Recaps

Su Yuhe adjusted to life with three young slaves while stretching her money through copying work and household chores. As Ruan Puchuan became involved with her household and Little He brought her a letter-writing opportunity, the village chief arrived with news.

• Su Yuhe learned Xubai had not sent the three young slaves, then took Lu Mingyi, Lu Mingxi, and Meng Zhixian into her home as Xubai returned to the imperial capital.
• Su Yuhe and the three youths shared cramped quarters and chores, while she took copying jobs and managed their limited food, money, and bedding.
• Li Yun cooked for Su Yuhe and helped her household, while Ruan Puchuan endured abuse from Liu Xiaobo and Li Wenxiu.
• Su Yuhe took Lu Mingyi to the clinic for his hand and chilblains, then encountered Liu Xiaobo and his frail son-in-law before returning home with Lu Mingyi feverish.
• Ruan Puchuan began helping Lu Mingxi gather wild vegetables and cook, but Liu Xiaobo frightened Lu Mingxi, who told Su Yuhe what had happened.
• Little He offered to sell fish, and Su Yuhe instead bought firewood and arranged for him to bring customers’ letters to the post station for a share of the earnings.
• Three days later, Little He brought the village chief to Su Yuhe, and she said she had come to tell Su Yuhe something.

As Su Yuhe prepared for the coming great freeze, she gathered supplies, earned money copying books, and grew closer to Li Yun and the three men in her household. Xubai confronted her about their relationship, gave her gold, and then employed the three men at his estate, where he eyed Meng Zhixian with suspicion.

• The village chief told Su Yuhe that her household owed payments or labor for the city and village granaries, and Su Yuhe began considering how to cover the cost.
• Su Yuhe sold copied books, bought food and sweet potatoes, and arranged to buy vegetables directly from Second Sister Li.
• Li Yun sold a wild boar to help pay for the granaries, then asked Su Yuhe who he was to her, and she promised to marry him after his mourning period.
• Su Yuhe and the men prepared and dried hundreds of jin of sweet potatoes while Second Sister Li worried that villagers could not afford the granary payments.
• After Xubai’s men questioned Liu Xiaobo about Su Yuhe, Su Yuhe suspected Xubai was looking for her and later earned seven taels selling copied books in town.
• Xubai summoned Su Yuhe, confronted her about ending their relationship, and insisted she eat with him before she returned to work.
• Xubai learned Su Yuhe and Meng Zhixian were earning money copying books, gave Su Yuhe a box of gold, and told her to stay with him instead of working.
• Su Yuhe brought Lu Mingyi, Lu Mingxi, and Meng Zhixian to work at Xubai’s estate and asked Zhuxin for lighter duties for Lu Mingxi, while Xubai watched Meng Zhixian suspiciously.