lcionline Chapter 18 The Opponent Made a Stupid Move and Couldn't Be Stopped
Chapter 18 The Opponent Made a Stupid Move and Couldn't Be Stopped
Qi Meixiang was two months pregnant when Sun Dacheng kicked her, causing her to miscarry. On the same day, people from Qi Meixiang's family came to visit, and the liveliness in the village shifted from the Meng family to the Sun family.
Mr. and Mrs. Sun had always wanted a grandson, but Sun Dacheng got married late. As soon as Qi Meixiang married into the family, she was burdened with the responsibility of giving birth to a big, healthy boy for the Sun family.
The couple had been married for over a year, but there was still no sign of pregnancy, which greatly displeased Sun's mother.
The Sun family was a family where the father was weak and the mother was strong. Relying on her position as the mother-in-law, the mother set rules for Qi Meixiang and ordered people to do chores every day.
Qi Meixiang was not someone to be trifled with. She dared not obey Sun's mother's orders and even instigated Sun Dacheng to separate the family. The whole family was like a theatrical performance, with one person finishing their act and another taking the stage, engaging in verbal and physical battles one after another.
The loss of her grandson caused Sun's mother to have a good cry. After crying, she remembered the kick Meng Fuqing had given her daughter-in-law, and she was instantly filled with fighting spirit again.
She was sharpening her knives, ready to fight that brat Meng Fuqing to the death. Or, if she didn't want to fight, she'd just have to pay up!
Before she could get ready, the village chief arrived.
Sun's mother shouldn't interfere in the affairs of men's families, but she was still uneasy when she remembered how the village chief had always protected that widow's family yesterday.
Thinking this, she slowly moved outside and pricked up her ears to eavesdrop.
Meng Bochang said to Sun's father, "I shouldn't have come, but Da Chengzi's sneaking over Qing Yaya's wall in the middle of the night is still unresolved. Have you asked him about it?"
Mr. Sun shook his head and said sullenly, "It's still the same old story."
After a moment, he said with a flushed face, "Village chief, everyone says to catch a thief red-handed. I am his father and I have never seen him bring back any ginseng, let alone bring back any silver. You can't just say that my Dacheng stole it without any evidence, can you?"
Besides, who knows if that girl dug up two ginseng roots? If Da Chengzi wanted to steal one, why would he only steal one?
Meng Bochang paused for a moment before saying with difficulty, "As the village chief, I've thought of everything you've mentioned. I also asked Qingya, and she said that wealth shouldn't be flaunted, so we definitely can't tell anyone else. Only her family knows."
"And she dug up two ginseng roots, one large and one small. The smaller one was only the size of a little finger. She wanted to cook it herself to nourish her body, so she didn't hide it very well."
"Qing'er said the one that was lost was the small one. Dacheng... fell into the latrine, and the ginseng might have fallen in too. You don't have to admit it, as long as you can't get the ginseng out of the latrine."
He was still pondering when he heard this, realizing that Sun Dacheng had to clean the latrines regardless of whether he had stolen anything or not, and that he was going to be stuck with latrines every day.
And even if the ginseng is retrieved, can it still be imported? Wouldn't we still have to pay compensation?
At first glance, Sun's father thought it made some sense, but upon closer inspection, he felt something was amiss, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Before he could figure it out, Sun's mother, who had overheard almost everything outside, rushed into the house in a flurry.
"Why don't you mention that my daughter-in-law was kicked into the latrine by that heartless brat yesterday? My grandson is gone, we compensated her with ginseng, but can she compensate me for my grandson?!"
When Sun's father heard this, he was furious. Wasn't this an admission that his son had become a thief?
Meng Bochang's face darkened as soon as he saw her. "What you're saying makes no sense. So many villagers saw it with their own eyes. Your daughter-in-law miscarried because your son kicked her."
At that time, Sun Dacheng was in a fit of rage. Judging from the force of his kick, you could tell he hadn't held back at all.
“My daughter-in-law is perfectly healthy, how could she miscarry from just one kick? It must have been that little bitch who injured my daughter-in-law’s health with that kick that caused her to miscarry!” Mother Sun said stubbornly.
She had long been dissatisfied with the village chief, and seeing that he kept speaking up for Meng Fuqing, she blurted out without thinking, "Village chief, are you also bewitched by that family of demons, and keep speaking up for them?"
Upon hearing this, Meng Bochang suddenly stood up, his beard trembling with anger. "You, you shrew!"
If he had previously held reservations about Sun Dacheng's theft and defamation, he now believed it almost entirely—like father, like son!
Upon seeing this, Sun's father panicked and shouted, "Old woman, listen to what you're saying! Get out! Do you even have the right to speak?"
After being yelled at by her husband, Sun's mother slowly calmed down. She shrank back, belatedly realizing that she was afraid her family had completely offended the village chief.
Furious, Meng Bochang turned to leave, but stopped at the door. He suppressed his anger and said, "Qing said that the ginseng is worth at least ten taels of silver. She doesn't have to make you pay the full price."
"Last night's kick was ill-considered on her part, but Da Cheng and his wife were also in the wrong for breaking into her house at night. Considering Qi's miscarriage, you only need to compensate her family with ten bushels of grain and thirty eggs. You can decide for yourselves!"
After saying that, he left quickly as if someone was chasing him.
Sun's father's vision went black, and he almost fainted.
Originally, there was still room for negotiation in this matter, but now, because of the old woman's commotion, the eldest son has been directly convicted.
These days, food is a lifesaver!
His eyes were bloodshot as he looked at the woman he had feared for most of his life. Suddenly, a surge of heat rushed to his head, and he strode forward and slapped her across the face.
When Sun's mother was slapped to the ground, she felt as if she were in a nightmare, and she covered her face and cried out in pain.
No matter how wrong she was, she believed she had done right by her family.
Her husband is a dull-witted person; if she hadn't fought for anything, how would this family have gotten to where it is today? How come now that she's old, her husband and son are starting to blame her?
Before long, sounds of arguing and fighting came from the Sun family home.
Meng Fuqing hadn't expected Qi Meixiang to be pregnant, but she didn't regret kicking her, nor did she feel any guilt.
From the beginning, she intended to make the Sun family pay a price. Ginseng is valuable, but if she really made the Sun family pay more than ten taels of silver, they definitely wouldn't be able to afford it. If they then threw a tantrum and acted shamelessly, she couldn't possibly deal with the whole family.
They may not have silver, but they certainly have grain. It just so happens that they are short of grain at home right now, so it's a win-win situation.
The day trip to town that Meng Fuqing had planned was completely ruined by some annoying person. After the villagers left, Meng Fuqing looked at the sun and realized it wasn't noon yet, so it was time to eat.
She only learned about farming families' two meals a day when she arrived in ancient times. They had to get up early to work in the fields before sunrise and then go home to eat when the sun was higher. In years of famine, it was considered good if they could eat one meal a day.
After a few days of adjustment, she's gotten used to it. After all, she can secretly add extra meals for herself. However, she still wants to help her family get used to her three meals a day.
After closing the door, the family roasted the remaining marinated rabbit.
After eating meat for two consecutive days, Shan Qiyu felt uneasy, but she did not say anything to stop her eldest daughter.
The rabbit was hunted by her eldest daughter; whether or not to eat it was up to her. She used to always hope her eldest daughter would be decisive, and now that she seemed to have, she didn't want to nag her too much.
Just like the Sun family's situation, there was absolutely nothing to criticize. Even as Yao's sister-in-law left, she kept praising them.
Even though she only thought she would risk her reputation to skin Sun Dacheng alive, she never expected that she could protect her reputation and turn the tables on him.