The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 199 Rage

Chapter 199: Chapter 199 Rage

Wang Yongzhu stepped forward and knocked on the small gate. A gatekeeper emerged, frowning at the newcomers: "Who are you looking for?"

Wang Yongzhu smiled faintly, "Brother, we are looking for Teacher Wang, Wang Yongan."

The gatekeeper was taken aback, "Who are you to him? Why are you seeking him?" As he spoke, he sized up the three people. Judging by their attire, a hint of disdain appeared in the corner of the gatekeeper’s eye.

"Teacher Wang is my elder brother. We are his younger siblings. Our father is gravely ill, and we wish for my elder brother to come back and see our old man," said Wang Yongzhu as she took out a handkerchief, dabbing around her eyes to affect a mournful look.

Listening to this, the gatekeeper’s expression softened to a mix of sympathy and suspicion, "You are Teacher Wang’s siblings? Such a pity, Teacher Wang had resigned from our academy half a month ago. How come you, being his siblings, do not know?"

Wang Yongzhu’s heart skipped a beat, but her face showed surprise and confusion, "What should we do? Our father keeps calling for my brother on his sickbed! How will we manage? We siblings have traveled over a hundred miles to get here. If we cannot find our brother, how will we have the face to return to our mother and father?"

Wang Yongping felt there was something odd about the way his sister spoke, but then thought it made sense; their father was indeed seriously ill and longing for their brother to return home.

Only Song Chongjin’s eyes twitched. Through the underlying meaning of the words, it was implied that their own father might not make it and they were looking for Wang Yongan to see him one last time.

It was fortunate that Wang Laozhu was not here to hear this; otherwise, even if he were truly dying, such words might have enraged him back to life.

Watching Wang Yongzhu, who didn’t blink an eye and was filled with nothing but lies to deceive the gatekeeper, Song Chongjin was truly speechless and simply bowed his head in silence.

To the gatekeeper, it all made sense now. He guessed that Teacher Wang’s father must indeed be at death’s door. Looking at these siblings, one starts to cry in grief at the mere mention, another wears a face of bewilderment, and yet another one appears to be in a foul mood, their complexion so unsightly.

He set aside his doubts, "This is really something! I heard that Teacher Wang had just returned home a few days ago and even brought a Divine Doctor to treat his elder brother’s illness. Why didn’t he see the old master too?"

Wang Yongzhu’s heart sunk further. Wang Yongan had even publicized this matter; did he feel untouchable now?

Yet her face betrayed nothing, "Don’t even mention it. Our old man was so overjoyed that he... "

She started to dab at her eyes with the handkerchief again.

Wang Yongping wanted to say something, but Wang Yongzhu’s other hand pinched him firmly, contorting his eyebrows and eyes with pain, and he couldn’t utter a word.

Song Chongjin’s expression, however, shifted to one of grave concern.

"Oh dear, this is truly..." After another sigh from the gatekeeper, he gave them directions, "Follow this road straight ahead, turn left at the big locust tree by the road, the second courtyard is Teacher Wang’s home. However, I heard that Teacher Wang was favored by a Noble Patron and is going to take up a post in another place with the patron, possibly within the next few days. You’d better hurry and see if Teacher Wang is still there!"

Wang Yongzhu listened to these words, and anger finally couldn’t be suppressed in her eyes. She lowered her head, not letting the gatekeeper see, thanked the gatekeeper, and turned back the way she came.

Wang Yongping and Song Chongjin hurriedly followed behind.

Wang Yongping, no matter how foolish, also heard that something was wrong, "Little sister, big brother, could it be that he has run away?"

Grinding her teeth, Wang Yongzhu let out a cold huff, "Run away? You really underestimate your big brother. He has been promoted! Didn’t you hear? He’s not afraid at all that we would come looking for him!"

Quickly walking up to the carriage, the three got on, and Wang Yongzhu pointed at the big locust tree they passed by on their way here, "Laoliu, please take us to that big locust tree over there."

Laoliu, who had been wandering the world for many years and was skilled at observing words and expressions, saw that their faces didn’t look right and knew things were definitely not going smoothly. Without asking more questions, he cracked his whip, and the carriage rattled quickly all the way to the locust tree.

The three got off the carriage and turned directly into the left, arriving at the entrance of the second small courtyard, banging on the door.

Laoliu pretended to be indifferent on the surface, but he actually pricked up his ears to listen.

Wang Yongzhu, with the gatekeeper’s clue, quickly found Wang Yongan’s residence.

Knocking on the door, it took a while before the voice of an older maid came from inside, "Who is it?"

Wang Yongzhu took a deep breath to suppress her anger and turned her head to instruct Wang Yongping first, "If I don’t say anything later, just stand there honestly, do you hear me?"

Wang Yongping, already overwhelmed by his world being turned upside down, now suffered another blow and had no idea how to react. He nodded to whatever Wang Yongzhu said.

"Auntie, may I ask if this is the home of Teacher Wang from Baiyun Academy?" Wang Yongzhu turned around, her complexion already back to normal, and her tone revealed no sign of anger.

The old maid inside was stunned for a moment, very wary, "Who are you? What do you want with him?"

Wang Yongzhu’s face was all smiles, but inwardly she cursed, "We’re his fellow villagers. Passing by here, his family asked us to bring him something."

The old maid then slowly opened the door, sizing up Wang Yongzhu and the other two, "You are Teacher Wang’s fellow villagers? What did you bring? It’s really odd. His family sending him things? Don’t they always cry poor, coming up with ways to ask Teacher Wang for money? Back then they didn’t even support him in his studies; it was all thanks to Teacher’s wife and her parents that Teacher Wang could study and make something of himself. Now that they know Teacher Wang is favored by a Noble Patron, they’re eagerly sending things his way? Too bad, Teacher Wang can’t see it now!"

"Auntie, I don’t understand what you mean by saying it was his wife and parents-in-law who supported him through his schooling? Where did you hear such nonsense? It’s completely absurd! Wang Yongan became a Scholar at seventeen and only caught his wife’s eye then, she was determined to marry him, even if she had to starve. They didn’t marry until he was eighteen. It was clearly the whole Wang family scrimping and saving, not daring to eat meat, with brothers, sisters-in-law, and younger siblings all tightening their belts just for the sake of his studies, and with great difficulty he became a Scholar. They supported him for a few more years, but when money ran out, his younger brother also needed to marry, and a nephew was added to the family, they couldn’t just starve to death, right? They told Wang Yongan to wait two years, to give the family time to recover before continuing with his education, but what does he do? He moves directly to his wife’s place and only comes home for holidays. To say it was his parents-in-law who supported his education is just ridiculous! A fine Scholar, earning his own money, couldn’t he support himself? Over these years, Wang Yongan’s family hasn’t taken a single penny from him, everything has gone to his wife’s family. And now, it is all the credit of the Qian family? As if the Qian family were responsible for producing a Scholar! Look and see if the Qian family has such fortune!"

Wang Yongzhu was also furious, that Wang Yongan was so ungrateful, not only taking all of Wang family’s fortune but also spreading rumors that the Wang family treated him poorly! To even claim his scholar status was due to his wife and parents-in-law!