Chapter 9

When the idea of going to the magistrate was raised, Liu Guihua quickly blocked them, shouting: “Why see officials! Such a small matter doesn’t need to trouble the county lord.”

Song Sheng did not respond, while Lu Da and Lu Ming blocked her path so she could not leave.

Closing her eyes, Liu Guihua resigned herself: “What exactly do you want?”

Song Sheng said: “First, apologize to my father‑in‑law.”

“Fine,” Liu Guihua answered briskly. To her, an apology was painless, just words.

“Second, from now on in the village, you and your husband must avoid my father‑in‑law whenever you see him.”

Suppressing her anger, Liu Guihua muttered: “I promise to avoid him. But I can only guarantee myself — I can’t control my husband!”

Hearing this, Lu Ming’s temper flared again: “Then tell Liu Laohan, if he dares come near our house again, I’ll beat him every time until his legs are crippled!”

“You!” Liu Guihua had no choice but to swallow her anger: “Fine, I’ll tell him.”

“Third, compensate my father‑in‑law for emotional damages.”

Liu Guihua looked up at Song Sheng: “What emotional damages? What nonsense are you talking about?”

Song Sheng explained: “Your actions today caused my father‑in‑law great psychological harm. You must pay money.”

At the mention of money, Liu Guihua refused. In those times, savings were life itself. Anyone who tried to take her money was her enemy.

“I’ll agree to the first two points, but the third — never! Why should I pay him? I’ll say it here: no money, only my life.”

Though Liu Guihua was defiant, Song Sheng remained calm: “Fine. If you refuse to pay, then the first two promises are void. We’ll go straight to the magistrate.”

“You can’t keep scaring me with officials. I’m not afraid!”

“Is that so?” Song Sheng crouched down, speaking slowly: “I studied at the academy. I can write petitions, even act as a legal scribe. If we go to court, you’ll need to hire a scribe to have any chance of winning, or bribe someone to suppress the case. Either way, you’ll spend money, won’t you?”

Hearing this, Liu Guihua wilted. Indeed, once the matter reached officials, avoiding punishment meant spending money, whether on scribes or bribes.

Ordinary villagers like them had never seen officials. If the village head counted as an official, then for Liu Guihua the highest authority she had ever met was the village head.

Thinking of having to pay money made Liu Guihua ache inside. To avoid being extorted for more, she quickly said: “I only have thirty coins on me, no more.”

She painfully pulled out a small pouch from her waist and threw it over.

Song Sheng picked it up and handed it to his father‑in‑law Lu Xun. He hadn’t intended to demand much compensation anyway — thirty coins were just enough to teach her a lesson.

Uncle Sixi had said before that Liu Guihua was shameless and cared little for reputation, but valued money above all. Without this, she would never remember the lesson.

With the matter settled, Song Sheng walked back with Lu Xun and his two uncles.

On the way, Lu Ming leaned close to Song Sheng, resting a hand on his shoulder like a brother, and asked: “Kid, in our dynasty’s laws, does slandering or insulting someone really get punished with beatings or detention?”

Song Sheng calmly replied: “No.”

“Then why did you say that earlier?”

“I was scaring her.”

“And when you said we’d go to the magistrate?”

“That was also to scare her.”

Lu Ming laughed heartily: “Well, it worked! Scholars really are smarter than us!”

He was delighted that such a clever son‑in‑law belonged to their Lu family.

Today’s matter was thanks to Song Sheng. Otherwise, his younger brother’s reputation would have been ruined, and no one knew how it would end.

Lu Xun also breathed a long sigh of relief. Truly, it was thanks to Song Sheng.

Still, facing his son‑in‑law, Lu Xun felt awkward. On his first return visit, the son‑in‑law had to witness his father‑in‑law being slandered. Would a scholar look down on them?

But judging from how he had stood up for him, Song Sheng didn’t seem like the type to despise others.

“Son‑in‑law, forgive me. I never thought such a thing would happen today. Luckily you were here, otherwise I wouldn’t have known what to do,” Lu Xun said.

“Father‑in‑law, you’re too polite. This is what I should do,” Song Sheng replied.

Thinking of Lu Qing waiting anxiously at home, he added: “Let’s hurry back. Lu Qing must be worried sick.”

Lu Xun agreed: “Yes, let’s go quickly. Qing must be too anxious to sit still.”

Back at the Lu household, Lu Qing was frantic. Seeing his father return, he ran a few steps forward, eyes brimming with tears, and asked with concern: “Father, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, don’t worry,” Lu Xun reassured.

But Lu Qing never felt reassured, so he asked his uncles what had really happened.

Lu Da, being tongue‑tied, stayed quiet. Lu Ming, however, exaggerated the story, especially repeating Song Sheng’s words and the part about forcing Liu Guihua to pay money. He retold it with flair, making Song Sheng a little embarrassed.

After finishing, Lu Ming concluded: “You don’t know — our son‑in‑law actually made stingy Liu Guihua, who never parts with a coin, hand over thirty coins! It was incredible! You should’ve seen her face, pained like a bitter melon. Just thinking of it makes me feel satisfied!”

Madam Jiang, while feeling sorry for her youngest son, scolded Liu Guihua: “That shrew deserves it! Who told her to harbor such malicious thoughts to harm others! From now on, our family should stay far away from her, lest she go mad again and bite someone!”

Lu Qing, listening from the side, felt deep sympathy. His father had suffered many grievances over the years. But hearing his husband stand up for his father, he couldn’t help but feel happy.

Bravely, he hooked Song Sheng’s little finger and whispered softly in his ear: “Husband, you’re amazing!”

Not only had Song Sheng cleared his father’s name, but he had also taught Liu Guihua a lesson — truly satisfying!

Song Sheng felt his ear tingling, his ear rim wrapped in warm breath, and his heart tickled as well.

Fortunately, Lu Qing’s father was safe this time, thanks mostly to Song Sheng. At lunch, Madam Jiang served Song Sheng a full bowl of meat, saying: “Eat more, look how thin you are.”

Lu Ming, eating beside him, added: “Yes, you should eat more. Your body is too weak. Later you’ll need to have children with Qing, and being this frail won’t do! Here, nephew, take this meat from your uncle too!”

Song Sheng’s chopsticks trembled, and the dish he had just picked nearly fell. His ears flushed red as he stammered: “O‑okay.”

Lu Qing’s face turned crimson. He kicked his younger uncle Lu Ming under the table and muttered softly: “Uncle, what are you saying!”

Of course, Lu Qing also wanted to have a child soon, but he and his husband had not consummated their marriage yet, so naturally there was no child.

Madam Jiang, knowing the two youngsters were shy, quickly changed the subject, and the meal continued pleasantly.

After eating, Song Sheng wanted to help clean the dishes, but Lu Qing persuaded him not to.

The household already had Wáng shì and Zhōu shì, so his help wasn’t needed.

After the meal, Lu Ming suggested drinking together. Lu Da, though not talkative, joined in since the son‑in‑law had returned.

Madam Jiang looked after the grandson, while Wáng shì, Zhōu shì, and Lu Qing busied themselves in the kitchen.

When the dishes were done, Lu Qing hurried to the main hall. He saw his younger uncle urging Song Sheng to drink and, remembering how his husband had drunk too much on their wedding day, quickly said: “Uncle, my husband can’t hold his liquor. Please drink less.”

Lu Ming chuckled and teased: “Look at that, married only a few days and already protective.”

Lu Qing’s cheeks reddened, and he glared at him: “Uncle!”