The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 451 - 449 Rumors

Chapter 451: Chapter 449 Rumors

Wang Yonggui’s eyes widened in disbelief. Weren’t there over a thousand taels’ worth of silver notes? How come they were gone?

He quickly looked over at Old Granny Zhang. Her face remained impassive, but she stepped harshly on Wang Yonggui’s foot, snapping him back to reality.

"Impossible, right? The Zhang Family has been running a bookstore for over ten years, and that’s all the assets they have?" someone doubted.

As soon as Old Granny Zhang heard this, she made a move to rush into the courtyard: "What? They still have a store? No way, I have to take over that store too—"

At that moment, Wang Yonggui came to his senses and immediately blocked Old Granny Zhang, "Mother, mother, let it go. I heard that Shopkeeper Zhang’s crying was quite pitiful, and he, like Hunter Qin, had no other choice, right? The money they earned went to the doctor’s...

At this point, Wang Yonggui realized he had said something wrong and quickly covered his mouth, stopping himself from speaking any further.

This behavior immediately piqued people’s curiosity.

"Old Qin and Old Zhang seem to be in good health, and they aren’t usually sick, so why did all their earnings go to the doctor?"

"Wang Family’s Boy, what kind of sickness did they actually have?"

...

Wang Yonggui had a look on his face that said "I can’t talk about it," and after being surrounded and pressed by the crowd for a long while, he half-revealed that the two were not capable in a certain aspect. Otherwise, why wouldn’t they find wives at their age?

They were afraid of gossip, after all. The majority of the money they had earned over half their lives was spent secretly on doctors and folk remedies...

This news was explosive. Everyone’s eyes sparkled upon hearing it, and the issue of how much the Wang Family should compensate was immediately overshadowed.

"Alas, who would have thought Old Qin was all bark and no bite, I’m glad I didn’t match my sister with him back then..."

"Indeed..."

When Wang Yongzhu came out and heard this, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

She glanced at Wang Yonggui, "Okay, let’s go home, the family is waiting."

Saying this, she began to walk out, while Old Granny Zhang was still holding onto Old Granny Yang’s hand, "Young Miss Yang, you have to keep an eye out for me. If those two run away, there will be nowhere to find the money for my son-in-law’s medicine. If anything happens, send someone to get word to me..."

At this moment, Old Granny Yang was preoccupied with Qin the hunter and Shopkeeper Zhang’s impotency, and she agreed absentmindedly, standing on tiptoes to look into the Qin Family Courtyard.

By the time the Wang family members squeezed out and rode away in their carriage.

The door that Wang Yongzhu had casually closed behind them finally gave way to the neighbors’ curiosity and was pushed open.

And then everyone saw Shopkeeper Zhang with reddened eyes, clutching at Hunter Qin’s foot, feeling around his ankle area while Hunter Qin was whispering something, with Shopkeeper Zhang nodding repeatedly.

Both men’s faces were painted with mocking turtle features, and the sight of two disheveled men, one lying on the ground and the other clutching the other’s foot, was cringe-inducing to behold.

Had it been a normal day, everyone might not have thought much of it, but since Wang Family’s Boy had just mentioned that these two were supposedly impotent, the sight before them seemed all the more inappropriate.

Upon seeing so many people barge into their private space without permission, Qin the hunter and Shopkeeper Zhang, especially Hunter Qin, who was already in an unpleasant mood due to his injury, were appalled by the way the intruders looked at them as if they were some kind of freak show.

The rage that Wang Yongzhu had momentarily suppressed exploded, "Who let you in? Get out—get the hell out of here—"

The neighbors who came in were scolded, and one by one, their faces couldn’t hold the expression anymore. Several of them stealthily spat out a sound of contempt and twisted their bodies as they walked away.

The others also sheepishly retreated.

Once outside, everyone started chattering immediately.

"Don’t even say, I never noticed before, but today, that Shopkeeper Zhang, he’s just like a woman every day, dressing fancier than a lady; what kind of man does that?"

"Exactly, I’ve heard those city folks are dreadful, up to all sorts of mischief. I’ve heard some of them, instead of liking good women, prefer... well, you know—do you think they might—?" they smirked meaningfully.

"Well, that’s hard to say, but Old Qin seems quite robust, doesn’t look like he would be inadequate in that department..."

...

It was the men who exchanged knowing glances before looking at the Qin and Zhang Family courtyards with a hint of disdain.

The women were even livelier. After hearing a few words from the men, the tale spread like wildfire. Before you knew it, everyone knew. They were saying Hunter Qin and Shopkeeper Zhang were lovers, discovered in the city and unable to stay, so they eloped in secret to Shiqiao Town.

They planned to take on an apprentice to act as a son for support in their old age, but as the apprentice grew more and more handsome, Shopkeeper Zhang feared losing favor and devised a plot to blind the boy with poison...

This rumor spread at the speed of a tidal wave throughout Shiqiao Town.

By the time Hunter Qin and Shopkeeper Zhang heard about it, it was no longer a rumor but a fact set in stone.

Both nearly burst a blood vessel from the outrage, knowing full well they couldn’t stay in Shiqiao Town any longer. After a discussion, they left behind the deeds to the bookshop and the Qin Family Courtyard, along with a letter stating they were bequeathing the courtyard and bookshop to Song Chongjin.

Then, under the cover of night, they left Shiqiao Town and were never seen there again.

But that’s a story for another time.

Once out of town, Wang Yonggui, ensuring no one was around, quickly asked, "Mom, where are those silver notes? How come they’re all gone? That was silver!"

Old Granny Zhang leisurely pulled out a neat stack of silver notes from her bosom and shoved them into Wang Yongzhu’s hands, "A fortune doesn’t come without secrecy. With so many silver notes, if people saw them, who knows how many would harbor ill will. I took them into my care when no one was watching. The rest of the stuff in the chest, aside from the land deeds, isn’t worth much. Letting outsiders look doesn’t matter, and it also prevents anyone from suspecting we didn’t take anything!"

Indeed, the old ginger is the spiciest!

"Keep this silver; it all belongs to Chongjin. You hold onto it for him."

Wang Yongzhu didn’t stand on ceremony as she received the money and casually tucked it into her bosom, but in reality, she put it in her storage box.

Outside, Wang Yonggui pleaded pitifully, "Mom, what about my medical fee, the fifty taels?"

Old Granny Zhang rolled her eyes, about to respond, when Wang Yongzhu smiled, "Today, everyone has worked hard and lent a hand, this remaining silver will be distributed when we get back, as a reward for everyone’s effort!"

Old Granny Zhang couldn’t interrupt in time as Wang Yongzhu had already spoken, so she just had to endure it.

Hearing their own Laosan cheering outside, even Lady Lin, Jindou, and Jinhoo wore surprised smiles, realizing that this time their daughter and son-in-law had made a considerable profit, enough to make others jealous.

If they didn’t give Laosan and Eldest Brother’s family a share, they probably couldn’t keep them quiet. The remaining several tens of taels of silver were nothing compared to what their daughter and son-in-law had acquired.

Thinking it over, Old Granny Zhang reluctantly convinced herself.