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If they won’t let honest people live in peace, then the Jiang family won’t have it easy either!
Jiang Datou briskly arrived at Jiang Youcheng’s doorstep.
Before he could step inside, he faintly heard Jiang Youcheng conversing with someone.
Taking advantage of the remaining daylight, he peered ahead and saw it was Jiang Zhengxin.
“The workshop was just established, and thanks to my younger brother’s hard work, these are just tokens of appreciation. Don’t refuse them,” said Jiang Youcheng, handing two baskets to Jiang Zhengxin. “They aren’t valuable items, but please don’t decline.”
Baskets were useful in every household, especially after the autumn harvest for gathering peanuts and beans.
“In that case, I won’t be polite,” Jiang Zhengxin accepted the baskets without resistance. He added, “You should also set your mind at ease. I’ve been keeping your instructions in mind. As for the money you donated to the ancestral hall, I’ll use some of it to help Jiang Datou ‘s family first.”
Talking about Jiang Datou , Jiang Zhengxin continued, “His life has been quite unfortunate. His father was irresponsible, gambling away the family’s fortune, and eventually met an unfortunate end. After his mother struggled to raise him, he got married, and they managed to acquire some land. Things seemed to be looking up, but then his mother’s health deteriorated, and his wife… Well, she’s not much help.”
“In other words, Jiang Datou is an honest and helpful person. He’s always willing to lend a hand and never seeks any rewards. We can’t let honest people suffer, can we?” Jiang Youcheng chuckled.
“Absolutely, honest people are blessed. Even if the heavens don’t watch over them, we must.”
“But I’m quite puzzled. If you care for Jiang Datou so much and he came to your house looking for work, why didn’t you employ him? Instead, you helped others behind the scenes?” inquired Jiang Zhengxin.
“Well, I initially planned to use him, but upon careful consideration, I realized that Jiang Datou ‘s family owns around ten acres of land. If he works diligently on the land, the annual yield is almost comparable to what he’d earn from working for me,” explained Jiang Youcheng.
“However, if he were to work for me, he wouldn’t be able to tend to the land. Today, he’d say he needs to go back to harvest bamboo, and tomorrow, he’d need to go back to plant wheat. Every now and then, if his wife falls ill again, he’d have to rush back home. Some tasks take several days, and caring for a sick person demands undivided attention. So, should I allow him or not if he needs to rush home? If I don’t, his family will not be cared for. If I do, it sets a bad precedent, and others might follow suit, making it impossible for me to run the workshop properly.”
“I don’t want to break tradition, but I also want to help. After careful consideration, this seems to be the best way. It ensures my workshop can function properly while also allowing me to express my intentions. It brings peace to my heart as well.”
“I understand your intentions, elder brother.” Jiang Zhengxin, after hearing these words, felt quite moved. He patted Jiang Youcheng’s shoulder and said, “Brother, you are truly considerate.”
“Alright, I won’t say much more. Just based on your intentions, I know what to do in the future.”
“Your benevolence and good deeds will bring you good fortune. I’m sure your workshop will thrive in the future,” Jiang Zhengxin replied.
“Thanks for your kind words,” Jiang Youcheng chuckled and scratched his head. “But I don’t count on such blessings. Since Xia’s condition improved, it was the heavens’ grace. I believe that if one receives blessings, they should also do good deeds as a way of repaying the heavens.”
“That’s well said…”
After further conversation, Jiang Youcheng saw that it was getting late and escorted Jiang Zhengxin out. Once Jiang Zhengxin had gone, Jiang Youcheng closed his courtyard door and prepared to rest. As the clouds covering the moon gradually dispersed, the moonlight shone brilliantly, illuminating the land that was once cloaked in darkness.
Standing against the wall, Jiang Datou snapped out of his daze, staring at his clenched fists with wide eyes.
What was he doing?
Both Jiang Youcheng and Jiang Zhengxin were concerned about him and were trying to support him. And yet, here he was, harboring resentment for not being able to work at Jiang Youcheng’s house. He was contemplating confrontation, wanting to disrupt their peace.
He berated himself, realizing that he was not a decent person, repaying kindness with hostility.
Relaxing his clenched fists, Jiang Datou looked at his broad palm and then forcefully slapped himself across the face.
His strength was considerable, and with full force, the impact left one side of his face red and swollen.
Feeling it wasn’t enough, Jiang Datou dropped to his knees and, with both hands, struck his own face twice.
Finally, he kowtowed twice in the direction of Jiang Youcheng’s house.
After kneeling for a while, Jiang Datou feared that if someone happened to pass by and saw him in this state, they might think he had been punished by Jiang Youcheng’s family. With that in mind, he rose and made his way home.
After returning home, Jiang Datou remained restless, unable to sit or lie down, unable to sleep, pacing back and forth in the main room.
After much contemplation, he stepped out with a sickle.
The next day, Jiang Mixia’s family rose early.
They cleaned the courtyard, prepared breakfast, and readied themselves for the day’s work.
After Song Jingyun finished sweeping the courtyard, Jiang Mixia opened the gate to dispose of the gathered leaves and debris, only to be startled and nearly retreat back inside.
After regaining composure, she called for Jiang Youcheng, Liu Shi, and Song Jingyun to come and see.
The family of four looked at the neatly piled stick poles at the door, puzzled. After going to their own field to check, they confirmed that the stick poles piled at their doorstep were from their own field, which somewhat reassured the family, but also left them more puzzled.
“Who brought back all the leftover stick poles from our house?” Jiang Mixia couldn’t help but ask during breakfast. “Do Mom and Dad know?”
The family has five acres of land, all planted with stick poles. When the stick poles were harvested this autumn, they hadn’t had time to cut the stick poles.
Previously, when Jiang Youfu was cutting the stick poles with a sickle, he helped to cut two acres for composting.
There are sheep in the village, and they asked for two acres of stick poles from home to cut and feed them during the winter. As a return, they gave Jiang Youcheng’s family two baskets of apples from their own trees.
There is one acre of stick poles left, originally intended to be cut back when they had free time, to be used as firewood in the winter. However, they have been very busy recently and never had the time.
Now, not only did someone help to cut them, they also brought them back and neatly stacked them at the door.
Jiang Youcheng and Liu Shi glanced at each other.
“I really don’t know,” Jiang Youcheng said. “Originally, I thought it might have been your uncle’s family who helped, but when I asked, they said it wasn’t them.”