Reborn as a Happy Wife in a Rural Family
Chapter 80: Digging a Pit for One’s Own Daughter-in-law

Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Digging a Pit for One’s Own Daughter-in-law

By the time they returned to Qinghe County Town, it was already afternoon.

After a meal, Xiao Yunjing asked Gu Qingli to take a nap, as he had an errand to run.

Once Xiao Yunjing had left, Gu Qingli and Da Bai entered the Space.

Da Bai went off to play by himself, while she headed to the medicinal herb field. She gathered some spiritual herbs and returned to the Pharmacy to make pills using Spiritual spring water.

This way, any future patients could directly take her pills, eliminating the need for Spiritual spring water. The Spiritual spring water was not convenient for patients to take with them, but medicine pills were.

Back in modern times, Gu Qingli had never brought out such irregular, dark pills that resembled sheep dung. People were accustomed to Western medicine and machine-made Chinese medicinal tablets. If they saw these, they would likely discard them, which would not only be a waste of her excellent remedies but also ruin her professional reputation. If people didn’t know better, they might even think she was some charlatan from the martial arts world.

Gu Qingli had made over a thousand medicine pills, but Xiao Yunjing still hadn’t returned, so she had Wuqing set the table for dinner. It was very late at night when Xiao Yunjing finally came back. He slipped into bed quietly and, with one long arm, scooped the sleeping Gu Qingli into his embrace.

From the Xiao Family’s courtyard in Qinghe Village, a dark shadow shot out, rushing straight towards Eldest Brother Xiao’s residence in the County Town. Just as he flew off, another dark shadow emerged, watched his receding figure until it vanished, and then returned.

When Mr. Xiao re-entered the room, Ms. Jiang silently helped him lie down. The old couple lay on the bed, sighing for half the night before finally falling asleep. After ten years of a relatively peaceful life, they now had to part ways again.

In the County Town, at Eldest Brother Xiao’s house, Eldest Brother Xiao and Second Brother Xiao were dressed and ready. The two nodded to each other, slung their bundles over their shoulders, and joined Yun No. 9 in the courtyard. Employing their lightness skills, they sped towards Qiyang County. A carriage would be too conspicuous a target. The three of them, traveling using their lightness skills, would be much faster than a carriage. In a few days, they would reach the border of Beijing.

「The next day」

Xiao Yunjing and Gu Qingli went to Eldest Brother Xiao’s residence. Xiao Han’s examinations had concluded the previous day, and the results would be announced in seven days. Thus, they came to escort him and his mother back to Qinghe Village.

"Eldest Sister-in-law, we’re here," Gu Qingli called out as she entered.

Ms. Yang, who resided in the second courtyard, was just stepping out to fetch something when she heard the call and responded, "Younger Sister-in-law, please wait a moment. I still have a few things to finish packing."

"Do you need my help?"

"No need, it will be done soon." They had only stayed for a few days, so there wasn’t much to pack. She had risen late because, after Eldest Brother Xiao departed the previous night, she had been too worried to sleep.

As they spoke, Gu Qingli reached her and helped with the packing. Once done, they carried the items to the entrance, where Yun No. 2 loaded them onto the carriage.

Soon after, Xiao Yunjing and Xiao Han also emerged.

There were two carriages. Yun No. 2 drove the one carrying Ms. Yang and her son, while Xiao Yunjing drove the other. Wuqing remained in the County Town to keep an eye on things.

Before departing, Gu Qingli instructed Wuqing to go to the Pawnshop and purchase two servants to look after the residence; a house left unoccupied for an extended period would grow moldy.

An hour later, the two carriages drove into the Xiao Family’s courtyard.

"Grandpa, Grandma!" Xiao Han was the first to alight from the carriage, rushing towards Mr. Xiao and Ms. Jiang.

"My dear grandson, you’ve lost weight after just a few days! This studying really isn’t for everyone," Ms. Jiang said, her voice laced with concern as she stroked Xiao Han’s somewhat gaunt face.

Mr. Xiao glanced at her but remained silent. If his father-in-law were to hear such words, it would be a wonder if he himself didn’t receive a couple of slaps. For the daughter of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy to say such a thing—wouldn’t that bring shame to the esteemed Chancellor’s reputation? What an ignorant woman.

"Father, Mother," Ms. Yang, Xiao Yunjing, and Gu Qingli called out as they alighted from the carriages.

The old couple nodded at them and called for Ms. Wang and two young helpers to assist with the luggage.

With the whole family pitching in, everything was quickly moved.

"Third Son, why did you buy so many things?" Ms. Jiang asked, eyeing the large pile on the table. She could tell what they were at a glance. "The clothes, for instance—wearing such finery of gold and silver in the countryside? That would be like openly announcing they were wealthy and inviting people to rob them. Besides, after living a hard life here for ten years, they had grown accustomed to their current simple attire."

Back then, they had left in a hurry, leaving most of their belongings in another residence they had purchased. As soon as Mr. Xiao relinquished his military authority, the General’s Manor was reclaimed by the authorities. Thinking they wouldn’t need those possessions, they had brought almost nothing with them, just a small amount of silver. There wasn’t much silver either.

It was hard to believe that the grand General’s Manor had no silver, but that was indeed the case. Apart from what was needed for the Manor’s upkeep, Mr. Xiao had used all the rest to support the soldiers at the border. All that effort supporting them, and it turned out to be for someone else’s gain. It truly made her liver ache with anger!

"Mother, your daughter-in-law bought these. Please accept them," Xiao Yunjing said. He patted Ms. Jiang’s back and whispered, "Praise her more, and she’ll buy you even better things in the future. Your daughter-in-law is wealthy."

SMACK.

Ms. Jiang gently smacked him, glaring as she said, "You have the nerve to say that, taking advantage of your own wife! From now on, you do the buying."

"Yes, yes, yes, your son will buy them. Your son will buy anything for you, Mother."

Everyone watched Xiao Yunjing’s fawning display and chuckled softly.

Gu Qingli distributed the jewelry and clothes she had purchased to Ms. Jiang and the others. She set aside one set for Ms. Wu. Ms. Jiang kept one bolt of the remaining fabric to make clothes for Mr. Xiao, and the rest was divided between Ms. Yang and Ms. Wang.

After the distribution, Gu Qingli had lunch and then took her gifts to Gu Dalin’s home.

Ms. Wu and her family had just finished their meal. Seeing Gu Qingli arrive, they were all delighted.

"Elder Sister, have you eaten?" Dashuang asked.

"I have. Are you two going back to school tomorrow?"

"Yes, Master Xu and the others have returned. School resumes tomorrow."

"Good. Study hard," Gu Qingli said, stroking the heads of the two children before handing the gifts to Ms. Wu. "Mother, I bought these for you. Please take them."

"Li’er, these are too valuable! How can I accept them?" Ms. Wu exclaimed, her voice filled with emotion as she opened the box and saw the jewelry inside. A gold hairpin! She had never worn one in her entire life. And Li’er had bought this for her, even though she hadn’t given Li’er any dowry when she married.

"Mother, please just accept them."

Gu Qingli didn’t say much more. She had only bought gifts for Ms. Wu, not for Gu Dalin or the two children. She wanted to see what the father and his two sons thought, whether they felt any imbalance, or if they would consider her actions biased.

"Elder Sister, please don’t buy things like this in the future. You need to manage your own household too," Dashuang said with a frown.

"That’s right, Li’er," Gu Dalin added. "We’re doing alright now; we don’t need such expensive things. You’re always giving us items. If this continues, your in-laws might say something, especially since these things are not cheap." He took the box from Ms. Wu’s hands and tried to place it back into Gu Qingli’s.

Gu Qingli didn’t take it back immediately. Instead, she looked at them. Their eyes were sincere, devoid of any other emotion. A person’s eyes are the most honest; they reflect everything. They were all honest, simple farmers, incapable of dissimulation and unable to hide their true feelings.