Madam Qin scoffed, "Let's test it then! Who's afraid of you? You say we can't settle this today? I've got some grievances in my heart too, let's settle it all today!"
It wasn't just the Qin family; all the other aristocratic families had long harbored grudges against the city lord's mansion because of the unfair grain tax treaty set by the city lord. While the common people paid 10% of the total, they had to pay 30%, which was truly unfair.
The grain was earned with blood and sweat, and every year the thought of the grain tax being wasted and given to the city lord's mansion broke their hearts.
Madam Guan frowned, but said nothing. She waved for someone to fetch a doctor, clearly intending to watch the spectacle.
With a calm smile, she said, "Madam Qin, today is Madam Guan's son's birthday banquet. Perhaps we shouldn't overshadow the main event?"
"It's alright."
With Madam Guan speaking, Madam Qin felt even more confident, and the Wang and Li families were also watching her closely.
"Then please tell us if you have any grievances, Madam Qin."
Madam Qin disliked her most for her haughty attitude; she always seemed aloof and looked down on everyone.
"Aren't we just ordinary people? Why do we pay more grain tax than other ordinary people?"
You Rong took a sip of tea and said in a calm tone, "Back then, Wuzhou was just a small village. All of you husbands grew up with my husband. Do you know anything about what happened before?"
The ladies exchanged glances, and Madam Qin grew impatient. "We're talking to you about the grain tax, why are you bringing up the past?"
"The drought back then was far more severe than it is now; countless people starved to death. King Qin, Li, Zhao, Guan, and Sun..."
These six people were saved by the villagers of Wuzhou Village, who painstakingly saved every single bite of food they ate. Without the villagers of Wuzhou Village, they wouldn't be where they are today.
You Rong sighed, "The grain tax was signed by the six brothers back then, and we used the grain we handed over each year to help refugees and disaster victims in the city before and after the Lunar New Year."
These refugees are all descendants of those villagers from back then. Do you all want your husbands to be ungrateful?
The hall fell silent.
They were unaware of these things, and hearing them now felt like being slapped in the face.
"That's not what we're angry about, we're angry about you!" Madam Qin angrily changed her tune. "It's because you're always lying, and we don't like liars!"
What lie did I tell you?
She blurted out, "Who doesn't know your dirty secret? You weren't a virgin before you married the city lord. Your body was ruined after you were violated, which is why you can't get pregnant. And yet you keep saying you can!"
None of the others saw it, but Madam Li nervously fidgeted with her fingers when she heard this, and You Rong noticed.
Madam Qin is loud and boisterous, wearing her heart on her sleeve, while Madam Li is different; she appears honest on the surface but enjoys gossiping behind people's backs.
She probably told the story.
In this world, women harbor far more malice towards other women than men towards women.
At this moment, the doctor they had summoned arrived.
You Rong said calmly, "Then let the doctor take your pulse. The doctor knows better than you what's wrong."
Madam Qin snorted coldly, "Still being stubborn."
You Rong extended her hand, and after a while, the doctor said truthfully, "Madam is in good health, and the fetus in her belly is growing very well. It's twins, congratulations, Madam."
The mere mention of twins dispelled the rumors circulating in Madam Qin's mouth that her body had been ruined.
Her face flushed red, and after a long while she finally confronted Madam Li, saying, "Madam Li, you're talking nonsense to me! She hasn't ruined her body at all, and you're still spouting lies!"
Madam Li remained silent, but Madam Guan coughed and said, "Stop making a scene. Today is my son's birthday banquet. Are you trying to disrespect me by causing this trouble?"
They didn't say anything earlier, but now they're talking about it even though they didn't get to see the excitement.
With a gentle smile, Madam Guan thought to herself, "This Madam Guan is quite shrewd. She sent the impulsive Madam Qin out to stir things up, while she sat back and watched the show. If anything went wrong, it wouldn't be her problem."
"Oh dear, stop fooling around. We're all sisters. I see the table is already set. Let's go eat!" Madam Wang pulled You Rong's hand and led her outside.
The servants also went to call the children back for dinner.
After dinner, the ladies suggested going to the garden to admire the flowers. You Rong said, "I received a box of flower tea a few days ago. It has a pleasant fragrance. Why don't we brew some tea and enjoy the flowers together?"
Everything in the city lord's mansion was of high quality, and the ladies took a liking to it, drinking tea in the garden pavilion.
"Sister, this flower is for you!" Gem plucked a pink and white peony.
Since she couldn't call it "princess" in front of outsiders, Sisi made it call her "older sister," since she was half a year older than it anyway!
Sisi was also a vain dragon. She took it and put it on her head. The clumsy Xie Yan couldn't stand it anymore.
"I'll help you."
The little guy chuckled, "Thank you, Wu Guoguo."
"It's so ugly! Who would wear flowers in their hair? Don't they have any hairpins? Are they too poor to buy any?"
An arrogant voice broke in.
Qin Yu walked over with several children, hands on his hips, his thick chin practically pointing to the sky.
"What's it to you?" Xie Yan said coldly.
"You brat, how dare you talk back?" Qin Yu was furious and was about to hit someone when Sisi rushed in front of Xie Yan and shouted in a soft voice.
"Don't hit my fifth pot!"
Qin Yu was about ten years old and much taller than Sisi. He looked down on her and said, "Little brat, get out of my way right now, or I'll kick you away!"
"Don't hit me, you naughty fatso!"
Qin Yu hated being called fat, and he was so angry that he tried to kick her when suddenly someone grabbed his hair.
"Aaaaaah, Zhao Yuan, do you have a death wish?"
Zhao Yuan exerted more force, his cold eyes scoffing, "You dare bully my little ancestor? I'll kill you!"
"Little ancestor?"
Qin Yu pointed at Sisi, then at him, and suddenly burst into mocking laughter, "This little brat is your little ancestor? Zhao Yuan, are you stupid? You dare to randomly claim ancestors? Your mother will beat you to death when you get home!"
Zhao Yuan ignored him. He had no idea how capable the little ancestor was. If he had known, he might have even knelt down before him!
"Little darling, let's go play somewhere else."
They wanted to leave, but Qin Yu wouldn't allow it.
"stop!"
Qin Yu crossed his arms. "My mother said you're all a bunch of wild children, not born to the city lord's wife. You wild children don't deserve to play with us or stay here. You'd better get out of here before I lose my temper!"
"This isn't your house!" Little Gem stood in front of Sisi, baring his teeth and saying, "You fatso, I could eat ten of you in one bite!"
"You still dare to curse me? I'll beat you to death!" Qin Yu rushed up with red eyes, and Little Gem bit his butt, somewhat restless and wanting to reveal its true form.
Qin Yu cried out in pain, and Sisi stomped her feet anxiously, "Little Gem, you can't do that."
The snake king has revealed his true form, and these children will surely be terrified. We mustn't let him act so impulsively.
Sisi rolled up her sleeves in a very serious manner, and with her short legs ready to rush up and fight, she was lifted up as soon as she took a step.
"Five pots?"
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