There was no banquet these past two days. Xia Chunmei brought Xia Qiumei fishing, and the fish they caught could be given to the workers building the house, saving her the expense of buying meat.

Xia Chunmei used her "golden touch" to catch six bighead carp weighing about five pounds each.

"Chunmei, stop fishing! Your maternal grandfather has arrived with your uncle and aunt, and they're making a scene at your doorstep."

Upon hearing the news, Xia Chunmei quickly packed up her fishing rod, picked up the fish, and rushed back.

"Who told you to demolish the houses? Stop it, all of you!" The Chen brothers, Gui and Quan, stepped forward to stop them.

"What's it to you?" Xia Qiang stepped forward and said.

Chen Gui glared at Xia Qiang: "I'm Chunmei's uncle. A mother's uncle is the most important person, so I'm her elder! I said you can't demolish it, and that means you can't demolish it!"

"Pah! Who do you think you are! When Chunmei and her sisters were eating wild vegetables, where was your uncle? You shameless bastard!"

It was Xia Hongfen who spoke.

Behind her were three men from the Xiao family, as well as her two sons-in-law. Xiao Quangui was carrying two roosters and two ducks. They couldn't help Xia Chunmei with building the house, so they thought they would bring some poultry to add to Xia Chunmei's meals.

Chen Qiaoshi: "Who are you? Why are you meddling in other people's business?"

“I am Chunmei’s aunt,” Xia Hongfen said. “You have bullied my niece many times. I was just about to go to your house to settle accounts with you, but I didn’t expect you to come to me on your own.”

Xia Hongfen brought so many people today to settle scores with Chenjiaqiao, but she didn't expect to run into them at Xia Chunmei's place.

Chen Jinshui was a clever man. When Chen Gui played the bad cop, he played the good cop, saying, "Auntie, Chunmei is still young. It's such a big deal to build a house. Of course, we elders have to keep an eye on things. We can't just watch the child squander all the money."

"Old man, what's it to you! We all know what's going on in your minds. Let me tell you, the Xia family isn't all dead yet, it's none of your business to tell us what to do! That slut Chen Erlan has already remarried, what does the Xia family have to do with you!"

Xia Hongfen casually pulled the thickest branch from the firewood in the corner and started hitting Chen Guichen all over.

"I'll teach you a lesson for bullying my niece!"

"Do they really think the Xia family has no one left?"

"You shrew! How dare you hit my man! I'll fight you to the death!" Chen Qiaoshi and Chen Liushi quickly came to her aid.

Uncle Xiao Youyin: "You son of a bitch, you bullied my woman, I'll fight you to the death!"

Xiao Quangui and Xiao Youyin: "If you dare to hit my parents, I'll fight you to the death!"

The son-in-law of the Xiao family: "They bullied my father-in-law, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law, I'll fight them!"

The two families started fighting.

Xia Hongfen's side had six people, while the Chen family only had five, putting the Chen family at a disadvantage from the start.

Xia Qiang, Li Hua, and their aunt rushed to break up the fight, but they were only taking sides. They kept saying that they were all relatives and shouldn't be violent, but in reality, they grabbed the Chen family members, which gave the Xiao family an opportunity to give the Chen family a good beating.

"Aunt, Uncle, Brother Gui, Brother Fu, what brings you here?" Xia Chunmei returned carrying fish.

"Put it down, I'll carry it. You're so small, don't carry so much stuff, it'll stunt your growth." Xia Hongfen rushed forward and took the load.

The bucket was full of fish, leaving the Xiao and Chen families speechless: What huge fish!

I want to eat it!

"Chunmei, you're back just in time. Look what your aunt did to us! Your grandfather is almost dying. Quickly take out twenty taels of silver to treat him," Chen Gui said.

Chen Qiaoshi: "We also need to give us fish; we've been injured and need to calm our nerves."

"I'll calm your sister down!" Xia Hongfen said, and then hit Chen Jinshui with a carrying pole, making Chen Jinshui howl in pain.

"With such a loud voice, you don't look like you're about to die at all. Trying to extort money from my niece? Dream on! Twenty taels? You really dare to ask for that much. Twenty taels is enough for your whole family's funeral! Bah! My niece is too young to hit you, but I dare! Try bullying me again!"

If Xia Chunmei were to hit them in public, she would be branded as unfilial for assaulting her elders, but Xia Hongfen would not.

"Xia Chunmei, are you just going to stand by and watch your aunt bully your grandfather and uncle like this?" Chen Jinshui was smart enough to know to talk to Xia Chunmei.

Xia Hongfen angrily retorted: "Don't ask her. I'm her aunt. If I want to hit you, do you think she can stop me? Besides, what kind of grandfather are you, and what kind of uncle are you? That bitch Chen Erlan has already remarried. What do I, Chunmei and Qiumei Chen, have to do with your Chen family? Get out of here and don't dirty my old Xia family's place."

Xia Hongfen pretended to hit someone with a carrying pole again, and the Chen family members quickly ran away.

Xia Hongfen's attitude was firm, and the people of Yijia Village sided with Xia Chunmei, showing favoritism. They wouldn't gain anything by continuing the commotion.

They came in all high spirits, but left covered in wounds and looking utterly dejected. It was incredibly frustrating.

Lin Xiaojuan saw the Chen family leave dejectedly, her face full of disappointment, and she cursed the Chen family for being useless.

"Aunt, Uncle, thank you."

"No need to thank me, we're all family."

"We're family, no need to thank me."

"My sister-in-law didn't come today."

Speaking of Fang Xiaoyan, Xia Hongfen beamed: "Chunmei, you're amazing! Your sister-in-law is really pregnant, so I didn't let her come. It's too far, and I was afraid her body couldn't handle it."

Two days ago, Xia Hongfen heard that the Wang family had indeed come to Chunmei to have her fortune told, so she went back and asked a doctor to take Fang Xiaoyan's pulse. Sure enough, she was pregnant!

"Chunmei, can you tell if your sister-in-law is carrying a boy or a girl?"

"Aunt, our sect has rules that we cannot predict the sex of a fetus for anyone."

Fang Xiaoyan is carrying a daughter. The Xiao family treats her well, but they may not be able to treat their daughter-in-law the same way.

People in this era all want a son; they wouldn't mind having ten or eight sons, but they would mind having one daughter.

Fang Xiaoyan was newly pregnant, and there was still a long time before she would give birth and recover. Xia Chunmei was worried that telling the truth would affect Fang Xiaoyan and the baby in her womb.

"However, judging from my elder brother and sister-in-law's faces, they should be destined to have four daughters and three sons. Moreover, my brother and sister-in-law will have a good old age, and their children will be successful and filial."

Hearing this, the Xiao family members all beamed with joy. Who wouldn't want their children to be successful and filial?

"It's rare for you all to come, so today is a good day to try my cooking. Please come in and have a seat."

"Sit down! No way! Get back to work!" Xia Hongfen took her husband and children to help demolish the house.

At that moment, Xia Chunmei heard the voice of Lao Yu, the butcher.

He would basically be selling meat along the road around this time every day.

"Qiu Mei, go and tell the butcher to wait a moment."

"Okay." Xia Qiumei took off running.

Xia Chunmei found the money at home before following them.

"Miss Xia, what kind of pork ribs do you want today?" Xia Chunmei had traded a lot of pork ribs with him every time she went to the market, and as a businessman, Lao Yu remembered them very clearly.

"I want half lean and half fat pork, about a pound. I also want the pig's belly and this piece of pork fat. Sir, I'm buying a lot, can you give me a discount?"

"Girl, this is the cheapest I can offer. I'll give you two bones instead."

In this era, bones and internal organs are exceptionally cheap.

"OK."

It cost eighty coins in total, mainly because pork fat was too expensive.

Xia Hongfen's family wasn't well-off, but she still brought him chickens and ducks, so he had to repay her in some way.

The pork fat is what she's preparing as a return gift. She'll also add a six-pound fish for her uncle to take back, and that should be about right.

Half lean and half fat pork is used to make braised pork with dried green beans.

The sauerkraut at home is ready to eat. Let's make a sauerkraut fish dish and a stir-fried pork tripe with sauerkraut. Yesterday, Chen Jinlian brought over two lotus roots, so we can also make lotus root and bone stew.

"Chunmei." Chen Jinlian arrived just as Xia Chunmei was cleaning the fish.

"Auntie, is something the matter?"

“Come here, I have a way to deal with your stepmother’s family once and for all.”

Xia Chunmei washed her hands and went over. Chen Jinlian started chattering away in Xia Chunmei's ear.

"You should talk to your aunt. It's not appropriate for you to handle this. Your aunt should be the one to do it."

"Thank you, Auntie. And please thank Grandpa Chen for me. This is a great idea. Thank you for your help."

"We thank you, but I'm going back now. You can tell your aunt."

As soon as Chen Jinlian left, Xia Chunmei secretly approached Xia Hongfen and told her about Chen Jinlian's idea.

"That's a good idea. I'll take your uncle and brother-in-law to Chenjiaqiao right now!"

"Auntie, don't rush. Let's eat first. You've come all this way, you must be hungry. We need to eat well to have the strength to deal with them."

"Okay, just make something simple to eat, don't make it as lavish as you did the other day. We can't live like that."

"I know, there aren't many dishes. The fish were caught by ourselves, so it didn't cost any money. There's also lotus root soup. There aren't any good dishes."

Xia Chunmei didn't mention that she had bought meat.

Those who helped build the house ate at Xia Qiang's house, and the fish they ate was provided by Xia Chunmei, but it was cooked by Jiang Xiaoli and Aunt Lihua, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Xia Hongfen and her family were invited by Xia Chunmei to have dinner at Xia Mingshi's place.

Xia Chunmei stayed at Xia Mingshi's house, and they didn't charge her any money. So they also brought her some braised pork, dried green beans, and pickled cabbage with pig's stomach. Xia Mingshi felt very embarrassed because these dishes were not cheap.

Xia Mingshi thought about buying Yaomei a pair of shoes next time she went to the market, and that she shouldn't always take advantage of the child.

Seeing the table full of food, Xia Hongfen felt so sorry for her that she wanted to hit someone: "You brat, didn't I tell you not to waste food? Are you trying to ruin your life?"

“It’s our own family eating, how can it be considered a waste? This is my way of showing respect to my uncle, and to reward my brothers Quan Gui and Quan Fu, as well as my two brothers-in-law. If you don’t like my cooking, please eat less later.” Xia Chunmei said with a smile. “Uncle, brother, brother-in-law, please eat more. Quan Fu, you eat too. Don’t be shy. Finish your food, finish it all. No leftovers allowed. I’ll cook more if it’s not enough.”

Women had a very low social status in that era. The fact that Xia Hongfen brought so much grain from her own home to give to her showed that her uncle was a decent person. If it were someone else, they wouldn't even have enough to eat themselves, so how could they agree to their daughter-in-law helping their niece?

"You're still burning through your money, aren't you?" Xia Hongfen said reproachfully.

She could easily understand that Xia Chunmei had prepared such a lavish meal to make her look good.

The child is so sensible it breaks my heart.

He couldn't help but curse Xia Changjiang and his wife, as well as the Chen family, several times in his heart.