After closing up the stall, they moved the tables and stools back into the shop. The siblings shut the door and began counting the money.
They had earned over two thousand wen that half-day. After deducting costs, they had more than fifteen hundred wen left. Adding that to what they already had, they’d saved up enough to buy an iron wok.
As for the ingot of silver the young man in the green robe had left behind, it was a legitimate five-tael official silver ingot.
The siblings leaned over the table, staring at the five taels of silver laid out before them, but they couldn’t bring themselves to feel happy about it. In fact, they felt the silver was almost too hot to handle.
“Xiaohu, go out later and discreetly find out where that gentleman is staying. We need to return the silver.”
“Sis, maybe he gave us the silver to buy our wok.”
“Our wok cost how much? What he gave is way too much.”
“Oh!” Lin Erhu agreed with a sigh. “Sis, if we reopen the shop, will someone come to cause trouble again? When that guy Qian gets out, will he try to get revenge?”
Lin Xiaoman couldn’t say for sure. The young man in the green robe and his servant were clearly not from Qingping County. For now, they had given that man a good thrashing, but at most, it would result in that fellow Qian being taken to the yamen.
That man Qian claimed to be the brother-in-law of the Wuzhou prefect. How many days could they actually lock him up? Once he was released, he’d definitely come looking for revenge.
Having learned her own capabilities today, Lin Xiaoman wasn’t particularly afraid, but if fights broke out every few days, could they even keep their shop open?
She couldn’t think of a solution right away. “Let’s wait and see. Worst case, we can rent out the shop and just sell the clam oil.”
“I guess that’s all we can do. Sis, Uncle Daqiang’s cart got taken away. What do we tell Uncle Daqiang when we go back?”
Lin Xiaoman sighed. She was about to say they’d see if they could buy a cart later when they heard someone outside calling, “Is the little shopkeeper in?”
Lin Xiaoman and Lin Erhu swept the money on the table into their money pouch before opening the door to go outside.
Outside stood a man dressed as a yamen runner, pushing the very same flatbed cart that the rugged-looking servant had taken away.
There were still water stains on the cart, showing it had been washed before being brought back.
Seeing the siblings, the yamen runner smiled and said, “My surname is Zhao, I’m the head constable at the county yamen. The county magistrate ordered me to return this cart.”
Lin Xiaoman thanked him, and Lin Erhu took the cart and moved it aside.
Head Constable Zhao clasped his hands toward Lin Xiaoman. “That Qian Cai and his lot have been a menace. The new county magistrate has taken office and wants to make an example of him. He’ll most likely be sentenced to exile and won’t be back for several years. The magistrate sent me to tell you two young shopkeepers to feel free to run your shop without worry. From now on, yamen runners will patrol the city daily. If anyone dares to cause trouble again, just report it to the authorities. Here are two taels of silver as compensation from Qian Cai and his people for the damage to your shop. Keep it safe, little shopkeeper.”
Lin Xiaoman hadn’t expected things to be resolved so easily. This new county magistrate really was a good official.
Lin Xiaoman and Lin Erhu thanked him again. This time, the heavy weight in their hearts was lifted.
But this magistrate was making quite a splash as a new official. His first act had been to go after the prefect’s brother-in-law. They couldn’t help but wonder if he could hold onto his position.
Ah well, he was a rare good official. They wished him safety.
Given how well business had done that day—people were still coming by after closing to ask if there was any more hot pot chicken for sale—Lin Xiaoman discussed with Erhu going back to find someone to come help at the shop.
Pushing the empty flatbed cart, they returned to the village and first went to Lin Daqiang’s house to return the cart.
“Uncle Daqiang, are you home?”
Lin Daqiang’s wife, Hao, came out of the house. Seeing Lin Xiaoman and the siblings, she called toward the backyard, “Dad, Daqiang, Xiaoman and Erhu are here.”
Lin Youwang and Lin Daqiang came out from the backyard, dirt still on their hands. They grabbed a rag from the clothesline to wipe them off.
Lin Youwang said, “You two go ahead and keep using it. No rush to return it.”
“We’ve delivered the goods. We won’t need it for a few days. When we do, we’ll come borrow it again from Second Grandpa.” Lin Xiaoman took an oil-paper package out of her basket. “Business was good today. On our way back, we bought some sliced pig head meat in town for Second Grandpa and Uncle Daqiang to enjoy with their drinks.”
Lin Youwang waved them off. “You two little ones have a hard time making a living. Take this back and eat it yourselves. Second Grandpa doesn’t lack a bite.”
“It’s a small token of respect from us juniors. If Second Grandpa doesn’t accept it, are you saying it’s too little?”
With that, Lin Xiaoman thrust the package into Hao’s arms.
Lin Youwang had no choice but to say, “I’ll accept it this time, but no more being so polite in the future.”
Lin Xiaoman smiled but didn’t commit one way or the other.
Just as she was about to talk to Lin Youwang about hiring some helpers from the village, she saw Lin Goudan dart past the yard gate, wiping away tears.
Lin Erhu called out, “Goudan, where are you off to?”
Hearing Lin Erhu’s voice, Lin Goudan came back. “Second Sister, Second Brother, my grandma says the family has no money to send my brother to school anymore. They won’t let him go back to the academy. My mom told me to go to my grandpa’s house to borrow money.”
Lin Erhu frowned and asked, “How can they be out of money? The other day, she was hiding in her room counting coins and said she had several dozen taels. Won’t your mom ask her for some?”
This time, Lin Goudan’s tears really wouldn’t stop. “Mom’s afraid. She’s scared Grandma will kill her like she killed Second Aunt.”
Lin Xiaoman and Lin Erhu’s hearts seized. Even Lin Youwang and Lin Daqiang, who were standing nearby, were startled. Lin Youwang’s face darkened as he asked, “Lin Goudan, explain yourself. How did your Second Aunt die?”
Lin Goudan sniffled. “I don’t dare say. Mom told me not to talk about it outside. I still have to go to Yao Family Village.”
Lin Xiaoman’s eyes turned red. She grabbed Lin Goudan and wouldn’t let him leave. “Tell me. Did you hear Grandpa and Grandma say something? How did our parents really die? Tell the truth, or I’ll hit you!”
Frightened by her threat, Lin Goudan stammered, “I’ll tell, I’ll tell, don’t hit me. That night… Grandpa and Grandma were hiding in their room, talking… They said Second Uncle died saving them when he got crushed. Second Aunt… Second Aunt was pulled by Grandma to shield her from a falling beam, and that’s how she got crushed.”
Lin Youwang roared in fury, “That old hag is utterly heartless!”
At this moment, Lin Xiaoman and her brother were ready to tear Lin Laotai apart. Their own parents had risked their lives rushing into a collapsing house to save them. If they’d been struck by a falling beam, it would have been their fate.
But for their mother to be pulled by the old woman to act as a shield and die like that—how could they swallow this?
Even if they couldn’t kill Lin Laotai to avenge their mother, they would at least make her admit to causing her death. They would make her wish she were dead.
Seeing Lin Xiaoman and Lin Erhu running toward their house, Lin Goudan shouted from behind, “Second Sister, Second Brother, if you go like that, Grandma won’t admit it!”
Getting no response, Lin Goudan didn’t know whether to go to Yao Family Village or follow his cousins back to bear witness. Seeing Lin Youwang and Lin Daqiang also hurry after them, he stamped his foot and ran back as well.
By the time the siblings reached the yard, a crowd had already gathered, buzzing with gossip and discussion.
Over the years, only three scholars had come out of the entire Hedong Village: one was Lin Xiaoman and Lin Erhu’s deceased father, one was the Lin family’s eldest grandson Lin Wenyao, and the last was Lin Erhu.
But Lin Erhu had been forced to quit the academy less than a year after enrolling when his parents died, as Lin Laotou and Lin Laotai refused to pay his tuition and made him come back to work.
Now, even Lin Wenyao—the one with the best chance of passing the county-level exam—was being pulled out of school. It was a pity. With his good looks and academic talent, he would only end up a farmer from now on.
Laotou= Old Man
Laotai= Old Lady