Chapter 16: Why Should They Listen to Me?

Zhang Shen saw Xixi's anxious face turn pale, suddenly found courage, grabbed a bald broom at hand and threw it, hitting Liu Shi in the thigh.

Liu Shi cried "ah" and fell stiffly to her knees outside the threshold.

Xixi took the opportunity to squeeze past, using her whole body to block the doorway.

Liu Shi struggled up while cursing, but Zhang Shen lunged over and pressed her down, not giving her a chance to continue her rampage.

"You little brat, want to smash our house? First see if you can get past me!"

Qingye had been peeking outside the gate to watch the fight.

Seeing her mother about to suffer, she suddenly shouted anxiously, "Mother! Stop fighting!"

"Someone help, pull my mother apart!"

Among the onlookers, some understood the situation.

"Your mother wanted to smash someone else's house; it serves her right that Zhang Shen teaches her a lesson!"

"If we pull her apart now, we'll risk her resentment and get no thanks for our effort?"

Qingye looked pleadingly at Gu Lao San, then at Gu Daye and the others.

However, these men's eyes flickered as if they hadn't seen anything.

"When women start fighting, how can they possibly intervene!"

Seeing Liu Shi's hair being pulled out by Zhang Shen, Qingye had no choice but to step in herself.

"Xixi sister, we……"

She was about to ask Xixi to help separate them when she suddenly saw Xixi holding a wooden water bucket, frowning as she aimed it at Liu Shi's head.

Qingye's face turned pale as she grabbed Xixi, "Xixi sister, don't do that!"

Xixi didn't speak, because she was hesitating.

She had studied so many plants, but never practiced fighting.

The bucket is thick and hard; if she smashes it down, wouldn't it split someone's skull open?

Moreover, Zhang Shen and Liu Shi were rolling on the ground, making it really hard for her to find an opening to strike.

In the stalemate, suddenly a thunderous shout came from outside the courtyard wall, "Master! We're here!"

A sudden silence fell; even the murmurs of the onlookers stopped.

Chen Dafu, dressed in neat short work clothes, strode into the courtyard carrying a hoe, sweat from farm work still on his arms.

"Let me see who is groundlessly extorting, daring to smash our master's place!!"

His voice boomed like a bronze bell, and at the same time he shot a glare; Liu Shi trembled with fright and involuntarily stopped her shouting.

Immediately after, several young hired workers entered silently and surrounded Liu Shi on all sides.

Only then did Gu Lao San rush in at a run, "What are you all doing?!"

He was terrified, yet forced himself to keep face, "Several grown men beating a married woman?"

"Huachi Du Cun is a place with the rule of law!"

Xixi helped Zhang Shen to her feet.

Zhang Shen smoothed her hair bun, then whispered triumphantly, "Don't worry, we didn't lose out. I twisted her several times, and she ended up scratching my hair loose; tonight she'll be in so much pain she can't sleep!"

Xixi couldn't help but smile faintly, "Thanks to your great effort."

"Go inside, wash your face and rest; I'll handle the rest."

Chen Dafu brought people to surround Gu Lao San's family, not allowing them to act rashly, and waited for the master's judgment.

Qingye, frightened, huddled against Liu Shi, trembling.

"Xixi sister, my mother is also worried about my brother, she got anxious for a moment……"

Xixi couldn't help but sneer.

When the hired workers hadn't arrived just now, Liu Shi was causing a scene—why didn't anyone stop her?

Now she knows how to play the victim.

Seeing the scene getting hard to control, Gu Daye had no choice but to bring Gu Erye along to step forward.

Relying on his status as an elder of the Gu Clan, Gu Daye put on a stern face and said, "Xixi, your third aunt acted wrongly, but she did it out of love for her son."

"Why make such a fuss over a small family misunderstanding that's gotten out of hand and embarrassing? And why bring these men waving blades and clubs—who are you trying to scare?"

Xixi chuckled lightly, "That's what you say, Grandfather."

"The trouble was started by my third uncle's family coming to my house to cause trouble."

"These few hired workers of mine weren't summoned by me—don't believe me? Ask them."

Gu Daye turned his head to look at Chen Dafu.

Chen Dafu replied in a thunderous voice, "It's me."

"We were working; if it weren't for a few kids saying there was trouble, and if we weren't afraid our master would be bullied, who would bother wasting time on your Gu Clan's affairs!"

Liu Shi suddenly pointed at Chen Dafu and the others, shouting sharply, "So that's how it is!"

"I was wondering how eight grown men could be subdued by a little girl!"

"Men and women mixed together must be up to some shady dealings, yet they're trying to pin the blame on my son!"

Splash!

A bucket of icy well water drenched Liu Shi from head to toe.

Xixi threw down the bucket and said coldly, "Spreading rumors and causing trouble, sullying someone's innocence."

"Isn't the Gu Clan afraid that such a daughter-in-law will ruin its reputation?"

Although it was midsummer, the water just drawn from the deep well in the small courtyard was still icy and bone‑chilling.

Liu Shi's lips instantly turned purple‑blue, and she shivered, unable to speak.

Gu Daye glared unhappily at Gu Lao San, signaling him to control Liu Shi's foul mouth.

Then he turned to Gu Xixi, speaking with a pleasant expression, 'Even if there's nothing wrong, a young lady behaving like this is improper.'

He stroked his white beard, putting on the airs of an elder who claims everything is for your own good.

"You're just a little girl; what right do they have to sincerely listen to you and work for you? You'd do better to heed Grandfather and disband them early—it would be good for your reputation."

Gu Xixi's lips curved up, but her eyes held no genuine smile.

"What right do they have to work for me?"

"Just because they want real, tangible grain, which I can provide."

"I'm still busy, so please have everyone help me see the guests off."

Gu Daye and Gu Erye still wanted to speak.

But they were driven back by a glare from the eight hired workers.

Chen Dafu closed the gate and looked contemptuously at the Gu clan members.

"We just admire the landlady; what's wrong with her being a young lady?"

"Our landlady is more capable than anyone here!"

A youngster snorted, "Cut the boasting—you're an outsider; you don't know what she was like before."

"She might not even be able to tell wheat seedlings from scallions now."

The villagers burst into laughter.

Chen Dafu, however, wasn't angry; his gaze toward the crowd even held a hint of pity.

Following the landlady's method of farming, in less than a month it had already opened their eyes.

They had never seen such a high germination rate or such sturdy millet seedlings.

The fertilizer the landlady herself prepared was also miraculous, requiring different timings and methods—some to be sprayed on the leaves, some to be poured at the roots.

Everyone was skilled at farming, but at first they didn't understand and even found it troublesome.

But soon they discovered that common pests and diseases didn't appear, and after watering thoroughly every few days, the seedlings shot up rapidly.

Thus, Chen Dafu and the others shifted from gathering for profit to wholeheartedly following Gu Xixi.

Officially, they all anticipated the astonishing final harvest; being able to participate had become an unspoken honor for everyone.

Privately, if they did well and pleased the landlady, she might even pass on the farming secret to them.

But the villagers of Flower Pool Ford didn't notice any of this.

They were still waiting for the autumn harvest to laugh at Gu Xixi's expense.