Another two hundred taels of silver came in, which made Yu Li very happy. After counting the money in the box, she took out fifty taels of silver and brought it to Zhou Shi.
Zhou Shi was just about to take the two children to rest when she saw Yu Li coming over to give her money, leaving her somewhat puzzled.
“Mother, this is for the household expenses,” Yu Li said with a sense of wealth and generosity.
Zhou Shi quickly pushed the money back. “No need, no need, I have money here. Even for household expenses, there’s no need for this much.”
She was telling the truth. Recently, she had been embroidering table screens, finishing one every half month or so, earning six taels for each piece. In addition, Yu Li would occasionally give her money for household expenses.
The problem was that anything the family needed, Yu Li would conveniently buy from the county town, so there was no need for Zhou Shi to spend any money. Even the cost of Fu Wenxiao’s medicine was covered by Yu Li, which left Zhou Shi with more and more money that she simply couldn’t spend.
Yu Li insisted on giving it to her. “Just take it. If you don’t need it now, you can use it later.”
They couldn’t stay in the countryside forever. Someday, they might move to the county town, where the money would come in handy.
Zhou Shi couldn’t refuse her persistence and reluctantly accepted the money while asking, “Why are you suddenly giving me money?”
“I earned it!” Yu Li said, trying hard to suppress her smile. In the end, she couldn’t hold back and revealed a trace of pride on her face. “This time, I earned two hundred.”
Zhou Shi was startled and hurriedly asked, “Li Niang, what did you do to earn two hundred?”
In an instant, she thought of gambling—something that made money quickly—and became anxious.
Gambling was always a losing game. No one ever won unless the dealer intentionally let you win at first, only to later win back tenfold or a hundredfold, leaving you penniless.
Anyone who got involved in gambling would never meet a good end.
Seeing her anxious expression, Yu Li didn’t know she suspected her of gambling. However, not wanting her mother-in-law to worry too much, she thought for a moment and said, “This is a reward from the government.”
Zhou Shi was stunned. “A… a government reward?”
She was at a loss and couldn’t imagine what Yu Li had done to receive a reward of two hundred taels from the government.
Yu Li said, “Mother, don’t worry. The source of this money is absolutely legitimate. You can use it with peace of mind.”
She didn’t mention the bandit suppression, fearing it would scare Zhou Shi.
Even so, Zhou Shi was still uneasy.
The next day, after Yu Li went to the county town to work, Zhou Shi went to find Fu Wenxiao and asked him about the matter.
Fu Wenxiao smiled and said, “Mother, it’s nothing. Just accept it with peace of mind.”
Hearing this, Zhou Shi finally felt somewhat relieved.
She trusted Fu Wenxiao as a dependable person. If even he said it was fine, then it probably wasn’t anything dangerous.
Although she didn’t know how Yu Li got the reward from the government, thinking about her abilities, she seemed to understand a little.
Zhou Shi didn’t press for details. She knew there were some things she didn’t need to ask about. Knowing too much might actually be detrimental and could burden the children.
This was her way of survival.
Suddenly, she looked at Fu Wenxiao and said, “Xiao Ge’er, your complexion has improved a lot recently. Could it be that your health is getting better?”
Although Fu Wenxiao didn’t explicitly say it, Zhou Shi, who had been taking care of him and knew his health condition like the back of her hand, could tell that his body was improving. For example, he had been joining them for meals more frequently, and his mood seemed much better—she even saw him smile occasionally, especially when Yu Li was around.
In the past, he rarely smiled. Too many burdens weighed on him, forcing him to adopt a serious demeanor from a young age, mature beyond his years and sparing with his words and expressions.
Later, when he fell ill, he spent his days lying in a daze, his health fluctuating unpredictably. Under the torment of illness, no one could find a reason to smile.
Zhou Shi felt deeply pained. She had raised him as if he were her own son, and seeing him suffer was an unbearable torment for her.
Fu Wenxiao did not deny her observation. Instead, he replied with a smile, “Yes.”
Although she had suspected it, hearing him confirm it still filled Zhou Shi with overwhelming joy. She clasped her hands together and muttered prayers to Buddha, wishing for blessings. If they weren’t in such a rural area, she would have gone to the temple to offer incense in gratitude.
Fu Wenxiao, too, felt a surge of emotion. In a warm voice, he said, “Mother, these years have been hard on you. I will get better, and when I do, I will take you all back to the capital.”
Zhou Shi stared at him in a daze, tears suddenly streaming down her face.
Her tears glistened in her eyes, but a smile lingered on her lips as she said, “Going back to the capital doesn’t matter. As long as you’re well, I’ll be happy.” Then, as if recalling something, she added joyfully, “Old Madam Yu was right. Li Niang truly is a lucky star. Whoever marries her will turn misfortune into blessings and emerge safe from danger.”
Ever since Yu Li had joined their household, their family had steadily improved.
Fu Wenxiao’s health was recovering, the two children were healthy and lively, and their home finally felt like a proper home, no longer just a temporary refuge.
It was all because of Yu Li.
Most importantly, Xiao Ge’er’s health was improving, and he would live well in the future. He wouldn’t leave her to face the sorrow of burying a son in her old age.
This was what made her the happiest.
Fu Wenxiao was momentarily stunned as he recalled the time he woke from a coma and Zhou Shi told him about marrying a wife to bring good fortune, as well as why they had chosen the eldest daughter of the second branch of the Yu family.
At the time, he thought it was a waste of an innocent girl’s life. But when he saw Yu Li’s thin and frail figure, he couldn’t bear to send her back to the Yu family to suffer. He decided to let her stay temporarily with the Fu family, planning to give her a letter of divorce after his passing so she could live the rest of her life peacefully.
He hadn’t expected Yu Li’s mysterious origins to quickly reveal themselves before him.
It was because of her that he found the hope to continue living.
Fu Wenxiao said, “Li Niang truly is a lucky star.”
Who could argue otherwise?
If she weren’t a lucky star, how could she have become the “Yu Li” of Qingshi Village? Without her, he might have already been counting his remaining days, preparing for the end.
Seeing him agree, Zhou Shi was astonished and chuckled, “Xiao Ge’er, didn’t you always dismiss the idea of bringing good fortune and lucky stars as baseless nonsense?”
She didn’t quite understand the intellectual disdain for talk of supernatural forces, only knowing that Xiao Ge’er had never believed in such things.
And yet, here he was, acknowledging that Yu Li was a lucky star.
Fu Wenxiao said calmly, “Because those things truly are fraudulent—except for Li Niang.”
She came from another world and managed to save a dying man. If that doesn’t make her a lucky star, what does?
In this vast world, who else could have such an extraordinary encounter? It proves that she herself is a miracle, and naturally, a lucky star.
Zhou Shi eyed him. “So, only Li Niang is a lucky star, and no one else is, is that it?”
Fu Wenxiao nodded again, without finding anything odd about it.
Zhou Shi couldn’t help but cover her mouth and laugh, feeling she had figured it out.
Xiao Ge’er was clearly seeing through rose-tinted glasses. If this had happened to anyone else, it would be a scam, but when it involved Li Niang, it was only what she deserved!
She truly was a lucky star.
—
When Xuan Huaiqing arrived in Shanping County, he didn’t want to reveal his identity and even declined to stay in the place arranged by Magistrate Zhang.
He asked Tu Laoda to help him rent a courtyard for the guards who had accompanied him in the bandit suppression. As for himself, he stayed in Tu Laoda’s residence in the county town.
Tu Laoda owned a house in the town. It wasn’t large, with just a single courtyard. Since Tu Laoda didn’t live there often, the furniture and belongings inside were sparse—it was practically bare.
Xuan Huaiqing didn’t mind and instead found it quite comfortable.
When he was young, he had been pampered and spoiled by his family. But when his father died in battle when he was ten, for his safety, he was sent to live with his grandfather, General Xuan, in the military camp. It was there that he gradually rid himself of his pampered habits.
He ate and lived as the soldiers did, gradually developing his current unpretentious personality.
Before dawn, hearing movement outside, Xuan Huaiqing woke up.
He glanced at the sky outside and saw that it was still far from sunrise.
Stepping out of his room, yawning, he called to Tu Laoda, who was washing up in the courtyard. “Uncle Tu, why are you up so early? Do you always have to wake up this early to slaughter pigs?”
Last night, he had attended Magistrate Zhang’s banquet. The food was tasteless, and he didn’t get back until late at night. Now he had only slept for two hours and was still unbearably tired.
“Young Master, slaughtering pigs has to be done early,” Tu Laoda replied while busying himself. “This is already considered late. Li Niang, who lives in the village, has to wake up an hour earlier to make it here.”
Hearing this, Xuan Huaiqing felt a pang of guilt. “Uncle Tu, how could you recommend this kind of job to her? It’s far too strenuous for a young lady.”
The Xuan family had never been so stingy in repaying kindness. To think they gave the girl a pig-slaughtering job as repayment—it was practically an insult!
Tu Laoda sighed helplessly. “Back then, those spies were watching closely. I couldn’t expose your identity and could only tell her I was a friend of yours. I couldn’t just hand her money or property outright—it would have been too conspicuous and would’ve brought trouble to her. So, I arranged for her to have a livelihood first, thinking that when you arrived, you could personally repay her.”
At the time, the young master had specifically instructed him that he wanted to handle the repayment personally, so Tu Laoda couldn’t overstep and do too much.
Hearing this, Xuan Huaiqing felt deeply remorseful, blaming himself for his negligence.
Back then, he had seen that Yu Li was struggling and should have given her more tangible support to improve her situation. Instead, she had been left to come to the county to slaughter pigs, exhausting herself just to make a living.
Who else but him would repay kindness by asking a young lady to slaughter pigs?
If word got out, it would become a laughingstock. His mother and grandmother would surely drag him by the ears and demand to know what he had been thinking.
He truly hadn’t intended for repaying kindness to involve making her slaughter pigs.
Tu Laoda could tell what he was thinking and said, “Young Master, actually, Li Niang is quite good at slaughtering pigs. I think she really enjoys the job and probably doesn’t want to switch to something else for now.”
Li Niang seemed very content working at Zhang Fu’s place. From her demeanor, it was clear she wasn’t interested in moving elsewhere.
Unless… it involved going to suppress bandits or something.
At this thought, Tu Laoda felt a bit speechless and decided to share the matter with Xuan Huaiqing.
Sure enough, Xuan Huaiqing was dumbfounded. “She… she actually wants to suppress bandits?”
He had thought she only joined the bandit suppression because she was drunk. Surely, she wouldn’t entertain such thoughts once she sobered up.
“Yes, she wants the reward money,” Tu Laoda confirmed with a nod. “But honestly, I don’t think suppressing bandits is much of a challenge for Li Niang.”
In the past, Tu Laoda would never have said such a bold thing. However, after witnessing the fate of the bandits at Qingya Mountain, he couldn’t help but feel that bandit suppression might indeed be no trouble for her. Perhaps in the future, wherever there was a need to suppress bandits, she could join in and significantly reduce casualties.
Xuan Huaiqing agreed with this sentiment and said, “Miss Yu has incredible strength. I think she has the makings of a martial artist. If she were to start learning the Xuan family’s spear techniques…”
“Perhaps she’s already trained in other martial arts?” Tu Laoda said meaningfully.
Xuan Huaiqing paused, pondered for a moment, and then laughed. “If she’s already trained, even better. Maybe she learned these skills from some extraordinary master, which would explain her abilities and why she could suppress bandits so easily.”
Tu Laoda nodded. “Young Master Xuan is absolutely right.”
With just a few words, the two of them reached a conclusion on the matter.