Chapter 57: Five Taels of Silver or Three Mu of Land

Dou Ming and Xi Jue went back to Qiu Sheng’s house, finished eating their flatcakes, left a letter for Hua Qi, and returned up the mountain.

Most of the villagers helping build the house had taken part in last night’s vigil. They had already agreed with Xi Jue that they would not come build today.

Since there was nothing to do today, Dou Ming and Xi Jue simply returned to their den in the mountains to sleep.

The snake’s head moved slightly, and Hua Qi woke. He looked at Yun Shan, who was circled within his coils. The human cub had both hands clenched into fists and held upright on either side of his head, sleeping sweetly. The little red braid Tuo Tuo had tied for him last night had already come loose, leaving his hair in a messy puff on top of his head.

Hua Qi stretched out his head and lightly nudged Yun Shan’s fair, tender, chubby little face. It felt warm and soft, enough to intoxicate a snake. After that, he changed into human form and left the room.

Yesterday, he had seen Dou Ming, Xi Jue, and the others clearing wasteland, but he had not tried it himself yet. Since he had woken early today, Hua Qi picked up the small hoe leaning against the wall and decided to go clear land in the field.

He had only just opened the courtyard gate when the water buffalo immediately followed him out and charged straight toward the roadside grass.

Ever since the water buffalo had become able to graze and come back on its own, Qiu Sheng no longer tethered it. Usually, with Dou Ming around, this water buffalo behaved very well. Once it returned to the courtyard, it would honestly lie down in its own cowshed and never wander around the yard.

Chuyi brought the little lamb away from the water buffalo and followed Hua Qi to the newly cleared field to graze.

“Huaniang.”

Hua Qi was bending over to weed when he heard someone call him. His brows lifted, and he straightened to look at the person coming.

“Huaniang, I’ve come to apologize to you.” Half of Qin Niang’s face was swollen, and a group of people followed behind her. There was her mother-in-law, as well as several women Hua Qi had never seen before.

Qin Niang smiled ingratiatingly and said, “I’m just quick-tempered. What happened last time wasn’t intentional. Blame me. The child didn’t explain clearly, and I didn’t ask properly. Next time, I’ll definitely ask properly.”

These past two nights, she had truly been frightened. Last night, after the patrolmen passed by, her sister-in-law from her maiden family had argued with her again, calling her a jinx and refusing to let her return to her maiden home.

If her maiden family would not let her go back, what good days could she possibly have in her husband’s family? With a mother-in-law like hers, how could the woman possibly not torment her? No matter what, she first had to steady her maiden family.

Hua Qi saw Qin Niang’s reluctance at a glance. Besides, the quarrel was a small matter. Injuring Yun Shan and then not properly making amends was the major matter. Over seven hundred years ago, when he walked among humans, offending a demon meant, at best, losing one’s little life. At worst, the whole family would have to pay with their lives.

But he, Hua Qi, was not some bad-tempered demon. He was very reasonable. It was just that this apology was not sincere enough, and he was unwilling to accept it.

“That’s it? A few words and it’s over?” Hua Qi gave a cold laugh. “You injured Yun Shan, and you think flapping your mouth a few times and paying with a handful of vegetables is enough?”

Xia Sheng’s mother and Qin Niang’s maiden family, who were standing behind Qin Niang, looked at Hua Qi with strange eyes. This new woman in the village seemed not to be easy to provoke.

Those two questions made anger rise on Qin Niang’s face. “Then what do you want?” If not for that strange incident, who would be willing to come apologize? This Hua Qi had better not push her luck.

“Qin Niang!” An old woman who bore a slight resemblance to Qin Niang pinched Qin Niang hard on the arm, twisting with force while whispering in her ear, “What did we tell you before coming?”

Qin Niang cried out in pain and hurriedly answered, “I remember, I remember. Mother, let go already! You’re going to twist the flesh off!”

Last night, she had explained clearly to her maiden family what had happened on Yunling Mountain. Her parents, elder brother and sister-in-law, younger brother, and younger sister-in-law had spent the whole night helping her think it over. A boy, a verbal dispute, two matters. The trouble was probably with Xiu Niang and Huaniang. Weren’t these exactly the two things that had happened one after the other these past two days?

Early this morning, her mother, sisters-in-law, and mother-in-law had pressed her into coming to Qiu Sheng’s house and demanded that she apologize to Huaniang and Xiu Niang.

Qin Niang forced out a smile. “Huaniang, what do you say would be enough?”

Hua Qi lifted the small hoe and casually poked at the ground a few times. “Our family has been clearing wasteland recently.”

Clearing wasteland? What did clearing wasteland have to do with her? Qin Niang was confused and did not know what Hua Qi meant.

Hua Qi said, “Come help my family clear three mu of land. Bring Er Gou. The two of you can clear it together.” He pointed toward the edge of the mountain. “Start from the mountain’s edge. Finish it before my family plants this year.”

“What?!” Qin Niang could not believe it. She had never heard of apologizing and then having to work for someone. Not to mention clearing three mu of land and having to finish before the wheat was planted. How could she do that much work?

At this point, Xia Sheng’s mother could not hold back anymore. “If she works for your family, who’ll do the work for mine? Er Gou is only six. How can he work?”

“How can a six-year-old not work?” Hua Qi glanced at her and said coldly, “Tuo Tuo could help clear wasteland at five.”

Xia Sheng’s mother said, “If you don’t feel sorry for your own child, I feel sorry for my grandson.”

“If you feel sorry for him, then you come. In any case, I want three mu of land.” Hua Qi said expressionlessly, “If you’re here to apologize, then apologize. Why are there so many issues? If you’re unwilling, just go back. I don’t care for it.”

Qin Niang’s mother said beside her eldest daughter-in-law’s ear, “Go call Qiu Sheng and Xiu Niang over. This one isn’t easy to talk to.”

Qin Niang’s eldest sister-in-law nodded and immediately turned to run to Qiu Sheng’s house. If she had not been dragged down by Qin Niang, she would never have wanted to meddle in her affairs. This sister-in-law of hers had always been greedy for petty gains and selfish.

“It isn’t that we’re unwilling.” Qin Niang’s mother immediately stepped forward. “Huaniang, I’m Qin Niang’s mother. This child doesn’t have a bad heart. She really is just quick-tempered. She’s been like this since she was little. I’ve beaten her and scolded her, but I just couldn’t correct it.”

“Three mu of land is truly too much. Do you think you could make it less? Or perhaps we could pay some money?”

Pay money? That was a good idea. Right now, they happened to be short on money. This was better than clearing three mu of wasteland. They were still missing five taels of silver for three sets of adult tools. Since these people were so willing to pay, then—“Five taels of silver.”

Qin Niang’s mother’s smile froze on her face.

Qin Niang was so angry she shouted, “What child is so precious? He’s not some young master from a wealthy household. His arm was only dislocated, and besides, it’s already been set. It’s not as if he was truly injured or crippled. You’re extorting people!”

“This is outright robbery!” Xia Sheng’s mother followed along in accusing Hua Qi. In the end, wasn’t this money supposed to come from her family? Five taels of silver was enough for the family to earn for two years.

When Qiu Sheng and Xiu Niang arrived, they happened to hear Qin Niang’s words. No matter how Yun Shan was now, these words could not be said in front of Hua Qi. Even if Yun Shan truly was not that precious, he was still Huaniang and Xi Jue’s darling.

“Sister-in-law!” Xiu Niang hurriedly called for her to stop.

Hua Qi’s gaze toward Qin Niang grew colder and colder. “How is my family’s Yun Shan not precious? If he had really been hurt, do you think you would still be standing here perfectly fine right now?”

The demons on the mountain probably would have torn her apart. Every demon had sworn a heart-demon oath to take good care of Yun Shan.

If Yun Shan were truly hurt by humans, he, Hua Qi, would be the first to take revenge on humans. Even if there were rules on the mountain forbidding them from casually harming humans, pushing down a human’s house at night, eating their family’s chickens, and pulling up their family’s grain should still be allowed.

When Xia Sheng’s mother saw Qiu Sheng, she caught him and scolded him. “Look at you. Just what kind of people have you taken in? They’re bandits! A child’s arm was dislocated, and they actually demand five taels of silver. The year before last, your great-grandfather’s eldest grandson had his leg kicked broken, and the compensation was only five hundred coins.”

Qiu Sheng was scolded right to his face, and his expression turned ugly. He did not say a single word to his mother. He had heard everything about last night this morning.

He did not even know what to say about his mother and eldest sister-in-law. Today, they said they came to apologize, yet they started arguing again. If they were apologizing, they should just apologize properly. The matter of money could be discussed slowly afterward. Now they were in such a rush that they had started scolding. Would Hua Qi let them get away with that?

Xiu Niang pulled Hua Qi aside and whispered, “Huaniang, I know Yun Shan is your heart’s treasure. But five taels of silver really is too much. Their family might not even earn five taels of silver in two years.”

Hua Qi said unhappily, “If they can’t earn money, why did they say they would pay money? Sure enough, they have no sincerity at all.”

“How much did they say they would compensate you?” Xiu Niang asked.

“They didn’t say. I said to let her clear three mu of wasteland for me, and she refused.”

“Three mu of wasteland?” If there had not been so many people present, Xiu Niang would have nearly laughed out loud. With her eldest sister-in-law, ever since Xiu Niang married Qiu Sheng, she had hardly seen the woman go down to the fields more than a few times. Making her clear three mu of land would probably be enough for half her lifetime. “You’re asking for far too much.”

Hua Qi lifted his eyelids and looked at Xiu Niang. In a low voice, he said, “Stay out of this. In any case, since Yun Shan was hurt, this matter cannot end well.”

Seeing his attitude, Xiu Niang knew that saying more would not only be useless but might make Huaniang angry, so she did not dare persuade him further.

The day before yesterday, when Yun Shan was injured, she saw Hua Qi and Xi Jue’s expressions change on the spot, but they did not say anything, nor did they do anything. She thought the matter would soon be brushed over. She had not expected Hua Qi to have no intention of letting it pass so easily at all. It was also a coincidence that something strange had happened at her eldest sister-in-law’s family.

“Five taels of silver or three mu of wasteland. Choose one.” Hua Qi said coldly, “If you really don’t want to apologize, then I suppose you can just wait tonight.”

The moment these words came out, the faces of Qin Niang’s maiden family and Xia Sheng’s mother instantly turned ugly. They truly did not want to experience last night again. If wild beasts came to their house every day to eat chickens, who could stand it? Maybe the beasts would even go mad and hurt people.

Qin Niang sat on the ground, slapped her thighs, and shouted, “I won’t choose either. You’re trying to take my life. Murder—murder—Hua Qi’s family is murdering people!”

Hua Qi looked with disgust at Qin Niang making a scene on the ground. Too lazy to say another word, he picked up the hoe and turned to walk back. Since they were so insincere and still wanted to make trouble, they could just wait tonight.

When everyone saw Hua Qi leave, they did not stop him. They only felt that this woman’s heart was truly black. Five taels of silver really was robbery.

Only Xiu Niang chased after him. “Huaniang.”

“Look at the fine wife you found.” Xia Sheng’s mother rolled her eyes hard at Qiu Sheng. “Look at her. Her elbows are turning outward, helping outsiders dig money out of our family’s pockets.”

“Mother, what nonsense are you talking about? How is Xiu Niang helping someone else take our family’s money?” Qiu Sheng had no idea where his mother’s thinking came from.

Xia Sheng’s mother said angrily, “Just now, the two of them went off to whisper where no one else could hear, and Hua Qi didn’t yield by even a single coin. With Xiu Niang’s relationship with Hua Qi, if she were sincerely speaking up for us, could it be like this? Who knows what plans they’re cooking up.”

“I’m not talking to you. You’re even twisting Xiu Niang into someone crooked.” Qiu Sheng turned and left, ignoring the whole group of them.

“You’re another ungrateful wretch. I raised you for nothing all these years.” Xia Sheng’s mother was so angry that she cursed loudly at Qiu Sheng’s back.

Tuo Tuo retied Yun Shan’s little red braid and even stole a small length of red thread from Xiao Cong to tie one for Chun Hua too.

Xiao Cong’s heart ached over the red thread. He muttered, “The Little Temple Master’s clothes still haven’t been made.”

“It was just a little bit,” Tuo Tuo said.

“It wasn’t just a little bit.” Xiao Cong looked at the red thread tied around Tuo Tuo’s wrist and said, “You even cut off a big length to wear yourself.”

Feeling guilty, Tuo Tuo covered his wrist. His big chubby face carried a flattering smile. “This red is just too pretty. Once Yun Shan’s Ginseng Whiskers grow longer, I’ll use this long cord to tie his braid.”

Yun Shan lay in the cradle. When he heard Xiao Cong speaking, he turned his head to the left. When he heard Tuo Tuo speaking, he looked to the right. With two demons arguing, he, one human cub, was busy watching the show. He babbled a few “ee-ee, ya-ya” sounds, waved his little hands, and kicked his little feet, as if he had joined in too.

Hua Qi carried the hoe into the courtyard and saw the two little demons unexpectedly arguing.

Among the few demons who had gone down the mountain, the one Tuo Tuo was closest to was Xiao Cong. Xiao Cong was close to Dou Ming. Dou Ming had no schemes, and Xiao Cong was timid. When the two of them were together, they could not stir up anything. Unlike Tuo Tuo. Hua Qi always felt that he had been fooled by Hong Shan.

Now, Tuo Tuo and Xiao Cong were arguing. This was precisely when one demon was isolated and without help, the perfect chance to win Tuo Tuo over. If he helped Tuo Tuo now, with the little ginseng spirit’s not especially bright brain, Tuo Tuo would definitely feel that he was better than Hong Shan. Hong Shan was on the mountain and could not help him.

“A length of red thread is no big deal. If Tuo Tuo wants to play with it, let him.” Hua Qi then said to Xiao Cong, “Next time, I’ll buy you more thread.”

Tuo Tuo and Xiao Cong both looked at Hua Qi in surprise. This black snake demon was so strange today. How could he suddenly be so good to them?

Tuo Tuo thought, That black-hearted snake is actually speaking up for me? How strange. Usually, it’s already good enough if he doesn’t scold me, yet he’s actually helping me talk.

Xiao Cong pressed his lips together. Hua Qi had taken the initiative to say he would buy him more thread. This did not seem like Hua Qi at all. He secretly used his spiritual power to look at Hua Qi, afraid that some demon had possessed him and would hurt the Little Temple Master. Judging by his spiritual power, Hua Qi was still that same Hua Qi. So why had he changed into a different demon?

Hua Qi instantly sensed that Xiao Cong had moved his spiritual power. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Xiao Cong. “What?”

“N-nothing.” Xiao Cong lowered his head, grabbed the cloth bag on the table that held the mooncakes, and pulled Tuo Tuo along. “Let’s go up the mountain to deliver mooncakes.”

“Wait. I’m taking Yun Shan with us.” Tuo Tuo shook off Xiao Cong’s hand, ran to the cradle, picked Yun Shan up, and ran outside. He wanted to let the demons on the mountain see the little braid Yun Shan had just had tied today.

“Uncle Qiu Sheng.”

“Uncle Qiu Sheng.”

Xiao Cong and Tuo Tuo ran past Qiu Sheng, who had just entered the door, each dropping a greeting.

“Only the two of you are going?” Xiu Niang shouted from behind them. “You two little ones can’t go! Dou Ming is still sleeping in the room.” Xiu Niang thought Xi Jue and Dou Ming were both sleeping on the heated brick bed in the west room.

“Let them go,” Hua Qi said. “They often run around the mountains. They’ll be fine.”

“You really are careless.” Xiu Niang nagged, “How old are they?”

How old? The youngest, Tuo Tuo, was more than seventy years older than Xiu Niang. Hua Qi entered the kitchen, rolled up his sleeves, scooped rice out of the rice jar, poured it into a basin, and said with a soft laugh, “I’m not listening to you nag.”

“You…” Xiu Niang stamped her foot. “Make breakfast yourself today. I’m not helping you.”

Qiu Sheng stood outside the kitchen and discussed it with Hua Qi. “Huaniang, do you think you could ask for less money, or less land to be cleared?” Those were his elder brother and sister-in-law, and his parents. Qiu Sheng could not truly ignore them. He still had to try.

“Qiu Sheng.” Hua Qi stopped what he was doing and looked at the embarrassed man outside the door. He said firmly, “This matter is settled. It won’t change.”

“Qin Niang has always been unreasonable and overbearing. Not only was her etiquette insufficient before, afterward she even shouted and made a scene. No matter what, I cannot swallow this anger.”

Qiu Sheng gave an awkward smile and did not say more. Who told his eldest sister-in-law to be in the wrong first? If it were him, and someone had touched Chun Hua while still acting with this kind of attitude, he would not be able to swallow the anger either.

Tuo Tuo carried Yun Shan past Qin Niang and the others without even giving them a second look, then hurried away with Xiao Cong. Er Gou’s mother was so annoying.

Tuo Tuo asked Xiao Cong beside him, “Did you hear Hua Qi speak up for me today?”

“I heard,” Xiao Cong said.

“Don’t you think Hua Qi is really weird today?” Tuo Tuo frowned. “Really, really not right.”

“He is very weird.” Xiao Cong nodded. “Not like him at all. I checked. He wasn’t possessed.”

“Could he have run into something today?” Tuo Tuo turned back to look at the women walking toward Qiu Sheng’s house.

No matter what, they still had to discuss the matter. If the apology was not made properly, who could withstand the night? No matter how unwilling Qin Niang and her mother-in-law were to pay money, Qin Niang’s maiden family still pressed them into going to Qiu Sheng’s house to continue discussing it with Hua Qi, and they still had to apologize to Xiu Niang too.

“Xiu Niang.” Qin Niang’s mother walked into the courtyard with a smile. “Qin Niang has something to say to you.”

Xiu Niang put away the expression she wore while sulking at Hua Qi and put on a smile. “What does Sister-in-law have to say to me?”

“Xiu Niang, Sister-in-law has wronged you.” As Qin Niang spoke, tears fell against her will. “Sister-in-law shouldn’t have called you a jinx. Sister-in-law’s rotten mouth made you suffer.” These tears fell with genuine feeling. Qin Niang’s heart was truly bitter.

Starting last night, her maiden family’s sister-in-law had called her a jinx again and again, scolding her until she felt miserable and chilled inside. Only then did she know what it felt like to be called a jinx. Thinking about it, she truly felt guilty toward Xiu Niang.

“Sister-in-law, please stop crying. I didn’t take it to heart,” Xiu Niang said blandly. Once a person’s heart had gone cold, it could not be warmed again. She wanted nothing to do with these two women from her husband’s family. She only wanted to deal with this group quickly and send them away.

“I knew Xiu Niang was magnanimous.” Seeing that Xiu Niang had only said two sentences, Qin Niang’s mother quickly came up to smooth things over. Then she turned the conversation to Hua Qi. “Huaniang, can the five taels of silver really not be reduced?”

Hua Qi folded his arms and did not speak. His attitude was very clear. It could not be reduced.

“Then compensate her,” Xiu Niang’s eldest sister-in-law stood up and said. Hurry up, pay the compensation, and get rid of the bad luck. Then they could feel at ease too. It was not her family’s money, so of course her heart did not ache over it.

“How can we just compensate her?” Xia Sheng’s mother was the first to disagree. Unwilling to give up, she said, “It’s too much. Make it a little less.”

“If your heart isn’t sincere, then don’t come apologize. I won’t accept it.” Hua Qi turned and went back into the room.

The courtyard immediately erupted into an argument. Qin Niang’s eldest sister-in-law planted her hands on her hips and shouted, “The chickens and ducks eaten at my family’s place last night were worth one tael of silver. Her auntie, we don’t want that money anymore. You people hurry up and compensate Huaniang. If it happens again tonight, I can’t stand it. There’ll be no way to live like this. Who knows when wild beasts might go berserk and eat someone.”

“Exactly. Hurry up and pay. What bad luck. How did we end up with a sister-in-law like this?” Qin Niang’s second sister-in-law said, rolling her eyes.

“Five taels of silver really is too much. We can’t take that out,” Xia Sheng’s mother said.

“Can’t take it out?” Qin Niang’s eldest sister-in-law said fiercely. “Then borrow it! No matter what, today you have to compensate Huaniang with five taels of silver.”

“Can’t your family…” Before Xia Sheng’s mother could finish, Qin Niang’s mother picked up the words. “Dear in-law, our family’s chickens and ducks are all gone. We still have to keep money to buy more chickens and ducks. The children need eggs to eat.”

“Five taels of silver really is too much. I can’t go on like this. I might as well be gone.” Qin Niang shouted toward the west room, without the slightest trace of sorrow on her face. It was obvious she was putting on an act.

“If something happens to you, the bad luck will follow your sons. A father’s debts are repaid by his sons, and a mother’s debts are tasted by her sons too.” Hua Qi’s icy words came from the west room.

After Qin Niang stared blankly for a moment, she turned and ran out of the courtyard.

“Qin Niang, what are you doing? If something really happens to you, what will Da Gou, Er Gou, and San Gou do?” Qin Niang’s mother chased Qin Niang outside, and the people in the courtyard scattered noisily after them.

Xiu Niang turned and returned to the kitchen. She would not manage the rest. The way Qin Niang acted did not look at all like she truly meant to do anything.

In the forest halfway up Yunling Mountain, the little spirits on the mountain excitedly lined up in a long queue, each receiving a mooncake from Xiao Cong.

This was the first mooncake of their demon lives. The little spirits who received mooncakes examined them carefully and saw symbols drawn on the mooncakes that they could not understand.

The little squirrel pushed his mooncake and squeaked as he asked, “Lord Xiao Cong, what kind of symbols are these?”

Xiao Cong pointed at his mooncake and showed him. “These are human words. This one is ‘moon,’ and the one below is ‘cake.’”

“Is the Reunion Festival in four days?” the little sparrow asked.

“Yes.” Xiao Cong nodded.

The monkey spirit said expectantly, “Then will you come back up the mountain? Bring the Little Temple Master and spend the festival with us. There are still peaches on the trees. When the time comes, I’ll pick them for you.” This was the first Reunion Festival the demons of Yunling Mountain would celebrate.

“And pomegranates,” the little squirrel hurriedly added. “You have to eat pomegranates for the Reunion Festival! Lord Xiao Cong, I’ve already picked lots of pomegranates. We can sell them for money to build the Little Temple Master’s house!”

“The house is almost finished,” Tuo Tuo said. “We already started clearing wasteland yesterday. It’s right behind the house.” Speaking of this, Tuo Tuo was happy and proud. They were finally going to start learning how to farm.

The little demons were all very happy to hear this. The sika deer said, “We can also help you clear wasteland.”

“That’s right. We can go down the mountain at night,” the little squirrel said.

“We’ll go down the mountain and clear wasteland tonight!” the little sparrow said with fighting spirit.

“Achoo!” Yun Shan sneezed.

The little sparrow became even happier, hopping all around on the grass. “The Little Temple Master is letting us go down the mountain to clear wasteland too.”

“The Little Temple Master only sneezed, that’s all.” Tuo Tuo casually plucked a flower and tucked it into Yun Shan’s little braid.

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