Chapter 19 “Your Eldest Son Sent a Letter!”

 

The handwriting on the letter was undoubtedly Qi Siming’s. At a glance, Madam Wei could recognize it without hesitation.

Her emotions were in turmoil as she muttered nervously, “It’s a letter from Siming, but…” How on earth did a small soldier like Qi Siming come across such a significant sum of silver?

The elderly woman nearby, appearing even more eager than Madam Wei herself, pressed urgently, “So it really is from Siming? Quick, read it out loud! Let this old woman hear what he has to say!”

With her leading the charge, the other villagers became even more insistent. At this point, refusing to read the letter aloud was no longer an option.

Xu Shuyue, standing quietly by, slipped into the house and fetched an outer coat.

Using the pretext of draping the coat over Madam Wei, she shielded her from view, giving Madam Wei the opportunity to discreetly slip the silver note into her sleeve without anyone noticing.

Unbeknownst to them, Madam Chen was hidden among the crowd. Her sharp eyes had caught a glimpse of the corner of the silver note, and her mind immediately began scheming. Upon hearing Madam Wei announce that Qi Siming was alive and well, she covered her face with a headscarf and slipped away unnoticed.

After Madam Wei finished reading the letter, tears of joy streamed down her face. The villagers exchanged looks of disbelief. They hadn’t expected that Qi Eldest Son would not only “come back to life” but also achieve merit in the army.

Zhou Laosan immediately sneered, “Guess Qi family’s old folks really are blessed, huh? Seems like this whole ‘marriage for luck’ thing might actually have some truth to it!”

The others nodded thoughtfully.

Now that they considered it, ever since Xu Shuyue had married into the Qi family, the old couple had started producing dried fruits and candied fruits. All the fruit stored in the cellar, which previously couldn’t be sold, had been used up. On top of that, Qi Siming had “come back to life.”

It seemed the Qi family was just basking in one good thing after another!

“Who’s calling her a jinx? She’s obviously a lucky star!” one villager exclaimed, their gaze toward Xu Shuyue now filled with admiration.

Another villager sighed with regret, “Why didn’t I think of sending her a proposal back then?” If Xu Shuyue had married into their family, wouldn’t these blessings have landed on their doorstep instead?

Madam Wei caught the envious and regretful glances directed at Xu Shuyue and felt a deep sense of satisfaction swelling in her chest.

Indeed, she had chosen well!

Of course, while some were overjoyed, others were filled with bitterness.

Xu Shuyue herself was unaware that these whispered remarks had only deepened Madam Wei’s fondness for her. At this moment, however, her attention was on Qi Siming’s letter, and the growing urge to escape was becoming hard to ignore.

After half a month of hard work, she had already started to think of the Qi family as her own, even imagining herself taking care of the elderly couple in their twilight years.

And now? The heavens had dropped a bombshell—her supposedly deceased husband was alive and kicking!

How was this any different from a bolt of lightning on a clear day?

Once the crowd dispersed, Madam Wei clutched the letter to her chest, her tear-filled eyes glistening. “Old man, Daoist Chuyun didn’t lie to us. Eldest Son is really alive!”

Qi Ansheng’s voice was thick with emotion as he repeated, “Alive. He’s alive. That’s all that matters!”

Xu Shuyue had always thought the elderly couple wholeheartedly believed in Chuyun’s prophecy. Yet now, seeing their reactions, it became clear that even they had been skeptical, treating the Daoist’s words as mere comfort while trying to convince themselves it was true.

She sighed deeply and said, “Father, Mother, it’s cold outside. Let’s go back inside.”

Madam Wei was nearly incoherent with excitement. “Good, good, good! Let’s go inside first. Old man, did you hear that just now? Eldest son said he’ll be back in six months…”

Six months… Xu Shuyue lowered her gaze in thought. As she tried to picture Qi Siming’s current situation, miles away, another scene was unfolding—

Madam Chen hurried home, her steps urgent. Bursting through the door, she shook Xu Laoda awake, her voice brimming with excitement. “Husband, guess what I heard today?”

Xu Laoda had been enjoying a rare morning of extra sleep, and being rudely woken up made his temper flare instantly. Irritated, he grumbled, “Why should I care what you heard? Let me sleep!”

Madam Chen’s face fell. With a swift motion, she yanked his blanket off.

Xu Laoda shivered from the sudden cold and sat up abruptly, about to curse her out. “Damn woman, are you crazy? What did I do to you?!”

Madam Chen huffed and scoffed, “The Qi family is about to strike it rich, and here you are, lazing around without a care in the world! I really married a useless man!”

As she spoke, she pinched his arm hard, her frustration overflowing.

Xu Laoda barely noticed the pain. Instead, he frowned in confusion. “The Qi family? Getting rich? What are you talking about?”

Madam Chen sneered and rolled her eyes. “Weren’t you just telling me you didn’t care? And now you’re suddenly interested?”

Xu Laoda’s brows knitted together. Women’s thoughts were always so twisted and indirect. Now that she had piqued his curiosity, his rebellious streak kicked in. Since she wants me to listen, I won’t.

With that, he flopped back down onto the bed, feigning disinterest.

Seeing his lack of enthusiasm, Madam Chen nearly exploded with anger. She clutched her stomach as if she were about to suffer an actual liver ache. In a sharp voice, she shrieked, “Xu Laoda! Do you even care if our son gets to study or not?!”

Xu Laoda didn’t move, merely turning over. He knew his wife too well—she wouldn’t be able to hold it in for long.

Sure enough, within half a moment, her voice came from behind him, unnervingly calm this time.

“The news is that Qi Siming is still alive. He sent a letter home… along with silver notes.”

At this, Xu Laoda finally reacted. “What? Qi Siming is alive? He sent money to the Qi family?”

Even setting aside the fact that the Qi family surely knew better than to flaunt their wealth, he was stunned that Madam Chen even recognized a silver note in the first place. That alone was enough to surprise him.

After decades as husband and wife, Madam Chen knew exactly what Xu Laoda was thinking before he even spoke. With a cold snort, she sneered, “Your niece thinks she’s smart, blocking Madam Wei like that, as if no one else could see what they were up to.”

She scoffed, tilting her chin arrogantly. “But I’ve seen silver notes before at the landlord’s house. I remember exactly what they look like. When Madam Wei stuffed it into her sleeve, I caught a glimpse of the corner. It was definitely a silver note!”

A few years ago, she and Xu Laoda had leased a few acres of land from the landlord, hoping to make extra money so their son, Xu Yan, could go to school. As long as he passed the scholar’s exam, their family would finally rise in status.

Xu Laoda figured Madam Chen must have seen a silver note when she went to pay the landlord their grain tax. But after a moment, something didn’t sit right with him.

Frowning, he questioned, “But wasn’t Qi Siming just a low-ranking soldier? The few villagers who managed to return from the war said they were all starving out there. How could Qi Siming possibly have money to send home?”

“How should I know?” Madam Chen snapped impatiently. The only thing that mattered was that the Qi family had money now. Madam Wei and Qi Ansheng were honest people, and since Xu Shuyue was their daughter-in-law, she was bound to have some silver in her hands as well.

Elbowing Xu Laoda, she coaxed, “Xu Yan is about to start school soon. As his sister, shouldn’t Xu Shuyue at least offer some support?”

“You want to ask her for money again?” Xu Laoda scoffed. Hadn’t he suffered enough last time? He waved his hand dismissively. “If you want to go, go by yourself. I’m not going!”

Madam Chen was exasperated. “Why would I go? The moment she sees me, she’ll probably throw dung water on me!”

She at least had some self-awareness. She had tormented Xu Shuyue often enough—if even Xu Laoda, who had barely lifted a hand against her, got doused in filth last time, she would probably get a beating if she showed up.

Xu Laoda had no intention of getting involved in her scheme, and seeing that, Madam Chen’s mind started spinning. Her eyes darted around before she suddenly came up with a new idea.

“Husband, don’t you think it’s about time we repair your younger brother and sister-in-law’s graves? It’s been years.”

Xu Laoda lifted an eyelid and shot her a wary glance.

Madam Chen smirked. “We’ll handle the repairs—but the money should come from Xu Shuyue!”

The letter from Qi Siming was placed alongside the first one he had sent. Now that Madam Wei had definite proof that her eldest son was alive and well, her entire demeanor had changed.

That very night, she stayed up making new padded jackets for both Xu Shuyue and Qi Qingfeng. By the following evening, they were finished. She called Xu Shuyue over and said warmly, “Try it on and see if anything needs adjusting.”

Madam Wei had put great care into every stitch, ensuring there wasn’t a single loose thread. The moment Xu Shuyue slipped on the jacket, warmth and softness enveloped her. The heavy cotton stuffing pressed against her, grounding her restless heart.

Her throat tightened, and her eyes stung slightly. In a muffled voice, she said, “Mother, it fits perfectly.”

Madam Wei, however, wasn’t fully satisfied. “The collar seems a little tight.”

Her rough hands brushed against Xu Shuyue’s neck, adjusting the fabric. Xu Shuyue instinctively shrank back and muttered, “If it’s tight, it’ll keep the wind out better.”

Madam Wei paused, considering her words, then nodded in agreement. “That’s true.” Finally reassured, she let it be.

Qi Ansheng was busy rinsing the bamboo cups nearby as the fire crackled in the stove, sending occasional sparks into the air. The room was warm and filled with the comforting atmosphere of simple, peaceful days.

With the heavy burden in their hearts finally lifted, Madam Wei became even more enthusiastic than Xu Shuyue. The two of them worked side by side—one soaking snow fungus, the other washing pears. By early morning, they had already prepared two large barrels of snow fungus and pear soup.

Knowing he couldn’t carry all the bamboo cups, along with the candied fruits and dried fruit snacks, Qi Ansheng decided to recruit the brothers, Eldest Brother Liang and Second Brother Liang, to accompany them to the county. With the promise of 20 wen each for a day’s work, the brothers hurried over eagerly, taking charge of the load. Madam Wei spent 10 wen to hire Yu Yougen’s ox cart for the trip.

As the mist cleared and the sun peeked out from the horizon, the Qi family’s stall was ready to open.

As the end of the year approached, the main street of the county was bustling with activity. People from nearby villages crowded the streets, eager to buy goods for the New Year celebrations. The Qi family had arrived early and secured a good spot for their stall. Before long, a curious passerby stopped to take a look.

Madam Wei and Xu Shuyue were still busy setting up when Qi Ansheng, noticing the man, greeted him with a smile. “What can I get for you, sir?”

The man, Ma Baisheng, appeared to be in his fifties. His eyes lingered on the items displayed on the stall, filled with curiosity. “Brother, this is quite an unusual sight. I’ve lived in this county for decades, and I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

He leaned in closer to inspect the crystalline snacks, trying to figure them out. “Is that a layer of sugar on the outside? And what’s inside? Fruit?”

Xu Shuyue, busy tucking the old quilt tightly around the wooden barrel to keep the contents warm, answered casually, “It’s apples and pears.”

Seeing the recognition on Ma Baisheng’s face, she added with a smile, “These are homemade candied fruits. The price is reasonable. Would you like to try a skewer or two?”

“Candied fruits?” Ma Baisheng repeated, intrigued by the name. He rubbed his hands together, clearly interested. “Is it cold? Won’t eating this in the middle of winter freeze my teeth off?”

Despite his concerns, his curiosity won out, and he reached into his pocket for some coins before Xu Shuyue could explain further.

“How much is a skewer?” he asked, then waved his hand dismissively. “Never mind, just give me one of those candied apples. Let me try it first!”

It was clear that Ma Baisheng had a soft spot for food. With both sugar and fruit involved, he was confident it wouldn’t taste bad. Besides, it was perfect for snacking while wandering through the market. If it didn’t suit his taste, he could always toss it without feeling too wasteful—it was only a few coins, after all.

Having anticipated the county’s higher purchasing power, Xu Shuyue had adjusted the prices of their products, raising each by 2 wen compared to their initial rates. Madam Wei, feeling uneasy about the steep prices, tugged at her daughter-in-law’s sleeve, whispering that perhaps they should lower them a bit.

Before she could finish, Ma Baisheng laughed heartily, dismissing her concerns. “Hah, I thought it was going to be expensive!”

Without hesitation, he pulled out a silver tael and slapped it onto the table with a crisp clink. “Give me one skewer of each type of candied fruit. If they taste good, keep the change. Just give me the rest in those snacks—I’ve been wracking my brain on how to shut up those noisy kids at home. These will do nicely!”