Sheng Jinyan hummed smugly, "Of course."
Who wouldn't be happy doing good deeds?
Shi Zhenxiang also felt that beating up bad guys felt pretty good, and hoped they would encounter such simple good deeds next time.
After completing this good deed, they didn't linger and continued heading north.
Just as they were arriving at the next small town, they saw a crowd gathered on the road, as if watching some excitement.
Before Shi Zhenxiang could even say anything, Sheng Jinyan in the blink of an eye had gone over to watch the commotion.
Shi Zhenxiang...
She felt that she still didn't understand Sheng Jinyan well enough.
This guy looked so aloof on the surface, but unexpectedly he liked to join in the excitement.
She went closer to take a look and saw several women throwing a gaunt woman out.
They even threw three children out as well.
The gaunt woman cried out, "Mother-in-law, Dajun just died, and you're driving us out like this? Aren't you afraid that Dajun's spirit in heaven will blame you?"
That old woman, however, looked disdainful, "My son was killed by your bad luck! And you have the nerve to freeload in my house."
The woman cried, "These three children are innocent. How can you bear to drive them out too?"
The three little girls were also scrawny, obviously not favored at home.
The old woman snorted, "Three money-losing goods, just like you, bringing bad luck to husbands. The family still has a grandson to marry a wife. What if you three mother and daughter jinx him to death?"
"Do you really want the old Huang family to have no heirs?"
These words were harsh.
A passerby couldn't stand it, "Her husband just died and you drive them out? That's too heartless, isn't it?"
"Exactly. Even though they are daughters, they are still your son's offspring."
In the middle of winter, driving out such young children was simply sinful.
The old woman, instead of being afraid of the criticism, put her hands on her hips and cursed coldly, "In any case, my son was jinxed to death by those three mother and daughter. If you're not afraid to die, take them home."
After speaking, she spat and went back with her other daughter-in-law.
The crowd, though sympathetic, were powerless to help, so they all left.
Sheng Jinyan came back after watching, so angry his nostrils flared, "That damn old woman!"
Shi Zhenxiang chuckled, "How do you plan to deal with her?"
Sheng Jinyan put his hands on his hips and snorted, "I just asked around. The house that old woman lives in was built with her eldest son's monthly salary."
Her whole family lived off the eldest son's military salary, but immediately after he died, they drove out his wife and daughters. It was utterly heartless.
Shi Zhenxiang agreed, "How about you drive them all out, then send the mother and her four children back? That would count as doing a good deed, right?"
Sheng Jinyan thought it made perfect sense.
"But where should we send them?"
If sent too close, they would come back quickly and still drive those mother and children out.
If sent too far, he didn't have that kind of time.
Shi Zhenxiang gave him an idea, "Just toss them onto a cargo ship."
Once the ship sets sail, there's no way for them to get off midway.
By the time they reach a faraway place, it will take them a lot of time to come back.
Then let the woman take in a son-in-law who marries into her family, making life better. Then if those people come back to cause trouble, there's nothing to fear.
Sheng Jinyan thought this method was quite good.
"But where to find a capable son-in-law for that woman?"
What if it's a useless one? When the old woman comes back to make a scene, won't she still get driven out?
Shi Zhenxiang thought for a moment, "Let the woman sell the house, then go far away with her man. When that old woman comes back, she won't even be able to find them."
Anyway, they're gone, the house is sold, crying won't help.
Sheng Jinyan slapped his thigh, "Let's do it!"
He set off posthaste to handle it.
He also took the Eldest Princess and Second Princess along.
Shi Zhenxiang found it strange, "Why are you taking the two children?"
Sheng Jinyan raised an eyebrow smugly, "Bringing the two children makes us look more like ordinary people. People will be less guarded when they see us."
Shi Zhenxiang gave him a thumbs up, "You really think things through."
Sheng Jinyan was pleased and immediately set off smugly, holding hands with the two princesses.
They didn't return until evening, father and two daughters.
Good thing they knew to bring some food back.
"Here, pancakes with meat. Eat them while they're hot."
Shi Zhenxiang didn't stand on ceremony, took them and shared with the Third Child and Fourth Child.
While eating, she asked, "How did things go?"
Sheng Jinyan's eyes sparkled, very proud, "I first went to find that woman and told her the plan."
At first, the woman was terrified and didn't dare to do it.
But thinking about having no house and no grain, and that the children would starve and freeze to death, she agreed.
Then I asked if she had any good husband candidates? Though shy, for the sake of the children, she pointed to someone.
It was a widower in her village, a man not very intelligent but very kind to her.
That man was called Tie Niu. He was extraordinarily strong, just not very smart, but he was good at farming and also hunting.
If she married him, the children would have someone to protect them.
Sheng Jinyan then took the woman to talk to Tie Niu about it.
Tie Niu agreed without hesitation.
He seemed to really like this woman; he directly packed his bag and wanted to marry into her family.
Sheng Jinyan didn't know whether to laugh or cry, it was the first time he saw a man so eager to become a live-in son-in-law.
But he told Tie Niu to wait a few days, he still had to get rid of that old woman first.
Sheng Jinyan chose an auspicious day, which was the day after tomorrow.
That day was a town festival, when every household would come out to go to the market and buy things, and some would return to their hometowns to worship ancestors.
At that time, the boats on the river were also full of people.
Sheng Jinyan took advantage of the night to drug the old woman's whole family unconscious, then sent them onto a boat.
He paid the boatman to take them to the farthest dock.
Because of the sleeping drug, the old woman's family slept for three days and nights.
When they woke up and realized they were at sea, it was already too late.
Meanwhile, that woman quickly sold the house at a low price, then took Tie Niu and her three daughters and fled by boat that same night.
By the time the neighbors learned of this, it was already a long time later. Everyone just speculated a few words, and since no one reported it, nobody actually investigated.
Instead, Sheng Jinyan received a box of snacks from that woman. The snacks were very delicate and delicious.
It was said she used to rely on this skill to support her family.
Sheng Jinyan presented the snacks to Shi Zhenxiang, lifting his chin proudly, "Look, my thank-you gift."
Shi Zhenxiang ate a piece of osmanthus pastry, crispy and especially tasty, and couldn't help praising, "Your Majesty is still the best."
Sheng Jinyan chuckled, "Of course."
He took out his notebook and quietly recorded the second good deed.
He felt that doing good deeds wasn't really difficult.
This made him even more confident in completing one hundred good deeds.
"Let's go, keep moving. There must be plenty of 'good deeds' waiting for us on the road."
Shi Zhenxiang didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but had a premonition things wouldn't be as simple as he thought.
After all, things often go against our wishes; not everything can go smoothly.
However, she had a more balanced mindset and continued driving the carriage.
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