Chapter 16

A splash rang out sharply, and the shrill, piercing sound of the suona abruptly ceased. The burial procession froze for a moment before erupting into chaos.

Who would have thought that the frail-looking young man was clutching a shard of broken porcelain? With a resolute grip that cut through the ropes, his hands stained with blood, he charged decisively into the river.

Though the scorching heat of June blazed overhead, the river water was bone-chillingly cold, the rushing currents engulfing the vivid red stain. The cold and wet wrapped around Jiang Yun layer by layer.

Through the sunlight reflecting off the water’s surface, Jiang Yun vaguely recalled scenes from when he was two or three years old. The rushing water flooded his nose and mouth, blocking his breath. In the depths of the river, it felt as if countless invisible hands were pulling him downward, the cold wrapping him in a heavy shroud.

Jiang Yun did not struggle. Like a drifting tuft of cotton with nowhere to cling, he floated lightly, sinking deeper.

The voices from the shore gradually grew distant and unreal. The warmth at his eyes mingled with the icy river water. As he sank into the darkness, Jiang Yun looked straight up at the sun.

Gu Chengwu rode his small chestnut horse across the fields and soon saw the ground covered in paper money, an overwhelming, oppressive sight spreading all the way to Qingmiao Village.

It was common for elderly villagers to pass away, and scattering money on the path to buy passage for the dead was a customary practice. He paid no heed—until he suddenly heard the splash of someone falling into water and agonized cries, unmistakably signaling something was wrong.

“Quick, pull him out!” Liu Yuanwai clutched his chest, feeling a wave of bad luck, and collapsed to the ground in fury.

Madam Liu hurried to her son's coffin, weeping uncontrollably, her voice filled with venomous resentment. “Poor my son! It’s all my fault for giving you such an unruly husband.”

Jiang Yun might as well die, but he must not die in the river; if he were to die, it should be sealed in that coffin.

The Liu family shouted for help, but the servants panicked, none skilled in swimming.

Amidst the chaos, a dark shadow leapt silently into the water, not even disturbing the surface. Swiftly, it swam toward the river's turbulent center.

——

Outside the Jiang family courtyard, a crowd had gathered, causing a raucous scene. The gate was tightly shut. Liu Guihua hid inside a room, too afraid to come out, sitting at the table, cursing bitterly.

This matter was supposed to be handled quietly—both to receive payment and get rid of a burden. She clutched the silver tightly, unwilling to let go. Who would have guessed that after hearing the news of Jiang Yun’s marriage, Zhang Xiulan insisted on following the Liu family master to see for herself.

That visit revealed the truth: it was no genuine marriage proposal for Jiang Yun. Clearly, they were dragging him to the cemetery for a ghost marriage to send him to death!

Originally, she intended to marry Jiang Yun to her own eldest son. When the suitable son-in-law suddenly disappeared, and upon learning of the Jiang family’s sordid dealings, she immediately grew suspicious.

No respectable family would marry off their son in such a rushed manner.

Fortunately, she followed to observe; otherwise, she wouldn’t have known the evil Jiang family had planned. After all, this was a living person with a family—how could she stand by and watch?

Upon seeing Jiang Yun rescued from the water, Zhang Xiulan folded her arms and strode toward the Jiang family.

The crowd, still lingering, had not yet dispersed. Liu Guihua wiped away nonexistent tears and feigned grievance: “Yun’er grew up under my care. Though he refused to acknowledge me as his stepmother these years, I still planned his future for him, to honor his deceased mother.”

Jiang Mo, seeing his mother’s genuine tears, quickly pinched a handkerchief to dab at his eyes. “My mother is kind-hearted. Even if my younger brother is unfilial, she never holds grudges.”

After his words, some blamed Jiang Yun for being unfilial, while others praised Liu Guihua for her virtue and forgiveness. Jiang Mo and Liu Guihua exchanged a secret glance, pride simmering in their eyes.

“Don’t be fooled by her! That wicked woman’s conscience has been eaten by dogs!” The cheers abruptly stopped, and voices from within the crowd began to accuse Zhang Xiulan.

“Hey, He San’s family, your words are harsh. This is a happy day; don’t speak recklessly.”

“Exactly. Liu Guihua gave such a good match to Yun’er but not to her own son—that shows her true intentions.”

Liu Guihua shrank back. He San’s sharp shout made her feel guilty; she could no longer pretend. Her eyes darted nervously, but seeing everyone took her side, her spine stiffened once more.

Perhaps Zhang Xiulan’s scheme to marry off Jiang Yun had failed, and out of resentment, she came to slander. Besides, once Jiang Yun died, there would be no evidence. Who in the village would bother to dig up the grave to verify?

——

But Liu Guihua’s smile faded instantly. She had no idea Zhang Xiulan had already followed to see everything.

Zhang Xiulan lowered her voice from her usual loudness: “I clearly saw behind the Liu family that Yun’er was not going to the town to marry. He was being dragged to the cemetery for a ghost marriage!”

As the accusations against Zhang Xiulan waned, the women and men around could no longer discern truth from falsehood.

Zhang Xiulan placed her hands on her hips and continued, “They say stepmothers are hard to be, and it’s normal to favor one’s own child, but this is a human life! You’ve lost your conscience and want to harm Yun’er for silver!”

Liu Guihua’s façade began to crack, her face turning pale, but she could not silence Zhang Xiulan, who had never lost in fights within the village.

Wang Yunfeng, standing among the crowd, listened nervously and then asked, “Is what you say really true?”

Zhang Xiulan raised a finger to the sky and swore, “If I lie, may my big dogs Er Gou never marry in their lives.”

Continuing the family line was a serious matter; no one dared lie about it. Zhang Xiulan’s fierce oath was proof enough.

“Yun’er’s mother passed away early. We’ve watched him grow. We cannot just push him into the fire pit. I say we all arm ourselves and fight the Liu family to save Yun’er!” Aunt Xu from across the Jiang family stepped forward, grabbing her husband Zhou Daniu’s arm, determined to rescue him.

They lived just opposite the Jiang family. Others might not know what was happening, but she did. When Liu Guihua first married in, she was decent, promising to treat Jiang Yun well. But soon enough, her face changed. She beat and scolded him daily; cries for mercy were heard every few days.

His body bore no unblemished skin.

Zhou Daniu disliked meddling and usually forbade his wife from interfering, but now that Jiang Yun had no way out, and they also had a son, how could they stand by?

The truth was out: no one was without conscience. They immediately cursed the Jiang family at the gate. Liu Guihua hid inside, too afraid to come out. Even Jiang Mo, who had been silently observing, wept inside.

When the cursing began, the scandal of her mother and herself consorting with men in town was revealed, shattering Jiang Mo’s once-decent reputation in the village.

Zhang Xiulan was furious and said, “Luckily, when I arrived, Yun’er had already been saved by the Gu family boy and was still alive. But seeing how little he breathes compared to how much he exhales... I’m afraid...”

She trailed off, but everyone knew what she meant.

Though the villagers sympathized with Jiang Yun, none could help much. Not every family had money; giving some fruit and food as consolation was already generous.

——

The cicadas buzzed noisily in the woods. By noon, the crowd had all gone home. Some women and men returned, furious as they told their families what had happened.

But no one intervened. Jiang Yun was, after all, someone else’s child. No matter how much they spoke, it was of little concern. At most, they would admonish Liu Guihua to stop her cruelty.

Some righteous souls wanted to invite Jiang Yun to stay a few days at their homes but were scolded by their husbands and dropped the idea.

Only Zhang Xiulan and Aunt Liu occasionally brought food to the Gu family. After all, Jiang Yun was a stranger living with the Gu family. They provided food and shelter for free, but what if they later found it not worthwhile and cast him out?

He Lao San held the same view, sighing, “It’s a life after all. Our harvest was good this year; giving him some food is no trouble.”

As night fell, most villagers went to sleep, unwilling to waste their oil lamps.

Only the Gu family behind the bamboo grove kept their lights burning brightly. Lamps flickered in the kitchen and rooms, voices occasionally drifting through.

Gu Chengwu sat in the main room, repeatedly twisting hemp rope, preparing for a hunting trip up the mountain in the next few days. He needed to gather supplies and bring a half-month’s worth of food.

Zhang Cuilan washed dishes but did not stop, watching him with some sympathy. “Both parents and stepmothers, why is Liu Guihua so cruel, not sparing even a life?”

Today, she had been cooking at home and was shocked to see Gu Chengwu bring back a young man drenched and near death. After many questions, she learned the reason.

People must be saved, after all. Zhang Cuilan grabbed a bag of copper coins and hurried to a herbalist doctor in a nearby village, fetching the doctor mid-meal.

Qingmiao Village was formed by refugees of mixed surnames and had no doctor of its own—only the neighboring village had one.

As the herbalist doctor took Jiang Yun’s pulse, his frown deepened. Stroking his beard, he sighed, “I’m afraid it’s not good. I think you’ll need to bring a doctor from town. They have more experience; maybe they can save him.”

The doctor had also heard about the Qingmiao Village incident. His wife’s home was there, and the scandal was rampant. Not only were villagers cursing Liu Guihua, but outsiders were pointing fingers and cursing her too.

Zhang Cuilan hesitated. “How much would it cost to go to town?”

It wasn’t that she refused to help in a crisis, but medical expenses in town were exorbitant. Her uncle once went to the town clinic, and the fee was ten taels of silver. Ordinary families simply could not afford it. Her uncle, unwilling to spend the family fortune, eventually died from neglect.

The herbalist hesitated. Jiang Yun’s condition definitely required ginseng to sustain him—a single root cost three to four taels of silver. He considered deceiving Zhang Cuilan but realized her silver was hard-earned, and it was unjust to waste it on a stranger.

Sighing, he told her the truth. Zhang Cuilan was troubled.

In the main room, Gu Chengwu suddenly sat upright, fetched a bag of silver from the house, and said, “Go to town.”

He was a man of few words. Once he spoke, no one could argue.

Zhang Cuilan warned, “Think carefully. This silver is for your future bride.” The heavy bag contained no less than twenty taels.

Gu Chengwu looked toward the barely breathing young man in the bedroom. The image of him, frightened and bullied, filled his mind.

“If the money’s gone, I’ll earn more.” He handed the silver to Zhang Cuilan and ordered her to fetch the town doctor immediately.

The herbalist doctor glanced approvingly at the young man—a kind-hearted and responsible soul.

Gu Chengwu said nothing, only worked faster. Tomorrow morning, he planned to head to the mountain to hunt, taking advantage of the season to catch more game to sell.

Meanwhile, Zhang Cuilan’s trip to town took two hours round trip. The doctor, experienced and having saved drowning victims before, administered acupuncture and prescribed several remedies to stabilize Jiang Yun.

As the herbalist predicted, ginseng was indispensable. The prescriptions alone cost eight taels of silver, and with consultation fees, the total was eight and a half taels.

Ordinary families didn’t even earn ten taels in a year. Though Zhang Cuilan regretted the expense, Gu Chengwu had insisted on saving the boy, so she did not hesitate to pay.

For some time, the Gu family courtyard was filled with the scent of herbs, noticeable even to villagers passing outside the bamboo grove.

On her way back, Zhang Cuilan met villagers. Having just spent a fortune, she was both heartbroken and angry, complaining to anyone who would listen:

“When I changed Yun’er’s clothes, I saw every inch of his body was bruised from Liu Guihua’s beatings. Even when he fainted, he begged for mercy in pain.”

There was no taboo between women and the boy. She told all she had witnessed, and the villagers were heartbroken. Every family had sons and daughters; if it were their own child abused so cruelly, they would be pained too.

Zhang Cuilan’s words spread quickly throughout the village, drawing curious people from neighboring villages.

The next morning, the Jiang family gate was littered with rotten vegetable leaves and smeared with rotten eggs, reeking from afar like a cesspit. Mischievous children gathered, mocking and cursing just like adults. Liu Guihua was immediately surrounded upon stepping outside. Jiang Mo’s private matters were exposed; overnight, he became the village pariah with no face to show his face.

Jiang Mo wept uncontrollably inside, while Jiang Shunde had fled to town these past days, afraid to appear. He had no affection for this son but felt humiliated and had even struck Liu Guihua in anger.

Liu Guihua was also defiant, pointing to the sixty taels of gleaming silver and demanding whether Jiang Shunde thought it was money well spent, sparking more quarrels.