Shen Yu lifted little Shen Xiaohao onto the donkey cart. “This is the donkey cart I bought, so you can ride it anytime. But you’re not familiar with Da Qing yet, so don’t touch him until you are, okay?”
Hearing it was their own donkey cart, Xiaohao became even more excited.
As he nodded eagerly, he shouted to his mother, “Mom! Mom! Sister bought a donkey cart! We have a donkey cart now! Come see!”
Lin Shuyuan, having already heard her daughter return, put down her work and came out.
She lifted Xiaohao down with a smile. “Mom heard. Quickly bring the donkey cart into the yard, and we’ll talk more at home.”
In the yard, Shen Yu tied up Da Qing. Lin Shuyuan stroked the donkey’s smooth coat with fascination and asked, “Did you really buy this? Did you have enough silver left after buying grain and the big iron pot?”
“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ve got the silver covered. From now on, this donkey is called Da Qing.”
“All right, Mom understands. I won’t ask again,” Lin Shuyuan said, pleased to see her daughter becoming capable. She carried the iron pot inside to place it on the stove and patched the gaps with wet mud.
Xiaohao busied himself around Da Qing, giving him grass, then water. Eventually, the donkey accepted him, and he could approach safely.
Inside, Shen Yu noticed the bamboo stools and table, but Shen Yong’an was nowhere in sight. “Mom, where’s Dad?” she asked.
“He went up the mountain again. Since we don’t have any fields, he just wants to chop more firewood to sell in town. It looks like he’ll be back soon,” Lin Shuyuan replied with a sigh. Without land to cultivate, she felt unsettled.
Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the yard, with shouting and swearing. “Shen Yu, you little brat, come out! You beat my wife until she couldn’t move, and now you’ll pay for it!”
Shen Yu immediately recognized it as Shen Laizi causing trouble. After understanding the situation, Lin Shuyuan stepped out with Shen Yu.
Outside, Shen Laizi shouted, “Shen Yu, you little wretch! If you don’t pay me five taels today, I’ll take you to the magistrate. My brother-in-law’s wife’s brother works in the office—don’t think you’ll get away!”
Next to him lay Sun Zhaodi, pretending to be half-dead. Shen Yu knew instantly she was faking; she must have only suffered minor injuries.
A crowd of villagers had gathered, eager to watch the drama unfold.
Shen Yu glared at Shen Laizi and sneered, “Your wife opened her mouth to ruin my reputation, so she deserved it. And now you want silver? You’re ugly, yet your thoughts are so grand. Leave my yard immediately, or I’ll show you what’s coming.”
Most villagers had heard rumors about Shen Yu learning some secret skills from her ancestors, though few truly believed it—Shen Laizi included. After all, very few had witnessed Shen Yu’s fury that night.
Shen Laizi looked at Shen Yu’s slender frame, thinking: she looks so frail, how dangerous can she really be? But seeing she now owned a donkey cart, he realized he could probably extort some silver.
Glancing at Sun Zhaodi, still pretending to be dead, he stepped forward to grab Shen Yu. “If you don’t want to pay, come with me to the magistrate. Let’s see what you do there.”
Before he could finish, Shen Yu moved like lightning and landed a series of punches and kicks on Shen Laizi.
Shen Laizi rolled on the ground, blood trickling from his mouth, mumbling, “I was wrong… Yu’er, please spare me. It’s my wife’s fault, she went crazy and cursed. I’ll punish her at home. I’ll pay you, alright? Don’t hit me anymore…”
“Ah, so no need to go to the magistrate?” Shen Yu asked.
“No, no need! Little Aunt, it’s my fault. Please spare me this once,” Shen Laizi said, finally submissive.
Sun Zhaodi, terrified, got up, knelt, and begged, “Yu’er, I was wrong. I was jealous before and won’t say anything again. Please spare us!”
Shen Yu stopped and said coldly, “Then leave quickly! Bring the silver, and never appear before me again to be an eyesore.”
Sun Zhaodi helped Shen Laizi to his feet. Limping, they slunk away, and the villagers, seeing the drama end, dispersed.
Little Shen Xiaohao’s eyes sparkled as he looked at his sister. “Sister, teach me kung fu too. When I grow up, I can protect you.”
Shen Yu smiled, patting her brother’s head. “Sure. I’ll teach you when I have time.”
Then she turned to the still tearful Lin Shuyuan. “Mom, this is a small matter. Don’t cry. When Dad comes back, I have something important to discuss with you all.”
Lin Shuyuan wiped her tears, choking up. “I’m angry at myself… seeing you suffer and being powerless to help.”
“Mom, it’s enough that you’re here. Don’t think too much,” Shen Yu said, hugging her.
“What’s going on with you two?” Shen Yong’an asked, just having set down a bundle of firewood, noticing his wife looked like she’d been crying.
Shen Yu shook her head. “Dad, let’s not talk about this now. I have something important to discuss. Come inside quickly.”
Seeing his daughter so serious, Shen Yong’an felt uneasy and hurried inside, with Xiaohao closing the door behind him.
“Dad, Mom, today when I went to town to buy the donkey cart, I heard bad news. The barbarians will attack in a couple of days. Some wealthy families in town are already preparing to flee. So we need to pack quickly. Tomorrow morning, we leave,” Shen Yu said in a lowered voice.
“What? Is this true? The barbarians are really coming?” the family exclaimed in shock.
“Yes, it’s true. Grain prices are already rising, and the attendant at the grain store said they’ll rise even more tomorrow. In two days, the store will close,” Shen Yu explained.
“What should we do now?” Lin Shuyuan asked, pale and panicked.
“Mom, we have black wheat flour. I’ll also bring out some white flour. Today we bake extra flatbreads to take along as rations,” Shen Yu began organizing everything efficiently.
“Dad and I will go find the old village head. Even without an official notice, we should inform him. The villagers’ decision to flee or stay depends on him,” Lin Shuyuan said.
“Little brother, you stay home and help Mom tend the fire. Don’t wander off,” Shen Yu instructed.
Following Shen Yu’s guidance, the family immediately began to prepare, while Shen Yong’an and Shen Yu headed out to see the village head.