Chapter 28
“Didn’t we have a meeting on the first day of the lunar month? It’s not the fifteenth today, so why are we having another meeting, and everyone has to attend?”
“Do you think the village head wants to gather everyone to find out who spread that rumor?”
“What are you afraid of? It wasn’t us who said it. I heard it from someone else. Such embarrassing things, others try to cover them up, how could anyone call everyone in the village to ask, as if afraid no one would know? If they can’t find out, wouldn’t that be a big joke?”
After lunch, the villagers, upon receiving the notice, gradually headed towards the Ji family’s house. On the way, they met people and, in groups, guessed what the village head would announce by hastily gathering everyone.
The mother and son of the You family also received the notice. Even though the relationship between the two families was not good, they still had to attend such an important event as a village gathering. After all, they could only learn about major village affairs through these gatherings.
To not go would be to openly defy the village head in front of the entire village. Discussions wouldn’t proceed if not everyone was present, and making the whole village wait for one person would undoubtedly offend everyone.
Sun Yuan Niang actually didn’t want to attend the gathering. Seeing that this meeting was sudden and without any prior warning, she felt uneasy.
However, given the urgent notice from the Ji family, no matter how influential the You family was, they still had to show some respect to the village head and attend such an important event.
Thinking this, she decided she would go alone. Recently, Ling Xiao had been troubled by the Ji family’s affairs.
With the imperial examinations in the capital coming up after the New Year, there wasn’t much time left for him to review his studies. If this continued, he feared he wouldn’t achieve good results in the spring imperial examinations, which would be difficult to explain to the Xue family.
But the Ji family’s head laborer specifically instructed everyone to attend. Sun Yuan Niang was unhappy and retorted a few words to the laborer. Er Lengzi, waiting for her to finish scolding, urged them to go earlier, which was truly infuriating.
On the road, Sun Yuan Niang saw villagers discussing animatedly, with subtle glances cast their way. Her heart grew more unsettled.
“Ling Xiao, is this meeting targeting our family?”
You Ling Xiao tidied his sleeves. The summons was urgent, and he hadn’t had time to properly arrange his attire. He was still preoccupied with the thought of seeing Tao Yu at the Ji family’s.
“Why would it target our family? Mother, stop being so suspicious.”
Sun Yuan Niang tugged at You Ling Xiao’s sleeve and said, “That matter…”
“Mother!”
You Ling Xiao raised his voice slightly, “Are you afraid others won’t know? Why do you keep bringing it up?”
Seeing that her son couldn’t bear to discuss it, Sun Yuan Niang wisely shut her mouth.
Before long, almost all the villagers arrived at the Ji family’s house according to the notified time.
Ji Yang Zong, holding a roster, called out names. Since everyone was required to attend, the crowd gathered in the Ji family’s courtyard was even larger than last time. Those who couldn’t find a spot crowded by the main entrance.
As no one knew what the matter was, some children followed their parents to join the excitement, running all over the courtyard and squeezing through the crowd. The entire Ji family’s residence felt like a large sparrow’s nest.
Huo Shu stood under the eaves of the Ji family’s house, arms crossed, watching the mother and son of the You family enter with the crowd. His gaze was colder than ever before.
He took a vegetable-cutting knife, about an arm’s length, from the Ji family’s kitchen and rubbed the blade back and forth with his fingertips, testing its sharpness.
“If Madam Wang can truly clarify things today, the You family’s reputation will be ruined. Do you think the Xue family will resent us because of this?”
Hearing the worried voice beside him, Huo Shu put the knife aside. He lowered his gaze and saw the young man moving closer, his face filled with concern.
He said softly, “Don’t worry. The You family attached themselves to the Xue family for their own benefit. If that benefit is severed, the Xue family will no longer pay attention to the You family.”
“Huh?”
Tao Yu looked at Huo Shu, slightly confused, not quite understanding his meaning.
“There are many scholars in the world. You Ling Xiao is not the only student of the Xue family. If he cannot conduct himself properly and attracts gossip, the Xue family will not go to great lengths to clean up after a scholar.”
“But if he becomes a jinshi, it might be a different story.”
Huo Shu looked at Tao Yu, “However, he won’t become a jinshi.”
Tao Yu raised his eyebrows, “Brother Huo is not an official from the Ministry of Rites, how can you be so sure he won’t become a jinshi?”
Huo Shu withdrew his gaze and said, “I used to tell fortunes under the Tianqiao bridge. If I say he won’t become one, then he won’t.”
Tao Yu narrowed his eyes upon hearing this. Which fortune teller under the Tianqiao bridge looks like you? Would anyone dare to have their fortune told by you?
It’s surprising he could still joke at a time like this.
Huo Shu seemed to hear the young man hum softly. Just as he was about to say something else, Ji Yang Zong’s voice reached them first.
“I have hastily gathered everyone today, which has taken up some of your time, and I imagine you all have some grievances. However, even with your dissatisfaction, there is something that must be announced to all of you. The matter is truly dire. If this kind of behavior is allowed to spread in our village, I fear there will be no peace here in the future!”
The noisy courtyard gradually quieted down with Ji Yang Zong’s resonant voice. Families with children pulled their noisy offspring closer, covering their mouths to signal them to be quiet, and all turned their attention to Ji Yang Zong.
“Our village has always been filled with rumors and gossip. I know many of you enjoy talking when you have free time, and as long as it’s harmless, I’ve never said anything. However, someone in the village has maliciously fabricated gossip to slander others. This behavior is truly disheartening!”
The crowd in the courtyard began to murmur. Those who had participated in gossiping about the Ji family felt guilty and lowered their heads upon hearing Ji Yang Zong bring up the matter publicly.
Those who were still unaware became even more interested, wanting to know what kind of gossip had angered Ji Yang Zong enough to summon everyone in the village for a lecture.
Sun Yuan Niang’s heart sank to her throat upon hearing this, but she still held onto a sliver of hope that the Ji family had no evidence.
It wasn’t until she saw Granny Wang and her ruffian son being called out by Ji Yang Zong, with their hands tucked into their sleeves, that she felt completely chilled.
You Ling Xiao’s eyes widened in disbelief as he saw the sheepish Granny Wang, his body stiffening and unable to move.
“The Ji and You families recently announced the annulment of their engagement and their respective marriages. While there were separations and reunions, some people with loose tongues have slandered both families, saying that the two young people were too intimate before their engagement and behaved improperly! They spoke ill of others without evidence, destroying reputations and damaging characters. This is intended to ruin the reputations of unmarried children!”
Ji Yang Zong reprimanded Granny Wang, “Wang Pin Yue, my Ji family no longer cares about face. You must clarify today in front of everyone why you are slandering the Ji and You families. What grudge do you hold that you want to harm the Ji family’s child so she cannot get married! And inciting trouble in the village!”
When the villagers learned that today’s gathering was about this matter, they all became enthusiastic. They hadn’t expected Granny Wang, who was usually outspoken, to dare to slander the Ji and You families like this.
The village head was also quite bold to bring the matter out into the open, as if the rumors about his own son were not spreading enough.
Although there were those who enjoyed the spectacle, farmers with daughters and sons felt sympathy for the Ji family. A good son, whose engagement had been broken, was now being slandered. Weren’t those who spread rumors maliciously intending to prevent him from marrying again?
If their own daughters or sons were subjected to such rumors, they would rather die. Even though it hadn’t happened to them yet, the existence of such malicious people in the village meant they could be unlucky enough to encounter it themselves one day.
At this moment, women and husbands who had been spoken ill of by Wang Pin Yue couldn’t help but seize the opportunity to scold, “Wang Pin Yue, you are a woman yourself, how can you harm the young men and women of our village like this?”
“The village head has always treated you well. Your son acts like a bully in the village, and the village head hasn’t kicked you, an old widow, out of the village, yet you are so ungrateful and harming the village head’s family.”
“Pah! Shameless! May all evil people come to a bad end!”
Granny Wang was usually thick-skinned, but she couldn’t withstand the overwhelming torrent of spit from the villagers. As Huo Shu had promised, she quickly tried to exonerate herself.
“It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me!”
“You have the most to say in the village, who else could it be? The village head has caught you, and you still want to deny it! You deserve to be thrown in jail, only then will you learn to be honest!”
Seeing that the scolding was becoming more unpleasant, Li Jin Hu roared, “My old mother is straightforward and says what she thinks! She likes to liven things up and say a few words, but she wouldn’t make up gossip out of thin air!”
“Yes, yes.”
Granny Wang repeatedly agreed with her son, but the farmers were not convinced. Someone threw a handful of rotten vegetables, almost hitting Granny Wang. Granny Wang was startled and shouted at You Ling Xiao in the crowd, “It’s the You family! You Er Lang told me to say this to outsiders!”
Seeing Granny Wang pointing directly at You Ling Xiao, Sun Yuan Niang was instantly panicked and anxious. She suddenly lunged forward, rushing towards Granny Wang, “Crazy old woman, you spew filth with your mouth! My son is a scholar, how dare you slander him? I’ll tear your mouth apart!”
Seeing Sun Yuan Niang rushing towards her with red eyes, Granny Wang cried out in alarm and quickly ran to Ji Yang Zong, “Village head, I’m telling the truth, you must help me!”
Ji Yang Zong quickly stopped the frenzied Sun Yuan Niang and pretended to dissuade her, “Granny Sun, don’t be so hasty. Wang Pin Yue, don’t speak nonsense!”
“I’m telling the truth!”
Granny Wang quickly took out more than ten taels of silver from her person. “On the eleventh day of the first month, You family’s second son found me and gave me ten taels of silver, telling me to spread those slanderous words about the Ji family when Zhou Village Head’s son came to visit. Yesterday, when Zhou father and son came, I did as You Er Lang instructed.”
“That ten taels of silver, on the eleventh, I ordered several dishes at Song Family Eatery in the city and spent two hundred coins. I also bought some cloth and two hairpins. I spent a total of two taels, with eight taels left.”
Granny Wang blurted out everything, “This morning, You family’s second son suddenly found me again, saying I should fan the flames further, and gave me another ten taels of silver. The money is all here.”
“Otherwise, how would I, a widow, dare to speak ill of the Ji family? You Er Lang is already a scholar. When he told me to say these things, I didn’t dare not to do as he said!”
Granny Wang kept shouting, and the onlookers in the courtyard were becoming more and more engrossed. When they heard the end, a hush fell over the entire audience, and everyone turned to look at You Ling Xiao, and at Sun Yuan Niang, who was going crazy trying to tear Granny Wang apart.
You Ling Xiao was completely stunned. He truly didn’t expect Granny Wang, who had been so tight-lipped in front of him that morning, to spill everything in front of the entire village that afternoon. His feet felt frozen in place.
The You family, unaware of the details, was horrified. At this point, they no longer cared whether the matter was true or false and rushed to scold, “Wang Pin Yue, you are slandering us! Stop your crazy accusations against the You family! The You family has been in this village for over ten generations. Everyone knows our character. If you dare to speak nonsense again, I will drag you to the yamen!”
Seeing the You family use clan pressure against Granny Wang, Li Jin Hu retorted, “Good! If you want to go to the yamen, let’s go to the yamen. Let everyone in the prefecture see what kind of person our You family’s scholar is, a pale-faced scholar with a wolf’s heart. So cunning!”
“Li Jin Hu, shut your foul mouth!”
“What, you dare to do it but not admit it? You’re guilty, so you don’t let people talk. Everyone, watch carefully. Our village’s scholar, the village head funded his studies. After he succeeded, he dumped the Ji family, and now he’s even having people slander their reputation.”
Li Jin Hu pointed at the You family’s deepest feelings and heart, completely stripping the You family of their face. Everyone exploded. The Ji family was not to be outdone, with every sentence a question:
“You Ling Xiao, what do you mean? Even if you succeeded and look down on the You family, you grew up with Brother Tao. How could you do something that ruins someone’s reputation and harms them for life? Is this the character of a scholar? What did our Ji family do to you!”
“What a sin! My sixth brother is too soft-hearted. When someone begged him, saying that a widow and her orphan couldn’t make a living, he ran errands for them, bought them books and stationery, smoothed over relationships, and even promised his own son to them.”
“Who knew there were so many ungrateful people in the world? When they became successful, they kicked him aside, and he never complained. Yet, some people now take advantage of good people like this, ruining my nephew’s reputation and trying to destroy our Ji family, tarnishing the reputation of our entire lineage. What kind of intention could be so malicious!”
The eldest branch of the Ji family began to cry as they spoke, lamenting and accusing, which made people’s hearts ache.
“It was clearly you, the Ji Yang Zong couple, who insisted on breaking off the engagement. Now you’re blaming our You family. There’s no such logic in the world!”
Sun Yuan Niang was furious and blurted out, “Who knows if one’s own son is self-respecting!”
“Sun Yuan Niang, you’re still making excuses at this point! You know very well why our Ji family broke off the engagement. Didn’t your family, after attaching yourselves to a prominent family, want to ditch us? You made pretty promises before the exam, saying you’d have the wedding after passing. After becoming a scholar, you became more arrogant than anyone, dragging out the marriage and never mentioning it! If my son had truly lacked self-respect, and had begged your family to marry into it, he wouldn’t have been able to stand tall and break off the engagement!”
Huang Man Jing scolded, “You took all the benefits and are still trampling on the Ji family. Even if you don’t remember old favors, how could you ruin the reputation of everyone in the Ji family? Your intentions are truly sinister!”
The villagers also brought up old matters, “Back then, Sun Yuan Niang was condescending and looked down on others. She broke off her engagement with the Yu family without a second thought and married into the You family through unscrupulous means. Now she’s teaching You Ling Xiao like this. What bad luck did the Ji family have to encounter such a family.”
The two families, the main parties in the courtyard, argued fiercely, and the villagers joined in. For a moment, it was like a large pot of stew boiling over and exploding.
Amidst the cacophony of arguments, You Ling Xiao became completely dazed. At this point, he couldn’t say a single word of rebuttal and almost fainted.
In a daze, he saw, through the crowd, the young man standing far away under the eaves, watching this spectacle.
Their eyes met. You Ling Xiao saw an unprecedented coldness and disgust in those beautiful peach blossom eyes. He couldn’t describe how he felt, but in his semiconscious state, he couldn’t understand why things had escalated to this point.
The young man who always went to the city on holidays from the academy, who would linger until the academy closed, waiting on the path back to the village just to catch a glimpse of him, and who would be happy even without a single word, seemed like it was just yesterday. Why was he suddenly so cold?
You Ling Xiao’s hands trembled, his eyes reddened, and two lines of tears slid down his face.
Sun Yuan Niang, amidst the incessant curses of scoundrels and beasts, rushed towards Huang Man Jing, trying to scratch her. A shining silver cleaver was placed in front of Sun Yuan Niang.
Everyone saw the knife tremble suddenly, and the courtyard fell silent.
“A’Yu, I just… I just didn’t want to lose you.”
You Ling Xiao’s eyes were tearful, his voice mournful. The villagers were stunned to see him like this.
Seeing this, the eldest branch of the You family quickly came forward to apologize, “Village head, Ling Xiao is just deeply devoted, which is why he made a wrong decision. You watched him grow up, don’t you know his character? Young people act rashly and without foresight, which is why this plan backfired.”
“Pah!”
Ji Yang Zong cursed, “Now you’re playing the good guy, slandering someone’s reputation, and you think you’re right? Don’t desecrate the words ‘deeply devoted’!”
“Uncle Ji, Tao Yu and I were childhood sweethearts. How could I harm him? The engagement between our two families was broken, and I was reluctant to part. That’s why I resorted to this tactic. My intention was not to ruin his reputation. I don’t know how it spread outside like this.”
“Enough!”
Tao Yu, standing to the side, felt disgusted by You Ling Xiao’s tearful appearance.
“To shirk responsibility, you can truly fabricate any lie. When you held up others’ clothes, showered them with praise, and spoke tender words, did you ever remember that you were already engaged?”
Tao Yu sneered, “You couldn’t bear to break off the engagement, but you wanted to have your cake and eat it too. That’s too greedy!”
You Ling Xiao was startled upon hearing this. Tao Yu really knew everything.
For a moment, he felt guilty, and his face turned red.
The villagers erupted in an uproar, feeling even more disgusted by You Ling Xiao’s actions.
The eldest branch of the You family wanted to argue but had no basis to do so. They also dared not to argue rashly. Who knew what else the mother and son had done that was unspeakable? At that time, they themselves would be ridiculed.
“Alas, they’ve gone mad. Your aunt and cousin are truly muddle-headed.”
Sister Sun Er, seeing her sister and nephew acting like this, felt ashamed by association.
“Now you know what kind of people your aunt and cousin are.”
Yu Xia, standing beside Sister Sun Er, took a deep breath, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
“The Ji family is ungrateful. My foolish son, and yet you still care about him.”
Sun Yuan Niang cursed, “It is common for men to have three wives and four concubines. You, with your poor health, expect Ling Xiao to be devoted to only you?”
“I know I am not worthy and do not deserve the fortune of a scholar. The You family should not do such things to harm others.”
“Fortunately, the truth has come out today, and I want to make it clear. From now on, You Ling Xiao and I go our separate ways, our relationship is severed. I hope you will not bother me again in the future!”
With that, Tao Yu left on his own, leaving You Ling Xiao completely stunned.
This farce finally came to a temporary end with Tao Yu’s decision and You Ling Xiao’s precarious state.
The Ji family did not expect the You family mother and son to apologize. Accepting their apology would only be more disgusting. The goal was to make You Ling Xiao’s actions public and restore Tao Yu’s reputation. Since the objective had been achieved, nothing else mattered.
However, after this incident, the You family’s reputation in the village was completely shattered. They would undoubtedly be discussed during leisure time, and the villagers all sighed with regret.
Although they didn’t dare to say anything to their faces due to the You family’s status, they had already scoffed at the You family’s character behind their backs and no longer bothered to interact with Sun Yuan Niang and her son unnecessarily.
Such a family treated even their benefactors so poorly during their most difficult times. How could ordinary people expect any kindness from them? Who knew when they would stab you in the back?
The You family members were both angry and dared not scold You Ling Xiao, feeling incredibly aggrieved. They hadn’t even enjoyed the blessings yet, but instead, they had to endure all sorts of scorn and humiliation.
When they reacted and rushed to find the Li family mother and son, Li Jin Hu had already taken the money and, with his mother, had disappeared somewhere while the village was abuzz with the news. Only the You family was left outside the Li family’s door, jumping and cursing.
Seeing that the relationship between the two families had broken down to this extent, Ji Yang Zong no longer wanted to hold back. He went to the You family and demanded the return of all the money he had previously lent and funded for You Er Lang.
Previously, out of consideration for the Xue manor, Ji Yang Zong thought of not asking for the money, hoping that the You family would remember some past kindness and not pressure them further. But he didn’t expect You Ling Xiao to be so despicable. If he was now rich and used his money for malicious deeds, it was better to get his own money back. He might as well take back his money, lest the You family have too much money on hand.
Sun Yuan Niang cursed again, but under the gaze of the villagers, she still handed the money over to Ji Yang Zong.
The You family had no choice but to swallow their pride and accept their loss. Although the various branches of the You family strongly disapproved of what the mother and son had done, and although the Ji and You families had been secretly competing for many years, they had never made such an ugly scene.
They were completely in the wrong this time. Privately, they all said that Sun Yuan Niang’s character was poor, just as it was when she first married into the family. However, outwardly, they still had to rely on You Ling Xiao for protection and tax reductions, and they comforted the mother and son against their will.
“No matter how harsh the outside gossip is, the scholar title is something Ling Xiao truly earned. It has been documented by the academic administration of the village and prefecture, and he has received the scholar’s decree. He will receive the same treatment as usual.”
“The Ji family, for the sake of their reputation, will not go to court. The marriage was annulled by mutual agreement. Even if it went to court, it would only be a village dispute, and with the witnesses gone, the authorities would not handle it.”
“Yes, with good days ahead, you don’t need to pay attention to what those gossips outside are saying. Great men are not bogged down by petty details. The Ji family has been showing off in the village for so many years, always acting as Ling Xiao’s benefactor. Who wouldn’t be angry? It’s not wrong for Ling Xiao to teach the Ji family a lesson.”
Seeing her uncles and elders say this, Sun Yuan Niang seized the opportunity, “Uncles, it’s good that you understand Ling Xiao. But with the imperial examinations approaching, and the gossips outside speaking so harshly, it’s inevitable that it will disturb Ling Xiao’s peace. How can he calmly prepare for his studies?”
“It would be good if Ling Xiao had a quiet place to live in the city to study with peace of mind. It doesn’t need to be big; whatever other scholars can afford, Ling Xiao can afford. If Ling Xiao achieves success in the spring imperial examinations, he will not forget his uncles. At that time, all the brothers and sisters will surely look after him.”
How could the You family branches not understand Sun Yuan Niang’s intentions? However, buying a residence in the city was not a small sum of money. Even if the location was poor and the house was small, an ordinary two-courtyard house would cost three to four hundred taels of silver. If several branches contributed, it would be dozens of taels or even a hundred taels per household.
Although they could scrape it together, it was not a small amount, and who would be willing to cut off their own flesh?
“Fourth sister-in-law, you also know that the first branch’s land has not been doing well in the past two years, and the harvest is not good.”
“Yes, fourth sister-in-law. My third child is not married yet. It’s not like it used to be to arrange a marriage. You can’t do it for less than fifty to sixty taels.”
Seeing them crying poverty, Sun Yuan Niang sneered, “Eldest brother, the harvest from your forest is quite good. It’s not as dire as you say.”
“Fifth sister-in-law, you are truly joking. Thirty taels of silver for a marriage proposal now is already very respectable. Taxes are increasing every year, and in the future, people will only spend less, not more. It’s not like marrying a daughter from an official family, so why spend fifty taels.”
The two households were blocked. Sun Yuan Niang then said, “If the uncles and aunts don’t have the intention to help our Ling Xiao, then we cannot protect families that cannot help us, can we?”
For a moment, they couldn’t speak.
Sun Yuan Niang continued, “Our Ling Xiao is not a fool. The reason he broke ties with the Ji family is that he has found a better choice.”
“I will say the harsh words upfront. This is an opportunity for the uncles and aunts to help. If the uncles and aunts have difficulties and cannot help, we understand. However, if Ling Xiao achieves glory in the future, don’t say that your nephew is ungrateful.”
The eldest branch of the You family, remembering what Ji Tao Yu had said at the gathering today, surmised that You Ling Xiao had likely found a noble patron. After a moment’s thought, they smiled fawningly,
“What are you saying, fourth sister-in-law? Ling Xiao is the most promising child in our lineage. I, as his elder uncle, will support my nephew no matter how difficult my family is.”
Seeing that the eldest branch had spoken, the other branches, though pained, could not afford to miss this opportunity to gain favor. They could only brace themselves and agree,
“Nothing is more important than Ling Xiao’s affairs. My unpromising third child is still two years away from marriage. Let’s move the money for his marriage to our cousin. When our cousin achieves glory, our cousin will also benefit and be able to find a better match.”
After much discussion, Sun Yuan Niang persuaded several branches to contribute money to purchase a residence in the city for You Ling Xiao.
“Once the residence is purchased, we will move there immediately. We will be far from these villagers, and even if they want to talk, they won’t see us. Then, in the city, it will be easier to interact with the Xue family, won’t it?”
Sun Yuan Niang looked at You Ling Xiao, who had been lying in bed in a daze for two days, and felt heartbroken. She gently comforted him.
You Ling Xiao did not reply, and it was unclear whether he had heard her.
“Ling Xiao, if you continue to be dejected like this, how will your mother cope?”
The person on the bed said hoarsely, “Mother, don’t worry. Since things are still like this with the Ji family, I will devote myself entirely to the marriage with the Xue family.”
You Ling Xiao’s unfocused gaze suddenly sharpened. He wanted to climb up and reclaim everything that should have been his.
