Chapter 10: Protective Instincts

There was only one ox cart in the entire village, and the driver was an old bachelor, known to all as Third Uncle or Old Man Tang. On market days, anyone from the village wanting to go to town would wait at the village entrance for the cart. Each round trip cost two copper coins. While not exorbitant, it was enough to purchase a pound of cornmeal for an ordinary family. Because of this, many villagers preferred to walk to town rather than part with those two coins.

Only when they needed to carry heavy goods to sell in the early market, eager to get a good spot and sell quickly, would they consider paying for the ride. Otherwise, they’d rather save the unnecessary expense.

Li Peach Blossom was never one to wrong herself. In the days when she had money, she knew nothing of thrift. Now that her purse was empty, one might expect her to be frugal, but in her eyes, a few coins more wouldn’t make her rich and a few less wouldn’t starve her. If so, why tire her own legs for nothing?

She climbed aboard the ox cart, bringing Qin Huiyin and Tang Greenleaf with her. She was as dazzling as ever, sitting upright and proud, meeting the curious or judgmental gazes around her without flinching.

Qin Huiyin and Tang Greenleaf were of similar age—two young girls seated at her side, one like a budding flower, the other a fresh green leaf beside it.

Their mother-daughter trio attracted attention, and the aunts and sisters-in-law who had not planned to ride the ox cart now paused, hesitating by the cart, torn between curiosity and thrift. They were intensely curious about what business had brought Li Peach Blossom to town. All three carried baskets, covered with weeds, concealing whatever lay within.

Someone gritted her teeth and climbed aboard.

With the first passenger, more followed, and soon the once empty cart was crowded. Old Man Tang hadn’t seen business this good in ages. This trip alone would cover his month’s rice and flour. His opinion of Li Peach Blossom improved at once.

“Huiyin’s mother, what’s in your basket?” Mrs. Zhang asked with a smile, reaching to lift the cover, only to have her hand gently pushed away by Li Peach Blossom.

She brushed aside Mrs. Zhang’s wrist, smiling sweetly. “What else would it be? We can barely put food on the table these days—have to find a way to survive, don’t we? I’ve searched every corner of the house; only my dresses might fetch a decent price. I packed up the extras to sell for a bit of grain.”

Hearing this, the women felt a surge of satisfaction.

No woman in the village adorned herself with makeup as she did. Whether married to Song Yi or Tang Dafu, she had new clothes every month, always dressed to catch the eye, making every man in the village restless with longing. They were all women—why should she live so well, while the rest scrimped and saved, giving every good thing to their husbands and sons?

Now, seeing her fallen from grace, forced to sell her favorite dresses and soon to wear only patched clothes, they felt a sense of vindication.

Given her household’s situation, she might soon have nothing to eat. Without food, new clothes, or cosmetics, how could she keep up her airs then? Once she was no different from the rest of them, the men would stop looking her way.

Qin Huiyin clung to Li Peach Blossom’s arm, pouting. “Mother, I’m so sleepy.”

“Then sleep a bit more,” Li Peach Blossom replied gently.

The other women couldn’t help but sneer.

“Dafu’s wife, you spoil your child too much. Look at Greenleaf—up at dawn every day, working hard, she’ll surely find a good family to marry into.”

“Oh? So working yourself to the bone guarantees a good marriage? So women marry just to find another place to labor? Well then, Greenleaf needn’t marry at all—she can stay and do our housework as long as she wishes.” Li Peach Blossom’s tone was sharp with irony.

Tang Greenleaf’s face flushed red.

“Whatever the case, you married Greenleaf’s father; you’re her mother now. It’s not right for your daughter to laze about like a little miss while Greenleaf slaves away every day, is it?”

Li Peach Blossom looked at Greenleaf, who seemed uneasy. “Greenleaf, see how many aunts are speaking up for you! Shouldn’t you thank them?”

Tang Greenleaf twisted her fingers in her lap and said softly, “Thank you, aunts, but I do this of my own will. It has nothing to do with Aunt Li. I did the same work before she married in. And besides, Sister Huiyin isn’t idle—she sews for me, sweeps the yard, cooks and stokes the fire.”

“You hear that? My daughter is no idler.” Li Peach Blossom snorted. “And even if she were, neither I nor Tang Dafu would complain. What business is it of yours? If she were to marry a man who expects her to toil all day, he’d best not bother coming to our door—my daughter isn’t meant for such a hard life.”

Tang Greenleaf glanced at the peacefully sleeping Qin Huiyin, then at Li Peach Blossom, who guarded her like a mother hen shielding her chicks, her eyes full of longing.

So this was what it felt like to be protected.

If her own mother were still alive, would she have shielded her like this?

No, she wouldn’t.

Her memories were faded, but she still recalled that her mother, like all the village women, favored sons over daughters. They spoke often of marrying her off for a dowry, to buy her brother Tang Yichen a wife and a bigger house.

Everyone in the village said Li Peach Blossom was no good. Yet the way she cared for Qin Huiyin made every girl in the village envious.

Seeing her defend Qin Huiyin, and watching the girl sleep so soundly, the women’s tongues grew even sharper, their words sour with resentment.

Perhaps, to them, Li Peach Blossom was an oddity—too different, too unwilling to conform. And because of that, everyone wanted to see her dragged down into the mire with them.

“We’re here,” Old Man Tang announced, pulling the cart to a stop outside town. “As always, gather back here after two hours. If you’re not here, I won’t wait.”

The women, having failed to get the better of Li Peach Blossom and now poorer for paying for the ride, shot her sharp looks as they disembarked.

“Oh my, I must remember to buy something nice today,” Li Peach Blossom declared loudly on purpose.

Some of the women, about to tell Old Man Tang not to wait for them, were piqued by her words and grew even more curious—what would she buy? And how much would she get for those dresses?

After the women left, Li Peach Blossom nudged Qin Huiyin awake. “We’ve arrived.”

Qin Huiyin blinked sleepily, looked around, and yawned. “That was quick.”

“Walking from the village to town takes an hour; the ox cart only a stick of incense’s time—of course it’s quick,” Li Peach Blossom replied.

Climbing down, she said to Old Man Tang, “Uncle, I brought you all this business. Won’t you give us a discount?”

Old Man Tang hesitated. “But it’s just a small operation…”

“Fine, then next time I’ll take the cart from the next village over—it’s roomier anyway,” Li Peach Blossom fanned her cheek, feigning annoyance.

“The two girls are so young, I’ll count them as one person, all right?” Old Man Tang relented hurriedly. “If you bring me more customers, I’ll give you a special price.”