Money can indeed make the devil turn the millstone, and although the silver that Wufu stuffed into the village chief’s hand was of modest weight, it was not insignificant, for in a peasant family, it might be hard to earn even one tael of silver in a month.
Having taken someone’s silver, it was only natural to do something in return. The village chief was quite cooperative, and he scolded those who came back demanding that he drive Wufu and her family away.
That wasn’t all, he also called a village meeting, explaining that Wufu was working in the town. He said that those spreading rumors were doing so out of envy and jealousy. He argued that everyone was from the same village and such behavior was unacceptable, especially since it reflected poorly when heard outside the village.
He even quoted Wufu’s words, saying that everyone had daughters, and if such rumors spread, who would dare marry a girl from Wozi Village? He stated bluntly that such perverse trends could not be allowed to continue.
Besides, banding together to oppress a family of orphans and a widow was a ruthless act, he stated.
Since the village chief had spoken up for them to continue living in Wozi Village, no one felt it was their place to object, although they grumbled in their hearts and kept their opinions to themselves.
Truthfully, it wasn’t just the village chief’s scolding, but anyone with a conscience knew these accusations were slander. The village was so small, would they not know if something was amiss? If Wufu and her family were really involved in such rumors, it would have spread long ago.
Gossip is always looking for the next fresh tale, and it wasn’t until someone’s wife in the village ran off with a peddler that they stopped talking about Wufu and her family.
But even though the rumors had stopped, Wufu’s display of strength that day still made people uneasy. After all, it was unheard of for a girl to knock down seven men in the village.
What kind of fortune Wufu had encountered was a matter for speculation in their hearts only.
With the storm passing, the Old Zhou family also breathed a sigh of relief.
"Now big brother has nothing to complain about," Lady Liang said to Zhou Xueli. "He had plenty of grievances against Second Sister and her family, but now that the village chief has said as much, he’s got nothing else to say, right? The village chief really is a just and good man, even standing up for Wufu and her family."
If Hongyu were here, she would have snorted in derision. What just and good man? It was clearly a case of justice bought with silver.
Zhou Xueli replied, "The village chief is indeed good. He is respected and virtuous. Even father used to praise him for being so."
Lady Liang nodded and asked, "So I can go over to Second Sister’s place now?"
Zhou Xueli hesitated.
"Mother and big brother both said that, although the matter has settled, we should still avoid being involved with them," Zhou Xueli explained.
Lady Liang’s face darkened, "Why is that?"
"Big brother is studying..."
"Is it for the sake of what ’reputation’ again?" Lady Liang scoffed. "Husband, if I may speak freely, how old is big brother? He’s in his thirties, isn’t he? How many years has he been trying to pass the imperial exam to become a Child Student? Almost twenty years now, right? And he’s still just a Child Student. Do you think he can pass?"
Zhou Xueli awkwardly replied, "Big brother has just been unlucky. He will definitely pass next year; his learning is better than mine."
Lady Liang was contemptuous: "In my opinion, the fact that he’s even passed as a Child Student is a stroke of luck!"
"Guilan, after all, he’s still our big brother," Zhou Xueli frowned.
Lady Liang saw his displeasure and held back her irritation, saying, "I know he’s our big brother, but my husband, we’re about to be parents too. We must plan for our child."
Touching her abdomen, Zhou Xueli looked at her, his expression softening as he said, "I have made my calculations."
Lady Liang was indeed fortunate. Married for less than three months, she was already with child. All parents are inherently selfish, and her pillow talk was not intended to provoke sibling rivalry. It was simply because Zhou Xuennian was too unreliable, and she felt compelled to make plans.