Chapter 59: Old and Scraggly, Not Much Meat

Early in the morning, as soon as the sisters-in-law heard the noise, they came out to watch the commotion, not feeling the cold at all. Some of them even held bowls of food, sipping sweet potato porridge while watching.

After all, this was the big yard’s most hated Li Jinzhen’s uproar—a rare event that had to be witnessed.

“Did Li Pozi’s old hen really go missing? Or did it sneak out to visit neighbors and cause trouble?”

“Missing! It’s really gone! I heard Li Pozi has been making a fuss all morning. She knocked on several neighbors’ doors, barged in looking everywhere, but still couldn’t find it.”

“Heaven’s eyes must be open again! Those two old hens of hers always wandering around pooping all over the yard. I’ve been annoyed for a long time! Better that they’re gone.”

The sisters-in-law weren’t worried at all about Li Jinzhen losing her chickens; on the contrary, they were quite pleased.

This made Li Jinzhen not just angry but also ashamed, randomly pointing fingers at one of the sisters-in-law with wild accusations.

“Was it you?! It must be you who stole my old hens! A few days ago I heard you say you planned to kill chickens for dinner. It must be you who stole my chickens!”

“Li Jinzhen, stop spitting blood and accusing people. Your two old hens are just as old and scraggly as you are, barely any meat on them. I wouldn’t want them even if you gave them to me! And yet you treat them like treasures.”

“Impossible! My chickens were fine. How could they just be gone? Someone among you must have stolen them!” Li Jinzhen, eyes narrowed, furious and fierce like a mad dog biting everywhere, “It’s you!”

Her finger pointed directly at Xia Xiaolan in the crowd.

“Xia Xiaolan, it’s you! Yesterday, my chickens just ate a few leaves from your yard, and you argued with me. You looked down on me, looked down on my chickens! It must be you who stole my chickens! Give them back! Return my chickens!”

With no proof at all, Li Jinzhen grabbed Xia Xiaolan and refused to let go, shamelessly persistent.

Xia Xiaolan was nearly crazy—being falsely accused of theft and forced to compensate. What kind of nonsense was this?

Nearby, the sisters-in-law couldn’t stand it and pulled Xia Xiaolan away.

“Li Jinzhen, you think Xiaolan is easy to bully, so you’re pinning this on her! Everyone in the yard knows Xiaolan is afraid of chickens. She even avoids your chickens when she sees them. How could she have stolen your chickens?”

“I think you’re just asking for it! You never care for your chickens and let them run wild. Now look, your old hens are gone. Serves you right!”

“Li Jinzhen, stop making trouble. Wang Chunling is still in postpartum confinement. If you keep causing a fuss, how can she get any rest? Your daughter-in-law is in confinement too, and you haven’t even killed an old hen to help her recover. Even Heaven can’t stand you!”

Everyone blamed Li Jinzhen, but her face was like a thick wall of bronze, showing no regret at all.

“What’s wrong with postpartum confinement? Do you expect me to treat her like royalty? She just gave birth to a little girl—a money loser. Who cares about my chickens! My chickens… my chickens… If I can’t find them, none of you will be at peace.”

“Tch.”

The sisters-in-law sneered and stopped bothering to argue with Li Jinzhen. One by one they turned and went back inside, leaving Li Jinzhen alone, crying and yelling like someone in mourning.

“My chickens… my chickens… give me back my chickens…”

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Meanwhile, Chu Yue had already heard the commotion early on, but she had no interest in the spectacle.

She changed into old clothes, slung a bamboo backpack borrowed from Chen Fengying onto her back. Inside the backpack were a sickle and a small hoe. She tied her long black hair into a neat bun and wore a triangular straw hat.

“Yuanbao, are you ready?”

Lu Yuanbao was crouched down tying his shoelaces.

Today, Chu Yue gave him a new pair of shoes, saying the soles had nails that were better for walking on mountain trails.

He couldn’t tell what difference nails made, but he saw a row of small round bumps on the soles. The shoes were especially nice, just that he had to tie laces—very different from the cloth shoes he wore before.

Chu Yue demonstrated it once to Lu Yuanbao, and he immediately learned by watching.

It was just that his fingers were small and not very nimble, so he tied his shoelaces a bit slowly.

“…Okay, okay, I’m done!”

Lu Yuanbao tied the shoelaces tightly, jumped in place wearing his new shoes, then looked at Chu Yue with a reluctant gaze.

He picked up a small basket and quickly followed after her.

Chu Yue waited ahead, and the two of them set off together.

On the way, they met a neighbor’s wife.
“Oh, Captain Lu’s new wife, heading out?”

“Yes, we’re going up the mountain to look around, hoping to find some mountain goods,” Chu Yue smiled and greeted her.

“That’s great! I want to go up there too sometime. When you do, call me along and we’ll go together,” the woman said warmly, reminding them, “And you’ve got such a little kid with you—be sure to be careful on the mountain.”

“Thanks for the reminder, sister-in-law. We’ll be going now.”

Chu Yue and Lu Yuanbao, one big and one small, left the courtyard.

The sentries standing guard at the gate looked at Chu Yue’s fair, pretty, but unfamiliar face. After they walked away, one whispered, “Who is that? I’ve never seen her before.”

“Shh! Don’t stare! Today’s your first day on duty, huh? That’s Captain Lu’s new wife! The captain came back from the recruit camp just a few days ago, all for his wife.”

The sentry looked amazed. This… this is even prettier than the legends said!

After asking Zheng Yue’e about the mountain path yesterday, Chu Yue and Lu Yuanbao soon entered the forest and followed the mountain path covered with fallen leaves.

At halfway up the mountain, there were often people digging for mountain goods, with many pits and marks visible.

To find good things, they had to keep going up. The mountain path was rugged and steep, covered with slippery fallen leaves, making it hard to walk.

Chu Yue took the lead, deliberately slowing down her pace. The higher they climbed, the more brambles and branches lined the path. She carried a sickle and cleared the way from time to time to help Lu Yuanbao walk more easily behind her.

After walking for a while, they got closer and closer to the summit.

Chu Yue put her hands on her hips and looked back at Lu Yuanbao.

Lu Yuanbao had walked all this way without complaining once—no saying he was tired or struggling, and didn’t cling to Chu Yue for help.

The stubborn little wolf cub bit his teeth, taking one step at a time, relying on his own strength to climb the mountain. His face was flushed and breathing heavy, but he still kept pace tightly with Chu Yue.

It was time for a little surprise.

“Yuanbao, look up over there—”

Chu Yue spoke, pointing toward the southeast.

At that spot stood a big tree about seven or eight meters tall. The leaves had all fallen, leaving only bare branches.

But on the trunk hung bright yellow persimmons, glowing like little lanterns. (illustration)