Chapter 8: Fighting Over a Drowned Infant

Chapter 8: Infanticide + Fighting

After waking from her afternoon nap, Li Sanniang fed Luzhu’er some warm water and teased her into talking, enjoying a good dose of her "big baby." She then took Luzhu’er to the courtyard to look at the drying medicinal herbs before wandering around the house with her.

In the kitchen, Eldest Sister-in-law Li was taking inventory of the rice, flour, and other ingredients, checking for any shortages of oil, salt, sauce, or vinegar. In two days, it would be the fifth day of the lunar cycle, when a market was permitted to open on the street outside the ward gate in the morning. They would have to go early; otherwise, once the gate opened at the scheduled time, all the cheap, good items would be snatched up by latecomers.

Watching Eldest Sister-in-law Li count, Li Sanniang thought about buying a bag of flour later. Buying pure white flour was a bit extravagant, but a small bag of white flour mixed with a larger portion of three-grain flour would be manageable.

After all, she and Luzhu’er had been eating and drinking for free at home for over ten days. Even if the family didn't mind, she still needed to be mindful of these things to ensure good relations in the future.

Not wanting to delay the housewife’s work, Li Sanniang exchanged a few words and then took Luzhu’er to Second Sister-in-law Li’s room.

Second Sister-in-law was busy with a thimble, sewing clothes. It was clear at a glance that they were small garments for the baby in her womb.

After having Luzhu’er greet her, Li Sanniang sat down with her and began to chat.

One of the essential skills for women in ancient times was needlework. Even if one couldn't do embroidery, one at least had to know how to sew; the skilled ones could even handle tailoring.

Without an industrial revolution or a developed textile industry, there were no cheap fabrics or ready-made clothes for the common people to consume.

Not to mention, even if one could buy ready-made clothes at a shop, personal undergarments still had to be made by hand.

Li Sanniang once again felt grateful that Emperor Wu had taken the lead in having people wear trousers with crotches that didn't let the wind in.

Aside from undergarments, there were also private items, such as the reusable menstrual belts she had complained about a few days ago, all of which had to be sewn by oneself.

Thinking of this, Li Sanniang’s desire to work and earn money grew stronger. Buying a small house would cost at least five or six hundred taels. Raising Luzhu’er, saving for her dowry, and covering their daily expenses—it really added up to a significant amount.

Even though Li Sanniang had the original owner’s memories and possessed this skill, she felt an internal resistance to doing it.

If she didn't want to do it herself, she would have to pay someone else.

Therefore, once she had some free time, she really needed to think about how to make a living in the future.

Just as she was talking with Second Sister-in-law, Eldest Sister-in-law walked in carrying a tea tray.

"I guessed you two were here. Here, I’ve boiled some red bean soup. One bowl for each of you; it clears heat, detoxifies, and quenches thirst."

"Eldest Sister-in-law’s skills are beyond reproach; this tastes wonderful." Li Sanniang took a sip. It wasn't too sweet, carrying a subtle sweetness and the soft, glutinous texture of the red beans. It was thin and light, truly delicious.

Little Luzhu’er held her small bowl and drank with gusto, her mouth smeared with red bean skins. *Gulp, gulp, gulp*—she finished the bowl in no time.

In fact, the bowl Eldest Sister-in-law gave Luzhu’er was the smallest one, about the size of a child’s palm. An adult would finish it in five or six sips. It was made in such a small portion specifically to prevent the child from drinking too fast and choking.

"Is Eldest Aunt’s red bean soup delicious?"

"Eldest Aunt, it’s delicious. Zhuer loves it."

Hearing Luzhu’er’s childish reply, Eldest Sister-in-law was delighted. She pulled Luzhu’er into her arms and asked with a smile, "How delicious is it? How much does Zhuer love it?"

Little Luzhu’er looked at Li Sanniang, then shook her little head, causing the red ribbons on her two small buns to sway. She pressed her palms together, then opened them, stretching her arms as wide as she could, and said to Eldest Sister-in-law, "Eldest Aunt, it’s *this* delicious. Zhuer loves it *this* much."

*Hahaha!* The three women were so amused by Luzhu’er’s adorable performance that they couldn't stop laughing.

"Sanniang, I finally understand why your Second Sister-in-law wants a little girl. Even I want to raise one now. Our Luzhu’er is just too lovable. Isn't that right, Luzhu’er?"

Guess what Luzhu’er said?

Luzhu’er nodded like a little adult and said, "Yes, yes, Zhuer is the most lovable. Zhuer is Grandma’s little sweetheart."

After teasing Luzhu’er for a while longer, seeing the sky darkening, Li Sanniang left her with Second Sister-in-law and went to the kitchen with Eldest Sister-in-law to prepare dinner.

They had just finished cooking and hadn't even set the table when the "Four Little Ones" returned. After paying their respects and checking on Luzhu’er, the three older ones went to fetch water.

Shortly after, Mother Li returned with a basket.

Li Sanniang took the basket and saw about a dozen red-dyed eggs and a small bag of white flour inside.

"Oh, Mother, whose house is this from? They’re quite generous; they even gave white flour."

Mother Li was busy washing her hands, and the Four Little Ones and Luzhu’er came over to greet her, leaving her no time to answer Li Sanniang’s question.

Eldest Sister-in-law looked and said, "It must be the Wang family from Sweet Water Lane. One of their daughters just became a concubine for the young master of a grain shop in the West Market. This white flour must have been given to her parents by that daughter."

"That’s right, Eldest Brother’s mother is correct; it is that family. This time, she finally gave birth to a little boy. Not only did the Wang daughter cry, but even the old man and woman of the Wang family were crying there."

"Mother, they had a boy, so why were they crying? Do they only want girls like the Zhou family?"

"The Wang family is completely different from the Zhou family. They were crying out of joy. The old woman of the Wang family has given birth to six girls and one boy. The first three girls were sold to the official slave traders. That year, it was said a certain Prince was going to his fief, and all the children collected by the traders went with him. The remaining fourth, fifth, and sixth daughters were all married off as concubines just to collect higher bride prices for the sake of this only son. The sixth daughter married reasonably well; although she was a concubine and the man was much older, his previous wife didn't leave behind a son, only a daughter, so it’s considered not bad."

Seeing that everyone was listening intently, Eldest Sister-in-law brought over another bowl of red bean soup. Mother Li sat down, took a sip, and praised, "Eldest Brother’s mother’s skills are getting better and better; she could even sell this."

"Mother, keep going! What happened later with the Wang family?"

Li Sanniang’s gossiping heart urged Mother Li to continue with the rest of the story. Even the Four Little Ones and Luzhu’er gathered around Mother Li, waiting for the rest.

Mother Li looked at their bright eyes, smiled, and said, "The Wang family spent a lot of money to marry this Wang daughter for their only son, hearing that her older sisters were particularly good at bearing sons. As it turned out, I’ve delivered four babies for this Wang daughter, and they were all girls. This time, they finally got a little boy, so of course, they were overjoyed—they cried from happiness."

After saying this, Mother Li shooed the Four Little Ones and Luzhu’er to the front yard to help Father Li and Second Brother Li put up the door panels, then turned back to Li Sanniang and the others. "To have this boy, the Wang daughter suffered greatly. I only learned the midwife trade after marrying your father. Over these years, although I can't diagnose or prescribe medicine, I can handle some minor ailments for women and write out a few folk remedies. The Wang daughter has been giving birth continuously for years, and her *qi* and blood are severely depleted. It’s hard to say if she’ll even live to see this newborn boy get married."

"The newborn boy is like a little kitten, but he’s not ugly; his features look like the Wang daughter’s."

"Actually, besides these four girls, the Wang daughter had two others in between, both delivered by me. Less than three days after they were born, one was 'given away'—which is to say, sold—to an elderly couple in Yan-chun Ward who ran a wonton shop and had no children. If you count, that girl must be four or five now; that was a lucky one. The other was said to have been given to relatives in the countryside who wanted a girl, but who knows if that’s true? That year, we were at war with the Turks; who could afford to raise another girl? I suspect she was drowned. *Sigh*, what a sin."

Li Sanniang felt her worldview shattered upon hearing this.

Although she knew the living environment for women in ancient times was harsh, the fact that infants were drowned at birth was truly hard to accept. After all, it was a living, breathing life. Just because of their gender, they were killed by their own kin—it was simply terrifying.

"If you ask me, it’s better now that the Sage has ascended the throne. The Sage has explicitly forbidden the drowning of infants. Life today is much better than in the past; such things are probably rare in our Chang'an city now."

Eldest Sister-in-law said with a sigh while handing out chopsticks.

Father Li sat down, and just as they were about to eat, they heard a *bang-bang-bang* sound of someone knocking on the door panels in the front yard and shouting. It was too far to hear what was being said, so Father Li told Eldest Brother Li to go open the door and see what was happening.

Eldest Brother Li’s face stiffened, then he put down his bowl and chopsticks and walked toward the front yard.

Eldest Brother Li looked at his eldest son’s expression and the sneaky winking of the other three, but he said nothing, his face full of smiles.

Second Brother Li, feeling uneasy, followed them to the front yard.

Li Sanniang was wondering what could be the matter when Second Brother Li and Eldest Brother Li led a furious Wang Dalaing inside.

Yes, that Wang Dalaing, the eldest brother of Li Sanniang’s ex-husband.

Although Wang Dalaing was aggressive, he still followed etiquette, greeting Father and Mother Li, then acknowledging Eldest Brother Li, Eldest Sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law, and Li Sanniang. After being offered a seat and a cup of tea from Li Sanniang, he finally explained why he had come to the Li house in such a rage.

Li Sanniang wondered if the Wang family had gone back on their word again. But that would be useless; the contract had already been filed with the Ministry of Revenue.

As it turned out, guess what happened?

It was the Four Little Ones who had caused the trouble.

The matter was simple: the Four Little Ones couldn't stand their aunt being bullied by the Wang family, so they decided to call out the three boys of Wang Dalaing’s family to teach them a lesson. The first time, the seven boys had a group fight that ended appropriately. After all, Eldest Brother Li was a member of the Jinwu Guard, and the Four Little Ones had some family training. Not to mention, Eldest Brother Li had a talent for martial arts, and they had all been soaking in medicinal baths for years to strengthen their bodies. The reason it was "appropriate" was that the Li boys had held back, only intending to teach the Wang boys a lesson.

The three Wang boys had some backbone; after the first fight, they cleaned themselves up and didn't tell their family.

But what young man could endure such a thing?

They knew they couldn't beat the Li boys in a fair fight.

So, the eldest of the three Wang boys came up with a plan.

They went to the street, found three or four thugs, paid them some money, and blocked the Four Little Ones’ path after school today.

When Eldest Brother Li saw the Wang boys had brought help, how could he endure that?

So he didn't. The three younger ones listened to him. He told them to take it easy and not break any arms or legs, but they had to make them feel the pain.

And so, the black eyes of the three Wang boys couldn't be hidden.

That was why the Four Little Ones were being reported to their parents.

The reason no one noticed anything when they came home from school today was, first, Eldest Brother Li had returned late and helped with the door panels, and it wasn't bright enough for him to notice their behavior. Second, having learned from the last time they forgot to fix their hair and robes, Second Brother Li had reminded everyone to find a secluded alley to help each other tidy up before heading home.

Understanding the whole story, Li Sanniang felt a mix of sourness and pride. She called the Four Little Ones over, wanting to check if they were hurt.

Looking at her nephews, who were blushing with shame, Li Sanniang almost blurted out, "Well done!"

But rationally, Li Sanniang knew the Four Little Ones were wrong. After all, it was a matter between her and Wang Erlang; the three Wang boys had no direct involvement, and they were just children who shouldn't be held responsible.

Her nephews’ intention was to protect their aunt, but their actions were impulsive and didn't consider the consequences.

Today, the Wang boys found thugs, but what if they had found wandering swordsmen with real skills or villains carrying knives and clubs?

That was the situation. After Wang Dalaing finished speaking, he darkened his face and said no more.

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.

Just as Li Sanniang was about to apologize, Eldest Brother Li spoke first: "Wang Dalaing, this is a matter between children; it’s not for adults to intervene. Since you’ve come for an explanation, I’ll be direct. When Dalaing and the others went to find the Wang boys, they held back; otherwise, why do you think the Wang boys didn't tell you the first day? Later, when the Wang boys couldn't take it and brought in thugs, that was underhanded. Even with help, they were still thugs of such low standing, and they *still* lost. You have the nerve to come to my Li house to demand an explanation? *Heh.*"

Every time Li Sanniang heard Eldest Brother Li let out that disdainful "Heh," even with her sisterly filter, she felt he was truly annoying.

Not to mention Wang Dalaing, who was so angry at this nonsensical defense that he almost threw his teacup. Second Brother Li quickly intervened: "Young Master Wang, what my eldest brother means is that Dalaing and the others were wrong at the start, and they should apologize to the Wang boys."

Second Brother Li called the Four Little Ones standing by Li Sanniang over and gave Third Brother Li a flick on the forehead.

"Tomorrow, you will go and apologize to the Wang boys. None of you are worry-free."

"Haha, Wang Dalaing, you see, I’ve scolded them. Later, I’ll have the four of them bring gifts to visit the Wang boys and apologize. Calm your anger. It’s not even mid-summer yet, and it’s already unbearably hot. Third Brother, go to the kitchen and bring a bowl of red bean soup."

Third Brother Li, hearing his father’s words, hurried to the kitchen.

Wang Dalaing looked at Second Brother Li’s lighthearted reprimand, and thinking about how his sons really couldn't win and had resorted to hiring thugs, he couldn't swallow his anger but had no choice but to nod silently.

After Third Brother Li brought the red bean soup and Second Brother Li offered a few more polite words, Wang Dalaing left. The Four Little Ones didn't dare return to the table to eat.

They stood in a row by size, feeling uneasy. Second Brother Li looked toward Li Sanniang.

Li Sanniang was about to plead for them, wanting to say it was all for her sake, but Second Brother Li, having returned from seeing Wang Dalaing off, walked up to the Four Little Ones and looked at them with a smile.

"Do you know where you went wrong?"

The Four Little Ones looked up at Second Brother Li. The youngest, Fourth Brother Li, said indignantly, "We had agreed it would just be us, but Wang Zhiyi went back on his word and brought thugs! Eldest Brother was afraid we’d suffer, so he hit them hard to scare them off."

Hearing this, Second Brother Li looked despairing, thinking, *I knew this kid was unreliable.*

Eldest Brother Li didn't mind his younger brother’s naive indignation and said calmly, "Actually, I shouldn't have led my brothers to find the Wang family. That day, I accidentally heard the three of them in the academy’s chess room saying Luzhu’er was a 'money-losing goods.' I couldn't stand it, so I led my brothers to find trouble with the three Wang boys. I only intended to teach them a lesson, but when they brought thugs, I felt they were even more irresponsible, so I couldn't help but hit them hard."

Hearing this, Li Sanniang’s sense of justice tilted back toward the Four Little Ones. It was likely that Mother-in-law Wang had been complaining about Luzhu’er being a girl in front of the three Wang boys.

Li Sanniang suddenly felt that she really couldn't let the treacherous Wang family off so easily.

Luzhu’er, hearing her name, reacted. She asked Eldest Sister-in-law to put her down, ran to stand beside Fourth Brother Li, and said with a serious little face, "Zhuer is not 'money-losing goods.' Zhuer is a little sweetheart."

The solemn atmosphere was broken by Luzhu’er’s childish words. Mother Li immediately said, "Yes, yes, yes! Luzhu’er is Grandma’s little sweetheart!"

Second Brother Li smiled, but signaled for Second Brother Li to speak.

Second Brother Li sighed helplessly, looking as if life had lost its meaning: "Our mistake was hitting the Wang brothers in the face, leaving them with black eyes, getting caught by adults, and having them come to our door."

Eldest Brother Li and Third Brother Li thought about it and nodded in agreement.

Only Fourth Brother Li was still confused, his mouth agape, wondering, *Is that the reason?*

Second Brother Li signaled for the Four Little Ones to return to the table to eat. Just as they sat down, Eldest Brother Li said, "Tomorrow, go to the Wang house to apologize first. In two days, when you have your ten-day break, one day you will go to Eldest Brother’s maternal grandfather’s house for training, and the other day you will go to Third Brother’s maternal grandfather’s house to help pick herbs."

"And ten pages of calligraphy for each of you, to be handed to me by the end of the month," Father Li added. Seeing the Four Little Ones’ bitter expressions, he continued.

It’s a bit late today, sorry. I went to my grandfather’s house after work, which took some time.

In the next chapter, we’ll be delivering a baby!

Thank you for reading.

Thanks to Huai Xun 1 for the two sets of 5 recommendation votes, thank you.

Thanks to XXxxxhgjhlove Wind God for the 3 recommendation votes, thank you.

(End of chapter)