The villagers, led by Granny Zhu Zi, were growing impatient. Seeing the children, including Shan Wa Zi, scamper back, Granny Zhu Zi anxiously asked, "Shan Wa Zi, have the village chief and the others returned?"
"Didn't see anyone," Shan Wa Zi replied, shaking his head like a rattle. Teacher Lin had also gone to the Zeng family today, so the private school was closed for the day. The children were frolicking, running to the village entrance every now and then to see if anyone had returned.
The elder patriarch and the clan elders sitting in the main hall remained silent, their teacups untouched. Though anxious, they maintained a composed facade.
Madam Li was absent-minded, and her needle pricked her fingertip.
"Don't worry, the village chief and Teacher Lin are there, nothing will happen," a woman sewing in the courtyard comforted her, glancing at Madam Yao and Madam Ma nearby. She whispered, "Although you live alone with Xiao Yu now, better days are ahead."
Several other aunts and young wives nodded in agreement, their faces showing a hint of envy.
Despite not having a man by her side, Madam Li was free from the torment of her mother-in-law and the constant bickering with her strong-willed sisters-in-law after leaving the old family home. Her life was now peaceful and unburdened.
"It's all thanks to the support of the village and the clan. Xiao Yu and I will always remember this kindness," Madam Li said with a gentle smile, which also put everyone present at ease.
The village and clan took care of Madam Li and Xiao Yu with the hope that Xiao Yu would achieve success in the future and be able to help them.
"They're back..." Suddenly, Shan Wa Zi's shout rang out.
Instantly, not only the people in the courtyard but also the elder patriarch and the elders in the main hall stood up.
Before the village chief reached the village entrance, he was startled by the dense crowd. He wondered if all the villagers had come to his house.
Madam Li looked closely and saw that the village chief's expression was relaxed, but Zhu Zi and several young men were bruised and swollen. She couldn't see Zhan Fei Yu, and her heart leaped into her throat, "Where is Xiao Yu?"
"Niece-in-law, you don't need to worry. Xiao Yu has returned to the private school. She said she was delayed this morning and needs to catch up on her studies this afternoon," the village chief said with a hearty laugh. He couldn't help but admire Xiao Yu, just as Magistrate Chen did; besides talent, she was also diligent.
His gaze swept over Shan Wa Zi and the others who were making a commotion nearby. The village chief's face darkened as he sternly questioned, "Shan Wa Zi, have you memorized your lessons? Have you practiced your calligraphy? You are students now, why are you still only playing and fooling around!"
Uh... Shan Wa Zi and the others were stunned into silence.
Shan Wa Zi's mother squeezed through the crowd, grabbed his ear, and hissed, "Didn't you hear the village chief? Still playing wildly, go home and study!"
The other children also suffered their mothers' ear-twisting and sheepishly returned to their studies. With a diligent and studious companion as a comparison, life was unbearable.
In the main hall, everyone else stood in the courtyard. Only the elder patriarch, the clan elders, Madam Li, Madam Yao, and Madam Ma entered the house, as the matter was related to the old family.
...
"The Zeng family is truly overbearing. Elder Patriarch, as soon as Zhu Zi and the others arrived, they were tied up and captured," the village chief still felt a lingering fear.
Zhu Zi and the others blushed with embarrassment. The village chief had asked them to go as a precaution, but they were captured without being able to do anything, which was a great loss of face.
"That Weng San was at least nine feet tall, robust and burly, with fists as big as bowls..." As the village chief described him, everyone in and outside the house gasped. He was a brute like a bear, no wonder Zhu Zi and the others were no match for him.
After a long pause, the elder patriarch said with a solemn expression, "That Weng San is a brute."
The other clan elders also looked worried.
Madam Yao's eyes darted around, and she deliberately raised her voice to instigate, "If you offend such a ruthless person, who will dare to do odd jobs in the county in the future! Isn't this asking for a beating?"
Everyone listened to the village chief's description of Weng San as if they were listening to a storyteller in a teahouse. At this moment, they all became worried. Such a brainless brute, if he targeted the villagers, no one could withstand a punch from him!
Madam Yao looked at Madam Li sitting in the main hall with jealousy. Why was she not favored by the villagers, while her eldest sister-in-law could sit on a chair! And be praised!
"Village Chief, you always praise Xiao Yu for being intelligent. Why doesn't she think of a solution? Xiao Yu is safe studying at the private school, but we are suffering. We won't dare to go out anymore!" Madam Yao added fuel to the fire.
Seeing the faces of the village women change, Madam Yao felt a surge of satisfaction. She glanced at Madam Ma, who was cracking melon seeds, and pretended to affectionately pat her arm, "Third sister-in-law, Third brother is hauling goods at the pier. This is the most dangerous."
Madam Ma, who had initially been proud when the old family's ox cart was given to Zhan Lao San, felt a pang of unease. Although Zhan Lao San was lazy, he was clever. He would save a little from his daily earnings, and the third branch had accumulated quite a bit of private savings in the past few days.
"No way?" Madam Ma was startled. Instigated by Madam Yao, she didn't want Zhan Lao San to haul goods at the pier anymore, but she couldn't bear to give up the ox cart and her private savings. She couldn't help but shift her anger to Zhan Fei Yu.
Madam Ma shouted complainingly, "Eldest sister-in-law, Xiao Yu also went to the Zeng family. How could she provoke such a ruthless person? If this harms my Third Brother, I will not rest until I'm done with you and your daughter!"
Others also started murmuring. Everyone knew that Madam Yao was doing this intentionally, but her words made sense.
"Are we not going to do odd jobs anymore?" a worried aunt asked.
"How can that be? After the spring planting next year, my family needs to build a house for my eldest son's wedding. If we don't do odd jobs, where will the money come from from the land?"
"The clan takes care of Xiao Yu so much because they see her as intelligent and promising in her studies. If she can't even handle this matter, isn't the money wasted?"
A jealous woman immediately muttered sarcastically, "Why does Madam Li get to live in three large rooms, and the clan even provides money for Xiao Yu's studies!"
In an instant, Madam Li became the target of everyone's criticism.
Zhan Lao Da looked at Madam Li, who was being pointed at, with concern. He wanted to speak, but Madam Li hadn't even glanced at Zhan Lao Da from the beginning.
"Enough, what nonsense are you all talking!" The village chief slammed the table, and the loud bang immediately silenced the buzzing.
Madam Yao was enjoying herself immensely. She had always been jealous of Madam Li's good reputation. Now that her reputation was ruined after her divorce and remarriage, she was not only scorned but also spat upon. Madam Yao was so angry that she felt like spitting blood.
Now it was Madam Li's turn to be scolded. How could Madam Yao let the village chief interfere? She blurted out, "You won't even let us speak. Village Chief, you are protecting my eldest sister-in-law and Xiao Yu so much. Anyone who doesn't know would think Xiao Yu is your daughter!"
The room and the courtyard fell silent, so quiet that a falling needle could be heard. Everyone looked at Madam Yao as if they had seen a ghost. My heavens, the daughter-in-law of the Zhan family dared to say anything!
*Slap!* A crisp slap echoed, and everyone was stunned into silence again.
Zhan Lao Da raised his hand and roared with a darkened face, "Shut up!"
Madam Li looked at the enraged Zhan Lao Da in surprise, but she felt no sympathy for the slapped Madam Yao.
"I..." Madam Yao screamed, covering her face. However, before she could throw a tantrum, she was pulled back by several women.
To say such things, being slapped was considered light punishment!
The elder patriarch and the clan elders were now truly relieved that Zhan Fei Yu had been adopted out. Otherwise, her great talent in studies would have been dragged down by these people.
"If you dare to speak nonsense again, your entire branch will be moved out!" The elder patriarch's words immediately silenced Madam Yao, unless she wanted to be expelled from the clan.
The village chief continued in a cold voice, "You don't need to resent Xiao Yu in your hearts. In the end, it was Zhan Lao Er who provoked the Zeng family, not Xiao Yu!"
Uh... the misled villagers finally came to their senses, and then their angry and resentful gazes stabbed at Madam Yao like knives.
Madam Yao, covering her face, was also stunned into silence. She finally remembered that the culprit was Zhan Lao Er.
"How dare you blame Xiao Yu!" The woman holding Madam Yao cursed her with contempt and pushed her away. If she had the ability, she could make a scene.
The village chief's wife was of the same generation as Old Man Zhan and Old Madam Zhan, both grandmothers. Seeing her own husband slandered by Madam Yao like this, she scolded with a cold face, "Zhan Lao Da, you shouldn't have been expelled from the clan in place of Zhan Lao Er. Not only are you ungrateful, but this couple are black-hearted beasts!"
"Alright, say a few less words," the village chief glanced at his wife and said with a laugh, "When we left the Zeng family, the yamen constables arrested Weng San. I inquired with Constable Ma, and I heard that he committed a crime and will be exiled. From now on, neither Weng San nor the Zeng family will dare to lay a hand on us!"
Upon hearing that Weng San had been arrested and imprisoned, the oppressive and heavy atmosphere instantly dissipated, and smiles returned to everyone's faces. If they truly couldn't do odd jobs in the county, over time, the villagers would inevitably resent Zhan Fei Yu.
Madam Yao's cheek was already swollen. She had offended the village chief with her careless words, and she accepted the slap.
But now, looking at the relaxed villagers, Madam Yao couldn't help but exclaim, "In the end, it's all because of my husband. If Constable Ma wasn't friends with my husband, would the yamen arrest Weng San?"
The villagers all knew that Zhan Lao Er had a private relationship with Constable Ma, but to owe them favors felt like swallowing a fly.
Madam Yao proudly straightened her back, her contemptuous gaze sweeping over everyone present, "My husband will open a shop in the county in the future. Although it's a small business, Constable Ma will look after it."
The village chief couldn't stand Madam Yao's boasting. He picked up his teacup and took a sip, then said leisurely, "The arrest of Weng San was not because of Constable Ma. Constable Fei acted on the orders of Magistrate Chen."
Madam Yao pouted in disbelief and hummed sarcastically, "Whatever the village chief says."
"Elder Patriarch, you don't know how capable that girl Xiao Yu is." The village chief ignored Madam Yao and became excited, "This little girl has gained the appreciation of an official, who gave her a letter of recommendation to the county school and the prefectural school."
"What?" The elder patriarch stood up in shock. Overwhelmed with excitement, his body swayed, but he was supported by someone next to him.
The other clan elders were also like this, their eyes shining with excitement.
The elder patriarch pointed at the village chief with one finger and scolded him in feigned anger, "You scoundrel, why didn't you mention such an important matter earlier!"
The villagers looked at each other in confusion, unable to understand why the elder patriarch and the others were so excited, as if money had fallen from the sky.
"Village Chief, what recommendation letter? We don't understand," a quick-witted person asked.
The village chief no longer kept them in suspense. "It's fine if you are illiterate, but you must ensure your children study more. This recommendation letter is extraordinary! Only by passing the imperial examination to become a Xiucai can one study at the county school, and among the Xiucai, only those who are Lin Sheng are eligible to study at the prefectural school."
"Good heavens!" The villagers who understood widened their eyes.
Xiucai! Jin Lin Village hadn't produced a Xiucai in many years. Xiao Yu could now study at the county school where Xiucai studied.
"When we went to the Zeng family today, that official, fearing for Xiao Yu's safety, actually sent a Baihu official of the sixth rank to accompany her. His rank is even higher than our Magistrate Chen," the village chief said. At this point, those present didn't know what to say. The magistrate was already the highest official for them.
"Good, good, good! With Xiao Yu here, why should our Zhan clan not prosper!" The elder patriarch said "good" three times in a row, his face glowing as if he had taken an elixir of immortality.
The villagers were also excited and happy. Xiao Yu actually knew an official even more powerful than the magistrate. In the future, who in the surrounding villages would dare to underestimate Jin Lin Village!
The village chief looked coldly at Madam Yao, whose expression was pale and twisted, and said coldly, "The arrest of Weng San was precisely the order of this Baihu official. Constable Ma was acting on orders, and it has nothing to do with Zhan Lao Er!"
Madam Yao, who had been beaten and ridiculed, left the village chief's house in disarray.
...
Study.
After examining the calligraphy submitted by Zhan Fei Yu, Teacher Lin's face was filled with relief. Xiao Yu was arguably the most worry-free student. Although it was said that a gentleman should be cautious and self-disciplined, few could achieve what Xiao Yu did in terms of self-discipline.
After a long moment, Teacher Lin, with a smile, suddenly said, "Xiao Yu, you have read the Four Books. How would you evaluate the book 'The Great Learning'?"
Huh? Zhan Fei Yu was taken aback, almost thinking her teacher was joking. How could a mere scholar like herself comment freely on the words of sages?
But seeing Teacher Lin waiting for her answer with a serious expression, she knew this was a test.
"For those who study and enter academia, they first read The Great Learning to establish their framework; then they read the Analects to establish their foundation; next, they read Mencius to stimulate their progress; and finally, they read The Doctrine of the Mean to fully comprehend its subtleties." Zhan Fei Yu knew that this answer would not satisfy Teacher Lin, as it was common knowledge that any scholar would know.
Zhan Fei Yu recited again, "The Great Learning, with its emphasis on illuminating virtue and renewing the people to rest in the highest good, demonstrates its grand scope. However, if one stops at external pursuits and merely seeks self-cultivation, then there is a debate about the relationship between the root and the branches, the internal and external, and the order of importance."
Seeing Teacher Lin's calm expression, Zhan Fei Yu finally concluded, "From investigating things and extending knowledge to sincerity and rectifying oneself, and then to cultivating the family and governing the state, it is said that one must first learn to be a person. Reading The Great Learning is about introspection and cultivating oneself."
In simple terms, reading The Great Learning is for the improvement of personal cultivation and the perfection of character, ultimately leading to self-cultivation, family harmony, and national governance.
Silence pervaded the study. Teacher Lin turned and took a book from the bookshelf, handing it to Zhan Fei Yu.
Upon seeing the title, "The Great Avatamsaka Sutra," Zhan Fei Yu's eyes widened. "Teacher, are you asking me to become a nun? Although I am fat, I am still a woman. My head can be cut off, and my blood can flow, but my hair cannot be cut!"
The most serious atmosphere was disrupted by Zhan Fei Yu's mischievous demeanor. Teacher Lin tapped her forehead with his finger. "All Buddhas of the three times protect those who have a pure heart. Xiao Yu, the path is long and arduous, do not forget your original intention!"
Zhan Fei Yu solemnly bowed to Teacher Lin. "Teacher, your student remembers."
As dusk fell, Teacher Lin watched Zhan Fei Yu leave in the twilight. He retracted his gaze, thinking that Xiao Yu was intelligent, and he only hoped that she would not change her disposition or lose her true nature on her path of learning.
"Like the beginner's mind of a Bodhisattva, not mixed with later thoughts..." Zhan Fei Yu muttered as she flipped through the sutra, and suddenly saw a figure waiting by the roadside.
Zhan Fei Yu, with her short legs, ran over with a thud. She stopped and said crisply, "Big brother, thank you for today."
After leaving the Zeng family, Yin Wu Yan had left first. Zhan Fei Yu was wondering how to give him the item.
Chong Guang noticed the Avatamsaka Sutra in her hand and teased, "Oh, fat girl, have you stopped reading the Four Books and started reading Buddhist scriptures? Are you going to become a nun?"
"Big brother, I have something for you." She directly handed the sutra to Chong Guang and took out a narrow-necked bottle from her side satchel.
Yin Wu Yan took the bottle and shook it. The faint sound of water surprised him. She had actually brought out the tea.
"Your thank-you gift is too shabby," Chong Guang said disdainfully, looking at the narrow-necked vase with a painted lotus pattern in celadon glaze. Any porcelain shop could buy one for no more than one tael of silver.
Yin Wu Yan also handed the bottle to Chong Guang and walked forward, asking, "Did you discover anything unusual at the Zeng family?"
The excuse of buying candied hawthorns was only to fool the village chief and Teacher Lin. Yin Wu Yan wouldn't believe it, and if Zeng Yu Quan saw the tea in the teacup disappear, he wouldn't believe it either.
"I avoided people and secretly went to the Zeng family's Hundred Herbs Garden." Zhan Fei Yu was most satisfied with this. She only said she was going, and he wouldn't pry into how she got there.
Yin Wu Yan's cold gaze fell upon her, waiting for her next words.
"Big brother," Zhan Fei Yu looked up at Yin Wu Yan beside her. The sunset glow fell on her plump face, her eyes so clear that it seemed no filth or dirt could enter them. "Big brother never told me why the Imperial Guards were apprehending Hou Fei. I wonder if he has a way to control people."
Yin Wu Yan's footsteps did not stop, but Chong Guang, who was falling behind, exclaimed in shock. His left foot tripped over his right foot, and he stumbled, almost dropping the narrow-necked vase in his hand.
Zhan Fei Yu glared at Chong Guang, her cheeks puffed out in anger, "I risked my life to steal this from the Zeng family!"
Yin Wu Yan also shot him a cold glance. As a well-trained Imperial Guard, to make such a low-level mistake, he would have to undergo retraining after returning to the capital!
"Even a good horse can stumble!" Chong Guang said with a guilty smile. The plump girl's wide eyes were not very intimidating, but more importantly, their Seventh Master was also angered.
"Half a year ago, five murder cases occurred consecutively in the capital. Jiang Huaiming, the Right Secretary of the Central Secretariat, was assassinated by a singing girl in his household. Wang Pei, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, died at the hands of his concubine..." Yin Wu Yan's Imperial Guard was responsible for investigating this case, as the victims were all fifth-rank officials, and the murderers were all concubines, singing girls, and maids from their respective households.
Zhan Fei Yu nodded, guessing correctly, "These five murderers all came from the same place."
"Yes, the Imperial Guard investigated and found that some of them came from agencies, some were purchased from Jiangnan, and some sold themselves into slavery. However, they eventually traced them to a gambling house, and the gambling house was related to Hou Fei, the Jade-Faced Gentleman." Yin Wu Yan realized something was wrong and suppressed the news, ordering the Imperial Guards to infiltrate various households to investigate. Indeed, they found that many maids and concubines were also involved with gambling houses.
Unfortunately, Hou Fei, the Jade-Faced Gentleman, was skilled in disguise and fled the capital before the Imperial Guards could apprehend him. He then disappeared like a fish into the sea, his whereabouts untraceable.
Without catching Hou Fei, they couldn't find the forces behind him. It was a pity that Yin Wu Yan was a step too late. Hou Fei died at the hands of Zhan Fei Yu, and this clue was completely severed.
The Imperial Guard searched Shangsi County from top to bottom but found no clues related to Hou Fei, making it impossible to determine whether he randomly chose Shangsi County to hide or was involved with the forces behind him.
Zhan Fei Yu understood and did not hide her findings at the Zeng family. "The maids responsible for managing the plants in the Zeng family's Hundred Herbs Garden had dull expressions. The Mama Hua who supervised them gave orders, and they carried them out like soulless puppets."
"Those five murderers in the capital were clearly well-trained assassins!" Chong Guang added.
After the incident, all five murderers committed suicide. Moreover, they showed no hesitation or struggle before dying. Only trained secret guards and assassins would behave like this.
"I mean those maids at the Zeng family are failures, and the ones released are successes," Zhan Fei Yu said bluntly, looking at Yin Wu Yan. "Do you know about Zhu You Shu, big brother? If you find a group of ignorant children, when they are young, they are like a blank sheet of paper..."
Through a specific environment, they were trained and controlled, supplemented by medication, similar to modern hypnosis, to manipulate people's minds and implant psychological suggestions.
Normally, they lived like ordinary people, but once they received instructions, their minds would be lost, and they would execute orders at all costs.
Hou Fei, the Jade-Faced Gentleman, was the implementer of Zhu You Shu.
Chong Guang, who understood, looked at Zhan Fei Yu in surprise, his eyes flashing. The plump girl was not old, and it was understandable that she had talent in reading the Four Books and Five Classics, but she even knew about Zhu You Shu!
Zhu You Shu, to be precise, was a form of witchcraft and sorcery, which had long been banned by the imperial court. It would not be recorded in any杂书 (miscellaneous books) on the market. If it weren't for the previous investigation of Zhan Fei Yu, Chong Guang would have suspected her identity.
Before Chong Guang could speak, Yin Wu Yan gave him a warning look, forcing him to swallow the words he was about to ask. He smiled and sighed, "So, Hou Fei is dead, and this crisis is considered resolved."
Zhan Fei Yu looked at Chong Guang, who was awkwardly changing the subject, with a look of disdain. She knew he was suspicious, but as long as Big Brother didn't inquire further, Chong Guang would have to keep his curiosity to himself!
"After the coroner's examination, it was found that Jiang Huaiming and Wang Pei were killed at almost the same time," Yin Wu Yan frowned. Although Hou Fei was dead, there were likely others who could control these people.
Zhan Fei Yu looked at Yin Wu Yan, who had hit the nail on the head, with admiration. She organized her thoughts and said, "It's like exchanging passwords. I say 'Tian Wang Gai Di Hu' (The Heavenly King covers the Tiger's back), and if the password is correct, the door opens. Even though Hou Fei is dead, others know this password and can still make the other party execute the command."
But fortunately, Hou Fei was gone, and the forces behind him could no longer cultivate such people.
Yin Wu Yan escorted her to the village entrance. Seeing Zhan Fei Yu bouncing into the village, a smile flickered across his cold, handsome face. At this moment, she looked like a child.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, she smelled the aroma of food. Zhan Fei Yu rushed into the house and exclaimed at the dishes on the table, "Mom, it's not a festival, why is there meat and fish again?"
Madam Li put down the chopsticks and looked dotingly at the greedy Zhan Fei Yu. "Granny Zhu Zi and the others sent it over, saying it was to warm our house."
In fact, it was just an excuse to send gifts. Zhan Fei Yu was highly regarded by Magistrate Chen and had even received a recommendation letter to the county school and prefectural school from a noble. The villagers befriended Madam Li hoping for future support from Zhan Fei Yu.
This was also normal. People tend to avoid misfortune and seek good fortune. Since Zhan Fei Yu was promising, the villagers naturally wanted to curry favor with her.
"Mom, then I'm in for a treat tonight." Zhan Fei Yu grinned and turned to wash her hands in the courtyard.
Mother and daughter ate their fill that night, much more comfortably than when they were at the Zhan family's home.
As night fell, three candles were lit in the room, illuminating the somewhat dilapidated house. After grinding the ink, Zhan Fei Yu began to practice calligraphy, while Madam Li continued to use the lamplight to sew shoe soles.
Although she had the support of the village and the clan, Madam Li preferred to earn money with her own hands. This way, if the village and clan made excessive demands on Xiao Yu in the future, Xiao Yu could refuse them with confidence.
When the courtyard gate was knocked upon, Madam Li's heart skipped a beat. She turned and looked out the window.
It was said that a widow's gate attracted many rumors. Although she was divorced from Zhan Lao Da, living alone with Xiao Yu, she was bound to attract gossip. However, with the clan suppressing such matters, idle ruffians dared not harass her.
"Mom, I forgot I promised the village chief to go back to the old family home." Hearing the village chief's call outside the courtyard, Zhan Fei Yu suddenly remembered this.
Madam Li's relieved heart tensed again. She had no ill will towards the Zhan family in the old house, only hoping that they would live their lives without interfering with each other.
Putting down her brush and seeing Madam Li's worried expression, Zhan Fei Yu walked over and held her hand, her low child's voice softening to a point that melted hearts. "Mom, don't worry. Now, in the village, anyone who dares to bully your daughter is tired of living!"
"You talkative girl!" Madam Li was amused. Then she thought about it again. This afternoon, she had received sixty to seventy eggs, all sent by the villagers to nourish Xiao Yu.
Seeing Madam Li smile, Zhan Fei Yu also smiled. "Mom, I'm going to the old family home to deal with my father's affairs. I'll be back in at most half an hour."
The moonlight was dim. The village chief held a lantern to illuminate the way, while the elder patriarch's youngest grandson supported him. Zhan Fei Yu hurried out.
Making the elders wait outside, Zhan Fei Yu apologized sheepishly, "Great-grandfather, I forgot about this."
"Haha, you little girl must be studying too hard." The elder patriarch laughed heartily, showing no blame. If she hadn't been studying day and night, how could Xiao Yu have gained the favor of a noble?
The village chief had sent someone to notify the Zhan family in the afternoon, so the Zhan family had not yet retired when they arrived. The main house was lit, and Madam Ma had even boiled a pot of tea.
Zhan Lao San was wandering in the courtyard. Upon seeing the village chief and his party, he rushed forward and picked up Zhan Fei Yu, even tossing her up and down. He laughed heartily, "Third Uncle bought you candied hawthorns, happy? Surprised?"
The village chief and the elder patriarch were slow to react. Before they could respond, they saw Zhan Fei Yu being carried away. That was bad enough, but Zhan Lao San even dared to toss her up. What if he didn't catch her and she fell...
"Zhan Lao San, put Xiao Yu down!" The elder patriarch roared. If it weren't for Zhan Fei Yu's sake, he would have swung his cane.
The village chief was also terrified. After Zhan Fei Yu was put down, he immediately pulled her behind him and scolded Zhan Lao San fiercely, "How old are you, and you're still not serious? If you drop Xiao Yu, I'll break your legs!"
"You scoundrel, three days without a beating and you'll tear down the roof!" Seeing that Zhan Fei Yu was safe, the elder patriarch's cane also swung, hitting Zhan Lao San's leg. His vigorous appearance completely belied the fact that he needed support to walk at night.
Zhan Fei Yu, watching from the side, giggled. Although she was short, she was a seven-year-old child, not a baby. Her uncle deserved to be beaten!
"Elder Patriarch, I know I was wrong... Please be gentle, ow... my leg!" Zhan Lao San, who was jumping around, was being whipped and cried out. The elder patriarch's strength was enough to work in the fields.
"Xiao Yu." Hearing the commotion in the courtyard, Zhan Lao Da hurried out of the house, looking at Zhan Fei Yu with excitement and trepidation.
Since Zhan Fei Yu was adopted out and Madam Li moved away, the old Zhan family home had been in chaos for the past two days.
Madam Yao and Madam Ma, the two sisters-in-law, argued from morning till night, from cooking to cleaning the courtyard, from feeding chickens and ducks to working in the vegetable patch. Neither would yield to the other, and their arguments made the entire Zhan family restless.
What made Zhan Lao Da most uncomfortable was that Madam Yao and Madam Ma had started to mock him, his elder uncle, with sarcastic remarks. They would bang around in the kitchen while cooking, calling him a freeloader and a waste of food, almost pointing at his nose and scolding him.
But it made sense. Zhan Lao Da had been expelled from the clan and was no longer a member of the old Zhan family. He could no longer work for the family and earn money. The longer he stayed at home, the more meals he ate.
After driving Zhan Lao Da away, the three rooms of the eldest branch would belong to the two branches, so how could they tolerate Zhan Lao Da occupying the space.