Chapter Twelve: The Widow's Third Marriage

  At noon, Fourth Daughter rode a donkey to the intersection of Huai Tree Road. The donkey dared not move forward, so Fourth Daughter had to get off with her bundle and walk.

  Mother has fainted from crying, and Father can't help but take care of Mother at home.

  Fourth Daughter gazed at the big pagoda tree, its branches swaying without wind, and an aura of gloom spreading all around. Fourth Daughter knew that once she took this step forward, she would be separated from her family by a distance as vast as heaven and earth.

  Si Nang also has a younger brother named Chen Yong, who is currently being transferred to Majiabao.

  Majiabao conducts large-scale military training every year, selecting robust young men from various villages to gather in Majiabao for a month before returning.

  The host Chen Hu promised his brother a good future as long as she entered Yangcun.

  Fourth Daughter stayed at home, as if she were dead, could do some things for the family, and had some use. Thinking of this, Fourth Daughter stepped forward without hesitation.

  The thick mountain fog suddenly surged up, and Si Niang's heart immediately rose to her throat.

  The lotus steps slowly, walking for about half a stick of incense, the thick fog suddenly dispersed, and what appeared before my eyes was actually more than ten acres of rice fields.

  There are about ten farmers wearing trousers working in the paddy field.

  Fourth Daughter found it strange, as locals rarely wore trousers. Farmers would just tie up their long shirts at the waist when working. Fourth Daughter soon discovered that wearing trousers while working was indeed very convenient.

  The paddy field was newly opened, and some water had not been diverted yet. Fourth Daughter saw four or five people in the distance busy building a bamboo bridge to divert water from the mountain. This was completely different from what Fourth Daughter had imagined. Did these people really want to open up this wilderness? Weren't they afraid of ghosts?

  Under the fourth daughter's feet was a small path, just enough for a horse carriage to pass through, which had been newly repaired. There were still some shrub roots on the road that hadn't been completely dug up.

  Not far away is Yang Village, with flying eaves visible, it's the time when smoke from kitchen chimneys rises gently, and there's a thriving atmosphere.

  The fourth daughter couldn't help but quicken her pace, and her desperate heart suddenly came back to life.

  Before long, she arrived at the gate of a large mansion.

  The gate is not closed, and one of them is tilted, it seems that it has not been repaired yet. The wall still has the marks left after the ivy was pulled out, which looks like a landscape painting. The floor tiles are very good, made of bluestone, but some of them are uneven.

  Fourth daughter grasped her bundle tightly, and went in just like this?!

  Delivering yourself like a commodity to someone's doorstep, recommending your own pillow and mat, Chen Si Niang, Chen Si Niang, you're also as cunning as the heavens are high, when did you become so debased?!

  Chen Si Niang hesitated at the door, when she suddenly saw a short and stout woman carrying a large bucket from outside, casting her a sidelong glance and asking in a loud and rough voice: "Who are you?"

  Chen Si Niang slightly bowed and said: "I am Chen Si Niang, I have come to serve Young Master Liang under the orders of the master of the Chen family!"

  "Who's there?!" The fat woman was none other than Liang Liang's wife, Shi Shi. She said: "Then come with me to see the old lady!"

  Chen Si Niang's heart was filled with anxiety as she followed Shi into the inner hall.

  Shi entered the main room and said a few words, then Chen Si Niang heard the "humming" sound of the loom stop, and an old lady with a kind face walked out.

  Chen Si Niang immediately lifted her skirt and knelt down on the ground, saying: "I am Chen Si Niang, I have seen the elderly lady!"

  "Are you Chen Si Niang?"

  Chen Si Niang nodded.

  "Look up at me."

  Chen Si Niang slowly raised her head.

  Li Yang nodded and said: "It's a beauty indeed."

  Chen Si Niang slightly lowered her head.

  "I've heard of you."

  Chen Si Niang's face changed color, and her eyes turned red.

  Li Yang saw Chen Si Niang's expression and sighed: "She is also a poor soul!"

  Chen Si Niang's eyes were brimming with tears.

  "Speak up, what is the purpose of your family's master sending you here?"

  Chen Si Niang's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately knocked her head three times, her forehead turning blue and purple. "The master ordered me to serve Young Master Liang," she said, "in fact, I was sent to spy on the Yang Village."

  Chen Si Niang was intelligent and famous far and wide since childhood. If not, she wouldn't have been married once without success, twice without success, and thrice without success. However, after the third marriage, no matter how beautiful or intelligent Chen Si Niang was, nobody dared to ask for her hand in marriage again. The master of the house, Chen Hu, had his own ideas, which she naturally understood.

  Li Yang let out a soft sigh and said, "Your family head has indeed made a good decision."

  "It's embarrassing for the old lady."

  Li Yang smiled slightly and said, "It doesn't matter. Being able to stand firm in Yang Village is already an unexpected joy. One must not be greedy, the truth about Yang Village will eventually come out. You can get up now, wait for my son to return and see how he arranges things."

  In the late afternoon, Liangshan returned to his residence and saw a beautiful woman standing beside the old lady. Her eyebrows were slightly raised, her eyes were bright and gentle, and her face showed a mix of sadness and beauty. Upon inquiry, he learned that she was Chen Jia's fourth daughter-in-law.

  Liangshan thought for a moment and immediately understood the intention of the Chen family master. This move was vicious, sending someone who had been waiting in the village to die of old age to come, and Yangcun's true and false would be known.

  At this time, Wu Huo suddenly ran in and said that Chen's private soldiers were performing military exercises at the Chen family's training ground.

  The Chen family's private army was known as the Black Thorn Troops, and they learned the method of making black thorn armor from the Miao people in the forty-six caves of Xishan, thousands of miles away.

  This thing is powerful, knives and guns can't get in, and it can be used as a small ferry when crossing the river. It's exactly the equipment that Meng Huo used to fight against the Shu soldiers back then. There are 500 black rattan soldiers, except for those who were transferred to the general fortress, all of them were pulled to the training ground at the foot of Xiaoniu Mountain to practice.

  Knives and guns stood tall, the shout of killing shook the sky, no need for Wu Huatong to report that Liangshan could hear clearly. Liangshan thought to himself, Chen Hu is indeed an old fox among the poor aristocratic families, this move is obviously a military deterrent, coupled with sending Chen Si Niang, two tricks came out in a row.

  Although the old fox is hateful, it also reminds Liangshan of one thing: without sufficient military strength, there is no way to protect the fruits of victory. It seems that during the slack season, we should seize the opportunity to intensify military training.

  Li Yang was worried that his son would impulsively kill Chen Si Niang to eliminate future troubles.

  Liáng Shān saw Chen Si Niang and indeed she was a beauty, he turned around and shouted loudly: "Liáng Liàng! Liáng Liàng!"

  Liang Liang immediately ran over and said: "Young Master, what are your orders?"

  "Tonight, Young Master is taking Chen Si Niang as his concubine, you arrange everything properly."

  When Qingyun returned, I suddenly heard that her husband had taken a concubine, and my heart was filled with a hundred mixed emotions.

  Liangshan pulled Zhu Qingyun into the inner room and comforted her with a good scolding, explaining things in a straightforward manner.

  The fact is that Zhu Qingyun has always been devoted to the Tao, and cannot perform the rites of Zhou Gong, taking a concubine is an agreement between husband and wife, now the old lady is getting older, and having a child is also comforting the old lady's heart.

  Wishing Qingyun to establish herself with "filial piety", it's only natural that she understands Old Madam's poor health, and indeed needs to have a grandson as soon as possible.

  Li Rong said that Chen Si Niang was a spy sent by the Chen family, and although tonight was their wedding night, it was actually very dangerous. If they couldn't subdue this woman and turn her into a double agent for the Liang family, Liangshan Village would miss a great opportunity to develop and would be used by others instead.

  With these two powerful reasons, Qingyun had no choice but to agree and instead warned Liangshan to be careful, for that woman was extremely ruthless.

  The moon is high in the sky, and Liangshan and Chen the Fourth's daughter are married.

  Chen Si Niang finally breathed a sigh of relief. In the first three rounds, she didn't even have time to finish her greetings before the groom died.

  The first groom fell into the water and died on the way to welcome his bride. The second groom, while escorting Chen Si Niang into the house, suddenly let out a loud fart and scared himself to death. The third groom drank too much wine to boost his courage during the grand feast for guests and ended up dying from intoxication.

  Chen Si Niang's life was bitter, she had no high expectations for men, and it was the same with Liang Shan Bo. Even though he was a smooth talker and unreliable, Chen Si Niang could only accept it, hoping that he wouldn't die suddenly in front of her. If that happened, she would have no face to live on in this world.

  No accident occurred, and Chen Siniang couldn't help but steal a glance at Liangshan's eyes and eyebrows, and unexpectedly felt a faint joy in her heart.

  "Into the Butterfly Lovers" latest chapter is released by Yunqi Book House, the fastest and most popular online release site! (This site provides: traditional pagination, waterfall two modes, can be selected in settings)