“Everyone, don’t listen to this girl’s nonsense…”
Cheng’s mother, He Shi, panicked as well. She lowered her voice and explained to the three scholars,
“This girl isn’t quite right in the head. She’s notorious in our village for being difficult and annoying. For years, she’s been clinging to our family’s Siwen, bothering him to death. But since we’re all from the same village, we haven’t had the heart to say anything too harsh…”
The three scholars nodded with understanding smiles.
“Brother Cheng is handsome and talented. He is sure to pass the county-level scholar examination this time. A country girl who has never seen the world would naturally try to cling to someone like him.”
The flattering words made He Shi beam with delight.
“You don’t know the half of it. This girl is always coming to our house crying about how poor she is and asking for money. A few coins here and there would be one thing. Our Siwen simply treated it as doing a good deed.”
He Shi shook her head with an expression of helplessness.
“But today, she suddenly opened her mouth and demanded sixty taels. Isn’t that bullying a widowed mother and her son?”
The three scholars nodded repeatedly, giving her plenty of sympathy.
Then they secretly sized up Su Qingli.
To be honest, although this girl seemed a little crazy, she really was quite beautiful.
She was far prettier than the village beauty in their own village.
The only flaw was the scar on her chin, which looked somewhat like a centipede and was rather frightening.
“Su Qingli, if you leave now, we won’t pursue the matter of you damaging our wooden door.”
He Shi spoke coldly, as though she were generously granting Su Qingli mercy.
Su Qingli smiled.
“Auntie, what are you talking about? A few days ago, your son Cheng Siwen told me that you were seriously ill and needed sixty taels of silver for medical treatment. I was moved by his filial devotion, so I lent him sixty taels just yesterday. But now that I see you’re perfectly healthy, why don’t you return the money to me today?”
“You’re lying!” Liu Qianqian was even more anxious than Cheng Siwen and immediately shrieked, “Where would you get sixty taels to lend Brother Wen?”
“Liu Qianqian!”
The moment Cheng Siwen heard her call him “Brother Wen,” he became irritated and shot her a warning glare.
Liu Qianqian bit her lip in hurt. Why was Brother Wen scolding her when she was clearly trying to defend him?
“Cheng Siwen, how about I help you remember?”
Su Qingli jumped down from the bull’s back and cleared her throat.
“In the spring two years ago, you said your mother was coughing up blood and needed medicine, so you borrowed two taels from me.
“In the winter two years ago, you said your family was running out of food, so you borrowed ten jin of polished rice and thirty jin of old millet from me.
“In the spring last year, you said you needed to buy brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, so you borrowed three taels from me.
“In the winter last year, you said your family couldn’t afford to pay the taxes, so you borrowed fifty jin of millet from me. You still haven’t returned any of it…”
Su Qingli’s voice wasn’t loud, but every word was crystal clear as it fell into the ears of the three scholars.
The contempt in their eyes toward Cheng Siwen grew stronger, and their whispers became louder.
This girl spoke so logically and had such detailed evidence. She didn’t seem mentally ill at all.
Could everything she said actually be true?
Was Cheng Siwen really living off a woman’s money?
Tsk…
“A few days ago, you said your mother was critically ill and needed a sum of money to save her life…”
“Enough!”
He Shi abruptly interrupted her, sweating anxiously.
“You’re making false accusations! We never did any of those things!”
“Just because you say you didn’t do them doesn’t mean they didn’t happen.”
Su Qingli sneered.
“Originally, I was willing to consider all those grains as charity and wasn’t planning to ask for them back. But now I’ve changed my mind. I’ll value all those things at five taels of silver. Return sixty-five taels to me in total. If you refuse, I’ll see you at the county office!”
Cheng Siwen sneered.
“You dare to report me to the authorities? Who would believe you?”
“If I can’t get justice at the county office, I’ll go to the Dali Temple. If the Dali Temple won’t hear me, I’ll go beat the Dengwen Drum! Justice is in the hearts of the people. Someone will believe me eventually!”
Su Qingli walked up to Cheng Siwen and looked him straight in the eye without the slightest trace of fear.
“You can try me. Let’s see whether I dare or not!”
“You!”
Cheng Siwen’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
“You crazy woman!”
He Shi slammed the table and stood up.
“Son, don’t let her fool you. She’s only trying to scare you! Since ancient times, ordinary people have been reluctant to take officials to court. She won’t dare!”
“Is that so?”
The corner of Su Qingli’s mouth curled upward.
“I’m barefoot, so I have nothing to lose. But I’m curious—if I make this matter known throughout the entire town, what will your teacher and fellow students think of you? Will you still be able to pass the scholar examination?”
Those final words completely stunned Cheng Siwen.
His face turned pale.
He didn’t dare imagine what would happen if Su Qingli really made the matter public. His entire future would be ruined!
Glancing at his fellow students, who were watching the spectacle, Cheng Siwen took a deep breath and put on a gentle expression.
“Qingli, I know you’ve been angry because I’ve been cold toward you these past few days. Stop making a scene, all right?”
Cheng Siwen no longer cared what his fellow students thought of him. No matter what, he had to calm this crazy woman down first.
“Besides, why do we have to keep such a clear account between us? After all, in the future…”
In the past, whenever Su Qingli felt even slightly resentful, a few vague words like these from Cheng Siwen would make her heart flutter.
But this time, Su Qingli remained cold and unmoved.
There was even mockery in her eyes.
Cheng Siwen figured that she must have been mistreated recently and had become furious. He gritted his teeth and added another promise.
“Qingli, I promise that once I pass the scholar examination, I’ll go to your family and formally ask for your hand in marriage. Surely you’ll be satisfied with that, won’t you?”
Even as he said those words, Cheng Siwen felt humiliated.
This was the first time he had ever made such an explicit promise.
Others might not know, but he knew the truth very well. Su Qingli had spent an entire night on the mountain before returning. Who knew whether anything had happened to her?
Have him marry a country girl who had already lost her chastity?
Hah. Dream on!
Once he managed to placate her, he would deal with her properly.
A sinister look flashed through Cheng Siwen’s eyes, though his smile remained gentle. He reached out to take Su Qingli’s hand.
He thought that after lowering himself this much, Su Qingli should have calmed down.
But—
Smack!
Cheng Siwen received a solid slap across the face.
Su Qingli had used all her strength, sending his face whipping to the side.
“Don’t touch me with your filthy hands! You disgust me!”
Cheng Siwen was stunned.
Half of his face was numb and painful, and a burning sensation spread along his nerves.
He covered his cheek and stared at Su Qingli in disbelief.
The woman who used to obey his every word and look at him with infatuation now had eyes as cold as ice, sharp enough to send chills down his spine.
The next second, Cheng Siwen came to his senses and roared,
“Su Qingli, have you gone crazy?”
He Shi also snapped back to reality. She rolled up her sleeves and charged toward Su Qingli.
“You wretched little murderer! My son is going to become a scholar! How dare you hit him?”
Smack!
Su Qingli swung her hand and slapped He Shi across the face as well, sending her crashing heavily to the ground.
“Aiya! Aiya!”
He Shi cried out in pain.
Seeing this, Cheng Siwen charged forward again.
“Su Qingli, you shrew—”
Smack!
Cheng Siwen got another solid slap across the face.
He was stunned again, both cheeks now burning painfully.
“Ah! Su Qingli, how dare you hit Brother Wen?”
Liu Qianqian screamed and charged forward with her hands clawed.
Smack!
Su Qingli didn’t hold back. She slapped Liu Qianqian across the face, sending her staggering backward before she fell hard onto the ground.
Liu Qianqian covered her cheek, her eyes instantly turning red as tears welled up.
“You… You dare hit me?”
She looked pitifully toward Cheng Siwen, hoping her “Brother Wen” would stand up for her.
But Cheng Siwen was still standing there in a daze, clutching his face. He couldn’t even spare a thought for her.
“Since none of you are willing to reason with me, this young lady happens to know a few martial arts moves.”
Su Qingli raised her hand and casually rubbed her wrist.
“Who else wants to try?”
Her gaze swept across the courtyard.
The three scholars immediately shrank together like quails and hurriedly waved their hands.
“Miss, today’s matter has nothing to do with us!”