I’ll Butcher Pigs to Support You! 49

Chapter 49

The people from Shenjia Village were cornered and became somewhat embarrassed. They immediately started shouting, “It’s only natural for parents to come and see if their daughter is doing well! Even the county magistrate can’t say we’re wrong! Don’t you make a scene!”

Seeing the Shen family’s aggressive stance, Song Yugui’s face darkened. Her Zhier was the most gentle and easily bullied. What kind of life must she have lived with this group of people!

“Who on earth is making a scene? The money I gave you back then was enough to marry three wives. A married daughter follows her wife. Since Shen Xizhi has married me, she is my person. I don’t want to recognize you as my in-laws. It doesn’t matter what you say. A family that sells their daughter, are they even worthy of being my in-laws!”

Chi Xiangyue immediately chimed in, “Right! Well said!”

Father Shen’s face darkened, but looking at their clothes and attire, a set would cost a lot of money. No matter how unhappy he was, he endured it, his voice just becoming more serious. “Xizhi, look at the angry words your wife is saying. You are my daughter, a daughter of the Shen family. It’s only normal for us to have occasional contact. Are you just going to let her belittle your family like this? You are really too outrageous.”

Shen Xizhi found that after being away from home for two years, her father’s skin had grown thicker.

She lifted her chin and sneered. “What’s the use of saying all this? If you say now that you won’t ask me and my wife for money in the future, I’ll let you in.”

The people opposite her were instantly silenced, their expressions as if a breath were stuck in their chests. Besides him, everyone else’s expression was very guilty.

It was clear what they were here for.

Father Shen’s face quickly became serious again. “Xizhi, are you going to be an unfilial daughter!”

In any prefecture or county, being unfilial was a major crime. It was only in the countryside, where the government’s jurisdiction was limited, that sometimes even an unexplained death would be ignored, let alone a verbal accusation of being unfilial. Even if one went to report it, they would often be too lazy to deal with it.

Shen Xizhi was not afraid of her father’s words. She lowered her eyes, her voice as cold as a winter’s day. “You were the one who said that after I married into the Song family, I would be a person of the Song family. The Song family has no mother-in-law, so how can I be unfilial?”

Song Yugui felt that her wife was right. She straightened her small face and nodded in agreement. “That’s right, that’s right! She’s my wife. She just has to be filial to my parents. Didn’t you all sell her to me and then ignore her? What do you mean by coming here now?”

She had only just learned from others a while back that the original owner had spent over twenty taels of silver to marry Shen Xizhi, her entire fortune. In this place, marrying a wife only cost two or three taels of silver. What was the concept of twenty taels? It was enough to entice others to sell their daughters. This was also the reason why the Shen family had ignored Shen Xizhi’s abuse after she had married.

The two sides were at a stalemate. The people who had come with the Shen family gradually became anxious and lowered their heads to whisper among themselves.

It wasn’t until a short man with a slightly childish appearance walked out from behind Father Shen that the whispering voices suddenly died down, and everyone looked at him.

He stopped the furious Father Shen and, very politely, bowed to them with his hands clasped. What was interesting was that everyone else in the Song family was dressed in tattered, patched clothes, but this person was actually wearing a brand new cotton robe.

Song Yugui squinted her eyes, suspecting something in her heart, when she heard the other say, “Two sisters, I am Shen Yaozu of the Shen family.”

His father really is ‘Yaozu’ (glorifying the ancestors). I guessed right.

“Hah.”

The moment Shen Yaozu introduced himself, a cold snort came from the other side. He couldn’t help but pause, the corners of his mouth twitching. Wait, what’s the meaning of this? Doesn’t she know me?! How is that possible!

After Shen Yaozu spoke, the Shen family’s faces couldn’t help but show a hint of pride, their chins lifted much higher. The people of Songjia Village also looked at him with a hint of assessment, their expressions hesitant.

Shen Yaozu didn’t even have a name in the book. Song Yugui didn’t take him seriously, only feeling that he exuded a nauseating smell from head to toe.

It wasn’t until many envious and respectful gazes fell on him that he felt the stuffiness in his heart ease a lot.

He continued politely, “I believe the two sisters also know that I am a tongsheng1 of Lin’an County.”

Song Yugui said with a cold face, “What tongsheng? I don’t know.”

Shen Yaozu: …

Tsk, as expected of an uncultured country bumpkin. She doesn’t even know what a tongsheng is.

He hid the deep color of ridicule in his eyes and continued, “A tongsheng is a scholar. But as you all know, studying costs money. So I came today to discuss a business deal with the two sisters.”

He put his hands behind his back and straightened his posture again.

Although he was really here to borrow money, he didn’t feel that he was inferior.

Seeing his different appearance, Song Yugui knew that most of the contributions Xizhi had made to the family in the past had probably gone to him.

This person looked arrogant. Although he was talking to them, he didn’t put them in his eyes. He probably hadn’t given Xizhi a good face in the past.

Song Yugui silently pulled her wife behind her to protect her.

Then she raised an eyebrow. “What business? Tell me.”

Looking at this idiot, he can’t do business. Tell me so I can go and laugh about it with my wife in bed at night.

Shen Yaozu didn’t notice the disdain in the other’s eyes and was still proud. “I would like to borrow some money from the two sisters. After I pass the imperial examinations, I will definitely repay you double.”

Song Yugui: …

“This is the business you’re talking about?”

She couldn’t believe it.

Seeing that the other was not ecstatic, Shen Yaozu’s face stiffened, and he forced a smile. “Of course. When I pass the imperial examinations, I will definitely not forget the two sisters.”

…

“What did you say you were just now?”

Fearing that she had misremembered, Song Yugui asked again. Shen Yaozu hadn’t yet reacted to what she was asking when Chi Xiangyue burst out laughing. “Pfft, tongsheng. He said he’s a tongsheng.”

Song Yugui: …

Are you kidding me? I thought he should at least be a xiucai2 before he could be so proud. Whether a tongsheng can even pass the xiucai exam is still up in the air. And he’s talking about passing the imperial examinations. He’ll be lucky to pass anything.

Chi Xiangyue’s stomach was hurting from laughing. She almost fell over several times and had to grab onto Shen Xizhi to stand up again. She had thought this person was a great scholar to be so arrogant. If he were a xiucai or a juren3, she would have already planned to send word. She hadn’t expected him to be just a self-important tongsheng.

Shen Yaozu’s face turned red with shame from being laughed at, and a wave of anger rose in his heart. “I was a tongsheng at fifteen! As long as sister is willing to lend money to my family, I will soon be able to pass the xiucai exam, and then the juren and jinshi4 exams will be no problem!”

He was young, but his words were big. But Song Yugui didn’t think he could pass. And with this family’s character, even if he did pass, he would probably just come to them and be arrogant, not to mention repaying the money.

So she was very direct and said, “No money, not lending.”

Everyone: …

This time, even Auntie Li was a little hesitant. For them, country folk, to have a scholar in the family was a matter of great honor. For Yugui to be so final, if the other really did pass the imperial examinations in the future, he probably wouldn’t let her go.

Shen Yaozu’s face suddenly darkened, and he emphasized, “I said, I will repay you double in the future!”

“And I said, I’m not lending.”

“You!”

Wang-shi was also exceptionally dissatisfied. “Xizhi, your wife is so unwilling to help your family. This is a slap in your face! You know your brother is a good student. For a family to produce a scholar is a matter of great fortune. Why don’t you hurry up and persuade your wife!”

Wang-shi was angry, her face and eyes fierce.

Song Yugui thought, My wife is timid. If you have something to say, say it to me. This will scare her to death!

So she didn’t hesitate to block Wang-shi’s view again and said with a cold face, “Read my ass! What kind of scholar would come and force his married sister to give him money? He’s read all his books into a dog’s stomach! No family affection, no shame! Get the hell out of here! Do your shameless things to others. Don’t think that just because our family only has two women, we’re easy to bully!”

She spoke without any courtesy. Her originally slender figure suddenly seemed tall and imposing in Shen Xizhi’s eyes.

For so many years, she was the only one who would unhesitatingly stand in front of her and protect her, even at the cost of offending someone who might become an official.

Chi Xiangyue, who had also helped her, was long forgotten. In her eyes, there was only her own wife, whom she looked at with a gaze full of admiration and love.

Chi Xiangyue caught a glimpse and wanted to say “yoyo” again.

If it weren’t for the fact that there were so many people around, she would have definitely said it!

Wang-shi was trembling with anger. When the Shen family saw that she was unwilling to lend money, they took turns trying to persuade her, either saying that it was better to resolve enmity than to create it, or that they were, after all, her biological parents, and there was no such thing as an overnight feud. They urged them to help Shen Yaozu. If Shen Yaozu really did pass the imperial examinations, they could also benefit from his glory.

The more Chi Xiangyue listened, the more she disliked it, her eyes filled with disdain. “Him? Pass the imperial examinations? Hah, is there no one left in the court?”

The contempt on her face was too obvious, which made them very angry. “You… who are you? What business is it of yours to meddle in our two families’ affairs!”

The Shen family was also dying of anger. They had almost gotten in, but then this woman had appeared out of nowhere, as strong as an ox, and had spoken such unpleasant words, helping Shen Xizhi to block them all outside!

“Of course I’m a person from Songjia Village! Song Yugui’s business is my business!”

A martial artist was most particular about loyalty. When a friend was in trouble, how could she abandon them!

“Where do you get off interrupting when your elders are speaking? Go, go, go! Or I’ll call your father over. We’ll have to ask him how he raised his daughter, to be so disrespectful to her elders!”

“Are you all calling for me?”

The moment the words fell, a gentle and refined voice came from behind. Some of the people couldn’t help but look over. Shen Yaozu also looked over and was startled, quickly turning around and bowing respectfully. “Teacher.”

The others were also shocked. The person who had come was actually Shen Yaozu’s teacher. Didn’t that mean his literary talent was even better?!

Chi Jingming glanced at the very uncomfortable crowd and slowly walked to his daughter’s side, lowering his head to ask, “What happened?”

He didn’t spare his student Shen Yaozu a single glance, only asking Chi Xiangyue. He knew his daughter’s character and that she would tell him the truth, which was much more trustworthy than others.

…

After listening to Chi Xiangyue’s angry account, he finally turned his gaze to the pale and extremely uncomfortable Shen Yaozu.

Logically, he shouldn’t be concerned about where his student got his tuition fees. But… if a student’s character was not good, it would be difficult for him to teach him. If he really did become successful, he was afraid he wouldn’t truly work for the benefit of the people.

Shen Yaozu was covered in a cold sweat. That woman was actually the teacher’s daughter, and his mother had been rude to the teacher’s daughter?

Hearing those words spoken to others, he finally realized how inappropriate his actions had seemed to outsiders. She hadn’t exaggerated, but it had already changed the teacher’s attitude toward him.

Sure enough, the next moment, the teacher spoke.

“Yaozu, you should find another teacher.”

Shen Yaozu: ???

Others: ???

You’re so direct. You don’t even ask others, and you don’t even say any pleasantries?

Shen Yaozu’s face turned pale. The others in the Shen family were also in disbelief. Wang-shi had just been regretting her sharp tongue for scolding her son’s teacher’s daughter when she heard this and immediately became angry, saying that Yaozu was a child prodigy and that Chi Jingming would regret not taking him in the future, which left Chi Jingming speechless.

The Shen family was also anxious, one moment urging Shen Xizhi to lend money, the next begging Chi Jingming not to reject Shen Yaozu. They thought he looked down on Shen Yaozu for not being able to pay the tuition and repeatedly promised that they would definitely come up with the money.

After all, this was the only person in their several generations who had a hope of becoming a scholar. Even if they had to continue to pool money from every family, they would definitely get it for him.

Shen Xizhi was annoyed by their persuasion. Although her body was hidden behind her wife’s, her eyes were extremely sharp as she looked at everyone. “You’re so anxious to persuade me to give money, isn’t it just because you’re afraid that my parents’ family won’t be able to repay the money they owe you?”

The Shen family’s expressions all stiffened, and a wave of whispering started again. They just felt that everyone was looking at them as a joke!

Especially Wang-shi and Father Shen.

It was the first time Father Shen had been so embarrassed. He couldn’t even lift his head. They had called their relatives over, not only to help them mediate and borrow money, but also to tell them that they had a married daughter who was doing well now and would definitely be able to repay their money. Which country person’s copper coins were not precious? Naturally, they wished that Song Yugui would lend money to the Shen family.

But Shen Xizhi thought they were sick!

It was they who had insisted on betting on Shen Yaozu and lending out the money. Now they wanted the two of them to clean up the mess? Don’t even think about it!

Song Yugui hadn’t expected there to be such twists and turns and disliked this group of people even more. She only wished she hadn’t left her butcher’s knife and cart at the village entrance, or she would have wanted to swing it a couple of times. She was angry!

She held her wife’s hand tightly and said without hesitation, “Impossible. My money was earned by me, bit by bit. Those who bully my wife, don’t even think of getting a single coin from me.”

Shen Xizhi nodded vigorously. She was even reluctant to spend her wife’s money. Give it to others?

Are you crazy?

The Shen family had come to make a scene but hadn’t even gotten in the door. They had even lost a teacher. Wang-shi was so angry her mouth and hands were trembling. She both hated Shen Xizhi for being unfilial and hated Chi Jingming for refusing to take her son no matter what. Finally, she pointed at him with a resentful expression. “You won’t regret it. My son is going to be the top scholar in the future…”

Before she could finish, she was pressed down by her pale-faced son.

Others might not know how powerful Chi Jingming was, but how could he not? Many things he didn’t understand, just a couple of words of guidance from him would make him have a sudden realization. He was such a good teacher. He was extremely flustered, only feeling that he would never be able to find such a good teacher again. The opportunity had slipped from his hands. He had long regretted coming here to make a scene, and even more so, he blamed his mother for being so mean and offending Chi Jingming’s daughter.

“Teacher, I know I was wrong.”

“To know one’s mistakes and be able to correct them, there is no greater good.”

Chi Jingming just said this faintly and nothing else, nor did he change his mind.

Shen Yaozu gritted his teeth, his face suddenly turning red to his neck. He turned his head and bowed to Shen Xizhi. “Sister, it was my fault today. Please forgive me.”

“Yaozu, what are you talking about? It’s only natural for a sister to help her younger brother. What did you do wrong? It’s clearly this little hussy who’s unfilial. After she married, her heart also turned bad, and she’s unwilling to help her family!”

Song Yugui also saw such a shameless person for the first time. She lowered her eyes and asked Shen Yaozu, “What did you do wrong?”

There was no sound from that side. The others from Shenjia Village seemed to have realized that this trip was a loss and were too anxious to speak.

She sneered. “The betrothal gift I gave you was enough for me to buy a woman. Today, I’ll just consider that I bought Xizhi from you a long time ago. She is no longer a daughter of your Shen family, but my wife alone!”

“If you’re sick, go and see a doctor. Don’t come to my house and make a scene, spouting nonsense. It’s also natural for a mother to help her daughter. When our family was poor back then, why didn’t I see you bring a single copper coin to help us? A bunch of bloodsuckers!”

It was the first time Father Shen and Wang-shi had seen such a disrespectful junior. They were so angry they were about to die, constantly cursing them for being unfilial, but it had no effect. Song Yugui was only filial to her own parents, and her parents were not here.

Shen Xizhi also just held her wife’s hand tightly, letting her curse that group of people to vent her anger.

In front of the Shen family, Song Yugui had almost said all the nasty things she could. Seeing her hostile attitude, the Shen family’s relatives figured they wouldn’t be able to borrow any money. They cursed their bad luck in their hearts but didn’t want to get into trouble. Hadn’t they seen that the people of Songjia Village were already getting restless, and someone was preparing to go and get the village chief?

In an instant, more than half of the people behind them were gone. In the end, Father Shen and Wang-shi could only leave with their several sons in a huff. They had originally thought that with so many people, and since the other was just two women, they would be able to get some money, and even stay for a meal and get a taste of meat. Who knew that not only did they not get a single coin, but they had also lost a lot of face, and even their son’s teacher. For the next few days, they probably wouldn’t want to go out.

Seeing the group of people leave with hatred, Song Yugui finally breathed a sigh of relief. She turned her head to thank the relatives from the village who had helped, as well as Chi Xiangyue, and also thanked Chi Jingming.

Chi Jingming didn’t dare to accept this thanks and stepped aside, saying gently, “I should be the one thanking you. If it weren’t for the trouble at your house, I wouldn’t have known that the student I was going to take in a few days had such character.”

If one’s character is not good, how can one travel the world?

“That’s right, Dad! It’s all your fault! If you hadn’t wanted to take him as a student, he wouldn’t have gone to Xizhi’s house to ask for money, and their family wouldn’t have bullied Xizhi!”

Chi Jingming: …

Shen Xizhi’s eyes drooped. She said, “Even if uncle hadn’t wanted to take him as a student, he would have come sooner or later. It’s not uncle’s fault.”

They knew she had money and that her life was going well. They would definitely have come. What was a daughter to them? Getting some money for their son was the real business.

Chi Jingming had another student to teach in the afternoon and had just come back to get something. He had already been delayed for a long time just now. After saying a few words to them, he hurried away.

The onlookers from Songjia Village, who had eaten their fill of gossip, looked at Chi Jingming with admiration and respect. In the past, they had only known that Chi Jingming was like a weak scholar, a scholar, but they hadn’t known that he was so good at his studies that even the much-hyped child prodigy from next door had to ask to be his student.

After Chi Jingming left, the onlookers also dispersed. Song Yugui gave one of the two ribs she had brought back to Auntie Li to thank her for taking care of Xizhi.

Auntie Li refused to take it. After some back and forth, it was finally stuffed into her arms, and she left in embarrassment.

Song Yugui turned her head. Before she could speak, a head poked over. “What about me? What about me? How are you going to thank me?”

Song Yugui: …

“We’re friends. There’s no need for thanks between friends.”

She said deliberately.

Chi Xiangyue’s eyes widened in shock. “What!”

She was angry. “Because we’re friends, you’re going to neglect me? No way! I don’t agree! You’ve already given your neighbor meat. I have to get something too!”

Song Yugui was amused by her hands-on-hips stance. She no longer teased her and promised repeatedly, “I was just kidding just now. I’ll bring you some pastries from Baoyue Pavilion tomorrow as a thank you.”

“That’s more like it.”

Chi Xiangyue was finally satisfied. The pastries from Baoyue Pavilion were not hard to come by, but since she was living in the countryside now, it was a hassle to go back and forth. It would save her some effort if someone bought them for her.

“Then I won’t disturb you anymore. Lest I see something I shouldn’t again later.”

She knew Xizhi’s clingy nature. She was very clingy no matter where she was, but she would get angry out of embarrassment when she was pointed out. Heh, so interesting.

“Mmm, thank you so much for today.”

If it weren’t for Chi Xiangyue and Auntie Li, she couldn’t even imagine how her little wife would have been bullied.

“Seriously, I see you as my friends. It’s just a small favor. It’s not worth mentioning. I’m leaving.”

This time, Chi Xiangyue really left. There were only two people left, one inside and one outside the fence. Shen Xizhi stood inside.

Song Yugui was very sorry for her and stroked her little wife’s soft face. “You were very scared today when I came back late, weren’t you?”

Although it was a question, in her heart, she was almost certain. Xizhi was timid. How could she not be afraid in such a scene?

Shen Xizhi actually didn’t have much fear. If the people of Songjia Village hadn’t cared about her, then she would have really been a little afraid. But she hadn’t expected Songjia Village to be so united. From the moment the Shen family had come, the several men who were carrying hoes and about to go up the mountain to work had stopped when they saw them, and some of the women had also seen them and had hurried home.

So Shen Xizhi was not so afraid. They couldn’t possibly beat her to death in front of so many people.

Later, when her wife ran all the way back, she was even less afraid. With Yugui-jiejie protecting her, what was there to be afraid of?

But…

In front of Song Yugui, Shen Xizhi’s eyes were covered in a thin layer of mist, on the verge of tears. She held her waist and said with a wronged expression, “They broke our fence!”

Song Yugui looked down and then reached out to twist it. It was really broken. Now she couldn’t open it. If she wanted to get in again, she would have to climb over it.

It was one thing for her to climb over it, but Xizhi was always so well-behaved and ladylike. She couldn’t do such a thing. She couldn’t even imagine Shen Xizhi climbing over a fence.

The thought was a little funny.

But she couldn’t laugh, or her wife would think she didn’t feel sorry for her.

Song Yugui frowned, her face filled with indignation. “They really are a bunch of rude ruffians! I should have made them pay for the fence before they left!”

Shen Xizhi nodded with indignation, her fists clenched. “That’s right, that’s right.”

Song Yugui strode in from outside and rubbed Shen Xizhi’s back to coax her. “Alright, don’t be angry. Being angry is bad for your health. It’s not worth being angry over them. I bought you some dried fruit. Come in and have some. From now on, we’ll just live our own lives and not bother with others. I don’t think they’ll come again.”

Shen Xizhi was coy and slowly leaned into her wife’s embrace. She was led into the house and held in her arms and coaxed for a long while. Seeing that she was no longer crying, she said, “I left my meat-pulling cart at the village entrance. I’ll go and get it. This is the dried fruit I bought for you. You can eat it for a while. I’ll be back soon.”

Hearing that the cart was at the village entrance, Shen Xizhi was stunned. She was about to say, How can you just leave it there? What if someone else picks it up!

But soon, her mind turned. Ah… it must be for me, to come and protect me, that she hurried and threw the cart away and ran over.

Shen Xizhi’s cheeks instantly turned as red as if they had been rouged. She held her wife’s hand, her mouth opening and closing, her eyes watery. After a long while, she finally said, “Then… then you go quickly. I’ll wait for you at home.”

Song Yugui replied, stroked Xizhi’s small head, and quickly left, the pouch at her waist flying with her long skirt.

However, after leaving the house, she didn’t go to find the cart first. Instead, she went to town with a sullen face and only came back to pull the cart back when it was almost dark. She told her wife that she had helped an old grandmother home on the way, which was why she was a little late.

Shen Xizhi had no suspicions.

A few days later, when Auntie Li came over to chat, she suddenly lowered her voice and said, “Aiya, did you know? Those men from your family, they were beaten up when they went out.”

Shen Xizhi looked over in surprise. “What?”

Seeing that she didn’t know yet, Auntie Li was happy to have found someone else to listen to her gossip and quickly sat over excitedly. “Those Shen family men probably offended someone outside. Yesterday, when they went out, they were put in a sack and beaten up. They were thrown outside, all bruised and swollen. It was our villagers who found them.”

“Really? Do you know who did it?”

“How would I know? The Shen family, because of that Shen Yaozu, has always had their noses in the air. They’ve offended a lot of people. Even if they wanted to find them, they probably wouldn’t be able to.”

The government in the countryside had always not cared much about such matters.

Hah. Shen Xizhi couldn’t deny that she felt a subtle sense of satisfaction.

They deserve it for eyeing Yugui-jiejie’s money.

As for Auntie Li saying later that some people suspected it was Yugui-jiejie who had done it, Shen Xizhi didn’t take it to heart at all. My wife is law-abiding, with an excellent and kind temperament. She didn’t even hit them that day when she was so angry. How could she have someone put them in a sack afterwards? They must be guessing wildly!

Translator’s Notes

1 A tongsheng (童生) was a candidate who had passed the county-level imperial examinations but had not yet passed the prefectural examinations to become a xiucai. It was the lowest rank in the examination system.

2 A xiucai (秀才) was a scholar who had passed the prefectural-level imperial examinations. This was a significant achievement and granted certain privileges.

3 A juren (举人) was a scholar who had passed the provincial-level imperial examinations, a much higher rank than a xiucai.

4 A jinshi (进士) was a scholar who had passed the highest level of imperial examinations in the capital, a very prestigious and rare achievement.