May.
The blazing sun scorched the earth, and even the great willow tree in the center of the village drooped listlessly in the oppressive heat.
Under normal circumstances, no one would venture outside at noon when the sun was at its fiercest. Even in the morning, most people preferred to stay inside their homes.
But today was different.
The courtyard of a house on the western end of Gu Family Village in Qingshan Town was packed with people, inside and out.
An elderly woman with graying hair, dressed in a faded brown patched jacket that had been washed so many times it had nearly turned white, brandished a wooden stick as she chased a skinny young girl around the yard.
As she swung the stick, she cursed loudly.
“You shameless little slut! You worthless money-losing brat! I’ve fed you and raised you, and this is how you repay me? That’s your own aunt! You heartless little beast! You cursed jinx actually dared to hit her! Today I’ll beat you to death and save the Gu family from your bad luck!”
The little girl was so thin and frail that anyone looking at her would think she stood no chance against the furious old woman.
Yet the reality was quite the opposite.
The old woman had chased her for nearly fifteen minutes, panting heavily from exhaustion, yet hadn’t managed to land a single blow.
After chasing her for so long, the old woman finally realized it herself.
She wiped away the tears covering her face.
Remembering what the doctor had just said, hatred welled up inside her.
“When you were born, everyone said you were the reincarnation of a jinx! That you brought bad luck and killed my old man! Your own parents thought you were unlucky and were afraid you’d bring death to them too. They wanted to throw you into the back mountain for the wolves to eat!”
“I was the one who stopped them.”
“I regret it! I truly regret it!”
She beat her chest in anguish.
“If I’d known this would happen, why did I stop them back then?”
“My poor precious girl…”
“She was born without a father, and now she’s going to be killed by this cursed jinx!”
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
Suddenly she turned toward a woman standing nearby.
Without warning, she brought the stick crashing down onto the woman’s back.
Your daughter is the one who caused this.
If she’s a jinx, then you’re no better.
If I can’t beat her to death today, beating you to death will do just as well.
The woman—Yang Shi, the mother of the little girl—was different from her daughter.
She clearly knew the old woman was blinded by rage and that this blow would be severe.
Yet she didn’t dare dodge.
She simply let the stick strike her.
The old woman showed no mercy.
Even on ordinary days she scolded Yang Shi whenever she pleased.
Now that Yang Shi’s daughter had injured her precious darling…
Thinking of her own daughter lying unconscious on the bed between life and death, she struck even harder.
Grinding her teeth, she barked,
“Second Son! Keep an eye on them!”
“If anything happens to your sister…”
“Go report it to the authorities!”
“I’ll have their entire family buried alongside my daughter!”
The moment those words left her mouth, the villagers watching inside and outside the courtyard could no longer stay silent.
The village chief coughed lightly before speaking.
“Elder Sister-in-law…”
“We’re all saddened by what happened to your daughter.”
“If beating Second Girl a few times helps vent your anger, no one will stop you.”
“We’ve watched that child grow up.”
“She’s always been an honest girl.”
“I don’t believe she did this on purpose.”
“You’re all members of the same Gu family.”
“There’s no need to take it as far as reporting it to the authorities.”
Most of Gu Family Village bore the surname Gu.
Tracing their ancestry back, they all came from the same forefather.
The village chief also served as the clan head.
Naturally, when something this serious happened in Gu Shitou’s family, he had been notified immediately.
After learning the full story, he had simply stood aside and watched the old woman vent her fury without saying anything.
Everyone in Gu Family Village knew the old woman’s temper.
She could curse someone half the day just for pulling a blade of grass from her yard.
Now that her daughter’s life was hanging by a thread…
Her behavior wasn’t entirely unexpected.
But things were different now.
If she truly reported the matter to the authorities, the reputation of the entire village would suffer.
Not just the Gu clan—even people from other families in the village wouldn’t allow that.
Knowing full well how stubborn the old woman was, the village chief worried she wouldn’t listen.
So he added,
“And what about Guangzong and Yaozu?”
“I’ve heard both boys are exceptionally talented and are already preparing for the county examination.”
“If they have a criminal sister in the family…”
“How will they ever continue taking the imperial examinations?”
“Our Gu clan has finally produced promising young scholars.”
“Can you really bear to ruin their future?”
Gu Guangzong and Gu Yaozu were the twin sons of the Gu family’s second branch.
They were also Old Madam Gu’s own grandsons.
Her favorite had always been her precious daughter.
The twins came second.
The Great Xia Dynasty had clear laws regarding the imperial examinations.
A candidate’s scholarship wasn’t the only thing examined.
Their family’s background was investigated as well.
If anyone within three generations had committed a crime…
No one in that family would be permitted to hold official office.
Gu Guangzong and Gu Yaozu were eleven years old.
They were considered Qingshan Town’s most promising candidates to become scholars—and perhaps even provincial graduates someday.
The village chief believed that although daughters eventually married out, Old Madam Gu should ultimately care more about the Gu family and her grandsons.
Mentioning Guangzong and Yaozu was surely the right move.
Even if she insisted on reporting the matter…
Surely Gu Second Brother and his wife wouldn’t sacrifice their sons’ futures for the sake of a younger sister.
Before Gu Second Brother could speak, Old Madam Gu sneered.
“So what?”
“We’ll simply split the family.”
“Once we’ve divided the household, we won’t be one family anymore.”
“I refuse to believe it’ll still affect my two grandsons.”
The village chief fell silent.
“…”
Taking a deep breath, he looked at her disapprovingly.
He knew she was furious, so he deliberately softened his tone.
“Elder Sister-in-law…”
“Now you’re talking nonsense again.”
“Shitou may not be your biological son, but he’s called you Mother all these years.”
“After Brother Gu passed away, he’s worked tirelessly for this family.”
“He’s fulfilled his filial duties.”
“Don’t you think saying such things would break his heart?”
“And besides…”
“If dividing the family really solved everything so easily…”
“Would everyone have to be so cautious?”
As village chief, he understood the rules far better than the illiterate old woman.
The imperial examination didn’t only investigate one’s immediate household.
Even relatives within three to five generations could affect a candidate’s eligibility.
Gu Eldest Brother was Guangzong and Yaozu’s paternal uncle.
Second Girl was their cousin.
Even if the family split…
They still fell within the required degree of kinship.
Seeing that Old Madam Gu had fallen silent, he continued more gently.
“I think the most important thing right now is Miss Yuan’s injury.”
“The doctor never said she definitely couldn’t be saved.”
“How about this?”
“Since Second Girl caused the injury…”
“Have her kneel outside Miss Yuan’s room for one night, praying for her aunt to wake up soon.”
“As for Shitou and his wife…”
“They failed to discipline their daughter.”
“Let them do all the household chores for the next month.”
“What do you think?”
The village chief had been there long enough to investigate everything thoroughly.
Strictly speaking…
The incident was indeed Second Girl’s fault.
But not entirely.
Gu Yuan…
Old Madam Gu’s treasured daughter…
Had lost her father before she was even born.
Feeling she owed the child, Old Madam Gu doted on her excessively.
Although born into a farming family, Gu Yuan had been raised like the pampered daughter of a wealthy household.
She had never done a single chore in her life.
Second Girl, who was one year older, lived a completely different life.
The moment she was born, Old Master Gu died.
Many villagers claimed she had cursed him to death.
That she was a jinx.
By the age of three or four, she was already following behind her mother helping with work.
As she grew older, cutting pig grass and feeding the chickens and ducks became her daily responsibilities.
Now only thirteen years old…
She was already capable of handling nearly every task inside and outside the home.
Both girls were daughters.
Yet Gu Yuan never had to lift a finger.
She always ate the best food and enjoyed the finest things.
Second Girl worked harder than an ox…
Yet ate the least.
In the past she had been silent and withdrawn.
A girl who rarely spoke.
No one knew what had happened today.
But when she saw Gu Yuan leisurely eating watermelon beneath the shade of a tree…
She suddenly exploded.
She marched over, knocked the watermelon away…
Then shoved Gu Yuan.
Unfortunately…
Gu Yuan stumbled backward.
Her head slammed against the stone bench.
Blood immediately began pouring out.
Was Second Girl wrong?
Anyone exhausted from endless labor would naturally feel resentment seeing someone else relaxing comfortably.
Yet was she entirely right?
Not really.
Gu Yuan had lived like that for years.
She hadn’t provoked Second Girl today.
Striking an elder was unquestionably wrong.
In short…
Even the fairest judge couldn’t settle family disputes.
Had Old Madam Gu not threatened to report the matter…
The village chief never would have intervened.
The other villagers were much the same.
Most had merely come to watch the excitement.
As long as nobody died, at most they’d make a few sarcastic remarks.
No one was foolish enough to meddle.
Everyone knew Old Madam Gu’s infamous temper.
Once you interfered…
Your own family would never know another peaceful day.
Fortunately, the old woman hadn’t completely lost her senses.
She knew she had to give the village chief some face.
Yet she couldn’t swallow her anger so easily.
Just as she was about to bargain for harsher punishment…
The girl suddenly spoke.
From beneath her messy hair, her eyes blazed with fury.
Neck stiff with defiance, she shouted,
“I didn’t do anything wrong!”
“Why should I kneel and pray for her?”
“When she bullied me, every one of you pretended not to see.”
“But now that something happened to her…”
“You’ve all suddenly become good people!”
Had Gu Yuan bullied Second Girl?
Of course she had.
As mentioned earlier…
Gu Yuan had been treated like a pampered young lady within the Gu household.
Young ladies in wealthy homes had maids to serve them.
The Gu family couldn’t afford servants.
So what did they do?
Eldest Girl and Second Girl became Gu Yuan’s personal attendants.
Whenever Gu Yuan wanted something done, she’d simply order the sisters around.
If they did well, it was taken for granted.
If they failed, they were scolded.
Take today for example.
Eldest Girl had cut the watermelon.
Neither she nor Second Girl got a single bite.
Gu Yuan ate it all herself.
That was oppression.
That was Gu Yuan’s fault.
What Second Girl conveniently ignored was…
Although Eldest Girl had cut the watermelon…
It had been a gift from Old Madam Gu’s nephew.
He had specifically given it to Gu Yuan.
Furthermore…
Eldest Girl had volunteered to cut it.
Gu Yuan hadn’t ordered her to.
Second Girl also ignored the fact that Gu Yuan had only asked Eldest Girl to cut one-eighth of the watermelon.
She had instructed her to lower the rest into the well to keep it cool.
Clearly intending to wait until everyone returned so the whole family could eat together.
Convinced Gu Yuan was the one in the wrong…
Second Girl had nearly been beaten to death by Old Madam Gu.
The village chief had ignored that.
And now he wanted her to kneel.
How could she possibly agree?
Ancient society valued hierarchy above all else.
Within the Gu family…
The village chief’s word was law.
Even Old Madam Gu gave him some measure of respect.
Yet Second Girl…
A mere junior.
A mere girl.
Actually dared to contradict him.
The village chief’s expression darkened instantly.
Gu Eldest Brother strode forward.
Without hesitation, he kicked Second Girl hard behind the knee.
She collapsed to the ground.
He forced her onto her knees outside Gu Yuan’s bedroom door.
Then…
Smack!
Smack!
He slapped her across the face twice with all his strength.
Her cheeks swelled immediately.
Only then did he bow repeatedly toward the village chief.
“Village Chief…”
“Please don’t lower yourself to the level of this worthless girl.”
“Don’t worry.”
“I won’t sleep tonight.”
“I’ll watch her personally.”
“No…”
“Forget just tonight.”
“I’ll make her kneel until Little Sister wakes up.”
“What do you think?”
Gu Eldest Brother wasn’t particularly capable.
But he cared deeply about saving face.
Second Girl had embarrassed the village chief in front of everyone.
That meant she’d embarrassed him as well.
Not the slightest trace of pity crossed his face.
Those two slaps had been delivered with all his strength.