Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside

Chapter 1498: Chapter 1498: Scolded

"Quit banging that thing, you’re driving me crazy! What are you, summoning the dead?" Mrs. Kuang shouted toward the direction of the gong, then turned back and cursed at the women in the Niu Family Camp: "All of you move your asses, faster! Are you crippled or what, why are you so slow? And you, Qiaozi’s wife, you only start wiping the kid’s shit now? What the hell were you doing earlier?"

Qiaozi’s wife felt terribly wronged and said, "Madam, it’s not like I wanted this either, the child stuffed himself at breakfast, that’s why he needs to go now."

Mrs. Kuang was furious, and turned to scold Aunt Han: "Sansong’s mother, enough already! Don’t take so much. You’ve already filled a whole sack with big chunks of meat, and that sack is leaking gravy. In a bit it’ll dirty the whole carriage!"

Aunt Han tied up the sack as she replied, "Madam, don’t worry. It’s cold out, we’ll let it sit here in the cold wind, the gravy will freeze and it won’t leak anymore."

"Bah! Let it sit in the cold wind, my ass. Get your butt on the carriage, we’re about to move out!" Mrs. Kuang’s head hurt; she shouted herself almost hoarse before finally herding this bunch of women onto the wagon.

She was exhausted. Thank goodness Qijin had Niu Wujin helping out, otherwise she’d have worked herself faint.

Dang dang dang!

"Form up, everyone form up!"

The soldier beating the gong started urging again. A quarter of an hour later, the soldiers from each courtyard and their families finally assembled at the Manor gate.

Mrs. Han really knew how to handle people. They’d been under Sun Village Chief and his wife’s care these past few days, so before leaving she handed over a stack of red envelopes to Sun Village Chief’s wife: "You’ve all worked hard these days. This is a second-class seal for you to keep. Share it around and let everyone in the Manor have some fun."

As the mistress, Gu Jinli naturally would be giving out first-class seals. Mrs. Han was a guest, and it wouldn’t be appropriate to steal the host’s thunder, so she only gave out second-class seals.

Sun Village Chief’s wife didn’t dare accept it at once; she first glanced at Nanny Tao. Only after Nanny Tao nodded did she take the red envelopes and bow: "Many thanks, Mrs. Zhang."

Ji Zhenniang cared about saving face and didn’t want people laughing that she had no money, so she also prepared red envelopes for the people in the Manor and had Nanny Xie take them to Sun Village Chief’s wife.

Mrs. Kuang’s heart clenched in pain, she almost wished she could just keel over, but she still understood some basic propriety and also gave rewards to the Manor people. She just didn’t give as much as Mrs. Han and Ji Zhenniang; each person got only ten cents.

Sun Village Chief’s wife didn’t mind at all; she happily accepted it and bowed as well.

The other Company Commanders and Chief Commanders also had their servants or personal soldiers hand out red envelopes to the Manor people.

Before long, the Company Commanders and Chief Commanders all reported their headcount to Qin San Lang: "Company Commander Qin, everyone on our side is here, not one more or less."

Qin San Lang nodded and shouted loudly, "Move out!"

Dang dang dang!

"We’re moving out, moving out!" Two soldiers rode on horseback, beating copper gongs as they galloped back and forth shouting. All the soldiers heard the call and followed the government army’s Military Flag out of the Manor.

Sun Village Chief and his wife escorted the army all the way to the outskirts of Old Guzhuang. Only after the army entered the forest did they turn back to the Manor.

There was a stretch of road in the Manor planted with Poison, but the soldiers and their families had no idea. None of them showed symptoms of poisoning, because the big cauldron of meat they’d eaten upon arriving at the Manor had antidote mixed in, and this morning’s breakfast also had antidote in it.

Because their departure had been delayed, the army now traveled at full speed and didn’t stop at noon to rest. When hungry they just took out their flatbread and gnawed on it; the tricky part was when they were thirsty.

Once they got close to the Northwest, the weather turned so cold that the water in their skins all froze solid and couldn’t be drunk; if they wanted water, they had to melt it over a fire first.

But the soldiers were soldiers, they could endure more than most; going without water in the daytime wasn’t a big deal for them.

...

Ji Zhenniang was very fond of Sister Yu, felt she was like her own girl Zhuzhu, so today she didn’t ride with Gu Jinli and instead ran over to ride with Mrs. Han, hugging Sister Yu the whole way: "Sister Yu smells so nice, unlike Gu Xiaoyu—she stinks to high heaven."

Mrs. Han frowned as she listened. This Mrs. Ji really didn’t know better: she ate and drank at the Gu Family’s expense and had even been saved twice by Sister-in-law Qin. How could she say such things about Sister-in-law Qin behind her back, and in front of a child, no less?

She couldn’t hold it in and said, "Sister-in-law Xie, Sister-in-law Qin is ill. Once she gets better, the smell will be gone."

Sister Yu chimed in, "That’s right, Aunt Xie. Once Aunt Qin’s illness is cured, she’ll smell good again."

Aunt Qin was sick; she must be feeling terrible inside. How could Aunt Xie talk about her like that?

Sister Yu was a bit upset.

Ji Zhenniang was scatterbrained and didn’t notice that Sister Yu and Mrs. Han were unhappy. She kept on chattering, "You really think Gu Xiaoyu’s illness can be cured? She’s sick to that extent, her face’s practically rotted off; there’s no curing that. She’ll be like this for life."

Mrs. Han’s face darkened; she really wanted to kick this Mrs. Ji off the carriage.

Sister Yu twisted her body, pried open Ji Zhenniang’s arms with force, and scooted over to sit beside Mrs. Han.

Ji Zhenniang was startled and asked, "Sister Yu, what’s wrong? Did Aunt Xie hold you too tight and make you uncomfortable? Come here, Aunt Xie will hold you gently this time, I won’t squeeze you again."

Sister Yu snorted and didn’t speak.

Mrs. Han said, "Sister Yu, how did your mother teach you? How can you treat an elder like this? When an elder asks you a question, you answer; you can’t just pull a long face. Hurry and apologize to your Aunt Xie."

After listening, Sister Yu obediently apologized to Ji Zhenniang: "I’m sorry, Aunt Xie. It was Sister Yu who was being thoughtless, please don’t be offended."

Ji Zhenniang hurriedly said, "No, no, not at all. Our Sister Yu is very sensible. Come over and let Aunt Xie hold you—you’re just too much like my Zhuzhu."

Mrs. Han was somewhat speechless. Ji Zhenniang was always talking about her Zhuzhu, so Mrs. Han knew that Zhuzhu was a little girl not yet three years old, while Sister Yu was already six, much older than Zhuzhu. How were they alike in any way?

Though Sister Yu apologized to Ji Zhenniang, she still didn’t go over. Instead she said, "Aunt Xie, I’m me, and little sister Zhuzhu is little sister Zhuzhu. We’re not alike."

Then she added, "I’m not going over."

Ji Zhenniang froze and asked, "Why won’t you come? What exactly is Sister Yu angry about?"

Sister Yu didn’t dare say. After all, Ji Zhenniang was an elder.

Mother had said, no matter what the elders do, juniors mustn’t criticize them to their face.

But seeing that Ji Zhenniang was just too slow-witted and wouldn’t understand without a clear explanation, Mrs. Han said to Sister Yu, "Sister Yu, go ahead and say it."

Ji Zhenniang even chimed in foolishly, "Yes, Sister Yu, if you have something on your mind just say it. Aunt Xie won’t hold it against you, you’re so much like my Zhuzhu."

There she goes again—are you that desperate to see your daughter?

After hearing this, Sister Yu finally said, "Aunt Qin saved my family’s lives, but Aunt Xie keeps speaking ill of Aunt Qin. I don’t like an Aunt Xie who acts like that."

Ji Zhenniang was stunned. "I was just saying it casually, that’s all. I didn’t really..."

Mrs. Han cut her off, saying, "Sister-in-law Xie, Sister-in-law Qin is ill; being sick is miserable enough as it is. Whether you meant it or not, you should not joke about her sore spot. Besides, Sister-in-law Qin saved you—twice—she’s your lifesaver. The way you’re behaving right now can be called ungrateful."

Having no schemes is fine, but being too dumb—so dumb that you can’t even tell when you’re in the wrong—that’s a kind of sickness.