Chapter 13 Cruel Abuse
Song Lizheng coughed and changed the subject: "Daping, I just went to your house and told those three idiots that the corvée service matter needs to be decided soon. The town will come to pick up the people the day after tomorrow. If the list is submitted and the people don't show up, they will be punished."
When he heard about the corvée service, Song Zhenping nodded woodenly, "Village head, my uncle and grandma are the ones who make the decisions in my family."
Song Lizheng sighed, and he suddenly said this just to make conversation.
Even he, the head of the village, didn't dare to interfere in the affairs of Song Laoer's family, so how could these two children ask about it?
He felt guilty and wanted to show his concern again, but he saw that the small "firewood pile" next to him could no longer stand. He could only wave his hand and said, "Go back quickly! Don't get tired!"
"Why!"
Song Zhenping responded softly, lowered his head, tightened his own shoulder rope with one hand, and helped his brother lift the hook rope on the firewood pile with the other hand, hoping to save his brother some energy.
The two brothers staggered back home.
Looking at the backs of the two people leaving, Song Lizheng sighed again and shook his head helplessly.
It is said that even a fair judge cannot judge family disputes.
Song Laoer's family committed many petty crimes but never committed any major crimes, so they could not be reported to the authorities and the law could not be applied.
But I just happened to end up with such a shameless hind milk who kept saying that she had an "ambiguous relationship" with me.
If he, as the village chief, paid more attention to Song Laoer's family, he would be drowned in the villagers' spit and would not have time to hide, so how could he dare to interfere?
The two children have an uncle and a grandmother, a house and land, but their life is worse than that of the beggars in the town. It's really pitiful for the eldest wife of the Song family.
As soon as the Song Zhenping brothers left, those prying people appeared again. They dared to joke with the head of the village, but they did not dare to offend the shameless and desperate Mrs. Gu.
In recent years, if anyone wanted to say a fair word for the eldest branch of the Song family, old Mrs. Gu and young Mrs. Gu would rush to the door and curse and make a fuss, throw feces and urinate, and do whatever they wanted.
People like this are like dog shit. You can't beat them or scold them, so everyone stays away from them.
No matter how much sympathy Xiaoshi Village felt, they had to hide when they saw the two brothers from the eldest branch of the Song family, for fear of being scolded by the shrews.
Seeing that the village head had not yet left, someone boldly asked, "Fifth Uncle, did the Song Defu family say who will go to perform the corvée this time?"
Everyone knew that Song Defu was the only one in the village who had not yet put his fingerprints on the document, and it was obvious that he wanted to stay put.
Song Lizheng was already feeling annoyed when he heard the man asking about this again. He glared and said, "This is for the imperial court. Even the emperor can't escape it. If they don't send people, they will send money. Someone will definitely take care of him."
After saying that, he spat on the ground again, put his hands behind his back and was about to leave, but someone stopped him and asked him other questions, so he had to stop.
In the Song family courtyard, the Song Zhenping brothers saw that the main door was closed, so they went to the firewood pile quietly, for fear of disturbing the family.
Second Aunt hates her younger brother Song Zhenan the most and will beat him up whenever she hears his voice.
Song Zhenping first helped his brother unload the firewood, and then untied the shoulder rope on his own shoulders.
His spine, which had been bent due to the weight, suddenly relaxed. The pain made his eyes go dark and he almost fell down. He quickly reached out and grabbed the pile of firewood to steady himself.
"Brother, brother!" Song Zhenan, who was gasping for breath, supported him and called out softly, his face pale with anxiety.
Song Zhenping sat down to calm himself down, then shook his head and said to his worried younger brother, "It's okay, I'm just tired. I'll go inside after a rest."
Yesterday morning, grandma only gave me two hard steamed buns and sent me and my younger brother out to chop firewood, saying that we were not allowed to come back until we had chopped ten loads of firewood.
The firewood around the village has been collected almost completely. If you want to get good firewood to sell, you have to walk a long way.
It takes at least five days to chop ten loads of firewood.
Two days have passed now. I gave the dry food I brought with me to my younger brother. I haven't eaten for three meals and I am so hungry that I can't stand it anymore.
Then he met someone with a letter saying that something happened at home and asked him to come back quickly. The person who brought the letter also said that it was from his grandmother, so Song Zhenping quickly packed up his things and came back.
At this moment, he was feeling uneasy because he didn't have enough firewood yet. If he was asked to come back now, it must be something bad.
It’s already cold at night at this time of year. I don’t know how long my younger brother and I will be forced to kneel down.
While the two brothers were talking, the main door opened and old Mrs. Gu, holding the door bar, rushed to the pile of firewood like a whirlwind.
Before Song Zhenping, who was sitting on the firewood pile, could get up, Mrs. Gu started cursing, "You idiot cripple, did you steal a steamed bun yesterday morning?"
Song Zhenan was so frightened that he was shaking all over and huddled beside his elder brother without saying a word. He remembered that when he went out yesterday morning, his elder brother secretly stuffed half a mixed flour steamed bun into his mouth.
Song Zhenping said weakly, "Grandma, two steamed buns are not enough. Xiao An is still young and he can't stand being hungry. He still has to go up the mountain to collect firewood. So I gave him half an extra bun."
Old Mrs. Gu rolled her eyes and cursed, "Bullshit! You little bastard, what nonsense are you talking about? If you haven't had enough food, you will steal it from home.
I'm not your biological mother, yet you're deliberately trying to ruin my reputation. I'll beat you two to death, you evildoers."
As she spoke, she swung the door bar and hit Song Zhenping on the head.
Song Zhenping was exhausted at this time. Not only did he not have the strength to hide, he didn't even have the strength to stand up and move away.
Watching the wooden stick as thick as his arm coming towards him, he could only raise his arms to protect his head and face.
At this moment, Song Zhenan, who was standing next to him, rushed over without saying a word, blocking the stick with his body, muttering, "I ate the steamed bread, don't hit me!"
"Bang!"
"snort!"
Song Zhenan's thin back was hit, and his face turned pale instantly. He couldn't breathe and slid limply to the ground.
Old Mrs. Gu had long intended to beat Song Zhenping severely. After all, he was only a 19-year-old boy, and she, an old woman, would not be able to withstand him if he fought back. So she chose to attack him when he was exhausted and had no strength to resist.
He had used all his strength in that blow just now. He just wanted to beat Song Zhenping until his head was bleeding and let Song Liyun know that he was the one in charge of this family.
But I didn't expect Song Zhenan to go and protect someone.
"Little brother!"
Song Zhenping exclaimed, he staggered to his feet, hugged Song Zhenan and patted his chest hard.
Fortunately, after just a few breaths, Song Zhenan burst into tears.
If Song Liyun's weakness is her two brothers, then Song Zhenping's pain point is the younger brother he raised.
He could endure hunger and beatings, but he would never allow anyone to bully his younger brother. Mrs. Gu's words completely enraged Song Zhenping, and his blood rushed to his brain.
He had endured this kind of life for ten years, struggling on the brink of life and death every day. Today, he should have been the one to be beaten, but his younger brother took it. What about tomorrow? What would he do tomorrow?
Song Zhenping put the crying Song Zhenan next to the firewood pile, then suddenly grabbed Gu Pozi's collar, his eyes bloodshot, and gritted his teeth and said, "You damned woman, Xiao An and I work hard every day, we don't have enough to eat or warm clothes, and yet you still beat and scold us.
I want to rip your heart open to see if it's made of flesh and blood. Why are you so cruel and have to torture us?"
Seeing Song Zhenping, who had been able to endure beatings since childhood, suddenly fighting for his life, Mrs. Gu was so scared that she huddled up in a ball.
But she has been beating people for a long time, and it has become a habit for her.
At this moment, he didn't even listen to what Song Zhenping was saying. He just straightened his neck and screamed, "My grandson is going to hit me, you damn beast! Help! He's killing me! Second brother! Second brother, come and save me!"
(End of this chapter)
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