The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 143 Attitude

Lady Jiang had always been dependent on the main branch of the family, and she was aware that she now thought there was no hope for Third Brother. She and the head of the family also didn’t value the third branch; Second Brother was consistently distant from the family’s affairs, and Fourth Brother was not yet married.

With Jinpan and Jinshao still young, for the sake of the two children, she could only try to follow the main branch without offending herself in the hopes that Jindou and the others would be able to help Jinpan and his brother in the future.

In her heart, she scoffed at Lady Jiang for being too naive and foolish. Given Lady Lin’s nature, seeing the entire Wang Family as belonging to their main branch, would the children they raised let the third branch take advantage of them?

She feared that Lady Lin was also calculating that, by having Eldest Brother occasionally bestow small favors upon the third branch, they would stand by the main branch during future divisions of the family estate.

What she didn’t realize was that in the family, the greatest threat to Eldest Brother wasn’t the third branch, but Second Brother.

Yet Lady Jiang was foolish, actually placing her hopes on others. If she couldn’t even rely on her own man, what was the point in expecting support from a sister-in-law of another branch? Dream on!

Old Granny Zhang had previously tried to incite the third branch to break away from the main branch, but Lady Jiang was too timid to offend anyone, always acting like a quail with its head tucked between its legs.

What had changed now that she actually wanted to switch over to her side?

Could it be a trick?

Nevertheless, Old Granny Zhang was not afraid; she wanted to see what the third branch and the main branch were really planning.

In any case, as long as Jinhua, the maid, intervened, she could still cause trouble for the main branch and Lady Lin.

With this thought, Old Granny Zhang nodded in agreement, "Fine, if you want to go, then go! First, help your old aunt carry the carrying basket on her back."

Wang Yongzhu really wanted to say there was no need, that she could carry it herself, but Jinhua, eager to show off, practically snatched the carrying basket and hoisted it onto her own back.

She then followed behind Old Granny Zhang with an attitude of, "Grandma, I’ll do whatever you say," very proper.

Old Granny Zhang nodded in satisfaction and continued instructing her as they walked, with Jinhua carefully heeding every word.

Wang Yongzhu just shuffled her empty hands behind them, feeling resigned as she watched the pair.

Because Wang Yongping had already asked the Li Family Brothers which people had helped out, they had a good understanding of whom to thank, so when the three generations visited Yangjiapu, they didn’t feel lost.

The first stop, naturally, was Doctor Liu’s House. If it hadn’t been for Doctor Liu sustaining Wang Yongfu’s life with his medicine, he might have died on the road. Although they had already settled the medical fees, it was still necessary to express their gratitude.

The thank-you gift consisted of ten eggs and half a bag of brown sugar, which, in a peasant’s household, was considered a sincere gesture of gratitude.

Doctor Liu was naturally very pleased, and after two pretentious refusals, he accepted the gift and asked a few questions regarding Wang Yongfu’s condition.

Old Granny Zhang took the opportunity to inquire if they could come to his place to get medicine when Wang Jiafu returned.

With business knocking at his door, Doctor Liu certainly wouldn’t turn it away. Doctors too needed to make a living, right? He readily agreed and even volunteered to give a discount when the time came, leaving both parties very satisfied as they said their farewells.

Visits to express thanks usually involved a brief chat inside the house, followed by expressing thanks to the host, and then presenting the thank-you gift. Both parties would engage in the ritual of refusal, with the giving party insisting that the host must accept the gift no matter what and offering polite remarks about the modesty of the gift, asking for forgiveness. The receiving party couldn’t just accept the gift upon seeing it, as that would be considered impolite. They had to refuse a few times, saying how it was a minor effort not worth mentioning and too generous.

After a couple of refusals, the receiving party would then reluctantly agree to accept the gift, and only then would they serve tea to see the guests out.

Though peasant households may not literally "serve tea," the process was essentially the same.

About ten families, besides Doctor Liu’s House which offered eggs and brown sugar, each of the others either gave half a pound of soybeans or three or four eggs, not uniformly.

In the peasant families, these were all fine goods which ordinary people were reluctant to part with.

Therefore, the men who had helped that day all felt that the Wang Family was generous, and that their assistance had been worthwhile.

You see, there were those with meager homes whose gratitude gifts were nothing more than a handful of sun-dried vegetables or a bundle of firewood.

Having finished with Yangjiapu, only the gratitude gift for the Li Family Brothers remained undelivered.

Now, with the awkward situation between the Li family and the Wang family, didn’t you notice that Li Zhugen, his brothers, and Li Zhuye had stopped visiting the Wang family?

Old Granny Zhang certainly couldn’t go to the Li family to deliver the gift. After considering it, she instructed Jinhua, "The remaining gift for the Li family, just you run the errand alone and deliver it to the Li family. Don’t linger too long."

Jinhua agreed crisply and was ready to leave.

However, Wang Yongzhu was curious. Occupied with her own family’s business for the past few days and with four or five days already passed, it was halfway through the time Li Dagui was banished from the village. She only saw her father and Fourth Brother busy outside every day, yet without any clear outcome.

Li Zhuye’s family lived close to Li Dagui’s house, so why not take this opportunity to inquire about the situation?

With that thought, she notified Old Granny Zhang and slowly followed behind Jinhua.

At Li Zhuye’s doorstep, usually, the yard gates of the peasant homes were either left ajar or wide open. Everyone was kin in the village for generations; as long as someone was home, nobody would lock the door during daylight hours.

But today was strange for Li Zhuye’s house; the door was bolted from the inside.

With no alternative, Jinhua knocked on the door, "Zhuye, are you home?"

After a long while, she finally heard Li Zhuye’s voice, slightly impatient, "I’m coming, I’m coming. What are you knocking for?"

The door creaked open, and upon raising her head and seeing it was Jinhua and the old maid of the Wang family, Li Zhuye was stunned for a moment, then lowered her voice, "Jinhua, old maid, why have you come to my home?"

These past few days, they were constantly disturbed by the commotion next door, and the whole family hadn’t slept well, all bearing complaints.

Especially Wang Daxiu, who ran to their house every day crying about how pitiful their own situation was, how sad Li Jinlong was, how unfilial Brother Jinhu and Brother Jingou were, and then crying about her own brothers being double-dealing, even helping to take Wang Yongfu, eldest brother of the Wang family, to the town to see the doctor.

The uproar had made even Li Zhuye’s grandfather, who initially had a touch of sympathy for Li Dagui, unable to stand it. Being of advanced age and subjected to the constant disturbance, his health couldn’t bear it.

So these past few days, the Li Zhuye family kept their gate tightly shut to avoid Wang Daxiu coming over to cause a scene again.

Only, they had not expected Jinhua and the old maid of the Wang family to come. With both families in an awkward state, should they be properly entertained or not?

Little Miss Zhuye felt conflicted.

Wang Yongzhu smiled, nudged Jinhua, and then began, "We came today specially to thank Zhugen and Zhugan, our two big brothers. It was thanks to them that day that my elder brother’s life was saved! Naturally, my eldest brother and his family should personally come to express thanks, but as you know, my eldest brother’s injuries are too severe, and the whole family is in town, so Jinhua and I came on their behalf. When my eldest brother returns, he will certainly come to express his thanks in person!"

With these words, Li Zhuye could no longer object and just reminded in a low voice, "My grandfather has been feeling unwell these past days—"

Then she went into the house to inform her family.

After a good while, Li Zhuye came out and beckoned for the two women to come in.

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