Chapter 1 Little Rascal
Linxi Town is a well-known wealthy town, surrounded by forests and rivers. Even during the most severe droughts and famines, the town's rivers have never dried up.
At the end of the previous dynasty, the county magistrate, in conjunction with sixteen other prefectures and counties, constructed irrigation canals to warm the surrounding barren lands. He led the local people in reclaiming wasteland and building canals, and their lives gradually improved. Those locals who were fortunate enough to benefit from this period owned several acres of fertile land.
Everyone was doing well, so there were fewer big landowners. Most were small landowners with a few hundred acres of fertile land. Everyone was law-abiding and kind.
"Always so peaceful and amiable..."
On the wide, bustling street, a middle-aged man in a blue cloth shirt, his shoulders hunched, was enthusiastically telling the people next to him about the rich history of their Linxi Town, praising its beautiful mountains and people.
Suddenly, a burst of curses interrupted his self-praise.
"You Song family member, get your ass out here right now, you damned bastard! Others may be afraid of you, but I'm not! If you've got the guts to hit someone, then get out here! My Jiaojiao is about to be married, and you've injured her face..."
Mayor Lin's smile froze. Hearing the foul language around him, he didn't even dare turn to look at the expression on the face of the young man in fine clothes beside him.
Their Linxi Town is primarily forested; if you casually throw a stone down the street, it will hit someone from the forest.
Mayor Lin has been in office for over twenty years. He knows everyone in his family, from his ninety-year-old great-grandfather to a two-year-old toddler. He can even tell which of the few yellow dogs on the street belongs to which family, let alone the person currently hurling insults—his third brother's wife, Meihua.
The kind of siblings
This younger sister-in-law comes from a well-off family and has been kind to the Lin family. After marrying into the family, she became quite domineering, looking down on everyone except a few capable elders in the clan. She's used to throwing her weight around in town.
This would be one thing on ordinary days, but now that it's been brought up in front of outsiders...
With a stiff expression, Mayor Lin tried to salvage the town's reputation by saying shakily, "There are many people in the town, and it's inevitable that there will be some minor squabbles. These women are an eyesore. Mr. Song, why don't you come with me to the academy first?"
The Mr. Song he spoke of was dressed in flowing white robes, his paper fan snapped shut, and he smiled with a dashing air: "A young lady's reputation is of utmost importance. I understand why this lady is anxious. Why don't we see what's going on first? If there's anything wrong, the town mayor can give us a fair explanation?"
Mayor Lin's smile was forced. He appreciated the sentiment, but as the saying goes, family knows family, and it's really hard to say what really happened.
However, Mr. Song was a renowned teacher from the capital. He came here to find promising students to take back to the academy. Mayor Lin's eldest grandson was studying and about to take the imperial examination, hoping for Mr. Song's guidance. Naturally, he wouldn't refuse him.
Mayor Lin could only stand awkwardly to the side, listening to his third sister-in-law ramble on and on about her parents and even about excrement, his old face turning bright red.
Mr. Song, however, remained unfazed, smiling suavely as he listened with great interest.
Meihua had no idea that her eldest brother had seen her causing trouble, but she didn't care. Her family was wealthy, and she had five children to rely on. As long as she didn't commit a serious crime, no one could do anything to her.
She ate and drank well, living a leisurely life. Her complexion was fair and rosy. Her youngest child was still breastfeeding, her breasts full and swaying gently as she spoke. Therefore, even when she stood under that red-lacquered, gold-trimmed wooden door, her eyebrows raised and eyes blazing, her mouth wide open, acting shrewish and domineering, many people's eyes would inevitably wander to her.
Mr. Song was no exception. Standing there, looking at the still quite attractive woman despite her age, he sighed inwardly – this small village is indeed beautiful, with both water and people, each with their own unique charm.
Thinking of his backyard, which hadn't changed in two years, a thought struck him: once this mission was successfully completed...
Before he could think, Meihua impatiently reached out and pounded on the door. The sound was loud and penetrating, like a drumbeat striking the heart.
"Niu Tielan, you're so capable of raising a daughter, but you're also capable of opening the door! Open the door now, or I'll smash it down!"
It also shattered Mr. Song's reverie.
He clearly realized something, shivered in the sweltering heat, and the flirtatious look on his face faded. He subtly rubbed his arms, lost interest in the commotion, and was about to return to his business.
With a creak, the tightly closed door opened.
A young woman dressed in a light blue robe with willow-leaf patterns emerged. Her skin was as white and smooth as jade, with willow-leaf eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, a delicate nose, and moist lips. Her steps were graceful, and her figure slender. She seemed to have stepped out of a painting, making the surroundings appear pale and colorless. One wanted to look closely, yet dared not easily defile her.
She glanced at the person cursing at the door, frowned slightly, gently supported the maid beside her with her left hand, and stepped over the threshold. As she walked, the thin fabric of her clothes swayed, and her wrists were pale and slender, as if they would break with the slightest force. Combined with her pale face, she evoked even more pity.
The truth is self-evident; the onlookers have already made their judgment.
Seeing the gazes that had been fixed on her shift away and then return with condemnation, Mei Hua's anger flared even more, and she felt an urge to slap the vixen in front of her.
From a young age, Meihua was always followed by a crowd wherever she went. Even after marrying into the town, she remained the most eye-catching, radiating glamour wherever she went, and was considered a great beauty by everyone.
Unfortunately, this kind of life didn't last two years. That vile woman moved in, using her good looks to seduce someone in the clan and get herself registered, stealing her thunder. She even ungratefully rejected her brother and now she's hurting her child.
New and old grudges combined
Mei Hua yelled, "Niu Tielan, you've finally come out! Look at the mess your Song Jin has made! Look at my Jiaojiao, she's getting married next month, and now her face is all bruised up! We're not done until you give me an explanation!"
The woman, Niu Tielan, frowned. Amidst Mei Hua's cursing, she glanced at the victim, Jiao Jiao, standing to the side.
Unlike her plump, fair-skinned mother, Jiao Jiao took after her father; her skin was somewhat dark, and she was thin and frail. She wasn't exactly beautiful, but she was, after all, an unmarried young woman approaching fifteen, a crucial time for finding a partner, and having a scar on her face was a serious matter.
Although Niu Tielan disliked Meihua, who was always finding fault, she had no problem with the little girl. She looked over with some concern, remained silent for a while, and then widened her eyes to examine her carefully.
She looked left and right, up and down, and finally spotted a small, fingernail-sized patch of skin on Lin Jiaojiao's round face, or more precisely, just below the tip of her chin.
If Lin Jiaojiao hadn't been straining to hold her short neck high, you really wouldn't have been able to tell.
Niu Tielan was speechless.
Given her own little rascal's unreliability from childhood to adulthood, she was initially a bit guilty and worried when she was called out, but now...
“I’ve never been feeling well, and I caught a cold a couple of days ago. My eyesight isn’t very good either. Song Jin went into the mountains early this morning to find some herbs for me. I was saying she’s become more sensible lately, but I never expected this…” Niu Tielan coughed lightly, covering her mouth, and sighed weakly, looking at Lin Jiaojiao with concern.
"Jiaojiao, come here quickly, let Auntie take a good look. My eyesight isn't good, I really can't see clearly from a distance."
Mr. Song, who was just joining in the fun, chuckled.
That's right. They made such a big fuss, and all they got were those small wounds. If they'd arrived even a little later, they would have healed by now.
But Meihua didn't think so. Her daughter was going to marry into a wealthy family, and her face couldn't be as small as a sesame seed, let alone a fingernail. She pulled the person forward and said angrily.
"Open your dog eyes and look! This is such a big piece of tissue. How is Jiaojiao going to find a husband? My family has already made arrangements with the Zhang family in the county town. What if this affects the marriage? I'm not asking for much, just a tael of silver to help her recover, a bottle of scar removal cream, and for your Song Jin to come and apologize. Then I'll reluctantly forgive you."
Mr. Song was no aloof young master; he had come from humble beginnings. Hearing this, he raised an eyebrow.
Leaving aside the fact that one tael of silver could buy three or four large, fat chickens, just consider that scar-removing cream. If it's the kind he knows, it's always been in high demand but short supply; even the young ladies in the capital line up to buy it.
A box the size of a child's palm costs five or six taels of silver, enough for an average family to eat and drink for a year.
This person really has the nerve to say that!
Mr. Song's gaze fell on Mayor Lin's ashamed face, and he seemed to be deep in thought.
"Xiao Mei, go to Miss's room and get a box of scar-removing cream." Faced with Mei Hua's exorbitant demand, Niu Tielan glanced to the side without saying much, simply instructing the maid to fetch the item. Then, she gave Mei Hua a weak smile, interspersed with occasional coughs.
"Sister Meihua, don't be angry. The scar removal cream will be here soon. Song Jin is reckless; I'll apologize to Jiaojiao on her behalf. As for the money, I'll have her personally deliver it to you later."
Seeing that she was sensible, Mei Hua's anger subsided somewhat, but only slightly.
Listen to this, listen to this! What kind of class is this lowly maid? Her name sounds the same as hers; this person is deliberately trying to annoy her.
Mei Hua's temper flared up again, and she continued to press her advantage: "Don't think that's the end of it. Song Jin also has to apologize to Jiao Jiao. Look at her, besides bullying people and chasing after cats and dogs, everyone lets her have her way because she's young. She can't keep pushing her luck like this, can she?"
Niu Tielan covered her mouth and coughed: "Sister Meihua is right."
Mei Hua: "You, as her mother, need to be more careful. Song Jin is already so old, and she still doesn't behave properly all day long. Who will dare to marry her? My Jiao Jiao has had a bunch of matchmakers coming to our door since last year. Look at your Song Jin, she's a year older than her, and who in town dares to ask her anything? If you don't hurry, she'll be an old maid. What if she..."
Niu Tielan greeted everyone with a smile, but as she smiled, she covered her mouth and began to breathe rapidly. She hunched her shoulders and coughed, her pale face flushed, and her eyes welled up with tears; she looked extremely uncomfortable.
Mei Hua got even more excited: "Look, look, with your health, it's normal that you can't handle children. If you had married my brother back then, things would be different. Song Jin wouldn't be like this now. But it's too late to regret it now, my brother..."
"Plum Blossom, shut up."
Seeing that her words were becoming increasingly outrageous, Mayor Lin couldn't stand it anymore. His face flushed red, he rushed over, glared at his unreliable third sister-in-law, and scolded her.
"I'm embarrassed to even hear you say that. You're making such a fuss over such a trivial matter. Don't you see that Lan Hua isn't feeling well?"
Meihua was surprised to see Mayor Lin, such a busy man, there. She felt a moment of guilt, but quickly regained her composure and pulled Jiaojiao over: "Second brother, look at Jiaojiao."
Mayor Lin: "What the hell am I looking at? She got pecked even deeper by a goose last time, why don't you go settle the score with the goose? And you're talking about scar removal cream? Get rid of your shamelessness and take your people back now."
Meihua retorted, "Second Brother, you always side with outsiders! I think you've fallen for this vixen after your wife left! Bah!
Mayor Lin: "You, you, you, you bastard!"
As the two argued, Niu Tielan's face grew paler and paler, his cough deepened, and a white handkerchief became stained with red.
Xiao Mei, who had gone in to get the scar removal cream, came out anxiously: "Madam, Madam, what's wrong? Oh dear, you're vomiting blood! Doctor, quickly get a doctor!"
The scene instantly descended into chaos.
By the time calm returned, the sky was already dusky.
A sliver of light streamed through the heavy wooden windows into the room, illuminating an exquisite bamboo dressing table, a large lion and tiger wooden chest, and a swaying cloud-patterned rocking bed. Through the thin gauze curtains, figures appeared and disappeared, and the occasional soft cough could be heard.
Niu Tielan lay on the bed, her face pale, listening to the voices outside gradually fade away, and her coughing also subsided, until the door creaked open and the cautious voice of a young maid came through.
"Madam, the guests have all left."
Hearing this, the 'weak' Niu Tielan rolled over in a somersault and nimbly got out of bed. She gathered her clothes as she hurried out.
When the door opened, the maids and servants of the household stood to one side with their heads bowed. One of them looked particularly evasive, her head almost touching the ground.
Niu Tielan instantly locked onto the person, pointed at them, and grinned maliciously, spitting out each word through gritted teeth: "Tell that little bastard to get back here right now."
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