“I’ll be waiting!”
The cart driver also demanded thirty copper coins from him. Xu Xiucai gritted his teeth and paid. He glared resentfully at the crowd. “Can you get out of the way now?”
The villagers, still angry, deliberately blocked his path, infuriating Xu Xiucai so much that he couldn’t stop cursing. Others mocked him, saying a scholar like him shouldn’t use such foul language—it was disgraceful.
Xu Xiucai was so furious he nearly fainted on the spot, his face turning purple with rage. Staggering, he carried his mother away on his back.
Yu Banxia quickly asked the ox-cart driver to take her home. She couldn’t stand the smell on her anymore; in just this short time, her clothes had already started to reek.
The driver, pleased with the payment, followed her directions and soon delivered her home.
Yu Mangui fetched water to help the driver wash the blood off the cart, though some stains remained.
“It’s fine. I got paid anyway,” the driver said cheerfully, not bothered by the lingering marks.
“Alright, uncle, take care on your way back,” Yu Mangui reminded him.
The driver nodded, bid farewell, and left.
Fan Cuilan was startled to see Yu Banxia covered in blood. Seeing her daughter’s aggrieved expression and her request for hot water to bathe, Fan Cuilan quickly fetched the freshly boiled water for her.
Noticing her daughter-in-law and Little Tiger were also stained, she panicked. “What happened? Why are you all covered in blood? Husband, you three men went along—how could you let our daughter and daughter-in-law get hurt?”
“Mother, we weren’t hurt. It was that shameless old hag Madam Ji. She claimed Xiaxia was possessed by an evil spirit and splashed us with black dog’s blood. We didn’t even have time to react before we were drenched,” Wu Zhuxiang quickly explained, seeing her mother-in-law angrily scolding her father-in-law and the others.
Hearing it was Madam Ji again, even the usually gentle Fan Cuilan grew furious.
“Go wash up first. I’ll go settle the score with her.”
“Mother, don’t. I already beat her up, and Xiaxia exposed her secret affair. That old hag was beaten up by everyone,” Wu Zhuxiang said, stopping Fan Cuilan in her tracks.
Fan Cuilan then noticed the donkey in the livestock pen and asked curiously, “Is that ours?”
Wu Zhuxiang nodded happily. “Yes, it’s ours. Little Sister bought it for the family, saying it’ll make traveling more convenient.”
“Good, good. Our Xiaxia thinks of everything. Go wash up quickly,” Fan Cuilan praised her daughter before urging her daughter-in-law.
“There’s still hot water in the pot. Eldest Son, go help your wife prepare her bath,” Fan Cuilan hurriedly told her son.
Yu Mangui quickly agreed and went to fetch bathwater for his wife.
Yu Hongwen also apologized repeatedly. “That woman rushed out too fast. We couldn’t react in time. Xiaxia and Huzi’s mother were sitting on the left side and got splashed by that madwoman.”
“As long as everyone’s safe. Didn’t our daughter-in-law say she already beat her up?” Fan Cuilan comforted her husband, seeing his guilt.
Yu Hongwen nodded, and Fan Cuilan asked how their trip to town went.
Yu Hongwen nodded again. “I gave the land deed to our daughter for safekeeping. Both Huzi and I were accepted into Cloud Mountain Academy. We’ll start studying in town after the busy farming season.”
“What? Did our daughter really pay your tuition too?” Fan Cuilan exclaimed excitedly.Yu Hongwen nodded, holding his wife’s hand. “I promise you, I will study hard. Even if I don’t top the imperial exams, I’ll at least earn the title of a provincial graduate and make you a graduate’s wife.”
“Good, good. I believe you can do it.” Fan Cuilan wiped the tears from the corner of her eye.
Yu Hongwen smiled and said, “These are all good and happy things. Why are you crying?”
Fan Cuilan quickly laughed. “These are tears of joy.”
While Yu Mancang was feeding the donkey nearby, Madam Wu stormed in angrily.
“Second daughter-in-law, I heard our Xiaxia was bullied by that madwoman Madam Ji?” Madam Wu asked bluntly as soon as she entered.
Fan Cuilan quickly told Madam Wu what she had heard. Madam Wu’s face darkened, and she turned and left.
Yu Hongwen glanced at his wife, and Yu Mancang was also confused. Why did Grandma leave just like that?
Fan Cuilan slapped her thigh. “Oh no, Mother must have gone to Little Xu Village.”
“Quick, Mancang, come with me right away.” Fan Cuilan hurriedly called Yu Mancang to chase after her. Despite Madam Yu’s small feet, she ran incredibly fast—in just a moment, she was already out of sight.
By the time the mother and son arrived, Madam Wu was already cursing outside the Xu family’s house.
“You heartless old shrew, you shameless old hag! How dare you bully my Xiaxia and even splash dog’s blood on her?”
“My granddaughter wasn’t wrong to curse you. You old lecher are the one possessed by ghosts, you shameless creature.”
“You deceived my little granddaughter for two years, making her send money and goods to your family.”
“You strung my little granddaughter along before, and now that she’s come to her senses, you’re still pestering her. You shameless wretch!”
“You probably planned to trick my Xiaxia into an engagement first, then use our family’s money to fund your useless son’s exam expenses!”
“A white-eyed wolf like him, even if he passes the exams, will become a corrupt official in the future—an ungrateful wretch.”
“Do you really think your family is some kind of treasure? I spit on you!”
Madam Wu grew more and more impassioned as she cursed, dragging out the men she had slept with to shame them again. The other women, who were already gathered around the Xu family’s door, joined in the cursing.
This only fueled their anger further. One woman stepped forward and banged on the door. “Stop pretending to be dead, you old hag! Open the door and come out, or I’ll beat you to death!”
“That’s right, come out! You dare to sleep around but won’t admit it?”
“My husband just confessed—every time you went to him, you swindled money from him.”
“You really are here to sell yourself! Just as Yu Banxia said, you’re more expensive than those in the brothels, yet you’re not as pretty or as seductive. An old hag like you still dares to seduce men?”
“I spit on you!”
Inside the house, Madam Ji lay in bed, her body aching, her ears filled with the sound of curses.
She was so angry she pounded the bed board. Xu Xiucai’s face was as dark as the bottom of a pot.
“Are you satisfied now? I’ll be the laughingstock of everyone. Are you happy?”
Madam Ji could hardly believe her ears. What was he saying?
“Are you blaming me?” Madam Ji weakly demanded.
Xu Xiucai threw something to the ground. “What else? It was fine when no one knew, but now everyone does. Where am I supposed to put my face?”
“Face? Do you even have a face?” Madam Ji retorted angrily, letting out a cold laugh.
Hatred flashed in Xu Xiucai’s eyes. “Now there are only two paths left. First, we leave Little Xu Village and move to town. Once I earn the title of a provincial graduate, let’s see if those people still dare to gossip.””Either we just let things fall apart, and I won’t bother pursuing any scholarly honors anymore. I’ll spend my whole life farming in the village.”
“Absolutely not!” Madam Ji pounded the bed board.
Xu Xiucai looked down at her from above. “Then we’ll go to the town. Once I achieve fame and success, we’ll come back and deal with them. A gentleman’s revenge can wait ten years!”