Chapter 10

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Liu Chunhua spoke as she rose and rushed into the house to find the bow, as if she truly intended to go hunting in the mountains. It was merely because the old lady was angry, so she needed an excuse to back down. But after searching the house for a long time, she discovered the bow was missing. This gave her an opening.

“Mother, where is our family’s bow? Why is it gone?”

At Liu Chunhua’s shout, the old lady sprang up from her chair and briskly walked into the room. The spot where the bow had hung was now completely empty.

Liu Chunhua quickly added fuel to the fire.

“Mother, that bow must have been taken by Jiang Shi. When the family divided, we never agreed to give her that bow, yet she silently took it away. We have to get it back.”

Asking her to fetch a bowl of chicken was humiliating enough, but this bow was a rare and valuable item in the village. She had never agreed to give it to Jiang Shi, so Jiang Shi had no right to take it without permission.

“Second brother, third brother, fourth brother, come with me.”

With the old lady’s command, Xue Chengxiang was eager to act. Last night, after hearing his wife’s murmurs about danger, he had hoped the second brother’s family would take the lead—he was content to just have a share of the meal and valued his life more. Now he watched the second and fourth brothers cautiously, waiting to see their moves.

Xue Chengwen looked at the old lady and showed no emotion on his gaunt face.

“Do you all want to go into the mountains to hunt?”

“Who in this family hides so deeply and knows how to hunt? I’d know if they did.”

Liu Chunhua was displeased to see Xue Chengwen holding back.

“Fourth brother, what do you mean? Could it be you’re like your second brother, bewitched by that vixen? Speaking up for her!”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jiaxiu’s anger flared. She stormed over and slapped Liu Chunhua hard, grabbing her hair as the two women struggled fiercely.

“You shameless woman, I’ve tolerated you for years and never thought to argue with a worthless wretch like you. But you dare to insult me? I’ll tear that foul mouth of yours apart, you gossiping, slandering wretch.”

After a long tussle, Zhao Jiaxiu lost ground. Third brother’s wife, Zhou Shi, quickly pretended to intervene but actually held Liu Chunhua back, letting Zhao Jiaxiu strike her a few more times.

Though sisters-in-law often quarreled, Zhao Jiaxiu was generally more patient. She had long disliked Liu Chunhua and now seized the chance to vent her anger.

When the fight ended, Liu Chunhua’s face was covered in red handprints, while Zhao Jiaxiu’s hair was a mess but her face less bruised.

“Zhou Shi, what do you mean by holding me so she could hit me? Was that deliberate?”

Zhou Shi, inwardly delighted, still put on a look of grievance. “Second sister-in-law, don’t take your frustrations out on everyone. You bully the eldest sister-in-law, then the fourth sister-in-law, now even me? I was only trying to help break up the fight.”

“Helping? And I get this in return?”

“Don’t think we’re blind. You’re just using this as a pretext to stir mother up to take your side, trying to bully Jiang Shi again.”

“Just because Jiang Shi and Xiao Man and A Ning have no blood relation but still raise those two children, I’m convinced she’s the real eldest sister-in-law.”

“Hmph!”

With that, Zhou Shi swished her hips and went back inside. Xue Chengwen also dragged Zhao Jiaxiu into the house.

In the courtyard, only the old lady and Liu Chunhua were left.

The old lady glanced at Liu Chunhua, then at the tightly closed door, before heading alone toward the dilapidated grass hut.

She saw clearly the intentions of her sons and daughters-in-law.

But Jiang Shi would not get away with the bow. It was brought back by Xue Chengju and could fetch a good sum if sold. Even if not sold, lending it out could earn favors. Giving it to Jiang Shi would be like throwing meat to a dog.

When the old lady reached the courtyard, Jiang Li was carefully roasting bamboo, unaware of her arrival until Xue Ning tugged her sleeve.

“Mother, grandma is here.”

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“Where?”

Jiang Li turned and saw the old lady standing in front of the house, face darkened. Jiang Li’s own expression also soured; she did not greet her but pretended not to see her, busying herself with her task.

Xue Man and Xue Ning stood beside Jiang Li, and seeing her silence, they too kept their mouths shut.

“Jiang Shi, did you take the family’s bow?”

The old lady’s tone was harsh, and Jiang Li quickly guessed her purpose.

She glanced at Xue Man, who shivered slightly.

“Grandma, that bow was left to me by my father; of course I brought it.”

The old lady’s sharp eyes fixed fiercely on Xue Man. Her tone was frightful.

“That is the Xue family’s property. Who gave you permission to take it without consent? This is theft!”

Xue Man looked up into the old lady’s eyes without fear.

“My father’s dying wish was to leave me that bow. By the way, Grandma, he said there was a money pouch under his bed with money for A Ning, but after his funeral, I could never find it. Have you seen that money pouch?”

The old lady’s eyes flickered evasively, then suddenly shot a dagger-like glare at Jiang Li.

“Jiang Shi, return that bow. Don’t think I can’t deal with you just because you’re hiding behind the children.”

Jiang Li put down the roasted bamboo and dusted her hands off carelessly.

“Old lady, this bow belonged to Xue Chengju, right?”

Before the old lady could respond, Xue Man spoke up.

“Mother, that bow was my father’s.”

“Where did it come from?”

“He brought it back from the battlefield.”

Jiang Li smiled faintly.

“Then it has nothing to do with the Xue family.”

“If it has nothing to do with the Xue family, then it belongs to Xue Chengju personally. He left it to Xiao Man. What’s wrong with that?”

“So you won’t return it?”

Jiang Li’s expression was calm, her tone gentle.

“Old lady, this bow rightfully belongs to my family’s Xiao Man. There is no ‘return’ to speak of.”

With those words, the old lady gave a sinister smile, strangely eerie.

“Then just wait.”

Jiang Li paid no mind to this.

The old lady left the dilapidated hut but did not return home; instead, she headed straight to the village chief’s house.

At Qiu Village Chief’s courtyard, many people were gathered.

Qiu Village Chief sat in front of the door, holding his tobacco pipe with a troubled expression, unable to decide.

The people standing in the yard waited anxiously. Though no one spoke, countless words buzzed like a swarm.

After a long while, Qiu Village Chief tapped his pipe and looked sorrowfully at the crowd.

“Relying on the Greater Guan Mountain, we won’t starve to death, but now most in the village are women, children, and elderly; few able-bodied men remain, and they don’t hunt. If everyone rushes into the mountains recklessly, and something happens, who will take responsibility? If we drive the wolves from the mountains and cause disaster, who will answer? Every household is struggling; we must endure. If we perish in the deep mountains, how will we explain that?”

“If you ask me, we should travel in groups and just gather wild vegetables around the mountain’s edge. Maybe soon, the rain will come, and the fields will yield crops.”

When Qiu Village Chief finished, the crowd’s faces darkened and fell into a heavy silence.

If they weren’t desperate enough to eat even wild plants, they wouldn’t have come to the village chief. They merely hoped he could arrange something. If there were skilled hunters, some strong men to lead them into the mountains, that would be ideal.

But Qiu Village Chief told them to hold on.

How long could they endure?

“If there’s nothing else, everyone may leave.”

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With that, Qiu Village Chief dismissed them. The people staggered out of the yard, their spirits from when they arrived now completely drained.

The old lady stood at the gate. Seeing familiar faces, she called out a few times, but no one responded. They left like lost souls.

After everyone had left, the old lady strode inside.

Qiu Village Chief thought someone had returned, but upon seeing the visitor, he realized it was not.

“Old Li, what brings you here?”

The old lady looked at Qiu Village Chief and bent down as if to kneel. He hurriedly stopped her.

“What are you doing?”

“Village Chief, I have a complaint.”

Qiu Village Chief frowned.

“Who do you want to complain about?”

“My eldest daughter-in-law, Jiang Shi.”

“What about her?”

“I want to accuse her of rebellion!”

The old lady’s voice was loud and clear. Qiu Village Chief nearly fell over. Looking around to ensure no one else was present, he relaxed slightly.

“Old lady, you know you can’t just throw around words like ‘rebellion.’ I know you have conflicts with Jiang Shi, but why pin such a heavy accusation on her?”

“Village Chief, I am not one to seek revenge over private grudges. My eldest son served in the army and brought back a bow that hung on the wall. After he died, I wanted to retrieve the bow to turn it in, but Jiang Shi had taken it. She even knows how to make arrows herself—that is military equipment. By hiding it and making arrows, she harbors rebellious intent.”

Qiu Village Chief sighed deeply, rubbed his forehead, and silently cursed the old lady’s foolishness. Talking about rebellion—forget her whole Xue family, even the entire village wasn’t fit to be executed.

After pondering for a moment, he asked, “Jiang Shi knows how to make arrows?”

“Yes.”

“Jiang Shi can hunt?”

“Yes.”

“Any evidence?”

“She disappeared for two days and only returned last evening with a wild pheasant. Xiao Man and A Ning both said she went hunting in the mountains. Many in the village know this.”

The old lady spoke with conviction. Qiu Village Chief recalled how Jiang Shi had beaten Xue Chengxiang and began to form some ideas.

“Go home. I will speak with Jiang Shi about this.”

After the old lady left, the village chief’s wife Zhao and the daughter-in-law Zhou Mai came out of the house.

Zhou Mai laughed lightly.

“If you ask me, Jiang Shi simply didn’t bring the chicken meat to the old lady. Rebellion? What nonsense!”

Qiu Village Chief glanced at Zhou Mai.

“Be careful with your words.”

Zhou Mai stuck out her tongue at him.

She then looked at her mother-in-law, who rolled her eyes before saying in a low voice, “Husband, if Jiang Shi really can hunt, then the matter just now might work out.”

Qiu Village Chief shook his head slightly but said nothing.

Zhao watched him, feeling hopeful yet wary of causing trouble.

“Otherwise, just hint to them that if someone can persuade Jiang Shi to take them into the mountains, that’s their private matter, beyond our control. If no one can convince her, then so be it.”

“As for the bow, later scare the old lady a bit. Xue Chengju is dead, and Xue Man and A Ning are at least her own grandchildren. If she can do something like this and won’t even allow Jiang Shi a way to provide for the children and herself, then if they die, it’s as she wishes.”