Xia Shan also gave Xia Li a disapproving look and said, “Li Li shouldn’t speak of Lord Ye that way. Lord Ye is young and capable with lofty ideals, always wanting to eradicate the mountain bandits in one sweep to rid the people of this scourge. However, Huaxiang Mountain’s terrain is complex, and the bandit dens are easily defensible yet difficult to attack. Over the past century, the court has sent heavy troops to suppress them several times, yet not even one or two of the twenty-some bandit strongholds have been eliminated. Our battalion only has two thousand men, yet under Lord Ye’s leadership, we’ve taken down two bandit lairs within a year. There’s another reason why Lord Ye favors Huzi so much…”
Remembering it was military confidential, Xia Shan quickly shut his mouth.
Due to her professional sensitivity from her previous life, Xia Li wanted to ask more about the bandit suppression, but considering she was now just a peasant girl far from the bandit-affected area, she let it go.
Today’s dishes were exceptionally abundant, as if celebrating the New Year. There was cold mixed pig’s head meat, braised pork intestines, green pepper stir-fried with meat, braised tofu, along with four vegetable dishes and a large bone and cabbage soup.
With many people today, the two daughters-in-law and two granddaughters couldn’t sit at the main table. Old Mrs. Xia first took four large bowls, filled them with rice, added some vegetables and tofu, then placed two slices of green pepper and one piece of meat in each.
While serving, she muttered, “The women and granddaughters of our Old Xia Family are blessed – they get to eat their fill and even eat meat with the men. Such fortune can’t be found in all the surrounding villages…”
Xia Li thought gloomily that if she had unfortunately transmigrated as a granddaughter in this family, she would try every means to separate from the household.
Little Mrs. Yang’s anger was particularly evident as she glared fiercely at Xia Li and her mother. They’re all women, so why can these two outsiders sit at the table?
However, she didn’t dare voice her complaint, taking her bowl to eat at a small side table instead.
With more meat dishes and the daughters-in-law and granddaughters not at the table, Old Mrs. Xia didn’t distribute the meat as usual, letting everyone help themselves. When Xia Erhu and Xia Sanbao took meat too frequently, the old woman would rap their chopsticks.
Mrs. Xia hardly ate any meat herself but served plenty to Xia Li, who returned some to her mother. Mrs. Xia glared at her and gave it back. Old Mrs. Xia shot several angry glances at the mother and daughter but didn’t say much.
After the meal, while the family chatted inside, Little Mrs. Yang lazily slipped in too, leaving only Li with Dani and Erni working in the kitchen. Xia Li went to the kitchen and gave each of the three a piece of candy. She felt quite guilty, as if she had participated in exploiting and oppressing two child laborers.
Xia Shan followed shortly after. Smiling, he gave each of the three girls ten coins, whispering, “Third Uncle’s military pay has increased. Nieces and Li Li can buy flowers to wear.”
Xia Shan would hand over most of his military pay to the family. But since he wasn’t often home, Old Mrs. Xia would leave him twenty coins for pocket money. Aside from occasional social expenses, any leftover money he’d give to his two nieces and Xia Li. He pitied his sensible nieces, thinking they had it hard, while he simply adored Xia Li.
Although Xia Li didn’t need these few coins, she appreciated the gesture.
The girls took the money and chorused, “Thank you, Third Uncle (Third Uncle).”
Li smiled and said, “Erni, you better hide it well this time, don’t let your mother find and take it again.”
Xia Erni blushed, clutching the money with great difficulty. It seemed whatever private savings she had accumulated before had been taken away by Little Mrs. Yang.Xia Shan said, “How about this—Erni can keep her money with Li Li, and if she needs to spend it, she can go to Li Li to get it.”
He didn’t suggest keeping it with Li, afraid that Little Mrs. Yang would find out about the quarrel between the sisters-in-law. But Mrs. Xia and Xia Li weren’t afraid of Little Mrs. Yang, and the two families lived far apart.
Xia Erni was reluctant but still handed the money over to Xia Li.
Xia Li smiled and said, “Alright, when I get back, I’ll keep an account. I’ll record exactly how much Erni has saved with me.”
Xia Erni murmured, “When I’ve saved enough, I want to buy an embroidery hoop, some fine cloth, and embroidery thread to learn embroidery from Auntie.”
She really was a diligent and good girl.
Xia Li laughed, “Keep this money to buy other things for yourself. You don’t need to buy a hoop or thread—we have extras at home. Whenever you have free time, come to my house, and I can teach you too.”
Xia Erni beamed, her small, dark face full of joy, and said, “Thank you, Sister Li.”
Mrs. Xia and her daughter didn’t leave the Xia family compound until the beginning of the Xu hour.
The sky was filled with stars, and the ground was bathed in clear moonlight. The village was extremely quiet, with only the occasional sound of barking dogs and croaking frogs. Farmers, reluctant to light lamps, had mostly gone to bed by this time.
Mrs. Xia whispered, “Li Li, your uncle will be checking the village dogs tomorrow with the village head. They also said Young Master Liu might come to the countryside. I’m scared.”
Xia Li’s heart pounded, but she still smiled and said, “Didn’t Uncle say that some Yanshan Wolfdogs were taken to Young Master Liu and proven not to be Huzi…”
As soon as they entered the yard, Dangdang rushed over eagerly and hugged Xia Li’s leg.
While bathing him, Xia Li whispered, “Your former owner has sent people to the countryside to look for you. When someone comes to check our house, slip out through the hole and go into the mountains. Remember, don’t go to the back mountains—just stay in the front hills, avoid people, and come home after dark…”
The Xiao Shuai of her past life wouldn’t have fully understood her words, but Dangdang, having lived two lifetimes, was even smarter than before and would surely comprehend.
Dangdang opened his mouth, tongue lolling, with a half-smile.
Xia Li poked his little head and said, “How can you still laugh? Because of you, your former owner is going crazy with worry, and your sister here is scared out of her wits too.”
To ensure he’d obey the next day, Xia Li moved his small sleeping mat from the east wing to her own bedroom, rewarding him by letting him sleep in the same room.
By the end of the Chen hour the next day, Xia Shan, along with the village heads from several nearby villages, began inspecting households one by one, starting with Xiaowa Village. Every village in the area was to be checked. When they arrived at Xia Li’s home, the family dog happened to have slipped out to play through the dog hole—Xia Li didn’t even know when he’d left.
Xia Shan and the others first described Huzi’s appearance and the time he went missing as per procedure, then walked around her yard and noted there was indeed a dog hole. Xia Li gave her report: their dog had been adopted at the end of the third month, looked similar to Aunt Hao’s dog, and had both yellow and black fur.
The men chose to believe her words because there was really no reason not to. Who in the world would be foolish enough to choose a dog over five thousand taels of silver? Even if it were just fifty taels, anyone who found Huzi would hand him over without hesitation.
They finished inspecting Xiaowa Village in just over half a day. Finding no trace of Huzi, they moved on to the neighboring village.
Xia Li chuckled to herself. If people always thought based on conventional reasoning, they’d surely mess things up. Uncle Xia Shan would need more experience if he wanted to stand out in the military.
By afternoon, a light drizzle had begun to fall, filling Xia Li with anxiety. She paced restlessly, donning her bamboo hat every so often to check the backyard.
Amid the misty rain, the rolling mountains appeared lush and vibrant, yet also more mysterious and solemn.