Chapter 116: Coping

Lu Dalang glanced at her. “You should go carry the grain, but my parents must be aware of it. Otherwise, if the house is unprepared, who knows what might happen? Take this as a lesson for yourself. In the future, consider Shuanzhu and the others. Shitou is only six years old. Do you think it’s easy for a whole family to survive unscathed in times of turmoil? Not to mention there are other families tied to ours. Our family originally relied on the Chen family and Shen Lie to have a way out. If anything really happens…”

He couldn’t continue. He pulled away from Wang Chunniang’s hand and headed outside.

Lu Dalang knew the situation was serious. He was a little afraid of his father, so he glanced at the kitchen first. Seeing the light inside, he guessed his mother was making dry rations, so he went there first.

As he reached the kitchen door, he found it wasn’t just his mother inside; his younger sister-in-law, Mrs. Feng Liu, was also there. For a moment, he didn’t know how to start the conversation.

Mrs. Lu glanced at her eldest son’s expression, then set down the pottery basin in her hand and instructed her second daughter-in-law, “You prepare first. I’ll come back later.”

Mrs. Feng Liu also noticed that her elder brother-in-law’s expression was off and nodded in agreement.

Mrs. Lu stepped out of the kitchen and walked a few steps with her eldest son towards the main room before asking, “What’s the matter?”

Lu Dalang’s voice sounded hollow. “Let’s discuss it in your and father’s room. It’s best if he knows as well.”

Another big issue?

Mrs. Lu felt a bit uneasy.

It wasn’t until they returned to the room that Lu Dalang explained Wang Chunniang’s situation with a bowed head. Mrs. Lu massaged her temples upon hearing it.

Having married off the daughter-in-law poorly was a mistake she would have to live with for the rest of her life. No matter how cautious she was, no matter how many warnings she gave, she couldn’t prevent this hole from being dug out of the family.

Lu Dalang’s father’s face darkened as he was preparing to lie down. “Apart from our family, did she reveal anything about the other families?”

Lu Dalang knew his wife too well. She was unwilling to suffer any losses. If the tofu couldn’t be sold, she would have muttered countless sour words to him in private. It was inevitable that she would involve the other families, so it wasn’t easy to say. He didn’t dare to respond.

Old Man Lu’s hands were trembling with anger. On his way back, he had emphasized matters to each family. His family had encountered problems first. He clenched and unclenched his fists. If it weren’t for the lack of rules regarding the father-in-law disciplining his daughter-in-law, and if he had never laid a hand on a woman in his life, Old Man Lu feared he might have given Wang Chunniang a slap right then and there.

The loud smack of the final slap resounded on Lu Dalang’s face. It was so loud that even Lu Erlang and Lu Sanlang, who were in their own house, heard the commotion. They hastily put on their clothes they had just taken off. Meanwhile, Wang Chunniang, who was already feeling apprehensive, closed the door tightly and didn’t dare to come out.

“If the wife can’t manage things properly, you’ll bear the consequences for her!”

Lu Dalang’s face burned on one side. He was about to become a grandfather in a few years, and being slapped so hard by his biological father, he knew he deserved it. He lowered his head. “Father’s reprimand is justified.”

Old Man Lu was furious. “What use is my reprimand? Are we the only ones fleeing? If it’s just our family, and if you brothers want to bring your in-laws along, even their relatives, I have nothing to say. We originally relied on the Chen and Shen families to survive, a coalition of five families. If it’s our family that’s shaken, I can slap you, but what’s the use of slapping you if it affects the other four families? Even if I slap you to death here, it’s useless. It’s those families that should hold you accountable!”

This was not something to be shouted loudly. Even when furious, they couldn’t raise their voices. They had to suppress it. Old Man Lu’s chest heaved, his breath was heavy, and he was so angry that Mrs. Lu had to help him calm down, urging him not to rush or get angry.

Old Man Lu couldn’t calm down. He pointed at Lu Dalang. “From dawn tomorrow, you, Wang Chunniang, Shuanzhu, and Tiezhu, will carry grain up the mountain together. Tiezhu is young, so he’ll use a basket. You shouldn’t carry our family’s grain. Instead, carry grain for the other families. We’ll all carry grain for the other families first.”

Lu Dalang covered his face, his eyes red.

Old Man Lu was so angry that he paced around the room. His heavy breathing was clearly audible. Lu Erlang and Lu Sanlang had also put on their clothes and come over by this time. “Father, mother, elder brother, what’s going on?”

Old Man Lu glanced at Lu Dalang, too angry to speak. Mrs. Lu explained the situation in a few words, and Lu Erlang’s forehead furrowed tightly.

Lu Sanlang, the eighteen-year-old, usually sweet-tempered lad, had his temper flared by the situation. He kicked a stool, making a loud noise that drew everyone’s attention.

With a dark expression, Lu Sanlang said what had been bothering him for a long time. “Father, you’ve divided the family overnight. It’s only a matter of time before your daughter-in-law brings trouble to the family. I can’t bear to abandon my elder brother’s family, but if the family is not divided, I’ll suffocate. I’m not married yet, and I’ll stay with you and mother.”

Lu Dalang, Lu Erlang, and the Shuanzhu brothers were at a loss. They didn’t know what had happened, but seeing their father’s cheek already swollen, it was clear he had been slapped by their grandfather, and now their uncle was suggesting splitting the family.

Lu Erlang thought to himself, “Little brother is quite daring, but he’s right.” His expression turned cold. He had survived on the battlefield thanks to Shen Lie and Chen Dashan’s strong skills, allowing him and Shi Da to pass through many dangers. They had grouped together out of mutual trust and necessity, but now, his sister-in-law had sold not just their family but the whole village.

His father was trembling with anger, and Lu Erlang’s veins bulged on his hand.

Didn’t he have in-laws? Didn’t his wife worry about her parents? He and Shi Da could only help their in-laws within their abilities, sending timely messages, informing them about grain purchases, buying medicine, and even secretly teaching his brother-in-law some skills.

They dared not ask for more, but his sister-in-law didn’t just see them as outsiders; she sold them without hesitation.

Lu Erlang remembered what his wife had tearfully confided in him when they first returned home, and now, he felt even colder inside.

“I also agree to divide the family,” Lu Dalang, still in shock, looked at his younger brothers, who had both suggested splitting the family. They seemed serious, and someone was willing to listen.

In the silence, Mrs. Lu suddenly spoke up. “I think dividing the family isn’t a bad idea. Either divorce Chunniang today and send her back to her parents’ house, or divide the family today. Whatever Chunniang does in the future, whether good or bad, it will affect your smaller family first. If she makes a mistake, suffers, or faces hardship, it’s her own children who will bear the brunt. Maybe she’ll learn a lesson or two.”

She couldn’t influence her daughter-in-law, and she didn’t want to try anymore.

When Lu Sanlang and Lu Erlang said these words, Lu Dalang was still stunned. But when his mother took it seriously, Lu Dalang knelt down directly. “Mother!”

The Shuanzhu brothers were also panicked. They all crowded into the room, even Wang Chunniang, who had been listening behind the door, dared not hide in her room anymore and hurriedly knelt down with them.

As soon as they knelt down, they wanted to cry out, “Mother, Mother, it was unintentional.”

“Shut up! Do you want the neighbors to hear?”

Having good intentions might at least involve a bit of filial piety, but being unintentional was truly chilling.

…

The Lu family split their household overnight, separating the main branch.

Shen Lie and the others only found out about it the next morning, when several families gathered at his door in the predawn darkness.

It was because Old Man Lu and Mrs. Lu, along with the eldest son’s family and the Shuanzhu brothers, personally came to apologize. Such apologies were not uncommon lately, and they had already visited other families as well, helping each to carry away three bags of grain.

This matter had made everyone uneasy, and now, not only the men but also the women followed to gather at the halfway house.

The Lu family brought many people on this trip. Old Man Lu, his three sons, Wang Chunniang, Shuanzhu, and Tiezhu, six strong laborers capable of carrying twelve bags of grain, and Tiezhu could carry some on his back.

But the Lu family didn’t carry any of their own grain. Instead, they carried the grain of the other four families. According to Old Man Lu, until each family’s grain was carried away, the Lu family’s grain would remain at home. First, they would carry the grain of the other families. After everyone’s grain was carried away, they would help carry the grain of Old Man Lu and his second son. The main branch’s grain would be last.

Even Tiezhu carried only the family’s dry rations and miscellaneous items.

They were indeed resolute. Despite the frustration caused by Wang Chunniang’s actions, they couldn’t say anything more. Although some women had thoughts of helping their maternal families, they now thought twice.

Of course, everyone was quite clear. With parents and relatives to rely on, they could survive. In fact, the maternal families of both the Shi and Lu families were much stronger than their paternal families, who were now in a weaker position.

Married people tended to think more about their own families and children, and they also considered the principles of loyalty and righteousness. There were very few like Wang Chunniang who, without caring for the safety of the several households they belonged to, simply exposed everything to satisfy their desires.

Fortunately, Shen Lie and Chen Dashan found the hidden grain storage in the mountains in time, and the county hadn’t descended into chaos yet. Everything was still manageable; otherwise, they might have wanted to kill Wang Chunniang.

Shi Erlang’s wife was straightforward and blunt. “When your family goes to carry the grain, does Lu’s wife not directly carry it for the second half?”

Her words were clear: she didn’t trust Wang Chunniang.

Wang Chunniang felt as if her face had been trampled on the ground, but her mother-in-law had been straightforward last night. Either she would honestly carry the grain and not wander around the village or she would divorce her on the spot. She had no place to hide and knelt down with everyone.

Old Man Lu and Mrs. Lu were also embarrassed, but they also knew that there was no one to blame but themselves. Mrs. Lu said, “We asked Dashan. There’s a rest point about a day and a half away, a cave. Our family will be responsible for carrying to this point. We won’t go any further.”

Originally, they had planned to divide the journey into two stages, but now Mrs. Lu didn’t even want her daughter-in-law to go so deep. She couldn’t let her family and the other four families take such risks together. She took the initiative to ask the Chen family for a closer point, transferring the grain there first was reasonable.

Shi Erlang’s wife felt a little relieved after hearing this. They were all from nearby villages and had been neighbors with the Lu family for many years. Everyone knew about Wang Chunniang’s maternal family.

If she had to say it, such a person should be divorced and sent back to her maternal family to live. But she also knew that after several families had been together for so long, Wang Chunniang knew too much about everyone. If they divorced her now, who knew what she might do in retaliation? Enduring carrying grain in the mountains every day seemed to be the safest option for now.

Moreover, they still had Shuanzhu, Tiezhu, and the others. They had all grown up together, and she was also a mother herself. She couldn’t say anything too harsh.

Finally, Shen Lie and Chen Dashan got together to discuss. They decided to concentrate all their manpower to quickly transfer seventy percent of the grain to the first hidden storage point. They would be discreet about it, and the first storage point was already deep in the mountains, where no one would go. They would also arrange for two strong young men to guard the grain with poisoned arrows. That should be safe.

Once seventy percent was transferred, the remaining thirty percent would continue to be carried by the Lu family, while the others would proceed to the destination with the remaining grain.

Yes, these “others” included the Zhou family, whose level of trust had now increased by a notch.

Firstly, the people of the Zhou family had no other issues apart from having more relatives here. Apart from the Chen and Shen families who had fled here, whose family didn’t have relatives? But whether it was the head of the Zhou village or the people of the Zhou family, they indeed acted quite reliably. Secondly, the latter part of the journey was long, and if they wanted to carry the grain quickly, they couldn’t afford to have fewer people for the latter part of the journey.

Now that they had reached this stage, they would all be in the same trench in the future, and the village would also have the support of Zhou Cunzheng, the head of the Zhou village. Trust had to be given where it was due.

This excited the Zhou family members, who felt even more integrated into this group.

With the first part of the journey shortened and everyone caught off guard by Wang Chunniang’s incident, on a temporary basis, Gan proposed to carry grain into the mountains as well.

Once Gan stepped forward, both Feng Liuniang and Qin Fangniang also volunteered. The two daughters-in-law of Zhou Cunzheng felt they could also go.

Leaving behind a woman to take care of the children at home and leaving Zhou Cunzheng and Shen Lie in the village, everyone else was going to carry grain into the mountains.

After the plan was agreed upon, they quickly went back to fetch the grain, being as cautious as possible to avoid making any noise.

Before daybreak, the newly added members from each family and the grain to be transported were all assembled halfway up the mountain at Shen Lie’s house.

Zhou Cunzheng, Shen Lie, Mrs. Chen, Mrs. Lu, the wife of Zhou Cunzheng, Shi Erlang’s wife, and Sang Luo—these seven people were now all the adult members left in the village.

Zhou Cunzheng glanced at the large group of departing people. Once they left, each household would be almost empty, leaving only the elderly and children.

He said, “With so many people missing from our five families, let’s discuss a strategy. We need a believable explanation for outsiders.”

No one present had forgotten about the incident reported to the authorities last time.

Someone, somewhere, was keeping a close eye on their families.

The group of Mrs. Chen and others looked at each other, finding this a bit challenging.

If only the men were leaving, they could say they were going into the mountains to hunt. But with the women and even teenagers leaving, how could they explain it?

Sang Luo lowered her gaze, pondering for a moment, then said, “Let’s say we’re going to work as laborers. Everyone in the village knows our families often go to the county. With food prices rising so much now, we can say we found work in the county to earn some money to buy grain.”

As she spoke, she quickly elaborated in her mind, “We can mention Shopkeeper Xu, the merchant, saying he’s a well-known merchant in the county who introduced us to work for wealthy families there, doing landscaping work. The duration is uncertain, and it seems like it will take quite some time.”

“That works,” Zhou Cunzheng paced a few steps and said, “So, before dawn, you and Alie will go to the county, and in the morning, each household will play along with the story.”

Everyone in the village knew that their families often went to the county before dawn to set up stalls and deliver goods. The kids would go out, and they’d explore the mountains.

Today, moving the grain, even with all the precautions, would still make some noise. But since no one was checking, they had all gotten used to it. Besides, it was an exceptionally dark winter night, and they hadn’t lit torches, so other households wouldn’t see them.

The villagers would automatically assume that the noise meant they were transporting goods to the county. So, it only required Sang Luo and Shen Lie to return in the morning, spread the news that they had found work in the county, and then each family would pack some clean clothes to be delivered by Sang Luo the next day.

This act would be perfect.

With the tension that had gripped everyone’s faces and nerves since hearing about Wang Chunniang’s incident finally easing, there were now some smiles.

Chen Dashan said, “Those of us transporting grain will probably return by the evening of the third day. Remember not to come too close in the evening. Wait until it’s completely dark before coming over, and don’t enter the village. Just sleep in Alie’s hearth room for the night and leave before dawn.”

This way, the illusion created in the eyes of the villagers would be that they had gone out for a while and had not returned.

Shen Lie and Sang Luo naturally had no objections. Sang Luo said, “We can also squeeze into the main house.”

With that settled, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Mrs. Chen said, “Alright, we’ll also quietly send the bedding and the grain to be transported at night to Alie’s side in the future.”

As the dawn approached, while the villagers were still asleep, everyone dared not linger any longer. Carrying loads and baskets, armed ones brought their weapons, and those without carried hoes and machetes. They all silently entered the mountains in unison.

“Stay safe and protect the women and children.”

That was the only advice they could give.

Chen Dashan, Shi Erlang, and Lu Erlang were all familiar with the forests and mountains. They nodded. “Don’t worry, we’ll take a roundabout way back.”

As everyone left, only the seven people seeing them off and Shen An and Shen Ning poking their heads out from the house remained.

Mrs. Lu bowed slightly and apologized to the others, “I’m ashamed that my Lu family has caused trouble for everyone.”

Mrs. Chen sighed and patted her sister’s shoulder. “It’s something you didn’t expect. It’s fine. Just be careful of your in-laws in the future and handle them carefully.”

With numerous reminders and warnings, who could have anticipated someone would be so easily influenced?

Mrs. Chen recalled a couple of comments Mrs. Lu had made privately. Wang Chunniang wasn’t doing it for her parents or siblings; it was purely to cause trouble for her in-laws.

The mention of her in-laws made Mrs. Lu’s blood boil.

Wang Chunniang might be foolish, but the women in the Wang family, not to mention the old man and his sons, were wicked.

Sending letters but not buying grain, and privately plotting against Wang Chunniang, a fool? What kind of plan was that?

Wait and see, I’ll teach you a lesson.

Mrs. Lu grinned, her smile filled with murderous intent.