you'll definitely suffer the backlash!"
After the New Year, Zhao Yunjing returned to the academy. Zhou Mujiao sent the sixth and ninth days of the lunar new year, as well as Xiao Wu, to the village school in the neighboring village. To make it easier for them to go to and from school, Zhou Mujiao built a shortcut to the village school while the village road was being repaired. She also built a large drying ground in a sunny spot.
Before long, it was spring plowing season. Zhao Yunjing returned from the academy and led the villagers into the busy farming season.
Three months later, the millet was ready for harvest.
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