Chapter Twelve: Finally, Meat!
Wu Qi’s lips twitched again. Should he call this lady straightforward, or simply lacking in restraint? Without wasting words, he reached to his waist and took out a bulging brown money pouch, saying, “This is a reward for Lady Yun from our general; there are two strings of coins inside.”
As he spoke, he felt a pang of regret, unable to stop himself from secretly observing the woman’s expression before him. He hadn’t expected the general to be so generous, instructing him to take two strings of coins as the reward!
In truth, the general had already ordered someone to secretly watch the Wu family; finding Wu Chengqi was merely a matter of time. Sending Yan Fang and the others to search the Wu household with such fanfare was partly to look for clues and partly to confuse the Wu family.
A string of coins equaled one tael of silver, or a thousand copper coins; two strings meant two thousand coins. An ordinary soldier’s monthly salary was only seven hundred coins. Although two strings wouldn’t make the general’s private treasury pitiable, those funds were carefully saved bit by bit over time.
Two strings of coins?
Yun Shuang’s spirits sank; though two strings were a fortune to her now, compared to the dozen taels she had imagined, it was a significant disappointment.
She knew it was improper to complain about such matters, especially since no one had promised her a specific amount. So she took the money pouch, her tone flat: “Thank you for conveying my gratitude to the general on my behalf.”
Wu Qi: “…”
Wasn’t she supposed to be moved to tears, or at least overjoyed? Why did she seem less enthusiastic than before? Could it be she found the reward too meager?
Though initially disappointed, when the weighty pouch landed in her palm, Yun Shuang’s mood soared. At last, their family had more than just ten copper coins!
Her smile became truly genuine as she looked at Wu Qi with sparkling eyes. “The children are hungry, I must go home to prepare supper. Please forgive me for not being able to entertain you.”
A clear dismissal.
Wu Qi: “…”
Now he was absolutely certain this woman hadn’t intentionally approached them! Who would try to get close to them, show so little interest in them, yet be so eager for money?
He cleared his throat. “Lady Yun, there’s no need for formality. I must return and report as well.”
“Is that so? I won’t see you out, safe travels.”
Yun Shuang finished with a bright smile, then shut the battered old door with a decisive “slam.”
That evening, when Wu Qi returned, Jiang Xiao routinely asked about Lady Yun’s reaction. Wu Qi replied with a look that spoke volumes, “Lady Yun… was very calm.”
After a pause, he added, “She seemed to think the general was too stingy.”
Jiang Xiao: “…”
Recalling the unusual composure of the woman, Jiang Xiao’s gaze grew thoughtful.
On the way back to the camp, his men discussed her beauty and cleverness, but what impressed Jiang Xiao most was her calm. In those clear, cold eyes, there seemed to be a tenacious spirit that refused to yield.
He wondered what experiences she’d endured to develop such a character.
Once the door was shut, Yun Shuang no longer held back her expression; the corners of her mouth arched high. Turning around, she saw her two little ones gazing up at her with wide, blinking eyes. Unable to resist, she crouched down to give them a big bear hug, exclaiming excitedly, “Er Ya, Gou Dan, we have money! Tonight we can finally eat a full meal!”
More than just a full meal—with these two strings of coins, she had a starting fund and could begin a small business. Their days would surely get better.
Er Ya and Gou Dan knew money was precious, but they had no real concept of two strings of coins; they’d never seen so much in their lives.
Er Ya, hugged by her mother, felt delighted and nuzzled Yun Shuang’s cheek like a puppy, grinning foolishly. “Mama, with so much money, can Er Ya eat lots and lots of steamed buns tonight?”
Lots of steamed buns—fresh from the stove and steaming hot!
Er Ya had eaten steamed buns before, but they were either hardened from sitting too long or already souring. They always bought leftovers from the shop because it was cheaper.
Once, during the New Year, Aunt Hua had given them a basket of freshly made buns from her own kitchen. The wheat aroma filled her mouth, and the soft yet chewy texture was unforgettable; even now, Er Ya’s mouth watered at the memory. She, her brother, and mother had cherished those buns, dividing them carefully—the happiest time Er Ya could recall.
Yun Shuang smiled. “Not only can you eat lots of big steamed buns, we can buy meat too!”
“Buy meat!”
Er Ya clapped both hands over her mouth, her eyes round as saucers.
She… she wasn’t dreaming, was she? Their family could actually eat meat!
Gou Dan, though unaccustomed to his mother’s embrace, didn’t try to break free. He mumbled, “Meat is expensive…”
Even with some money now, Gou Dan remained habitually frugal.
“It’s alright! This is a rare opportunity—tonight we’ll have something good. From now on, I’ll work hard to give you both a better life. We’ll have meat often!”
Gou Dan held back but finally couldn’t resist reminding his mother and sister, “Mama, the village market only opens in the morning. It’s too late to go to town now, so we can’t buy meat tonight.”
Nor steamed buns.
Yun Shuang: “…”
Damn, she’d forgotten all about that! After living so long in modern times, she’d forgotten how inconvenient the ancient world was.
In the end, she went next door to Aunt Hua’s and bought some millet, three taro roots, and five eggs.
Yun Shuang wanted to buy more, but knowing Aunt Hua’s family was also struggling, she restrained herself and bought only what they’d need for that night.
Aunt Hua was surprised, asking why she suddenly bought so much and whether she had enough money. Yun Shuang simply smiled, saying she’d recovered from a serious illness and the children couldn’t starve every day; money had to be spent on food. She’d decided to pick herself up, work hard, and make a good life for them.
Yun Shuang knew Aunt Hua was kind, but one shouldn’t flaunt wealth. She couldn’t tell her that she’d reported Wu Chengqi and received a reward, so she made up an excuse.
Aunt Hua was genuinely happy for her, squeezing her hand and saying earnestly, “It’s wonderful you’re getting back on your feet! I see those children suffer every day and it hurts my heart. They’re both good kids—if not for yourself, you must be strong for them! If you ever need help, just ask!”
She sent her youngest to fetch what Yun Shuang needed, accepting only five copper coins. Yun Shuang tried to give more, but Aunt Hua refused and stuffed her with a handful of scallions, ginger, and garlic instead.
Thus, Yun Shuang went home with an armful of groceries, her heart warm.
Xiazhou, being in the north, relied on wheat and millet as staple foods. Yun Shuang adapted, cooking a pot of millet porridge with chestnuts, steaming the taro, making a big pot of mushroom fish soup, and using scallions to make scrambled eggs.
Once all the food was set on the table, the children’s eyes went wide with amazement.
It was their first time eating so lavishly! Even at New Year, they’d never had such a feast.
With the addition of scallions, ginger, and garlic, the fish soup was more flavorful than yesterday, and the earthy taste was much reduced. Er Ya, excited, drank three big bowls in a row and ate several bowls of chestnut millet porridge.
Gou Dan, though silent, never stopped using his chopsticks; the three quickly polished off every dish.
For the first time since arriving in this world, Yun Shuang felt the joy of being truly full. That night, she went to bed with Er Ya in her arms, happily dreaming of their future.
Yet the next morning, she was awakened by heat. Drowsily, she realized she was hugging a little furnace—one that squirmed restlessly and murmured, “Mama, it hurts. I hurt so much…”