Chapter Forty: The Red and Blue Grass

“What nonsense are you spouting? How could you say my son drowned? It was those corrupt officials who embezzled money and used shoddy materials, causing the embankment on the Cang River to burst. What does that have to do with my son?” Old Lady Tian refused to back down, her voice shaking with indignation. She would not let such a grave accusation fall upon her family—such words could ruin them!

“Oh? Then would you, Old Lady Tian, care to explain why your fourth son was thrown into jail? Everyone from the village went, and only he returned alive! The constables even arrested him! Who’d believe he didn’t do something disgraceful?” Mrs. Ma was fearless, determined to escalate the matter today. She would see to it that the Tian family lost all claim to compensation!

“You wretched woman! Spreading such slander—see if I don’t tear your mouth apart!” Old Lady Tian, already driven nearly mad by Mrs. Ma’s words, snapped completely. Another brawl erupted.

In the hours that followed, the quarrel between the Tian and Ma families rapidly drew in a third, then a fourth household. Vengeance for old grudges, complaints aired anew—everyone fought with abandon. Village Chief Lin arrived early, carrying his small stool, and waited patiently until the melee ran its course. Only then did the peacemaker step in.

No matter how Chief Lin tried to mediate and resolve things, the Lin family had no interest in getting involved this time. Old Father Lin, though, couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss—though what exactly, he couldn’t say.

In recent days, Gu Xiaoxiao had come to see Meng Yun every day. Lin Sanlang often saw the two women huddled together, whispering about who-knows-what.

Nearby, the family’s daughter played with a skinny boy, amusing themselves with rabbits and ducks.

But where had this little rascal come from? Cen Hai was green with jealousy—his little sister was supposed to be his!

Our skinny little Gu Li had been dragged here by his shameless aunt! According to Xiaoxiao, it was to keep him from turning into a bookworm from too much reading. However, playing with the chubby girl was apparently acceptable.

That morning, Meng Yun rose early, gathered her daughter, and packed up their things, planning a trip to the county seat. Watching the growing pile of bags and bundles, Lin Sanlang’s mouth twitched—was she running away from home? Was she planning never to return?

Meng Yun turned and caught his odd look. “What’s with that look?” she asked, exasperated.

“What are you doing with all these bags?” Lin Sanlang asked, opening one—oh, rouge powder! He opened another—more rouge powder!

Lin Sanlang was baffled.

“Shoo, stop messing things up! I just finished packing those!” Meng Yun pushed Lin Sanlang aside, annoyance in her voice. “These are the rouge powders I’ve been carefully making the past few days. Xiaoxiao inspired me—since she came down the mountain, she’s gotten much cleverer! She even found me this thing.” With that, Meng Yun produced a red-and-blue flower from somewhere and handed it to him.

Lin Sanlang stared at the flower, clearly waiting for her to elaborate.

Seeing his confusion, Meng Yun explained, “It’s a kind of herb.”

“And?” Lin Sanlang prompted.

Meng Yun rolled her eyes. “This plant can be pressed to yield both red and blue juice! They solidify into a balm. Xiaoxiao tried it on her face—the effect was quite good!”

She recalled how, a few days prior, Gu Xiaoxiao had asked the servants to juice the plant, and together they solidified it, testing it on her sun-darkened skin. It had noticeably improved her looks. The two had decided to take it to Lin’s second brother in town for advice—after all, his connections would be invaluable.

As for her own second brother, he hadn’t managed his shop in ages; after the last incident with the stolen ginseng—and no thief caught—he’d been scolded by their father and had since become as unreliable as ever.

So, the new rouge powder would be entrusted to Lin’s second brother.

And so, Meng Yun, taking her daughter, left Lin Sanlang behind and headed off to the county seat.

Meanwhile, an odd tension hung over the Meng household.