Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Resurrection from the dead...
It's broad daylight, it's really weird.
Aunt Juhua slammed the door shut in fear. Snow fell on Xiao Xun's head. He knocked on the door again. "Aunt?"
Aunt Juhua opened the door, her eyes filled with surprise and fear. She grabbed Xiao Xun and touched his arm. He was alive. "You're really alive! Your parents moved away to the county town. They said they opened a restaurant on South Street. You should ask around. I'm not sure."
She thought Li Cuihua was talking nonsense, but she didn't expect Xiao Xun to be really alive. This was great.
Aunt Juhua had a good relationship with the Xiao family. She said, "Go quickly! What's going on? They said you died in the battle, and then Li Cuihua said you were still alive. I thought it was fake."
Li Cuihua never says anything true. Who would believe what she says?
Xiao Xun didn't know what was going on. He didn't answer, nor did he ask why his family moved away. He said, "I can't explain it right away. I'm going to the county town first."
Xiao Xun climbed onto his horse, its hooves sinking into the snow, each mark far apart. Aunt Juhua stood at the door for a long time. Li Cuihua from next door also pushed open the door and came out, but she only saw the back of her figure. She asked, "What's wrong? Who is that? Aren't you cold standing here?"
Aunt Juhua said, "Xiao Xun is back. I thought it was fake, but he really is back."
Li Cuihua's face froze. "I... I was delivering a letter. How could I lie to you?"
After saying that, she quickly closed the door. She thought it would take some time, but she didn't expect Xiao Xun to come back so soon. She had to go to the county town to find Dawei. Even though it was snowing today, Xiao Xun was riding a horse, so he was definitely faster than her.
Or we can talk about it tomorrow?
Li Cuihua was afraid that the night would be long and she would have more trouble, so she gritted her teeth, changed into thick clothes and went directly to the county town.
Maybe the snow will be heavier tomorrow. If the matter is delayed again and again, by the time the Xiao family goes to the government to pay the tax, it will be all in vain.
What can we do? Even if it snows three inches today, we have to go to the government office.
*
The brown horse ran through several bends. There were branches sticking out in front of it, with a pile of snow on top. Xiao Xun bent his waist and after passing the bend, he squeezed the horse's belly and whipped it to speed up.
The wind was like a bunch of blunt knives, but Xiao Xun just narrowed his eyes slightly, without slowing down at all. The trees, dead grass, snowflakes beside him, the mane and tail of the horse under him, and a few strands of hair on his forehead were all flying backwards.
The cold wind howled through the snow and ice. The only traces on the road were the hoof prints of his horse as he came. The hoof prints kicked up the snow, startling a wild rabbit nearby. Startled by the noise, it stood up and then dove back into the hole.
"drive!"
Xiao Xun had high brow bones, but even so, a few snowflakes fell on his eyelashes. He had been in the snow for too long, and his fingers were red.
Riding at full speed, it would take more than half an hour, but Xiao Xun arrived at Yu'an in just over a quarter of an hour.
It was windy and snowy. After passing the city gate, Xiao Xun pulled the reins and slowed down. Aunt Juhua said that her family had opened a restaurant on South Street, so Xiao Xun went to South Street, got off the horse and asked around street by street.
After going to two places in a row and returning empty-handed, Xiao Xun went to a third place, hoping that someone would give him directions.
*
Inside the Xiao Family Restaurant, Shopkeeper Shi brewed a pot of hot tea. "Oh, hot, hot!"
He placed the cup on the table, shook his hands, and then sat down. He had brought his own tea, along with a teapot and cups.
The counter was now filled with his things: an abacus, account books, a teapot, a water cup, a wooden lunch box. Sometimes, if he found a dish he could take home, he would take it. Other things that were inconvenient to display on the counter were stored in the cabinet under the counter.
In addition to these, there is also a pillow and a thin blanket. If I don’t go back home at noon, I will sleep here, as if I plan to stay for a long time.
There were also some other things that customers had left behind, waiting for them to find. It was cold, but the restaurant was warm. Xiao Dashi had bought more firewood and charcoal today; Lin Qiuran was never stingy with it.
Shopkeeper Shi squinted his eyes in satisfaction. He planned to buy a recliner and bring it over someday. He would often sleep in the restaurant at noon, eat a full meal, save the cold weather and even watch over the door.
Just as he was thinking this, the door was pushed open and the wind and snow rushed in from outside. The snow was so heavy outside that Shopkeeper Shi couldn't help but squint his eyes and shrink his neck. He couldn't see others clearly, so he said, "Sir, please come in and sit for a while to avoid the snow. I'll call someone for you. You have to wait for dinner. We don't open for business until the evening."
"Looking for someone."
Shopkeeper Shi blinked and rubbed his ears, adjusting to the light outside before he could clearly see the man. He was tall, with a straight figure, high brow bones and a prominent nose. There were small drops of water on his eyelashes, and a patch of snow on his shoulder. He was carrying a bag and a knife. Where did he get this from?
Shopkeeper Shi stood up and asked, "Who are you looking for?"
Xiao Xun looked at the restaurant. There were some tables inside, a thick curtain in front, and a staircase in front, which was making noises all the time.
If they live here, it means their family hasn't suffered these days. He looked at the curtain and said, "I'm...looking for...are Xiao Dashi, Sun Xiuying, and Lin Qiuran here?"
This was the first restaurant Xiao Xun had inquired about. Many people said they had never heard of it. After all, the restaurant had just opened, and the booming business was only for the customers. Some knew the restaurant, but didn't know who the cook was. They only knew that there was a shopkeeper and a waiter in the front hall. So when Xiao Xun asked, he didn't expect it to be the Xiao Family Restaurant.
Later, Xiao Xun heard about a teahouse where waiters often came to eat, and that's how he found this place.
Shopkeeper Shi said, "Yes, I'll call someone for you. Please sit down for a while."
When passing by Xiao Xun, Manager Shi took a look at him. Xiao Xun looked ahead with his hands clenched into fists. He did not sit down, but followed Manager Shi step by step until they reached the thick curtain separating the backyard and the front hall.
Xiao Xun stopped and didn't dare to move forward.
Shopkeeper Shi touched his nose and drew aside the curtain. Sun was sweeping the snow. She had already done this several times, clearing a path for the two of them to walk from the kitchen to the house and to the front hall. There were piles of snow beside them.
The ground was paved with stone slabs, and the snow had to be swept constantly, otherwise it would become hard when stepped on. She was worried that Lin Qiuran would fall, so she kept sweeping.
Lin Xia also came to help, but just for fun. She had been in the Xiao family for a long time and had forgotten what happened in the past. She was young and lively, so she built a snowman in the corner.
Shopkeeper Shi was unsure who this was and shouted, "Sister Sun, someone's looking for you."
Sun looked up, and when she saw Xiao Xun, her hands stopped moving, and even the broom fell to the ground. She had dreamed of such a scene before. Xiao Xun was not dead, but came back alive.
I don't know how many times I pushed the door and lifted the curtain to find Xiao Xun there. The family was harmonious. Lin Qiuran cooked, and Xiao Xun did rough work in the yard. He also went hunting to supplement the family income. But when I woke up from the dream, everything was gone.
When Sun first learned that Xiao Xun had left, she was sad, but there was nothing she could do. Later, although she didn't think about it during the day, she dreamed about him at night. After waking up, she would think, let him go, life is not bad now anyway.
If Xiao Xun is kind-hearted, he can bless Qiu Ran and her son from heaven.
The dead cannot be resurrected, so we can only persuade ourselves to let go, what else can we do?
Sun didn't say anything, tears already streaming down her face. Her eyes showed surprise, joy, and anger. When her vision blurred, she pinched herself again, only to see Xiao Xun again.
It’s not a dream, I’m really back.
Xiao Xun took a few steps forward, "Mom, I'm back."
Sun's nose and face felt sore, and there was a cold air around her nose and mouth. She felt so uncomfortable, and she couldn't even speak when she saw Xiao Xun. Finally, she picked up the broom and hit Xiao Xun, "Why didn't you tell me you were alive? Why didn't you tell me earlier? You made us wait for so long!"
"And Qiuran, Qiuran..." Thinking about how Lin Qiuran had to work from dawn to dusk these days and how she was almost instigated to beat the child and remarry, Sun felt even more upset. She hit him hard a few times, but in the end she couldn't bring herself to do it.
Shopkeeper Shi was shocked. This was Sun's son and Mrs. Lin's husband?
Xiao Xun didn't hide, he knelt down and said, "I sent a letter back, maybe they moved and it didn't reach me. Mother, what happened to Qiu Ran?"
There was such a loud noise outside that Lin Qiuran couldn't have failed to hear it. She listened behind the curtain for a while, but now she had to go out.
She opened the curtain and stood at the door of the house. Xiao Xun looked up and couldn't help but breathe.
Xiao Xun knelt on the ground, and the stone slab that Sun had swept turned white again.
He had been kneeling towards Sun, but now he leaned towards Lin Qiuran. Snowflakes danced between them.
Lin Qiuran was holding the curtain with her hands, her hair was tied up, and she didn't wear any jewelry. She was just wearing a cotton coat, and her belly was bulging, and she looked like she was pregnant.
Xiao Xun was so shocked that he was speechless. Lin Qiuran's heart was in turmoil. She thought back to when she first came to the Xiao family, she was pregnant. Xiao Xun's death was also a factor in her decision to give birth to the child. It would be nice to have a son and a father, and the three of them could live a good life together. Otherwise, who would accept that after traveling through time, she would not only have another child, but also another husband.
The child was hers, and she had some feelings for him after so many days, but Lin Qiuran had no feelings for Xiao Xun at all, and she had no idea what kind of person he was.
Lin Qiuran knew she wasn't acting like someone who'd lost her husband and had just found out he was still alive after a long separation. She knew it from looking at Sun Shi. She was supposed to act that way. But aside from shock, she felt nothing else. She didn't even have time to think about what to do next, anything at all.
She glanced at Xiao Xun, then at Sun. Xiao Dashi had gone out to buy something and had not returned yet.
Should I be happy or cry with excitement?
Finally, Lin Qiuran just said, "Mom, let him get up first."
Sun's broom fell to the ground again. She didn't say anything and helped Lin Qiuran back to the house. Lin Dong and Lin Xia looked at this person cautiously, feeling very curious.
Shopkeeper Shi went to the front and rubbed his nose. "What a miracle!" he thought. "Even though Sun was beating him with a broom, he was still happy. It was just that it had lasted too long..."
He turned around and asked Lin Dong and Lin Xia to go to the front hall to give the family some space to talk.
Xiao Xun was the only one left in the snow. He picked up the broom and swept the snow off the ground. He stayed at the door for a while before sticking his head in.
"Can I come in?"
Sun had stopped crying, but she hadn't recovered yet. The two of them sat by the bed. Lin Qiuran held Sun's hand and could only comfort her, "Mom, although there have been some setbacks, it's a good thing he's back. We still don't know what happened these days, so don't let him wait outside."
Sun was also happy that Xiao Xun had returned, but since he was still alive, why didn't he send a letter home? It would have been better to tell his family earlier. She said, "You have been wronged these days. Why didn't he tell me..."
Thinking back to the days when Lin Qiuran cooked with a big belly, borrowed money from her parents' home to move to the county town, prepared banquets for people, and slowly turned her small stall into a restaurant...
Lin Qiuran said, "It's not that they sent the letter, but we moved and didn't receive it. Xiao Xun, come in."
Lin Qiuran knew that Sun was feeling sorry for her, but they were mother and son after all. Although Xiao Xun didn't look much like them, when she first came, she thought Sun's Xiao Dashi looked good. He couldn't be said to be very handsome, but he had regular eyebrows and eyes. She thought that since the original body was good-looking, the child should be good-looking too.
But Xiao Xun was handsome, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and he was very thin. If nothing had happened, there would be no news of his death. It would not be easy to come back. We can talk about the future later. At least for now, don't let him get cold outside.
Xiao Xun came in from outside, and Lin Qiuran got to know one more thing about him. Why is Xiao Xun so tall?
She is taller than Xiao Dashi, probably about 1.9 meters. With such a height, will it be difficult for her to give birth in the future?
Sun's mood had not yet calmed down. Lin Qiuran knew that this was not the time to think about these things, so he withdrew his gaze.
Lin Qiuran lowered her head. She still remembered how Sun and Xiao Dashi had been devastated when they first arrived, weeping every day. She was naturally happy that Xiao Xun had returned alive, but thinking back to how close they had come to destroying their family.
If Lin Qiuran had insisted on aborting the child and remarrying, they would not have been able to withstand the blow of losing their beloved and the child. They would not be where they are today. She must be happy to see Xiao Xun now, but the pain she felt back then was real.
How could they accept this news so easily and cry with joy? Moreover, the two of them built a cenotaph for Xiao Xun and buried their son with their own hands.
Xiao Xun's return required time for people to digest. Lin Qiuran was also glad that she didn't have to face the fact that Xiao Xun had returned immediately, and she could digest it slowly.
Sun's tears were still lingering when Lin Qiuran asked Xiao Xun, "What's going on? Where have you been these days? Why did the village head say you were dead?"
They were married in early May, and Xiao Xun passed away on the third day. It had been more than half a year since then. So much had happened in the past six months that Xiao Xun didn't know where to begin.
Thinking about how he dragged his bloody mouth across the mass grave waiting to die, how he was rescued and chased the army as soon as he was able to move, how he later rushed on while recuperating from his injuries, and how he risked his life to make meritorious service, if these were told to others, they would definitely worry.
Xiao Xun opened his mouth, intending to say that the previous matter was a mistake, but before he could say anything, Manager Shi came hurriedly, "Madam Lin, Sister Sun, someone from the government office is here."
Lin Qiuran: "Yamen?"
Several people were confused. Manager Shi knew that the Xiao family was doing business honestly and had a good reputation these days. There was not even a single troublemaker in the restaurant. How could someone from the government come?
Lin Qiuran said, "I'll go take a look."
Sun's heart tightened, and Xiao Xun said, "I'll go out and take a look first."
Sun nodded at Lin Qiuran. If there is a man in the family, the man should take charge of things.
As soon as he left, the room became much brighter.
A captain and three constables arrived, all dressed in blue. The leading captain said to Xiao Xun, "Are you Xiao Xun?"
Xiao Xun nodded, "May I ask what's the matter?"
The head constable said, "Someone is suing the Xiao family restaurant for tax evasion. The restaurant owner and you, come with us."
Xiao Xun said, "I'll go with you. If the owner of the restaurant needs help, I can take care of it."
The captain produced two documents, one of which was the document signed by the government that allowed the Xiao family restaurant to sell food, and the other was a copy of the land deed. "The owner of the restaurant is Lin Qiuran, right? He needs to go there too."
The snowflakes grew bigger and bigger, and a thin layer of snow fell on the yard that had just been swept.
Xiao Xun remembered that when he was kneeling in the yard just now, Lin Qiuran lifted the curtain and came out.
Lin Qiuran is pregnant. How can she go out in such a snowy weather?
Xiao Xun said: "I will go with you. If you need a successor, I will come back to pick him up."
The captain said, "That won't do. The defendant is Lin Qiuran. What's the point of you going? Hurry up. It's already 4 p.m. Do you want to stay in the cell tonight?"
The constable continued, "You have to take the person with you. Don't refuse to eat when you are offered wine..."
Lin Qiuran came out of the house, and Sun also came out.
Lin Qiuran said, "Let's go. I'll go with you."
Shopkeeper Shi looked a little anxious, "Madam Lin..."
Lin Qiuran thought it would be okay to go out for a walk. She didn't cheat or extort money in her business. Besides, facing Xiao Xun now, she didn't know what to say or do. Treat him as her husband? She couldn't do it. If she treated him as a stranger, she could still be a little cold when they first met because she hadn't digested this matter, but what about later?
Sun immediately said: "I'll go too."
Lin Qiuran glanced at Sun, knowing he couldn't persuade her, so he just told Shopkeeper Shi a few words, "We'll be closed tonight. If Wan Niang comes, tell her and let her go. And Lu Fan, if any customers come..."
Shopkeeper Shi sighed in his heart, "Don't worry, I will settle down and come back soon."
Lin Dong and Lin Xia were anxious and a little confused. They wanted to follow, but Lin Qiuran said, "Stay in the restaurant."
If something happens to the Xiao family, the two of them don’t know what to do.
The street was covered in white, with only a few people and a few footprints. Sun took two umbrellas and gave one to Xiao Xun.
Lin Qiuran was about to descend the stairs when an umbrella appeared above her head and a hand extended in front of her. Xiao Xun's fingers were slender, and his palms were red. He couldn't tell if it was from the cold or from being warmed up inside for a while. He looked like a piece of unknown jade.
Xiao Xun didn't say anything, but there was a stubborn look in his eyes. Lin Qiuran wanted to say that she could do it, but the snow was heavy and she didn't want anything to happen to her right after Xiao Xun came back.
Lin Qiuran placed his hand on it, and the two walked out into the snow. Sun followed behind them. Normally, she would be afraid after hearing something like this, but with the family reunited, she wasn't afraid at all.
No matter how difficult the situation is, we have overcome it. The Xiao family does business with a clear conscience, so there is nothing to be afraid of.
Lin Qiuran tried her best to ignore the warmth from her left hand as she walked. She wondered why the restaurant was accused of tax evasion. It hadn't paid taxes, but that was because Xiao Xun died in battle, and the imperial court exempted taxes for five years.
It wasn't just the land tax, there were also business taxes. If it weren't for the government officials coming, even if Xiao Xun hadn't returned, Lin Qiuran wouldn't have thought of coming here for a while.
She moved her left hand slightly, and Xiao Xun lowered his head, "What's wrong?"
Lin Qiuran asked, "Did you return to Xiao Family Manor first?"
Xiao Xun nodded. He thought they were still living in the village. "I went inside and found no one home. I asked around and found out you guys had moved to the county town."
So fast, I was watching it the whole time.
Lin Qiuran asked quietly, "Have you ever written a letter home before?"
Xiao Xun also lowered his voice, "I wrote it and sent the money back."
Lin Qiuran shook his head, "But we haven't received any letter."
If she had received the letter earlier, Sun would not have acted like this today. She would have happily welcomed Xiao Xun.
Of course, there was no money. If the letter had been sent back to Xiaojiazhuang, it would have been stolen along with the money. As soon as Xiao Xun returned, someone complained. It was likely that the person who complained was the one who took the letter. "How much money did you send?"
Xiao Xun said: "Five taels of silver notes, I will save more money."
Five taels. According to the previous conditions of the Xiao family, five taels of silver was not a small amount, Lin Qiuran thought. Anyway, Xiao Xun had already returned. She whispered a few words, then turned around and said a few words to Sun.
Xiao Xun held onto Lin Qiuran's hand tightly, but didn't hear clearly, "What?"
Lin Qiuran waved at him, Xiao Xun lowered his head, and Lin Qiuran's voice reached his ears with a slight heat.
Xiao Xun nodded.
Lin Qiuran had been to the county government several times to buy things, and Zhao Guangcai had gone there for her several times.
Snow pressed down on the roof tiles, and the stone lions at the door were also covered with snow.
When the three of them entered, they saw Li Cuihua and Xiao Wei standing in the lobby, with constables on both sides holding water and fire sticks, and County Magistrate Li sitting high in the hall.
Next to County Magistrate Li were County Assistant Chen and Chief Clerk Wang. Chief Clerk Wang took a deep breath, and County Magistrate Li slammed the gavel, "Court open!"
"mighty--"
Sun looked at Li Cuihua and felt heartbroken. Why did it take so long for the government to deal with such a big incident in just one village?
Li Cuihua saw Xiao Xunzhen coming back, and she and Xiao Wei knelt on the ground, "Please, sir, please help me!"
-----------------------
The author has something to say: I think the appearance of the villain is in line with the character's behavior and logic. Moreover, if the letter is sent back directly, the mother-in-law will happily welcome her son back, which is not fair to Qiu Ran. Although the male protagonist suffers, the family members also suffer. It is not fair to the family to rely on time to smooth out these emotions.
The current situation is that there is no emotion. If you had just traveled through time, with nothing and nowhere to go, you might want to have children and a husband in the future. However, you can also make money in these days, so the male protagonist must demonstrate his own value, and after becoming rich, he will definitely pursue spiritual resonance.
This problem can be solved in the next chapter, don't worry
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