Chapter 109

Instead of Wei Wanshun making a swift exit, the young men from Jiang’s village dragged him away like a lifeless pig.

“This guy is truly despicable!” Song Jingyun, seeing Wei Wanshun being taken away, fumed, “People like him should walk into pitfalls, eat without chopsticks, have nightmares every night, and endure a lifetime of torment!”

Jiang Mixia: “…”

Her Husband’s unique way of cursing was quite extraordinary.

“Achoo… Achoo… Ah, achoo!”

One of the young men who was part of the group dragging Wei Wanshun towards the ancestral hall suddenly felt an itch in his nose and let out a loud sneeze.

The sneeze caused his hand to slip.

Wei Wanshun, already struggling and with considerable weight due to his size, suddenly lurched downward as the person’s grip faltered, making it challenging for the others to keep a hold of him.

*Thud!*

*Thud!*

After two people’s grips slipped in succession, Wei Wanshun fell solidly to the ground like a sack.

Due to his struggles, he slid into a nearby small puddle of water.

Face down.

The ground, still wet from recent rain, was muddy everywhere. Wei Wanshun felt the mud covering his face, even saturating the cloth in his mouth, soaking it with muddy water.

The mixture of mud and saliva kept flowing into his mouth, creating a disgusting taste that made him nauseous, inducing waves of retching.

He retched a few times, unable to expel anything substantial but now with an even stranger taste in his mouth.

Wei Wanshun felt like he was on the verge of collapse…

The next morning at dawn, Jiang Zhengxin led a group of strong young men to take Wei Wanshun to the county office.

With clear evidence of his wrongdoing and after a few strokes of the cane, Wei Wanshun confessed, leading to a swift trial that resulted in his guilt being established.

After receiving thirty lashes and a two-month imprisonment, he was locked away in the county jail.

Upon Jiang Zhengxin’s return to Jiang’s village with the outcome, the entire village rejoiced.

Especially the Jiang family.

“He got what he deserved,” Jiang Youcheng spat out disdainfully.

“Speaking of which, we owe a lot to Ergou this time. If it weren’t for his quick thinking that night, that scoundrel would have succeeded, and our workshop would have suffered greatly,” Liu Shi remarked.

“Yes, it’s all thanks to Ergou,” Jiang Youcheng patted Sun Ergou on the shoulder. “You really saved the day this time.”

“You did great, young man. We never realized how sharp you are,” the workshop assistants chimed in with praise.

Sun Ergou felt a bit embarrassed by all the compliments, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. “It’s not entirely my merit. I usually sleep like a log, impervious to anything. If it wasn’t for that night, I wouldn’t have known either.”

“Why did you wake up then?” Jiang Mixia asked, curious.

“Not to embarrass you, Sister Mixia, but the noodles your mother made that day were a bit salty. I had two extra bowls and felt incredibly thirsty before bed. I drank two big bowls of water, and by night, I woke up needing to pee, and that’s when I saw that guy entering the workshop yard…” Sun Ergou explained truthfully.

Jiang Mixia: “…”

So, was the credit due to the mixed sauce noodles?

Or the salt?

Or perhaps Liu Shi’s culinary skills…

Of course, despite Sun Ergou’s explanation, nobody believed it was any of those three reasons. They still credited Sun Ergou for his quick reaction and precise action, attributing most of the success to him.

The rest, they believed, was just good luck on the part of the Jiang family.

Liu Shi usually cooked with a light hand, never making anything salty, but that day her noodles turned out salty, causing Sun Ergou to drink extra water and wake up at night. Wasn’t that luck?

With such good fortune in the Jiang family, maybe the village would benefit in the future.

No, let’s be more confident and remove the “maybe.”

The village was indeed basking in that good fortune.

Observing the workers in the bamboo weaving workshop – each enjoying a bountiful harvest during wheat season, with their crops growing exceptionally well in the autumn – even their poultry fetched good prices, and they found bargains when shopping, always getting the best goods at reasonable prices.

This was the result of sharing in someone else’s luck…

In no time, the Jiang family, led by Jiang Youcheng, became the focal point of attention in the entire Jiang’s village.

Those heading out to work would purposely pass by the Jiang family’s house in the morning, hoping for favorable weather and a bountiful harvest during planting season.

Even those engaged in small businesses would casually stroll by the Jiang family’s doorstep, wishing for their own ventures to prosper.

Families with children about to be engaged would bring small stools and sit by the Jiang family’s doorstep all afternoon, seeking to absorb the abundant luck and secure a prosperous match.

…

The area in front of Jiang Youcheng’s house became a bustling hub, akin to a marketplace, with a constant stream of visitors each day.

Jiang Mixia: “…”

Luck, being a mystical concept, falls into the realm of superstition and is highly unpredictable.

Although her husband’s luck was undeniably good, to the point where those around him seemed to benefit from it as well, Jiang Mixia viewed this phenomenon as temporary.

While her husband  currently enjoyed good luck, others perceived it as their family’s fortunes shining, hence the influx of people hoping to share in that luck by gathering around their household.

If others were to benefit from good luck, that would be fine. However, if they failed to experience the anticipated benefits, perhaps due to overly high expectations…

Some individuals, driven to frustration by unmet hopes, might react with anger, potentially leading to more troublesome situations.

If, because of her husband’s exceptional luck, someone in power were to view him as a lucky charm and keep him under their wing…

It’s too dreadful to contemplate, too dreadful!

“What’s wrong, my dear?” Song Jingyun, observing Jiang Mixia’s troubled expression, asked in surprise.

“Nothing…”

Your wife is plotting something against you.

Jiang Mixia blinked, scrutinizing Song Jingyun once more from head to toe.

Under her intense gaze, Song Jingyun felt uncomfortable all over. “Is everything all right, my dear?”

“Nothing serious, just go to sleep,” Jiang Mixia lay down. “Let’s get up early tomorrow and head into the mountains.”

“Okay,” Song Jingyun eagerly agreed.

It had been a while since he last ventured into the mountains, and he hadn’t enjoyed wild game for some time. This trip was an opportunity to hunt and hopefully bring back something.

Song Jingyun pondered what to do with the game he’d hunt the next day.

He had grown tired of braised meatballs; perhaps smoking the meat would be a nice change?

The smoked fish his mother had prepared last time was delicious.

For the wild chicken, how about making it in a dry pot?

No, that’s too limiting. He needed to broaden his culinary horizons; maybe he’d come across something new this time?

Perhaps a wild boar, or even some large insects?

Excited by the possibilities, Song Jingyun eagerly anticipated the hunt.

On the other hand, Jiang Mixia was also deeply immersed in her own calculations.