The villagers gossiped for two days, but the second branch of the family never came to confront the three siblings.
This wasn’t because they didn’t care, but because Su Ying knew they were busy with Su Hao. Having married into the Village head’s family two years ago, she was now nine months pregnant and nearing her due date.
Undisturbed, the three siblings avoided provoking others and stayed home for two days.
The two sisters sat together doing needlework, while Su Mo practiced making bows and arrows to improve his hunting efficiency in the mountains and avoid returning empty-handed.
Additionally, Su Ying had him gather more firewood and leaves whenever possible.
Though spring had arrived, occasional cold spells persisted. Unwilling to spend money on charcoal, Su Ying decided to make her own.
She had never made charcoal before, but having seen the method on her phone in her previous life, she thought she’d give it a try.
After all, the firewood from the back hills was plentiful and free. If it didn’t work out, there’d be no loss. If successful, she could make more for personal use or stockpile it to sell in winter.
Over these two days, Su Mo gathered plenty of wood. Su Ying set aside her needlework, dug up some soil in the yard, mixed it with water, and built a small earthen kiln. She lit a fire to dry it while placing wood inside.
The small earthen kiln wasn’t completely sealed; she left a hole to let the wood burn down first. When the smoke diminished, she sealed the hole with mud.
After sealing the hole, there was still mud left on the ground. Su Ying tested its consistency, adding more soil until it felt adequately sticky, then began molding little figures.
She had always enjoyed making figurines in her past life. Without convenient materials now, mud would have to do.
Su Juan watched her playing with mud, covering her mouth as she laughed. “Didn’t you get enough of playing with mud as a child? Picking it up again now?”
Su Ying smiled faintly, replying that she was just young at heart.
In her previous life, she’d still been playing at twenty. Now, in a body only fifteen years old, she had even more reason to indulge.
She was enjoying herself so much that she never expected visitors at that moment.
When Qi Mohan arrived with two constables, he happened to see Su Ying playing with mud, smeared all over her clothes and face.
His handsome brows arched slightly as he deliberately cleared his throat to draw the attention of those in the yard.
The three siblings turned at the sound, their expressions shifting upon seeing Qi Mohan.
“Might I ask the purpose of Young Master Qi’s visit? Our humble home is crude, and we fear we cannot offer proper hospitality!”
Su Juan knew the county magistrate’s surname was Qi. Having heard Su Ying refer to him as the magistrate’s son, she stepped forward and addressed him accordingly.
Qi Mohan waved his hand, his gaze sweeping across their yard.
“There’s no need to be nervous. I’m merely here to survey the terrain of your yard. My Black Eagle can’t open its eyes, likely attacked by someone.”
At these words, the siblings’ faces changed again.
Su Juan anxiously explained, “Young Master Qi, this may have nothing to do with us! The Black Eagle fell from the sky for no reason. To sell it at a good price, we wouldn’t have touched its eyes!”
Su Mo hid his Slingshot behind his back, his face flushing red as he stammered, “It… it… wasn’t my slingshot either…”
Qi Mohan glanced amusedly at Su Mo, then couldn’t help looking at Su Ying who was focused on playing with mud, thinking to himself how both siblings stammered.
“Ahem! I didn’t say it was you who did it. My eagle flies high, your slingshot definitely couldn’t reach it. So it must have been attacked mid-air by someone before falling. By the way, could you describe how the eagle fell, where it landed, and if there were any signs beforehand?”
Qi Mohan asked seriously while taking the opportunity to observe the three siblings.
As an eagle keeper, he naturally knew how to communicate with it, so he had already asked the eagle these questions earlier.
The eagle said a green light had shot into its eyes, causing temporary blindness and making it lose control and fall.
Moreover, the light had shot straight up to hit it, and the eagle fell straight down, so Qi Mohan suspected something in this courtyard must have interfered with it.
He could have come to investigate directly, but knowing only the three siblings lived here, he needed to avoid suspicion as a man. To protect the two sisters’ reputation, he specifically brought two constables along.
This way, if anyone saw them, they’d assume it was official business and wouldn’t spread malicious gossip about the young women.
Hearing this, Su Juan and Su Mo immediately sighed in relief.
“There were no signs at the time, we didn’t see anything. But my second sister was in the courtyard the whole time, she might have seen something. Second sister, come quick and tell us!”
Remembering Su Ying had been in the yard, Su Juan hurriedly called her over.
Su Ying wished she could vanish into the ground. From the man’s description, it was clearly her laser pointer that had hit the Black Eagle’s eyes.
She couldn’t possibly tell the truth – not only would the laser pointer raise suspicions, but if she foolishly admitted it, they’d make her pay compensation!
The waistband incident was embarrassing enough. Another one? Did she even want to keep her dignity?
Well, one injustice suffered is bearable, two won’t make much difference – might as well let him bear both!
Head bowed while poking at the mud, she shook her head vigorously, “N-n-no, I didn’t see… didn’t see anything.”
Qi Mohan strode over with his long legs, his beautiful phoenix eyes looking at her amusedly.
“Miss, would you like to think again? You seem like you’ve done something wrong.”
Su Juan quickly covered for Su Ying, “Young Master Qi, my second sister has always stammered like this when speaking with strangers since childhood. She couldn’t have done anything wrong. Besides, she was on the ground – how could she reach an eagle flying in the sky?”
“Th-that’s right!” Su Ying huffily agreed before turning her back to continue playing with mud.
“How old are you still playing with mud?”
Unoffended, Qi Mohan watched her mud-sculpting movements with interest. They were quite skilled, making him ask involuntarily.
“N-n-none of your business!” Su Ying felt like crying. Was this man still suspecting her, watching her so closely?
No, she must stay calm. Admitting wrongdoing was minor, but compensating him would be major – she had no money now!
Fearing Su Ying’s rudeness might offend the man, Su Juan quickly brought tables and stools, inviting them to sit and have some tea.
Qi Mohan surveyed the courtyard before taking a seat. Su Juan boiled water and brought three bowls, each containing coarse tea leaves steeped in hot water, placing them before the guests.
Seeing that they were no longer paying attention to her, Su Ying breathed a sigh of relief. Just then, a crackling sound came from the nearby small earthen kiln. Puzzled, she leaned closer to investigate when—BANG!—the kiln suddenly exploded.
She emerged unscathed, but having stood too close to the kiln, her face was coated in a layer of black soot, as if she had just been dug out of a dirt pit.
Qi Mohan fared no better. Seated on a small wooden stool when the deafening blast occurred, he was thrown directly to the ground. Had he simply fallen, it might not have been so bad, but the stool split with a crack, trapping both his clothing and his flesh in the splintered wood. The pain was enough to make him question his very existence.