Chapter 003: Preparing the Donkey Cart, Fetching the Corpse

Jiang Yue stood by silently for a long time, listening as Madam Wei’s sobs grew weaker. Only then did she step forward and help her back inside.

She said, “From now on, you have me. Since I have entered the Wei family’s door, I am the Wei family’s daughter-in-law.”

She continued, “Tomorrow, I will go with you to the county office to bring my husband’s body back and give him a proper burial.”

Jiang Yue understood. A widowed mother had raised her son with great difficulty, only for him to die in prison before he could even marry properly or leave behind descendants. The pain and resentment in Madam Wei’s heart had nowhere to go.

Her pillar of support was gone. How could she not be devastated?

Jiang Yue wasn’t sure if Madam Wei truly heard or understood her words, but she didn’t dare leave her alone. She stayed by her side until dawn.

At the third crow of the rooster, people from the village began arriving at the Wei household.

Granny Sun’s eldest son, Sun Dawang, came with his wife. Granny Sun and her husband arrived as well, bringing along their second son, Sun Erwang.

“Dawang, Erwang, go check the courtyard and see where else we need to hang white mourning cloth.”

“Dawang’s wife, go inside and check if Dalang’s wife, Xiaolan, and Ximei are awake yet.”

Dawang’s wife responded with a quick “Alright” and walked toward the newly prepared bedroom in the Wei house.

She pushed the door and found it was already open. Thinking that Jiang Yue had run away, she hurried inside.

On the bed, she saw her lazy sister-in-law and the neighbor’s daughter, Ximei, sprawled out in a mess—but Jiang Yue was nowhere to be seen.

“Oh no! Mother, Dalang’s new wife is gone…!”

Granny Sun hurried over.

“Gone? What do you mean gone?”

“Dalang’s wife disappeared!” Dawang’s wife shouted.

Granny Sun panicked. Wei Dalang was dead, and now only Madam Wei remained. If Dalang’s newly married wife also ran away, how much more miserable would Madam Wei be?

The Sun family had always been close to the Weis. Granny Sun still felt guilty over what had happened back then, so she had been trying to help.

“Quick, go find her! Send someone to check Jiang’s house—”

Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Yue stepped out from Madam Wei’s room.

“I didn’t run away.”

“Last night, I saw Mother crying badly, so I went to check on her. I was worried something might happen, so I stayed with her until now.”

Granny Sun paused before she realized what had happened.

Not only had Jiang Yue not left, but she had also shown such kindness and filial piety by caring for Madam Wei.

“Dalang’s wife, why didn’t you say something earlier?”

She turned and scolded Dawang’s wife, “You always make a fuss over nothing! She didn’t run—she was in the west room taking care of her mother-in-law!”

“You’ve been married into our Sun family for years. If I were dying in my room, you’d probably just think I was taking a long nap!”

Dawang’s wife muttered under her breath, “Madam Wei lost her son. You’re still alive.”

Granny Sun’s face trembled with anger, but before she could say more, Dawang’s wife quickly walked over to Jiang Yue.

She changed the subject, “With so many people coming to help today, we need to prepare food for them.”

Jiang Yue closed the door, got up, and went to the kitchen. She cooked a small pot of rice porridge and planned to stir-fry some cabbage.

After breakfast, the villagers would help set up the mourning hall, buy a coffin, funeral clothes, and other burial necessities.

She also told her mother-in-law that she wanted to go to the county office to bring back Wei Dalang’s body.

Dawang’s wife helped cook breakfast, and once the food was ready, Jiang Yue took a bowl of porridge and brought it to Madam Wei’s room.

Madam Wei was already awake. She had found her cleanest clothes and meticulously combed her messy hair.

Jiang Yue called out, “Mother, have something to eat. We’re going to bring my husband home.”

At the sound of Jiang Yue’s voice, Madam Wei suddenly broke down in sorrowful wails.

Madam Wei sighed, “Poor child.”

Then she said, “Once Dalang is brought home, you should leave.”

Jiang Yue said nothing. She simply held out the bowl of porridge to Madam Wei, but she refused to eat.

Jiang Yue gently persuaded, “Mother, please eat. You need strength to welcome my husband home.”

How could she not grieve for her only son?

She had given birth to five children. Two daughters died in infancy, leaving her with three sons.

Her youngest son caught a cold shortly after birth. At seven or eight years old, she thought it was just a minor illness and didn’t take it seriously—only for him to die from it.

Her second son had been reckless and disobedient.

If he had only listened to her, he wouldn’t have ended up dead.

That year, a great drought struck. Their crops failed, and the family had nothing to eat. While fleeing with her sick husband and two sons, her second son left to search for food—and never came back.

Later, she heard he had joined bandits in looting and was killed by the authorities.

Her eldest son had been different—obedient, filial, intelligent. He was good at reading, skilled in hunting, kind-hearted, and handsome.

It was his kindness that got him killed.

Her whole life had been bitter—her early years were filled with suffering, and her later years were no different.

One by one, all her children had died.

She had no more hope left.

Jiang Yue looked into Madam Wei’s lifeless eyes and spoke softly:

“Mother, you’re alone now, and so am I. My father is dead, and my mother remarried. If I leave the Wei family, where can I go? If I return to the Jiang family, my cruel uncle will only sell me off again for money.”

“Please, have mercy and let me stay in the Wei household. As long as I have enough to eat, I’m willing to take care of you and see you through your old age.”

Madam Wei pulled Jiang Yue into her arms and sobbed uncontrollably.

Outside, in the courtyard, Granny Sun was scolding Sun Xiaolan and Ximei for neglecting their duty.

Ximei was from Auntie Wang’s house. Granny Sun only spoke a few sharp words to her, but for her own granddaughter, Sun Xiaolan, she let loose a full-blown scolding.

“You sleep like a dead pig! It’s a good thing she didn’t actually run away! If she had, I’d send you to Madam Wei as her daughter in return!”

Sun Xiaolan burst into tears.

She wailed that her grandmother didn’t want her anymore.

Auntie Wang hadn’t scolded Ximei, but she landed two solid punches on her back.

Ximei dared not complain. She and Sun Xiaolan had indeed slept too deeply last night.

Not only had they failed to notice Jiang Yue’s absence, but they hadn’t even heard Madam Wei’s cries from the courtyard…

Hearing Madam Wei crying again, Granny Sun and Auntie Wang rushed over.

They arrived to see Madam Wei clutching Jiang Yue, crying uncontrollably.

They wanted to offer words of comfort, but seeing the scene before them, they didn’t know what to say.

Jiang Yue helped her mother-in-law to her feet, then turned to Granny Sun.

“Granny, may I trouble you to prepare a donkey cart? I will take Mother to bring my husband home.”

Auntie Wang quickly said, “Dalang’s wife, the donkey cart is already hitched. Can you drive it?”

“I can!”

No one is born knowing everything, but skills can be learned.

Jiang Yue couldn’t read or write, but as long as someone taught her something, she could pick it up immediately.

Yet, no one had even needed to teach her how to drive a donkey cart—she just knew.

She helped Madam Wei onto the cart and took hold of the reins.

Perhaps even the donkey understood the Wei family’s hardships, for it was especially obedient.

Granny Sun and Auntie Wang watched as the widow and daughter-in-law rode off in the cart, their eyes stinging with tears.

Some of the village elders spoke up, sending four young men to accompany them.

They said, “A corpse is heavy. Two women can’t carry it alone.”

Jiang Yue bowed and expressed her gratitude.