Unfortunately, how could Old Master Tai possibly believe him!
Seeing the tobacco pipe coming down with a whistle, Tai Jiye jumped up and ran.
Tai Yonglu and Tai Yongyue had been listening to the commotion in the east room, found it not exciting enough, and had carried their little sister out, just blocking Third Uncle's path.
Tai Jiye casually ruffled the little bun on top of Zhuzhu's head. "Zhuzhu, wait until Third Uncle comes back—I'll bring you some tasty treats!"
The words had barely left his mouth before he was out the courtyard gate.
Old Master Tai stamped his foot in fury!
Nine out of ten gamblers lose!
He had always worried about his son, afraid he'd fall into bad habits while out in the world, and now his nightmare had truly come true!
Third Master Tai and the others couldn't just leave, so they pulled him aside to persuade him.
"Sixth Brother, don't be angry! Jiye is a sharp one—he definitely wouldn't make any major mistakes."
"That's right, Sixth Uncle. Jiye has great abilities; he probably did this just to make more friends. Hanging around a gambling den for the excitement—there's no way he'd lose big money!"
"Exactly, Sixth Uncle. Even if he wanted to lose silver, our family doesn't have any to lose!"
It had to be said—that last remark stung, but it also worked.
Old Master Tai reluctantly calmed down, drinking large gulps of water in his anger.
Tai Jizu and Tai Jizong, as the two elder brothers, both worried about their younger brother and feared their father might get too angry, caught in the middle with no easy way out.
Yang Lihua, meanwhile, hurried back inside to grab an old cloth pouch and made to head out.
Zhuzhu didn't know where her mother was going, and her chubby little hand tugged at her mother's padded jacket.
In her haste, Yang Lihua could only scoop her daughter into her arms, wrap her in the padded jacket, and head out the door.
The cold wind cut almost like a knife, sweeping over them instantly, making both mother and daughter shrink their necks.
But Yang Lihua didn't slow her steps, hurrying out of the village in pursuit.
Tai Jiye walked along the road, stumbling with each step, shivering from the cold.
He slapped his own mouth hard—how had he let it slip and provoked his father's anger?
Otherwise, he could have had a meal at home, slept the night, and headed back to town tomorrow.
The friend he usually stayed with in town wasn't home today—where was he supposed to find lodging now…
Just as he was fretting, someone called out from behind.
He turned around and stopped in his tracks, calling out happily, "Sister-in-law! Is Dad letting me come back?"
Yang Lihua sighed and said helplessly, "Dad is still fuming—how could he possibly let you come back!"
Tai Jiye was disappointed and explained in a low voice, "Sister-in-law, I really didn't gamble! I just… just joined in for the fun.
"When people went to the latrine or stopped for tea, I'd help play a few hands. If I won, they'd give me a bit of spare change…
"When you go back, please tell Dad for me—don't let him get so angry that it ruins his health. Alright?"
Yang Lihua nodded without refusing.
When she had entered the Tai family, this brother-in-law had been young; nominally a brother, but in truth, she had mostly looked after him like a child.
Besides, although her brother-in-law acted impulsively at times, he had a good heart and always stood up for the family.
"Alright, don't worry. I'll persuade Dad when I get back. He knows you wouldn't dare gamble, but if he doesn't scare you a little, he's afraid you'll cause big trouble later."
Yang Lihua pressed the cloth pouch into her brother-in-law's hands and instructed, "There are a few dozen coppers in here. Keep them for emergencies. If things get hard out there, remember you can always come home—there will always be a meal for you."
Tai Jiye instinctively squeezed the pouch, his nose stinging slightly.
A few dozen coppers wasn't much, but who knew how long his sister-in-law had been saving them…
Zhuzhu watched curiously as her mother and uncle talked. Perhaps she'd had her head out too long, because she sneezed a big sneeze from the cold.
"Ah-choo!"
She couldn't help but burrow deeper into her mother's padded jacket.
Wah wah, it was so cold!
And her little belly was rumbling too?
She wanted her mother to hurry home, but she noticed that because her mother had unbuttoned her jacket to shield her, her neck had turned purple from the cold, and her body was trembling slightly.
Zhuzhu's heart ached for her mother. Her little hands tried their best to hug her mother tightly, to block the wind for her.
If only she could sew her mother a thick, warm padded jacket!
Yang Lihua, seeing her daughter hug her tightly, thought the girl was frozen through and deeply regretted bringing her out.
She quickly said a few more words to her brother-in-law and prepared to head home.
Just then, two horse-drawn carriages came racing over from afar.
The road at the village entrance was nothing but a dirt path—fine in summer, but in winter, covered in heavy snow, one had to tread with great care.
But the first carriage seemed to be bolting wildly out of control, with the second carriage chasing behind.
Tai Jiye watched in alarm and pulled his sister-in-law and niece aside to the edge of the road.
The first carriage shot past them with a whoosh and toppled straight into a snow ditch.
With a loud crash, the snow kicked up by the carriage splattered all over Tai Jiye's head and face, making him jump and stomp in fury.
"Look at this road! How can anyone drive so fast!"
Yang Lihua, however, heard the sounds of a woman and child inside the carriage and quickly called to Tai Jiye, "Third Brother, hurry—help save them!"
Just then, the second carriage caught up and stopped.
Unfortunately, besides the driver, only an old maidservant and two young maids got off.
Seeing the carriage overturned, the maids and servant could only panic—they had no idea what to do.
In the end, it was Tai Jiye who helped the coachmen lift the carriage together, and from inside they rescued a woman in ornate robes draped in a fox fur coat, a little boy of three or four, and an elderly maidservant in attendance.
All of them were still shaken, but perhaps because they were in a hurry, the woman didn't even have time to be afraid—she grabbed the child and boarded the second carriage.
She instructed her maids and servants, "Bring me my usual belongings, leave the rest. Unharness the horses too—we'll continue on our way."
The maids and servants obeyed and hurried into action.
Tai Jiye could only continue helping the coachmen lift the carriage, his face red and neck straining from the effort.
Yang Lihua could only wrap her cotton-padded jacket tightly around herself, shielding her daughter as she stood to the side.
Zhuzhu rarely saw strangers, and she eagerly wriggled out of her mother's embrace to watch the commotion.
Yang Lihua was both exasperated and amused, wanting to scold her but unable to bear it.
Zhuzhu finally managed to climb up onto her mother's shoulder, her big dark eyes blinking as she studied the woman, then her brows curved into a smile.
The woman felt her inner agitation suddenly ease, for reasons she couldn't quite explain.
She looked at Tai Jiye, who had been helping, and guessed they were villagers from nearby. She said to Yang Lihua, "Thank you for your help. In my haste, I have no proper gift of thanks.
"If you don't mind, this carriage and the odds and ends inside are yours."
Yang Lihua was taken aback and was about to decline, but the maids and servants had already gathered their things and boarded the carriage, blocking the woman and child from view.
The coachman had also harnessed the horses and continued racing off on their journey.
Left behind, Yang Lihua held Zhuzhu, and Tai Jiye stood there, both staring dumbfounded at the carriage in the snow ditch.
It was Zhuzhu who, after waiting a long while without hearing her mother or third uncle speak, pointed at an overturned box outside the carriage.
"Snack, snack!"
Yang Lihua and Tai Jiye snapped back to attention and looked over, only to discover it was a box full of pastries, half-tipped onto the snow.
Tai Jiye was overjoyed, dashing over in a few quick steps. Peering through the carriage window, he couldn't help but cry out in delighted surprise…
Today's update, here you go~