Transmigrated Into an Ancient Filial Piety Novel as a Scumbag Alpha (GL) - Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Zhang Fugui hurriedly looked at his son, “Did Ji Huan speak the truth?”

Zhang Liangcai nodded, but he also wondered why Ji Huan helped their side, yet he still said, “It’s true, Ji Yuan studies in the county town, he’s the hope of the Ji family.”

Hearing Zhang Liangcai say this, Ji Huan sat on a wooden chair and laughed outright, compared to the nervous expressions of the Ji family, Ji Huan’s laughter was really too abrupt, making Zhang Fugui point at Ji Huan angrily, “What are you laughing at?”

“Sorry, your son’s words amused me, if the Ji family really relied on Ji Yuan, they might as well rely on the pigs in the backyard.”

Zhang Fugui had a shocked expression, didn’t they say their family’s second child was just a hardworking old ox? How come now she didn’t seem like what he heard, this Ji Huan, she looked quite dangerous, daring to say anything.

Zhang Fugui said to the three who just returned, “Go over again, invite the Ji family’s third child too, I want to see what your Ji family’s treasure looks like.”

Ji Huan smiled, sat on the stool with a watching-the-show expression, just watching those people go knock on Ji Yuan’s door.

Liu Fengmei was furious, pointing at Ji Huan, “What are you doing? This matter originally had nothing to do with Ji Yuan, why did you drag him into it?”

“How is it unrelated, those fifty taels of silver, you gave Ji Yuan a lot, didn’t you? He’s a beneficiary, now trouble’s at the door, naturally he gets a share, where’s the logic in only taking benefits without paying a price?” Ji Huan leaned on the wooden chair, lazily said.

“Exactly.” Zhang Fugui felt Ji Huan made sense, couldn’t help but add, making Liu Fengmei even angrier.

Ji Huan shook her head with a laugh, even if Ji Yuan was unwilling, seeing three Qianyuan go to call him, he didn’t dare resist, but when he walked to Ji Huan, Ji Yuan glared at her fiercely, originally no one noticed him, all because Ji Huan spoke too much.

Ji Huan remained calm, seeing Ji Yuan came too, her gaze swept over everyone, “Alright, this time everyone’s here.”

Saying that, Ji Huan looked at Zhang Fugui again, “Since everyone’s here, our two families need to settle accounts properly, your son beat my sister black and blue, did you know about this?”

Zhang Liangcai’s mother, Zhao Guiqiu, had a flickering expression, “This, small fights between husband and wife are normal.”

Ji Huan stood up sternly, “You dare say this is a small fight? Ji Qiao’s body is almost entirely covered in wounds, new wounds over old ones, not a single good spot, and you still have the face to bring people to demand money?”

Zhang Fugui’s veins bulged in anger, but he knew Ji Huan spoke the truth, Ji Qiao got beaten plenty at their house, he advised Zhang Liangcai, but Zhang Liangcai didn’t listen.

“Fine, Liangcai hitting Ji Qiao was wrong, but you, Ji Huan, you almost drowned my son this morning, how do we settle that score?” Zhang Fugui gained confidence mentioning this.

Ji Huan’s lips curved slightly, her gaze turned to Zhang Liangcai, “How else? He deserved it, beating my sister like that, I went easy on him this morning, Zhang Liangcai, remember well, don’t go out alone later, or who knows, an accident might happen, our two villages are by the river, careful not to fall in and drown.”

Zhang Liangcai’s only remaining leg went weak from fear, he hurriedly looked at his father, almost crying as he spoke, “Father, Ji Huan, she, Ji Huan wants to harm me.”

“Shut up, useless thing.” Zhang Fugui scolded Zhang Liangcai, then looked at Ji Huan, “Ji Huan, don’t think I won’t dare have someone deal with you, the matter of you bullying my son isn’t over.”

Ji Huan’s face turned cold, “Is that so? In that case, let your son come over, when I beat him until his skin splits open, then this matter’s over, don’t you want fairness? The suffering my sister endured, your son should endure once too, as for those fifty taels of silver, whoever you gave it to, go ask them for it.”

“Ji Huan, aren’t you being a rogue?”

“Me, a rogue? Your son’s the real rogue, isn’t he?”

Ji Huan finished speaking and ignored Zhang Fugui.

“What do you all want, Ji Huan, I’m asking you?” Zhang Fugui saw Ji Huan sitting there calmly and felt his anger rise.

“You’re the ones who brought people to make trouble, why ask me? Don’t you have a brain?” Ji Huan finished speaking, adjusted her sleeves, and said no more.

Zhang Fugui saw he couldn’t outtalk Ji Huan, in their brief clash, she left him speechless, so he simply shifted his target, saying to Ji Mantun, “Ji Mantun, now that the two kids’ divorce is set in stone, I won’t say more, but those fifty taels of silver, you need to return them quickly.”

Ji Mantun saw Ji Huan stopped talking, so he braced himself to step up, mimicking Ji Huan, focusing on Ji Qiao’s injuries to play the victim, “You can’t say it like that, you gave us fifty taels of silver as dowry, that’s true, but my daughter got beaten black and blue by you, that’s also true, you want those fifty taels? Fine, let your son stand here honestly, let our family beat him until we’re satisfied, I’ll return those fifty taels immediately, otherwise, don’t even think about it.”

Hearing this, Zhang Fugui’s eyes reddened in anger, he didn’t dare cause trouble in Dongniu Village with his people, but the Ji family’s attitude was worse than the last, he couldn’t hold back.

“What are you standing there for? I see it clearly today, your family doesn’t budge, just wants to dodge the debt, right? Give them a lesson.” Zhang Fugui shouted loudly.

Ji Huan quickly stood up, shielding Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao behind her, but at that moment, Er Zhuzi rushed in with seven or eight young men from the village, along with many other villagers.

“I noticed you when you entered the village, you dare come to Dongniu Village to make trouble? We haven’t even gone to settle scores with you.”

Er Zhuzi had a few Qianyuan protect Ji Huan and the others, after all, in his view, Ji Huan was honest and filial, she might get taken advantage of.

“What do you mean, are you trying to cover for the Ji family?” Zhang Fugui saw so many people come and felt a bit panicked.

“Your son bullied Ji Qiao, now you dare come to Dongniu Village to make trouble, thinking our village has no one? I’m telling you, get out now, or I’ll have people escort you out.” Er Zhuzi was furious, if he hadn’t called people in time, Zhang Fugui’s group was about to act.

Saying that, Er Zhuzi quickly checked on Ji Huan, “Ji Huan, are you all okay?”

Everyone’s gaze fell on Ji Huan again, she no longer had her earlier domineering air, her eyes slightly red, her figure forlorn, “Zhang Liangcai not only beat my sister but brought people to our house to make trouble, good thing you came in time, or we might’ve been beaten by the Zhang family.”

Seeing Ji Huan’s teary appearance, Zhang Fugui’s mouth gaped, compared to the Zhang family’s shock, the Ji family was calmer, they often saw Ji Huan change faces, so it wasn’t surprising.

“Ji Huan, you’re still pretending? You just threatened my son, now you act weak.” Zhang Fugui’s veins bulged in anger, clearly furious.

Ji Huan looked tearful, “Uncle, you can’t slander me just because you didn’t vent your anger, everyone knows what kind of person I am, how could I threaten anyone?”

“Exactly, Ji Huan’s the most honest in our village, you Zhang family are bad, beat Ji Qiao, now you want to slander Ji Huan.” Aunt Yuan’s loud voice rang out.

“Yeah, who doesn’t know what Ji Huan’s like, you troublemakers, get out of Dongniu Village.”

“Get out of Dongniu Village.”

Someone in the crowd started it, everyone shouted passionately, Zhang Fugui feared this, his group seemed large, but compared to Dongniu Village’s people, they were few, seeing the villagers so worked up, Zhang Fugui didn’t dare retort.

“You wait, I’ll settle this score with you sooner or later.” Zhang Fugui pointed at Ji Huan, but shrank back when Er Zhuzi glared.

The villagers pushed and shoved, driving Zhang Fugui’s group out.

Er Zhuzi led his people, watching until they reached the boundary between the two villages, then pointed at Zhang Fugui, “Listen well, Dongniu Village doesn’t welcome people like you, come again, I’ll drive you out again, Ji Huan’s my friend, to bully her, you’ll have to get past me first.”

Zhang Fugui’s face looked like he ate dirt, him bullying Ji Huan? Clearly, Ji Huan bullied him, okay? Are Dongniu Village’s people crazy? Someone as arrogant as Ji Huan could be bullied? That’s too absurd.

“Fine, you wait, I’ll make you all pay sooner or later.” Zhang Fugui not only didn’t get his silver back but got humiliated, feeling utterly shamed, he could only throw out threats to save face.

Er Zhuzi drove them out of the village and didn’t bother responding, still thinking about the village head’s task, he went to Xiniu Village’s head, Li Cunfu.

Er Zhuzi told Li Cunfu everything about Ji Huan and Zhang Liangcai, and Li Cunfu roughly understood.

The Ji family did receive fifty taels of silver as dowry from the Zhang family, but Ji Qiao was nearly abused to death by the Zhang family, Li Cunfu sighed, “What a mess? Since the Zhang family wronged the Ji family, the Ji family doesn’t need to return the silver, don’t worry about the Zhang family, I’ll have people watch them, make sure they don’t cause trouble again, let this matter end here.”

“Thanks, village head, I’ll go tell our village head.”

“Go, go.” Li Cunfu sighed, instructing his young men to keep an eye on Zhang Fugui’s family.

Meanwhile, because the Zhang family didn’t get the fifty taels, Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei were all smiles.

Liu Fengmei even found Ji Huan more pleasing, approaching her, “Ji Huan, today’s matter was thanks to you, we kept those fifty taels, that’s great.”

By now, the courtyard was empty, Ji Huan’s smile couldn’t be contained, “Yeah, since we kept those fifty taels, we should talk about how to split that money, don’t you think?”

Liu Fengmei’s smile froze, she looked at Ji Huan and stepped back, “Ji Huan, what do you mean?”

Ji Huan’s smile grew, “The literal meaning, those fifty taels came from selling your daughter, Ji Qiao suffered so much, that money naturally belongs to Ji Qiao.”

Ji Qiao, hearing Ji Huan say this, was startled, she felt lucky enough to get divorced, didn’t dare think about the silver, as things were, she felt her parents still didn’t want her.

“Sister.” The little girl timidly tugged Ji Huan’s sleeve.

Ji Huan winked at her, signaling her to be good and not interrupt.

Ji Qiao saw her sister didn’t let her speak, so she obediently stood behind Ji Huan.

“Are you crazy, Ji Huan? That’s fifty taels of silver, you’re asking for too much?” Liu Fengmei, hearing about money, immediately changed her attitude toward Ji Huan.

“I’m not asking for too much, I’m stating facts, those fifty taels belong to Ji Qiao, you and my father used the money on Ji Yuan and your two precious grandsons.”

But Ji Huan wasn’t in a rush, smiling at Liu Fengmei, making her uneasy.

Ji Yuan, hearing his name, felt guilty, saying softly, “Ji Huan, what are you trying to do?”

“Nothing, just helping my sister get her money back.”

“That dowry money has always been for parents, Ji Huan, I advise you to stop, now that Father and Mother agreed to let Ji Qiao stay, that’s already good enough for her, you still want money?” Ji Yuan quickly said, after all, with the fifty taels at Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun’s, he could spend some, but if it went to Ji Qiao, he’d get nothing.

Ji Huan nodded, ignoring Ji Yuan, went straight to the kitchen, took a bowl, a good one, examined it, then cracked it a bit, and nodded.

Ji Yuan’s forehead veins bulged, both angry and scared, “Ji Huan, you, what are you doing?”

“Nothing, taking Yubai and Ji Qiao out to beg.”

Saying that, Ji Huan led Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao toward the courtyard gate, muttering as she walked, “Sigh, the world’s morals decline, people’s hearts are unkind, the Ji family sold their daughter for fifty taels of bl00d-stained silver, all used on Ji Yuan, Ji Dong, and Ji Xi, I, Ji Huan, am useless, can’t even protect my sister, Father and Mother eat my sister’s flesh, drink her bl00d, yet I’m powerless, I’m not a good sister, I’m useless.”

Ji Mantun’s face turned green then purple, if Ji Huan went out saying these words while begging, their family would be driven out of Dongniu Village, so he quickly said, “What are you standing there for? Hurry and stop her!”

Ji Yuan reacted faster than Ji Ming and Ji Sen, as a scholar, if people knew he ate his sister’s bl00d-stained buns, forget achieving scholarly success, even studying at the academy would be hard.

He rushed to the courtyard gate, slammed it shut, and said with a forced smile, “Second Sister, we’re family, no need for this, really no need.”

“No need? It’s not you being eaten and drunk, of course you think it’s no need, what? Afraid the news of you eating bl00d-stained buns will reach your classmates’ ears? Don’t say it, I’m planning just that.”

Ji Huan smiled at Ji Yuan, then turned to Ji Mantun and the others, “I’m planning to take this broken bowl and repeat those words a hundred times around the village’s main road, then I’ll go to the county town, the open space by Zhibo Bookstore’s entrance is nice, I’ll repeat those words a hundred times there too, I think I’ll run into a few people who know Ji Yuan, right?”

Ji Huan glanced at Ji Yuan, seeing his face turn green then white, she continued, “When they ask, I’ll tell them exactly how I’m treated like an old ox in the Ji family, and how you ate bl00d-stained buns, I’ll explain it clearly, if they don’t understand, no problem, I can repeat it, keep repeating.”

Ji Mantun, hearing Ji Huan’s words, nearly fainted, Liu Fengmei rushed over, with Ji Ming, supporting him on either side.

Ji Huan sneered, mocking, “Father, if you want to faint, faint, I don’t buy that, I’ll just keep going out to beg.”

Ji Mantun, hearing her say this, sighed heavily, “You can’t do this, Ji Huan, we’re all surnamed Ji, if the village drives us out, it’s the whole family, including you three.”

“Is that so? I don’t think so, I think the villagers like us quite a bit, or shall we try? It’s fine, practice is the only standard to test truth①, Father, we’ve talked so long here with no use, why not let me verify, whether our whole family gets driven out of Dongniu Village, or just you, I’m quite looking forward to it, alright, I’m done with idle talk, I’m off to beg.”

Ji Huan said this with a joyful tone, the Ji family was nearly furious to death.

Ji Ming couldn’t help but speak, “Father, just give it to them, our family’s been in this village for decades, if we’re really driven out, where would we go? And if Ji Huan says those words, not only Ji Yuan will be affected, Ji Dong and Ji Xi are still young, they’ll be ostracized by village kids.”

“Don’t I know that?” Ji Mantun shook the pipe he just fixed, he was gambling, betting Ji Huan cared about face and wouldn’t beg with a bowl.

Ji Mantun’s heart was uneasy, but Ji Huan had already taken Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao out of the courtyard, Ji Qiao, just back for a day, didn’t understand Ji Huan’s actions, her eyes red, she pleaded, “Sister, let’s go back, you and Sister Yubai already helped me a lot, how can I drag you out to beg?”

Ji Qiao’s eyes were red, Ji Huan leaned over and whispered, “Don’t worry, I’m pretending, you and Sister Yubai just follow and watch.”

Saying that, Ji Huan winked at her little rabbit, Jiang Yubai, after so many times, had some understanding of Ji Huan’s tactics, so she confidently held Ji Qiao, “Don’t worry, she’s got ways to deal with the Ji family, we just need to follow and cooperate a bit.”

Ji Qiao looked at Ji Huan, then at Jiang Yubai, unsure what medicine her two sisters were selling.

In the courtyard, Ji Yuan, hearing no noise outside for a while, felt the weight lift from his chest, “Father, old ginger’s spicier, you guessed right, Ji Huan still cares about face.”

Ji Mantun snorted, praised by his most learned third son, his back straightened, “Of course, your father hasn’t lived these decades for nothing.”

Just as the father and son were about to keep boasting, Ji Huan’s tearful shout came from outside, “Take a look, come see, the Ji family sold their daughter for fifty taels of bl00d-stained silver, all used on Ji Yuan, Ji Dong, and Ji Xi, I, Ji Huan, am useless, can’t protect my sister, Father, Mother, brothers eat my sister’s flesh, drink her bl00d, yet I’m powerless, I’m not a good sister.”

Pausing for breath, Ji Huan didn’t forget her point, since she was begging, “Uncles, aunties, give some food, my parents and brothers eat my sister’s bl00d-stained buns, but I, Ji Huan, can’t, I can’t do such beastly things, Father, Mother, forgive your unfilial daughter, I can’t eat bl00d-stained buns.”

Ji Huan shouted with a tearful voice while walking further, but her expression was calm, after all, there weren’t many people on the village road, no one saw her act.

Ji Mantun lost his earlier calm, his face flushed with urgency, “What are you standing there for? Hurry and chase her back, tell Ji Huan the money’s negotiable, get her to bring them back.”

Ji Mantun spoke while rubbing his chest, he never thought Ji Huan would throw away her dignity and actually beg.

Ji Yuan, Ji Ming, and Ji Sen rushed out, even Liu Fengmei chased after them.

“Ji Huan, wait, Father said the money’s negotiable.” Ji Yuan shouted toward the distance.

“Second Sister, come back, Father’s giving in, come back.” Ji Ming also shouted.

Only Ji Sen stayed calm, after all, Ji Huan’s words didn’t mention his name, so he could remain composed.

“Second Daughter, come back, Mother was wrong, that silver should partly be Ji Qiao’s, be good, don’t take them away, it’s cold, Ji Qiao’s illness hasn’t healed, right?” Liu Fengmei chased while persuading.

Ji Huan finally stopped her begging steps, after shouting with the broken bowl, she actually felt a bit like a beggar, but thinking of Ji Qiao’s health, Ji Huan stopped, her goal was to get some of that silver back for Ji Qiao, now achieved, no need to beg.

Ji Huan turned and looked at Liu Fengmei and Ji Yuan, a smile on her lips, “Alright, I’ll go back with you to see, if we can’t agree, I’ll take Yubai and them out to beg again.”

Liu Fengmei nearly cried, hurriedly persuading, “Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao are both Kunze, their bodies are weak in this cold winter, how can you take them to beg? Right? Let’s go back and talk, we’re family.”

“Begging’s just begging, nothing wrong with it, it’s physical labor, I use my mouth and legs, better than you eating bl00d-stained buns.” Ji Huan said dismissively.

“Second Sister, I beg you, keep it down.” Ji Yuan was nearly scared to death, people on the village road were already noticing them, looking over.

“What’s there to keep down? If your heart’s clear, I’ll beg openly and uprightly.” Ji Huan said seriously.