Jiang Yue was slightly surprised by the turn of events. Her original plan was simply to let the villagers see the eldest branch’s misery and denounce the Jiang family, forcing Madam Liu to pay for a physician.
She knew the neighbors on both sides were on bad terms with Madam Liu, and she had used that to her advantage. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, after all. People in this era obsessed over their reputations; now that the focus of public scorn had shifted to Madam Liu’s precious daughter, Jiang Yue knew the old woman would be forced to open her purse.
Sure enough, Madam Liu came charging out, fuming. She had heard the commotion earlier but hadn’t taken it seriously, calmly finishing her porridge instead. In her mind, if the eldest branch were capable of making a real scene, she wouldn’t have been able to keep them under her thumb all these years.
She figured she just had to wait for Jiang Youshan to return; a few sharp words would have him back in line. Then, she could teach Madam Cai and the little brats a lesson—punishing them with a night of kneeling to remind them who truly ruled this house.
But as time passed, Madam Liu could no longer sit still. Why were they talking about Youfang? Her daughter was currently being scouted for marriage!
Beside her, Jiang Youfang’s eyes were filled with a mixture of fear and hatred. This is going to ruin my entire life, she realized.
Madam Liu stormed out, her face set in a grim mask. She ignored the eldest branch entirely and barked at the crowd, “Stop looking! There’s nothing to see here! Everyone go home! Scatter, scatter!”
As she tried to drive them away, the woman from next door just laughed. “Is this street your private property? I’m not going anywhere. What are you going to do about it? Go back inside and be a tyrant in your own house.”
Jiang Yue looked up, taking a proper measure of Madam Liu for the first time. The woman had a long face, a broad nose, thick lips, and narrow eyes that shimmered with a predatory light.
By contrast, Old Man Jiang, who followed behind her, seemed utterly unremarkable. He turned a wrinkled, weary face toward Jiang Ming and gestured for him to carry Madam Cai back inside.
The rest of the family trailed after them. The uncles clearly took after Madam Liu in appearance, but the daughter, Jiang Youfang, possessed a certain delicate beauty—likely inherited from Old Man Jiang. Their temperaments were identical, though; both were prone to throwing bowls the moment they were displeased.
Jiang Yue noted that her “cheap” father was actually quite handsome and looked nothing like his younger siblings. He most likely took after his late biological mother.
“Mind your own business and stay out of mine,” Madam Liu snarled, her face darkening.
The neighbor laughed again, her wrinkles deep enough to trap a fly. “Youfang, dear! Come here and tell your auntie—why did you break your sister-in-law’s head open? You really are a ‘fine’ daughter, raised exactly in your mother’s image.”
Jiang Youfang’s face flushed with humiliation. She turned and fled back into the house in a fit of pique.
Madam Liu exploded. “Granny Han, you keep talking nonsense and see if I don’t rip your tongue out!”
Granny Han stomped her foot. “You think I’m afraid of you? Your daughter hit her—everyone heard it loud and clear. What, you don’t want to admit it now? My, my… that temper of hers is a carbon copy of yours.”
The onlookers burst into laughter. One particularly mischievous villager called out to Old Man Jiang, “Which family is the girl engaged to? How many quilts are you sending as a dowry?”
Old Man Jiang’s face turned a deep, embarrassed red. He turned his fury on Jiang Ming. “What are you waiting for? Carry your mother back!”
But Jiang Ming didn’t flinch. He shouted back, “My mother needs to see a doctor!”
Grandfather and grandson stood locked in a stalemate—one demanding they move, the other demanding medical care.
Jiang Xue seized the moment and joined in. “Grandfather, every penny my father and mother earn is handed over to you! Have some mercy on us and give us a few coins so my mother can be treated! Don’t let us lose our mother… Oh, you wicked people, trying to make us orphans! How pitiable a motherless child is! May the heavens strike down the villains who hurt my mother! May their hearts rot in their chests!”
Jiang Xue was usually sharp-tongued with the other children, but under Madam Cai’s thumb, she never dared to defy the adults. Today, feeling Jiang Yue’s silent support, she unleashed every insult she had ever heard Madam Liu use. The more she cursed, the more exhilarating it felt.
Lying on the ground, Madam Cai trembled even harder. It’s over, it’s all over, she thought frantically. How will this girl ever find a husband now? Suddenly, a cool hand gripped her own. Sensing it was Jiang Yue, her heart miraculously steadied.
We’re all daughters-in-law, she thought bitterly. Why am I the only one being bullied? Let them make a scene. Let my daughter scream her heart out.
I’ll just take my daughters and leave if it comes to that, Madam Cai thought, her resolve hardening.
Standing by the gate, Madam Liu’s face grew increasingly unsightly, but she found herself unable to bark back. Jiang Xue was only screaming about “villains”—if Madam Liu stepped forward to silence her, wouldn’t she be admitting the title belonged to her?
Granny Han, looking as though she wanted to pull up a stool and watch the show with a bowl of sunflower seeds, cackled at Madam Liu’s expense. “I say, Old Woman Liu, who’s the lucky family that’s supposed to marry your daughter? If she isn’t promised yet, why don’t I help you spread the word about her ‘virtues’?”
Madam Liu shot her a venomous glare. This Granny Han spent every waking hour wagging her tongue. “Helping” spread the word was just a thinly veiled threat to ruin her family’s reputation. “My family is perfectly harmonious! What business is it of yours? Take your foul mouth back to your own house and stop being an eyesore!”
The crowd erupted in laughter. Harmonious? This?
Granny Han spat on the ground and tilted her head. “Ooh, I say, Old Woman Liu, I’m looking at your eldest daughter-in-law, and it seems like she’s going to bleed to death. Are you really going to do nothing? Are you hoping to grind her into the dirt so there’s no witness left? These children saw everything. Are you planning to grind them down next? Tsk, tsk. What a poisonous heart. But then again, it makes sense, considering you’re just a—”
Jiang Yue smirked inwardly. Finally, the conversation is back on my mother.
“Shut up!” Madam Liu shrieked, her entire body trembling with rage. “Who says I won’t get her treated? You brats, go fetch the physician already!” She turned to Li Shi, who was hovering behind her, and barked an order. “Hurry up and carry your sister-in-law back inside! Are you going to let them keep making a scene until none of the Jiang men can find a wife?”
Li Shi felt a chill. After the sister-in-law was married off, it would be her eldest son’s turn to find a bride. This was a blatant threat—Madam Liu was forcing her to be the vanguard. But the “man-eating” Jiang Yue was standing right there; who would dare try to grab Madam Cai?
Madam Liu glared. If Li Shi didn’t move, she could forget about her mother-in-law helping find her son a wife.
Li Shi curled her lip and shuffled forward, intending to at least go through the motions to appease the old woman. But as she took a few steps, the children bristled like cornered cats, blocking her path. Taking the hint, Li Shi immediately scurried back to safety.
Madam Liu’s eyes narrowed at her. She’s usually such a fighter—why is she so useless the moment it actually matters?
Jiang Ming wanted to fetch the physician, but he was terrified that if he went alone, his grandmother would refuse to pay the bill once the doctor arrived. He roared at Madam Liu, “Whoever hit my mother should be the one to go fetch the doctor!”
Old Man Jiang’s gaze swept over his sons, landing on Jiang Youtian. This boy had been the quickest to hide yesterday.
“Youtian, go fetch the physician. Now,” the old man commanded.
Jiang Youtian froze. “It wasn’t me who hit her—” he muttered. He was loath to go; in this house, whoever fetched the doctor usually ended up responsible for the bill. Why should he be the scapegoat?
Madam Liu caught his eye and winked frantically. “What do you mean ‘it wasn’t you’? Just go!”
Jiang Youtian realized he had no choice. His parents were determined to dump the blame on his branch. “Fine, fine! I’ll go!” he grumbled.
Jiang Ming wasn’t about to leave it to chance. He fixed his uncle with a ferocious glare. “Don’t try anything funny, Second Uncle. I’m coming with you.” He sprinted to Jiang Youtian’s side.
Though Jiang Youtian looked tall and sturdy, he was a coward at heart. Seeing the murderous look in his nephew’s eyes, he didn’t dare dawdle and set off at a brisk run toward the village.
Seeing that the daughters-in-law couldn’t bring Madam Cai back inside, Old Man Jiang tried to dismiss the crowd. But the show wasn’t over yet, and no one was in a hurry to leave. It was the off-season, and they weren’t about to miss the inevitable showdown when the physician arrived.
Only Granny Han, deciding the current act had lost its flavor, turned and hobbled back to her house. Plenty of time left, she thought. This is far from over.