Chen Pozi, kneeling on the ground, had her hands and feet bound. Her clothes were disheveled, and her hair was messy, making her look like a truly deranged old woman.
It seemed she had been dragged along the ground by Aunt Donggua the entire way.
Aunt Donggua was tall and large, ate well every day, and was naturally much stronger than Chen Pozi. Chen Pozi was no match for her.
After cursing for a while, Zhou Donggua suddenly noticed that Chen Pozi's messy hair was covering her face, and an idea struck her.
To make sure everyone could see Chen Pozi's true face, Zhou Donggua took out a cleaver from her waist and shaved Chen Pozi's head completely bald.
Chen Pozi tried to struggle, but Zhou Donggua kicked her down with her sturdy foot.
The villagers burst into laughter upon seeing Chen Pozi's dog-like bald head.
Tian Guihua, wearing an apron, said to those around her, "I heard Aunt Donggua caught Chen Pozi last night, then borrowed a broken drum from Old Tongshu, who used to perform, and dragged Chen Pozi around before dawn today, shouting about her affair with Li Guaizi. She's already spread the word to every household in Qianfei Village, and now it's our Hongshu Village's turn."
Before Tian Guihua could finish, she started laughing.
"Aunt Donggua is truly capable," Yang Shi couldn't help but praise with a laugh.
Du Min said disdainfully, "I don't know what Li Guaizi's taste is. Chen Pozi looks like a female monkey, yet he can fancy her. Aunt Donggua, on the other hand, has at least proper facial features."
Granny Zhong pouted, "It's normal for a male monkey to fancy a female monkey."
The women all burst into laughter.
Liu Shi looked around, puzzled, and asked, "Lu Dahai and Lu Dahe, those two filial sons, haven't come out to rescue their mother?"
"What? You still hope those two come to save this female monkey?" Granny Zhong chided.
"How could that be?" Liu Shi's voice rose. "I just think if they came, this show would be even more interesting."
Tian Guihua walked a few steps closer to Liu Shi and Yang Shi and others, lowering her voice slightly. "I heard Lu Dahai went to beg Aunt Donggua. Aunt Donggua said that anyone who dared to stop her from getting revenge on Chen Pozi, she would chop up their entire family. Anyway, if she couldn't get revenge, she'd drag the people who stopped her to death with her. Even if she died, she'd report Chen Pozi to the authorities. With a mother who has a criminal record, Lu Dahai's descendants would never be able to pass the imperial examinations. Seeing Aunt Donggua's madness, Xu Shi tightly held Lu Dahai back."
Lu Ye stood beside Bai Sheng and sneered, "Those who bring trouble upon themselves cannot live."
Bai Sheng's face was full of schadenfreude. "Evil people are bound to meet their end! Such people are destined for a bad outcome. Master often says that children who harm their elders will suffer backlash. In fact, without us lifting a finger, she'll bring about her own demise. Look, the good show is about to begin."
Lu Dahai's entire family stayed at home, out of sight, out of mind.
Last night, upon hearing that Zhou Donggua had captured his mother and intended to kill her, Lu Dahai first went to beg Zhou Donggua, but was cursed and driven away without mercy.
Lu Dahai originally wanted to beg Lu Ye and Bai Sheng, hoping they would intervene and persuade Zhou Donggua, but he was stopped by Lu Xing.
Lu Xing said angrily, "Dad, you are truly foolish! Cousin and Cousin-in-law will absolutely not interfere in this matter. Even if Grandma were beaten to death right under their noses, or even dismembered and thrown into a cesspool, they wouldn't bat an eye. For so long, Dad, haven't you realized it? Cousin and Cousin-in-law have long wanted to get rid of Grandma. The only reason they've tolerated it for so long is out of consideration for our relationship."
Lu Dahai's eyes widened in shock.
Lu Xing paused and continued, "What Grandma has done in the past has truly chilled the bone. Dad, if you go to beg Cousin and Cousin-in-law to save Grandma, I'm afraid they'll drive our entire family out of Hongshu Village. Cousin and Cousin-in-law owe us nothing. They haven't given Grandma a chance, but did Grandma cherish it? Was she grateful? Not even a little bit! Today, Grandma has met such an end entirely because she brought it upon herself! No one can be blamed! She's an old woman, yet she's still colluding with Li Guaizi. Dad, as her son, don't you find it shameful? Moreover, Grandma actually tried to poison Aunt Donggua. Is that something a human would do? A person like Grandma is more venomous than a snake or scorpion. I don't even know how Grandpa fell for her back then! As her grandson, I truly feel incredibly ashamed!"
Upon hearing Lu Xing's words, Lu Dahai slumped down powerlessly. He truly had no face to go to Lu Ye and his wife again. However, Chen Pozi was his mother after all. He couldn't bear to watch her be killed by Zhou Donggua. Even knowing Lu Ye wouldn't agree, at least as a son, he had tried. But Lu Xing's words enlightened him; he couldn't risk his entire family's livelihood to save his mother. He clearly knew that this time, no one could save his mother. If he did something futile to ease his conscience, he might end up harming his whole family.
Lu Dahai turned and went back into the house, locking himself in his room.
Lu Xing secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Lu Yang and Xu Shi locked Lu Dahai in the room.
Zhou Donggua continued to shout loudly under the sand embankment for a while, ensuring that the "glorious deeds" of Chen Pozi and Li Guaizi reached the ears of everyone present. Then, she bent down and dragged Chen Pozi forward.
She knocked on the broken drum by her side and shouted, "Chen Pozi of Qianfei Village, Lu Chenshi, seduced my dead dog of a husband, Li Guaizi, and even poisoned me, trying to kill me so she could be with the dog man. Step right up, don't miss out, villagers, come and see this shameless, wicked old hag!"
The villagers of Hongshu Village spat at Chen Pozi or expectorated phlegm, pointing at her with faces full of contempt and cursing her.
Chen Pozi buried her bald head deeply, not daring to lift her face. Zhou Donggua had stuffed a smelly sock into her mouth, and her hands were bound, making escape impossible.
Zhou Donggua dragged her through a public parade for the entire day, shouting the whole time. During this period, Bai Sheng, fearing that Aunt Donggua would become hoarse and exhausted, specifically sent General Fen and others to deliver her some spiritual spring water and three meals a day. With the support of a strong rear guard, Aunt Donggua remained energetic until the end of the public parade.
After dragging Chen Pozi home, she directly took Li Guaizi to find Lu Ye and Magistrate Ji to process the divorce papers.
When Li Guaizi heard that Zhou Donggua intended to divorce him and drive him out of Hongshu Slope, he fainted on the spot. Even his fainting could not deter Donggua's resolve to divorce him. She asked Lu Ye to help write the divorce papers, then used Li Guaizi's fingers to imprint his hand. Lu Ye and Ji Cheng then stamped the village and government seals.
When Li Guaizi woke up, he found himself lying side-by-side with the half-dead Chen Pozi on the main road of Qianfei Village, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers. Chen Pozi's leg had been broken, and her face had been cut dozens of times. She weakly regained consciousness, throwing all dignity aside, and grabbed Li Guaizi's arm, "Brother Guaizi, you promised you would take care of me."
"Take care of your grandmother! Get lost!" Li Guaizi had never hated Chen Pozi so much in his life.