Old Lady Zhong looked at Yangs wife with a scornful expression, while Yangs wife forced a smile and continued to pour her wine.

  "This family has gone far enough today!" Old Lady Zhong slammed the table again, her words were sharp and decisive.

  Yangs wife was taken aback, Old Lady Zhong tilted her head and drank the wine, slamming the cup on the table. "Eldest sister, let me tell you, youre narrow-minded! You dont understand! This family, those two girls, are exactly the kind of people who would be best off becoming concubines in a wealthy household, gaining wealth and status without losing anything...

  Old Lady Zhong burst into peal after peal of dry laughter, "Sister, let me tell you, wealth and honor are only truly yours when theyre used on yourself!"

  Yangs wife found it hard to respond to this remark, so she just smiled and nodded in response, then poured more wine for her.

  After drinking two or three more cups, Old Lady Zhong became so drunk that she couldnt sit still. Yang Pozi called in Yang Dahans wife to help her, and they laid Old Lady Zhong down on her side. Then they sent Yang Da to deliver a message to the county yamens rear residence.

  Yangs daughter-in-law pulled Yangs wife and hinted that she should come out. "Old aunt, I heard those few words, this is not a good person, how can..."

  "Shh." Old Lady Yang signaled her to be quiet, "This is also a business, Ill tell you later. What you heard, just pretend you didnt hear it. We cant afford to offend her, people like that are not to be trifled with."

  Yangs wife kept nodding and didnt dare say more.

  ………………

  Early in the morning, Li Xia had just come out of her room and hadnt even had time to yawn a few more times towards the sunrise when she was caught by Old Lady Zhong. "You lazy girl! The sun is already shining on your butt, and youre only getting up now! Come with me quickly, theres delicious food!"

  Li Xia felt as if she was being swept away by a gust of evil wind, and with just one more flying sand or moving stone, she would have come back to life.

  Old Lady Zhong pulled Li Xia to a fake hill not far from the back kitchen, took out an oil paper package from her pocket, opened it and pinched a piece of sesame sugar to give to Li Xia. With a soft voice and a smiling face, "Our Ninth Sister is the most obedient, first eat a piece of sugar, Auntie has a few words to ask you, you just tell Auntie well, see this big package of sesame sugar, all for you to eat, Ninth Sister say yes or no?"

  Good grief! Treating her like a little kid and coddling her!

  "Good!" Li Xias eyelashes fluttered, her face full of innocence.

  "Yesterday I went to Hangzhou, was your sisters ninth sister always following her?"

  Li Xia bit into her sesame seed candy and nodded vigorously.

  "Did you see a handsome man talking to your sister? What did they say? Tell Auntie and let her hear!" Old Lady Zhong stared at Li Xia. Li Xia bit into the sugar, slowly turned around and looked at Old Lady Zhong, suddenly pulled out half of the sticky sugar from her mouth and slapped it onto Old Lady Zhongs clothes, then turned around and ran away while shouting "No I didnt! I didnt see anything! Youre talking nonsense!"

  Old Lady Zhong looked at the sticky sugar cubes on her clothes with great disgust, but before she could get angry, she burst out laughing. This dead girl is so cunning! Shes made off with a small fortune!

  …………

  Mr. Qin arrived very quickly and reached Hengshan County Government Office the next day.

  No matter how much Magistrate Li had a grudge against the Bo family and resentment towards his elder brother, he wouldnt put it on display in front of outsiders. Besides, Mr. Qin was there to tutor his precious son, so he warmly invited Mr. Qin for dinner and then warmly asked him to stay at the county yamen. Mr. Qin declined, saying he loved freedom and had already found a place to stay not far from the county yamen. Magistrate Li made a few polite remarks and didnt insist.

  After dinner and tea, Li Wenshan sent Mr. Qin to his residence, and Wu Tong immediately slipped out quietly to find Old Lady Zhong in the backyard.

  For some reason, Wu Tong always felt that Mr. Qins arrival was like a disaster star descending, when Mr. Qin looked at him, he had a feeling of being stripped naked in public, and he had to let his mother-in-law take action to drive this disaster star away.

  Old Lady Zhong exploded before Wutong could finish speaking, one item after another. Was she just a decoration?

  "That bunch of bastards! Theyre coming to harm us again! Mongrels! Bastards! Sons of bitches!" Old Lady Zhong was furious, and before Wutong could finish speaking, she burst into a loud curse.

  "Ah, Dry Nurse, whats the use of scolding here? Its just tiring yourself out. What did you get...?" Wutong pouted and gestured forward, "Why dont you have a good talk with Master? Alas! Master is really...whats gotten into him lately? Hes been making mistake after mistake!"

  Old Lady Zhong was so furious that she became dizzy. For over a decade, in this household, who dared to defy her? Who dared?

  Wutongs words reminded her, and Mrs. Zhong rushed to the front hall, colliding with Li Wenshan, who was returning from sending Mr. Qin back.

  "What have you been up to? Youre all ganging up on me, in cahoots with those scoundrels! You good-for-nothing rascal!" Old Lady Zhong grabbed Li Wenshan and started berating him.

  Li Wenshan was pulled by her, with a humble expression on his face, "Auntie, whats wrong? I didnt do anything, Father hired a teacher for me..."

  "Where did you invite him from? From Jiangning Prefecture? From that wicked scoundrels hands? Do you think I dont know? Is your father crazy or possessed? He became a small sesame official and thought he could enter peoples eyes? Not even taking a piss to take a look at himself, just making beautiful dreams..." Old Lady Zhong scolded loudly, her voice echoing throughout the entire yamen.

  Li Wenshan became even more timid and fearful, repeatedly calling out "Father".

  In front of the government office, clerks and officials poked their heads out, looking excitedly at the commotion.

  Magistrate Li took three steps and made two, rushing out of the signing room, pushing Old Lady Zhong and her son, who was being tightly held by Old Lady Zhong, inside. "This is a government office, what are you doing here? If you have something to say, go in first."

  "Whats wrong with you, going in there to talk about something shameful?" Old Lady Zhong let go of Li Wenshan and grabbed County Magistrate Li, "Are you crazy or possessed? How could you let that scoundrel be Mountain Brothers teacher? Dont you worry hell harm Mountain Brother? That family of scoundrels wishes us dead, thinking of ways to harm us every day. Are you crazy or stupid?"

  "Old lady, this is the government office, you cant say such things, it will ruin Fathers reputation! This will be the death of Father and our whole family, please old lady, I beg of you!" Li Wenshan knelt down in front of Grandmother Zhong with a thud, "Ancestor, please."

  Magistrate Lis face turned green, and he suddenly flung open the door to push away Old Lady Zhong. He stretched out his hand to pull up his son who was kowtowing on the ground. As he glanced sideways, he saw the wutong tree stretching its branches from the courtyard gate. With a loud shout: "Still not dragging her in! This is outrageous! What kind of family is this?! A... a... slave... has turned against heaven!"

  Magistrate Lis sudden and furious roar brought an abrupt end to Old Lady Zhongs wailing and scolding. The trembling Wu Tong hastily stepped forward to drag Old Lady Zhong away, who stared at Magistrate Li in disbelief - how dare he yell at her? How could he possibly yell at her?

  Li Wenshan was startled by his fathers loud shout, and he hastily covered up his smile with a cry, wiping away tears from both eyes with one hand, and kneeling down in front of County Magistrate Li, "Father, our ancestors are seniors, this is unfilial..."

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