Chapter 206: No Chance for Revenge

In the blink of an eye the third day of the third month arrived, the sun shone brightly, yet not a single drop of rain fell; the common folk looked at the sky each day, praying in their hearts that Heaven would send a rainstorm.

Some even burned incense and kowtowed, and the poor even knelt to the world.

Qiao Mai, when she had nothing to do, took the children and let them watch by the puddle the villagers carrying water buckets to fetch water and irrigate the fields.

"Watch closely, every grain of rice and every mouthful of flour you eat comes from their hard work fetching water, irrigating, weeding, and harvesting, before it reaches our family's table."

"Mother, why do they have to carry water?"

"Because it hasn't rained, they have no choice but to fetch water; otherwise the grain would fail, and not only they would starve, we would too."

"The farmers work so hard."

"Therefore we must not waste a single grain of food."

Fengyun brothers have passed the New Year and are now twelve years old; because they practice martial arts they have grown very sturdy, their stature nearly matching that of adult men.

"You two go help those two women carry a load of water back."

"When you left, she went wild, demanded a Separation Document from the family, and went to the Town to live a good life."

Also accompanying them this time was Old Mr. Wang; along the way he not only instructed Yuan Jiaqi but also gave some guidance to Qin Yide.

On the tenth day of the third month, Yuan Jiaqi and Qin Yide set out again on the imperial examination journey.

"Indeed, they are not only exhausted, but in summer they must endure the scorching sun, and in winter they must brave the severe cold—truly far from easy."

"What about father and mother's wishes?"

At this moment Tian Sanzhuang no longer had the earlier vigor, and said, "You say she has attached herself to the Prefect?"

Tian Sanzhuang clenched his hand into a fist, "That bitch!"

That Qin family youngster had originally studied in the County Town; after passing the xiucai exam, he has been self‑studying at home.

When Prefect Wang heard that the father was to go to the capital, he immediately dispatched a troop to protect him covertly.

"This time you return, then you won't go back, right?"

It so happened that the County Magistrate's Office was recruiting at that moment; the former County Magistrate had been eradicated by the emperor's purge.

At first they only carried one load, then two loads a day, then three; Qiao Mai watched them put their words into action and felt very gratified.

Tian Laotou's eyes were also red, "It's good you're back, sit quickly; you've been away for five years and didn't even send a letter, which would have eased father and mother's worries."

"Dizi wants to secure a post at the County Magistrate's Office; he can't stay a soldier for five years and then go home to farm, can he?"

Tian Sanzhuang asked again, and Tian Laohan, tapping his pipe, said.

Tian Sanzhuang gritted his teeth, glaring at Tian Laohan and his spouse; having served five years in the army, his bearing was far beyond that of a farmer.

This time he will go along: first to tutor them, second because they are aiming for the jinshi exam; both pre‑exam and post‑exam matters need explanation.

"Mother, after we finish our homework each day, can we come help them carry water?"

The two elders, looking a bit frightened at him, trembled as they carefully recounted the whole affair.

It's not that he doesn't want to stand out, but it's not that his parents are brainless; even knowing that Qiao Mai lives well, if he wanted to bask in her glory he still wouldn't readily provoke her, because he knows the powerful figures behind her are not to be trifled with.

"What do you want to do?"

Her task is to watch over the children, reducing accidents to zero.

I thought that with the son's return the Tian family could finally lift its gloom, but Tian Sanzhuang remained silent.

"You handle it as you see fit; Mother isn't stopping you, just wants to explain the principle: don't pamper yourselves, only through hardship can you learn to cherish, and understand how hard happiness is to obtain."

With the old gentleman accompanying, Qiao Mai had little to worry about.

Scoring thirty‑six places was also the result of his talent and effort; Old Mr. Wang was impressed and willing to mentor them.

Although the two are usually diligent in martial practice, after they carried water once they began massaging their shoulders upon return.

It's because he's uneasy, wanting to guard them throughout, striving to create the best conditions for the two.

Qiao Mai smiled; she didn't expect that the next afternoon the Fengyun brothers would start finding time to go out and help some elderly people fetch water.

"We're not going back; no one wants to return. The son happened to be timely; these years there's been no war to fight, otherwise the son's life would have to be accounted for there."

"Mother, farm work is more exhausting than martial training."

"Training every day, exhausted like a dog, with no time left."

He knows that with her current achievements he has no chance to exact revenge on her!

"Cherish what's before you; many privileged youths, pampered from childhood, once trouble arises they cannot endure hardship, dying early from life's burdens, whereas those poor folk who lack clothing, desiring health and longevity, still regularly train their bodies."

"Now you know how hard the farmers suffer, right?"

"Father, mother, Dizi is unfilial, unable to stay home to serve his parents."

"What? Impossible! How could you give her a Separation Document? Since the son married her, in life she's one of our family, in death she's our ghost; why would you let her go? It really infuriates me."

"Indeed, even the Town Mayor sides with her in everything; now she is the wife of an imperial scholar, and will soon take the imperial exam again. I heard her husband has already gone to the capital; if she passes, she'll become an official's wife."

"If the Blood Dripping Test confirms, seize her; I heard she's very good to that child, having that child in her hands, I don't believe she won't comply."

"Dizi, it's good you're back, good you're back; you don't know how much we've missed you."

"Yes, at that time she indeed took the child to the wasteland and buried it; we also truly saw her leave the village empty‑handed. And she hasn't been seen with a child in the Town for over half a year."

Tian Sanzhuang didn't like that his father and mother, upon returning, immediately thought of his purse, so he turned his head left and right.

At this critical moment Tian Sanzhuang retired early and returned home; the Tian family was then slaughtering chickens to celebrate his return.

He, who used to leave early and return late every day, has been keeping a low profile since his return.

"She has a little servant girl beside her, about five years old, looking exactly like you."

"Where is my daughter‑in‑law?"

"Yes, Mother!"

"Where is my daughter‑in‑law?"

Having served as a soldier once, his mind became sharp; he knows that farming a whole life cannot bring success.

"Sanzhuang, other families' sons already send their monthly wages home, what about yours?"

Fortunately, he was very perceptive in the army, earned the superiors' favor, became a minor leader, and when he returned that person wrote a recommendation letter; with the letter and the silver he had, securing a minor official post was certainly no problem.

The moment he mentioned Qiao Mai, the old couple's faces grew solemn.

From Tian Sanzhuang leaving home, to Qiao Mai's child being kicked out, to her wanting to sue them, to obtaining the Separation Document, and up to the present, she registered a female household, became a wealthy household in the Town, even took a Matrilocal Husband, and she recounted all of this in detail to Tian Sanzhuang.

Since his return, he has been busy asking his brother‑in‑law to find connections, hoping to secure a post in the County Magistrate's Office.

"Dizi is kept for use."

Tian Sanzhuang gulped down the wine in his bowl and said, "I have my own plan for this matter; you all need not interfere."

"Didn't they say that child didn't survive?"

Mainly because the family has been supporting him and his nephew, their life is tight, so he voluntarily returned to study on his own.

Tian Shi grabbed his hand and burst into tears, moved.

There was another point that no one mentioned about Old Mr. Wang: Jingcheng has a rule that under the list they seize a husband; he didn't want the two of them to foolishly go look at the list, which would bring trouble to the family.

At this moment, the Tian Family had already set the table; the three of them sat in the Upper Room, sipping wine and discussing Qiao Mai's affairs.

The newly appointed County Magistrate was a recent jinshi from last year, upright and thorough in everything, and worked with great diligence.

Even when recruiting County Magistrate's Office staff, he would supervise personally; for the unqualified, not even silver or a recommendation letter would help.

Fortunately, Tian Sanzhuang's five years as a soldier were not in vain; even when sparring with ordinary strong men, he was undaunted, and by luck he was selected.

Now the Tian Family husband and wife strutted proudly, deliberately heading to the opposite side of Jixiang Yuan to flaunt themselves.

(End of Chapter)