For the sake of three taels of silver and to improve her family’s livelihood, Lin Fang decided to betray Lin Feng.
She told herself that they were merely poor commoners struggling to survive. Even the officials sitting in the imperial court would betray relatives and friends for their own interests.
Thinking this way, she no longer felt guilty.
After entering the house, she sat on the edge of the kang and drank a large bowl of cool water. The two women began chatting.
With Lin Fang deliberately steering the conversation, the topic once again turned to Xiao An.
Lin Fang said, “I don’t know who Su Xiao An offended in the village, but someone pulled out all her muskmelon seedlings. Not a single plant was left across those two mu of land.”
Lin Feng remained calm, pretending to be shocked.
“Oh my, who could have done such a thing? Farming is so difficult. How could anyone pull out her seedlings? Without a harvest, how will Su Xiao An survive this year? She’ll probably starve to death during the winter. What a pity, at such a young age.”
Deep down, Lin Feng desperately hoped that Xiao An would die as soon as possible. Only after Xiao An was gone could Kang Rong’s heart be completely devoted to her and their children.
“You live in the mountains, so you don’t know,” Lin Fang continued. “That girl knows some martial arts. She even dares to go deep into the mountains to gather wild vegetables. Auntie Zhu Cui said Xiao An found a thirty-year-old ginseng root and sold it for quite a bit of money. She’s even eating meat buns now.
“The day after her muskmelon seedlings were pulled out, she went to the county town and bought more seeds. The village head and Auntie Zhu Cui helped her plant them again.
“The weather has been warm these past few days, and the seedlings have already sprouted. The village elders say that girl has such good luck that she’ll definitely bring prosperity to her future husband. Zhou Dalan and Huang Guixia have also been going to her bamboo house every day.”
Lin Fang rattled off one good thing after another about Xiao An.
Lin Feng, who had been able to keep her composure, clenched both hands tightly.
Her face was filled with resentment, and at last she could no longer keep calm.
Seeing that the time was right, Lin Fang said, “I should rest for a while and then go gather more wild vegetables. There are so many mouths at home—old people and children—all waiting to be fed.”
With that, she stood and left.
After leaving the northern mountain, she followed the foot of the mountain toward the eastern side. It was quite a long way, but she did not pick a single wild vegetable.
Her mind was filled with thoughts of those three taels of silver. She could no longer see the vegetables around her. All she could think about was rushing to Xiao An’s bamboo house.
That day happened to be market day in the nearby town. Xiao An had gone to the market. The town was only a few li from Linshi Village, much closer than the county seat.
Xiao An bought five jin of meat. She put four jin into her space and minced the remaining jin to make a pot of steamed pork-and-mushroom buns.
When Lin Fang arrived, Xiao An had just sat down to eat. The aroma of the meat buns made Lin Fang secretly swallow her saliva.
She became even more convinced that Xiao An could afford to pay the reward.
Xiao An had achieved exactly the effect she wanted.
Looking at Xiao An, Lin Fang asked directly, “If I tell you who pulled out your muskmelon seedlings, will you really give me three taels of silver?”
Xiao An nodded.
“We all live in Linshi Village. If I don’t keep my word, wouldn’t I just be making a fool of myself? But let me make one thing clear: I can’t give you money for baseless accusations.”
“I won’t make a baseless accusation.” Lin Fang was excited. “Let me ask you one more thing. If I tell you and you give me the money, can you keep my identity secret?”
Xiao An looked at her.
“I can.”
Lin Fang did not hesitate any longer.
“The person who pulled out your muskmelon seedlings was my cousin, Lin Feng.”
Lin Fang then explained everything.
“She knows your seedlings have grown back. She’ll probably come again tonight or tomorrow night. If you hide in the field, you’ll definitely catch her.”
Xiao An had suspected several people, but Lin Feng had never even crossed her mind.
Sometimes, the person you least suspect is the one responsible.
Xiao An looked at Lin Fang.
“Tonight I’ll wait in the field for Lin Feng. If I really catch her, I won’t give you one copper coin less than the three taels. I’ll also keep your identity secret. No one will ever know that you told me.”
“Xiao An, I only came because I couldn’t stand watching Lin Feng hurt people. But she’s still my cousin, so I do feel guilty about this. I hope you won’t break your promise.”
“Trust me. If what you’ve said is true, I absolutely won’t break my word. Even if she doesn’t come tonight, as long as I know she was responsible for what happened before, I have ways to make her admit it. Don’t worry.”
To thank Lin Fang for giving her the information, Xiao An gave her several meat buns.
Lin Fang repeatedly thanked her and reminded her several times to keep her promise before finally leaving.
Xiao An ate a few more bites, then went down the mountain to find the village head…
It was the end of the month, and the moon was only a thin crescent. The earth was shrouded in darkness.
It was already midnight.
A figure moved quickly toward Xiao An’s muskmelon field at the foot of the eastern mountain.
After arriving, the figure cautiously looked around.
Apart from the thin crescent moon in the sky, there was nothing but the sound of the wind.
The shadow did not hesitate. She bent down and entered Xiao An’s field, using both hands to pull out the muskmelon seedlings.
Suddenly, a cold snort came from behind a large rock nearby.
The person in the field shuddered and hurriedly looked toward the sound.
Several people were standing there.
The shadow realized that things had gone wrong and immediately turned around to run.
“Lin Feng, you aren’t getting away.”
As soon as Xiao An finished speaking, the village head lit the torch in his hand and walked over with several villagers.
Xiao An rushed forward, grabbed Lin Feng by the hair, and slapped her repeatedly across both cheeks more than ten times.
Huang Guixia was there as well. The village head had thoughtfully gone to find her and Zhu Cui so that there would be two women present.
Huang Guixia quickly pulled Xiao An away.
“That’s enough. Hit her a few times to vent your anger. If you accidentally kill her and end up facing the law over someone like this, it won’t be worth it.”
The village head held up his torch.
“Lin Feng, do you know the consequences of pulling out Xiao An’s muskmelon seedlings? You’re still so young. Why are you so vicious? You’re a mother of three children. Don’t you ever think about accumulating some virtue for your children?”
Zhu Cui gritted her teeth angrily.
“Your husband died, and you went and got involved with your husband’s younger brother, letting him sleep with you. Xiao An already left you alone, and you still weren’t satisfied. You had to harm her too! How can your heart be so vicious? Are you a poisonous snake?”
Zhu Cui loved Xiao An dearly. Her anger had completely gotten the better of her, and she slapped Lin Feng hard across the face as well.
Lin Feng was terrified. She collapsed onto the ground, covering her face as she cried.
Xiao An kicked her.
“Get up! You’re coming with me to the county office.”
The moment Lin Feng heard that, she turned over and knelt before Xiao An.
“Xiao An, please! I’m begging you, don’t report me to the authorities. Please, don’t report me. I have three children. My youngest is only two years old. She can’t be separated from me.
“I’ll accept any punishment. You can beat me or punish me however you want. Just please, don’t report me.”
She knelt on the ground and repeatedly knocked her head against it.
Xiao An was furious.
“You pulled out the seedlings in my field. You might as well have been trying to destroy my life. How could I possibly let this go?
“You know you have children, yet you still did this? I have to report you.”
When Lin Feng heard this, she crawled several steps on her knees and begged the village head.
“I’m not human! I’m an animal! I’m a beast! For the sake of my three children, please, I’m begging you—don’t report me.”
The village head looked at Xiao An.
“We’ve caught the person. Whether or not to report her is up to you.”