The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

Grandma Luo was so desperate for her grandson that when she heard Liu Yue'e say that Gu Dashu had a baby, she forgot all her pain and couldn't help but ask, "What happened to my grandson?"

Liu Yue'e clapped her hands and said, "Your grandson did join the army, but he committed a crime and was punished by military law. I'm afraid his head was already dried up before the new year."

Not only was Granny Luo stunned, but even Zhao and the others were astonished.

An elderly woman asked, "Daughter-in-law, is what you're saying true?"

Liu Yue'e tilted her head back and said, "Why would I lie to you? I'm not some petty person like Granny Luo who curses others for no reason. But Chunwang has only himself to blame; he harbored a bellyful of evil intentions and went all the way to the border."

Liu Yue'e then embellished the story about Chunwang from Gu Dashu's letter and spread it around.

The villagers gasped.

Chunwang is ruthless. He even killed his superiors to seize military merits. If he becomes a general, wouldn't he bring in the people of the northern desert to massacre the city?

Such a person deserves to be dealt with by military law.

"Grandma Luo, you always say your grandson will be a great general, and now look what's happened, he's gone to the underworld to be a general and slay Yama, the King of Hell," someone said to Grandma Luo.

Grandma Luo always spread the news in the village that her grandson had written a letter and performed meritorious service. After hearing it so many times, many villagers actually believed it.

Those who believed it all felt that Heaven was blind.

The fact that Chunwang has been dealt with by military law is a cause for celebration.

Grandma Luo was so shocked that her eyes rolled back and she fainted on the snow.

Upon hearing the news, Tian Fugui and Cao rushed over, grabbing Liu Yue'e's sleeve to ask if the news was true or false.

Liu Yue'e rolled her eyes and said, "If you don't believe me, go to the border and find out the news yourselves, or wait for Chunwang to come back as a general."

Tian Fugui felt dizzy and, in a fit of anger, kicked Cao Shi hard, cursing, "It's all your fault for feeding the pigs and not watching our son properly."

Cao was kicked and sat on the ground. Thinking of her son, she cried out and fainted along with her mother-in-law.

Chunni stood outside the crowd, watching Granny Luo and her parents, a cold smile appearing on her lips.

Chunwang's decision to join the army was inseparable from her encouragement.

Chunwang was too young to buy someone else's spot, which was Chunwang's idea. She also helped him pawn a pair of bracelets for Granny Luo.

It's not that she's heartless.

However, as long as Chunwang remains, she and Cao will never have a good life.

Chunwang was wicked beyond measure at a young age. In order to get back the money she earned at Tong Huaqiong's pig farm, he didn't hesitate to lure a fool from the next village in an attempt to ruin her reputation.

All Chunni could do was laugh out loud at her brother's death.

Chunwang's death sparked a discussion in Qinghewan, and the direct consequence was that the village's teenagers were strictly controlled by their families, for fear that they would follow in Chunwang's footsteps and run to the border.

The Lantern Festival arrived quickly.

The Lantern Festival is traditionally celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, but due to the cold weather this year, the lantern festival in town has been cancelled.

Tong Huaqiong received the festival gifts sent by Lu Zhaoyang from Shengjing. In fact, the gifts had been sent before the New Year, but due to heavy snow blocking the roads, they did not arrive until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

Thanks to the efforts of Old Master Lu and Master Huang, the charcoal merchants in Shengjing who attempted to raise charcoal prices like the Zheng family were effectively suppressed, stabilizing charcoal prices in Shengjing and allowing Shengjing, like Ningcheng, to overcome the difficulties of the extreme cold weather.

Among the gifts Lu Zhaoyang sent were two large boxes of lanterns, which he said were popular lanterns in Shengjing, and were for the Gu family's children to play with.

Unable to go to town to admire the lanterns this year, Tong Huaqiong had several maids hang lanterns from Jufulai that she had taken before the New Year all over the courtyard. The lanterns given by Lu Zhaoyang also came in handy.

So the Gu family hung lanterns all over their fence, under their eaves, and on their trees.

Man'er, Yaozu, and several other children clapped excitedly, while many other children from the village came to admire the lanterns, warming their hands with their breath.

The Shengjing lanterns that Lu Zhaoyang gave us were indeed beautiful, each one lifelike.

Tong Huaqiong was standing under the eaves looking up when she suddenly heard a loud noise coming from the village.

It sounded like an explosion. Tong Huaqiong felt the ground beneath her feet tremble, and even the windows rattled loudly.

Gu Taohua and the others were so shocked that they ran from the house to the yard.

"what's wrong?"

Tong Huaqiong was so frightened that she thought an earthquake had struck.

Just as Tong Huaqiong was about to run outside, she heard someone shouting loudly.

"Oh no! There's a fire!"

"Fire!" "Come quickly and put out the fire!"

A fire in the countryside is a serious matter.

In that era, most houses had thatched roofs, so once a fire started, it could easily spread and burn down the entire village.

Tong Huaqiong took a step forward.

Her weaving workshop was piled with cotton, and if a fire were to spread and burn it down, the losses would be enormous.

Seeing Tong Huaqiong lift her foot, Gu Dahan and Gu Jingzhe rushed out of the house with buckets of water.

Gu Taohua, Tong Pandi, and Chen Sufen followed behind and ran out.

"Whose house is on fire?"

Once outside, Tong Huaqiong saw Liu Yue'e wandering around aimlessly late at night and grabbed her, asking her a question.

Liu Yue'e tucked the melon seeds into her bosom and said, "It looks like the direction of the old house."

Tong Huaqiong looked towards the old house.

Flames and thick smoke appeared in the air above the old house.

Many people have already run towards the direction of the fire.

Tong Huaqiong and the others also ran towards the old house.

Upon arriving at the old house, the courtyard was filled with thick smoke and fire, accompanied by bursts of weeping.

Gu Jingzhe and Gu Dahan directed everyone to put out the fire.

Soon, Grandpa Gu and Grandma Gu were pulled out of the house.

Gu Youtian and Jia Shi were pulled out by Gu Fengnian, one in each hand.

Gu Xiaoxue and Wei Shi helped Yao Jia rush out.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the person come out.

"Sister-in-law."

Gu Honglian was so frightened that she trembled and ran to Tong Huaqiong's side, crying and shouting.

Tong Huaqiong asked, "What exactly happened?"

Gu Honglian, her face covered in soot, said, "We were inside when, for some reason, there was an explosion outside, and then a fire broke out."

Gu Honglian didn't know what was going on, and neither did Grandpa Gu and Grandma Gu.

The people in the old house were terrified.

"In this cold weather, if the house burns down, Qing will freeze to death."

Grandma Gu started crying.

"Waaah, just burn me to death already, I might as well go underground and keep the boss company."

Grandma Gu cried bitterly.

Since arriving in Qinghewan, nothing has gone smoothly.

The whole village mobilized and finally put out the fire.

The old house and a pile of firewood were burned down within six months.

Fortunately, the fire was extinguished in time and did not spread to the surrounding neighborhoods.

"What exactly happened? Did one of the children set off firecrackers and throw them into the woodpile?" the village chief asked with a dark face after putting out the fire.

When everyone heard the village chief say this, their eyes all fell on Yao Jia, who was in Wei's arms.

During the Lunar New Year, what child doesn't love setting off firecrackers?

Children don't know any better and often throw firecrackers into latrines and woodpile piles.

Especially on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, since people cannot leave the village to enjoy the lanterns, the children stay at home and set off firecrackers.

Seeing everyone staring at him, Yao Jia said in a tearful voice, "It wasn't me, it wasn't me." (End of Chapter)