Chapter 80: with translation of chapter title

"Shut up!" With Gu Daye hoarse shout, Lao Qian also landed a solid belly kick on Gu Youqing.

Lao Qian said with a stern face, "What do you mean by settling personal scores under the guise of public duty? Look clearly—these two constables are government officials!"

"You little punk, before you speak, you don't even think of your own family!"

One constable said in a neither-here-nor-there tone, "We really aren't taking you because of some personal grudge."

"Someone accused you of poisoning her livestock's water trough, nearly causing the animals' death."

"Fortunately no one was hurt, but you can't escape the charge of poisoning."

Another constable shouted at Gu Daye's whole family to stand still in the courtyard and not move, then he went inside to search.

He came out empty-handed, having found no arsenic.

Gu Youqing got smug again, "Look, Gu Xixi is making false accusations—quickly release me and go beat her!"

Gu Daye's whole family also watched anxiously.

However, Lao Qian's face grew even grimmer; he stepped aside, making it clear he would no longer interfere.

The two constables wore grim expressions, staring blankly at Gu Youqing, as if looking at a clueless idiot.

Constable A said, "Any purchase of arsenic must be registered in the booklet issued by the government office, updated every three years."

"After our investigation, the only household in Flower Pool Ford recorded as having bought arsenic is yours."

"So the fact that your arsenic is missing actually proves you're suspicious."

Constable B barked coldly, "Take him away!"

Gu Youqing was all bluster, but now he was sweating profusely, his head in a fog, only shouting, "Dad, dad, save me!"

Gu Daye had lived most of his life without ever seeing such a scene.

He was flustered and frightened, his legs trembling so he could barely stand.

Yet he forced himself to lie, "Constable, I bought arsenic to treat illness; the medicine's already used up—maybe someone from outside did the poisoning!"

Constable B stared at him coldly, "As a suspect, we must take him back for interrogation; then we'll know whether he poisoned them."

The two shoved and dragged Gu Youqing outward; the family's wailing pleas were to no avail.

As they left, Gu Youqing even pissed his pants, shouting, "Dad! Mom! Eldest brother, second brother, save me!!"

"I won't go to the government office! I'm doing this for our family too!"

Yet when constables take a suspect, who could stop them? Who would dare?

After Gu Youqing was taken away, Gu Daye finally couldn't hold up and fainted, and the household fell into another frantic scramble.

Later the county office closed the case, and Gu Xixi learned that Gu Youqing had just arrived at the office for arraignment; when the magistrate struck the gavel, before any questioning, he dropped to his knees and confessed everything in full.

As Gu Xixi had guessed, Gu Daye's family feared that if she planted vegetables next year, their own produce couldn't compete with hers, and they also worried she might help others plant together.

Lately, their family's after-meal chats have been all about how to resolve this matter.

Gu Youqing had long taken a dislike to Gu Xixi and secretly decided to give her a warning.

He thought, "She's just a woman; seeing a mule poisoned to death will surely frighten her. Best to scare her into some ailment so she can't manage outside affairs."

In the end, Gu Youqing was sentenced to thirty strokes of the cane and two years of hard labor at an exile camp.

Gu Qingye was sentenced to two months of caning, Zhou Gua Fu to one month of imprisonment.

After Zhou Gua Fu's incident, many villagers sought out Lao Qian.

They also dug up many past faults of Zhou Gua Fu.

Her longstanding improper conduct—forming cliques, stirring up rumors, stealing chickens and dogs, etc. —this time went further as she instigated others to poison, disturbing the peace of the whole village.

Such a person should not continue to stay in Flower Pool Ford.

After Lao Qian consulted with several respected elders in the village, they held a villager assembly under the big locust tree.

Because Zhou Gua Fu was not originally from the village, the farmland left by her late husband had long been squandered by her. The house she now lives in was still provided by the villagers out of pity for her unemployed widow status, letting her occupy an otherwise vacant dwelling.

Finally, according to village rules, once Zhou Gua Fu's prison term ends, she will be expelled from Flower Pool Ford.

Within two days, Gu Xixi sent three people to the government office in succession.

This achievement is unprecedented in village history.

The families of Gu Daye and Gu Lao San had already been frightened out of their wits; none dared think of revenge anymore.

Henceforth, the village customs became noticeably more upright.

On the day of the Start of Winter, at Zhang Family Nursery.

On the stone table stood a charcoal brazier, and an open-mouthed black pottery pot was simmering fu tea.

Mu Nan Zhao leaned against the stone table, gently stirring the tea leaves with a wooden spoon; steam rose, and the tea fragrance drifted.

He lifted his gaze to the distance; the nursery's trees had shed all their leaves. A woman wore an amber-colored jacket with trimmed plum-blossom edging and white rabbit fur, a matching skirt with scattered floral silver pleats; her movements were neat, her expression focused.

What should have been a pleasing sight, however, turned out…

"Sister Xixi is so awesome!" Shitou followed Gu Xixi step for step, his starry eyes constantly shooting admiring glances, like a clingy little dog.

Mu Nan Zhao turned his gaze away displeasedly, "What an eyesore of a brat! He'll only get more annoying!"

Gu Xixi, while pruning a pear tree, said, "In winter we need to guard against cold and heavy snow breaking branches, so pruning is essential."

"It helps the branches grow strong next year, and aids flowering and fruiting."

Shitou nodded, taking careful note.

"Sister Xixi taught him a lot today—for example, the few young peach trees need a thin oilcloth cover to keep out the cold."

"For example, when a fruit tree's condition is poor, some harbor insect eggs, some suffer disease—how to tell them apart."

"For example, before and after the Start of Winter, give fruit trees a preemptive 'overwintering water'."

Shitou watched Gu Xixi pull out a large packet of powder, mixing it into the well water according to proportion.

Gu Xixi said fruit trees need little fertilizer in winter; a single application of overwintering water suffices for them to slowly absorb nutrients through the whole season.

"It's like a person resting to build a foundation; when spring comes and branches sprout, they'll naturally grow vigorous."

Shitou listened to this knowledge as if he were starving and thirsty, wishing he could grow another brain to remember it all at once.

"Sister Gu Xixi, I finally know how some of the fruit trees at my home died."

"Some of what you say, even my father doesn't know."

Gu Xixi's eyes flickered with a hint of slyness, "Do you want to learn more?"

Shitou nodded happily, "Yes!"

"Sister Gu Xixi, I won't study for nothing; I can work for you!"

He knew the rules: to apprentice and learn a skill meant becoming a disciple, living in the master's house and being at the master's beck and call.

This time, Gu Xixi agreed immediately: "All right."

"Pack up your things soon, come home with me, and study well."

The innocent little Shitou missed the deep meaning when Gu Xixi said 'study well.'

He first agreed happily, but then felt a bit awkward.

"All right, but Sister Gu Xixi, you aren't here from the south to do business, are you? Your home is too far; if I were away too long, these trees would have no one to look after them, and that wouldn't work."

The tea was ready, and Mu Nan Zhao called the two over to rest and drink tea.

He ladled a bowl of orange-red tea, scooped a spoonful of snow-white, ointment-like locust-flower honey from a small jar, stirred it into the hot tea, and first handed it to Gu Xixi.

"Are you planning to come clean with this kid?"