Chapter 161: Chapter 127: None of You Will Make It Through Tonight

On this day, Chun Nuan went to the courtyard under the Huang Jue Tree in the town to check on the herbal medicine preparation.

“Nuannuan, come back a little earlier.”

“Mom, it’s okay. If I don’t finish before dark, I’ll stay in the small courtyard. Don’t worry about me.”

“How can I not worry? If it’s late, I’ll have Chun Ning come to pick you up.”

“Alright.”

Chun Nuan originally planned to stay in the small courtyard, but the old lady would always worry about her,

Chun Nuan clearly knew the old lady’s health condition, the days were numbered, spending one more day with her was one more day, so she had to endure the hardship of traveling back and forth between the village and the small town.

Watching Chun Nuan leave the village energetically, with a spring in her step, the three sisters-in-law of the Xu family felt both heartache and sadness.

Daughters of other families never left the house, and even though their family wasn’t considered a prominent one in the Capital, their daughter was raised with care. They never imagined that one day their daughters would have to prop up the whole family.

“Mother, once Muyang grows a little, I’ll follow my second sister to learn how to prepare herbal medicine.”

Zhu Lingling was a person who knew gratitude. The Xiao family returned to Shu City living a tough life, but the family always took care of her.

She was treated the same as the old lady. After giving birth to a son, her health suffered a bit, and the whole family encouraged her to take care of herself, not letting her cook, wash clothes, or even embroider; only to maintain her health.

“Nuannuan said you can’t stand the smell of herbal medicine, it makes you uncomfortable, so don’t force yourself,” Mrs. Xu sighed: “The urgent task is to get your health back.”

“I’m healthily rounded now, my face feels all plump and blessed,” Zhu Lingling teased herself with a smile.

“You must have blessings.” Mrs. Xu felt relieved seeing a bit of flush on her daughter-in-law’s face: “You followed us all the way to Shu City while pregnant, and suffered so much giving birth. In the future, the family will rely on you; how can you manage if your health isn’t taken care of?”

The eldest sister-in-law managing the household is a tradition. Currently, Chun Ning handles the outside matters, while Chun Nuan manages the inside.

Chun Nuan had already made it clear that after she got married, the eldest sister-in-law, Mrs. Zhu, would take over everything in the house.

Mrs. Xu had experience managing a household, understanding the difficulties. Back in the Capital, despite the wealth, she found it overwhelming to manage; now in Shu City, with such a meager family foundation, the burden on the eldest daughter-in-law’s shoulders was indeed heavy.

“Yes, mother.”

Zhu Lingling was grateful for her mother-in-law’s understanding and support.

It’s often said that the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is challenging, but since Zhu Lingling married into the Xiao family, neither her mother-in-law nor any family members ever treated her as an outsider.

“Not to mention, I just hope that after Nuannuan marries into the Zhao family, Mrs. Zhao can treat Nuannuan just like the eldest sister-in-law treats Lingling.”

Mrs. Xu looked on enviously: “My daughter Nuannuan has a big heart, all her focus is on herbal medicine…”

“Don’t worry, little sister-in-law, we’ve had several interactions with Mrs. Zhao; she is a straightforward person.”

People of like mind flock together, and straightforward people naturally enjoy dealing with like-minded individuals, without so much maneuvering and scheming.

“The Zhao family’s back yard is indeed clean, similar to our Xiao family.”

Aside from the less prominent family background, marrying into the Zhao family in Changzhou, Shu City, was considered a good match.

“Let’s hope so.”

Mrs. Xu sighed.

After the Xiao family moved to Shu City, the daughter truly assumed the role of a son.

The family felt heartache for her but couldn’t help.

After arriving at the courtyard, Chun Nuan started to busy herself.

She got so busy that she forgot about eating.

It was only when she finished her tasks that she realized it was almost dark.

Her mother mentioned Chun Ning would come to pick her up; it seemed he got tied up and couldn’t come.

Once she finished dealing with this batch of medicine, she would head back home.

After packing up, Chun Nuan left the small courtyard, looked up, and saw a bit of a crescent moon in the sky. Her eyesight was still good enough to see the road, so she decided to leave.

As she walked down the quiet street, at the street’s end was the path leading back to the village.

No one was seen along the way, but the dogs kept by people on both sides of the road barked in the houses, hearing footsteps.

Truth be told, it was her first time walking under such circumstances. Initially, it didn’t feel like anything, but as she continued, Chun Nuan felt something was off.

At a turning point, she sharply turned around, finding two men standing right behind her.

“Who are you, what do you want?”

Chun Nuan’s heart skipped a beat.

She had been in Shu City for a year and a half with nothing ever happening; she had thought the people here were simple and honest. Now it seemed she was too naive.

“Don’t worry about who we are, just want to invite the young lady for a drink, that’s all,”

One of them spoke up: “The young lady is so pretty, she must be great at drinking too.”

“I don’t drink; you’ve got the wrong person.”

Chun Nuan reached into her pocket, but no good, she had changed clothes this morning and didn’t have the powder with her.

What options did she have now?

Chun Nuan began to back away while thinking. Truly, she had nothing on hand for defense. No matter what, she couldn’t slip up here today.

“You, Xiao Chunnuan, are Doctor Xiao’s precious granddaughter, right?”

Chun Nuan was stunned: They knew her name; they came here on purpose, not just bad luck—she had been targeted!

She understood, someone had their eye on her.

“Who sent you, how much silver did she pay? I’ll offer double. Whatever she instructed you to do, do it to her instead. How about it?”

The two men looked at each other and finally shook their heads.

“Miss Xiao is indeed a smart person; however, we can’t take this particular job.”

It’s not a matter of money but a fear of not being able to enjoy it alive.

The Xiao family is a large clan, who in Changzhou would dare to challenge them?

Even the local magistrate would show them deference; they would have to be tired of living to meddle with that.

“Triple, then?”

Chun Nuan knew this deal couldn’t be made, she was just raising the offer to try to figure out who was behind it.

“No such way, Miss Xiao. If you accompany us for a drink tonight, who knows, there might be opportunities for cooperation in the future.”

“What, are you afraid of the Xiao family clan?”

Seeing their secret exposed, the two men were a bit flustered.

“You might not understand that the Xiao family has today’s status solely because of the support from my great-grandfather and grandfather,” Chun Nuan said. “Even a broken ship has thousands of nails. Sure, in the Capital, the Xiao family isn’t much of a grand household, but the connections maintained by the Xiao family in the Capital weren’t established for nothing. Believe it or not, if you harm me today, your whole families won’t survive.”

“See, Miss Xiao speaks so well,” they chuckled: “Miss Xiao, you forget, this is Shu City’s Changzhou. The Xiao family clan is the Xiao family clan. Other clans… Miss Xiao, even if something happened to you or to your entire family, you wouldn’t win the case.”

“Did you split up, and some went to the village?”

No wonder Chun Ning didn’t come; he must have encountered trouble too!

“What a big Xiao family clan, aiming to put us to death!” Chun Nuan’s temper flared up: “We’ll settle things slowly after tonight.”

“Miss Xiao, you are smart, but unfortunately, neither you nor your family will get through tonight.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep