Chapter 4, Major Events

On the day the Taoist priest came to perform the ritual, Xiao Tao was unable to go out due to some chores, so she bribed a young servant from the neighbor's house with three sticks of candied hawthorn to go and watch the commotion, then report back to her. The young servant squeezed through the crowd for quite a while before finally reaching the front to see what was happening in the courtyard. The several Taoist priests indeed had some skills; before long, the rich family's young son became dazed and started to speak nonsense. He said that women always claim they don't want something, but in their hearts, they are eager for it. He was doing this to showcase his manly prowess, yet who would have thought she would seek death; what a fool he was. He remarked that others are pursued by women, and indeed, the Taoist priests had some skills; soon enough, the rich family's young son became dazed and started to speak nonsense again. He said that women always claim they don't want something, but in their hearts, they are eager for it. He was doing this to showcase his manly prowess, yet who would have thought she would seek death; what a fool he was. He mentioned that others can become wealthy, so why should he suffer humiliation? He was unwilling to accept this; he wanted to trample everyone underfoot and become a king or an emperor.

By the end, it had become quite outrageous, to the point that even the Taoist priest performing the ritual broke into a cold sweat. Fu Cha wished he could die on the spot; this reckless young man had uttered so many blasphemous words, and there were so many people around to hear them. Just then, the door had been pushed open, and the neighbors outside had heard everything clearly. This was a disaster. Although it was too late, he still took two people to close the door and shooed away the mischievous children who were watching from the wall. Once the ritual was completed, his youngest son was already in a daze, so he hurriedly called for someone to take him back to the room. He then invited a few Taoist priests to have a meal before sending them off. Returning to the house, he saw his elderly mother crying over her grandson, while his wife sat nearby with an uncertain expression, and his eldest son was merely sitting at the door, wiping his nose. Feeling a turmoil in his heart, he sighed and went back to the courtyard, sitting on the stone steps, lost in thought.

The young son who crossed over is only eleven years old, and everyone thinks that it is most suitable for Yuzhu to watch over him. Who would have thought that this little boy, at such a young age, actually developed a bold interest in Yuzhu. Not only did he make inappropriate advances towards her, but he also spoke of future success, promising to ensure that she would enjoy a life of luxury and comfort.

Early the next morning, a rare sunny day appeared. The sunlight spilled onto the ground, warming everyone's body and heart. After noon, Mrs. Tong ordered someone to carry her son and daughter to the front yard to enjoy the warm sun of early winter. When Duan Ge'er heard the children's laughter outside, he felt a bit restless, but having just recovered from illness, Mrs. Tong was not willing to let him go out and play. He had no choice but to obediently stay by his mother's side. Seeing his sister in the nurse's arms, her little face flushed pink from the sun, her eyes squinting, looking particularly adorable, he insisted on holding his sister.

Little did anyone know that even more outrageous events were yet to unfold. Two days later, when the fiancé of Yu Zhu heard the rumors and came to inquire about the matter, he discovered that Yu Zhu had actually died. It turned out that the younger son had taken advantage of a moment when Yu Zhu was unguarded, barging into her room with the intention of tarnishing her purity. He merely claimed that he would have the old lady take charge and make her his concubine. As he spoke, he began to act inappropriately, attempting to strip the young lady of her clothes. Yu Zhu, overwhelmed with shame and deeply humiliated, cried as she forced him out of her room, and later that night, she hanged herself. Upon learning of this tragic news, her fiancé was so devastated that he died from grief. He returned home and reported the matter to the magistrate, demanding justice.

This matter has once again stirred up a commotion throughout the entire street. The governor, showing consideration for the affairs of the Fu family, has also granted him special permission to refrain from attending to official duties at the yamen. His household remains tightly shut throughout the day, and apart from someone going out every two days to buy groceries, they have no interactions with others.

When Duan Ge'er saw that his friends had all left, he felt an even greater itch in his heart. He heard the creaking sound of a wealthy family's gate opening not far away, and two elegantly dressed individuals emerged. Many people on the street gathered to watch the commotion, and a few children attempted to sneak closer to touch the tall horses that were clearly different from the common ones. With the innocent nature of a child, how could Duan Ge'er resist? Taking advantage of the moment when Er Mo was also peering curiously, he let go of his hand and seized the opportunity to run into the street. Er Mo hurriedly followed behind.

Liu Xixi learned the details several days later when Liu Pozi came to make the final adjustments to a few winter garments and chatted with Xiaotao. She did not feel sorry for this fellow time traveler; she only thought he was too careless, perhaps just a big child who did not understand the world. After reading a few time-traveling novels at the starting point, he mistakenly believed them to be universal truths. Upon arriving in this era, he failed to grasp the situation and followed the methods described in those novels. Initially, it was merely a source of amusement, but later he rigidly applied the plot from the books, which unexpectedly led to a loss of life. Although she did not know what would happen in the future, she assumed he must have learned a lesson.

Although his wife felt heartbroken for her son, Yuzhu had always been her beloved maid. Now that she had died so suddenly, she felt a sense of loss and could not understand how her son had become so fierce. Later, an old family friend from her maternal home came to speak with her, and she suddenly realized the situation. She ordered someone to invite several renowned Taoist priests to see if there were any spirits attached to her younger son or if he had been possessed by an evil force

That was indeed the youngest son of Fu Cha, who was struggling incessantly and cursing loudly. Fu Cha followed him out, keeping his mouth shut, his face a deep shade of anger. His mother and wife were crying behind him, and the elderly man nearly rushed forward to grab his grandson, but was held back by his daughter-in-law, who then scolded, "Is he not your flesh and blood? How can you be so heartless?" His daughter-in-law cried, "How could a daughter-in-law not feel heartache? It is just that he is not my child, but rather a malevolent spirit that has driven away my child's soul and taken over his body. If he is allowed to continue his misdeeds, how can my poor child ascend? It is better to part with him early, so that my flesh and blood can be liberated sooner." After saying this, she cried even harder, nearly unable to stand. The elderly man was also overwhelmed with sorrow, and the two women wept together.

Zhang Bao shook his head and said, "How could you know the dangers involved? On the day of the ritual, what Fu Cha's youngest son said was known by half the street; those were truly heart-piercing words. If the higher-ups find out and hold someone accountable, the governor might be implicated as well. Therefore, it is best to send Fu Cha home early, and he will not be called back in the future. Look at those who usually got along with Fu Cha; has anyone gone to his house to offer condolences?" Tong said in admiration, "You truly have keen insight, my lord; I cannot see through these matters. Since that is the case, I will give orders that no one is allowed to associate with his family." Zhang Bao readily agreed.

Two individuals emerged, the first of whom was a young man with a stern appearance and a somewhat pale complexion, seemingly around thirty years of age. The other was a middle-aged man with a sallow face. Without turning back, they approached the horse and mounted it. Behind them, several tall and robust men dragged a bound youth out, intending to throw him onto a horse-drawn carriage parked on the street.

How could Duan Ge'er have imagined that "younger sister" was actually taking advantage of him? He thought she was just being affectionate, so delighted that he showed her off to his mother, who was also very pleased, pinching his cheeks a few times. Duan Ge'er, unwilling, ran off with his sister, causing his mother to laugh heartily, and everyone else joined in the laughter.

Er Ma was frightened by his persistence. Seeing that Tong was smiling and showed no intention of opposing, she gently placed the little girl in his hands and cautioned, "Make sure to hold her securely; it's no joke if she falls." Brother Duan held his sister with great satisfaction, nodding repeatedly. Although he had just turned six during the New Year, he was quite strong, holding his little sister steadily as he walked back and forth in the courtyard, causing Er Ma to follow closely behind, watching intently.

Without the constraints of his mother, Duan Ge'er felt even happier. He took his sister to see the trees and flowers, and eventually even arrived at the front gate, holding his sister and pointing at the pedestrians on the street. A few children he used to befriend passed by and called him to join them at the rich family's gate to see the big horse. He was very eager to go, but Er Ma tightened her grip on him. He hesitated while still holding his sister. Seeing him like this, the other children left in a rush.

Regardless of whether in ancient or modern times, women have never been compliant with the idea of polygamy. Not to mention that my own mother silently dealt with a concubine, how could Yu Zhu, who already has a legitimate marriage, possibly be willing to marry a young boy as a concubine? This shows that blindly believing in wishful thinking and romanticized narratives can lead to disastrous consequences

Fu Cha felt as if struck by a bolt from the blue, believing that his son had completely changed after waking up. Previously, he was merely mischievous, but now he had become audacious to such an extent. Without saying a word, he gave his younger son a severe beating. His mother and wife tried to intervene, but he blamed them for spoiling the child, leading him to commit a grave mistake

Zhang Bao returned home and spoke to his wife about the matter, expressing his deep feelings: "Brother Fu Cha has worked in the yamen for over ten years, and after enduring so much, he has not raised a good son. Now that this incident has occurred, it is likely that his position will also be ruined." Tong was quite surprised: "Is that really the case? The governor merely asked him to return home to handle family affairs; he hasn't dismissed him."

It turned out that Fu Cha had instructed to keep watch over his youngest son's maid, named Yu Zhu, who had always served Madam Fu Cha and was known for her honesty and reliability. She is now seventeen years old, and the Madam has decided to betroth her to the son of a jailer in the yamen. The two have known each other for a long time, and both are mutually affectionate, only waiting for the new year to hold their wedding.

Although Liu Xixi felt a bit afraid that he might not be able to hold his child securely, upon looking up and seeing his resolute expression, and noticing how he held himself steadily, her heart softened. Looking at his rosy little face, she found him particularly adorable, unable to resist breaking into a smile and reaching out to touch his face

The one most affected by this ban is Xiao Tao. Although she learned about the events of that day from the neighbor's servant, the subsequent developments are also very important. How could she not be curious? However, given the seriousness of the matter, Er Ma kept a close watch on her, and she couldn't even go to find Xiang Er. Thus, she had no choice but to stay in the room, working while lost in her own thoughts.

Yuzhu was originally an honest person, which earned her the trust of her master to take care of his son. Upon hearing these words, how could she not be angry? She went directly to the mistress to report the matter. However, the elderly lady present, feeling sorry for her grandson, refused to believe that her little grandson could behave so recklessly and scolded Yuzhu. The young man, upon learning of this, became even bolder. In front of other servants, he told Yuzhu that with such a beautiful woman by his side, he would never let her go. Since he had the chance to live in this world, he naturally wanted to achieve great things, to establish a vast harem, and to make Yuzhu obediently submit to him, promising that they would have a good life in the future. Yuzhu had never heard such words before and ran away in tears. The servants present gossiped behind her back, causing the neighbors to learn about it, and they all lamented how a respectable person like Fu Cha could raise such a brazen and reckless son.

As the family was enjoying a harmonious moment together, the sound of hooves echoed down the street, accompanied by a rhythmic march, suggesting the presence of soldiers. Everyone was puzzled, and after a moment of contemplation, Mrs. Tong instructed a reliable family member, Changfu, who was also the husband of Erma, to inquire about the situation on the street. Before long, Changfu returned with news that Prince Zheng had personally gone to the Fucha family. Mrs. Tong asked him to investigate further and instructed Erma and Xiaomei to keep a close watch on the children, advising them not to let them stay in the sun for too long, after which she returned to her room. Shortly thereafter, Changfu came back with the same news that Prince Zheng had personally gone to the Fucha family. Mrs. Tong asked him to inquire again and reiterated her instructions to Erma and Xiaomei regarding the children, before returning to her room.