Chapter 172: Conflict (3)
Editor: Atlas Studios
“It wasn’t your Big Brother who let the oxen eat their crops. Why should he go?” Madam Hu-Zhang said unhappily.
Hu Gui glared at her. “It’s not Big Brother, but his son. Little An was the one who grazed the oxen.”
“Don’t slander him. Ah Ling already said that the ground is full of your footprints. You knelt down and admitted it just now. Otherwise, why would you be so anxious when she spoke of sending the culprit to the officials?”
“Enough.” Old Hu patted the edge of the brick bed and shouted, “Do you still think that the house isn’t chaotic enough? Now that the money has already been taken out, hurry up and send it to the Mu family. Third Brother, go back to your room and stay there. When I’m free at night, I’ll beat you up. Who asked you to herd the oxen to her fields? Are Madam Ma-Liu and Mu Yangling people you should mess with? They’re a family of shrews.”
Hu Gui shrunk his neck and said, “I didn’t herd the oxen into their field. They went there themselves…” At most, he didn’t stop them. Who asked Madam Ma-Liu to always glare at him? Her eldest granddaughter actually dared to spit at him when she saw him. It was already considered merciful for him to let the oxen eat just a portion of their crops.
Who knew that this was illegal?
Hu Gui felt very aggrieved.
Madam Hu-Fang had already put away the silver. Not daring to delay, she wiped her tears before running to the Mu residence. Madam Ma-Liu took the silver from her with a dark expression and didn’t let her enter the house. She directly shut them out with a bang.
Madam Hu-Fang stood for a while before leaving.
Xiuhong stuck her head out to look at the silver in her grandmother’s hand and asked softly, “Aren’t we going to report it to the officials?”
Madam Ma-Liu tapped her forehead and said, “What a silly girl. That was your aunt scaring them. If we really send them to the officials, the villagers will avoid our family in the future. Moreover, how can reporting to the officials be as practical as taking silver?” Madam Ma-Liu handed the silver to Mu Yangling and sighed. “But although I’ve gotten the silver back, I still feel uncomfortable. Back then, your Grandma Hu made it sound so nice, even offering to come over to help if I couldn’t manage it. Although she would say some sour words sometimes, it didn’t matter since our family was indeed more well-off than theirs. Who would have expected things to turn out like this?”
Xiulan went forward solicitously and massaged her shoulders. “Grandma, don’t be sad. We just won’t play with Grandma Hu in the future.”
Madam Ma-Liu smiled bitterly and patted her little hand. “You don’t understand.”
However, Mu Yangling said, “Xiulan is right. Great-aunt, it’s fine as long as we don’t interact with the Hu family in the future. Don’t be sad. There are so many old grandmas and grandpas in the village. Can’t you chat with whoever you want? Why do you have to look for the Hu family?”
Madam Ma-Liu’s old face instantly darkened. She patted Mu Yangling and said, “Little brat, what nonsense are you talking about? Who likes to chat with old grandpas? You keep your mouth shut. When your father comes back, I’ll get him to teach you a lesson.”
Chuckling, Mu Yangling broke away. She threw away the silver in her hand and said, “This much money is enough to do many things.”
However, Madam Ma-Liu’s face darkened slightly as she said, “But what about our family’s land? Was it severely ruined when you went to take a look?”
“It’s serious. The top portion of the long seedlings have been eaten and a large area had been stepped on. In any case, it won’t survive.” Tilting her head, she said, “Since i’s only 0.1 acres of land, I don’t know what to do with it either. Why don’t we leave it empty?”
“How will that do? Weeds will grow. It’s getting late today. Tomorrow, I’ll go with you to see if we can salvage some. If not, we’ll plant vegetables on the remaining land.”
Shu Wanniang’s eyes widened. “But Aunt, our vegetable field is right behind us and is pretty sizable as it is. In fact, I planted all the vegetable seeds today. Besides, isn’t it too far away to use it as a vegetable field?”
“We’ll sell the vegetables grown there in the county instead of keeping it for our own consumption. When I went to sell rabbits these few days, I realized that vegetables sell pretty well in the city, unlike in town. The county is just different. Later, I’ll get Ah Ling to fix up the land for me. I’ll buy some vegetables and plant them. In another 20 to 30 days, I’ll be able to sell the first batch. It won’t fetch much—probably 100 copper coins or so. A little makes a lot, so over time it can accumulate to a small fortune.”
Having had a difficult life, Madam Ma-Liu knew how to accumulate small sums of money bit by bit.
Mu Yangling agreed without thinking. “Then when I go hunting in the mountains, Great-aunt will go and collect the vegetables. When I come back, I’ll carry them to the county together with you.”
“Alright, with you doing the hard work, I’m even less worried.”
The plot of land was not big, so it didn’t take Mu Yangling much effort to segment out the piece of plowed land. She also loosened the soil. As the soil was still wet, Great-aunt planned to wait for the soil to dry up before planting the vegetables.
Madam Ma-Liu carried the hoe and prepared to head home, while Mu Yangling went to check on her rabbits.
Xiuhong and Xiulan were sitting on the grass watching rabbits.
Mu Yangling handed the task of collecting the grass to Xiuhong. Every morning, she only had to go to the mountains to hunt, and do farm work. In the afternoon, she would clean up the rabbit feces and clean the sheds. At night, she would teach Xiuhong and Xiulan how to read. Although such a life was tense and compact, it was fulfilling and comfortable.
Mu Yangling did not know how long such a life could last. She could only work hard to accumulate capital for the future while enjoying this peace.
Therefore, she took a keen interest in her wheat, corn, rice, and rabbits. She had to check on them every few days.
Seeing her cousin come over, Xiuhong waved happily and rushed over. “Cousin, good news. The Hu family is fighting.”
“How did you know?” Mu Yangling asked as she chose a corner and sat down on the grass. She waved at Xiulan and shouted, “Xiuhong, come over quickly. Don’t step on the grass anymore. Else, the pasture that has just grown won’t grow anymore.”
Xiulan tiptoed over and sat beside Mu Yangling, imitating her. Xiuhong squatted on the other side of her and said, “Brother Dazhuang told me. When he carried the grass over for me, he even deliberately went to take a look. I heard that Second Uncle Hu gave up his position as the section commander. Now, the position has gone to the Sun family who lives at the village entrance. The oxen have all been taken away, so Old Hu was so angry that he got someone to find Second Uncle Hu and beat him up. I heard that Second Aunt Hu is making a fuss about splitting up the family assets. I wonder if the fighting’s stopped.”
Mu Yangling flicked her forehead and said, “Should you be calling him ‘Old Hu’? Call him Grandpa Hu. Be careful that my father will beat you up if he hears you.”
Xiuhong stuck out her tongue. “I’m only saying this in front of you.”
Mu Yangling didn’t hit her again and only said, “We have to respect the old and love the young. Some things can be said in front of our own people, but not outside, understand? Sigh, who asked us to be so young?”
Xiuhong also sighed sadly. “I wonder when I can grow up.”
“Soon. You’ll grow up in five to six years.” Mu Yangling rubbed her hair and stood up. “I’m going to clean the rabbits’ shed. You guys rest. Let’s not bother about the Hu family’s matters. Since things have already come to this, it’s impossible for us to reconcile in the future.”