Drunk Zhao Kuo

"I told you to buy a piece of tofu. Why did you take so long? Why are you showing off to that little unlucky star?" Madam Cao walked out of the kitchen in an apron and said to Yu Ziyi in a sharp voice, "Hurry up and give me the tofu. I'm still waiting to stew it!"

After Yu Ziyi finished showing off his tofu in front of Yu Xiaolian, he pouted and said to Madam Cao, "Mother, what have you been eating since you returned home? Can't you stew meat for me once? If I had known that we would eat these things every day, I wouldn't have dropped out of school."

Madam Cao glared at Yu Ziyi. "How can our family compare to the food in school? Your mother bought this tofu with her own money. If it were up to your grandmother, she wouldn't even be willing to pay a single cent."

Yu Ziyi complained, "It's just this piece of tofu. There are so many people eating it. If someone doesn't pay, they shouldn't eat it."

Madam Cao shushed him. "You're too bold. Aren't you afraid that your grandma will hear you?"

"What's there to be afraid of? My grandmother is biased towards my third uncle. She will definitely follow my third uncle in the future. I think we should also learn from Second Uncle and split up from my grandmother and the others as soon as possible. That way, we won't be working for my third uncle for nothing."

"Stop talking." Madam Cao punched Yu Ziyi. "From what you're saying, you're still envious of your Second Uncle? Is your Second Uncle from a normal family? He was chased out by your grandmother.

If we were to split up, neither money nor land would do. Your father had done the most hard work over the years.

"However, your father listens to your grandmother the most. He definitely won't agree to split up."

Madam Cao pointed at the stove and asked Yu Ziyi to start the fire for her.

Yu Ziyi reluctantly went over and used a flint to light the fire. He said, "Every time my Third Uncle comes back, Grandma either prepares stewed chicken or stewed meat. She even gives my Third Uncle money. My father watches over the house and farms. He works himself to death, but she doesn't give us a single cent. It's too unfair."

When Madam Cao heard her son's words, she also sighed. "Who asked your third uncle to be a student? Your father was born to work hard."

"My third uncle is at most a student. He failed to pass the Elementary Scholar examination twice. If my grandmother has the money, she might as well keep it for my brother to study. If it really doesn't work, give me some and let me do some small business."

Yu Ziyi added another piece of firewood. "I don't care. If my grandmother wants me to go up the mountain to pick firewood in a few days, I'll ask her for money. I don't want to work for her for nothing."

Madam Cao thought for a moment and leaned close to Yu Ziyi to whisper a few words.

Yu Ziyi's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he nodded repeatedly.

Yu Changhe moved the woven baskets into the small storeroom. He looked at the stacks of wicker baskets and revealed a satisfied smile. When these baskets were sold, the family would have another sum of money.

Suddenly, the sound of something falling and hitting came from the Zhao family next door. Yu Changhe crossed his legs and looked over. He said worriedly, "What's going on? Why are you fighting out of the blue?"

Hearing Madam Feng's cries getting louder and louder, Yu Changhe was about to open the courtyard door and go over to stop the fight. Yu Xiaolian hurriedly followed Yu Changhe. If there was a good show to watch, she would naturally be included.

Coincidentally, Madam Sun had also returned the money from the other families, so the three of them went to the Zhao family.

As soon as she entered the Zhao family's courtyard, Madam Feng ran out of the house with her face covered. Behind her was Zhao Kuo, who she had beaten up.

Although Yu Changhe was crippled, he was still strong. He stopped the drunk and red-eyed Zhao Kuo, and Madam Sun protected Madam Feng behind her.

Yu Changhe saw the wound on Zhao Kuo's face. "What's wrong? Who hit you?"

It couldn't be Madam Feng who beat Zhao Kuo up like this.

Zhao Kuo, who was drunk, was stopped by Yu Changhe. He roared, "This damn woman! I've already been beaten up like this, but she's still making sarcastic remarks. She deserves to be beaten up!"

"Why are you so drunk? Who hit you?" Yu Changhe tried to help Zhao Kuo into the house.

At this moment, the old couple, who had let their son hit their daughter-in-law, saw Yu Changhe and the others coming over. They hurriedly came out and explained, "Zhao Kuo is already in a bad mood, but his wife even mocked him. Which man can stand this? I think it's not wrong for my son to hit her."

Madam Feng cried, "I just asked him why he came back so late today. Who hit him? I didn't say anything else!"

Old Madam Zhao pointed at Madam Feng. "What else do you want to ask? My son is a bailiff in town and supports the entire family. Who are you to interfere and ask questions? If he doesn't want to say it, why are you forcing him?"

Madam Feng cried her heart out. Usually, she washed clothes, cooked, chased dogs, and fed ducks. She worked hard outside the family and was considerate to her husband. She was even respectful to her in-laws. She did not expect Zhao Kuo to hit her after drinking too much. It was fine if her in-laws did not stop him, but they even exaggerated and asked Zhao Kuo to teach her a lesson.

"Didn't Uncle Zhao go to Hunter Jiang's house to buy pheasants just now? Why was he covered in injuries? Could it be Hunter Jiang?"

Since Zhao Kuo didn't want others to know where his injuries came from, Yu Xiaolian had to say it out loud so that her father could get to know his childhood friend.

"What? Hunter Jiang?"

Madam Zhao raised her voice and immediately pointed her spear at Hunter Jiang. Zhao Kuo was tall and had good skills. To be able to beat her son up like this, only Hunter Jiang who was highly skilled in martial arts in this village could do it.

"What right does Hunter Jiang have to hit my son? I usually buy the most prey. He's really kind-hearted! No, I have to go to his house and ask. I don't believe that a man like him would dare to hit an old woman."

When Zhao Kuo heard that his mother was going to Hunter Jiang's house to cause trouble, he seemed to have sobered up halfway. He shouted at Old Madam Zhao, "You're not allowed to go!"

Old Madam Zhao refused. "No, no one can hit my son. I have to find him!"

Zhao Kuo shouted angrily, "Master Tong hit me. Go and find him!"

Old Madam Zhao was stunned on the spot. "Master Tong? That Master Tong from the Pan family?"

Yu Xiaolian exclaimed in her heart. It seemed that this Old Madam Zhao knew a lot. She even knew about the Pan family.

Zhao Kuo lowered his head. "It's him!"

Old Madam Zhao immediately wilted and stopped shouting. She was still a little worried.

What if her son offended the Pan family? If he was like Yu Changhe and got his legs broken by the Pan family and lost his job, their family's good days would be over!

At the thought of this, Madam Zhao was extremely worried. She rushed to Zhao Kuo's side and said, "Son, aren't you friends with Young Master Pan? Why did he send someone to beat you up? Don't tell me you've lost your job?"

Zhao Kuo was friends with Young Master Pan?

When Yu Changhe heard Old Lady Zhao's words, he stared at Zhao Kuo. "When did you become friends with Pan Jinrong?"

Zhao Kuo waved his hand in a panic. "Don't listen to my mother's nonsense. How can I have any friendship with Pan Jinrong? If I did, I wouldn't have been beaten up by Master Tong."

Yu Changhe asked again, "Then why did the Pan family hit you?"

Zhao Kuo staggered a few times, pretending to be drunk.

When Father Zhao saw that his son was about to fall, he quickly supported Zhao Kuo, and Zhao Kuo also 'fainted'.

He fainted at the right time!

Yu Xiaolian looked at Yu Changhe. "Father, Uncle Zhao was fine before he went to the Jiang family. It's too strange that he was beaten up by the Pan family in the Jiang family's home."

Yu Changhe glanced at Madam Feng, who was still crying, and said to Madam Sun, "Why don't you bring her back to our house for a while? I'll go to the Jiang family."

Madam Sun nodded and was about to pull Madam Feng away when she heard Old Madam Zhao say sternly, "You're not at home to take care of your drunk husband. Where are you going? If you don't think about it carefully, pack your bags and get lost. My son earns three taels of silver a month. Are you afraid that he won't be able to get a wife?"

Madam Feng wiped her tears and said to Madam Sun, "I won't go over. You go home first. Don't worry about me."

Madam Sun comforted her, "Zhao Kuo has passed out. He probably won't hit you anymore. He'll be fine when he sobers up."