The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 599 - 597: Excitement

Chapter 599: Chapter 597: Excitement

Wang Laozhu patted Wang Yongan’s shoulder, "Dad knows you have this filial piety, and that’s enough! You are now working away from home, and your mother and I are getting older, it’s quite nice to stay in our old home."

"Dad, what’s so difficult about this? You, mom, and sister, you all follow me to the county town! I’ll buy a small courtyard just for the two of you, hire a couple of people to take care of you, live peacefully like respected elders. As for my little sister, dad, it’s not just me talking. With her current looks and bearing, plus my status as a Scholar, getting her married into an official’s family and becoming an Official’s Madam in the county town is a piece of cake."

"My little sister has suffered so much for our family, how can I, as her brother, bear to let her marry some country bumpkin for the rest of her life? For a woman, marriage is like being reborn, surely you don’t want my sister to spend her life in this countryside?"

Wang Laozhu listened in silence.

Wang Yongan added fuel to the fire, "If you’re afraid Song Chongjin won’t agree to call off the engagement, leave it to me! I’ll make sure he retreats obediently, without a word to say! Once we’re in the county town, I guarantee I’ll find a match from an official family for my sister. Then as an official lady, she will wear gold and silver, waited on by maids and servants."

Wang Laozhu couldn’t say he wasn’t tempted; to marry his daughter into an official’s family and become an Official’s Madam was second only to having a son become an official.

Yet no matter how tempted he was, one shouldn’t lose their conscience in their dealings.

Song Chongjin, that kid, might have had various shortcomings before, but ever since he got engaged to his daughter, there really was nothing to criticize.

He always treated the Wang Family as his own, whatever good things he had, he would honor his parents-in-law first.

Where could he find such a son-in-law?

Not to mention, now the Song Family had only him, if they called off the engagement, wouldn’t everyone say the Wangs were bullying others because of their power?

This wouldn’t do! After thinking it over, Wang Laozhu still shook his head.

"No way! Your little sister’s marriage was agreed upon in the presence of the Lizheng as well as the Clan Leader and the elders, with a clear written contract. We cannot go back on our word! Otherwise, what about the Wang Family’s reputation? It would also damage your own reputation! Nowadays, you are the County Magistrate’s favorite, you cannot afford any mistakes!"

Wang Yongan’s smile became stiff, and he took a deep breath before gritting his teeth to persuade again, "Dad, please think it over again! After all, it concerns my little sister’s future! Why don’t you go back and discuss it with mom and see what she says?"

Wang Yongan remembered Old Granny Zhang was quite hostile to Song Chongjin and favored his little sister; if she heard his guarantee of making his sister an Official’s Madam, she might agree first.

Wang Laozhu couldn’t bear to disappoint his second son’s good intentions and nodded.

As noontime approached, he returned to the new house, pulled Old Granny Zhang aside, and conveyed Wang Yongan’s thoughts to her.

Of course, in the end, he still said, "I feel this isn’t right. How can our Wang Family break a promise? Chongjin is a good kid..."

As soon as Old Granny Zhang heard this, her face immediately darkened, and pushing Wang Laozhu away, she grabbed a kitchen knife and charged into the old house.

Seeing Old Granny Zhang’s demeanor, Wang Laozhu was terrified and immediately called for help, "Eldest Brother, Laosan, Laosi, come out quick, there’s trouble!"

The Three Wang Brothers rushed out, only to see their mother wielding a knife and charging out.

"Quick, stop your mother—" Wang Laozhu shouted urgently.

The Three Wang Brothers exchanged glances; their mother had an air about her that whoever dared to stand in her way would be chopped down without negotiation—who would dare? They weren’t made of iron but of flesh!

Far from stopping her, they quickly cleared a path, allowing Old Granny Zhang to rush out unimpeded.

Wang Yonggui then said, "Dad, what’s gotten into Mom?"

Everyone knew by now that though their mother was harsh with her words, she was calculative at heart, and it took no small matter to make her so angry as to grab a knife.

"That, you lot, go stop her quickly. Your mom’s going to the old house to find Wang Laoer—," Wang Laozhu mumbled vaguely.

Which of the Wang Family Brothers didn’t know? They suspected it must be Wang Laoer who had said something to set off their mother.

With a quick thought, they knew it probably had to do with their younger sister; otherwise, their mother wouldn’t have gotten this upset.

This wasn’t something they dared to meddle in, so Wang Yonggui simply shouted toward the courtyard wall, "Younger sister, brother-in-law, Mom’s taken a knife to chop down Wang Laoer—"

While the courtyard was in a noisy uproar, Wang Yongzhu and Song Chongjin, who were in the other yard, naturally heard the commotion and Wang Yonggui’s loud shout and hurried over.

Wang Laozhu, truly worried, hurried over first with Wang Yongfu and Wang Yongping, fearing a real loss of life.

Wang Yonggui, using the excuse of waiting for Wang Yongzhu, dawdled and only when the two had caught up did he say, "I reckon Wang Laoer has brought up our little sister’s marriage again. Heaven knows what mischief he’s concocting. Dad’s the only one fooled by him. Let’s take our time, let Mom give Wang Laoer a good lesson."

Wang Yongzhu glanced at Wang Yonggui. His words were light, but with Old Granny Zhang holding a knife, what if it accidentally caused an injury to her?

Hurriedly, they hastened toward the old house.

The old house was already in utter chaos.

Old Granny Zhang kicked open the gate, and Sun Mutou, who was splitting wood in the yard, got such a fright that his axe trembled and he struck his foot, wincing with pain. Turning his head and seeing Old Granny Zhang with a knife, he didn’t dare to breathe aloud.

What on earth was Granny here to do?

Wang Yongzhen heard the commotion and stepped out. Seeing the situation, his legs went weak, but he managed to muster the courage to ask, "Mom... Mom... is there... something wrong?"

Wang Yongan, hearing Wang Yongzhen calling out for Mom inside the house, thought Old Granny Zhang had come over impatiently to discuss matters with him. He quickly put on a smile and walked out of the house, "Mom, I—"

But, after seeing the knife in Old Granny Zhang’s hand, the rest of his words were swallowed back, and he retracted his head, trying to close the door.

Seeing Wang Yongan stick his head out, Old Granny Zhang found her target and immediately lunged toward him.

As she cursed, "You bastard, an ungrateful little beast! What are you scheming, thinking your old lady doesn’t know? You think I’m like your confused and useless dad? Sweet-talked by a few flatteries, a bit of cat’s piss, and a silver note, you think you’re a good person? Do you think I don’t know what kind of thing you are? You were born a thoroughly black-hearted bastard!"

"What now, the silver from selling our family’s land didn’t satisfy you, becoming the County Magistrate’s lapdog wasn’t enough? Now you’ve set your sights on your sister? I said it before; you’re the type never satisfied with selling land, and now, sure enough, you’re thinking of selling your sister too? Who’s the high branch you’re trying to reach this time?"

Wang Yongan couldn’t help but retreat a few steps, protesting his innocence, "Mom! You’re wronging me, I really want to find a good family for my sister! I have no other intentions—"

"Nonsense— you ungrateful wretch, if you had no business, would you come home? After so many years away, when have you ever returned without wanting money or something else? You’ve attached yourself to a Noble Patron, living as a loyal underling, why come back now? If you truly cared, why didn’t you send word as soon as you secured a position? Knowing the hardships at home, now that you have money, why didn’t you get someone to bring it back?"