Chapter 14: Building a Reputation
At the entrance of Plum Blossom Village, Village Chief Gu stopped the ox cart.
He and Gu Zesen got off the ox cart first.
Village Chief Gu said to Gu Zesen, “Zesen, you send Xingnong and Xinghui home and help them carry their things.”
After he finished speaking, he thought of something else and waved his hand. “Forget it, you have no strength in your hands, you probably can’t even lift these few jin of grain. I’ll do it! You drive the ox home!”
Gu Zesen: “…”
He suspected he was picked up from the streets.
How could a father humiliate his son like this?
Xinghui jumped off the ox cart and picked up two bags of rice and flour. “Uncle Gu, no need, I can carry these things back. Really, there’s no need to trouble Uncle Gu and Brother Gu, it’s just a short distance. Uncle Gu, Brother Gu, go back quickly!”
Xingnong, while the two were not paying attention, left a bag of buns on the ox cart, then she put on her back basket and jumped off the ox cart lightly. She bid farewell to the two and then walked home with Xinghui, their steps light and graceful.
So carefree!
Village Chief Gu looked at Gu Zesen with disappointment. “Son, you need to practice more. Your strength is not even as good as a girl’s!”
Gu Zesen, who had been deeply hurt today, glanced at his father. “I’m going to tell Mother.”
After he finished speaking, he turned and climbed onto the ox cart.
Village Chief Gu: “…”
Village Chief Gu also followed onto the ox cart, flicked the reins, and made the ox start walking. He shouted loudly, “Hey, brat, are you a child? You’re going to tell on me? If you dare tell your mother, I won’t acknowledge you!”
“I’ll tell my mother that you don’t acknowledge me.”
Village Chief Gu almost vomited blood and became furious. “How can you threaten your father like this? You’re not allowed to tell your mother! If you dare tell your mother, see if I don’t beat you to death!”
“I’ll tell Mother that you threatened me and wanted to beat me to death.”
The ox cart, amidst the father and son’s bickering, drove into Peach Blossom Village, which was not far away.
As soon as Xingnong entered the village, she saw many villagers’ children playing by the roadside.
When those children saw Xingnong and Xinghui, someone immediately said, “The bastards are back! Blegh blegh blegh!”
The other children also made faces at Xingnong. “Ugly freak, bastard! Blegh blegh blegh!”
Xingnong lifted her foot and walked towards this group of brats.
The children were instantly scared and scattered, shouting, “Mother, the bastard wants to hit me!”
“Father!”
Those children were already experienced, they ran into the alley to find adults after shouting.
Xingnong saw them run into the alley, then heard the noise inside, her eyes turned cold.
This alley led to their house.
Xinghui’s face changed, he hurriedly carried the things and walked in.
Xingnong followed unhurriedly.
As soon as the two entered the alley, they saw two figures running up the back mountain.
The one in front was Shen Ruoxi, the one behind was Xingqing.
Shen Ruoxi had another episode!
Xinghui’s face changed, he immediately dropped the rice and flour in his hands. “I’ll go after Aunt and bring her back, Sister, you go see Grandmother.”
He was used to doing this kind of thing.
Xingnong glanced at the crowd indifferently, then directly chased after them.
She quickly overtook Xinghui and Xingqing, caught up with Shen Ruoxi halfway up the mountain, knocked her unconscious with a chop, and caught her limp body.
Xingqing and Xinghui, who were close behind: “…”
Xingnong said to the two, “My mother will wake up soon, you stay here and go down later.”
The two nodded and stepped forward to take Shen Ruoxi.
✿✿✿
If Shen Ruoxi woke up, one person might not be able to hold her back.
Xingnong walked down the mountain, neither too fast nor too slow, calm and unhurried.
The narrow alley was crowded with people.
Shen Mingzhu, dressed in fine clothes, stood among the crowd in coarse linen clothes, like a crane among chickens.
Her voice was gentle, her face full of good intentions. “Second Grandmother, no matter what happened back then, since you said you bought this house for one tael of silver, now we’ll give you five taels to buy it back. Five taels of silver is enough to find a new place and build a new house. Isn’t it better than living in this dark house?”
Yao Shi echoed in a soft and gentle voice, “To be honest, the master said that the feng shui of this house is not good, it’s bad for you and everyone, it affects the health of the head of the family. That’s why Great-grandfather accidentally fell and died. Look at these years, hasn’t Cousin Ruoxi also had problems? We’re also doing this for the good of the family, otherwise, our family wouldn’t ask Second Grandmother to move out of the ancestral home. You’ve lived here for so many years, haven’t you? You wouldn’t want everyone to have a bad life, would you?”
Her words were reasonable and well-founded. If Madam Gu didn’t agree, it would mean she deliberately wanted everyone to suffer.
Madam Gu wanted to chase after Shen Ruoxi, but she also had to face them. She looked anxiously at the back mountain and just happened to see Xinghui and Xingnong coming back. Xinghui chased after her, and she was slightly relieved. “Go away! I’m not selling!”
Shen Mingzhu: “Second Grandmother, we have no other choice. I see that Grandmother’s injuries seem to be getting worse day by day. I’m worried that she will end up like Great-grandfather. Second Grandmother, please, I’ll give you five taels of silver and buy this house. Please move out of the ancestral home! I’m really afraid of losing Grandmother, sob sob. Why won’t you move? You wouldn’t want everyone to suffer, would you?”
She directly knelt down, tears falling down her face. Her pear blossom bathed in rain appearance made people feel pity for her.
Shen Mingzhu had already seen Xingnong coming back with so many things. It seemed that what she had asked her maid to do had worked!
Madam Gu’s face changed, she hurriedly went to pull her up. “What are you doing! Get up.”
Shen Mingzhu: “Second Grandmother won’t sell, so I won’t get up.”
The villagers were all moved. “Miss Mingzhu is truly kind-hearted. For the sake of her grandmother, she even knelt down to beg someone.”
“Black-hearted and rotten-gutted Madam Gu! She won’t even sell for five taels of silver, does she want to ruin the Shen family?”
“Vicious woman, she gave birth to two daughters, causing Chongshan’s line to be cut off, and now she wants to ruin the entire eldest branch of the Shen family?”
“Madam Yao, Miss Mingzhu, don’t bother with them, just drive them away! That house is the ancestral home, it’s not theirs!”
“Madam Yao and Miss Mingzhu are so kind. Madam Gu, hurry up and sell the house! With these five taels of silver, you can build a new house with blue bricks and tiles. Don’t stay here and bring misfortune to everyone!”
The eldest branch of the Shen family was the richest in the village, they owned hundreds of mu of fertile land and rented it to the villagers for farming, so everyone respectfully called Yao Shi “Madam.”
“That’s right! Five taels of silver is enough to buy land and build a house elsewhere, hurry up and get out! They’ve already been more than generous!”
“Second Grandmother, moving out would also be good for Cousin Ruoxi’s recovery,” Yao Shi added, seeing that the time was ripe, and was about to head back.
They deliberately came back today, before reporting to the authorities and having Shen Xingnong arrested, to let Mingzhu build a good reputation for kindness and filial piety among the villagers.
In the Chu Kingdom, the selection of imperial consorts, the minor selection was held every three years, and only daughters from official families of the fourth rank or above could participate. The grand selection was held every five years, and women from ordinary families could participate as long as their family background was clean and they had good moral character. This was the imperial court’s grace to ordinary people.
Her daughter had beauty and talent, if she added a reputation for filial piety, it would be perfect.
Actually, if it weren’t for their concern for their reputation, it wouldn’t be so difficult for their family to get this ancestral house back.
Madam Gu’s face darkened as she waved her hand. “I said I won’t sell, not even for one hundred taels. If you want to kneel, kneel! Just don’t kneel at my door! Get further away!”
This was the house her husband left her, he told her to keep it and not tear it down.
She didn’t know the reason, but if she sold it, the eldest branch would probably tear it down and add it to their own house.
“Please move aside,” a cold voice sounded behind the crowd.
Everyone saw Xingnong and made way for her, then they saw the things in Xingnong’s hands and were surprised. Where did this bastard get the silver to buy so many things?
Shen Dabao felt very sorry for Shen Mingzhu kneeling on the ground. When he saw Xingnong coming back, he immediately said, “Hey, hurry up and sell the house, don’t waste Miss Mingzhu’s kindness! It’s five taels of silver now! When your grandmother finds out, your family won’t get a single copper coin!”
Xingnong didn’t even glance at him, let alone speak.
Shen Mingzhu saw Xingnong coming back, she knelt on the ground and turned to look at her, her eyes red, she said softly, “Cousin Xingnong, if five taels is not enough, ten taels, ten taels of silver can build a very big house. It will also be easier for you, Xinghui, and Xingqing to find good marriage partners. You… ah~~”
A piercing scream resounded through the air.
