Chapter 72

Jiang Wan hurriedly hid behind Du Ruo.

Jiang Li went to open the door.

Zhu Shi was standing at the door holding her youngest son, Li Que'er, hands on her hips, looking aggressive. Li Que'er was sobbing with his mouth open, his face covered in snot and tears, looking both sloppy and funny.

Judging by the posture, it seemed like she had come to complain.

Jiang Li's eyes flashed, "Is something the matter?"

Zhu Shi saw Jiang Wan in the courtyard, her eyes turned red. She pulled her son and rushed in regardless, wanting to scratch Jiang Wan's face.

Du Ruo kicked out, "If you have something to say, say it. Why are you acting crazy?"

Jiang Li walked over and stood in front of Du Ruo and Jiang Wan, his expression cold, "Aunt Zhu, is there some misunderstanding?"

"Misunderstanding?" Zhu Shi was furious. She raised her dirty sleeve and rudely wiped the snot and tears from Li Que'er's face, revealing a bright red palm print, "See? This is the evidence. It was that little bitch Jiang Wan from your family who hit him!"

Jiang Wan hit him?

Jiang Li and Du Ruo looked at Jiang Wan at the same time, their eyes full of astonishment.

How could this be possible? Jiang Wan had always been sensible and obedient, her personality was weak and quiet, and she rarely spoke loudly. How could she do something like hitting someone?

Du Ruo couldn't believe it, "Wan'er, did you really hit him?"

Jiang Wan lowered her head, her little hands twisting her clothes uneasily, "Yes, I hit him..."

Hearing her admit it, Zhu Shi became even more righteous, "And that's not all. You guys look again, look at my son's leg!"

As she said this, she pulled up Li Que'er's pant leg, revealing a section of his lower leg.

There were several bloody tooth marks on that leg!

The couple's shocked gazes turned to Tie Dan at the same time.

The dog's tail was tucked tightly, and it raised its paw to cover its eyes, not daring to look up at them.

Clearly, it was the one who bit him.

Du Ruo took a deep breath. Fine, their child had indeed done something wrong. No matter what happened, hitting someone or biting someone was definitely wrong.

She had to squeeze out a smile and apologize, "Aunt Zhu, I'm really sorry. I will definitely teach them a lesson later."

"Is teaching them a lesson enough?" Zhu Shi looked at her sideways, looking smug, "What, my son is so badly hurt, no compensation? I'm telling you, without one tael of silver today, don't think about sending me away!"

Du Ruo frowned. This was a lion's opening; one tael of silver was almost half a year's income for an ordinary farming family.

But since the fault was on their side, she had to accept it.

Just as she was about to go into the room to get the money, Jiang Li had already taken out a piece of silver from his pocket and handed it over.

Seeing them so straightforward, Zhu Shi immediately regretted it.

If she had known, she should have asked for more.

After receiving the money, Zhu Shi was still unwilling. The Second Branch of the Jiang Family had caused her eldest son to go to prison, and now they were bullying her youngest son. Where could these new and old grudges be smoothed over by a mere tael of silver?

"I've accepted the money, but..."

Zhu Shi pointed at Jiang Wan hatefully, "This little bitch's face must be hit back by my son, otherwise this matter isn't over!"

Jiang Li's face instantly turned cold.

Du Ruo was even more displeased, "Aunt Zhu, I advise you not to push your luck."

"So what if I do?" Zhu Shi hopped a few steps in front of her, "Your sister-in-law slapped my son's face at the academy, everyone saw it, the teacher can testify. Can you deny this? As the saying goes, an eye for an eye. What's wrong with my son hitting her back?"

She pointed at Tie Dan again, "And this dead dog, its leg must be broken. Only then will it be fair!"

Hearing this, Jiang Wan suddenly raised her head.

"No, you are not allowed to touch Tie Dan," she rushed in front of the dog to block it, her tone excited, "If Que'er hadn't scolded my sister-in-law, I wouldn't have hit him at all. And I told him several times not to talk nonsense, but he wouldn't listen, kept saying it, and even said it in front of so many people. That's why I couldn't help but hit him."

Du Ruo was curious, "What did he scold me?"

"He..." Jiang Wan looked at her eldest brother and bit her lip, "He said sister-in-law was promiscuous, fooling around with wild men outside, and was now pregnant with a wild seed; he said eldest brother was a big fool, wearing a green hat without knowing it, and helping others raise children."

Huh? Du Ruo was shocked. Where did this rumor come from? It was too outrageous.

Not to mention whether there was a wild man, a virgin couldn't get pregnant, she wasn't the Virgin Mary.

She looked at her husband.

Jiang Li was expressionless, seemingly indifferent, but if you looked closely, you could see the coldness hidden in his eyes.

"Who did you hear this from?" he asked, his thin lips parting slightly.

Li Que'er looked at Jiang Li's cold face, remembering that his eldest brother had been caught by him, and immediately started crying loudly.

Zhu Shi felt heartbroken and hurriedly protected her son behind her, "What, you're allowed to do it but not allowed to let people talk about it? Your wife is stealing men, meeting wild men in front of the Bodhisattva in broad daylight, shameless. Everyone in the village knows about this, where did my son say anything wrong?"

Jiang Wan was so angry her little face turned red, "My sister-in-law didn't do such a thing. If you say it again, I'll, I'll let Tie Dan bite you!"

Du Ruo touched the little girl's head and smiled soothingly.

"It's okay, let her say what she wants, we'll ignore her."

The matter was now very clear. Li Que'er had learned the adults' words and was gossiping at the academy. Jiang Wan couldn't bear it and slapped him, and the dog, protecting its master, went up and took a bite.

Then Zhu Shi brought her son to complain.

Asking for one tael of silver in compensation wasn't enough, she also wanted to hit back the slap and break one of the dog's legs along the way.

Heh, how could she think so beautifully?

"Give it here!" Du Ruo stepped forward and snatched the tael of silver from Zhu Shi's hand, "Who is to blame for having a dirty mouth and getting slapped? The upper beam is not straight, the lower beam is crooked. You don't teach your son well and only teach him to spread rumors. In my opinion, one slap is cheap for him. If there's a next time, see if I don't cut off his tongue!"

The money in her hand flew away. Zhu Shi wouldn't have it and rushed up to grab it.

Jiang Li was a big man and it wasn't good for him to hit a woman, so he gave the dog a look.

The dog understood. Its tucked tail immediately stood up, baring its teeth and growling at Zhu Shi, looking fierce.

Zhu Shi was startled and hurriedly pulled her son back, "Don't think you're great just because you're a constable. You hit people and don't compensate, and you let a dog bite people. You wait and see, I'm going to report you!"

After saying this, she spat at them and walked out in a fit of anger.

Walking to the door of the next-door courtyard, she shouted at the top of her lungs: "Jiang Clan Head, Jiang Wan hit someone, Jiang Li let a dog bite someone, aren't you going to manage this? Is there no justice left?"

The Jiang Clan Head's family was sitting around the table eating.

Hearing the commotion, dozens of sons, grandsons, and daughters-in-law ran out of the room.

"I say, Aunt Zhu, what are you shouting about at noon?" Yao Yulan stood at the front, holding a bowl and looking at Zhu Shi with a half-smile.

Zhu Shi had fought with Yao Yulan at the threshing floor last time and was very annoyed with her, "What do you care what I'm shouting about? I'm not looking for you, call your old man out!"