“Mother, my master gave me several pieces of cloth. Once we’re settled, you can make a few sets of new clothes for yourself,” Shen Yu said, watching her mother’s careful, almost reverent handling of the cloth. It made her feel a little conflicted.
“That’s wonderful! I’ll make several for you too,” Lin Shuyuan replied cheerfully, immediately threading a needle and starting on the bedding.
Shen Yu got down from the kang bed to prepare dinner.
She first cooked a pot of rice porridge in a small pot, added a few eggs and some minced meat, and secretly mixed in a bit of Spirit Spring water.
She took a small bundle of purslane from her supplies, blanched it, then seasoned it with salt, soy sauce, and sesame oil. She shredded some chicken from the drumsticks into it for a cold dish. Finally, she pulled out a dozen pork crackling flatbreads. Dinner was ready.
Little Shen Hao returned around mealtime, leading the big blue donkey. The donkey’s belly was already round from eating, and it circled around Shen Yu once, nudging her arm with its head. Shen Yu knew it wanted Spirit Spring water, but now wasn’t the time—she had to pretend not to notice and called everyone to the table.
On the bamboo table, smooth porcelain bowls were filled with hearty meat porridge, one bowl per person. White ceramic plates held the green seasoned vegetables mixed with shiny chicken strips, and the crispy crackling flatbreads were stacked in small bamboo baskets.
Little Shen Hao took a sip of the thick rice porridge and closed his eyes in bliss, then grabbed some vegetables, eyes wide with delight, exclaiming over and over how delicious it was. Even Lin Shuyuan, who usually rationed every bite, ate heartily.
After dinner, Lin Shuyuan boiled a large pot of hot water, insisting that everyone wash thoroughly because tonight they’d sleep on new kang beds with fresh bedding.
Bath time for little Shen Hao was loud—his cries filled the courtyard as his mother scrubbed him nearly raw.
Once everyone had washed and changed into the coarse cotton clothing Shen Yu had bought, Lin Shuyuan washed the old clothes in the warm water to be ready for the journey; on the road, they couldn’t wear anything too fine.
Before bed, Shen Yu fed the big blue donkey, secretly adding some Spirit Spring water. The donkey drank eagerly and nudged her repeatedly with its head, as if in thanks.
Finally, everyone settled on the kang beds, soft and comfortable. Little Shen Hao rolled around excitedly until Lin Shuyuan held him firmly, coaxing him to sleep. After a long day, everyone quickly drifted into dreams.
Meanwhile, in Shenjia Village, nearly every household was out in the fields under the weak moonlight, harvesting as much grain as they could, the whole family working together. Some village women even ran back to their maternal homes to warn relatives, spreading the news that the barbarians were coming. Panic spread across the nearby villages.
On her kang bed, Shen Liu still cursed the Shen Yong’an family. Hearing the news, she wailed even louder. Now, her only capable child, her second son, lay moaning on the bed; her second daughter-in-law had returned to her maternal home; the third son was in town, and the remaining younger children weren’t able to help. What could she, an old woman, do?
Regret consumed her. Had she known it would come to this, she never would have let the eldest son split the family. With that family gone, she would’ve had all the labor done without lifting a finger.
Suddenly, an idea struck her. “Split the family? So what? Even if they leave, I’m still Shen Yong’an’s mother!” Heart steeling, Shen Liu painfully climbed up and rushed toward Shen Yong’an’s house, completely forgetting her current miserable state.
Shen Yu was sleeping soundly when the pounding on the door woke her. Shen Yong’an threw on a coat to open the door; everyone else except little Shen Hao had gotten up.
Shen Liu burst in, pointing at Shen Yong’an and shouting, “Ungrateful child! Everyone else is in the fields harvesting, and you’re sleeping at home? Go to the fields and harvest the grain! All these years I raised you, and what do I get? Ungrateful wretches! Split the family all you want, but even if you jump to the ends of the earth, you’ll still call me mother, you unfilial brat!”
Spittle flew onto Shen Yong’an’s face. Disgusted, he wiped it off and was about to respond when Shen Yu interjected: “Old lady, we’ve cut ties. Stop seeking attention here—before I act, you better leave.”
Shen Liu shivered violently, finally remembering how ruthless this girl was. She stammered in fear, “You… you’re going to do what? I’m your grandmother! If you hit me, I’ll report you to the clan leader!”
Shen Yu slapped her. “Then consider this a lesson. If you don’t learn, I’ll help you again.” She sneered and struck her several more times.
Shen Liu fell to the ground, spitting blood, her face swelling rapidly. She struggled to get up and run, but Shen Yu grabbed her, warning with a fierce glare: “Next time, I’ll send you straight to your old man. Get out!” Shen Yu threw her a long distance. It took a while before Shen Liu got up, clutching her back and limping home.
Once she arrived, she slammed the door shut. Silence followed.
Shen Yongtian knew his mother had gone to see the eldest brother and wanted to ask what happened. But after she entered the house, it was quiet. He knocked: “Mother, did you ask big brother for help? Mother?”
A muffled voice came from inside: “You take the kids to the fields and harvest as much as you can. Your big brother isn’t home.”
After a while, no further response came. Frustrated, Shen Yongtian cursed and forced the two children to go to the fields.
Alone, Shen Liu held her mouth and cried silently. That girl was terrifying! Every part of her hurt, and she cursed Shen Yu a thousand times over, vowing that the suffering endured today would one day be repaid a thousandfold.
The next day, Shen Yongcai, studying at the academy, heard the news in town. Panicked, he rented a bullock cart and hurried home.
Seeing her cherished third son, Shen Liu cried even louder, twisting the story to make herself appear innocent.
Shen Yongcai, enraged that the household servants had gone rogue, wanted to confront Shen Yong’an, but Shen Liu clutched him, unable to let her third son confront the fearsome girl. She soothed him: “Big brother isn’t home. Go help your second brother in the fields. There will be time to deal with them later.” Shen Yongcai had no choice but to comply.
At the same time, Xie Jinhua, worried about her children, had returned from her maternal home. Her father, the chief of a neighboring village, was busy preparing for the barbarian attack and couldn’t help her. She knew that if she brought her children with her family, her two sisters-in-law would not welcome her. Reluctantly, she returned home, helping Shen Liu prepare food for the journey.