Chapter 2943 - 2944: Two Daughters-in-Law

Chapter 2943: Chapter 2944: Two Daughters-in-Law

Why did something happen in Su Family Village?

If at that time the Bai Family had handled it with a tough attitude and blamed Su Family Village for slander, and the matter escalated?

A small village with three imperial arches, not very conspicuous, but once the matter escalates, the incidents of that year will be brought up again, and by then the Bai Family will inevitably face boiling public resentment, which even the Emperor wouldn’t be able to ignore.

The person behind this is Qin Kaichang, but who is behind Qin Kaichang? Why target the Bai Family? Is it the Prince Duan or Ma Tongfang?

Although the Bai Family looks prosperous now, they are fundamentally not a family with deep roots, nor do they have the extensive connections of the noble families, only three officials in court, Bai Ruozhu can only be considered half an official, unable to influence the grand scheme of court politics.

If Prince Duan wants to overthrow the court, why specifically target the Bai Family? A waste of effort?

If Ma Tongfang wants to stop them from investigating the events of the past, addressing Bai Family’s business alone might not change anything? Instead, it might raise their vigilance?

"My grandpa named me Su Zhen, hoping I could be as virtuous and filial as my great-grandfather’s mother. In my generation, I am the only girl, all others are brothers. Grandpa treated me well when I was young, but I really love studying medicine..." Su Zhen said as tears fell, "Su Family values benevolence and charity. If I can treat patients and save lives, isn’t that a good deed?"

Bai Ruozhu patted her head, "Don’t worry, your grandpa might change his mind, at least he went to apologize with sincerity."

Su Zhen burst into laughter, "Yeah, for someone as proud as my grandpa, that’s quite rare."

"By the way, tell me about the deaths in your village, the more detailed the better." Bai Ruozhu said.

Su Zhen slowly began to speak, this incident could also be said to be a scandal in Su Family Village and generally wouldn’t be told to outsiders, but now not just Su Zhen, even the village head Su Kang wouldn’t see Bai Ruozhu as an outsider.

"The deceased was Qiao Family’s second daughter-in-law, in the village her and the wife of Niu San’s reputation was not good, both had been in contact with men. However, the one often visiting the wife of Niu San was her cousin, which counts as familial interactions, but the one visiting Qiao’s second daughter-in-law, we didn’t recognize, it was discovered by chance."

"The second son of the Qiao Family has a bad temper, he is solid as a calf, would resort to violence when he couldn’t get answers. He is not decent, hitting women is wrong after all, so now the second son of Qiao is not living well, hiding at home every day afraid to go out, I’ve heard he’s very scared at night, neighbors hear him scream."

Su Zhen smiled embarrassedly, "These are all things my mother told me, I didn’t know much being outside, the day I returned to the Entrance of the Village with you Master mentioned dispelling foulness, I went home and asked my mother. My mother normally helps the village women with errands, mediating disputes, matchmaking and she knows much more than the average person."

Bai Ruozhu nodded, Su Zhen’s mother was in a role similar to a modern Women’s Federation leader.

"A few days later, Qiao’s second daughter-in-law hanged herself. I heard they saved her but her tongue was stretched this long, eyes bulging, and even at burial her eyes wouldn’t close, very frightening." Su Zhen shivered as she spoke, "They all said she was wronged, claiming Qiao’s second son hit her too hard."

"Wasn’t it reported to the officials? Was there no autopsy?" Bai Ruozhu asked.

"It’s usually not reported to officials for hanging suicides. Are you suspecting she didn’t commit suicide?" Su Zhen covered her mouth, "Was she strangled by Qiao’s second son?"

Bai Ruozhu gave her a look, "Don’t think wildly. I just worry it was homicide. Don’t tell anyone about this, I’ll find a way for an autopsy."

"Aren’t you scared?" Su Zhen asked nervously.

Bai Ruozhu laughed, tempted to say in her medical studies years ago, they dissected corpses, but such words were too unusual in ancient times, best not to scare the young girl.

As they talked, they saw a figure flash past, Su Zhen hurriedly grabbed Bai Ruozhu, whispered, "Lord Bai, that’s the cousin of the wife of Niu San, why is he here again? Isn’t he afraid of Niu San hitting him?"

Bai Ruozhu became curious and whispered, "Let’s go see."

Su Zhen’s eyes lit up, she nodded vigorously.

This girl was rebellious at heart, and a bit gossipy.

They followed and indeed saw him looking for the wife of Niu San.

"How did the selling go?" Niu San’s wife asked softly.

"Sold out, that lady especially liked your paintings and asked that you send more if you have any." The cousin happily took out silver and handed it to the wife of Niu San, but she pushed it back.

"Cousin, keep it for me. If I take it back, it’ll be hard to explain, and I already publicly asked Niu San to write a divorce paper. I’ll support Niuniu myself from now on, relying on this silver." The wife of Niu San said.

The cousin was shocked, "Why a divorce paper, shouldn’t it be a separation? He doesn’t deserve you, if your mother hadn’t been seriously ill, why would you have married him? He even resents you for having a daughter."

The wife of Niu San gave a bitter smile, "It’s one thing for them to resent me, but they resent Niuniu too much, I don’t want Niuniu to suffer anymore. Divorce then, they won’t agree to separation."

"How will you remarry after the divorce? It’ll tarnish your reputation." The cousin earnestly said.

"Why remarry? Supporting my child is enough, why marry someone else only to suffer again? I’ve worked hard for the Niu Family day and night, haven’t I been good to them? But how do they treat me and my daughter?" Niu San’s wife said with some anger, her voice rising a bit.

The cousin sighed, "Since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t say more. Rest assured with the silver. If you want to buy land, I’ll help look after it."

"No rush to buy land, I may start a small business." Niu San’s wife said, appearing to be a decisive woman.

"Alright, when the time comes, have someone deliver a message, and your cousin-in-law and I will come get you." The cousin said.

"Thank you, cousin, make sure to bring my cousin-in-law, I don’t want to cause you more trouble." She said apologetically.

The cousin chuckled, "What trouble? I promised my second aunt on her deathbed, I will help you out."

Soon, they parted, and Su Zhen, not having Bai Ruozhu’s good hearing, complained, "What did they say? I couldn’t hear at all."

"Your village misunderstands the wife of Niu San. Her cousin has been helping her sell paintings, but she doesn’t want the Niu Family to know, she plans to use earnings from her paintings to start a small business and support her daughter, not intending to remarry."

Bai Ruozhu felt for them, if in ancient times a woman met the wrong person, life was tough indeed. Working tirelessly without complaint, and yet their own child suffers hardships too, just like her parents back then.