Fu Wenyu had no objections to the mourning customs prohibiting drinking alcohol, marrying, or participating in imperial examinations.

But the prohibition on eating meat? That was practically inhumane. Although he had only been eating vegetarian food for a short time, he was already fretting over how he would survive the next two years.

Fortunately, there were still eggs.

Though eggs weren’t as satisfying as meat, they were better than nothing.

At the same time, he realized that the lack of eggs at home before was likely because Mrs. Zhou’s money was running out. To save every penny, she had been cooking salted vegetables daily and only occasionally buying a piece of tofu for one wen. Without proper seasoning, even the tofu, boiled with greens, tasted bland.

Now things had improved. Eggs were three for two wen, and Mrs. Zhou had even gritted her teeth and bought two half-grown hens. In another month, they’d start laying eggs. On the way back, Fu Wenyu’s gaze lingered greedily on the two hens.

By the time they returned to Fujia Village, it was already past noon.

At this hour, every household had already eaten.

Although Fu Village wasn’t wealthy, the local rice harvest came twice a year. Most families didn’t lack food and could eat three meals a day if they stuck to porridge for breakfast and dinner. However, meat was a rare luxury.

Like many nearby villages, families with smaller plots of land who had finished their autumn plowing gathered under the large banyan tree at the village entrance. Some twisted ropes from straw, while others chatted in small groups or simply dozed on their own stools.

The figures under the banyan tree were mostly elderly people and women.

The moment the three of them appeared at the village entrance, they were immediately spotted.

“Bought some chickens, eh?”

The first to approach was Mrs. Wen, a notorious gossip in the village and someone Fu Wenyu was supposed to call Fourth Aunt. Her eyes gleamed as she noticed the chicken coop in Fu Wenyu’s hands.

“Well, if it isn’t the scholar’s wife! And Wenyu! Did you just come back from town? Those chickens you bought sure look fat—must be delicious!”

Mrs. Zhou first instructed Fu Wenyu and Fu Rong to greet her, then gently replied, “Yes, we went to town. Fourth Aunt, we have things to tend to at home, so we’ll be heading back now.”

“Hey, hey, don’t leave just yet!”

Mrs. Wen hurriedly grabbed her arm. “Are you planning to boil or stew those chickens? I heard from Chunhua’s mother—your sister-in-law—that you don’t know how to kill chickens and always avoid it. But I’m not scared! I can help you kill them, and I promise I won’t leave a single feather behind.”

As she spoke, she reached out, trying to grab the chicken coop from Fu Wenyu’s hands.

…Wait a minute. Who said they were going to kill the chickens?

Even though Fu Wenyu had read plenty of dramatic rural stories and TV dramas in his past life—and even written some himself—he was still startled by her behavior. Judging by her demeanor, even if she killed the chickens, there was no way all the meat would end up back in their home. The portions they’d receive would probably be missing a wing or a drumstick.

Mrs. Zhou froze for a moment before quickly saying, “Fourth Aunt, we’re not killing these chickens. We’re keeping them to lay eggs. Besides, Wenyu is a scholar, and we’re in mourning, so we don’t eat meat.”

If word got out, it could affect his chances in the imperial examinations. Mrs. Zhou was determined to help her son achieve scholarly success, so at most, she’d cook an extra egg on occasion. Anything more blatant was out of the question, let alone openly eating meat.

Mrs. Wen, disappointed, frowned.

“So particular, huh?”

“Wenyu’s mother, just look at Wenyu and Xiao Rong. They’re both so skinny they look like a gust of wind could blow them away. The mourning period for Qingshan has already passed 100 days. You should eat and drink as needed. That way, Qingshan can rest in peace underground, right?”

“If you ask me—”

Before she could finish, Fu Rong pursed her lips unhappily and interrupted, “Mother, I’m hungry!”

Fu Wenyu chimed in, “Mother, let’s go home. Fourth Aunt, we appreciate your kind offer, but we’re still in mourning for my father, so we can’t eat meat.”

Though he craved meat as much as anyone, he felt that since he had come to this world and become part of this family, he should honor their customs.

Eggs were enough to meet their nutritional needs; there was no need for meat.

Mrs. Wen wasn’t ready to give up and was about to say more when a woman slightly older than Mrs. Zhou stepped forward to stop her. “Let go already. Who goes out of their way to insist on killing someone else’s chickens? What, are you planning to take two home and only leave them with one?”

“You think people don’t know what you’re up to?”

“You’re bullying Qingshan’s wife. Aren’t you afraid that Qingshan will come to find your husband at night?”

Being visited by Fu Qingshan would mean being haunted. Mrs. Wen froze, visibly startled, and quickly retorted, “Don’t you spread such nonsense!” before scurrying away without looking back.

The woman snorted disdainfully and turned to Mrs. Zhou. “Wenyu’s mother, don’t pay her any mind. She’s nothing but trouble with no filter on her mouth. She even plucks a couple of leaves from other people’s vegetable patch when she passes by. For people like her, don’t hold back. Scold her if you need to, and if that doesn’t work, get Wenyu to find her husband and let him deal with her.”

Mrs. Zhou nodded and said to Fu Wenyu and Fu Rong, “Wenyu, Rong’er, this is your Aunt Chunfeng. Call her Sixth Aunt.”

Both Fu Wenyu and Fu Rong obediently greeted her, “Sixth Aunt.”

This woman, Chunfeng Tian, was someone Fu Wenyu wasn’t particularly familiar with but knew of. Her son-in-law was also preparing for the county-level imperial examination and had borrowed a book from Fu Wenyu—he was one of Fu Wenyu’s “clients.”

Aside from this, Mrs. Tian’s family owned two oxen, one of which was used to pull a cart. Every day, they transported vegetables grown in their fields and collected from others in the village to sell in town. That morning, Fu Wenyu and his family had traveled to town in their ox cart for a fee of one wen per person.

Thanks to this arrangement, Mrs. Tian enjoyed significant influence among the village women.

Having driven Mrs. Wen away, Mrs. Tian didn’t waste words when she saw they were in a hurry to get home. Instead, she cheerfully said, “Wenyu, the book you lent my son-in-law has been very helpful, he says.”

“Sixth Aunt doesn’t have much to thank you with, but your family’s probably been too busy recently to work on the vegetable patch, right? If you want fresh greens, just come to Sixth Aunt’s place. Take as much as you like!”

After saying this, she turned to the curious villagers who had gathered around and said, “Alright, everyone, move along. Wenyu’s family hasn’t even had their meal yet. How can they stand here chatting with you all?”

“Hehe, we’re just looking,” the villagers said, talking over one another.

“Wenyu’s mother, buying so much—did your family strike it rich?”

“Wenyu, I heard from your Second Uncle that you were sick recently and nearly used up all the money from splitting the family property. Where did you get the money to buy all this? Don’t tell me you sold your land?”

“No way, right? I haven’t heard about that.”

“Hey, Wenyu, if you’re selling your land, let me know. I’ll pay eight taels per mu. No, ten taels, ten taels of silver!”

“Wenyu’s selling land?”

“Who’s selling land? Wenyu, are you selling land?”

These people kept talking amongst themselves, creating a detailed narrative about him selling his land without needing any input from Fu Wenyu’s family. It almost sounded like the sale was already finalized, leaving Fu Wenyu speechless and amused.

He quickly explained that he had no intention of selling his land.

This dynasty was currently ruled by its fourth emperor after three generations. During the first two emperors’ reigns, which lasted over sixty years, land annexation had become inevitable among the populace despite some measures introduced by the court. Many people lost their land, and ordinary citizens, even if wealthy, found it extremely difficult to purchase farmland.

Thus, when the third emperor came to power, he launched a severe crackdown on land annexation and local gentry, resulting in numerous families’ ruin.

But in a feudal society, land annexation could never be entirely eradicated.

Now, over thirty years later and under a new emperor, land was again concentrated in the hands of a few. Ordinary people still struggled to acquire land.

This was one of the reasons Fu Family’s second branch had used underhanded tactics to force a family split.

Even though Fu Wenyu didn’t know how to farm, he understood that owning land meant his family would never starve. Selling the land was out of the question. If possible, he’d rather buy more. If he could one day own more land than his Second Uncle Fu Qingshi, it would be satisfying to see the look on his uncle’s face.

After turning down several villagers asking if he wanted to sell land, the three of them finally hurried home.

When they arrived, Fu Wenyu found that his grandfather, Fu Dashi, and his Second Uncle, Fu Qingshi, were not at home. Only his Second Aunt, Liu, and his cousin Chunhua were there.

It seemed Second Aunt was still wary after being frightened by Fu Wenyu’s broom incident last time. Upon seeing them return, she immediately pulled Chunhua, who had been about to greet them, back into their room and shut the door with a loud bang.

Mrs. Zhou: “…”

Fu Wenyu: “…”

Fu Rong: “…”

Alright then. They didn’t feel like talking to her anyway.

Seeing Second Aunt reminded Fu Wenyu of something—she hadn’t mentioned the marriage proposal between Fu Rong and the landlord Chen’s son lately.

To be sure, Fu Wenyu asked Mrs. Zhou, “Mother, has Second Aunt brought up the marriage with the landlord Chen’s family again?”

“She hasn’t mentioned it again.”

Fu Wenyu immediately felt relieved.

What satisfied him even more was that only a few people had known about the proposed marriage, so word hadn’t spread through the village. Otherwise, the villagers at the entrance wouldn’t have remained quiet about it.

The issue had been resolved smoothly—what a relief.

Indeed, there was no need to show kindness to scoundrels.