Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 1585: Chapter 1585 We Believe in Doctor Bai_1

”My cousin’s wife came over and used her familial relationship to pressure us, causing a huge commotion at my parental home, and in the end, we had no choice but to ask her to leave. My elder aunt tried to reason with her, saying it wasn’t right to force the issue, considering they had never been close to our family before. Who pushes for a marriage to the point of making enemies? Then my cousin and her husband suddenly accused my elder aunt of wanting to marry her daughter to my second brother. Can you believe they made this up out of thin air?” Bai Ruozhu said, then pointed to Madam Dou and asked, ”Didn’t she just spread this rumor again?”

Many people nodded in agreement, since Madam Dou’s words were indeed offensive, even going so far as to call her own niece ”damaged goods” unwanted by others. How could she speak about someone of the younger generation in such a manner?

”All you do is despise the poor and suck up to the rich. Ever since you ranked as the second top graduate, you look down on us relatives. I spoke to you nicely, but you insisted on throwing me out. Everyone, you be the judge, is this the way to treat an elder?” Madam Dou cried out.

”Marriage proposals are matters to be discussed amicably between two families. If one side disagrees, there’s no place for forceful disturbances,” Bai Ruozhu continued with a laugh, ”Speaking of which, my second brother has become quite the catch. But since when does a failed marriage proposition turn into enmity? Such customs don’t exist here in the Capital, do they?”

She then pointed to Dou Ning and said to the onlookers, ”Just now, was it not my cousin who complained that after serving the Jiang Family for over twenty years, he was now thrown out and had nothing to eat...”

Dou Ning, in agitation, interrupted Bai Ruozhu, ”That’s exactly what happened. What would an outsider who married into the family like you know?”

Unruffled, Bai Ruozhu addressed the onlookers, ”It’s true I am an outsider, and my husband and I do not live with the Jiang Family. Hence, I have no conflict of interest with my cousin and can speak impartially. My cousin is the child of Grandpa Jiang Ge’s own sister, who, due to financial hardship, moved into the Jiang residence. He has neither title nor duty, nor any talent for making money. He lived in the Jiang household for over twenty years without a care. Not only did Grandpa Jiang Ge and my granduncle provide for him and his wife out of their official salaries, but they also supported his whole family of children. Yet the end result was the emergence of an ingrate!”

”Think about it, he isn’t physically handicapped. If he had the ability to earn money, even if he left the Jiang Family, he wouldn’t be starving in the streets, would he?” Bai Ruozhu said, then turned to look at Jiang Yichun, ”Husband, it’s been only a month since the Jiang Family was divided, right?”

Jiang Yichun nodded. ”Yes, not long ago. The old master gave both my cousin and my uncle their share of the family wealth.”

Bai Ruozhu made a tsk-tsk sound, looking disdainfully at Dou Ning and his wife, ”Dressed in brand new clothes when you left the household, how could you possibly end up like this after just one month? What decent household treats their clothes like trash? Moreover, weren’t you given a share of the estate? How could you have squandered it all within a month? You’re truly inept at living!”

It was clear that Dou Ning and his wife had purposefully donned ragged clothes to create a scene and gain sympathy. But their ”beggar attire” was a bit too much.

The onlookers laughed mockingly, finding Bai Ruozhu’s argument more reasonable, tired of the Dou couple’s relentless chaos.

”Don’t believe her. Her parental home is rich, and even after the family split, she’s still grabbing for more wealth, causing us to end up in this plight. It doesn’t matter if we, as a couple, die, but what about our children who are still unmarried? Spare a thought for them.” Dou Ning continued his pitiful act.

Jiang Yichun stepped forward from behind Bai Ruozhu, but this time he had no intention of resorting to violence. He watched Dou Ning coldly and said, ”Cousin, the money you took from the division should be more than enough to rent a house in the Capital and live decently. As long as you work diligently and earn a living, your family wouldn’t need to suffer hunger or cold, unless you’ve grown too accustomed to being a parasite and still expect the Jiang Family to support you.”

”People become lazy if they’ve been idle for too long. The Jiang Family hasn’t had an easy time these years, supporting a large number of relatives. It hasn’t been easy, indeed,” Bai Ruozhu said, then turned to the steward, ”Go fetch the inventory of assets from the day of the family division. Take it and escort Master Dou and his wife to meet with the magistrate of the Capital, and let’s see if it’s the Jiang Family refusing them a livelihood or if they’re just insatiably greedy.”

Having explained the situation clearly before the neighbors, she could now unapologetically have the troublemaking Dou Ning and his wife taken away without causing a bad impression from the onset, which might have resulted in the onlookers gossiping when Jiang Zhihe stepped outside.

”You dare to arrest me? I will throw myself against the Jiang Family Main Gate and die right there!” Madam Dou got up, looking as if she was ready for desperate measures.

”Muyu, keep an eye on my cousin’s wife. Don’t let her do something foolish with her life,” Bai Ruozhu called out loudly.

”Yes,” Muyu responded loudly, though he couldn’t help but murmur to himself, why was it always him in these situations? He was a clean freak, for goodness’ sake, why did they always make him deal with these messy women?

The steward hurriedly acknowledged the order and ran back to fetch the list. He quickly returned, panting, and said, ”Young Mistress, all the items are listed here, and everything is clearly recorded. There will definitely be evidence to check when the time comes.”

”Good, take someone to seek judgment from the Chief Minister of the Capital,” said Bai Ruozhu with a smile, ”to prevent any unwarranted rumors against the Jiang Family.”

Dou Ning and his wife, seeing someone coming to drag them away, screamed as if they were being slaughtered, shouting accusations that Jiang Yichun had bullied an elder and such, causing the onlookers to point and comment.

Suddenly, someone among the onlookers shouted, ”I recognize this Miss Bai, she is the founder of the Medical Alliance. I’ve even attended their free clinic before. Such a kind-hearted person, how could she lie? It must be these two who are insatiably greedy and creating trouble!”

His words were like a stone dropped in a lake, prompting many voices to speak out.

”I’ve also been to the Medical Alliance for a check-up. They offer a free clinic once a month, truly looking out for us, the common people!”

”I heard that the leader of the Medical Alliance is a female doctor with excellent medical skills, and she is the Chief Doctor at the Palace’s Female Physicians Institution. I never expected Miss Bai to be so young.”

”We believe what Miss Bai says. These two look like troublemakers. Their words are nasty, and disrupting their niece’s wedding is simply immoral!”

...

Bai Ruozhu had not anticipated that organizing a monthly free clinic with the Medical Alliance would reap such benefits, nor was she any less moved by the common people’s expressions of gratitude.

Soon, Dou Ning and his wife were taken away, scorned and spat upon by people along the way.

Yu Chenghua put on a smiling face and entered the Jiang Family with deafening sounds of firecrackers to welcome the new bride.

Before long, Jiang Zhihe, her head covered by a red veil, was carried out by Yu Chenghua, to the cheers of the crowd. Some joked that the bridegroom had to carry her steadily as the bride was not to touch the ground.

Just before reaching the palanquin, Jiang Yihong quickly placed two red paper-wrapped rice cakes. Yu Chenghua carefully set Jiang Zhihe down so she could step onto the rice cakes before entering the palanquin, symbolizing rising higher with each step.

Fearing that the red veil would obstruct her vision, Yu Chenghua softly reminded her of the direction to take, eliciting laughter from the bystanders who praised the bridegroom as a considerate man!

Underneath the red veil, Jiang Zhihe’s face was burning up, and her heart seemed to melt along with it...