Chapter 244 - Another Catfight? (2/2)

With the current reputation and status of Yu Hai's family in Dongshan Village, they weren’t people who she could bully and control anymore. Besides, they still had something on her, Madam Zhang couldn't be rash. This time, she was going into town for her son's future!

Since the schools in town couldn't accommodate her son, then they would go to the prefectural city. The prefectural city was nearly a two-days traveling distance from Tanggu Town. It was impossible for her son's reputation to have reached every academy in the prefectural city, right? For the sake of her son's education, Madam Zhang didn't care about money. As long as her son could pass the examination and become an official, even if she had to live in harsh conditions, it would still be worth it.

Yu Xiaocao was very clear on the ancient people's respect for filial piety. Although her family and her oldest paternal aunt's family all know about Madam Zhang's vicious side, when all was said and done, the villagers of Dongshan Village didn't know. What appearances had to be kept were still kept.

”Grandmother, are you going to town to see my younger uncle? The road is quite long, why didn't you tell us so that my father could take you there with the carriage!” Yu Xiaocao came down from the horse's back and appeared like a very polite girl.

Madam Zhang was eager to tear the smile off her face and replied ambiguously, ”Your family has climbed up a high branch. Why would you still care about this old lady's life or death? Let you guys take me in the carriage? I don't have that good fortune.”

Several villagers, who were going to town with Madam Zhang, had an expression of disapproval on their faces. In their minds, they thought, ‘Madam Zhang really doesn’t know how fortunate she is. She has such a good son, even if he’s not by blood, she should still try to win him over. What is she doing?’

Yu Xiaocao clearly saw the expressions on the villagers' faces out of the corner of her eye and smiled even more brightly. ”Grandmother, what are you saying? Those who know will say that you understand our family is busy and doesn't have any time. Those who don't know will think that you have a problem with us! How about this, you can ride my pony and I can walk over, what do you say?”

”Yu Xiaocao, you clearly know I don't know how to ride a horse but you still want me to get on the horse. Are you thinking this old lady has lived too long and want me to fall to my death?” Madam Zhang craftily smiled and snorted.

Yu Xiaocao's face fell and with a face full of grievances, she said, ”Grandma, how can you say that? I suggested it with good intentions...”

Madam Mao, who came with Madam Zhang, couldn't bear to see the old lady using her age as an advantage anymore. She came up and shielded Xiaocao behind her and said, ”I've heard that Xiaocao wasn't treated well by you when the family had yet to separate. Today, I've finally seen it! Xiaocao is just afraid that you are tired and offered to let you ride the horse. It's enough that you don't appreciate it, yet you also distort her good intentions. How can you be a grandmother? Fortunately, Brother Yu Hai's family separated early. Otherwise, I wouldn't know what Xiaocao would've become with your treatment. It's said that Xiaocao was weak and sickly since birth, could it be caused by you, this harsh grandmother?”

Madam Mao's mouth was said to be invincible in the entire village! However, Xiaocao knew that she was the model of a sharp tongue with a soft heart, so the relationship between the two families was pretty good.

Madam Zhang's entire face turned red with Madam Mao's words, but she couldn't come up with any words to refute her claims. After all, the severe winter before last year, Yu Xiaocao was ill and she, the grandmother, was reluctant to give money for her to go see the doctor. When Xiaocao's father went to his eldest uncle's family to borrow money, everyone in the village knew about it. No matter how she argued, no one would believe her!

Madam Zhang wasn’t a merciful person. She pointed at Madam Mao’s nose and angrily said, “I’m talking to my granddaughter. What does it have to do with you, Madam Mao? You really are meddlesome, sticking your nose into other people’s business! Oh… I know. Your Qian Family used Dahai’s glory to get the help of Zhenxiu Restuarant and gained many benefits. You’ve gotten their help, so you have to speak up for them. That’s why you’ve come up to take the scolding, right?

In terms of quarreling, Madam Mao had never been afraid of anyone. She had been unhappy with Madam Zhang, who kept asking for trouble all the time, for a long time. So today, she definitely wouldn’t spare her, ”Oh! How come I can hear the jealousy in this? Brother Dahai is kind hearted so he has never refused to help anyone in the village when they go to him. Speaking of him, how can anyone in the village not praise him? Some people are so blessed that they don't know it. During his most difficult times, they separated from him and even hid the money that he used his life to get. Tsk~ To be brothers, yet using his older brother's money, that he used his life to get, to get relations. He deserved to be cheated! The heavens do have eyes, they are looking at us! People can't do the wrong thing, sooner or later they will be punished!”

Everyone in the village knew that Yu Hai was bitten by a bear while saving General Zhao. General Zhao gave the money that he got for the bear to Madam Zhang and asked her to use it to treat Yu Hai’s injuries. The result? If Old Yu wasn’t around, Yu Hai would've been left on the bed for the injuries to run its course.

This Madam Zhang really is cruel. When Yu Hai's family was injured, sick, and weak, she wanted to divide the family. After receiving the three hundred taels, which should’ve been used to save someone's life, she practically let them leave without anything.

She even said Yu Hai had personally asked to separate their families. Yu Hai was just too benevolent to expose her lies. Who didn’t know the truth? In that situation, even if it was for his wife and children, he wouldn't have separated their families voluntarily.

[1] kang table (炕桌) - a small, short-legged table for use on a kang bed