10 Chapter 10: Scheme (1)_1

Demanding half a pig in one go, what a voracious appetite, and what a huge face she has.

Upon hearing her eldest uncle's unabashed words, Cai Wei could only sneer to herself.

She had seen shameless people, but never to such an extent—it was indeed rare!

Lady Du was of a mild temperament, but she was no fool. She was acutely aware of how her in-laws had treated her, her husband, and their children over the years. No matter how well she performed her obligations, her in-laws would still detest her. Regardless of how much money she gave to them, they would always regard it as their due. Therefore, apart from the monthly obligatory two hundred copper coins for their retirement, Lady Du refused to spend even one copper on them.

Consequently, she replied with a gentle smile, "Eldest uncle, if our parents crave meat, I will cut a piece and let Wen'er deliver it to them later."

Lady Du's words were simple, but they conveyed a clear message: wanting to eat meat was fine, but it would only be a piece, not half.

Her mother's attitude pleased Cai Wei. The reason she hadn't rebuked her eldest uncle before was because she wanted to see her mother's attitude towards the eldest branch. If her mother was submissive and obedient to them, she would still help the family, but she would feel somewhat disappointed in her mother. But now, she was pleased with her mother's words, at least her mother was not the type to be oppressed; it was just that she didn't have the capital to defy the eldest branch.

Upon hearing Lady Du's comment, all the gossipy neighbors huddled around, winking at each other in mirth; one joked, "Even if Elder Mu and Eldest Lady Mu turn into Maitreya Buddha, they would not be able to eat half a pig all by themselves; unless, Elder Brother Mu wants to play the obedient child and eat it on their behalf."

"Ha-ha-ha…"

Everyone laughed heartily, utterly uninterested in saving face for him.

Being rebuffed publicly by his sister-in-law was indeed humiliating for Mu Zhongli, and the laughs and taunts from the sardonic neighbors made him angry with embarrassment. He scoffed and said, "Sister, did you forget how to be a daughter-in-law? The in-laws just want a bit of meat, yet you're putting up all these obstacles. Don't forget, it's because of you that the Mu Family is in such a situation. At least, we could have had two more acres of good land."

Everyone in Mu Family Village understood the meaning of Mu Zhongli's words, as the Mu Liankui couple had been harping on about it like Sister Xiang Lin in the village for over a decade. Everyone, from eighty-year-old elders to children who were just old enough to understand, knew the story of the Mu Family's two acres of good farmland.

The story was simple: fifteen years ago, Mu Zhongqing, who was then the second son of the Mu Family, passed the imperial examination and caught the eye of Landlord Zhou from a nearby village. Landlord Zhou wanted to bring Mu Zhongqing into his family by arranging a marriage with his daughter, and promised his daughter's dowry to be the two acres of good farmland. The Mu Liankui couple were overjoyed and hastily agreed. However, they never expected their son to strongly resist.

Miss Zhou, with her weight of one hundred and forty jin, yellowed teeth, and promiscuous reputation, was not a woman Mu Zhongqing would marry, even if she were a princess, let alone the daughter of a rural landlord. Therefore, on a dark and windy night, he left a letter for his family and ran away to the capital to study, claiming it was for further studies when in reality, it was to flee this unwanted marriage.

With the person in question gone, the marriage naturally fell through. Elder Mu's coveted two acres of good land turned into nothing but a mirage, leading Lady Mu Bai to fall ill. Even on her sickbed, she kept clamoring to bring back her unfilial son to force him into the marriage…

Therefore, upon her arrival, Lady Du immediately became an eyesore for the two old people of the Mu Family. Every time they saw her, they would be reminded of their two acres of good farmland, causing them to hate her even more. If not for the protection of Mu Zhongqing, Lady Du might have been worn down to death by them years ago!

Mu Zhongli was bringing up the issue of the farmland at this time to remind Lady Du and the neighbors that she owed the two old people of the Mu Family. Giving them the pig was, in his view, her responsibility.