Chapter 48 - The First Crock of Gold
The meat was delivered into the hands of the village head. Fishbone-like crinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes as he smiled happily at the meat. As he looked for his wife in the crowd, he replied, “It’s just a small matter. Send someone to my house and get it from my wife. I’ll stand here and help you maintain order.”
“Thank you so much, Ma Sanye!” Qi Qingyao exclaimed.
Thereafter, she locked eyes with Jiang Yeqian who was standing by somewhere quietly. “Jiang Bai, go get the scale for me! Please return quickly.”
Ma Sanye’s wife was a fiery woman. Otherwise, how else could she become the village head’s wife? She carried the string of meat, her eyes narrowing into fine lines as she smiled happily and looked at the immensely handsome young man trailing behind her. She was so shy her face sported a slight blush.
…
Upon witnessing the drastic turn of events, Madam Wu grew furious. With her hands on her hips, she stood in front of the crowd.
“This is our Qi Family’s pork. Who dares to buy it?!”
“Oh, Madam Wu. According to our Northern Liang law, you’ve already signed a severity paper. The ties between father and daughter have been severed. You causing trouble here is unjustified.” The village head originally did not want to get involved in this unpleasant matter. However, since Qi Qingyao was so generous and had given him two catty of meat without asking for a single copper-cash, he had to say a few words!
However, such words fell harshly upon Madam Wu’s ears. She did not care that she in front of a large crowd, and rebuked him angrily, “Oh, village head. You can’t be bought over to her side just because she gave you pork.”
The look on the village head’s face suddenly changed and he bellowed, “Madam Wu, you should be more careful with your words. Qi Qingyao gave me a string of meat as a neighbor. How can that be considered a bribe? Everyone is neighbors. Your Qi Family, on the other hand, disliked that this child was a fool and a lunatic, and severed ties with her. Now you’ve discovered she’s caught a wild boar and you’re throwing a crazy fit just because she refused to give it to you!”
Madam Wu exclaimed, horrified, “Ah, village head! You’ve gone too far with those words.”
“I’ve gone too far?” The village head asked Qi Qingyao irritably, “Qi Qingyao, tell her yourself as their child. Why does Old Man Qi’s family want to sever ties with you? Was it really because they realized that you’ve gotten brighter and that you wanted to turn your life around? Is that why the Qi Family wanted to sever ties with you?”
“No,” Qi Qingyao said as her eyes reddened. She lifted her hands and wiped at her eyes.
In the eyes of the villagers, that pitiful look of hers told them that it was a situation where a pretty, young lady had been bullied.
Madam Wu did not think that the village head would allow Qi Qingyao to speak in such a straightforward manner. “Qi Qingyao, you need to speak with a conscience. When have the Qi family done you wrong? How dare you lie in front of the village head! Could it be because we didn’t take the initiative to sever ties with you?”
She did not believe that Qi Qingyao would tell them the truth.
The Eleventh Daughter was an extremely conscientious person. She would not tell the truth.
Qi Qingyao spoke as she cried, “Madam Wu, didn’t I hug my father’s leg for forgiveness and ask for him to not sign…”
“Even though you hugged his leg…”
Madam Wu could not finish explaining.
The little lady with a pitiful expression grabbed the village head’s hand. The rims of her eyes were red and her face held an expression as though she was begging for justice.
“Village head, you need to find justice for me. I cried so terribly. I wailed for my older and younger brothers, for my father and my mother. They ignored my cries, ignored my screams, and just left me mercilessly. My fragile heart was so broken that day. That’s why I no longer want to have anything to do with Old Man Qi’s family.”
Those words were heart-wrenching.
They were essentially calling for the listeners to shed tears.