Tian Yu thought for a moment, then lowered her head as if she knew she was wrong. Everyone waited for her answer. When Tian Yu looked up again, her face was streaked with tears, like a broken string of pearls. She knelt before the village head and cried, "Village head, please, village head, do justice for me! Everyone knows that I am a widow and orphan, living a secluded life, hoping that Zhao Lang will one day bring glory to our ancestors and return to take us home. But so many years have passed, and there has been no news. We don't know if he is alive or dead, or if he has passed the imperial examinations. Now, we are being humiliated like this. I believe the village head and everyone here know what kind of person Zhao Sibao is. Yesterday, I happened to meet him on my way back in the carriage. Zhao Sibao first gave me a flirtatious look, and then verbally insulted me. Luckily, Brother Chen was there, and I couldn't stand it, so I slapped him. Considering that we are both surnamed Zhao, I thought that would be the end of it. But who would have thought that this morning when I went to the river to wash clothes, I encountered..." When the young lady from the Zhao family arrived, she verbally insulted me. I thought we were all family, so I ignored them. But they tried to push me into the river. Luckily, I was quick-witted and dodged, which caused the young lady to fall into the water. They wouldn't let me go, and eventually, all of us fell into the water. If Brother Chen hadn't pulled us out, I would have drowned. Now it's my fault! Village head Zhao Lang is also a member of your Zhao family, albeit a later addition. We're all part of the Zhao clan, and all Zhao families are one family. Village head, you must stand up for me! If Zhao Lang returns home in glory one day and finds out I've been insulted like this, how can I face him? I'd rather die than be insulted like this.”

Tian Yu, truly crying, scrambled to her feet and tried to ram her head against the courtyard wall. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the stunned Aunt Zhao and Zhao Sibao's wife, thinking, "You're still too green to compete with me in terms of pitifulness. Let's see who's more miserable." The village head, startled by Tian Yu's outburst, and remembering the character of the Zhao family's matriarch and Zhao Moyan, quickly pulled Tian Yu back while saying:

"What is your niece-in-law doing? Let's talk this out calmly, don't get agitated."

“Yes, sister-in-law, you can’t be so suicidal. We can talk things over.” The village head’s son, who had been standing there without saying anything, also came over and pulled Tian Yu aside. Chen Chong, on the other hand, stood aside watching the show without making a move, only occasionally cooperating with Tian Yu.

"Who is this?" Tian Yu asked, somewhat puzzled. How did she become her sister-in-law?

"Sister-in-law, you may not know this, but I, Zhao Jincheng, have been friends with Brother Zhao for many years. If it weren't for Brother Zhao's guidance, I wouldn't be a scholar now, and I would probably have been conscripted into the army and died on the battlefield long ago."

Upon hearing this, Tian Yu thought it seemed she was saved. Although she didn't know him and had never seen him before, these few words were enough. "Zhao Moyan, Zhao Moyan, at least you're somewhat useful!" Tian Yu seized the opportunity and quickly continued her lament:

"So it's Young Master Zhao. I've often heard Zhao Lang mention him. Before he left, he repeatedly told me that if I encountered any trouble, I should ask the village head and Young Master Zhao for help. They are both literate and can distinguish right from wrong. Although life has been tough these past few years, I, a humble woman, could manage. I didn't want to cause trouble for others, but now I'm being bullied right at my doorstep." She finished with another painful sigh.

The tall, thin couple standing behind them said weakly, "I think I saw Zhao Moyan come back."

The village head and his son were even more excited than Tian Yu upon hearing this, and hurriedly asked where she had seen it. Tian Yu was also very excited. The man's name was Zhao Tieshu. Seeing everyone looking at him, he stammered that it was too far away and he might have seen wrong. He only saw a man riding a tall horse coming this way yesterday. He thought it was Zhao Moyan, but he didn't see clearly. After hearing this, everyone scolded him for being useless, and then looked at Tian Yu. Tian Yu immediately continued her performance, scolding Zhao Moyan, wishing he wouldn't even go home to check on things, and also saying that it was her own fault for not being home yesterday.

The village head comforted Tian Yu and then looked at the others. Finally, he asked Zhao Jinxiu what had happened. Zhao Jinxiu, frightened by her father, knelt on the ground and recounted the whole story. She said that in the morning, she, Fourth Sister-in-law, and Second Sister-in-law went to the river to wash clothes. Fourth Sister-in-law tearfully complained that Zhao Sige had been mistreated by Tian Yu the previous night and had beaten and scolded him. Zhao Da Niang also treated her badly, blaming her for not being able to keep Zhao Sige's heart. She said she should have married Xiao Tian's sister-in-law instead. She felt it was all Xiao Tian's fault, and that she had only hit her out of pity for Fourth Sister-in-law. Zhao Sige's wife quickly defended herself, saying that Zhao Jinxiu was talking nonsense. She hadn't said those things; she had started the fight, and she had only intervened because she saw Fourth Sister-in-law being bullied. The tall, thin Second Sister-in-law, seeing the situation was turning against her, sided with Zhao Jinxiu.

The village head, tired of hearing them shift blame, slapped Zhao Jinxiu, demanding an apology and a kneeling repentance at the ancestral hall. Zhao Jinxiu, still dissatisfied, continued to argue. Enraged, the village head grabbed a stick to strike again, but Tian Yu stopped him. Tian Yu didn't want to intervene, but she knew it was best to resolve the matter peacefully, especially since they were father and daughter; how could she, an outsider, be so tactless?

"Lord of the village, please calm down. It's just a small matter. Why get so angry? Besides, Miss Zhao was misled by others' slander and acted impulsively. But thinking about it, it's good. It shows that Miss Zhao is chivalrous and willing to help others. She just lacks the ability to distinguish right from wrong. Please forgive her. It's not good to make a big fuss. The young lady is not yet married, and it will have a bad influence."

“Father, my sister-in-law is right. My sister’s reputation is important. We must not ruin her future because of this.”

“My niece-in-law is so thoughtful. Her mother passed away early, and it was because my uncle failed to discipline her properly that this happened. I apologize on behalf of my daughter, and I ask for your forgiveness.” He then bowed.

"No, no, Uncle Zhao, you're too kind. My niece-in-law is also at fault. After all, it all started because of me. Maybe I shouldn't have gone out and shouldn't have run into Zhao Sibao. Then none of this would have happened." Tian Yu knew when to stop and quickly admitted her mistake, but she couldn't let the culprit off the hook.

"How can you blame your sister-in-law? Blame your fourth brother. He started this trouble first. He's never been honest. He didn't come home all night the day before yesterday. I don't know where he went gallivanting off to," Zhao Jincheng said indignantly.

So everyone watched Zhao Sibao's family, and no matter how much Zhao's mother cried and pleaded, the village head ignored her, giving her a severe scolding and threatening to punish her according to family rules. Out of consideration for Zhao Dalang, and seeing no hope of recourse, Zhao Sibao's family turned to Tian Yu, offering various expressions of remorse and apologies. Through Tian Yu's intercession, the village head finally managed to get Zhao Sibao's family to apologize. Zhao Sibao was allowed to spend the night in the ancestral hall, but because his wife had children to care for, he was temporarily spared. However, if he were to verbally abuse or seriously hurt others again, he would be severely punished.