The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 366 - 367: Great Meritorious Statesman

Chapter 366: Chapter 367: Great Meritorious Statesman

"Did you see that? The Song boy is driving a carriage. Is that one bought by the Song Family?"

"Are you confused? With the Song Family’s circumstances, could they afford mules? Didn’t you see Wang Family’s daughter on the carriage? It’s obvious that the Wang Family bought it, and the Song boy is just driving it back for them."

"Look at them, why don’t you learn from that young lad of the Song Family? He broke off an engagement before, but now that he sees the Wang Family prospering, he has the nerve to cozy up to them. If you were as shrewd as him, I wouldn’t have to worry about you..."

...

There were all sorts of comments, but Song Chongjin turned a deaf ear to them.

Those who were slightly acquainted with Song Chongjin asked, "Brother Song, whose carriage is this?"

Song Chongjin answered very candidly, "It’s bought by Yongzhu’s family. I’m just helping to drive it back."

That elicited a wave of envy.

The Wang Family truly had good fortune. With such a capable daughter, had they known she was a money tree, they wouldn’t have despised her for being ugly and lazy, which led to Song Chongjin picking up a bargain in the end.

Jinguan and Jinpan were already playing in the village when they heard their friends shout, "Jinguan, Jinpan, your aunt bought a carriage and brought it back!"

They immediately dropped the mud in their hands and ran to the road as fast as their legs could carry them.

From afar, they saw the tall horse, the brand-new carriage, and their aunt on it.

The two rushed over immediately, "Auntie! Auntie, is this our family’s carriage?"

Song Chongjin flicked the whip, and Jinpan was rolled onto the carriage. Then, he stretched out his hand to lift Jinguan right up.

The two kids scrambled into the carriage, touching here and there, incredibly curious.

They quickly arrived in front of the Wang Family Courtyard.

The Wangs had already received the news and were waiting at the door.

Watching Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu slowly approach in the carriage, Jindou and Jinhu couldn’t help but rush forward to greet them. Even Wang Yonggui’s eyes lit up, and he followed behind his nephews to the carriage.

He couldn’t help but blurt out, "Sister, is this one bought by our family?"

Wang Yongzhu nodded.

"Can Third Brother give it a try?" Wang Yonggui asked eagerly.

Song Chongjin looked at Wang Yongzhu, and she nodded again.

Without a word, Song Chongjin swiftly tossed the whip to Wang Yonggui and then hopped down from the carriage, reaching out to help Wang Yongzhu down.

However composed Wang Yongzhu was, she blushed in front of her parents and in-laws, avoiding Song Chongjin’s arm and smoothly jumping down from the carriage.

Wang Yonggui took over the whip, plopped himself onto the carriage, and Jindou and Jinhu, along with Jinhua and Jinshao who had followed, hurriedly scrambled onto the carriage, pulling and holding each other.

Wang Yonggui cracked the whip, "Hold on tight now—giddy up!"

The mules, docile and obedient, moved forward again. Inside the carriage, the children erupted into laughter.

Along the way, the village men and children followed the horse-drawn carriage, the adults chattered with Wang Yonggui to get familiar, while the kids, with eager eyes, ran behind the carriage.

Laughing and frolicking, they ran far off.

Old Granny Zhang had heard from Wang Yongzhu that Song Chongjin had gone to Jing County to inquire about the person who was sabotaging them behind their backs; now that he was back, perhaps he had found something out?

Therefore, her attitude was very warm, "Chongjin, you’re back, are you tired? Come in and sit down, have dinner at your aunt’s place tonight."

Song Chongjin nodded his head.

Wang Yongzhu personally fetched a basin of water for Song Chongjin and gave him a brand-new towel to wash up with. Seeing how exhausted he was, and considering that it was still early, she let him lie down in Wang Yongping’s room for a while.

Song Chongjin really couldn’t hold up anymore and obediently went to lie down in Wang Yongping’s room.

In the courtyard, the family gathered around Wang Yongzhu, with Wang Yongping’s excited face turning red, "Sister, is that really ours? From now on, our family will have a mule and carriage to use?"

Wang Yongzhu nodded her head and took out the deed for buying the mule to show Old Granny Zhang and Wang Laozhu.

Wang Laozhu had only glanced at the mule, which seemed like a fine beast from the outside, but he was still worried, "Zhuzhu, how old is this mule? It doesn’t have any other issues, right? It’s just that if I had known you were going to buy a mule, I should have gone with you. What does a girl like you know?"

Old Granny Zhang was not happy, "It’s my daughter’s own silver. She takes it out and is willing to buy such a big mule and such a large carriage, so how did it turn out to be wrong? Old man, don’t you feel ashamed when you speak? My daughter doesn’t know, but do you? What good does it do if you went? Could you have paid? Even those few large coins on you, they’re the allowance my daughter gives you!"

"Our family now lives off the daughter; so how come we’ve developed such a critical attitude? We lived for decades without a mule and carriage, and I didn’t hear you all chattering nonsense then. Besides, my daughter wants to buy whatever kind of animal she wants to bring home. Even if she bought an old mule, so what? An old mule doesn’t cost anything, people just give it away? Did my daughter’s money come from a big windstorm? Each one of you, don’t overstep your bounds, taking advantage of my daughter’s tender face, you want to bully her! I’m the first one who won’t stand for it!"

Wang Laozhu was only worried that his daughter didn’t understand the market and had been fooled into spending a lot of money on a useless beast.

Scolded by Old Granny Zhang in such a way, he sulkily went off to the side and began puffing away at his smoking pipe.

He knew his old wife held a grudge because he only handed over fifty large coins to her, seizing the opportunity now to vent her anger.

With Old Granny Zhang’s outburst, everyone’s faces were sheepish.

It was still Wang Yongzhu who, while drinking water, explained, "Dad, don’t worry, this was picked out with Brother Song’s help. The owner of the Horse and Carriage Shop wanted to buy it, but the owner wouldn’t sell it to him."

"What’s the matter?" Old Granny Zhang asked alertly upon hearing this.

After Wang Yongzhu explained the situation, Old Granny Zhang slapped her thigh, "I knew it! My daughter handles things without ever making a mistake. With Chongjin helping, how could there be a mistake? Oh, Chongjin is a big hero, no, I must make something delicious tonight to thank him..."

Saying so, she called out to Lady Lin and Lady Jiang, "Quick, go to the yard and catch that fattest rooster for me, we’re stewing chicken tonight!"

Wang Yongzhu blinked her eyes; Old Granny Zhang was really splurging. Every hen and rooster in the house was accounted for; they were Old Granny Zhang’s prized possessions, and except for herself, no one else was allowed to even think of having them.

Even when Wang Yongping was injured, they only went out to buy some meat and bones. Chicken? That was a pipe dream.

The moment Lady Lin thought of the delicious scent of stewed chicken, she immediately perked up, grabbed a broom, and marched off resolutely to chase the chicken.

Lady Sun was tidying the pigsty, which was slightly secluded and in the corner. At that moment, seeing Lady Lin charging over with the broom raised ferociously, she was dumbfounded.

Then, before she could react, a black shadow passed overhead, and a weight suddenly pressed down on her head, causing her scalp to throb with pain.

"Oh-oh-oh~" The Wang family’s fattest and most attractive rooster, who strutted around with a bevy of hens, was now firmly gripping Lady Sun’s hair with its claws, crowing defiantly at Lady Lin.

Lady Lin spat into her palm and turned to Lady Sun, "Don’t move. If you let the chicken run away, see how I’ll deal with you!"