It was as if the heavens had cracked open, and the rain poured down relentlessly, mixed with a bone-chilling cold that made people shiver uncontrollably.
In a room on the Ping Family Manor, sneezes and curses could be heard intermittently.
"... This damn thieving weather, it’s like it doesn’t want to give us a chance to live," a haggard woman cursed aloud with a pale face as she looked out at the rain curtain.
"Would you watch your mouth? Is it your place to curse the heavens?" scolded an elderly woman beside her, wrapped in a blanket, still shivering with purplish lips.
If Wufu and Madam Zhou were here, they would be both shocked and moved, for the people present were none other than Madam Lu and Old Lady Zhou, who had just visited Zhou Xuennian in the county jail and were planning to return to the village, along with Madam Lu’s elder brother.
Madam Lu glanced at her mother-in-law but dared not say a word.
Several maids entered one after another, likely from the estate, carrying clean, simple clothes and two brazier pots.
Once the brazier pots were set down, the chill in the room lessened significantly, and Old Lady Zhou let out a cold breath.
The October weather was already cold, not to mention the heavy rain, and being close to the mountains, the estate was exceptionally colder.
The one leading them, Auntie Tan, smiled and said, "Old lady, we don’t have much to offer on the estate, but here are two sets of clean clothes, mine and my mother-in-law’s. They’re not much, but do change into them. Otherwise, your clothes are wet, and it’s cold, and you are likely to fall ill."
Old Lady Zhou’s face had long turned pale from the cold, and upon hearing this, she said hurriedly, "How could we possibly complain? It’s already a great kindness of the noble master to let us take shelter."
Auntie Tan replied, "That’s right. Our Madam is the most charitable person. You should go and change quickly. Ginger soup is being prepared on the stove and will be brought over soon to warm you up."
Old Lady Zhou thanked her profusely, took the clothes, and went off to change with Madam Lu.
Madam Lu was quick and nimble, changing into a clean outfit swiftly and waiting outside. By the time Old Lady Zhou came out, Auntie Tan had taken her wet clothes, telling someone to dry them so they could wear them once the rain stopped.
Old Lady Zhou was once again filled with gratitude. Someone then brought over ginger soup, thick and steaming; taking a sip, the spicy heat spread from her throat to her stomach, filling her entire body with warmth. She clutched the bowl tightly, using its heat to chase away the cold.
After chatting with them for a while, Auntie Tan said she would go back to report to the Madam.
A young girl brought them two plates of sweet cakes. Madam Lu didn’t hesitate to grab a piece and start eating, as she was already famished.
Old Lady Zhou was also grateful, touched that there were still good people in the world. Otherwise, with the heavy rain outside, having nowhere to take shelter, getting soaked like that at her age would have cost her half her life, if not killed her.
Looking down at the coarse clothes she wore, Old Lady Zhou silently chanted thanks in her heart, wondering who the owner of the estate was. She knew she must properly thank them.
"Mother, I’ve already asked around, right now the Madam of the estate is here. Do you think we should go and kowtow to thank her?" Madam Lu asked after wolfing down a piece of sweet cake.
Old Lady Zhou gave her a disdainful look and said, "Of course we should. And eat with some decorum; you look like a Starving Ghost reborn."
Madam Lu looked embarrassed and said, "Mother, we haven’t really eaten anything since leaving the county seat, aren’t you hungry? Your daughter-in-law is starving."
Going to the city required tipping, even a visit to the Yamen meant paying tips, and by the time they got out of the jail, they had been stripped of all their Silver Coin; where would they get anything to eat?