The villagers looked at Zhan Feiyu with sympathy and regret. No one expected the rumors to spread so wildly. The village chief and the old clan elder had forbidden them from gossiping, but they couldn't stop people from other villages. It was said that the rumors had spread through every street and alley of Shangsi County.
"Little Yu, a young girl should be washing and learning needlework. Why study? Look at how much silver you've wasted, only to end up with nothing." Madam Xiao Yao smiled triumphantly.
What Da Lang said was absolutely right. The dead girl's reputation was ruined, and the county school definitely wouldn't accept her, nor would any other private schools.
Seeing how prosperous their second branch was now, Da Lang went to Zhang's private school and was to be engaged to the Xie family's daughter next year. The head of the household could earn money, and Madam Xiao Yao felt more and more smug. How arrogant that dead girl was before, and now she was cowering.
"What's the point of having talent? People are destined for their fate! My Da Lang was born with the noble destiny of becoming an official." Madam Xiao Yao tilted her chin and spoke domineeringly to Zhan Feiyu, "Since you're not studying anymore, these papers will be wasted on you. I'll do a good deed and take them back for Da Lang to practice calligraphy."
Zhan Feiyu didn't lack money now. She didn't use the cheapest yellow hemp paper for calligraphy anymore but bought rough paper, fifty wen per ream.
Madam Xiao Yao wasn't short of these two to three hundred wen. Firstly, she was greedy, and secondly, she did it intentionally to humiliate Zhan Feiyu and vent her anger, letting the village chief and elders protect her. Bah!
Stepping back, Zhan Feiyu avoided Madam Xiao Yao, who was trying to snatch the paper, and said with a smile, "The Great Qing Laws state that robbers will be imprisoned for two years, and those who injure others will be exiled three hundred li. Sister-in-law, do you want to test the law?"
"Dead girl, don't try to fool me with your fancy talk. Am I afraid of you?" Madam Xiao Yao sneered. If it were before, she definitely wouldn't dare, but now...
Madam Xiao Yao's eyes turned fierce. Thinking of her swollen face from being slapped by Madam Li before, her expression became even more ferocious. "You, who were born without a mother and raised without a mother, I'll teach you a lesson for your sharp tongue!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Madam Xiao Yao raised her hand and slapped towards Zhan Feiyu's face.
"She should be taught a good lesson. She's not old, but she doesn't respect her elders!" Sister Guihua chimed in loudly. Madam Li was just doting on her daughter, wasn't she? If Yao Chunhua hit this dead girl today, Madam Li couldn't turn the heavens upside down!
Zhan Feiyu's eyes suddenly darkened. She raised the paper in her hand to block Madam Xiao Yao's arm and quickly kicked towards her knee.
From the age of three or four, Zhan Feiyu followed Shan Wazi, Er Niu, and the others, running all over the mountains. While they were playing, she was training her physique.
In the following two years, she gradually practiced the moves of Sanda. Although she didn't have a foundation in internal energy, each move could protect herself, let alone dealing with Madam Xiao Yao.
With a crack! followed by Madam Xiao Yao's pig-like scream!
A frontal kick to the knee in combat could lead to a fall, or worse, a fracture!
Fortunately, Zhan Feiyu was only eight years old, and her full-strength kick only made Madam Xiao Yao kneel on the ground with a thud. But it was her bad luck that her knee happened to hit a sharp, protruding stone!
Zhan Feiyu hugged the rough paper tightly and retreated to the side. Her dark, bright eyes looked left and right, her expression innocent and pure, as if she had no idea why Madam Xiao Yao was kneeling on the ground and wailing.
"Huh?" Several women who were about to break up the fight were also stunned.
Madam Xiao Yao had suddenly rushed forward and was about to hit Zhan Feiyu. They hadn't had time to react, and then they saw Madam Xiao Yao kneeling on the ground.
"I don't know either," Zhan Feiyu said crisply.
She kicked extremely fast, and Madam Xiao Yao's body had blocked Zhan Feiyu, which also caused the women behind her to not see what had happened.
Madam Xiao Yao's face turned pale from the pain. She looked up, her eyes filled with vicious ferocity, and gritted her teeth, "I'm going to kill you, you dead girl!"
"Ah! Ah!" Suddenly, a hoarse voice rang out. Everyone looked up and saw Old Madam Zhan rushing over with a bamboo broom.
Since becoming mute, Old Madam Zhan hadn't appeared in the village for more than half a year. Seeing her now, several women were startled.
Old Madam Zhan was wearing a black coarse cloth dress, her hair was completely white, and she was as thin as a skeleton. Only skin was left on her face. At this moment, with her stern old face and those eerie eyes, it made people's hearts shiver.
"Little Yu, come here quickly!" An aunt hurriedly said, pulling Zhan Feiyu behind her.
"Thank you, Aunt..." Before Zhan Feiyu could finish speaking, she saw Old Madam Zhan rushing over, crying "ah ah" twice, and swinging the broom in her hand down on Madam Xiao Yao's head.
Uh... this time Zhan Feiyu was stunned. The women were also so surprised that their eyes almost popped out.
"Mother, are you crazy!" Madam Xiao Yao was still kneeling on the ground and couldn't get up.
The bamboo broom swept across her cheek, and the stinging pain came. Madam Xiao Yao screamed in pain, "You old hag, why are you hitting me..."
But the harder Madam Xiao Yao screamed, the harder Old Madam Zhan hit. After the bamboo bristles of the broom were worn off, only the handle of the broom was left.
Old Madam Zhan's sinister gaze was fixed on Madam Xiao Yao, who was sitting on the ground. She raised the broom handle and smashed it down.
"Ah!" A piercing scream rang out. Madam Xiao Yao rolled on the ground in pain, but Old Madam Zhan hit her like a madwoman, blow after blow.
With a crack! The sound of the broom handle hitting the kneecap was chilling.
"Auntie?" Sister Guihua, who was about to break up the fight, retreated several steps in fear, letting out a startled "ah," afraid that Old Madam Zhan's broom handle would hit her own leg.
Zhan Feiyu patted her chest with lingering fear. This was truly ruthless!
Lying on the ground, covered in dust and gasping for breath, Madam Xiao Yao's face was scratched like a spiderweb by the bamboo bristles. A large lump had formed on her forehead, and her nose was bleeding. If she hadn't been able to groan in pain, one would have thought she was beaten to death.
"Hoo hoo!" Old Madam Zhan was also tired from hitting. She hunched her thin body, looked up, and her sinister gaze fell on Zhan Feiyu. Suddenly, she raised the broom handle again and smashed it down on Madam Xiao Yao, who was lying on the ground.
"Auntie, you can't hit anymore, someone will die!"
"Someone, come! Murder..."
Finally, several women reacted and started shouting at the top of their lungs.
Perhaps afraid that Madam Xiao Yao would be beaten to death by Old Madam Zhan, they rushed forward to stop her, but her last blow still hit Madam Xiao Yao's head, and blood gushed out.
Zhan Feiyu also took the opportunity to snatch the broom handle from Old Madam Zhan's hand and understood what she meant.
Old Madam Zhan's eyes, as if poisoned, stared intently at Madam Xiao Yao on the ground, wishing she could beat her to death. She brought this upon herself by offending Zhan Feiyu, and she shouldn't implicate her son and grandson!
Old Madam Zhan was poisoned and mute, but at least she was alive. Thinking that Madam Xiao Yao was always gossiping about Zhan Feiyu in the village, Old Madam Zhan, a married old woman, couldn't stand those dirty words. She was truly afraid that someone behind Zhan Feiyu would come to settle accounts.
The village chief was so angry he lost his temper when he heard the shouts. He glanced at Second Master Zhan impatiently and walked out the door.
The village chief wasn't working in the fields today. He was gathered with several clan elders. Second Master Zhan wanted the villagers to grow more vegetables and raise chickens, ducks, fish, and geese. He planned to collect them all and open a vegetable shop in the county.
Logically, this was a good thing. However, Zhan Feiyu had already warned the village chief before. Earning money was good, but it wasn't sustainable. If farmers neglected their fields, it would be a loss.
As Second Master Zhan, the village chief, and the clan elders walked to the banyan tree, they saw Madam Xiao Yao lying on the ground, with a bloody head.
A fierce glint flashed in Second Master Zhan's eyes. He shouted angrily, "Zhan Feiyu, you little beast!"
With a swift step, Second Master Zhan rushed forward and kicked towards Zhan Feiyu's chest.
His body had been recovering for half a year. Although he coughed easily when the weather turned cold, he was mostly like an ordinary person on weekdays. The kick from an adult man, one could imagine its power!
Could this be retribution! Zhan Feiyu looked speechlessly at the incoming kick. This retribution came quite quickly!
"Second Master Zhan!" The village chief roared furiously, his voice hoarse. He didn't expect Second Master Zhan to use force against Zhan Feiyu, but it was too late.
Zhan Feiyu threw the rough paper in her hand to the ground, gripped the broom handle in her right palm, and at the moment Second Master Zhan's foot kicked, she forcefully lifted it from bottom to top...
"Ah!" The even more piercing scream startled the birds in the trees, making them flutter their wings and fly away.
Second Master Zhan knelt on the ground with a thud, covering his crotch with both hands. The pain was so intense that his forehead touched the ground, and his whole body trembled from the agony.
The village chief and the clan elders inexplicably felt a pain in their groins. Even though they were all old with white hair, who hadn't been young before? Men understood this kind of pain!
Several women were also stunned, looking at the howling Second Master Zhan, and then at Zhan Feiyu, who was holding the stick with a bewildered expression. The little girl was blankly...
Her eyes wide open, as if she didn't know how this "coincidental" blow had rendered him like this.
"Little Yu, don't look!" An aunt pulled Zhan Feiyu into her arms and covered her ears.
A moment later, the village barefoot doctor, Uncle Wang, arrived.
Madam Li rushed over from home. Zhan Da Lang also abandoned his clan field work and came to the old house. It was the first time the couple had returned since moving out.
"Mother, I'm fine." Zhan Feiyu looked at the anxious Madam Li and quickly stepped forward to hold her hand.
"It's good that you're fine." Madam Li was truly frightened. No matter how smart Little Yu was, she was just a child. If Madam Xiao Yao or Second Master Zhan attacked her, how could Little Yu withstand it.
Zhan Da Lang's concerned gaze scanned Zhan Feiyu from head to toe. He wanted to touch her head, but he was afraid of being rejected, so he could only stand silently beside the mother and daughter.
"Village Chief, even though Little Yu is my niece, she is still so young and dared to commit violence. This time, she absolutely cannot be tolerated!" Second Master Zhan sat on a chair, having recovered from the severe pain. His venomous gaze was fixed on Zhan Feiyu.
Thinking of Madam Xiao Yao, who was unconscious in the bedroom, the village chief, even though he knew Madam Xiao Yao had provoked the incident, felt that Little Yu had indeed gone too far by beating her like this.
The clan elders held the same view. Zhan Feiyu could no longer study, so they wouldn't kick her while she was down, but the special treatment she had received would definitely be gone.
"Let's deal with her according to the clan rules!" Old Master Zhan said with a stern face, his anger evident. His gaze towards Zhan Feiyu's family of three was only cold and hateful.
To Old Master Zhan, Zhan Feiyu, who could no longer study, was useless. Instead, she became detestable. If this dead girl hadn't insisted on studying, Zhan Da Lang wouldn't have been expelled from the clan, and Madam Li wouldn't have moved out. How could he need to work in the fields every day!
"I..."
"Little Yu, don't be afraid, Mother is here." Madam Li interrupted Zhan Feiyu. Since those dirty rumors started spreading, Madam Li had also heard quite a few sarcastic remarks.
She had thought it through. If the village and clan couldn't tolerate Little Yu, she would take Little Yu back to her maiden home. Her elder brother and sister-in-law were kind and gentle. The mother and daughter could also earn money, which was better than staying in the village and being bullied by the second branch.
"Second brother, you..." Zhan Da Lang spoke, wanting to ask Second Master Zhan not to bother with Zhan Feiyu, but meeting Second Master Zhan's arrogant gaze, Zhan Da Lang was at a loss for how to plead.
"Big brother, it's not that I'm disregarding kinship, but Little Yu has gone too far this time. She's trying to kill her second aunt! Even if it goes to the authorities, it won't be us who get beaten!" Second Master Zhan said with a cold, stern face. He was confident, while Zhan Feiyu had no support now.
"That Second Brother, your wife wasn't hit by Little Yu," a nearby aunt couldn't help but say. Looking at Second Master Zhan's embarrassment, she continued, "It was your mother who hit her with the broom. We all saw it."
Sister Guihua awkwardly chimed in, not forgetting to praise herself, "Auntie was like crazy. I wanted to stop her, but I couldn't."
"But that broom was..." Second Master Zhan's expression cracked little by little. He remembered that Zhan Feiyu was holding the broom handle at the time, and it was still stained with blood.
The aunt explained to Second Master Zhan, "It wasn't that your mother hit too hard. We were all afraid she would beat your wife to death, so we stopped your mother. Little Yu took the opportunity to snatch the broom away. You misunderstood."
The village chief and the clan elders were stunned again. What a mess!
Second Master Zhan could barely maintain his expression. He even thought they were all lying and covering for Zhan Feiyu! But while others might, Sister Guihua and Madam Li had old grievances, so she wouldn't help Zhan Feiyu conceal it.
"Mother." Zhan Feiyu shook Madam Li's hand, and her crisp voice broke the eerie silence in the main hall, "Let's go home."
"Okay, let's go back." Madam Li reacted. Seeing the village chief nod, she took Zhan Feiyu's hand and walked out.
Several aunts also said awkwardly, "Then there's nothing else. We should go home and cook."
Meanwhile, in the bedroom separated by a wall, Madam Xiao Yao's sharp curses just rang out, "You old hag, you actually hit me... you crazy woman... you'll die a horrible death!"
The pain was so severe that Madam Xiao Yao's curses had changed tone. Fortunately, they were all superficial injuries. Although painful, there was no danger to her life.
Second Master Zhan's expression twisted and twisted again.
"Third Brother." The village chief looked at Zhan Laotou, who was silently smoking his pipe, and said indifferently, "You should also talk to Third Sister-in-law. As a mother-in-law, she should be more tolerant. She can't beat her daughter-in-law to death. This is going to kill someone!"
Zhan Laotou didn't speak. He took several puffs of his pipe. Under the white smoke, his wrinkled old face looked even older and more颓废.
Just now, he had been stern about punishing Zhan Feiyu according to clan rules, but his face was slapped. Who would have thought that Old Madam Zhan was the one who did it.
By evening, many people had gathered under the banyan tree, talking about the day's events. They all thought Old Madam Zhan had gone mad. Even if she tormented her daughter-in-law, she shouldn't beat her to death.
"You didn't see it. I was so scared at the time, I thought she was coming for Little Yu." The woman spoke with flying spittle, vividly describing the scene.
"What are you laughing at! Don't talk about me. Little Yu, so smart, was also stunned."
"Yes, the broom handle, as thick as a wrist, was hitting Yao Chunhua's body. I felt the pain just watching."
This incident also became an unsolved mystery in Jinlin Village. No one knew why Old Madam Zhan suddenly beat Madam Xiao Yao so violently. It was said that she was biased towards the second branch before, and now that Second Master Zhan was earning money, Old Madam Zhan should have been even more biased.
"Guihua, why aren't you talking? Are you scared? Do you want me to ask Granny Mei to call your soul back." The woman nudged the dazed Sister Guihua.
Snapping back to reality, as if unable to hold back her words, Sister Guihua looked around and then whispered, "In the afternoon, I went to see Chunhua and heard Uncle Wang say that Chunhua's kneecap was injured and that she should be sent to the county clinic to see a doctor. Uncle Wang was worried that Chunhua's right leg would be crippled."
"What?" Several women exclaimed, and they couldn't help but recall the scene of Old Madam Zhan hitting Madam Xiao Yao's knee with a bamboo pole. At that time, they seemed to have heard the crack of bones breaking.
...
That night, the whole village knew that Madam Xiao Yao's right leg was crippled and would be disabled if not treated.
In the morning, when delivering vegetables, the villagers heard Madam Xiao Yao cursing Zhan Feiyu inside her house, saying that she had kicked her leg and that she wanted to report to the authorities and demand compensation... But no one in the village believed it. It was clearly Old Madam Zhan who had crippled her leg.
"Alright, stop shouting. Doctor Xu from Jishi Hall is very skilled. I'll take you there later." Second Master Zhan looked at Madam Xiao Yao lying on the bed with disgust.
The bloodstains drawn by the bamboo bristles on her face had already scabbed over, but they were densely crisscrossed, making Second Master Zhan feel nauseous. Coupled with her shrewish and ugly appearance, Second Master Zhan had the thought of divorcing her for the first time.
"Husband, I must report to the authorities. My knee was kicked by that dead girl!" Madam Xiao Yao squeezed the words out between her teeth, her face contorted with ferocity. Coupled with her disheveled hair, she looked like a female ghost at first glance.
Her knee hurt, her cheeks hurt, there was a wound on her forehead, and her whole body ached. Madam Xiao Yao couldn't curse her mother-in-law, Old Madam Zhan, so she could only curse Zhan Feiyu with all sorts of dirty words.
Zhan Feiyu took the ox cart from the Hu family to Shangsi County early in the morning.
Last night, she received a letter from Doctor Ji. The people tracking Scholar Zhang had yielded results. This matter could not be delayed any longer, otherwise Zhan Feiyu's reputation would truly be ruined.
Enemies meet on a narrow road! Zhan Feiyu looked at the ox cart behind her.
Third Master Zhan, who was driving the ox cart, greeted her with a smile, "Little Yu, you're up early today. Little Uncle remembers you used to love sleeping in."
"Zhan Feiyu!" An angry shout rang out. Madam Xiao Yao, who was lying on the ox cart, sat up abruptly, but the injury to her knee caused her to fall back down in pain. With a bang, the back of her head hit the bottom of the ox cart heavily.
Zhan Feiyu touched her nose. Just hearing the sound made her feel pain.
"Mother, stop shouting." Second Young Master Da Lang looked at Madam Xiao Yao with disdain. Not to mention her ghost-like face, his mother's constant shrewish cursing would cause him to lose all face and dignity if his classmates heard it.
Second Master Zhan sat beside her, his eyes closed, dozing, clearly ignoring Madam Xiao Yao.
From dawn to bright morning, the ox carts going to the county town gradually increased, and there were also many people carrying poles and baskets, all wanting to take advantage of the early market to sell something.
Suddenly, two fine horses galloped from the city gate. The ox carts and pedestrians on the road all retreated to the sides, their expressions showing a hint of fear. The two military officers on horseback wore cotton armor and carried雁翎刀 at their waists.
Madam Xiao Yao, who had been cursing all the way, also quieted down. Even if she was fierce, it was only in the village. This was because Second Master Zhan could sell vegetables to Taifu Restaurant.
"Whoa!" The young man reined in his horse and cupped his hands towards Zhan Feiyu on the ox cart, "Little Scholar Zhan, I am Chen Fei, a squadron leader from the Southern Xuan Guard, sent by Commander Tao to pick up Little Scholar Zhan."
"Thank you." Zhan Feiyu got off the ox cart. The Zeng family had been sealed off by Commander Tao and his men before, and this time, Doctor Ji had also sought Commander Tao's help in investigating the rumors.
"Forgive my presumption." Chen Fei on horseback bowed his head, scooped Zhan Feiyu into his arms with his long arm, clamped his legs against the horse's belly, and the fine horse galloped away again.
Uncle Hu, who was driving the ox cart, looked at the two fine horses galloping away in surprise. "My goodness, I must tell my wife when I get back. Even if Little Yu can't study anymore, she's not someone we can offend. Those are the military officers from the garrison. And a squadron leader at that!"
On the other ox cart, Second Master Zhan's face turned extremely gloomy. How could that dead girl be so lucky? Her reputation was already notorious, and the county school wouldn't accept her, yet she could still get involved with the military officers from the garrison!
Even if Second Master Zhan was foolish, he knew who not to offend. The dead girl's reputation was ruined, so Zhao Jiaoyu of the county school wouldn't accept him, and neither would the teachers of other private schools. This was because scholars valued their reputation.
But the military officers from the garrison were all rough people. If you angered them, they could chop you with a single saber!
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