The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 50 - Isn’t it worth these 10 taels of silver
50: Chapter 50 Isn’t it worth these 10 taels of silver?
50 -50 Isn’t it worth these 10 taels of silver?
Wang Daxiu, struck at heart by the words, was both furious and anxious.
She wanted to fight Old Granny Zhang for dear life, but the sight of the kitchen knife in that old woman’s hand made her lose courage.
Standing at the gate of the courtyard, she could see it was surrounded by onlookers, three layers deep inside and out.
Old Granny Zhang’s words were as if stripping her naked in front of a public gathering.
She felt such shame and humiliation that she wished for the ground to swallow her up.
The whispers of the neighbors who had gathered to watch, reached her ears as if they were all laughing at her for being unchaste and promiscuous.
Unable to withstand this provocation, Wang Daxiu’s eyes rolled back, and she fainted limply to the ground.
Li Dagui was so furious his heart was bleeding.
He hadn’t anticipated his wife would be so unfit for confrontation, unable to outshout the others, and lacking the courage to fight.
A few harsh words were all it took to scare her into fainting.
But he immediately snapped to action, calling out to his son and daughter-in-law, “Useless things, don’t you see your mother has fainted?
Why aren’t you carrying her inside?”
A neighbor who was on good terms with the Li Family, unable to bear the sight, spoke up, “Enough already, Sister Zhang, you’ve made Madam Wang faint with your words. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
That’s about enough, killing someone is not without consequence, after all.
Don’t go too far!”
“Cut the crap!
Is this what you call too far?
Have I smashed the Li Family to pieces or dragged that little harlot of theirs to the pond to drown?
When they wanted my son to be a cuckold, why didn’t they think of today?
When they commit such unforgivable, inhuman acts, it’s not going too far, but when my family comes over to scold them, we’re accused of excess?
Is it because this hasn’t fallen on your family?
If your son brought home a wife like that, womanizing before even passing your threshold, and bringing a bastard grandchild into the bargain, if you can be happy about that, then I’ll take my hat off to you!
It only hurts when it’s your own egg, right?
So what if Wang Daxiu has fainted?
Can’t I faint too?
Tell me, how do you want me to faint?
Want me to do a demonstration for you?”
As she spoke, she rolled her eyes back and swayed as if she was about to collapse to the ground.
Nobody dared to speak another word, all of them smiling apologetically, “I was wrong, Sister Zhang, look at my mouth!
I deserve to be hit, really!”
The two sons and daughters-in-law of the Li Family came out reluctantly.
The daughters-in-law, feeling ashamed, covered their faces with their sleeves and half-dragged, half-supported their mother-in-law back into the house.
The two sons of the Li Family were left.
The elder son was more honest.
No matter what, the fault lay with his family.
His mother had been scolded into fainting, and his sister was too ashamed to come out of the house.
His father was unwilling to show his face.
With no choice left, he gritted his teeth and, as the eldest son, stepped forward.
Thump!
The eldest son, Li Jinhu, knelt before Old Granny Zhang, “Aunt Zhang, this is all my sister’s fault!
Our Li Family has wronged the Wang Family, we’ve wronged the Wang Family Brothers!
Please, tell me, how can we make amends?
Or if you prefer, hit me to vent your anger.
I beg you, stop scolding.
Leave some dignity for our family—”
Old Granny Zhang was actually a bit surprised; she hadn’t expected the Li Family to have such an honest son.
His own father hiding behind the scenes, not coming forward, his mother feigning faint, and yet this honest son was pushed to the forefront.
Thinking it over, she decided she had done enough scolding; it was time to know when to stop.
The families nearby were all part of the Li Family clan.
If she went too far, the rest of the Li Family might feel compelled to intervene.
That could lead to complications and might prevent her from gaining an advantage in the situation.
Indeed!
Old Granny Zhang’s first reaction upon hearing that Li Jinzhi had been unfaithful was relief that she wouldn’t have to deal with an unwanted daughter-in-law anymore.
Only then did she feel the anger at her son being made a cuckold, followed by considering how to extract a sufficient compensation from the Li Family.
Finally, with a heavy sigh, she set down the kitchen knife, putting on the guise of a caring aunt, “Ah, I know you, child, are honest.
You probably had no idea about the shameful things your sister did!
It’s hard on you, I know.
It must be tough on you, being the responsible elder brother and sister-in-law!”
With this speech, Li Jinhu’s eyes reddened, and the grown man was almost choked up on the spot.
“Auntie, it’s tough on you to be so understanding!
My little sister is young and naive, she was deceived!
No matter what, this matter is our Li Family’s fault.
Please calm down, Auntie, and come inside to sit.
Whatever you want to say, let’s talk it out, okay?”
Only then did Old Granny Zhang nod with reserved approval, “All right, Jinhu, don’t you hold it against Auntie for speaking harshly just now!
You also need to understand Auntie.
Isn’t that child the flesh that dropped from her mother?
Hearing about such matters, which mother could bear it?
I’m also heartbroken for the Wang Family’s Fourth Child, you know.
The boy is honest, and truly smitten with your family’s Jinzhi!
While doing odd jobs outside, he scrimped and saved to buy Jinzhi flowers to wear, and when he heard that the two families were discussing a marriage, he didn’t forget to catch rabbits for Jinzhi to nourish her body while he was up in the mountains collecting wood.
In the end, this is all creating karma—”
This speech left a ring of people around them feeling empathy, reflecting on it, they felt too much pity for the Wang Family’s Fourth Child.
With his whole heart set on Li Jinzhi, and yet Li Jinzhi treated him in such a way, it was bad enough that she got involved with another man, but to make matters worse, the man was from the He Family, making it all unbearable to contemplate.
Instantly, those who had felt a tinge of sympathetic sorrow had their feelings dissipate.
Especially, those from the neighboring Li Family who had initially planned to intervene if the Wang Family made too much of a commotion—no matter what, the Wang Family was stepping on the Li Family’s dignity!
But Old Granny Zhang was rather shrewd, only cursing a bit more, although harshly, anyone would struggle to contain themselves upon thinking how their son was gleefully waiting to marry a bride, only to find out that the bride was pregnant with another man’s child.
This was especially true for a few who usually had a good relationship with Wang Yongping, their faces felt inflamed.
They felt they had wronged the other party, and their good impressions of Li Jinzhi evaporated, replaced with sheer disgust.
They had always seen this cousin flaunt her looks around town, but to behave so immorally, she had ruined the entire Li Family’s reputation!
Taking advantage of the situation, Old Granny Zhang gestured for Lady Lin to enter the Li Family home with her.
The people of the Li Family all breathed a sigh of relief—so long as the commotion did not continue outside, all was well, all was well!
The eldest son shut the main door, locking out the outside murmurs of gossip and stares as if watching a spectacle.
In the hall, Li Dagui’s face was quite unsightly.
Seeing Old Granny Zhang come in, he forced himself to stand up to greet her but refrained from calling her kin, “Sister Zhang, you speak.
What do you see as a solution to this situation?”
Now, the initiative was in the hands of the Wang Family; he had no choice.
Knowing that Old Granny Zhang was a tough nut to crack, if she were to be further provoked, the Li Family might face disgrace far beyond the bounds of their village.
Old Granny Zhang didn’t bother being polite, “Ten taels of silver, our families will annul the marriage arrangement and have nothing more to do with each other!”
“What?” Li Dagui was utterly stunned.
That was daylight robbery—a whole ten taels!
Why not just go and rob someone!
That was nearly half of the Li Family’s entire fortune!
Would he really lose half of his wealth for such an ill-fated daughter?
Absolutely not!
“Impossible!
Sister Zhang, that’s far too much.
Even if you kill me, Li Dagui, I couldn’t afford it!” Li Dagui flatly refused.
“Hmph, your family might not have it, but doesn’t your capable daughter have a wealthy fiancé?
Isn’t her rich fiancé lacking?
Isn’t the child in your daughter’s belly worth these ten taels of silver?” Old Granny Zhang implied meaningfully.
