Chapter 10

“What? No, I won’t allow it!”

Getting past Prefectural Governor Luo had been surprisingly easy, almost unreal. But upon returning home, Xu Shi was shocked to hear the news and immediately voiced her opposition.

Zhan Jianxing said, “Mother, I’ve already made the agreement with Prefectural Governor Luo. We can’t go back on it now. He might have even sent people out already to help us reclaim our belongings.”

“Those things don’t matter—I can’t let you go to Prince Dai Manor to throw your life away!” Xu Shi was resolute, her eyes red with rare anger as she lightly swatted Zhan Jianxing. “You’ve always been such an obedient and sensible child. How could you come up with such a reckless idea? You saw with your own eyes how cruel those nobles in Prince Dai Manor are. We barely escaped with our lives, and now you want to walk right back into the lion’s den?”

Zhan Jianxing didn’t flinch—Xu Shi hadn’t hit her hard anyway. She patiently explained her reasoning and Prefectural Governor Luo’s assurances. Xu Shi listened but remained firm: “Absolutely not. If you go, how could I ever rest easy? Even if we’ve lost everything else, we still have this house. I’d rather sell it and rent a place with you. We can use the money to restart our business.”

“But what if Uncle and Third Uncle come to cause trouble again? Do we have a second house to sell?”

Xu Shi hesitated.

“They’re just uncles—if we stand our ground, we might have a chance. But what if they bring Grandfather and Grandmother into it? Could you refuse their orders?” Zhan Jianxing continued, “Mother, there’s something you mustn’t forget—our mourning period is almost over.”

Xu Shi fell silent.

The forced marriage during the mourning period had only been avoided through desperate resistance. If it happened again, she would no longer have the protection of mourning rites. Threatening suicide was just a bluff—she couldn’t actually die. And if she did, leaving Zhan Jianxing alone, what would happen if her daughter’s true identity were discovered?

If even a daughter-in-law could be sold, what would stop them from selling a granddaughter? She’d be taken back and raised for just a couple more years—until she was of marriageable age.

The thought alone made Xu Shi’s heart race with fear, and she wiped her eyes. In this cruel world, living was unbearable, yet death was too terrifying to embrace.

Zhan Jianxing comfortingly patted her mother’s hand. “Mother, don’t be afraid. I’ve thought this through carefully.”

Xu Shi remained uneasy. “You make it sound so simple… Xing’er, what if we run away instead? Back to the south. I still have childhood friends there—someone would surely help us if we returned.”

Zhan Jianxing shook her head. “I considered that, but it’s impossible. My household registration is tied to Father’s in the Datong County Government Office. Magistrate Li already holds a grudge against us—how could we get a travel permit? And with no money, how would we make such a long journey?”

Though the travel permit system had relaxed somewhat, traveling thousands of miles from north to south as a widow and child would be impossible without one. When they had come to Datong two years ago, they had obtained a permit by citing the need to bury her late husband (father). Now, even without Magistrate Li’s hostility, finding a valid reason to convince the authorities would be difficult.

Xu Shi was at a loss, regret washing over her. “If only I hadn’t listened to your father—we should have buried him in the south and stayed there.”

Zhan Jianxing was silent for a moment before saying, “If Father knew in the afterlife, he certainly wouldn’t have wanted this either.”

For Father Zhan, though his parents had been partial, they were still his closest kin. Having been away from home for over a decade, how could he not miss them as death approached, yearning to return to his roots? Moreover, he worried about Xu Shi struggling to raise their only daughter alone in a foreign place after his passing. He hoped his parents would, for his sake, look after his surviving wife and daughter, hence his dying wish to Xu Shi.

Little did he know, the old couple of the Zhan family had never held deep affection for him. After his long absence, they had long since treated him as if he were never their son. His final wish had unwittingly pushed his wife and daughter into a pit of fire.

Though Xu Shi resented her husband, hearing this made her recall his kindness in life, and she couldn’t help but weep again.

If only her husband were still here—they wouldn’t be suffering so much.

Now, trapped between a wolf’s den and a tiger’s mouth, she couldn’t even tell which was worse.

**

No matter how unwilling Xu Shi was, Luo Zhifu was a man of his word. The matter didn’t require much effort on his part—just a single order. The very next day, a group of constables arrived at the Zhan Family Bun Shop, huffing and puffing as they drove a large cart.

Xu Shi hurried out at the news and saw the cart piled haphazardly with steamers, tables, stools, clothes, and other belongings. Her brief moment of joy was quickly overtaken by panic and dread—these were only retrieved at the cost of her daughter being handed over to Prince Dai Manor. What would become of them in the future?

A yamen runner wiped his sweat and urged, “Madam, check through these. If everything’s here, we’ll report back to the prefect.”

“Yes, yes, thank you, officers.”

Xu Shi, her mind unsettled, began checking the items with Zhan Jianxing, who had followed her out. Soon, they noticed something odd—

At a glance, not only was nothing missing, but it seemed there were even extra items.

Xu Shi picked up a small stool and hesitantly asked the runner, “Officer, this doesn’t seem to be ours. Did you perhaps take it by mistake?”

The leader of the runners glanced over casually and replied, “The prefect didn’t provide a list. When we went to the Zhan household, we had to ask them for the items. That uncle of yours was downright arrogant, daring to make excuses and brush off the prefect’s orders, calling it a ‘family matter.’ Hah! In this city, what family matter or state affair is beyond the prefect’s authority? We had to ‘enlighten’ him a bit before he finally cooperated.”

Zhan Jianxing, standing nearby, thought to herself—”Enlighten”? More like beat him up, right?

It was hardly surprising that government enforcers had little patience for reasoning with common folk.

The runner’s next words confirmed her suspicion: “As for this stool, with so many of us handling things, it’s only natural a couple of items might get mixed up. Just give it a rough check—it’s not worth making us haul this broken stool all the way back.”

Xu Shi was torn between laughter and tears but could only agree, “You’re right, officer.”

With the help of the runners and curious neighbors who had gathered, the cart was quickly unloaded. The runners’ hands were truly ruthless—they had taken four or five extra items. Though the total value was negligible—the Zhan family wasn’t wealthy—it spoke volumes about the intimidation they had employed. The Zhan uncles must have resisted, yet the items were still forcibly taken, likely with another round of beatings in the process.

Xu Shi found the jar she usually used to save money, weighed it in her hand, and felt it was about the same as before—likely untouched by the Zhan family. Relieved, she reached in, grabbed a dozen or so copper coins, and pressed them into the lead Yamen Runner’s hand: “Officers, you’ve worked hard. Have some tea on me—don’t refuse.”

The runner’s hand flicked open and closed, the coins slipping smoothly into his sleeve with practiced ease. His smile grew more satisfied. “Alright, we’ll report back to the prefect now.”

With that, he beckoned the other runners and pushed the cart away.

Xu Shi then turned to the neighbors, bowing in gratitude. “These past days, we’ve relied on your kindness. The house is still in disarray, but once we’ve tidied up, I’ll prepare a feast to thank you all—you must come.”

“Sister Xu, you’re too kind. We’re neighbors—this is what we should do.”

“Sister Xu, don’t lose heart. The worst is behind you. With Xing’er so capable and sensible, your blessings are yet to come.”

Amid the chorus of well-wishes, someone curiously asked how Xu Shi had managed to get the prefecture government to recover their belongings. The question touched a sore spot, and Xu Shi, unwilling to explain, vaguely replied that she had submitted a petition, and Prefectural Governor Luo had taken pity on their orphaned plight and intervened.

Gradually, the neighbors dispersed. Xu Shi and Zhan Jianxing busied themselves putting the furniture back in place. Xu Shi sighed at the sight of the steamer basket, now far dirtier than before after half a month’s absence. “Your aunt must have used it,” she grumbled. “For a woman like any other, she’s unbelievably slovenly. When we stayed in the village before, I remember her kitchen stove and cabinets were coated in thick grease.”

Zhan Jianxing turned around, a faint smile on her lips. “Mother, look.”

In her palm lay a handkerchief, cradling three or four silver ornaments.

Xu Shi leaned in, blinked, then suddenly realized— “Aren’t these the ones I used to wear? Your aunt snatched them the moment we returned to the village, claiming they were for your grandmother. Yet the very next day, I saw them on her head! Xing’er, where did you find them?”

Zhan Jianxing nodded toward the steamer basket beside Xu Shi. “I discovered them inside when unloading it earlier. With so many people around, I kept quiet.”

Overjoyed yet puzzled, Xu Shi examined the recovered jewelry. “How strange—why would they be in there? Even if your aunt is slovenly, she wouldn’t mistake a steamer for a jewelry box, would she?”

Zhan Jianxing chuckled. “I suspect when the runners barged in to reclaim our things, they weren’t gentle. Aunt panicked, thinking she’d have to surrender everything she’d stolen before. Unwilling to part with them, she must have hastily tried to hide these, but the runners caught her. Seeing her guilty attempt to conceal them, they likely assumed the items weren’t hers, snatched them, and tossed them aside—”

The image amused her, and a small dimple appeared on her cheek as she laughed.

Xu Shi, realizing the same, couldn’t help but laugh too. “Oh, how your aunt must be gnashing her teeth now!”

“Who cares about her?” Zhan Jianxing said. “Mother, with these back, we’ll have a much better New Year.”

Xu Shi’s brief mirth faded. “True, but—what about you? I’d rather lose these trinkets than see you go to Prince Dai Manor.”

Yet she knew there was no turning back now.

As commoners, they couldn’t afford to offend Prince Dai Manor, but could they bear the consequences of going back on their word to Luo Zhifu?

Thus, it was settled that Zhan Jianxing would become the royal grandson’s study companion.

Author’s note:

Today’s Jianxing is a Jianxing with dimples~

~~

Zhu Xiaojiu discovered this fact not long after.

Much later, he suddenly became very interested in it: “Come on, give me a smile.”

A baffled Zhan Jianxing: “…What’s wrong with you?”

Unable to restrain himself, Zhu Xiaojiu reached out clumsily to poke them.

Zhan Jianxing: “This person is being disrespectful to this official. Guards, drag him out.”