The Fortunate Lady and Her Mountain Man

Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Go Big

The Great Zhou Law stipulated that if any person over the age of sixty-five accused their children of being unfilial, the government office must immediately accept the case.

The crime of being "unfilial" was the foremost of the Ten Abominations. For close relatives, acts such as murder, assault, verbal abuse, or cursing were considered equivalent to treason or rebellion—unpardonable capital offenses.

The actions of Xie Kun and the Ma woman were enough to have them executed hundreds of times over.

But Ji Huan’s goal was to help solve the problem, not to get people killed, no matter how detestable that couple was.

Fortunately, there was a mitigating clause—if the offense wasn’t severe, the parents were willing to forgive their children, and the children showed remorse, the death penalty could be avoided.

However, a beating with the paddle was unavoidable, and the government office would send someone to make unannounced visits to observe their future conduct.

’This is practically a ready-made deterrent!’

Back when Ji Lianbai had repeatedly suggested splitting the family, Aunt Kang had threatened to go to the government office and accuse him of being unfilial. In cases like these brought before the county government, the accuser was almost certain to win.

However, most country folk didn’t know about this law and feared officials like tigers. In their eyes, government offices were places that devoured people, and meeting with an official was a disgraceful affair. An honest, upstanding family would never need to see an official in their entire lives.

Besides, who could truly bear to drag their own children to court?

That was why cases of elder abuse were so common. The elderly would rather suffer in silence. When they truly couldn’t endure it any longer, they would go to the village chief, but the chief’s method of just smoothing things over was utterly ineffective.

Take a couple like Xie Kun and his wife, who had no concept of what "filial" even meant. Even if they were forced to bow their heads for a moment, who knew how they would torment Old Mother Xie with even greater intensity once the village chief and Widow Xie were gone.

In Ji Huan’s opinion, if they were going to make a scene, they might as well make it a big one.

They should report them to the county government and let them get a beating. Afterward, Old Mother Xie could plead for them. This would demonstrate a mother’s love, establish a deterrent, and most importantly, put a long-term supervision mechanism in place, so he wouldn’t dare to reoffend even if he wanted to.

After hearing her suggestion, Widow Xie immediately shook her head. "No matter what, he’s still my brother... and my mother would never agree to it."

Ji Huan had expected this and felt a little helpless. "It’s because they know you think this way that the two of them are so brazen."

"My mother has worried herself sick over her children her whole life, especially me..." Widow Xie crouched down to wipe the tears from her mother’s eyes. "In the first two years after Hu Dashan died, my children and I only survived because my mother secretly brought us food. She didn’t dare come during the day, afraid that couple would see and start a fuss. With her small feet, she came and went in the dead of night, never even stopping for a sip of water at my place... Now that she’s old and can’t move, they’re heartless and refuse to care for her. How could I possibly abandon her?"

Old Mother Xie let out two soft "ah, ah" sounds, her withered, trembling hand gripping Widow Xie’s as tears streamed down her face.

Though this let Xie Kun and the Ma woman off far too easily, there’s a saying that even lambs kneel to nurse and crows feed their parents in return. As an outsider, Ji Huan couldn’t say any more.

Widow Xie had planned to find an ox-cart to take her mother back to Dafeng Village, but Ji Huan went ahead and called for Uncle Xie.

The mule cart stopped at the gate. Ji Huan moved the things she’d bought to one side, spread a mat in the empty space, and Uncle Xie helped lift Old Mother Xie onto the cart.

Widow Xie went inside to pack a few changes of clothes for her mother and came right back out. From start to finish, Xie Kun and the Ma woman didn’t ask a single question.

By the time they returned to Dafeng Village, it was already evening.

While Widow Xie was inside settling Old Mother Xie, Ji Huan took out ten copper coins and gave them to Uncle Xie.

Uncle Xie, feeling sorry for Old Mother Xie’s plight, initially refused the money. When he couldn’t push it back on her, he insisted it was too much.

Ji Huan forced the coins into his hand. Not only had he been a great help the whole way, but he also had to travel back in the dark. She couldn’t let him go home empty-handed.

When Widow Xie came out with money, Uncle Xie had already left. Guessing that Ji Huan had paid him, she insisted on giving the money to her.

Now it was Ji Huan’s turn to wave her hands in refusal. "Aunt Xie, please don’t stand on ceremony with me. I’ll have plenty more to trouble you with. Look!"

She pointed to the pile of things she had just unloaded from the cart.

Widow Xie’s mind had been entirely focused on her mother, so only now did she notice how much Ji Huan had bought: fine rice and white flour, pork, oil, salt, and even bolts of cloth and cotton...

"You... you..." She stammered for a long time, unable to form a complete sentence.

Ji Huan knew she wanted to ask where the money came from but felt it was awkward to do so, so she told her frankly about selling the recipe.

After hearing the explanation, Widow Xie had a look of "no wonder" on her face.

"But it’s not surprising. Your mother was always a capable woman."

She assumed the recipe was one left behind by Mrs. Wei, a misunderstanding Ji Huan was happy to allow.

"Um... Aunt Xie, you know I’m not good with a needle..." Ji Huan said, a little embarrassed. "So, for sewing the quilts and padded clothes, I’ll have to trouble you."

’Good thing the original owner of this body wasn’t skilled at sewing either, or this would be hard to explain.’

Widow Xie shot her a look. "What trouble? You’re just like your mother in this regard, always saying such formal things!"

Ji Huan stopped thanking her and just stood to the side, smiling with her lips pressed together.

But as Widow Xie looked through the materials, she started to frown. "Why would you need this much fabric just to make two sets of clothes?"

"I accidentally bought too much. Besides, there’s Liangzi, Dacheng, Ximei, Xiao’an, and Hua, and you too, Aunt Xie. We can all get some new clothes made."

The clothes she was currently wearing were hand-me-downs from Widow Xie, altered to fit her. Widow Xie herself didn’t own many good outfits, and her children were even worse off—it was hard to find a single piece of their clothing without a patch on it.

"They’re lucky to have clothes to wear at all, why do they need new ones? You’re such a spendthrift! You have a long life ahead of you, and there will be many more times you need money. The way you let it slip through your fingers, no amount will ever be enough! You have to plan for the future..."

No matter how much she was scolded, Ji Huan just let her talk and didn’t argue. After all, she’d already bought everything. It wasn’t like she could just let it sit there and collect dust.

Seeing her reaction, Widow Xie knew her words weren’t sinking in. Part of her ached for the money Ji Huan had spent, but another part of her felt gratified on Mrs. Wei’s behalf.

Mrs. Wei had raised a good daughter. If someone showed her the slightest bit of kindness, she would remember it and repay it a hundred times over.

Hearing about new clothes, Hu Dacheng and Hu Ximei came over with Xiao’an and Hua, but their attention was immediately captured by something other than the fabric.

For children their age, nothing was more tempting or made a bigger impact than a piece of meat.

"Wan, is... is this meat for us to eat?" Hu Dacheng gulped, his eyes glued to the big slab of pork belly.

’What day is it today?’ Wan had just given them candy balls. As the sweet taste of the malt candy melted in his mouth, he had thought it was the most delicious thing in the world. But now he was seeing the meat he had been dreaming of, and such a huge piece too!

Hu Ximei was more reserved, but she couldn’t hide the joy on her face. She couldn’t even remember the last time their family had bought meat.

Even Xiao’an, with a half-dissolved candy ball in his mouth, pointed with his chubby little hand. "Mea... mea..."

"Look at you all, with your eyes popping out..." Widow Xie couldn’t bring herself to finish scolding them. The reason the children were craving it so badly was because she hadn’t been able to provide for them.

Seeing the children, who had just been so excited, now looking as dejected as wilted plants, Ji Huan let out a deliberate sigh. "Looks like today isn’t a good day for meat. Let’s not eat it for now. We can eat it when we get permission, how about that? The weather is cool, so it won’t go bad."

"But what if it does go bad..." Dacheng muttered under his breath.

The children looked at one another, then all turned to look at Widow Xie.

Widow Xie didn’t know whether to laugh or be angry. She put on a stern face and snapped, "I can’t control you!" before gathering the bolts of cloth and heading inside.

How could Hu Dacheng and Hu Ximei not understand their own mother’s temper? That meant yes!

They immediately began to dance with joy, jumping and skipping around the courtyard.

They were having meat tonight!

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