"Mother, mother..."
"Grandmother, grandmother..."
The Xiao family’s new residence, shrouded in smoke, was filled with family members gathered around the old lady’s bed, calling out incessantly.
The old lady opened her eyes with difficulty, her mouth moved slightly.
"Mother, what do you want to say?"
Mrs. Xu, crying her heart out, knelt and pressed her face against the old lady’s face.
"Nuannuan..."
"Mother, please wait a little longer, wait a little longer, Chun Ning has gone with others to fetch Nuannuan, she’ll be back soon."
"Nuan..."
The old lady wanted to speak again, but suddenly, her mouth opened, her eyes closed, and her slightly lifted hand fell.
"Grandmother..." With tears streaming down, Zhu Lingling said, "Mother, grandmother, she..."
"Mother, mother..." Mrs. Xu and Mrs. Huang also knelt down: "Children, your grandmother has passed away!"
"Grandmother!"
The mournful cries echoed through the night of the mountain village, outside the Xiao family courtyard, a group of women led by Aunt Luo were wiping tears.
Torches illuminated the Xiao family courtyard as if it were daylight, yet the silence was terrifying.
The sounds from inside the house were clear and distinct to them.
"The old lady has passed?"
"This has become a fatal incident, should we report it to the authorities?"
"I don’t know, let’s see what Chun Ning says."
"Oh, the Xiao family is so pitiful, finally starting to have good days, how could they attract thieves?"
"Those cursed ones, who wants to harm them, they’re all a group of women and children, can’t they spare them?"
"Yes, I heard the call about a fire, ran out to see it was the new courtyard of the Xiao family that had an issue, Brother Luo was even fighting with a few people."
"Those villains had skills, Brother Luo’s arm was cut."
"Who did the Xiao family offend?"
"Who could they offend, even the biggest, you may have forgotten, how did Doctor Xiao die?"
The speaker pointed significantly upwards.
Who the biggest is couldn’t be spoken of, only understood.
"How could it possibly be the biggest, he didn’t finish them before, letting the Xiao family’s women and children return to Shu City, he wouldn’t do such small actions again, wouldn’t that undermine his authority?"
Though it’s unknown what the biggest looks like, a saying is known: spoke with authority.
He wouldn’t reverse his actions, moreover, if he were to execute, it would be an imperial decree, a minister must die if the ruler commands it, he wouldn’t do both arson and robbery under the cover of night.
"Yes, I don’t know who else it could be."
"Mountain bandits wouldn’t care who they were robbing." Someone whispered, "I think the Xiao family was too ostentatious, they say ’wealth shouldn’t be flaunted’, look how well built their new courtyard is, anyone with eyes can see they have money, if not rob them, who then?"
"I don’t like to hear that, there are many wealthy families in Changzhou, have you seen anyone dare to touch them?"
Thinking back, indeed it was so, in the years since the Changzhou County official took office, it has been relatively stable, with no incidents of home invasion, murder, arson, or robbery occurring.
Yet tonight, someone intruded into the Xiao family courtyard, robbing and setting fire, the Xiao family had only a group of women and children, never seen such a scene, were already frightened senseless, the old lady, anxiously and furiously, passed away.
"That’s because they have escorts, servants, the kind wouldn’t dare to approach them?"
"Yes, yes, you’re right, the Xiao family is thin in numbers, only women and children, no adult men, except for a maid with some strength, such a family with some wealth was bound to be targeted."
It is said the maid discovered the fire, her cries alarmed the neighboring the Luo family, the entire Luo family rose to the occasion, plus others nearby who came to help, only the two burning rooms were lost, the rest untouched.
Yet, the greatest loss was the passing of the old lady.
"Oh, it’s pitiful, the old lady faced through the hardest times, now that life is slightly better, she’s gone."
"The Xiao family, too, just had a few good days, yet such chaos ensued."
"Yes, I remember when they just settled down, another fire broke out, burning the kitchen."
"That was caused by the eldest daughter-in-law’s mistake with the fire."
"Come to think of it, in just a year and a half, the Xiao family, who couldn’t handle this or that, seem to manage everything now?"
"People are like that, once driven to extremes, what can’t be done, if there’s a mountain rely on it, otherwise bear it oneself."
"That’s the truth, good or bad, life must go on." Aunt Luo sighed again: "This matter, it still waits for Chun Nuan to return and handle."
"Where did Chun Nuan go?"
"I heard she went to the small courtyard in town."
"God, it’s so late and she’s not back yet, could something have happened to her too?" a woman exclaimed, "The mountain bandits came with a clear target at the Xiao family, maybe they were watching Chun Nuan?"
Not unlikely, the more spoken, the more it seemed possible.
"Could Chun Nuan be in trouble?" Aunt Luo was also worried: "I must go have a look."
"Sister-in-law Luo, your brother Luo’s hand is injured, you still care for them?"
"His hand just has a cut, nothing serious, but Chun Nuan is just a young lady, if anything happened it would be a really big deal."
Aunt Luo, with Yaya and Gangzi, quickly took torches and headed to the village entrance.
"Mother, will we meet Sister Nuannuan? Will she be okay?"
Yaya was very worried.
"She’ll certainly be fine, your sister Nuannuan is a young lady, she can’t have any incident, it would be a major issue!
In the dark night, let down by Zhao Minghua, Chun Nuan heard this and her nose grew sour, that night she truly felt the good and bad.
"Mother, did those bad people have a grudge with the Xiao family, causing such a big incident?"
Hearing the phrase "big incident," Chun Nuan couldn’t hold back anymore, she ran swiftly forward.
"Aunt, where are you all going?"
"Chun Nuan, Mr. Zhao, we’re glad you’re here, glad you’re safe." Though it was odd for a single man and woman to be alone together at night, since they were engaged, it seemed quite normal.
"Aunt, I’m fine, what’s going on with you..."
"Sister Nuannuan, quickly go back, a big incident has happened at your home." Yaya spoke quickly: "Your home was invaded by mountain bandits, two rooms were burned, they wanted to steal things, fortunately, my father and the villagers, along with others who came in time, drove them off, but my father’s hand was cut, and your grandmother was driven to death."
"What?" Chun Nuan wished she had misheard, she couldn’t believe it and asked again: "What did you say?"
"Sister Nuannuan..."
"Chun Nuan, hurry home, you’ll know everything then." Aunt Luo said caringly: "A major incident happened at your house."