They've all separated, so what does it matter to me if they get poorer and poorer?

Chapter 110 Trying to fool him? Dream on.
Lai Sheng waited for a while, and seeing that his master's anger had subsided, he spoke up: "Manager, please calm down. That country bumpkin is vulgar and crude, and doesn't know how to speak properly. It's ridiculous. If you get angry, wouldn't that just let her get what she wants? That would be too good for her!"

Fang Zhengduan's anger subsided somewhat, and he nodded with a cold smile: "You're right."

Lai Sheng: "Shopkeeper, should I go and check on that prescription again?"

"No need!" Fang Zhengduan sneered. "They won't be able to fool me. You don't need to worry about this. I have my own ideas."

"Yes."

Seeing Xu Zhichun's certainty, Lai Sheng became somewhat uncertain, wondering if the prescription might really be hers.
However, Fang Zhengduan insisted on his own opinion.

How could a mere country woman possibly possess any unique remedy? It must be Zeng Xiaoyan's.

The Zeng family treated Zeng Xiaoyan badly, and she held a grudge, so she did this on purpose as a precaution against the Zeng family.

See? Now that she's been found out, she has an excuse.

Trying to fool him? Dream on!

Fang Zhengduan ordered a carriage to be prepared so that he could go to the Zeng family to see his elder sister, Madam Zeng.

Disrespecting her uncle, is that it? Not treating him as an elder, is that it? Then let someone in charge of her manage her.

Xu Zhichun and the others left the city and returned home.

Xu Zhichun said, "We can't afford to waste time doing small business and making money peacefully. I deliberately provoked Manager Fang, and I expect he will take action soon. It's better to resolve this matter as soon as possible. It will save us from having this feeling bothered all the time."

Aunt Zhu laughed and said, "I knew it! Why didn't you give Manager Fang any face today?"

When she heard Xu Zhichun's words, she was so frightened that her legs went weak and her heart raced. He was deliberately provoking her and stirring things up.

Zeng Xiaoyan suddenly realized and clapped her hands, laughing, "That's for the best! We really don't need to get entangled with that person endlessly."

The next day, they set up their stall as usual.

Although we were upset by the people from Fangzheng yesterday, the pig's head meat was bought in advance, and we still have braised meat for sale today.

The two pig heads weren't very big. After the meat was removed and braised, it was estimated to weigh about 25 or 26 jin (12.5-13 catties). Several jin were left for the three families to share, so it only weighed around 20 jin (10 kg).

As soon as the stall was set up, the aroma of braised meat attracted many customers, who rushed to grab it and it sold out quickly.

Konjac tofu and konjac noodles are being sold in an orderly manner.

There were still about two or three pounds of konjac tofu and konjac noodles left to sell, so Xu Zhichun said with a smile, "I won't sell these anymore. Xiaoyan, aren't you going to visit your second sister? Take these with you and let them try them. I also left about two or three pounds of braised meat, so you can take that with you."

Zeng Xiaoyan felt a warmth in her heart and nodded gratefully with a smile: "Thank you, Sister-in-law Zhichun. My second sister will definitely like it!"

Thinking that her second sister had lost a lot of weight, Zeng Xiaoyan bought more than three pounds of meat and two pounds of pastries.

As the oxcart left the city, Xu Zhichun and Aunt Zhu'er got off at the fork in the road leading to Loujia Village.

Zeng Xiaoyan: "My aunt and sister-in-law will find a shady spot to wait, and I'll just check on my second sister and talk to her before I come over."

"It's alright, you just go."

Zeng Xiaoyan did not know where her second sister's husband's family lived; she only knew that they lived in Loujia Village.

When her second sister got married, she was confined to a small courtyard by her stepmother and forbidden from leaving. The only thing told to others was that she was sick, and she didn't even make it to the wedding.

The two drove the oxcart into the village and, after asking around, arrived at Lou Er's house.

Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. After all, the Lou family had once run a shop in the city and their ancestors had been wealthy. Later, they fell on hard times and returned to the village, where they still lived in brick houses.

However, it has been in disrepair for many years and looks very old.

A sparse bamboo fence, about waist-high, surrounded the gate. The fence wasn't high, so Zeng Xiaoyan could see her second sister being beaten from afar.

Zeng Xiaojuan's mother-in-law was whipping Zeng Xiaojuan with a rattan cane without any explanation, yelling and cursing as she did so. Zeng Xiaojuan ignored the rattan cane hitting her back and body, and instead bent over to hug the small Qiao'er tightly to protect her. Qiao'er struggled and cried desperately, her cries both childish and heart-wrenching.

"You little slut! You're so young and already so badly behaved, yet you dare to protect her! Protect her! Protect her! I'll teach you to protect her! It's all your fault for corrupting her, I might as well beat you to death!"

"No! No! Grandma, please don't hit my mom! I didn't, I didn't steal my brother's candy, I didn't!"

"You worthless wretch, how dare you lie!"

Zeng Xiaoyan's anger surged to the top of her head.

Liang Mingliang, holding the reins, was also stunned—wasn't she too ruthless? If this old woman were in their Liangjia Village, she would definitely be ranked number one shrew, far ahead of the second place.

Liang Mingliang felt pain as he watched the vines fall like raindrops, and the sharp, vulgar curses only added to the pain, making his temples throb.

Xiao Yan's second sister is really pitiful.

Zeng Xiaoyan jumped out of the car, swayed slightly, and quickly ran over, pulling Zeng Xiaojuan behind her to protect her. "Stop!"

"Wife, wait for me."

Liang Mingliang was startled and, without even bothering to tie up the oxcart, jumped down and chased after them.

He was afraid that the old woman would beat his wife.

Aunt Lou was startled. "Who are you?"

Zeng Xiaojuan was stunned for a moment, then surprised and delighted: "Xiao Yan!"

Zeng Xiaoyan said angrily, "Mother-in-law, if my father finds out that you've hit my second sister like this, what do you think he'll do?"

"you--"

Aunt Lou's face darkened; she was angry, resentful, and a little scared.

Master Zeng was a miser and refused to help the Lou family. Lou's third aunt and second aunt tried to flatter and fawn over him, hoping to win him over one day, but in their hearts they resented his cold-heartedness and ruthlessness, as even in-laws refused to help each other.

Every time they were furious, they dared not and had no ability to retaliate against the Zeng family, and Zeng Xiaojuan would suffer the consequences.

Although both Zeng Xiaojuan and Zeng Xiaoyan were illegitimate daughters who grew up under the oppression of their stepmothers, their personalities were completely opposite. One was rebellious and stubborn to the extreme, willing to risk everything to cause trouble, even if it meant hurting the enemy a hundred times and herself a thousand times. The other was timid, weak, and submissive, only able to endure things and never daring to resist.

Zeng Xiaojuan is Madam Zeng's proud creation—a perfect illegitimate daughter.

Therefore, the family she married into was also a wealthy merchant family, and her dowry was ten taels more than Zeng Xiaoyan's.

But you can't say she's lucky.

When she inquired about him, Madam Zeng learned that Lou Er was a gambler and a scoundrel.

No matter what, Zeng Xiaojuan is still a daughter of the Zeng family. If Aunt Lou beats her like this, and Zeng Xiaoyan really makes a scene in front of Master Zeng, he can't possibly ignore it.

Aunt Lou sneered viciously, "It's my place as a mother-in-law disciplining my own daughter-in-law, what can anyone do about it? This little slut—"

"What little bitch? Who's the little bitch? Is your Lou family's daughter-in-law a bitch? And you? You're also a Lou family daughter-in-law, right? How should I address you?"

"Shut up! Don't you have any manners?!"

Liang Mingliang frowned: "Why are you being so fierce? My wife is just agreeing with what you said. You say my wife is ill-mannered, but what about you?"

(End of this chapter)