Chapter 14: Get on Your Knees and Apologize 

The boy Zhao Kun had grabbed was the third oldest among the headman’s grandchildren—at home, they simply called him “Third Boy.”

Third Boy had always been scared of his uncle-in-law, who worked as a yamen officer. Now that Zhao Kun had smacked him across the face, he didn’t even dare resist. Like a quail, he was tossed aside without a peep.

“You brats, speak up—who started the fight?” Zhao Kun demanded.

The boys looked at each other nervously. None dared speak. Losing patience, Zhao Kun decided to make an example of one of them. He reached for the eldest to give him a proper lesson.

The headman quickly stepped in to plead, “Good son-in-law, they’re just children—they don’t know any better. Don’t take it to heart.”

Jiang Jiuyue walked into the main hall and gave the old man a cold smile. “Just a ‘they’re still kids’ and you expect to sweep this under the rug? Haven’t you heard the old saying? ‘See a child’s nature by three, see his character by seven.’ These boys are plenty old enough to know better. If they’re bullying the weak now, what will they become in the future? Thugs who prey on others?”

Her gaze swept over the trembling boys. “If one day they rely on their grandpa’s status as the headman to bully the villagers, are you still going to say they ‘don’t understand’ and we should let it go?”

Zhao Kun snorted. “Exactly. They’re already how old? That oldest one will be marrying in a couple of years.”

The headman nearly choked with rage. Just what spell had Jiang Jiuyue cast on Zhao Kun?

He acted like her lapdog now—whatever she said, he followed!

Zhao Kun kicked Third Boy, who was cowering closest to him. “All of you—get over there and apologize! You know how to say sorry, don’t make me teach you.”

Realizing they had no way out, the boys, terrified, dropped to their knees in front of the Jiang sisters and tearfully began to apologize.

The headman’s vision went black. His grandsons—kneeling to that wretched woman’s daughters to beg for forgiveness!

If word of this got out, he’d lose every shred of dignity he had as a village headman.

Just as rage consumed him, he caught sight of the wide-open gate. Quite a few villagers were peeking in to watch the drama unfold.

His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.

Zhao Kun jumped in shock, rushed over, and checked his pulse—then sighed in relief. “Whew, he’s not dead.”

After all, this was his father-in-law. If the old man dropped dead on the spot, he’d be the one splashed with blame.

Since the man wasn’t dead, Jiang Jiuyue couldn’t be bothered to fuss further. She looked at Jiang Bao’er. “Bao’er, go. However they hit you, hit them back the same way. If your hand hurts, use a stick.”

She handed Bao’er a long, thin stick—who knows what it was originally meant for.

Jiang Bao’er didn’t hesitate for a second. She took the stick and, fearless, gave the Yang boys a thorough beating. She only stopped when she was too tired to lift her arms.

“Alright. We’re done here. But if I ever catch you bullying my daughters again, I’ll toss all of you on the mountain to feed the wolves.”

With that, Jiang Jiuyue turned and walked away with her three daughters. Zhao Kun saw her leave and called out behind her, “Master, I won’t be coming this afternoon. Gotta stay and keep an eye on this old man till my wife gets home!”

Jiang Jiuyue waved at him, signaling that he had the afternoon off.

Sure enough, Zhao Kun didn’t show up again that day. But the next morning, when he came back for his lesson, he filled Jiang Jiuyue in on what happened after she left.

Apparently, the headman had been so furious that the doctor said he was this close to a stroke. He’d need proper rest from now on—if he didn’t take care, he might end up paralyzed in bed.

Jiang Jiuyue clicked her tongue. Shame he didn’t just go ahead and have the stroke. Honestly, it would serve him right—he was finally paying for years of bullying the villagers.

As she thought this, she glanced at Zhao Kun beside her. After all, it was the headman who’d used Zhao Kun’s authority to run rampant in the village for years.

“I just remembered—you used to help your father-in-law bully the villagers. I haven’t even held you accountable for that yet,” Jiang Jiuyue said coldly.

Zhao Kun panicked. “That’s a false accusation, Master! I never helped him bully the villagers! I’m a government officer—how could I openly oppress common folk? If someone reported me to the yamen, I wouldn’t even keep my head!”

Jiang Jiuyue nodded. “Mm, so you didn’t do it openly—meaning you did it secretly, huh?”

Zhao Kun was practically in tears. He was ready to swear to the heavens. He had only ever acted like his position deserved respect; he never truly harmed the villagers!

“Master, I swear, I’ve never bullied the villagers! This time, my father-in-law came to me saying you were oppressing your husband’s family and that you even beat and threw out him and the other villagers who came to talk things over. I thought he’d lost face and was genuinely concerned, so I came to find you. I wasn’t just helping him bully you!”

Zhao Kun was extremely sincere in his vow. Sure, he could be a bit shady and liked to take small advantages now and then, but he truly hadn’t bullied anyone.

Jiang Jiuyue squinted at him. “You really didn’t know your father-in-law was oppressing the villagers? You seriously don’t know why Hehua from the east end of the village drowned herself two years ago?”

Zhao Kun shook his head, confused. “Who’s Hehua? I don’t even know her!”

Jiang Jiuyue could see he didn’t seem to be lying, so she tentatively believed him. She went on to tell him all about the filthy things the headman had done.

Zhao Kun listened, stunned. “He used my status as an officer to do all that in the village?!”

Jiang Jiuyue lifted her chin. “Don’t believe me? Go ask around and see if I’m lying.”

Zhao Kun was livid. If someone reported this to the yamen, they’d all be doomed!

Fuming, he abandoned his self-defense practice, storming off to confront his father-in-law.

Jiang Jiuyue watched him go. Fine if he doesn’t want to learn—I wasn’t dying to teach him anyway.

Just as she was about to go rest, a woman showed up at the courtyard gate. She looked vaguely familiar, but Jiang Jiuyue couldn’t remember her name.

The woman called out, “Liang Third Wife! Your brother sent me to deliver a message. He said your eldest nephew is getting married and wants you, his aunt, to bring the children and attend the wedding.”

As soon as she finished, she bolted, not even checking if Jiang Jiuyue heard her.

Jiang Jiuyue clicked her tongue. What’s she running for? Afraid I’ll bite?

After the woman disappeared down the road, Jiang Jiuyue closed the gate and went back inside, thinking over the original host’s memories of her so-called brother.

Just thinking of that man made her want to roll her eyes.

When their parents passed away, her brother had told the original Jiang Jiuyue that a married daughter was like spilled water—she wasn’t even allowed into the house. She could only kneel outside the gate, sobbing as she kowtowed to her parents, never even getting a chance to burn incense for them.

Later, when she was being abused by her in-laws and came to her brother for help, he threw her out, calling her unlucky and telling her to stay far away so she wouldn’t bring misfortune to his family.

After that, the siblings had no further contact. Even though they lived in neighboring villages, they didn’t even visit during the New Year.

It was precisely because her brother didn’t care that Du Jinhua had been so unafraid to torment her. With no parents and a brother who abandoned her, where could she possibly run?

Jiang Jiuyue lounged with her feet up, thinking, That kind of brother actually invited her back for his son’s wedding banquet?