The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 193: A Tiger in Pingyang Bullied by Dogs
Mrs. Hong sighed with a sorrowful expression and said to Tong Huaqiong, "My illness is on and off, dragging Old He down with me. Ever since moving into this courtyard, he’s been suffering too."
Tong Huaqiong said, "We are family, no need to talk about burdening each other. Isn’t it normal to brew medicine for an illness? What’s not normal is those bullies."
There was one thing Tong Huaqiong didn’t say, but both she and Mrs. Hong knew; the neighbors in this courtyard weren’t bothered by the medicine pot itself, they simply wanted to bully He Chao.
He Chao was no longer the respectable steward of the Zheng Family and was expelled for disgraceful reasons, provoking the evil in people’s nature that bullies the weak and fears the strong. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞
Just like the old saying goes, "When a tiger falls to Pingyang, it’s bullied by dogs," this is a direct manifestation of that evil.
Tong Huaqiong looked out through the window.
She saw a stove in the courtyard, with medicine sitting on it, smoke curling upwards.
The medicine pot was far from the house of the black-faced man who was doing the cursing, the illness couldn’t possibly reach his place.
The man was purely finding an excuse to bully He Chao.
Gu Dashu was afraid He Chao would suffer a loss and came along with him to the courtyard.
"Brother, I’m truly sorry." He Chao lifted the medicine pot to take a look, the time wasn’t enough, it needed to brew a little longer.
He had no choice; since he lived here, and his wife was sick inside, he had to appease the black-faced man who was cursing.
The black-faced man said unhappily, "I already told you not to brew medicine here, yet you insist. If you want to brew, take it inside."
He Chao replied, "This is an open flame; I’m afraid it could accidentally start a fire inside."
The black-faced man snorted coldly, "A gust of wind could blow sparks to my house, aren’t you afraid it might burn my home down? If you’re afraid of fire, then buy a courtyard by yourself to live in."
The stove was far from the black-faced man’s house, even if it caught fire entirely, it wouldn’t burn his home.
Tong Huaqiong thought that the black-faced man was simply making trouble out of nothing.
Mrs. Hong, lying in bed, coughed twice and said softly, "To live a peaceful life, since moving here, Old He has been giving him some silver to buy wine and meat. We didn’t have much money after leaving the Zheng Family; with my illness needing medicine, we haven’t given him silver these past few days, so he keeps causing trouble and insulting us. Yesterday, he took our rice and Old He’s new clothes."
In such an environment, how could Mrs. Hong’s condition improve?
According to Tong Huaqiong, He Chao should just fight it out with the black-faced man and beat him into submission.
Tong Huaqiong continued to look outside.
The black-faced man demanded He Chao move the stove.
Gu Dashu couldn’t resist and said, "How can you behave so brazenly? Everyone lives in this courtyard; it’s not yours. Why can’t he brew medicine? You claim this medicine spreads illness to you, but maybe the patient in our house is sick because of being scared by you. Look at you, black as a monkey, who wouldn’t feel worse seeing you?"
The black-faced man squinted at Gu Dashu.
Thinking this person was probably also a servant chased out of the Zheng Family, otherwise why would he speak up for He Chao?
Without any support, what was there to fear?
"I’m in charge of this courtyard; I say where the medicine is brewed. If you don’t move it, I’ll kick it over." Even before finishing his sentence, the black-faced man kicked over the stove along with the medicine.
Gu Dashu raised his fist, but He Chao intervened.
Gu Dashu was now his young master; there was no way he could let him face charges for hitting someone.
The black-faced man scolded, "Ever since you came to this courtyard, my wife hasn’t dared to bathe here, afraid you’ll peek. Now she has to go elsewhere to bathe every day, you should pay for the silver wasted going elsewhere."
He Chao was trembling with anger.
What kind of crooked logic was this?
Mrs. Hong cried out in anger, "Master, he’s worse than a pig or a dog. He beats his wife daily; when out of money, he even pawns her off. These words are stabbing at Old He’s heart, trying to gouge silver from him."
For such a person, only a bully can handle them.
Tong Huaqiong thought for a moment, stepped out, and said loudly, "Your wife has to go elsewhere because you forced her. You’re a man without the ability to build a bathroom for your wife at home, yet you curse here."
The black-faced man, seeing Tong Huaqiong stepping out, sneered, "Even if ten more people come to back Old He, I’m not afraid."
Tong Huaqiong pointed to the medicine pot on the ground and scolded, "This is life-saving medicine, you kicked it over, you’re trying to kill someone. Let’s go see the officials now."
When it comes to being unreasonable, Tong Huaqiong never lost, grabbing the black-faced man, yelling, "Murder! Murder!"
He Chao was nearly petrified; this Widow Tong was still so fierce.
The black-faced man raised his hand to shake off Tong Huaqiong, but Gu Dashu punched him in the face.
Gu Dashu was strong; the black-faced man’s face immediately swelled up, jumping in pain.
Tong Huaqiong kept grabbing and shouting, "Murder."
"Who’s murdering?" The black-faced man looked a bit panicked.
He Chao then started cooperating with Tong Huaqiong, saying, "Intentionally knocking over life-saving medicine shows murderous intent."
Tong Huaqiong held onto the black-faced man, saying, "Let’s go see the officials. Let’s have the County Magistrate judge this."
The black-faced man didn’t dare face the officials.
He had been jailed for theft before, afraid his past petty crimes would be uncovered at court.
Even if not imprisoned, he’d be flogged.
He bullied He Chao only because he relied on the fact that He Chao’s reputation was ruined and that he would be afraid in front of him.
Tong Huaqiong, however, was relentless, insisting on dragging him to see the officials.
"I’m not afraid to face the officials." The black-faced man suppressed his inner fear, forcing himself to boast.
Gu Dashu smiled and said, "Old He, the County Magistrate calls my mother godmother. Rest assured, the county government will definitely give you justice."
The black-faced man panicked upon hearing that the County Magistrate called Tong Huaqiong godmother.
"Auntie, let’s talk this over..." The black-faced man instantly slid to his knees, explaining to Tong Huaqiong, "I accidentally kicked over the pot; it was my fault."
Tong Huaqiong sneered, "We don’t have to see the officials. This medicine costs two taels of silver; compensate Old He two taels, and that’s fine."
The black-faced man thought, "A wise man knows when to retreat," deciding to compensate two taels upfront to satisfy this woman temporarily.
They couldn’t possibly stay here forever; he would surely exploit He Chao even more after they left.
So he smiled and said, "I’ll pay! I’ll pay!"
Tong Huaqiong took He Chao and Gu Dashu to the black-faced man’s room, where he grudgingly handed over two taels of silver to He Chao.
He Chao accepted without any politeness.
Tong Huaqiong said, "Return the rice and clothes you took from Old He’s house."
As she spoke, she and Gu Dashu brought out the rice and grains from the room, even unhooking two hams hanging on the wall.
The black-faced man wanted to stop them, but Gu Dashu showed his fist, and he could only watch as Tong Huaqiong and Gu Dashu carried the spoils into Old He’s house.
He stomped his foot in anger, wondering where these rascals came from.
The black-faced man cursed under his breath, planning to retaliate against Old He’s family once Tong Huaqiong left.
But quickly he realized he had miscalculated.
