Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 1440: Chapter 1441: The Consequences of Messy and Persistent Harrassment_1

”You all have a look, this is the residence of Bai Zepei, the newly appointed second top scorer in the imperial examination. The Bai Family has become prosperous and now despises their poor relatives, not only did they throw me out of the residence but they also forced my nephew to turn against me. Do you think this is proper behavior for a family?” Mrs. Dou cried out loudly while sobbing intermittently, as if she had suffered a great injustice.

When Bai Ruozhu arrived at the main gate, she happened to hear these words and couldn’t help but laugh. Did the Bai Family need to pressure Jiang Yichun? It was surely the Jiang Family Members who liked to do that, wasn’t it?

She pushed open the door and walked out, only to see Mrs. Dou sitting on the steps of the main gate without any regard for her image, covered in dust and with disheveled hair, looking as if she had been beaten.

Upon seeing Bai Ruozhu emerge, Mrs. Dou immediately shouted, ”Bai Ruozhu, it’s good that you’ve come out. You’re the daughter-in-law of the Jiang Family. Has the Bai Family no one left that they let you come forward? And where is that proud second brother of yours, the top scorer? Isn’t he arrogant?

Bai Ruozhu replied unhurriedly, ”It’s true that I’m the daughter-in-law of the Jiang Family, but I’m also the daughter of the Bai Family. My parents are advanced in age and can’t stand the stress. If I don’t step forward, who will? Should my two brothers argue with you, a woman? What would that look like?”

”Look at her, this is how she speaks to her elders, the Bai Family looks down upon people,” Mrs. Dou said and started crying again.

”My fellow neighbors, the Bai Family has lived here for over half a year. We have always been polite to everyone. Even when my second brother became the second top scorer, my parents hosted a wine feast to invite everyone over—have we ever shown any disrespect to the neighbors or looked down upon people?” Bai Ruozhu ignored Mrs. Dou and asked the onlookers.

The people who had attended the Bai Family’s wine feast nodded their heads one after another, saying that the Bai Family was courteous and that the food and drinks were especially good. Both the lady of the Bai Family, Madam Lin, and Elder Bai were very hospitable.

Bai Ruozhu wore a smile on her face. She knew very well what her parents were like. They were warm-hearted and sociable, and they would never offend anyone for no reason. There’s a saying that the eyes of the public are sharp, and at this moment, that was apprent.

”Are you saying that I’m creating rumors and causing trouble? Look at my appearance, do you think this is self-inflicted? Besides, everyone just saw it—your guards wouldn’t even open the door to let me in. Is this how you treat your relatives?” Mrs. Dou began to argue again.

”Mrs. Dou, since you insist on putting it that way, I’ll explain it clearly to everyone. You are a distant relative of the Jiang Family and hardly related to my Bai Family. Even if you claim to be my husband’s ’distant aunt’, that’s fine, but can you just force your way in and insist on a marriage?” Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but smile, ”My second brother is diligent and studious, he’s also cultured and polite. Now that he has achieved such success, there are indeed many families who admire him as a son-in-law, but I’ve never seen such coercion.”

The onlookers expressed their understanding with ’ohs’. In these past days, matchmakers had almost broken the doorstep of the Bai Family. How could the nearby neighbors not know?

”When did I say I wanted to take your second brother as a son-in-law? Others might think he’s great, but I find him disdainful and disrespectful towards elders. I wouldn’t dare to accept such a son-in-law!” Mrs. Dou shouted, sticking out her neck.

”Then what was all that questioning about my second brother’s marriage at our house just a moment ago? If we don’t tell you, you point your finger and insult everyone in my family one by one, what’s that about? Today, my husband and I just returned to the Capital, and our whole family was joyfully gathering together. You can ruin our mood if you like, but to then turn around and play the victim?” Bai Ruozhu then looked towards the crowd, ”If we’re really relatives, why can’t we talk things over properly? Who smears others at their doorsteps, muddying the reputation of their family? If that’s what being relatives is, would you acknowledge such a person?”

A lady immediately said, ”No, we wouldn’t acknowledge! We wouldn’t dare to marry off our daughters to such a family either!”

There were many echoes of agreement from the side. Mrs. Dou saw this and became frantic, yelling at the crowd, ”Don’t be fooled by her! Their Bai Family now thinks too highly of themselves; just because they are from the countryside and have produced a top scorer, they think they’re above everyone and are picky when finding a wife.”

”Madam Dou, please stop spreading rumors and tarnishing our reputation,” Bai Ruozhu sneered inwardly. ”Aren’t you aware my second brother currently serves before the Emperor? His marriage is for the Emperor to decide. How could he dare to make his own decisions in private? Yet in your words, he’s become a man who disregards others entirely? It seems that you do regard someone highly, but do you actually hold the Emperor in your eyes?” Bai Ruozhu secretly chuckled to herself; both the Prime Minister and the Virtuous King had appealed to the Emperor, and although her second brother hadn’t stated it outright, whoever he would eventually marry would certainly be reported to the Emperor first.

Madam Dou’s face instantly changed. ”You didn’t mention that just now. How would I know?” she retorted.

”How could I not have mentioned it? It’s just that you don’t trust our word, relentlessly blaming us. Isn’t this all because you want to pressure our family, to negotiate a marriage alliance? But as the saying goes, ’Marry for virtue, not for wealth.’ Today, everyone here is a witness. I, Bai Ruozhu, will also state plainly—such heartless relatives like Madam Dou, we dare not accept. Otherwise, how could our family ever live in peace?” Bai Ruozhu thought to herself, if you can fabricate, so can I—let’s see whom everyone believes.

By this time, quite a few people were already whispering among themselves, criticizing Madam Dou for her lack of propriety. They mentioned that for top scholars, their marriage often required reporting to the Emperor, and sometimes the Emperor would even grant a marriage. In this regard, the Bai Family was not at fault.

”Even if the marriage falls through, there’s still basic decency. Who would create a commotion right outside someone’s main gate like this? I reckon this woman harbors ill intentions. If everyone starts taking revenge like this when they cannot get married, wouldn’t the world become chaotic?” someone indignantly cried out.

Driven to the brink, Madam Dou wailed loudly, ”My fate is indeed wretched. They deployed a burly guard to throw me out! Who’s the one lacking in kindness now?”

At this moment, footsteps echoed from the yard, and Jiang Yichun strode out.

”It was I who ordered you to be thrown out. My surname is Jiang, and you cannot blame the Bai Family for this. Your actions have brought shame upon the Jiang Family. I sent you back to reflect on your behavior, yet here you are causing trouble again?” Jiang Yichun’s voice was cold, and combined with his formidable presence, the crowd of onlookers fell silent.

”I am your elder by relation,” voiced Madam Dou, her voice shrill. ”If anyone should discipline me, it is Elder Jiang, not a member of the younger generation like you presuming authority.”

Bai Ruozhu helplessly shook her head and addressed the crowd, ”Everyone, please disperse. There’s no need to pay attention to her nonsensical ranting. The Bai Family will invite you all for tea another day.”

After speaking, she turned to Jiang Yichun, ”Husband, we have imperial duties to attend to, so let’s head back first.”

Jiang Yichun nodded, and the two of them turned around and headed back to the Bai Residence. The main gate of the Bai Residence then slammed shut once more.

Outside, Madam Dou continued to scream and even rushed forward to smash the door but was stopped by the guards. She then sat on the ground, wailing loudly like a madwoman.

Many shook their heads and murmured among themselves. Especially when they heard that Bai Ruozhu and her husband had important duties assigned by the Emperor to attend to, they found Madam Dou’s actions even more disgraceful, comparing her to someone who had lost their senses.

In the end, the crowd dispersed, leaving Madam Dou without any advantage. She returned to the Jiang Residence, exhausted. Elder Jiang Ge had already been informed of the incident and, furious, resorted to applying the Family Law, punishing her with twenty lashes of the rattan stick.