The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 109 Is There No Law of the Land?

Chapter 109: Chapter 109 Is There No Law of the Land?

Everyone had concerns on their minds, and after hastily finishing their meal, Wang Laozhu delegated tasks. Old Granny Zhang charged into the kitchen, grabbed a kitchen knife, and Wang Yongping picked up a hoe from the corner of the wall. Jindou and his brothers also found handy implements and lit torches before they headed straight for the Li Family.

Wang Yongzhu’s legs were sore and aching, but she was too anxious to care. Gritting her teeth, she found a stick to lean on and, supporting Jinhua, followed the others.

As an outsider, Song Chongjin felt it was inappropriate to get involved, but since he was also a witness, he followed at a distance.

By now, it was dark, the entire village was settling down for the night after dinner, but the commotion caused by the Wang Family stirred up many dogs, barking incessantly.

This woke many people who had already gone to bed; they got up, wrapped themselves in clothes, picked up torches, and followed the commotion.

In these days, the Li Family was in a mess. Li Jinzhi’s wedding with He Dawei was set for the eighth day of the sixth month, which was approaching fast.

After a big fight over the dowry last time, Li Dagui started to find fault in everything about his daughter, Li Jinzhi—her nose, her eyes, nothing seemed right to him.

Without any good prospects, her reputation ruined, and her belly growing larger, aside from the ten taels of silver, she had brought no benefits to the family, instead, it seemed like the Wang Family got the better deal.

Recalling the meat and wine promised by the He Family for the dowry, as well as the two sets of clothes, all gone to waste, and on top of that, having to spend their own silver to prepare the dowry for this useless daughter, Li Dagui was enraged.

If not for the fact that the child in her belly belonged to the He Family, which was the only way for her to stand firm once she entered their household, and he still hoped that she would help support her younger brother once she was established, he would have already thrown Li Jinzhi out of the house.

As a result, Li Jinzhi’s treatment at home plummeted.

Moreover, after the last dispute, the eldest son and his wife seemed to be holding a grudge against the family, especially the daughter-in-law, who was always speaking with a tart edge, dragging her feet whenever asked to do anything.

The second son was even shiftier, following his elder brother’s lead and never putting in much effort.

Luckily, his youngest son was on a long break since his teacher had returned home to visit family. Seeing him sit at the table every day, whether reading or practicing writing, Li Dagui felt reassured about his future.

That’s because Li Jinlong had mentioned that once his teacher had said, studying a few Chapters before bedtime and reviewing them in the morning would help retain the information better.

Normally, the Li Family would go to bed as soon as it got dark, but these days, they had even bought candles to light in Li Jinlong’s room.

Late at night, when everyone else was asleep, one could still hear clear and resonant reading coming from the Li house.

Li Dagui lay in bed, listening to his son’s recitation, and seemed to see a future where his son would become a graduate and an official.

Looking at the canopy above, he instructed Wang Daxiu, "Tomorrow, get up early and put two eggs in Jinlong’s breakfast. He needs nourishment for studying; on him, our old couple’s future depends."

Wang Daxiu, who was always obedient to Li Dagui and particularly doting on her youngest son, replied, "Of course."

Rolling over, she cautiously broached, "About Jinzhi’s dowry—"

"Tch! The girl is a loss, what dowry could there be? Everything in our house, every needle and thread, will one day belong to Jinlong. What’s the point of giving it to that worthless girl? She’ll marry into the He Family, and naturally, they’ll prepare for her. If the He Family wants to save face, they wouldn’t let their daughter-in-law wear old clothes, right? We have nothing to lose; I don’t believe that when the time comes, the He Family would turn us away and refuse our daughter—after all, she’s carrying their blood! What’s there to fear?" Li Dagui rebuked.

"But we can’t give nothing. Wouldn’t others point fingers at our spine?" Wang Daxiu, partly out of sympathy for her daughter and partly because she was concerned about appearances, objected.

"Just pick a few of her old clothes and some things from the He Family, throw them into a couple of trunks, and that’ll do!" Li Dagui declared definitively.

Wang Daxiu dared not say more.

Then she heard distant noises of commotion.

At this time, why are you causing such a commotion? And the noise is getting louder and louder.

Next door, Li Jinlong had stopped his reading and could be heard complaining, "Who’s that? Who isn’t sleeping in the middle of the night?"

Wang Daxiu rolled out of bed, threw on some clothes, and walked over to the window to look outside, where there was a noisy crowd accompanied by the glow of fire.

She turned back immediately, saying, "Head of the household, has something happened? Half the sky outside is red; could it be a flood alert?"

In the countryside, a flood alert is a big deal. Not only did Li Dagui get up, but his two sons and daughters-in-law also dressed and came out to look.

Then the sounds got closer, and there was the noise of someone banging on the door.

"Li Dagui, you son of a bitch, come out!" It was a familiar voice, a familiar formula!

Who else could it be but Old Granny Zhang?

Li Dagui and his wife exchanged glances. What’s Old Granny Zhang doing here so late at night?

Li Jinlong’s hands shook, and the book he was holding fell to the ground.

Li Dagui looked at his eldest son affectionately. The boy was young and had always been studying with his tutor, having never witnessed such a scene. He didn’t want him to be scared, "It’s fine, Jinlong. You should close the window and go to sleep. Dad will see what’s going on!"

With that, he instructed his eldest son, Li Jinhu, to open the door.

Li Jinhu’s wife, hearing the commotion, felt it wasn’t right and refused to let her husband go out and shield them from trouble, holding on to him desperately.

The second child and his wife seized the chance to hide behind Eldest Brother, stubbornly keeping their heads down.

In this delay, the outside knocking that was initially done with fists now sounded as if something heavy was striking the door.

After a few hits, the door was burst open.

Wang Yongping, leading a few nephews with torches and wielding spades and hoes, charged into the courtyard.

Seeing the aggression, Li Dagui shouted, "Wang Family’s Fourth Child, you’re breaking down my door in the dead of night; what do you want? Is there no law anymore?"

"Law? I am the law! Smash it up!" Wang Yongping’s eyes, under the light of the torches, were scarily bloodshot.

Jindou and Jinhu, the brothers, could hardly contain their inner rage and barged right into the main room, wrecking everything indiscriminately with their spades and hoes.

In no time at all, the main room was in complete chaos.

"What the hell do you want? Isn’t this bullying? You think the Li Family has no one to defend it?" Li Dagui trembled with anger.

Wang Daxiu, hearing the sound of things being smashed in the main room, cried with heartache.

She didn’t dare confront Wang Yongping, so when she caught sight of Old Granny Zhang, she rushed over, aiming to claw at her face, "Zhang Chuntao, you shameless wretch! What has the Li Family ever done to you for you to come smashing up our home with your sons and grandsons in the middle of the night! Is there no law left at all? You heartless curs deserve to be struck by lightning—"

"Bah! Wang Daxiu, you’re the shameless one, and the children you birth are just as vile! Let everyone judge why I’ve come here tonight with my sons and grandsons to smash up your place. Go back and ask your precious youngest son! Ask him what atrocity he’s committed? He’s an inhuman, immoral beast; all his learning has gone to the dogs, the bastard! What has my Eldest done to provoke you? How can your heart be so poisonous? Such a large rock, you pushed it down the mountain, breaking my Eldest’s back, now he’s crippled! And you’re asking if there’s law? I’m the one who should be asking you if there’s law!"