At around nine in the morning, the entire family finally gathered around the dining table.
Eight-year-old Qin Erya was setting out chopsticks, while Dahua carried bowls of porridge that Daya had already served.
Breakfast was simple, as it usually was in this era:
A bowl of thin porridge, some pickled vegetables, and black-flour buns.
Nothing fancy, but enough to fill everyone’s stomachs.
As Li Xiaoxiao looked around the table, she couldn’t help thinking:
I’ve inherited Li Cuihua’s jade-hairpin space and all the wealth she spent a lifetime accumulating. I can’t just take it all for free, can I?
Since she had become the head of this household, she ought to act like one.
Maybe she wasn’t some great official.
But even a village family needed a leader.
Since everyone was here, she figured she should say a few words.
She cleared her throat.
“Ahem… ahem… hmm…”
Immediately, Qin Dashu looked over anxiously.
“Mother, are you feeling unwell? Should I go get Doctor Huang?”
“No!”
Li Xiaoxiao rejected the suggestion instantly.
“I’m perfectly healthy!”
There was no way she intended to lie in bed and rest.
She still had money to make.
Ignoring her eldest son’s concern, she swept her gaze across the family.
“It’s already March.”
“The weather is getting warmer every day.”
Then she looked directly at Qin Dashu.
“Eldest, the fields are your responsibility. You and your brothers need to pay more attention.”
Her eyes shifted toward Qin Sanmu.
“Especially your third brother. He’s got too much energy and nowhere to spend it. Instead of helping young widows carry water and giving the village something to gossip about, he should spend that strength working.”
“Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll take care of the fields.”
Qin Dashu immediately agreed.
Beside him, Qin Sanmu was just reaching for his bowl when his hand froze.
At the same time, his wife Li Wang’er shot him another murderous glare.
“Eldest daughter-in-law.”
Li Xiaoxiao turned to Wang Zhaodi.
“Several of our hens have gone broody. This year I want more hatching eggs. Raise more chicks.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Wang Zhaodi nodded.
She had often done this before marriage, so it was familiar work.
Then Li Xiaoxiao continued:
“After this injury, I’ve realized something.”
“Health is the most important thing.”
“The children are growing. The adults work hard every day.”
She slapped the table lightly.
“Starting tomorrow morning, everyone gets one boiled egg.”
The granddaughters’ eyes immediately lit up.
“If we don’t have enough eggs, buy some from the villagers.”
“Once our younger hens start laying, we won’t need to purchase them anymore.”
The girls could barely contain their excitement.
Eggs!
One every day!
That was practically a dream.
“Second.”
She turned toward Qin Erlin.
“Today, clean up the back yard and build a fenced area for the chickens.”
“Got it, Mother.”
Qin Erlin immediately started eating faster.
As long as there was work assigned, he knew what to do.
“As for the open ground in the middle yard…”
She looked at her three daughters-in-law.
“Eldest daughter-in-law, second daughter-in-law, third daughter-in-law.”
“Over the next couple of days, turn the soil and plant vegetables.”
“The old vegetable patch should be replanted too.”
“If we can’t eat everything, we’ll dry it or make pickles for winter.”
The three women nodded quickly.
“Yes, Mother.”
“Grandma! What about me?”
Erhua suddenly became anxious.
Everyone else had received assignments.
Nobody had mentioned her.
Li Xiaoxiao couldn’t help smiling.
“You and your sisters can gather pig fodder and pick wild vegetables.”
“As for Sanya, she’s still too young.”
“She stays home with her mother.”
“Your older sisters shouldn’t have to watch her while working.”
“Okay, Grandma!”
Erhua immediately began clapping excitedly.
At that moment, Zhang Ermei raised a question.
“Mother, what should we do with the pork and bones you bought today?”
Even though their household was better off than many others, meat was still a luxury.
If she mishandled it and displeased her mother-in-law, she’d undoubtedly receive a scolding.
Li Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes.
“What else would we do?”
“The pork fat gets rendered into lard.”
“The pork belly gets stir-fried with wild vegetables for lunch.”
“The liver should soak in water. Change the water every half hour.”
“Tonight we’ll boil it and make a cold dressed dish.”
“The cracklings get mixed with pickled vegetables and baked into flatbreads.”
“We’ll eat those tonight.”
“The marrow bones should start simmering now.”
“Tonight we’ll eat them with the flatbreads.”
Then she glared at Zhang Ermei.
“Did you understand all that?”
“Do you have to ask me everything?”
“If I die one day, are you planning to stop eating entirely?”
“Mother, don’t be angry!”
Zhang Ermei quickly waved her hands.
“I understand now! I understand!”
Privately she thought:
Mother’s temper really hasn’t changed at all.
Still…
As long as there was delicious food involved, she could endure any amount of scolding.
After breakfast, Li Xiaoxiao found herself with nothing to do.
But there was one thing she absolutely refused to do:
Babysit.
Children cried.
Children made noise.
Children gave her headaches.
So instead she decided to visit town.
After informing Qin Dashu, she headed out.
According to Li Cuihua’s memories, the easiest way to reach town was by taking the village ox cart.
Humming a tune to herself, she strolled toward the village entrance.
There she found Qin Youliang already waiting with the cart.
The moment he spotted her, he called out warmly:
“Sister-in-law Youfu! Heading to town? We’re just waiting for you!”
Li Xiaoxiao climbed aboard without ceremony.
There were already four passengers.
A mother and daughter from a neighboring village.
And two elderly women from Qin Village.
One was Zhang Granny, Qin Youliang’s wife.
The other was Granny Su, Qin Yougui’s next-door neighbor.
No sooner had Li Xiaoxiao sat down than Granny Su leaned closer with a face full of gossip.
“Sister-in-law Youfu, have you heard?”
“Yesterday your nephew Qin Dacai left your house still able to walk, even though Qin Dafu was helping him.”
She lowered her voice dramatically.
“But do you know what happened after he got home?”
Everyone on the cart immediately perked up.
Granny Su grinned.
“His leg broke last night!”
“And one of his arms too!”
“Hahaha!”
The old woman practically vibrated with delight.
“And do you know who caused it?”
“His own mother!”
Granny Su had never liked Yang Xiaocao or her hooligan son.
She viewed the entire incident as well-deserved punishment.
Seeing everyone’s interest, she cleared her throat and continued mysteriously:
“And that’s not all.”
“His wife took his precious son and ran away during the night.”
“Oh, that’s what he deserves.”
Zhang Granny quickly joined in.
“That marriage was forced from the beginning.”
“I doubt she’ll ever come back.”
“Exactly.”
Granny Su nodded.
“That mother and son abused Wang for years.”
“This is karma.”
Then she nudged Li Xiaoxiao.
“Don’t you agree, Sister-in-law Youfu?”
Only then did Li Xiaoxiao realize they were talking to her.
After all, she was “Sister-in-law Youfu.”
She snorted.
“Qin Dacai is getting exactly what he deserves.”
“If I were Wang, I’d have killed his whole family.”
The murderous tone in her voice immediately silenced Granny Su.
For a while, the only sound was the creaking of the cart wheels.
Still, Li Xiaoxiao was pleased.
A broken leg meant Qin Dacai wouldn’t be causing trouble for her family anytime soon.
Though she still intended to stay vigilant.
Before long, the ox cart arrived in town.
Everyone agreed to meet back at noon for the return trip.
Then they scattered in different directions.
According to Li Cuihua’s memories, the town was called Qingjiang Town because it sat beside the Qingjiang River.
The town belonged to Linjiang County under the administration of Pingshan Prefecture in the southwestern region of the Great Yan Kingdom.
Mountains surrounded the area on all sides.
Only the central basin consisted of flat land.
Qin Village happened to sit right at the gateway between the mountains and the plains, half hillside and half farmland.
Following the bustling flow of people, Li Xiaoxiao made her way toward the marketplace.
The market was lively and crowded.
Every imaginable commodity seemed to be for sale.
Food.
Cloth.
Tools.
Livestock.
Medicinal herbs.
Everything.
There was only one problem.
The smell was absolutely awful.