The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 761 - 750: Bruised and Swollen

Chapter 761: Chapter 750: Bruised and Swollen

After the maid had left, Bai Jiashi finally spoke of their play in the garden that day, reciting poetry in a chain, saying, "I always feel that Erlang bears some hostility towards them."

Ms. Duan frowned and said, "Such a disgrace, he knows he is no match, yet he insistently provokes them. Those youngsters have already passed the prefectural examination at such a young age; their knowledge must be many times superior to his. He goes to compete with them; can he even win?"

The two sisters of the Bai Family said nothing.

After pondering for a moment, Ms. Duan said, "Let it be, what happened earlier is your father’s responsibility. Since he doesn’t like them, it’s likely there will be less interaction in the future. Let’s not get involved."

The two sisters of the Bai Family agreed.

However, come evening, trouble brewed again in the front courtyard. Bai Ning, displeased with a maid’s clumsiness, smashed a teacup, and so had the maid beaten and wanted her thrown out to the country estate.

When word reached Ms. Duan, she couldn’t help saying, "Why dispatch her to the country estate over such a trivial matter?"

"Our family’s estates are all back in Longzhou. We haven’t yet taken possession of the official land in Yizhou City; where could we send her instantly?" Ms. Duan said, "If she’s truly unwanted, then just assign her to work as a rough maid in the gardens. After that, seek Old Madam’s permission to assign someone to take her place."

Having received the order, the servants retreated and carried out her instructions, restoring tranquility to the Bai Manor once more.

Ms. Duan thought that the matter should have passed with the punishment of a little girl, who was, after all, a child of their own household—what was the big deal?

But unexpectedly, before the month’s end, because of this very incident, trouble arose once again.

Bai Ning, with a face bruised and swollen, was sent back home.

Bai Yu, now in his forties with only two sons, wherein Bai Ning was the most intelligent and dearest to his heart, became naturally enraged seeing him beaten like this.

But he also knew that this was Yizhou City, where there were too many powerful and influential people whom he could not afford to offend recklessly.

So, restraining his anger, he asked Bai Ning, "Who did this to you?"

Bai Ning, clutching his mouth and crying from the pain, said in a muffled voice, "It was Bai Shan and two others; they took advantage of me by outnumbering me, the three of them against me alone..."

Bai Yu was startled, then slammed his hand on the table, jolting Bai Ning.

Bai Yu exclaimed angrily, "This is outrageous!"

He stood up, ready to send for Bai Shan and the others, when Ms. Duan, sitting next to him, quickly said, "Master, we should first find out why they fought."

"What does it matter why?" Bai Yu turned around with furious eyes.

Bai Ning, crying and clutching his mouth, said, "It was just a few words exchanged; I’ve forgotten what sparked the argument, but no matter what, they had no right to gang up three against one."

Bai Yu looked at Bai Ning intently and nodded, "Indeed, regardless of the reason, they should not be fighting. We are all one family and should love each other. This insolent behavior, what does it look like? Their parents are not around to teach them, so as their uncle, today I shall discipline them myself."

After speaking, he called a servant over and said, "Go to the Bai Manor on Huanxi Street and ask for the two young lords to come over; tell them I need to see them."

"Yes."

Ms. Duan stood by, silent, not divulging to Bai Yu that they no longer resided on Huanxi Street, but were now living on Kangxue Street just like them.

Considering this was a matter for the front courtyard, Ms. Duan contemplated briefly, excused herself with a bow, and returned to the inner courtyard, leaving Bai Yu to tenaciously watch over his son and frantically seek a physician to treat his injuries.

Meanwhile, Bai Shan and two others, who had just finished the fight and returned home, refreshed, started clutching their arms and supporting their waists, groaning in pain as soon as they entered the room.

Zhou Lijun, wrapped up like a ball, rushed over and asked, "My cousins, what’s wrong with you all?"

Manbao, holding her waist, said, "Someone kicked me here; I don’t know if it’s bruised. Help me look."

Bai Shan and Bai Erlang too complained of aching waists, backs, and hands, asking Daji to apply medication to relieve their pain.

Daji, with an indifferent expression, went to fetch the medicinal wine and then followed the two young masters into the room.

Zhou Silang was also particularly curious and followed them in, helping Daji light the fire pot. After they removed their clothes, he peered over to see some purplish bruises on their backs and arms, which were not severe and looked like the result of minor bumps and knocks. He asked curiously, "Did you all get into a fight?"

He was all too familiar with such bruises.

Bai Shan nodded, "We fought, and it was with the other Bai Erlang from next door."

"...Can’t you change the way you refer to him?" Bai Erlang shouted, "I always feel like you’re talking about me."

"Who asked you to be a ’Two’ following his name?"

"Pah! What do you mean ’following him’? I’m two months older than he is; if anyone is following, it should be him following me in ranking."

But Zhou Silang exclaimed in shock, "No way, he was alone? The three of you against one?"

Even Bai Erlang began to feel a bit guilty. After a pause, he said, "Well, it wasn’t just him alone. His servant pitched in, unlike Daji, who didn’t help us."

Yet Zhou Silang did not relax, well aware as he was that these three had been fond of fighting since childhood. The other two aside, even his youngest sister rarely lost a fight, and when pushed too far, she would even bite. So...

He swallowed nervously and asked, "Did you hurt the person badly?"

Bai Shan and Bai Erlang exchanged glances but remained silent.

Zhou Silang then slapped his thigh and said, "Come on, spit it out; what can’t you tell me? If the beating was severe, you should send medicine or apologize. What if their family comes looking for us later?"

Bai Shan said in a low voice, "It wasn’t too serious, was it? It was just a bit of swelling on the face."

Bai Erlang added, "I think his mouth might have been cut too, but I didn’t cause the facial injuries; Shanbao and Manbao did that. I just kicked him a couple of times and then punched him a few times."

Bai Shan said, "I was mainly trying to pin his hands and legs to stop him from hitting us."

Both said at once, "Basically, the injuries on his body were all inflicted by Manbao."

Zhou Silang: ...This is bad!

Daji poured a little medicinal wine on his hand, rubbed it, and began massaging Bai Shan, who cried out in pain, prompting him to reassure Zhou Silang, "Don’t worry, Miss Man is a doctor. The injuries she inflicted are superficial flesh wounds; no tendons or bones were harmed."

Zhou Silang asked, "But do they appear severe?"

Daji: "They’re sure to look worse than the sum of what these three have sustained."

Zhou Silang then fell silent for a moment, rose up, and went out the door, squatting beneath Manbao’s window to speak with her, "I’m asking you, is there any ointment or liquid or something that when applied makes the injuries appear awfully tragic, severely hurting upon a glance?"

Manbao, still applying the medicine on herself and wailing, pondered for a moment before responding, "I don’t think so."

"Think harder, there must be something. And really, you should have learned by now how to hit without leaving so many marks. Don’t you know that one’s own family cherishes their children the most? What are we to do if a beating of the younger provokes the elder? Do you think I can stand up to an official?"