Chapter 27
"You did well before, but now we need to stir up even more trouble."
"Isn't it enough already? Didn't we already make the Zhou family back off?"
The woman, tucking her hands into her sleeves, couldn't help but mutter under her breath as she watched the fair-skinned scholar giving her orders.
"Do as I say without question. Why must you talk so much?"
You Lingxiao glared at the woman, as if her words had stabbed his heart.
He had originally thought that the Ji family would change their minds upon hearing the village rumors. Yet, when he saw Ji Taoyu, he was met with nothing but indifference.
Thinking of their past closeness, Ji Taoyu's current attitude toward him was driving him mad.
No matter what it took, he wanted Ji Taoyu back by his side.
The woman shrank back. "Fine, I'll listen to you, but you’ll have to pay more."
You Lingxiao scoffed in disgust and tossed a silver ingot at her. "Do the job well, and you won’t lose out. But if you can’t keep your mouth shut, don’t expect any good to come of it."
The woman picked up the silver from the ground and immediately beamed with delight. "Understood, understood! It’s my honor to serve You Juren."
You Lingxiao waved impatiently. "Get out now. Be careful when you leave, don’t let anyone see you."
"Aye."
The woman tucked the silver into her pocket and retreated cheerfully.
"Lingxiao, why did you call that Wang niangzi to our house again? Didn’t I tell you not to associate with such people?"
Seeing the woman leave, You's mother entered the room displeased.
"That venomous-tongued hag spread countless rumors about our family back then. The three of us could barely hold our heads up in the village, mostly thanks to her. She even forced your sister to marry some lowly family in the county town because no decent match could be found for her here."
You Lingxiao said, "Mother, that’s all in the past. Now, people like her can only grovel before us. Why dwell on old grievances and upset yourself?"
"It’s not that I hold grudges, but Wang niangzi has a loose tongue, and her son is a ruffian. Even if we pay them to do things, who knows what else they might scheme? What if she blackmails you later, demanding you find her son a good job? What if they latch onto our family?"
You Lingxiao replied, "Once the matter is settled and Taoyu marries me, whatever she says won’t change a thing. If she dares cross the line, I won’t spare her family."
You's mother fell silent. She knew what rumors were spreading in the village and that it was all You Lingxiao’s doing.
She couldn’t quite describe the feeling in her heart. After all, the Ji family had once helped the You family. If they had quietly accepted the broken engagement, the two families could still have greeted each other politely in the village.
It could have been an amicable parting. She hadn’t intended to trample on the Ji family.
Ji Taoyu’s health was already poor, making it harder for him to find a match compared to other healthy gers or girls. Now, with his reputation ruined, no respectable family would even look his way.
Of course, she knew this was exactly what her son wanted. But she still felt it was too much. "Ji Taoyu is still a ger. If the Ji family refuses to yield and pushes him to despair, it’ll turn into a life-and-death grudge. Maybe we should—"
Before she could finish, You Lingxiao snapped impatiently, "If you hadn’t lied to me back then, saying the engagement couldn’t be broken, I wouldn’t have had to go to such lengths!"
"No matter what, I will marry Taoyu. He was supposed to be my fulang. If not for your meddling, he wouldn’t be treating me so coldly now."
You's mother was stunned into silence by her son’s sudden outburst of blame.
You Lingxiao had always been gentle and refined, obedient to her words, never even raising his voice at her. When had he ever spoken to her like this?
Her heart ached with grievance. "I never thought the Ji family would be so stubborn, rejecting such a good match. I know Ji Taoyu’s matter has hit you so hard, but everything I did was for your sake."
You Lingxiao softened his tone, realizing he had gone too far. "I was too harsh. Please don’t take my words to heart. Just leave the rest to me, I’ll handle it."
By noon, the village was quiet, and Wang niangzi didn’t think it the best time to spread rumors.
Pleased with the hefty sum she’d earned today, she decided to go home for lunch, take a nap, and then stroll out later.
"Ah Hu, you’re back!"
As she reached the courtyard gate, she saw the door wide open. Hurrying inside, she couldn’t help but chatter, "You’ve returned just in time! I made a fortune today. This year’s New Year will be— Ah!"
Before she could finish, she saw her son tied to a chair, and a fierce-looking stranger sitting on a bench, glaring at her like a man-eater.
His three-white eyes locked onto hers, and her legs nearly gave way in terror.
[三白眼 (sān bái yǎn): lit. Three-white eyes, eyes where the sclera (white) is visibly prominent above and/or below the iris, creating a cold, sinister, or predatory appearance often associated with ruthless characters.]
"So, this is your mother?"
Huo Shu kicked the stool, sending the man and chair crashing to the ground. Though the floor wasn’t stone, the force was enough to make him howl in pain.
Yet the man didn’t dare protest, hastily answering, "Y-yes, Brother Huo, this is my mother."
After learning the address of Widow Wang, Huo Shu had come to wait for her.
Instead, he found her son first, and it was still someone he knew: the ruffian who had harassed Yuan Huiru at the Zhao family when he first arrived in the village.
Without a word, Huo Shu decided to "reconnect" with his old acquaintance.
Li Jinhu had been wandering outside for days and had just returned home to rest. The moment he stepped inside, Huo Shu vaulted over the wall, nearly scaring him to his knees.
He hadn’t provoked anyone related to Huo Shu lately, why was this demon here?
"B-Brother Huo, what brings you to my humble home? How can I serve you? I’d spilled my liver and brains on the ground for you!"
[肝腦塗地 (gān nǎo tú dì): lit. Liver and brains spilled on the ground; fig. To pledge absolute loyalty, even at the cost of one’s life]
Huo Shu eyed him coldly. "Lately, there’s been talk in the village that the Ji family’s ger and You Lingxiao have been intimate. I hear your mother loves spreading gossip. I’m here to ask about it."
Li Jinhu gulped. He knew his mother’s nature.
He never cared about women’s gossip, what harm could idle talk do? Who’d have thought someone would actually come knocking?
And not just anyone, this unshakable iron plate.
He feared Huo Shu deeply. Last time, he’d only been beaten. Later, he heard Huo Shu was a northern soldier returned from the frontlines, which chilled him further.
He could provoke fierce men, because even someone like Butcher Qiao in the village could be reasoned with. But not Huo Shu. He was used to killing. Even if it wasn’t wartime, who knew if he’d snap and strike lethally?
Thank you for the update!!!!
ReplyDelete