Madam Jiang stared at the IOU, her vision darkening.
She hadn't done anything! And now she owed that little bitch a hundred taels of silver?
If she had known earlier, she wouldn't have let Rong'er go up the mountain; she should have followed that little bitch up herself! She could have just found a steep slope and pushed her down to her death!
What a huge loss!
After pressing her fingerprint, Madam Jiang felt so heartbroken it was as if her blood were dripping.
Jiang Family's Second Son handed the IOU to Jiang Yanqing: "Elder Brother, here's the IOU."
As he spoke, Jiang Yanxuan also performed a scholar's gentlemanly bow to the surrounding neighbors: "Sister-in-law Wu, Grandma Zheng, fellow villagers, what my mother did today was wrong. I apologize on her behalf here. This concerns our family's reputation, so I ask everyone to keep this matter quiet.
Please spare my mother some face."
In farming households, the Xiucai (Scholars) they encountered were all lofty and arrogant. Their village was a large one, having produced five Xiucai, famous throughout the surrounding ten li and eight villages!
The Jiang family alone accounted for two.
However, scholars were expensive to support.
If it weren't for the Jiang family's eldest son passing the imperial examination and becoming a stipend-supported scholar,
they couldn't have sustained two Xiucai continuing to advance in the exams!
But once these two stopped pursuing higher exams and started a school in the village,
the Jiang family's life would definitely be better than any other household in the village.
A Xiucai personally apologizing to them—when had they ever seen such a scene?
They all expressed understanding.
They were all neighbors; who didn't have children? By giving face to the Xiucai, wouldn't they have a pathway if their children wanted to study in the future?
Jiang Yanqing's gaze was indifferent. His good second brother was as hypocritical as ever.
"Mother, let me help you back to rest." Jiang Yanxuan glanced at his elder brother and sighed: "Elder Brother, no matter what Mother did wrong, she is still our mother. For the sake of your wife, you disregard Mother—this is truly not what a gentleman should do."
"So what?"
Jiang Yanqing retorted expressionlessly.
In his previous life, he had adhered to the gentleman's code, shackled by filial piety in this village, his health ruined. In the end, this family trampled on his bones, drank his blood, transformed themselves, and suddenly became nobility.
If not for clinging to that one breath of resentment, he might have died in this nameless village.
Even after achieving the top honors in three consecutive imperial examinations, he nearly failed to see the emperor.
A gentleman? Let whoever wanted to be one, be one.
Jiang Yanxuan froze. How had his elder brother changed?
In the past, whenever he used these two words to pressure him, his elder brother would always give in.
"Elder Brother… you've changed. If our teacher knew you had become like this, he would surely be disappointed," Jiang Yanxuan said.
Hearing this, Jiang Yanqing nearly laughed out loud.
Teacher?
In his previous life, after learning the truth and preparing to leave the village, it was his good mentor who personally prepared wine and food, offering him a cup of poisoned wine, wanting him to die there.
【999: Villain Malice Value +4, Malice Value: 10000.】
Lu Zhaozhao: …
Her beautiful husband wasn't quite right in the head.
Jiang Yanqing didn't even spare them a glance, holding Lu Zhaozhao as they returned to their room.
Madam Jiang was also helped back to her room by Jiang Yanxuan. Once inside, Madam Jiang cried so hard she could barely catch her breath: "That heartless eldest son, I shouldn't have kept him back then; I should have let him die! How did I give birth to such a scourge!"
"Mother, about the silver…" Jiang Yanxuan frowned.
"It wasn't me who took it! I did go into their room looking for silver, but I couldn't find any. That little wretch must have hidden it away. Now she's accusing me of stealing our silver—where would our family have that much money?" Madam Jiang grew more distressed the more she thought about it.
Jiang Yanxuan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mother, you're being foolish. We can always find a way to get Brother's silver eventually. By searching their room, you've just handed them evidence against us."
Madam Jiang hung her head guiltily. "I… I just wanted to use the silver to buy more grain. Once prices rise this winter, we could sell some for profit."
With the fields yielding almost nothing and the family running low on food, the situation was dire.
"Mother, didn't I say I would handle this? Now we can't get their silver, and if we ask for it again, they'll just say you squandered it," Jiang Yanxuan said.
"That little witch! I knew she was no good! She's only been married into this family for a day, and already she's causing chaos."
Madam Jiang stomped her feet in anger.
"Mother, first help me propose to the village chief's family. As for Brother and Sister-in-law… we'll deal with them later."
Jiang Yanxuan didn't want his mother causing any more trouble.
"Alright, I'll go talk to them tomorrow," Madam Jiang said, perking up at the mention of the proposal.
Meanwhile, in the eastern room.
Lu Zhaozhao sat on the wooden plank bed, watching her handsome husband skillfully dig a hole in the northeast corner with a small shovel. She was utterly stunned.
Before long, Jiang Yanqing dragged in several small bags of coarse grains, a small packet of fine grains, and a few packages of pastries through the opening. After bringing everything in, he deftly sealed the corner with wooden planks and mud bricks.
Placing the items on the table, Jiang Yanqing finally looked at her. His cool, composed face was smeared with dirt.
Seeing the strange look in his little wife's eyes, Jiang Yanqing grew nervous.
Was she… perhaps thinking him incompetent?
He was frail and sickly, without any scholarly honors, and far from the powerful official he would later become. He must seem utterly useless.
But it didn't matter. Since he had married her and she hadn't died, she belonged to him. If Lu Zhaozhao looked down on him, he would simply kill her.
Just like the rest of the Jiang family…
He would grind their bones to dust right here in this village!
Lu Zhaozhao stood up, took out a handkerchief, and began wiping his face.
Jiang Yanqing was taken aback.
"Your face is covered in dust," Lu Zhaozhao said with a smile.
There was something inexplicably endearing about the way Jiang Yanqing had just moved those things.
And it pained her a little.
If not for the Jiang family's cruelty, Jiang Yanqing should have been a dignified gentleman.
Not the Villain from the book, nor someone who had to resort to secretly retrieving supplies this way.
Jiang Yanqing took Lu Zhaozhao's hand and returned the silver she had given him.
Lu Zhaozhao was surprised. "This silver…"
Jiang Yanqing's peach-blossom eyes met hers. Though his expression remained cool, she could see sincerity in his gaze.
He explained slowly, "When copying books for the bookshop, a silver deposit is required for each text. I used your silver as collateral to copy books there today. Then, with the silver I earned, I put down another deposit to borrow silver in advance for the next copying job. I just need to deliver the books to the shopkeeper within three days."
"Marrying you, my lady, came without the formalities of three matchmakers and six betrothals, nor the grand feasts of a hundred families. You treat me with sincerity, so naturally, I must provide for you. Whatever you wish to eat or desire, as long as you think of it, I shall make sure it is yours."
Lu Zhaozhao was utterly stunned.
If she hadn't misheard, this translated to her handsome husband wanting to support her?