The news of Lady Chen and her family’s fruitless return spread throughout the entire Wozi Village, and the fierce dexterity Wufu had demonstrated with both arrow and knife had deterred many who were itching to take advantage of their situation. It’s easy to covet someone else’s property, but you also need to be alive to enjoy it.
First, it was Baozi who went to Lady Chen’s side and clashed with her twice. Wufu didn’t suffer the slightest loss; instead, she managed to render the opponent defenseless, displaying her might at every turn. She was truly a tigress in her own right—who would dare to provoke a tiger?
As a result, the people of Wozi Village grew even more wary of Wufu, not daring to provoke her lightly, nor speak idly about her.
This made life quieter for Wufu and her family, but it also solidified her fearsome reputation as a fierce ’tigress.’
There was no helping it. A young girl with such violence in her—using knives and shooting arrows—it would not be surprising if those who didn’t know her mistook her for a female general. Wasn’t that the very definition of a ’tigress’?
As for Lady Chen’s family, who had become a topic of conversation, they didn’t dare to plant crops near the land next to Wufu, not only because of Wufu’s ferocity but also due to the pressure from the head of their household, Zhang Jiguang.
Indeed, Zhang Facai had informed his brother Zhang Jiguang about the deeds of Lady Chen, which resulted in a harsh scolding for her.
Being poor was one thing, but one mustn’t lack backbone. By scheming against a widow and her orphaned daughter, how could they ever expect to stand in this world, or find marriage prospects for the children? Who would dare marry their daughter into a family with such character?
Zhang Jiguang might not have had great integrity, but he disliked being looked down upon by his own kin, and thus he had to assert his authority in front of Lady Chen.
Lady Chen herself said nothing in response, not because she was afraid of her husband’s scolding, but because she was frightened by Wufu’s ruthlessness.
After returning home that day, she had a nightmare in which she was shot dead by an arrow from Wufu, and then sliced open with a knife.
That nightmare left Lady Chen sick for several days, and she grew timid, not daring to confront Wufu or discuss the purchase of the land.
As for the cleared land, the matter ended up going unresolved. The village chief came over and said they could build if they wanted; the Zhang family would have no objection.
Zhang Facai and his brothers even came forward to explain Zhang Jiguang’s stance, saying, "My elder brother said it was his careless wife who did things behind his back. They don’t want the land; after all, it’s not fit for much."
Wufu consulted Madam Zhou, and the consensus was that after such trouble over trying to add a room to their home, it was best not to build there given the bad omen, but rather to find a new home site in the village to build on.
Zhang Facai and his brothers were even more delighted to hear this and used the opportunity to secure the contract to build a new, larger house, which would earn them more. They demonstrated endless loyalty and goodwill, managing to win back the construction job.
Wufu delegated the matter to Liu Jin and Madam Zhou, who spent five taels of silver at the village chief’s. He then generously allocated them a home site about seven or eight fen large, located at the eastern end of the village, near the official road.
All these happenings buzzed through the village. However, the Old Zhou family, being Wufu’s maternal relatives, showed no reaction at all—not even coming out to listen to gossip, much less offer their support, which was quite baffling.
Wufu herself didn’t mind, but Madam Zhou felt disheartened and disappointed. Even a simple inquiry would have been appreciated, but there was not even a word from them, prompting her to pass by the Old Zhou house several times without entering.
The quietness at the Old Zhou household was not for no reason but was due to Zhou Xuennian needing to prepare for his academy exam. Old Lady Zhou had instructed everyone in the family not to go out causing trouble or disturbances that could affect the family’s fortunes and Zhou Xuennian’s state of mind. Since it concerned the family’s future prospects, everyone obediently complied.