"Grandpa, don't worry, the trip to the Zeng family won't be problematic," Zhan Feiyu assured him with certainty. Having become entangled with the Jade-Faced Gentleman and now being targeted by the Forbidden Dragon Guards, she was sure she wouldn't be the one to suffer misfortune.
The old clan elder looked at the calm-faced Zhan Feiyu. Although he desperately wanted to believe her, the thought of the tyrannical and ruthless methods of the Zeng family of Baofeng Cloth Shop made his heart uneasy.
"I'll pick a few strong young men from the clan to accompany you. They can go to the county town in batches and guard around the Zeng family's residence just in case," the village chief understood the old clan elder's concerns. Little Yu was the hope for the Zhan clan to change its fortunes, and nothing must happen to her.
The old clan elder and the village chief began discussing who to take. They needed physically strong and mentally agile individuals. If someone was an only son, they would not be sent, to prevent any accidents.
Having lived in modern times in her previous life, she had never felt the importance of a clan until now, seeing the old clan elder and the others planning for her sake. Zhan Feiyu was deeply moved.
She brought two cups of hot water from the kitchen and looked at the old clan elder and the village chief who had finished their discussion. "Grandpa, I have a humble request."
After moistening his throat with water, the old clan elder looked at Zhan Feiyu curiously. "Tell me."
"Although my father has been expelled from the clan, I hope to keep him here for a few more days. We can make a final decision after I return from the Zeng family," Zhan Feiyu thought of the blindly filial Zhan Laoda and considered it her last act of filial piety.
The old clan elder pondered for a moment and then agreed with a look of relief. "You are filial, but your father is only blindly filial. It is good that he has been expelled from the clan. I remember there is a dilapidated house in the village; you can have your father move there to live for now."
With Zhan Laoda expelled, he was no longer the son of Old Man Zhan and Old Woman Zhan, nor even a member of the Zhan clan. His name was removed from the clan registry. After reporting this to the county yamen, his status would be only slightly better than that of refugees.
"Thank you, Grandpa," Zhan Feiyu smiled, concealing the shrewd glint in her eyes.
After saying what needed to be said, Zhan Feiyu saw Madam Xiao, carrying two large bundles, on the dirt road after sending off the old clan elder and the village chief.
"Oh, so this is our little prodigy!" Madam Xiao, having walked for over half an hour while carrying two large bundles, was exhausted. Seeing Zhan Feiyu now, her resentment surged.
"To study, you've even abandoned your own father! I've never seen such a heartless little beast. It would have been better to raise a dog than you, your father raised you for so many years!"
Zhan Feiyu had initially intended to ignore Madam Xiao. Even though she had been adopted out, she was still considered an elder. However, seeing her presumptuous behavior, she knew that if she didn't retort, Madam Xiao would likely bother her every few days.
"Sister-in-law," one of the benefits of being adopted out was the elevation in seniority.
Zhan Feiyu smiled at the stiff-faced Madam Xiao and continued crisply, "Second Brother is about to be expelled from the clan. You should pack your bags immediately and return to your maiden home. Within three days, you found a widower to remarry, even disregarding your children Dalang and Sanlang."
Zhan Feiyu glanced at several women returning from washing clothes by the river. Her smiling expression suddenly turned stern and indifferent. She sternly questioned, "You, who are unfaithful to your husband, unkind to your children, selfish and shameless, still have the face to live. I am upright and proper, what do I have to fear!"
The separation and remarriage were merely a scheme devised by Zhan Lao Er for Madam Xiao. It was a play on emotions, designed to soften Zhan Laoda's heart. Zhan Lao Er had gotten away scot-free, but the ill repute fell upon Madam Xiao.
"You... I..." Madam Xiao wanted to argue but couldn't reveal the truth.
Seeing that Zhan Feiyu, a mere girl, dared to scold her, Madam Xiao's brain snapped. She threw down her bundles and lunged at Zhan Feiyu, "What right do you have to scold me! I'll rip your mouth apart!"
Her face contorted with ferocity, Madam Xiao intended to scratch Zhan Feiyu's face. Dalang had said that a scar on the face would prevent him from taking the imperial examinations!
Her Yao family had supported her previous attempt at separation, but the people of Yao Village had cursed her behind her back for being unchaste and shameless. When a man got into trouble, she immediately wanted to separate and remarry. Clearly, she couldn't stay faithful!
Since ancient times, only licentious and shameless people were like this, unable to live without a man.
"What are you doing?" Shanwazi's mother rushed over, swinging her washboard directly at Madam Xiao. "You dare to make a move? I'll beat you to death today!"
Auntie Pang also walked over, looking at the rampaging Madam Xiao with disdain. "Even if Zhan Lao Er is expelled from the clan, you can't stay with your two children and want to remarry without waiting a day. You still have the nerve to come back!"
Shanwazi's mother shielded Zhan Feiyu behind her and scoffed, "Your mother-in-law doted on your second branch the most, raising a family of ungrateful wretches."
The Zhan clan's second branch had a notorious reputation in the village: Zhan Lao Er took money and almost caused the death of Madam Zeng and her unborn child. Madam Xiao insisted on separation and remarriage. Dalang and Sanlang, for their father's sake, knelt and forced their paternal uncle into marriage. Not a single person in this family was good!
Unable to win the argument or the fight, Madam Xiao trembled with anger. She could only pick up her bundles and flee in disgrace amidst the scolding.
"Thank you, aunts, for your help," Zhan Feiyu said sincerely. Although the villagers were illiterate, they all had their own sense of right and wrong, knowing who was good and who was bad.
"The generation gap has changed." As soon as Shanwazi's mother spoke, the other aunts also laughed heartily. Indeed, after being adopted out, Little Yu was now of the same generation as them.
Zhan Feiyu rubbed her nose and smiled awkwardly. Her fair, innocent, and naive appearance made the aunts feel fond of her. The old Zhan family was truly blind to have given away such a good girl through adoption.
Upon returning to the Zhan residence, Madam Xiao threw her bundles onto a chair and cried out in anger, "Husband, you don't know how nastily those people scolded me! How will I ever go out again!"
"The villagers are gossipy. Don't argue with those shrewish women. It will be fine after a while," Zhan Lao Er took Madam Xiao's hand and sat her down by the bed, comforting her gently. "I know your goodness, that's enough. Besides, when Dalang and Sanlang achieve success in their studies in the future, they will only fawn over you and curry favor with you."
"They are a bunch of ungrateful wretches! Before, when you drove the ox cart and carried things for them, they wagged their tails like dogs. Now they dare to make sarcastic remarks!" Madam Xiao cursed resentfully. When the second branch rose in status in the future, she wouldn't even look at them if they knelt and begged her!
Ignoring the chattering Madam Xiao, Zhan Lao Er had mostly recovered. The crisis of being expelled from the clan had been averted. However, the ox cart was now given to Zhan Lao San. The thought of having to work in the fields in the future made Zhan Lao Er's eyes darken slightly.
He didn't want to be a laboring ox in the fields. Perhaps he could start a small business.
After cursing those women fiercely, Madam Xiao nudged the dazed Zhan Lao Er. "Husband, didn't you see how proud that dead girl is now!"
Madam Xiao's eyes turned red with jealousy. "And those three rooms! Are the old clan elder and the others blind? They gave such good houses to that dead girl, and the clan is even supporting her studies!"
The thought of Madam Li no longer having her mother-in-law to suppress her, and being able to manage the household, made Madam Xiao wish her own family had moved out.
"Don't say that outside," Zhan Lao Er knew very well that Zhan Feiyu had benefited. But if he didn't want to be expelled from the clan, this was the only way.
Madam Ma had not had a pleasant few days. She threw down the vegetables in her hand and shouted towards the west wing, "You're not a newly married young wife, why are you hiding in the house? Don't you know all the household chores are waiting to be done!"
Madam Ma was the same as Zhan Lao San; she was lazy whenever possible!
Previously, the three sisters-in-law took turns cooking, feeding the chickens and ducks, and cleaning the courtyard. Madam Ma's laziness was not a big issue then.
But now that Madam Li had moved out, and Madam Xiao had just returned today, Madam Ma was doing all the household chores alone. She was both tired and angry. Thinking of the large amount of silver Zhan Lao Er had hidden, her mood soured further.
"Will working a little kill you? Do you want me, your mother-in-law, to serve you!" In the main house, Old Woman Zhan's sharp scolding rang out. No one in the Zhan family had been happy these past few days!
Although Old Woman Zhan had saved her most favored second son, the thought of Madam Li and Zhan Feiyu escaping her control made her so angry that she fell ill.
Furthermore, with Zhan Laoda expelled, there would be no one to do the farm work. Zhan Lao Er and Zhan Lao San were equally favored. Old Woman Zhan felt pained no matter who worked hard or suffered.
"Mother, Second Sister-in-law was clamoring to remarry earlier. Why aren't you scolding her!" Madam Ma retorted unhappily. When Lao San returned in the afternoon, she would definitely talk about the matter of the one hundred and fifty taels of silver!
Another day of chaos. Madam Ma was slovenly, and her cooking was equally so. The food looked like a black lump, only edible after being cooked, far from Madam Li's excellent culinary skills.
The next day, the weather was overcast, and the wind made people shiver.
Early in the morning, Madam Li cooked millet porridge, added two sweet potatoes, and chopped some chives to fry two eggs, then served them. "Little Yu, eat more. We don't know when you'll be back."
"Mother, don't worry. With Master present, the Zeng family won't dare to act rashly," Zhan Feiyu couldn't mention the Forbidden Dragon Guards, so she brought up Master Lin.
"Yes, you must study hard and not disappoint the old clan elder and the others," Madam Li's expression relaxed.
Not only those three rooms, but the clan also gave her an acre of fertile land and two vegetable patches. Several familiar aunts sent her a chicken here and a duck there. The backyard already had six chickens. Life was much more comfortable than in the Zhan family.
After breakfast, before it was time to depart, Zhan Feiyu picked up her book and began to read. Madam Li took a wooden basin to the river to wash clothes. In a couple of years, when she had money, she would still dig a well.
Madam Xiao, carrying a basket, walked towards the vegetable patch with a dejected look. She didn't want to go out so early either, but if she went any later, she would definitely encounter villagers and inevitably face more sarcastic remarks.
The former sisters-in-law met like this.
Madam Xiao sized up the rosy-cheeked Madam Li and couldn't help but mock, "Sister-in-law, you are truly cunning inside. You don't care about your elder brother's life or death and only care about moving out to enjoy yourself!"
Madam Li took out the dirty clothes from the wooden basin and glanced at the陰陽怪氣 (yīn yáng guài qì - sarcastic and peculiar) Madam Xiao. "You could disregard Lao Er and your two children and clamor to remarry, but I, at least, haven't remarried and have stayed in the village to take care of Little Yu."
"That's because the old clan elder and the others are biased towards this dead girl, Little Yu. If it weren't for the clan's care, I don't think you'd dare to be so defiant!" Madam Xiao shouted angrily. In the end, it was the clan's bias!
Without the clan-provided house, without the clan funding this dead girl's studies, could Sister-in-law be so at ease?
Thinking of this, Madam Xiao's eyes rolled, and she deliberately raised her voice.
"We are all children of the Zhan clan. Why should the village and the clan only support Little Yu's studies? Ten taels of silver for tuition fees are needed each year, not to mention the cost of ink, brushes, and paper. I say the clan should support all children's studies. Aunt Hua, am I wrong?"
Although the sun had just risen, there were already six or seven women washing clothes by the river. Farmers worked from the beginning of the year to the end of the year and could barely save a few taels of silver. Studying was the most expensive.
Madam Xiao deliberately stirred up trouble. Every family's money was hard-earned. The clan supporting that dead girl's studies, she didn't believe others wouldn't be envious.
"That makes sense!" Aunt Hua stood up and stretched her sore back. Her family was poor, and she had driven her two daughters-in-law to work in the fields, so she had to do the light work of washing clothes herself.
The other women exchanged glances. Although they all knew Madam Xiao was deliberately instigating, when it came to money, especially so much money, who wouldn't be envious? Who wouldn't be tempted?
"Are you done talking?" Suddenly, an angry shout rang out.
Madam Xiao looked back and her face turned pale. She hadn't expected the village chief, the old clan elder, and several clan elders to be present.
Today was the day to go to the Zeng family. The young men of the clan had left before dawn. The village chief and the others were about to call Zhan Feiyu to depart, but they unexpectedly saw Madam Xiao instigating trouble here.
The village chief's stern gaze swept over the women with various expressions. "Don't you all think that the village and the clan are biased towards Little Yu. I'll make it clear today: whichever family's child can study as well as Little Yu, without you having to ask, the clan will pay for their studies!"
Zhan Feiyu's talent for studying was obvious to all. In one month, she could accomplish what others took a year to achieve.
"The clan has ten mu of clan land, and its annual income is also used for the clan members," the old clan elder had originally planned to discuss this matter after the Zeng family issue was resolved. Since they encountered it today, it was fine to reveal it in advance.
"The opera talks about 'hanging oneself by the beam and pricking oneself with an awl.' Which child in the village can do that?" The old clan elder's gaze suddenly sharpened, and his voice boomed, "Little Yu only sleeps for three hours a day, and the rest of the time is spent studying."
Seeing the shocked expressions of those present, the old clan elder continued, "Don't envy her talent. Just look at Little Yu's calligraphy. It's not written well just by talent. It's practiced stroke by stroke. The brush tips are worn out, and a ream of yellow paper is used up in less than three days!"
After the old clan elder finished, he looked coldly at Madam Xiao, who was trying to slip away. "Dalang studied for four years. I ask you, is his handwriting comparable to Little Yu's?"
After the old clan elder and his group left, the women washing clothes gave Madam Li awkward smiles. They honestly admitted that their children truly couldn't do it. Their children's bottoms seemed to have nails, and they would run off to play at the slightest distraction.
Madam Xiao's attempt to instigate failed, and she was reprimanded. Angrily, she picked up the empty basket and turned back to the Zhan residence.
...
At the village entrance.
"Master Lin, thank you for your trouble today," the village chief said gratefully to Master Lin by the carriage. He had initially thought they would take the Hu family's ox cart, but Master Lin had brought a carriage. This way, they wouldn't lose face upon arriving at the Zeng family.
"Little Yu is my student, and it is only right," Master Lin smiled gently. Little Yu had previously obtained recommendation letters to enter the county and prefectural schools at Leshan Residence. It was likely that the Zeng family would be hesitant to act rashly.
Is this ancient disguise technique? Zhan Feiyu's eyes widened, staring excitedly at Yin Wuyan.
Not only had his physique changed from the slender youth under twenty to a strong man in his twenties or thirties, but his features were also completely different. The noble aura hidden within his coldness had vanished. At first glance, he looked like an ordinary young man, silent and reticent, perfectly fitting the identity of a coachman.
The sound of horse hooves echoed. They arrived at the entrance of the Zeng family's grand mansion precisely at the end of the Chen hour.
"Are they here?" In the alley, a dense crowd of people.
The Zeng family had previously spread the word. Everyone knew that the culprit who caused Madam Zeng's startled horse was coming to the Zeng family to apologize. It was unclear if these many people were idle onlookers or if the Zeng family had hired them.
"Are you stupid? This is a carriage. Those mud legs would be lucky to ride an ox cart," a thug said to his companion with a curl of his lip.
"Didn't they say they would arrive at the end of the Chen hour? Are they afraid to come?" Some impatient people strained their eyes towards the alley entrance, but saw nothing but people.
Zhan Feiyu lifted the curtain and looked outside. Besides those thugs and ruffians, there were also many old women and aunts. Crucially, they were all carrying baskets. Upon closer inspection, one could see rotten vegetable leaves inside.
"Little Yu, come down," Master Lin urged.
As Zhan Feiyu was about to jump off the carriage, a rotten sweet potato was suddenly thrown at her. Zhan Feiyu instinctively dodged to the side, forgetting she was still on the carriage.
Yin Wuyan's figure flickered, and he reached out to catch the falling Zhan Feiyu. He saw her body suddenly twist, her hands wrapping around Yin Wuyan's neck, and her legs encircling his waist.
Zhan Feiyu exhaled a breath of relief, her heart still pounding. Meeting Yin Wuyan's cold and sharp phoenix eyes, she grinned, "You scared me to death!"
Looking at the plump girl clinging to him with her hands and feet, if she were a few years older, Yin Wuyan would have thought she had fallen intentionally.
Sensing the fleeting sharpness in Yin Wuyan's eyes, Zhan Feiyu blinked innocently. "This is an instinctive action. I'm a scholar. What if I hit the back of my head and became stupid?"
"Come down!" Yin Wuyan could feel the soft, small body in his arms. She only grew flesh, not height.
"In broad daylight, you're hugging a man. So young and shameless, tsk tsk. When you grow up, won't you end up in a brothel!" A voice filled with malice taunted. Several thugs burst into laughter, their gazes towards Zhan Feiyu becoming lewd and vulgar.
The village chief and Master Lin's expressions changed. Not to mention Little Yu being a scholar who cherished her reputation, even a common girl would be driven to death by such humiliating words.
Getting down from Yin Wuyan's arms, Zhan Feiyu straightened her small body and took two steps forward, her lips curling into a smile as bright as spring flowers. "This is my distant cousin, a Hundred-Household official of the sixth rank."
The smile froze on the thug's face. He stared blankly at Zhan Feiyu. This short, plump little girl had suddenly transformed into a life-snatching demon. A sixth-rank official! The county magistrate was only of the seventh rank!
Zhan Feiyu blinked and smiled, urging, "Continue speaking. Let my cousin hear it. After you finish, we can go to the衛所 (wèi suǒ - military barracks)."
Compared to the one tael of silver reward offered by the Zeng family, her own life was more important! For a moment, the thug even suspected that Zhan Feiyu was talking nonsense.
But looking at her smiling, chubby face, and then at the expressionless Yin Wuyan, the thug's legs trembled. He fell to his knees with a thud and kowtowed, "Your subordinate was drunk and talking nonsense. I beg your excellency to show mercy..."
The thug's face was deathly pale. He raised his hand and slapped himself in the face. The crisp sound of slaps echoed continuously. In a moment, his face was swollen like a pig's head. Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, he cried and begged, "Your excellency, this subordinate knows his mistake. I beg your excellency to spare my dog's life!"
The alley was packed with people, but they all trembled in fear.
These aunts were there for the fifty copper coins given by the Zeng family. After all, it was just to watch a show and throw a basket of rotten vegetables.
The thugs were there for one tael of silver, as long as they found ways to humiliate Zhan Feiyu and her party. This money was earned too easily.
But who would have thought they would kick an iron plate right from the start? A sixth-rank Hundred-Household official! Even if they earned the money, they wouldn't have the life to spend it.
Zhan Feiyu grinned and glanced to the left and right. Her originally cheerful expression suddenly turned grim. With both hands on her hips, she adopted the fierce posture of a shrew scolding at the market. "Are all of you planning to stay here and accompany him to the military barracks?"
"Run!" Someone shouted. With a whoosh, fifty to sixty people in the alley took to their heels. If not now, then when!
The village chief and Master Lin were still shocked by Zhan Feiyu's made-up lie. She was young but truly bold to dare to call the carriage driver a sixth-rank official.
But looking at the empty alley, and the broken bamboo baskets and vegetable leaves scattered on the ground, the village chief and Master Lin's mouths twitched. The crucial point was that she dared to say it, and these people actually dared to believe it!
"Little Yu," Master Lin took a deep breath and looked at the innocent-looking Zhan Feiyu, saying in a low voice, "When circumstances are urgent, one must adapt. But you must not speak carelessly in the future."
Impersonating a government official was a capital offense and would implicate innocent people.
"Master, I understand," Zhan Feiyu nodded and looked at the Zeng family's closed gate. "I'll go and knock."
The Zeng family was a five-courtyard mansion. However, to give Zhan Feiyu a show of force, all the house servants and attendants, except for a gatekeeper, had retreated to the second courtyard.
In the main hall, Zeng Yuquan sat at the head seat, elegantly sipping tea from a teacup. At first glance, he looked like a frail scholar.
"Young Master, I'll go to the front to take a look," Steward Zeng asked in a low voice. The time was almost up.
Zeng Yuquan placed the teacup back on the table, his voice unhurried, not at all like someone who acted ruthlessly. "It's good to take a look. Master Lin is a scholar, and the Zeng family still owes him this favor."
Steward Zeng bowed and retreated. As soon as he stepped out, he bumped into the gatekeeper who was rushing over.
"Steward, it's bad! Something has happened!" The gatekeeper ran too quickly, losing one shoe. He panted urgently, "Something has happened in the front..."
Steward Zeng's heart sank. He had previously instructed those thugs to only make things difficult for Zhan Feiyu, but absolutely not to cause any deaths.
Zhan Feiyu was not only valued by Magistrate Chen but also by another official at Leshan Residence, who had given her a recommendation letter. If something truly happened, the Zeng family would surely be implicated.
"Send Doctor Qian out," Zeng Yuquan walked out. The sunlight fell on him, but it couldn't melt away the suffocating gloom.
"Young Master, it's not that," the gatekeeper glanced uneasily at Zeng Yuquan and said with difficulty, "Those people in the alley have all run away, not a single one is left. Now only Zhan Feiyu and her party are outside the gate!"
What? Steward Zeng was stunned. He had thought of using the majority to influence the minority, so he had spent money to hire these people. But why had they all run away? Didn't they want the money anymore?
Zeng Yuquan was also surprised. He curved his pale lips and smiled. "Interesting. Since that's the case, Steward, go and greet them! And have Weng San bring over those rats he caught."
"Yes, Young Master," Steward Zeng felt a sense of unease. Weng San was a skilled martial artist who had seen blood.
The village chief was still worried about the whereabouts of Zhuzi and the other young men. There were people in the alley earlier, so it was normal not to see Zhuzi and the others. But they still hadn't appeared. The village chief knew that something must have happened.
"They were probably discovered by the Zeng family and captured," Zhan Feiyu's expression also became more serious. If they had truly met with an accident...
Yin Wuyan glanced at Zhan Feiyu, who showed a murderous intent. Her concern for a few villagers made her seem like a seven-year-old child at this moment, but her heart was a little too soft.
"Village Chief."
"Uncle!"
Here, as Zhan Feiyu and the others passed through the ornate gate and entered the courtyard, Zhuzi and the others, who were kneeling on the side, immediately shouted. They were the strongest in the village, and the Huang brothers were hunters. However, they were all captured as soon as they arrived at the Zeng family alley this morning.
The ten people were all tied up with ropes. There were only a few bruises on their faces, but their hands and feet were intact. Zhan Feiyu's hanging heart finally relaxed.
"For one hundred taels of silver, you dare to harm my wife and unborn young master," Weng San's eyes were sinister and violent. He was tall and strong. Grasping Zhuzi by the back of his collar with one hand, he lifted him to the middle of the road as if he were carrying a chicken.
Just as the village chief was about to step forward, Zhan Feiyu raised her hand and stopped him. She took small steps and walked over. "The person you are looking for is me. What can I do to have them released?"
Whether openly or secretly, the Zeng family's true target was only Zhan Feiyu.
Openly: Zhan Lao Er conspired to harm Madam Zeng. The Zeng family did not have him beaten to death or crippled, merely out of consideration for Zhan Feiyu, the scholar. Secretly: The disappearance of the Jade-Faced Gentleman was related to Zhan Feiyu. To silence her, the Zeng family also wanted to kill her.