Chapter 002: Married into Widowhood

Madam Wei had been treated with acupuncture and had already fallen into a deep sleep.

Most of the neighbors who had gathered to watch the commotion had left, leaving only two or three households still lingering.

Jiang Yue was obedient but not foolish. Since she had entered the Wei family, it was with the purpose of bearing an heir for Wei Dalang.

But now, Wei Dalang was dead.

She could no longer bear him a child, yet her uncle had indeed accepted money from Madam Wei.

Now that Madam Wei had fallen into madness, Jiang Yue knew she shouldn’t leave.

Even if she were to leave in the future, now was not the time.

Granny Sun, the woman from across the street—the very same one who had fetched her from the Jiang family—ordered her husband and son to help set up the mourning hall for the Wei family.

Meanwhile, Aunt Wang from next door brought some food for Jiang Yue and kindly advised her.

“Lady Wei, though Wei Dalang is gone, you were indeed bought by Madam Wei to bear him a child. To gather the silver, she even sold the town’s mill.”

“If you have a conscience, you won’t abandon Madam Wei at a time like this and simply leave.”

Jiang Yue accepted the bowl of millet rice that Aunt Wang had brought her.

“Auntie, don’t worry, I won’t leave.”

“I have already married into this family. I won’t ignore my mother-in-law.”

She had taken a careful look around. Wei Dalang might be gone, but the Wei family’s circumstances were still far better than the Jiang family’s.

The Jiang family was pitifully poor, especially after her uncle became addicted to gambling. He would steal the chickens, ducks, and geese from home, and he had a gang of gambling and drinking friends just as rotten as him.

There was never any food stored in the house.

And because she was a girl and the daughter of his deceased younger brother—not his own child—she was not valued. She wasn’t even considered worthy of food.

Jiang Yue had done the hardest labor in the Jiang household while receiving the least to eat.

Sometimes, she had nothing at all and had to drink water to fill her stomach, sneaking into the mountains when no one was watching to forage for fruit.

Hunting required skill and strength—she had tried digging traps before but had only ever caught a pitiful little hedgehog.

She had never once managed to catch a wild chicken or rabbit.

But staying in the Wei household, she could at least eat her fill.

She had already checked the Wei family’s kitchen.

There was rice, flour, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and even two sacks of beans—most likely meant for Madam Wei to make tofu.

There was no doubt that she could eat well here, which was why Jiang Yue was certain she wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon.

Her firm words, however, were met with skepticism from those who had come to help.

After all, one could never truly know what was in another’s heart. Who could say whether Jiang Yue was telling the truth?

But for now, since she had spoken so decisively, she probably wouldn’t run away.

The Wei family’s mourning hall was finally set up.

The neighbors, still uneasy, used the excuse of worrying that Jiang Yue might feel lonely in the house at night to send over two young girls.

They claimed it was to keep her company in case she was too scared to sleep, but in reality, it was to keep an eye on her—to prevent her from escaping in the night.

The first to arrive was Ximei, Aunt Wang’s daughter. She was thin, small, and slightly dark-skinned.

When she saw Jiang Yue, she was truly surprised.

“So you’re the one who married Wei Dalang? You’re so pretty—how could your family bear to send you for something like this?”

Something like bearing a child for a condemned man?

Jiang Yue didn’t think there was anything wrong with it. No matter who she married, she would have to bear children.

Marrying Wei Dalang wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. If she had given birth to his child and raised it alone after his death, and if the child became successful, she might have even gained the title of Gao Ming Furen someday.

That was what she had originally thought.

But now, Wei Dalang was dead.

Before she could even conceive his child, he was gone.

Jiang Yue didn’t say much, only replying briefly, “My family is poor, that’s all.”

Ximei felt sorry for her.

Seeing that Jiang Yue was truly pitiful and innocent, she shared many things about the Wei family.

“…Wei Dalang was actually a really good person. He was well-educated and could hunt too. Whenever he brought back game, Madam Wei would cook it, and the delicious smell would spread through half the village. Whenever the village kids got greedy and came to ask for some, Wei Dalang would scoop out a bowl and share it with them.”

“It’s a shame… good people don’t live long.”

Since Ximei seemed to know a lot, Jiang Yue asked another question.

“Do you know why he was arrested?”

She was simply curious, nothing more.

Ximei shook her head, then added, “I asked my mother about it, but she scolded me, saying it wasn’t something a child should pry into. She wouldn’t tell me anything.”

“But I did hear some people say… it was because he tried to save someone.”

Saving someone was supposed to be a good deed. Jiang Yue couldn’t understand—why would someone be sentenced to death for that?

Just then, Sun Xiaolan from Granny Sun’s house arrived. She hadn’t come willingly—if her mother hadn’t promised to buy her two hair ribbons and sew her a new vest at the next market, she wouldn’t have agreed at all.

Granny Sun led Sun Xiaolan to the Wei family’s doorstep and called out, “Dalang’s wife, I brought Xiaolan to keep you company at night.”

“Ximei is here too, so you and Xiaolan can sleep with Dalang’s wife. And don’t sleep too soundly tonight.”

Ximei responded with a soft “Mm.”

Sun Xiaolan, however, stood at the doorway, unwilling to step in. She looked at Jiang Yue and said, “Listen, don’t try to sneak away in the middle of the night. If you try to escape, I won’t let you go.”

Granny Sun hadn’t left yet, and upon hearing her daughter’s foolish words, she immediately smacked her on the head.

Then she turned to Jiang Yue.

“Dalang’s wife, don’t take it the wrong way. We’re all decent folks. I didn’t send Xiaolan here to keep watch over you or stop you from running away.”

Jiang Yue, however, simply replied, “It’s fine. You can be honest about it.”

Granny Sun thought to herself—this Dalang’s wife is quite clever.

What a pity.

Had she known Jiang Yue was this beautiful, their family could have scraped together ten taels of silver.

Her third son, her second son—neither had married yet.

Her eldest had been married for years without a child, so she had given up hope on him.

She was only thinking about finding a good wife for her second son.

But in all the nearby villages, those who were beautiful weren’t smart, and those who were smart weren’t beautiful. Finding someone who was both was nearly impossible—except for Jiang Yue.

Under the glow of the lamplight, Jiang Yue’s delicate face was as exquisite as a flower, radiant and alluring.

Wei Dalang truly had no fortune.

A new bride had just entered the house, and he was gone before he could even hold her hand—he had died without ever knowing the warmth of a woman.

Granny Sun gave a few more instructions before leaving.

The bed, which wasn’t large to begin with, now had to accommodate three people, making it quite cramped.

Jiang Yue found a spot and lay down.

Sun Xiaolan, who had arrived last and had the least space, wanted Ximei to move over.

Ximei, though quiet and reserved, was also stubborn. Neither was willing to give way, but Jiang Yue quickly drifted into a peaceful sleep.

In the middle of the night, she was awakened by the sound of crying outside in the courtyard.

Hesitating for a moment, she mustered the courage to step out—only to find Madam Wei crouched there, weeping.

Her sobs were muffled yet filled with immense sorrow, as if she had nowhere to pour out her grief, as if she had lost everything and had no will to go on.

Her cries were filled with utter despair.