Chapter 21: Coming to Plead

Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Coming to Plead

The group’s leader, Village Chief Gu Sanbu, tapped a nearby rock with his wooden stick. Once everyone was quiet, he delivered even worse news.

"This watering hole is the last water source within a ten-li radius. If we miss this, our only option is the Prefecture City up ahead. I hear they transport some water out of the city every day, but not everyone who lines up is guaranteed to get any.

Now you all have to make a decision. Whether or not you buy water is up to you."

"Village Chief Gu, how are they selling the water?" Liu Datian was not yet married, so he still had some savings. In these desperate times, he had already made up his mind.

"Two coins a bowl, but as for how big the bowl is, we don’t know yet." Gu Sanbu glanced toward the front. "The other villages are discussing it now, too. We need to decide quickly. Otherwise, with so many of us and only one small watering hole, there probably won’t be anything left for those at the back."

"Are they trying to kill us?" some of the women began to wail. "It’s not like it’s their private well! What right do they have to charge everyone for it?"

"Lord Qingtian, aren’t they just driving us to our deaths?"

"I don’t have any money! Am I supposed to just die of thirst here? If I had known, I never would have left home. At least if I’d stayed in the village, I wouldn’t die in a strange land."

...

"Everyone, quiet down!" Gu Shulin said, looking at Gu Sanbu’s worried expression. Seeing the people clamoring again, he was growing impatient.

"No one is forcing you to buy any. If you don’t want to, then just hold out for another day. Once we get to the Prefecture City, you can get free water.

Besides, we’re not the ones in charge of the water, so what’s the point of wailing here? Are you planning to cry yourself dry just so you can drink more water later?"

The wailing stopped abruptly. Clearly, the reminder that crying wasted precious water had struck a chord. The scene was finally brought under control.

"I’m going to say this now, and you can choose to listen or not." Gu Sanbu licked his parched lips before continuing. "I don’t care if you still have water in your bamboo canteens, but I hope every one of you buys at least a little. We don’t know what lies ahead, but we must be prepared—prepared for the worst."

"But it’s too expensive." Paying for water was something they had never even imagined before.

Gu Sanbu shook his head. Leaning on his son’s arm, he turned and walked toward the front. He had made everything perfectly clear; the rest was up to them.

"Shulin, take your brother and buy a few bowls of water later. No matter what, worldly possessions are nothing compared to one’s life."

"I know, Father."

...

*

"What about us? Should we buy some, too?" Jin Qianqian asked casually, seeing every family huddled together discussing the matter.

"We’ll buy," Gu Wenheng said, taking the opportunity to secretly squeeze Jin Qianqian’s palm. ’She’s been recovering for a few days,’ he thought, ’and her hand finally has a bit of flesh on it again.’

"Yes, we should buy some. I never imagined water would be sold by the bowl. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen people profiting from a disaster like this." Jin Qianqian felt a little flustered and tried to pull her hand back, but he only held it tighter.

Under the cover of his sleeve, Gu Wenheng grew even bolder, tracing circles in her palm. "Isn’t this perfectly normal? The whole world bustles about, all for the sake of profit. If this drought doesn’t let up, the road ahead will only get harder."

"You’re a married daughter! How dare you come back scheming against your maiden family?" Li Xiaohua’s sudden outburst immediately drew everyone’s attention.

Jin Qianqian’s eyes also fell on Gu Yuanfeng, her sixth sister-in-law. They had been traveling together this whole time but had barely exchanged greetings.

Gu Yuanfeng had married into the next village, and her group was further ahead in the procession. She would occasionally come back to check on Li Cuicui and Gu Dashishi during breaks, but it was always just a brief acknowledgment, never a real conversation.

’But what’s with the red-rimmed eyes and the pained expression, as if she wants to say something but can’t?’ Jin Qianqian sensed that some major drama was about to unfold.

"A Feng, don’t say another word," Li Cuicui said with a pained smile. "Mother can’t help you. You should go back and think of another way. When you married, I gave you a dowry of the same standard as what was set aside for your brothers. Don’t you know what this family has?"

As she said this, Li Cuicui’s hands began to tremble. She never expected that the first of her children to fall into such dire straits would be the daughter she had assumed was doing so well.

Her sons still needed to build houses and prepare household goods to establish their own homes.

But A Feng had received solid silver ingots and copper coins that went right into her pocket. ’Of all people, how could *she* be the one short on money?’

Gu Yuanfeng hugged the little girl in her arms tighter and looked at Li Cuicui with a grief-stricken face. "Mother, please, just help me this one last time.

I know our youngest brother isn’t married yet, and the money you’ve saved for him is still untouched. Please, just lend it to me for now. I swear I’ll pay you back later."

Gu Yuanlei nervously clenched his fists, his eyes glued to his parents.

"Just listen to yourself, Sister. Even if the Eighth Brother hasn’t used that money yet, it’s not for you to have designs on.

Which one of our families isn’t struggling right now? You’re a married sister; can’t you spare a thought for your own brothers?" Xie Ruyi spoke with the authority of the eldest sister-in-law, all while carefully watching Li Cuicui’s expression.

"Eldest Sister-in-law, how can you say I’m not thinking of my brothers?" Gu Yuanfeng said, looking aggrieved. "Our youngest brother isn’t married yet, so I’m just asking to borrow the money for a while. It’s not like I’m saying I won’t pay it back. Besides, all of your families are doing much better than mine. Now that I’ve fallen on hard times, surely you can lend me a hand!"

Just as Wang Caiyue was about to speak, Gu Yuanfeng unexpectedly turned on her and the others. "If you’re all so concerned about our youngest brother, why don’t you each lend me a little bit? Once I get through this ordeal, I swear I’ll pay you all back."

"What happened to the dowry the family gave you?" Gu Yuanjin demanded, his eyes fixed on He Tiping, who had remained silent the whole time. "It’s only been a few years. Did you squander it all?"

He Tiping...

Gu Yuanfeng...

"What’s the meaning of this silence? You! He!" Gu Yuanhuo directed his fury at He Tiping. "Tell me right now! Where did my sister’s dowry go?"

"That’s right! You owe us an explanation!"

"Ask Mrs. Gu. I never touched her things." As He Tiping spoke, his gaze shifted evasively, a detail Gu Wenheng did not miss.

"A Feng, you speak," Gu Yuanjin said, giving them no chance to evade the question and singling her out.

"I don’t know... we just used it, and then it was gone. I never bought a single thing for myself," Gu Yuanfeng said, feeling deeply aggrieved.

"Then what did you spend it on?" Li Cuicui clutched her chest. ’She had never mistreated this daughter; she had even secretly slipped her extra money for protection!’

"I had clothes made for my mother-in-law on her birthday... I gave a gift when my eldest sister-in-law’s family had a celebration... when my little nephew was born, I had a silver charm made for him..."