“How can Grandmother Sun be so cruel-hearted? That Landlord Li is even older than she is, and she actually wants to send Taohua, who has only just come of age, to be his ninth concubine? There’s no one more disgusting than this.”
“For twenty taels of silver, she’s abandoned all decency, and even falsely accused Taohua of eloping with Shen Ming to ruin her reputation. Truly wicked. And to think Taohua still calls her grandmother.”
“Grandmother Sun has that sharp chin and thin face, a face full of ill omen. Anyone can tell she’s not a good person!
She used to despise Mrs. Qian for giving birth to a ‘money-losing good-for-nothing’ and not producing a son. She wanted Zhao Ershu to divorce his wife, and pushed him out with nothing but the clothes on his back before he could keep his wife and daughter. Now she dares to make decisions for her granddaughter? Pah, shameless!”
When the villagers arrived at the main hall of Zhao Ershu’s house and indeed saw Zhao Sanshi lying on the ground, they immediately began discussing among themselves, their eyes filled with contempt for Grandmother Sun.
Hearing their words, Grandmother Sun was so angry that the flesh on her face trembled.
She glared at the crowd and said, “Look at how Zhao Ershu’s family lives. I’m finding Taohua a golden nest, and you’re saying I’m wrong?”
“Grandmother, if it’s such a wonderful life, why don’t you go yourself?”
Zhao Taohua retorted.
Immediately, the villagers in the courtyard laughed. “That’s right, Taohua’s grandmother. If it’s such a wonderful life, why don’t you go yourself? You could even bring your sons and grandsons along to enjoy the good fortune with you!”
Grandmother Sun glared at the speaker and cursed, “What nonsense are you spouting? I’m already in my fifties. Are you trying to make me lose my virtue in my old age?
Once Taohua enters Li Fu, she’ll have meat at every meal and enjoy a life of comfort every day. I think you’re just jealous of her!”
At this moment, all she cared about was those twenty taels of silver. Even when she had no leg to stand on, she twisted her words to sound reasonable.
Grandmother Sun was well-known in the village for being difficult and impossible to deal with.
Everyone held their anger in their chests, but no one dared speak up, afraid of being entangled by Grandmother Sun and dragged into trouble.
But among the onlookers, there were still kind-hearted people who quietly went to fetch the Village Chief.
“Enjoy a life of comfort?” Zhao Taohua was worried that Grandmother Sun might actually manage to brush these people off. Her heart raced with anxiety, and tears immediately welled up in her eyes. “My father and the Zhao family’s old residence separated ten years ago. It was agreed back then that the second branch of the Zhao family would have no further connection with the old house.
Three years ago, I was gravely ill and we had no money for treatment. My father went to beg you, and you threw him out.
And now you’re so ‘kind-hearted’ that you want to send a fourteen-year-old girl to enjoy a life of comfort with a fifty-year-old man?”
“You—” Grandmother Sun was choked by Zhao Taohua’s words, a lump of anger stuck in her chest.
She had given birth to three sons, and Taohua’s father was the second in the middle. She had never cared much about him, treating him as dispensable.
Originally, Zhao Ershu had been honest and obedient, which she found acceptable. But then he went and defied her for the sake of that good-for-nothing Mrs. Qian who couldn’t produce a son.
So, in a fit of anger, she had divided the family property without giving Zhao Ershu a single thing.
She had indeed said those words, which was why for the past ten years, when Zhao Ershu came to the old residence to pay New Year’s greetings, she hadn’t even opened the door for their family of three!
She just hadn’t expected that little mongrel Zhao Taohua would use those words to choke her.
Mrs. Wang wasn’t as formidable as Grandmother Sun. Seeing so many people standing in the courtyard, she didn’t dare make a sound.
Grandmother Sun turned her head and shot her a glare. Useless thing!
Zhao Taohua didn’t give Grandmother Sun a chance to speak and continued, “Marriages are arranged by parents with a matchmaker’s word. My parents are still alive. How is it that you get to decide my marriage? Haven’t our two families long since had no connection?”
Grandmother Sun felt as if her face was being slapped publicly by Zhao Taohua. “You disrespectful little mongrel! I’m your grandmother! How dare you show me such disrespect?
Your parents have no time to arrange a match for you, so I find you a good marriage, and you still have the nerve to nitpick?!”
A cruel glint flashed in Grandmother Sun’s eyes as she reached out to grab Zhao Taohua’s wrist. There was no way she was letting those twenty taels slip away!
She signaled with her eyes for Mrs. Wang to pick up the wedding dress on the ground.
Zhao Taohua hadn’t expected Grandmother Sun to still refuse to give up in front of so many people, trying to drag her away by force?
Just then, she suddenly caught sight of a figure entering from outside. Zhao Taohua, who had been sitting on the ground, immediately got up and cooperated as Grandmother Sun pulled her outward.
She sobbed breathlessly, pleading, “Grandmother, I don’t want to be Landlord Li’s concubine!
Grandmother, if you want the twenty taels of silver, I’ll earn it and give it to you later. Please, don’t send me to Li Fu…”
Just as they were about to step out of the courtyard gate, a glint of triumph flashed in Grandmother Sun’s eyes. She was going to earn that silver today for sure!
“Sun Zhaodi, have you no shame left at your age?”
Before Grandmother Sun’s foot could cross the courtyard threshold, an old man with a goatee blocked her path.
His voice was full of vigor, his presence overwhelming Grandmother Sun, and his sudden appearance startled her so much that her face changed color!
“Village Chief, please save me! I haven’t even come of age yet. I don’t want to be Landlord Li’s ninth concubine…”
Zhao Taohua grabbed the Village Chief’s arm and dropped to her knees with a thud, crying pitifully. She looked so miserable that the Village Chief’s brows knitted tightly together. He had a granddaughter around Zhao Taohua’s age himself.
The Village Chief’s home wasn’t far from Zhao Ershu’s. Three years ago, Zhao Ershu’s family had gone into debt to pay for Zhao Taohua’s medical treatment, leaving them in a particularly difficult situation. He would often look after them from time to time.
Someone had just told him that Grandmother Sun was causing trouble at Zhao Ershu’s house, so he rushed over immediately.
He never expected that upon arriving, he would hear such words!
The Village Chief held considerable authority in Zhaojiacun. The moment he arrived, Grandmother Sun didn’t dare act recklessly anymore.
However, Grandmother Sun still clung to one of Zhao Taohua’s hands, unwilling to give up the twenty taels of silver that were practically in her grasp!
“Sun Zhaodi, if you do such a heartless thing and damage the reputation of our Zhaojiacun, don’t blame me for invoking the Village Rules!”
The Village Chief said sternly.
Everyone knew that Landlord Li in town was old and advanced in years, obsessed with women, his body long since hollowed out. Word had it he was on his last legs.
And Sun Zhaodi actually wanted to send little Taohua off to be his concubine!
If the surrounding villages got wind of this, wouldn’t they laugh their heads off?
Grandmother Sun’s heart skipped a beat. She was over fifty now—if she got expelled from the village, where would she live?
At her age, would she end up homeless?
Wouldn’t that be a laughingstock?
If her old man found out, would he divorce her and find someone new to serve him?
Grandmother Sun was afraid, her face turning ugly.
She’d lived most of her life, and now she was about to stumble at the finish line?
Not only had she failed to earn those twenty taels today, but her youngest son had also fainted for some unknown reason?
Grandmother Sun’s eyes rolled, and a new idea immediately formed in her mind.
“Xiao cao gou, your uncle was perfectly fine when he arrived. After you cursed him, he collapsed.
Pay up—twenty taels, not a single coin less!”
Zhao Taohua’s mouth twitched. Was she really trying to pin this on her?
Twenty taels? Was Zhao Sanshi even worth that?
“Grandmother, if you hadn’t harmed me, why would Uncle be plagued by evil thoughts and collapse?
I suggest you do more good deeds and stop slandering people.”
Zhao Taohua gave Grandmother Sun a once-over. She had a considerable amount of Yin Qi on her too.
Grandmother Sun frowned and said, “Stop your nonsense! My youngest is the kindest soul—he has no evil thoughts at all. It’s you who cursed him into illness!”
The little mongrel dared to curse her youngest again!
Grandmother Sun glared at Zhao Taohua. If looks could kill, Zhao Taohua would have died ten thousand times over in Grandmother Sun’s eyes by now.
“The village doctor, Great-Grandfather, is right here. We’ll know if he’s sick with one look!”