Chapter 168: The old tricks won't work anymore

Qin Huairu held her belly, irritated beyond measure; now she looked down on Jia Zhangshi even more.

The habit of many years of regarding Jia Zhangshi as supreme also collapsed in an instant.

Looking at Jia Dongxu, who was at a loss facing Liang Ladi, made her feel even more bitter.

What the hell is this family? How did I ever get lard smeared over my eyes, thinking this mother and son had boundless magic and could prop up the sky?

Jia Zhangshi never expected that the techniques she had mastered to perfection would suddenly fail.

Liang Ladi is a widow with a bunch of kids; where does she get the nerve to cause trouble with me?

Shouldn't she be keeping her tail between her legs for the sake of her children?

Back then Yang Qing was no different; who gave Liang Ladi the courage to oppose her?

With a crash, Liang Ladi smashed another piece of glass.

Jia Dongxu hid inside, constantly urging Liang Ladi.

"Master Liang, Master Liang, don't rush—it's all a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding."

"I apologize to you on behalf of my mother."

Liang Ladi wouldn't listen at all; she just grabbed glass and smashed it.

"Get lost, you damn thing—today only one of us and my old hag will survive."

"Don't blame me for not giving you face—it's just that your mother did something inhuman."

Qin Huairu finally made up her mind, took a deep breath, and stepped forward.

"Sister Liang, the three elders of our courtyard are all present—do you think this will work?"

"Let the three elders and the courtyard masses preside over this."

"Don't worry, we admit our faults; you don't need to handle the glass issue."

"The matter has to be settled, right?"

Qin Huairu spoke politely and properly, her tone calm, bearing the air of a matriarch.

Yang Qing clearly sensed that Qin Huairu had changed.

She was no longer the one hiding behind Jia Zhangshi and Jia Dongxu, scheming.

From her, Yang Qing actually sensed a kind of grandeur.

Liang Ladi never expected Qin Huairu to say such a thing.

Although they hadn't interacted much, overall Qin Huairu had always behaved like a little white rabbit.

From her, she actually saw a bit of her own reflection; for some reason, she had no desire to oppose Qin Huairu.

"Fine, I'll give you face, I'll listen to you—let the three elders decide this."

Yi Zhonghai saw the situation and breathed a sigh of relief.

Just now he had sent Sha Zhu forward, only to be scolded by Liu Shumin, and he still thought today couldn't be resolved.

Seeing Liang Ladi no longer so aggressive, Jia Zhangshi finally stepped out from behind Qin Huairu.

The Qin Huairu family and the Liang Ladi family became today's protagonists.

The three elders, again sitting boldly in the central courtyard.

This time, Yi Zhonghai, to avoid suspicion, didn't even take the middle seat.

Er Da Ye wanted to indulge in being the eldest elder today, but Yi Zhonghai held him back.

He really didn't want to stir up any more trouble.

"Old Liu, your family also had a feud with Liang Ladi—let Old Yan preside over this meeting."

Er Da Ye, unwilling, gave up the chief seat.

Yan Fu Gui declined a bit, then, confirming that the two of them truly wanted him to preside, sat in the middle.

Never mind how it feels to sit here—it's really comfortable.

He imitated Yi Zhonghai's posture, sitting bolt upright with a slight air of authority.

Cough cough…

"Everyone knows why we're holding this meeting today, so I won't say more."

"As I preside over this courtyard assembly, I have only one principle."

"That is, to lay out the facts and reason."

"Faults must be admitted, offenses must be punished."

"Without undermining the courtyard's unity and friendship."

"To ease relations and resolve conflicts as much as possible."

"Let the wrongdoers be genuinely convinced, let the aggrieved have their grievances redressed, receive solace, and vent their anger."

"All right, I won't say more."

"Liang Ladi, you go first—state your demands."

Liang Ladi glared ferociously at Jia Zhangshi.

"Jia Zhangshi used my two‑year‑old Xiu'er as an excuse, plotting to seize our family's planting box."

"During that time they broke in, robbed us, insulted my four children, and even laid hands on a few of them."

"They bullied us, a group of orphans and widows."

"If today I don't get a satisfactory explanation, this matter won't end."

Jia Zhangshi, too, recovered from her fright and felt she was in the right.

"That damn compensating good‑for‑nothing stole our tomatoes and won't even let me speak?"

"Stealing our stuff and demanding compensation—isn't that just natural and proper?"

"On the contrary, the Liang surname smashed our glass—Yan Fu Gui, you can't favor her just because you find the young widow pretty."

Qin Huairu even wanted to beat her.

You still think the matter isn't serious? You still think Yi Zhonghai will back you up now?

You can see everyone else is keeping their distance, yet you still offend San Da Ye—aren't you out of your mind?

If she doesn't step up on this, then her earlier advice to Liang Ladi will just be empty talk.

The image she crafted of being the head of the household will also collapse.

She spoke sternly.

"Mom, I already said, the glass thing is over."

"Besides, this is the compound, not at home—watch what you say. You're being indiscreet; how will everyone see our family?"

"If you won't think for us, at least think for Bang Geng."

Jia Zhangshi was momentarily stunned.

She hadn't expected Qin Huairu to dare undermine her like that.

She was about to scold a few words when Jia Dongxu grabbed her.

Jia Dongxu also felt his mother's behavior was a bit lacking.

Qin Huairu's half-year of taming still yielded some results.

"Mom, you need to think about Bang Geng."

Jia Zhangshi felt a sharp pain in her heart—this is the pain of being betrayed by close kin.

Her face instantly turned pale.

Seeing Jia Zhangshi silent, Qin Huairu breathed a sigh of relief.

Then she apologized to Liang Ladi.

"Liang Sis, I apologize on behalf of my mother."

That sentence promptly stopped Liang Ladi's outburst.

"Hmph, it's only because it's you, Qin Huairu; otherwise today I'd have made that old hag lose her teeth."

Yan Fu Gui also disliked Jia Zhangshi greatly.

"Liang Ladi, regarding the matter of Xiu'er eating the Jia family's tomatoes, do you have anything else to say?"

"Did anyone else see what happened?"

This is clearly a bit biased toward Liang Ladi.

Liu Shumin came out laughing.

"I know about this."

"I personally saw Jia Zhangshi giving the tomato to Xiu'er to eat."

"The worst part is, the tomato was even picked from Li Da Xiong's home."

Boom——

The crowd exploded.

Jia Zhangshi's face turned even paler.

"You're talking nonsense; everyone knows that when I just came back, I accidentally ate Liu Shumin's tomato."

"This is her holding a grudge and framing me."

Even Jia Dongxu felt a bit ashamed to face people, because his mother really could do something like this.

Qin Huairu looked like she couldn't believe it, but inside she was calm, as if she had known all along.

"Ah, Jia Zhangshi is just using her old tricks again."

"Who says it's not? She's done this sort of thing before plenty of times."

"Before, she had the Eldest Master backing her up; now the Eldest Master..."

"Yeah, she still hasn't figured out the situation."

"Anyone with common sense knows she's picking on Liang Ladi, a helpless widow and orphan, because she's an easy target."

"This Jia Zhangshi is truly a major disaster for our compound."

"Our compound's reputation has been ruined by her."

"Exactly, even after being locked up once, she still won't behave."

……

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