The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 460 - 458

Chapter 460: 458

"Little sister, Mom and Dad wouldn’t harm you. This Old Master Zhao, although he is a bit older, age brings tenderness. Besides, even though he has a wife, she’s become a plain jane, barely in contact within a year. Once you’re married there, just serve Old Master Zhao well, win his heart, and won’t you be just like a chief wife outside? If you don’t tell and he doesn’t tell, who wouldn’t treat you as the lady of the house? Wouldn’t life be so much better than staying in this countryside, eating coarse grains? It was because Mom and Dad love you that they secured such a good match for you. Otherwise, why would none of the other granddaughters get such a good prospective relationship?" Second Sister-in-law of the Song family coaxed Song Chunhua with these words.

People outside the house exclaimed in wonder, "The Song Family really has no shame, to be able to say such things?"

If it were such a good match, they would have given it to their own daughter, wouldn’t they? Would they give it to a younger sister-in-law?

Sure enough, the cries of Song Chunhua came through, "If it’s such a rare good match, as Second Sister-in-law says, why don’t you keep it for your own daughter? My grandniece is also sixteen in a few years and could be spoken for. Since Old Master Zhao is so great, I, as her aunt, am not worthy. Let’s leave it for my grandniece!"

"Head of the household, listen to what she’s saying! We are thinking of her well-being with all our hearts, and she actually speaks of us this way! Back when she returned home pregnant, wasn’t it us, her brother and sister-in-law, who protected and served her so that she could live until today? She gave birth to that nameless bastard, dragging down the reputation of our whole family, making it difficult for our children to be spoken for in marriage. As her sisters-in-law, have we ever said a single word of reproach?"

"Now, to top it off, we’re arranging a good match for her, providing her a secure future, where she can eat the best, wear gold and silver, live a life like the gods, and yet we’re seen as the wrong ones! Life is... impossible... to live like this..." Saying this, the two sisters-in-law of the Song family started wailing.

For a moment, there was weeping and howling in the Song Family house.

Then came Song Tiedan’s furious roar, "Stop your howling! We’ve fed you and raised you, and now all we’re asking is that you marry into another family. Who are you putting on this death-defying act for? And do you dare talk back to your sister-in-law? Your sister-in-law is right, your reputation is already ruined, if you don’t marry out soon, will your nephews still find wives? Will your nieces still get married?"

"Our whole family is now burdened by you. If you still have any shame, if you don’t want to anger me and your mother to death, just marry Old Master Zhao willingly and happily when he comes to collect you. If you keep up this crying and wailing, ruining today’s arrangement, I swear I’ll break your legs!"

"Dad—I am your daughter too, and yet you want me to marry a decrepit old man almost your age. Dad, how can you be so heartless! Not to mention anything else, just for the respect I have shown you in the past! Dad, for the sake of honoring you and mom, my own home..."

"Slap—" A slap resounded, heard by those near the Song Family Courtyard.

Just feeling that force made everyone wince.

Indeed, Song Chunhua was silenced.

Song Tiedan’s enraged voice rose again, "Tie her up, gag her mouth, you two change her clothes. When Boss Zhao comes to collect the bride, directly shove her into the carriage!"

The two daughters-in-law of the Song family responded in agreement.

Then, suddenly, there were screams from inside the Song Family Courtyard, and the door was thrown open. Song Chunhua emerged, her hair in disarray, one side of her face swollen and high, brandishing a kitchen knife, looking madly desperate as she rushed out.

The villagers watching the commotion hurriedly stepped back; curiosity was one thing, but risking their lives was not worth it.

With an unknown courage, Song Chunhua had grabbed a kitchen knife and chopped wildly before bursting through the door, but once outside, she looked lost.

Where could she go?

Looking around blankly, her eyes suddenly lit up when she saw Wang Yongzhu and Old Granny Zhang, and she charged at them with the kitchen knife raised.

Wang Yongzhu, with her keen eyes, noticed something was off with Song Chunhua and rushed over with a knife in hand. She quickly moved Old Granny Zhang behind her and picked up a piece of firewood from the stack outside the Song Family Courtyard.

Song Chunhua ran up to Wang Yongzhu, her expression frantic, "Where’s Chongjin? How come I don’t see Chongjin? Call him to save me! Tell him if he doesn’t come now, his mother will be sold off as a concubine..."

Wang Yongzhu’s lips curved into a chilling smile, but before she could speak, Old Granny Zhang burst out.

"What are you? You have no relationship with my son-in-law now. If your parents want to sell you as a concubine, calling out for my son-in-law is useless!"

"I am his mother! That heartless boy, his own mother is about to be sold off as a concubine, and he’s still hiding? I’m going to accuse him of being unfilial—" Song Chunhua was desperate; if she didn’t find a solution soon, she would indeed be sold.

Song Chunhua did want to remarry, but not to an old codger. This Zhao fellow was as old as her father, with white hair, a scraggly beard, and a mouthful of yellow teeth that showed whenever he smiled—disgusting to look at.

If he were younger, she might have married him begrudgingly, coaxed him, saved some money, and if luck was on her side, borne a child to rely on in the future.

But as an old man, with such age and her own health not being good, what would she do as a concubine when the old man shut his eyes and stiffened his legs for good?

Now, there was no hope from her family. It had been hard enough to find Wang Yongzhu, who naturally seemed like the last life-saving straw.

"You’ve already severed ties, why should my son-in-law honor you? I advise you, behave yourself. It’s not like before when my foolish son-in-law backed you up; you could play the demon then. After how you treated my son-in-law, you’re getting what you deserve now!" Old Granny Zhang spat at Song Chunhua.

Song Chunhua’s eyes turned red, and instinctively, the knife in her hand hacked towards Old Granny Zhang while she muttered, "I haven’t! I’m not to blame! It’s all your nonsense, instigating between my son and me! It’s all of you, all of you! Without you, Chongjin would still be my son, and I wouldn’t be in this situation; you’re the ones who caused this..."

Old Granny Zhang hadn’t expected Song Chunhua to attack so crazily, swinging a knife at the first sign of conflict.

It was Wang Yongzhu who had been on guard against Song Chunhua all along. As she saw her make a move, the firewood stick in her hand swung out without hesitation and struck Song Chunhua’s wrist with no mercy.

There was a faint "crack" as Song Chunhua screamed. The kitchen knife clattered to the ground.

Her other hand clutching her wrist, she began rolling on the ground, crying and howling.

The onlookers gasped in shock and collectively stepped back.

Song Chunhua was like a madwoman, terrifying!

But this Wang Family girl, with just one silent swing of her stick, made everyone feel a chill in their own wrists.

The Song Family finally rushed out the door, and upon seeing Song Chunhua rolling on the ground with the knife fallen to one side, they first sighed in relief.