Chapter 12: Knocking on the door

“Don’t send it!”

Madam Jiang snatched the money pouch. Inside was a year’s worth of rent, about two to three taels of silver.

There are thirty to forty households in Xinghua Village, with two surnames, Gu and Song.

The populations of the Song and Gu families are evenly split, and there is a bit of rivalry between them, striving to outdo each other.

The Gu family has Gu Huaizhi, a prominent figure, who used to be full of pride and joy. However, unexpected events struck the Gu family, and Gu Huaizhi fell ill and never recovered, which delighted the Song family.

The villagers whose land is registered under Gu Huaizhi’s name are all people who have not bullied the Gu family in recent years.

Each household pays three hundred wen in rent per year, with around ten households, totaling three taels of silver.

“Su Wan fed me poisonous herbs, this is to compensate me for the medical expenses!”

Madam Jiang stuffed the three taels of silver into her sleeve pocket, placing one hand on her chest and showing an uncomfortable expression, “My body is still not feeling well now.”

Song Manfu stopped speaking and silently acknowledged Madam Jiang’s actions.

At this time, Song Erlang rushed in from outside, his face flushed, and said anxiously, “Father, Mother, there is an unconscious person in the vegetable shed. He is wearing fine clothes. Should we save him?”

“Save him!” Madam Jiang quickly sat up and slapped her thigh, “We must save him!”

Song Erlang took Song Manfu and Song Dalang to the vegetable field to rescue the person.

——

The next day, the sky turned white, and Su Wan got up from the bed, yawning sleepily.

Before going to bed, she counted her money. Gu Mother gave her 800 wen, Gu Huaizhi gave her two taels of silver, and she took one taels of silver from the man she rescued. In total, she had three taels of silver and 800 wen.

Today, she needs to go to the town to exchange the remaining chicken mushrooms for money.

When Su Wan came out of the room, she saw Gu Jingyun with a drooping head coming back from outside, looking gloomy.

“Jingyun, why are you back? Isn’t the private school in session today?”

Mother Gu came out of the kitchen, wiped her hands on her thigh, and walked up to Gu Jingyun, patting his head, “What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?”

Gu Jingyun’s eyes were red, and he clenched his fists tightly, “The teacher won’t let me study.”

“Why didn’t he allow you to study? We have paid the tuition fee!”

Gu mother pulled a long face and grabbed Gu Jingyun’s hand, “Come, let’s go find the teacher to reason with him.”

“It’s the village chief’s doing!” Gu Jingyun broke free from his mother’s hand, with tears in his eyes, and said in a aggrieved tone: “The teacher said the village chief doesn’t allow me to study, he doesn’t want to offend anyone, so he returned the tuition fee to me.”

He took out a few pieces of silver from his cloth bag and handed them to his mother.

“This is outrageous! They are too much!” Mother Gu’s eyes turned red. She took the silver from Gu Jingyun’s hand, picked up the hoe leaning against the wall, and strode angrily towards the Song family at the east end of the village. “I’m going to find Song Manfu. Why won’t he allow my son to study? If he doesn’t give an explanation, I’ll confront him!”

Su Wan narrowed her eyes, feeling that this matter was related to her and Madam Jiang.

She quickly followed.

“Bang—”

Mother Gu smashed open the courtyard gate of the Song family with the hoe.

“Song Manfu, you come out!” Mother Gu put one hand on her waist and shouted in a loud voice: “Just because you’re the village chief, you can act recklessly and ruin someone’s future? If you don’t explain clearly today, why my son can’t study, I’ll fight you to the end!”

Madam Jiang came out of the house, her face turning gloomy: “Go ask Su Wan what she did. Gu Jingyun can’t study all because of her.”

With a fierce expression, she said, “The rent money the villagers entrusted to you will be considered as compensation for my medical fees. If you want to make trouble, go find Su Wan, don’t make trouble at my doorstep. If you provoke me, I’ll kick your whole family out of Xinghua Village!”