CHAPTER 57: CHAPTER 57: DAD, I FIXED IT AGAIN

Although Han Anniang was mentally prepared for the matter of "Sister-in-law and Uncle getting together," when it was truly discovered by others, Han Anniang still felt an impulse to dig a hole on the ground and bury herself in it.

After all, matters like brothers following in succession are better said than heard.

Chen Mo knew that his sister-in-law was just thin-skinned; she’d get used to it later.

Chen Mo embraced his sister-in-law while eating meat.

...

Fu Ze Village was just this big, and as the weather warmed up, the aroma of Chen Family’s cooking naturally spread to the homes of other villagers.

"Brother Mo is really promising. During these times, paying both the hunting tax and the body tax, he still has money to eat meat."

"Maybe it’s because the bear meat from last time hasn’t been finished yet."

"I think Brother Mo must have struck it rich. He’s been going into town several times recently and each time returning with loads of stuff. Now he’s even supporting Shui’s family."

"I feel Brother Mo must have connections with the government office. Those governmental officials who came recently all show respect to Brother Mo. Besides, I’ve heard Er Gou and Wang the Pockmarked didn’t really go missing, but were rather..."

"Bah, saying these things at home is one thing, but you better not spread it outside... I see that Brother Mo is quite the vengeful type."

"I understand. Alas, the last time our family ate meat was during New Year’s the year before last. That taste is nearly forgotten. You say Brother Mo used to be so nice, always greeting us warmly and agreeing readily when we asked to borrow grain. How come he seemed to change overnight?"

"It’s because the village bullied Brother Mo for being young and easy to push around. If it weren’t for Wang the Pockmarked’s kick that turned Brother Mo around, who knows how much worse the villagers might have treated him. Brother Mo still has a good heart, not only did he handle Uncle Da Lin’s affairs, but also delivered grain twice to both Uncle Da Lin and Uncle Song Tian’s families."

"..."

At Song Tian’s house.

Song Tian’s elder son-in-law, Liu Shu, was a lazy man. When Song Tian and his eldest daughter Yun Niang were still present, they could manage things somewhat.

But after that incident, Liu Shu essentially inherited the entire Song Family’s assets, and no one could manage him anymore.

He sold off Song Family’s farmland, paid the taxes, then used the remaining money to indulge himself in food and drink.

As a son-in-law, regardless of where within the Great Song Dynasty, he was looked down upon. Perhaps because he had endured this despised life for too long, now that no one could control him, Liu Shu particularly wanted to vent and prove himself, and actually began hanging out with the hooligans in the village.

Later, he even invited them home, seemingly wanting to show his "friends" that he was the master of the house, he constantly scolded or beat his ten-year-old daughter, and all the house’s dirty and heavy chores were left to her, posing as a tough and severe "strict father."

Part of the reason is that Song Tian looked down on him mainly because as a son-in-law, Liu Shu and Yun Niang only birthed daughters, and Song Tian blamed him for this.

Now that Song Tian was dead, Liu Shu naturally deflected some of his grievances onto his young daughter.

In the main bedroom, Liu Shu sat on the heated brick bed with two hooligans from the same village and another village, drinking wine.

To call it wine is really just water with a bit of a wine flavor.

This "water wine" sells particularly well in Pingting County, where you can drink a big bowl for one cent.

"Brother Liu, I heard you sold off the farmland and paid the hunting tax and body tax?" asked the hooligan from another village.

"Alas, don’t even mention it, the government office is even darker than the Qinghe Gang, three acres of land didn’t even sell for ten taels of silver, and after paying the taxes, the amount left in my hands is only a bit." Liu Shu said angrily after taking a sip of wine.

Hearing this, the two hooligans exchanged glances, both seeing disappointment in each other’s eyes, then said, "Brother Liu, you’re too honest. If I were you, after inheriting the Song Family, I’d sell off the land right away, and when the government came to collect taxes, I’d just hide in the woods till they passed, you’d save so much silver that way."

"Tax evasion." Liu Shu’s pupil shrank, then he put down the bowl gently, saying softly, "That’s a serious crime, and at this age, if we’re caught, we’d be beaten to death."

"They can’t catch you. Look at me, I’m still fine. When they came to collect taxes, I got wind of it and slipped away from the back, and since I’m alone, I sold off the land long ago, so I’m not worried about the government forcefully seizing it." Said the hooligan from the same village:

"I heard the rebels from the Northern Land seem to be coming, the world is about to change, and in this freezing weather, the government officials couldn’t possibly stay at my house watching me all day, right? If they don’t seize me after a few attempts, they will give up. Also, the government isn’t handling matters outside the city anymore."

Hearing this, Liu Shu expressed some envy, saying, "Unlike you who’s alone, I still have a daughter. If I run away, what about her? I can’t possibly bring her along to escape, she’s still so young..."

"That’s easy, sell her to a brothel. Some of the bosses in the city just fancy this type, and you could receive a sum of silver too." The hooligan from another village uttered recklessly, perhaps from drinking too much or whatnot, speaking without much thought.

Liu Shu was about to get angry.

"Bang..."

A sound came from outside the house.

Liu Shu stepped out and saw nothing in the dark. He took the candlestick over and found that his young daughter, Song Min, had tripped over the doorstep, breaking the plate, and freshly roasted peanuts were scattered all over the floor.

Yet Liu Shu didn’t even ask Song Min if she was hurt, instead, he started scolding: "Truly useless, can’t even handle such easy tasks, looks like your mother really spoiled you before she passed."

Song Min was hurting, her eyes moist with tears, but she dared not cry. She slowly got up, squatted, and picked up the peanuts one by one, finally cradling them in her small hands and extending them to Liu Shu: "Dad... Dad, I... I didn’t do it on purpose, please don’t be mad, okay? I... I picked them up, see."

Liu Shu wanted to slap them away, but seeing Song Min’s appearance, he let his raised hand fall, snorted coldly, "How can you eat something this dirty?"

"Dad, it can be eaten." Song Min picked a peanut, wiped it on herself, then put it into her mouth, saying, "Look, Dad."

"Suit yourself."

Having said that, Liu Shu turned back into the room.

The hooligan’s voice sounded: "What happened?"

"Nothing much, kids being useless, broke the bowl. Come, drink."

"..."

Outside, tears slid down Song Min’s cheeks, but she dared not cry aloud. After a while, she fetched a bowl, picked up the leftover peanuts in the dark, took them to the kitchen, cleaned them individually, and roasted them again.

Finally, Song Min filled the bowl, and walked toward the main bedroom with it. This time, she moved carefully, taking small steps all the way, finally placing it in front of Liu Shu, smiling: "Dad, I fixed it."