boyutpedia Chapter 23 The Old Ox in the Historical Fiction 3
Chapter 23 The Old Ox in the Historical Fiction 3
The captain said to Qingmo with a troubled expression, "National wife, you've gone too far. Even if you're angry, you shouldn't hit the elderly and children."
The villagers watching were also whispering and criticizing her.
Er Gou's mother: "Pah! If this kind of daughter-in-law was disrespectful to her parents-in-law, I would have Er Gou beat her to death long ago."
Aunt Cuihua: "Who says otherwise? The Zhang family has really done something terrible, marrying such a shrew!"
The captain's wife said, "This 'national wife' doesn't seem like the type to fight with children for food, does she?"
Villager A: "I see that the 'national daughter-in-law' earns 10 work points every day. She does all the housework, big and small. Usually, I only see her doing it. The other two daughters-in-law are very leisurely. She doesn't seem like the lazy people say she is."
Villager B: "Everyone knows that the nation's daughter-in-law is exhausted every day after marrying into the family, working like an old ox. She's probably been worn down and driven crazy."
Wang Ermazi: "If this little bitch were my wife, I'd beat her three times a day. A few beatings would toughen her up. It's all Zhang Lao Er's fault for being useless; he can't even discipline his wife."
There were all sorts of opinions, but most people said that someone like her who dared to hit her mother-in-law deserved to be taught a lesson. Only a few people knew that the Zhang family had mistreated this daughter-in-law and thought that they had pushed her too far, and that the young woman had rebelled.
Qingmo glanced at the people around her, but only gave them a cold look before remaining seated and motionless.
“Ha, Captain, if I ask myself honestly, ever since I married Zhang Guomin, I have been dutiful to my parents-in-law and loving to my children, but Zhang Guomin has never given me a single penny of the money he earns.”
After she finished speaking, she paused for a moment, and her eyes immediately reddened, making her look pitiful and on the verge of tears.
“These are all things I should do as a daughter-in-law, I have no complaints, but my in-laws demand that I earn 10 work points every day, and they don’t even give me enough to eat.”
"I fainted from hunger in the field today. I wasn't feeling well, so I didn't cook. When my mother-in-law came back, she pointed her finger at me and scolded me for a long time. Nobody cared about me at all."
“I get up before dawn every day to work. I fetch the water, chop the firewood, do the laundry, cook, wash the dishes, and feed the chickens. It’s all my job. I even wash the clothes for my eldest and third sons’ families.”
“I have never seen a married brother-in-law whose wife has to wash the whole family’s underwear, and whose two sisters-in-law do nothing while the whole family waits for me to serve them.”
"That's not all. How can I have the strength to work if I'm not full every day? I always eat the least at home. They are all daughters-in-law, but they can eat one and a half cornbreads, while I can only eat one and drink half a bowl of watery porridge with hardly any grains of rice."
"They only need to earn 7 or 8 work points a day, while I can't earn 10 and I won't have anything to eat that day. They eat three meals a day, while I only have two. I'm not allowed to eat breakfast. They're all eating while I'm working."
“The children don’t respect me either. I ask myself if I have ever mistreated them. I don’t expect them to call me ‘mother,’ but they should at least show me some basic respect. Instead, they call me a cheap woman and a good-for-nothing.”
“As soon as I resisted even slightly, my mother-in-law would instigate him to beat me when Zhang Guomin came back from the county. I don’t understand why I’m the only one being tormented, since we’re both daughters-in-law.”
"I was the one who hit him. I've thought it through today. If I'm not having a good time, then nobody should either. Even a clay figure has some temper." She said this while tears streamed down her face, her expression stubborn and resolute.
They all lived in the same village, so the villagers naturally knew that the Zhang family was tormenting their daughter-in-law, but they didn't expect her to be so ruthless, even making her wash her brother-in-law's underwear.
Before the "national daughter-in-law" married into the family, all the daughters-in-law were capable workers, and Zhang's mother never mistreated them. Only this Feng family member was bullied by Zhang, which was really outrageous.
Hearing the people around them talking about them, the Zhang family members felt a little embarrassed. The reason they were tormenting the original owner was because the original owner's family had asked for a dowry of 100, but hadn't brought back a single penny, so they naturally wanted to treat the original owner like a workhorse.
Zhang's mother immediately became furious, "What nonsense are you spouting, you little whore? Isn't every daughter-in-law like this? Your family asked for a dowry of 100, and our family scraped together the money to marry you. Of course, you have to earn that money back. What's the point of doing this little bit of work?"
"What a tragedy! My poor old woman has such a daughter-in-law. In a couple of days, when my second son comes back, I'll make him send you, you troublemaker, back to your parents' home. We can't afford to support such a big shot like you, and you'd better return my dowry, you little slut!"
Captain: "National Daughter-in-law, no matter what your in-laws did wrong, you can't hit them. Filial piety is the most important virtue. You've made such a big fuss, do you still want to live a normal life? Apologize to your in-laws properly and don't hit them again. Otherwise, when the National returns, we won't be able to persuade you to go back to your parents' home. Think it over carefully."
Although the brigade leader also despised the Zhang family, people at that time valued reputation and filial piety. It was considered natural for a mother-in-law to beat her daughter-in-law, but it was considered unfilial for a daughter-in-law to beat her mother-in-law, and everyone would despise her.
Qingmo knew perfectly well what was going on, but she didn't care. Reputation couldn't put food on the table. Divorce her? Ha, she and Zhang Guomin had a marriage certificate. As long as she didn't agree, he couldn't divorce her.
"Uncle Captain, this is a family matter. Thank you for coming all this way. But family matters are best resolved privately. Whether Zhang Guomin and I divorce or not, it's our business, so please don't trouble yourself."
"You... never mind, your good intentions have been wasted. If you get divorced, don't blame me for not advising you."
After saying that, he turned and left, both angry at Qingmo for being ungrateful and annoyed by the Zhang family's trouble-making.
This is a family matter. Even as a captain, he could only reprimand Qingmo a couple of times. He couldn't make Qingmo pay for the family's money, nor could he report it to the police. Even if the police came, they would only give him a reprimand.
Such things happen a lot in rural areas. If a mother-in-law beats her daughter-in-law, or a daughter-in-law starves her mother-in-law to death, these are all considered family matters. As long as no one dies, the police won't get involved.
After watching the excitement, the villagers dispersed, and Qingmo went back to her room to sleep.
The Zhang family helped him back to his room, and told Old Man Zhang to go to the clinic and ask Doctor Xu to come and prescribe some medicinal wine to wipe it off. They didn't dare to provoke Qingmo anymore.
We can only wait until the second son comes back in a couple of days and let him teach this little bitch a lesson.