The Heir

Сhаpter 181: Аuntiе vs. Сhоu Рo

“That girl Zhеn Niаng, why is her fаte so bittеr? If sоmеthing rеаllу hapрens to Wenqian, how will she еvеr find a mаtch in thе futurе?” Lаtе at night, Zhао Shi tоssеd аnd turned, unаble to sleер. She sаt up and nudged Li Jingfu аwake bеside her.

“Dоn’t tаlk nоnsеnsе. Didn’t Zhеn Niаng say whеn shе cаmе bаck еarliеr thаt there’s still nо nеws from Yi Нou Sheng? Don’t wоrry, I’ve deаlt with thаt Luо kid manу times up north. Не’s а clеvеr оnе, nоthing will hаpреn to him.” Li Jingfu smаckеd his lips.

“This isn’t likе the sсufflеs bеtweеn уоur nоrthern folks. This is а battle involving tens of thоusands of soldiеrs. No mattеr how саpаble Wenqian is, his team has at most twenty or thirty men. Against tens of thousands, how could he possibly turn the tide? The more I think about it, the more uncertain I feel, and the less I can sleep.” Zhao Shi’s heart remained uneasy.

“Enough, thinking about it won’t help. Go to sleep.” Li Jingfu patted Zhao Shi.

Finally, he blew out the oil lamp.

Zhen Niang also had a restless night. She rose at the break of dawn, dark circles under her eyes. After washing up, she made her usual rounds in the Ink Workshop, but her mind felt scattered and lost.

After some thought, though it was still early, she decided to open the shop sooner. Without waiting for the shop assistants, she went with Hua’er to unlock the doors.

Arriving at Ink Manor, just as she was about to slide open the inner bolt, she heard voices outside.

“When I went to buy groceries this morning, I heard that Shizhou was massacred by the Tatars. It’s tragic—they say nearly twenty thousand people were killed. Those damned Tatars! Yesterday, I heard from a Yi Hou Sheng shop assistant that their owner also went to Shanxi? That Owner Luo might be in danger.” The speaker was the owner’s wife from the steamed bun shop nearby.

“Of course I’ve heard. Haven’t you seen several carriages already parked outside Yi Hou Sheng? They’re all here to withdraw money. I heard Owner Luo went to Shanxi with a large sum of silver, mainly to buy horses. Don’t the Tatars raid for money and supplies? Owner Luo is like a fat sheep—how could the Tatars let him go? People are afraid something might happen to him and the bank won’t be able to pay out, so they’re all rushing to withdraw their money. Truly, fortune and misfortune are as unpredictable as day and night.” The reply came from Yao Niangzi, her tone tinged with lament.

“What fortune and misfortune? Haven’t you heard what people on the street are saying? They say it’s because of Li Zhen Niang’s ill luck. That Li girl is capable, but her fate is truly hard. Wasn’t the Tian family’s eldest son engaged to her back then? Not long after, he had an accident while visiting Huangshan. After the engagement was broken off, he returned safely.” The steamed bun shop owner’s wife added.

The feud between the Tian and Li families had been dug up by people in the area last year.

“Don’t talk nonsense like that,” Yao Niangzi, who usually got along fairly well with Zhen Niang, retorted irritably.

“It’s not me talking nonsense. That’s what everyone on the street is saying,” the bun shop owner’s wife defended herself.

Meanwhile, Zhen Niang and Hua’er were about to remove the door planks when they unexpectedly overheard the conversation outside.

“Cousin, I’m going to argue with them!” Hua’er stomped her foot in anger."Alright, let's not bother with all that. We'll open our doors as usual. What's the use of arguing over such idle gossip? Just ignore it." Zhen Niang took a deep breath. She was also angered by such talk, but there was nothing she could do. Both times she had been engaged, she had encountered this kind of situation. Arguing? Could such matters even be argued about?

Hua'er snorted angrily, slamming the door plank down with a heavy thud that startled the people gossiping outside.

"You're open already? Early today, aren't you?" The owner's wife from the steamed bun shop hadn't expected the Li family to open so suddenly. Seeing Li Zhenniang, and recalling the gossip she had just been spreading, she greeted them with an awkward expression.

"Not early enough if we want to eat. Unlike some people who have so much free time they go around gossiping, not afraid of tearing their tongues out," Hua'er retorted irritably.

"Who are you talking about?" the bun shop owner's wife snapped back.

"Who do you think I'm talking about?" Hua'er asked deliberately with a smile.

"Alright, alright, it's still early in the morning. Why so much anger?" Yao Niangzi quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

Hua'er just snorted and went back inside to work.

"Zhen Niang, don't worry. I don't think Shopkeeper Luo will come to any harm," Yao Niangzi said to Zhen Niang.

"Mm, thank you, Aunt Yao," Zhen Niang replied with a smile and a nod. To be honest, rumors like being a "husband-killer" were something she had heard plenty of back in Huizhou. If she took them to heart, she'd only be making things harder for herself.

The two chatted for a few more moments.

Afterward, Zhen Niang strolled over to Yi Hou Sheng. They had also opened early today, clearly having prepared in advance over the past couple of days. Everyone who came to withdraw money was able to do so without issue. For the time being, everything remained calm and orderly, with no disturbances.

She then returned to the Li Family Ink Manor. Just as she reached the entrance, she spotted Auntie Wang approaching in the distance, supported by Hu Shi. Before long, they arrived at the door of the Li Family Ink Manor.

"Auntie Wang, Aunt Hu..." Zhen Niang naturally stepped forward to greet them.

"Zhen Niang, are your parents and grandfather here?" Auntie Wang asked.

"They are. Let me show you inside, Auntie Wang." Zhen Niang curtsied politely and then led Auntie Wang and her party into the house. Old Shopkeeper Li was standing outside the hall talking to Li Jing. Seeing Auntie Wang arrive, he warmly ushered her inside.

On the day Zhen Niang and Luo Wenqian became engaged, Auntie Wang had also been present. Although everyone knew she had some reservations about this match, Luo Wenqian had been determined and had even invited representatives from the Luo Family to preside over the matter, so Auntie Wang had no choice but to hold her tongue.

In the hall, everyone took their seats as hosts and guests. Zhen Niang personally served tea. Since the elders in the hall needed to talk, Zhen Niang withdrew to the corridor outside, where she sat with Hua'er, chatting idly.

The wooden house allowed the conversation from the hall to clearly reach their ears.

"Old Shopkeeper Li, I've come to ask about news of Wenqian. With all the chaos in Shanxi now, I heard he went to Shizhou. I'm truly worried. He's the only son of my niece—the sole heir of this branch of the Luo Family. If anything were to happen to him, this branch of the Luo Family would be cut off." Auntie Wang wiped her tears as she spoke."Auntie, don't be so pessimistic. Wenqian went to Shanxi with a group of people, and he's capable and shrewd. If nothing else, he should be able to keep himself safe. Now, Manager Xiao Qi of Yi Hou Sheng has already taken people to search for him. Since there's no news yet, it's best for us to remain calm," Old Shopkeeper Li comforted from the side.

"To be honest, no news is better than bad news. I'm afraid of what news might come, especially if it's bad news," Auntie Wang said.

As soon as she said this, the room fell silent, and the atmosphere grew heavy.

Zhen Niang also pursed her lips.

Hua'er, standing to the side, wanted to offer comfort but didn't know how.

At that moment, Aunt Wang's voice was heard again in the room: "Old Shopkeeper Li, I came today to ask you for a favor. Your Zhen Niang's fate might truly be a bit harsh. Qiu Shan'er only has this one son, and I don't think you want anything to happen to Wenqian either."

"Auntie Wang, what do you mean by that?" Zhao Shi's sharp voice rang out in the room.

"What do I mean? Isn't it obvious? Wenqian has been traveling for trade for so many years and never had any trouble in the north. But as soon as he got engaged to Zhen Niang, on his first trip after the engagement—ha!—Shi Zhou, a place where Tartars have never invaded before, just happened to be attacked this time. Isn't this Zhen Niang's fault? If you care about Wenqian, you should take the initiative to break off the engagement. Maybe then Wenqian will return safely. Wasn't it the same with the Tian family's young master? At first, they even set up a mourning hall, but as soon as the engagement was broken off, he came back," Hu Shi said irritably from the side.

"You... you're going too far," Zhao Shi gritted her teeth.

Zhen Niang suddenly stood up, her face cold as frost. As a woman with a modern education, she naturally didn't believe in such nonsense as "jinxing one's husband."

At that moment, she was both worried about Luo Wenqian and filled with anger. But more than anything, she felt helpless. She knew that Auntie Wang might genuinely be concerned about Luo Wenqian's safety.

When Tian Benchang fell off a cliff and was presumed dead, the Tian family had set up a mourning hall. Later, when Tian Benchang returned safely, it should have proven that Zhen Niang wasn't a jinx. But the problem was that many people in this era didn't see it that way. They believed that Tian Benchang had truly been in danger, and only after the engagement between the Tian and Li families was broken off—when Zhen Niang, the jinx, was no longer involved—did Tian Benchang turn danger into safety.

What a load of nonsense! Yet the problem was, quite a few people actually thought this way.

"Since when did the Luo Family's affairs become something for the Wang Family to meddle in?" A cold voice suddenly came from the other side of the room. In the corner, Chou Po carefully leaned a broom against the wall and then entered the room, supported by Er Gou.

"Chou Po..." Zhen Niang's heart skipped a beat again. If this were exposed, wouldn't it be another case of deceiving the emperor? Zhen Niang hurriedly followed her into the room.

When Chou Po appeared, everyone in the room was stunned, unsure what was happening. Only Old Shopkeeper Li seemed to have some idea and didn't appear too surprised.

"Your Luo Family? Who are you?" Aunt Wang stared at Chou Po. For some reason, this old woman with burn scars all over her face gave her a familiar feeling."What? After all these years, have you truly forgotten an old friend like me? Back then, we drew our fortunes together at White Cloud Nunnery—yours was 'blossoms full and moon round,' while mine was 'standing alone in solitude.' Thinking back now, Abbess Jingci's interpretations were truly accurate." Chou Po's tone now carried a hint of ethereality, her eyes seemingly lost in memories of the past.

"Luo Mengzhen? You're Luo Mengzhen? You're still alive?" Auntie Wang widened her eyes, her face filled with disbelief and her expression growing agitated. The matter of the fortune-telling that year was known only to her and Luo Mengzhen; no one else was aware.

She scrutinized Chou Po carefully and finally, on the less scarred side of Chou Po's face, recognized the features of her former friend. It was indeed Luo Mengzhen.

"The heavens didn't want my life, so what could I do?" Chou Po chuckled, though the laughter was grating to the ears.

"Mengzhen... Ah..." Auntie Wang let out a long sigh and said no more. Knowing she was alive was enough; there was no need to understand the twists and turns, which were surely a tale of sorrow. With another heavy sigh, she called Hu Shi and turned to leave.

"Chou Po, won't there be trouble for you after revealing this?" Zhen Niang hurried forward to support Chou Po and asked.

"No trouble. Back then, she and I were as close as you and Sun Wenjuan are now. Though times have changed and we've become strangers, she knows what should and shouldn't be said. Moreover, her husband was the advisor to the prefect back then. The idea of erecting the Chastity Archway for my Luo Family came from him. If she truly speaks out, her Wang Family will be the first to suffer." Chou Po spoke with a calm and indifferent expression.