Chapter 36: Escape
"Second, Third, Fourth, where did you all die off to?" Madam Yu screamed. "Get over here and waste this stinking girl."
With Madam Yu’s shouting echoing out, chaotic and heavy footsteps were heard coming from outside the courtyard gate.
Bang! Several tall men burst into the courtyard.
Three men, strikingly similar in appearance to Eldest Feng, charged over with murderous intent.
"Daughter, run." Zhang Zhaodi hurriedly stood up, her foot slipped, and her whole body fell to the ground. "Daughter, don’t mind your mother, just go."
The reason the Feng family could become the richest household in the village was because they had many men. Every man in the Feng family was strong, one son was worth several of another family’s sons. No one dared offend the Feng family within miles, causing them to become increasingly arrogant. This time, Mrs. Zhang came to the Feng family to deliver a baby, partly for the promised payment which was three times that of others, and partly because when they invited her, they were extremely courteous, saying many pleasant things, which made her take a chance.
Feng Second charged to grab Zhou Wangshu.
Feng Third and Feng Fourth sinisterly moved towards Su Yaoguang, extending their coarse arms toward her.
Su Yaoguang ignored Madam Yu, and as Feng Third and Feng Fourth were about to act, she took the initiative, directly executing an over-the-shoulder throw on Feng Third. While Feng Fourth was cursing, she kicked at his knee, and as he staggered, she stomped on his wrist.
"Aahhh..." Feng Fourth screamed miserably.
Feng Third had just climbed up, witnessing Feng Fourth’s fate, his gaze towards Su Yaoguang turned respectful.
How could such a skinny little girl have such strength? Did they hit a wall this time; was she a trained fighter?
Feng Second was about to attack Zhou Wangshu but upon seeing the severe losses of Third and Fourth, he suddenly hesitated.
If a little girl was this formidable, wouldn’t that guy be even more so?
Zhou Wangshu weighed the stone in his hand.
This stone was precisely the one that had smashed Feng Eldest’s arm earlier.
"Wang Shu, come here..." Su Yaoguang said.
Zhou Wangshu trotted over, standing behind Su Yaoguang, obediently said, "Yaoguang, see how awesome I am, they got scared."
Su Yaoguang: "..."
He charged around like a fool, while these tall and burly Feng family men had nothing but mush in their heads; they weren’t scared but were unable to gauge Zhou Wangshu’s true strength, afraid he was a tough one to deal with despite appearances.
A fool’s luck, that’s him, isn’t it!
But well, at least he wasn’t hurt.
Su Yaoguang stood in front of Zhou Wangshu and Zhang Zhaodi, coldly staring at Madam Yu and the Feng brothers: "Now we can discuss compensation."
Eldest Feng said irreconcilably, "I give up. What do you want?"
"Do you still claim that your daughter was killed by my mother?" Su Yaoguang looked at Eldest Feng indifferently.
Eldest Feng paused momentarily, then hoarsely said, "She was unlucky, passed away shortly after birth."
From their expressions, Su Yaoguang knew she guessed correctly, the little infant was likely killed by Madam Yu and Eldest Feng. They despised having a girl; upon seeing it was a girl, they didn’t intend for her to live. Her mother was just unlucky to encounter such a wretched situation. These things are very common in rural areas; even if reported, the government wouldn’t accept the case. After all, they can’t meddle in private household issues. Today, all she wants is to take her mother away, not to handle someone else’s affairs.
"As long as you admit it. You detained my mother and subjected her to hardship, compensating fifteen taels of silver isn’t unreasonable, right?"
"Your mother was just hungry for two days, we didn’t beat her or torture her, and you want fifteen taels of silver?" Madam Yu screeched, "Why don’t you go rob instead?"
"Great suggestion, I am robbing, aren’t I?" Su Yaoguang said.
Eldest Feng sinisterly stared at her, "Wasn’t the deal for ten taels?"
"I’m tired from fighting, later I need tea, those five taels are for my tea money," Su Yaoguang said, "Furthermore, Wang Shu is frail, after being scared by you, he’ll need medicine again. And my mother, after your bullying, probably won’t dare to be a midwife anymore, if we count each thing..."
"Fine." Eldest Feng raised his smashed hand, painfully said, "Mother, give it to her."
Madam Yu had never suffered such a loss.
No one ever dared to offend their family; even if some dared to resist, which of them wasn’t beaten into submission by her sons?
Things had been so smooth these years, leading them to never consider they’d be defeated by a little girl.
Madam Yu didn’t want to give the silver, but her sons were injured; whether she wanted to or not, she had to give it. If she didn’t, the plague would not leave.
Madam Yu went inside and brought out fifteen taels of broken silver and handed it over.
Su Yaoguang crouched down, hoisting Zhang Zhaodi onto her back and walked out.
Upon reaching the doorstep, she turned around to look.
The Feng men stared at her vigilantly, "What else do you want?"
"If I hear anyone spreading filth about my mother outside, I’ll take it as your doing. Best not look for trouble, or my fists may soon find you to scratch an itch."
Zhou Wangshu untied the rope of the ox cart, sitting at the front driving seat.
"Do you know how to drive an ox cart?"
"I think I can, let me try, you take care of Aunt Zhang." Ox carts and horse carts should be similar, right? He could drive a horse cart, the ox cart should be the same.
Su Yaoguang and Zhang Zhaodi sat closely together on the hay.
Zhou Wangshu wasn’t smooth initially in driving the ox cart, as the ox pulling it was uncooperative, taking quite some time just to leave the village.
Originally, Su Yaoguang intended to replace him, but seeing him circle around the village, she used the opportunity to chit-chat with the villagers.
"Auntie, Auntie, how are your relations with the Feng family over there? Are you close?"
The aunt picking vegetables in the garden, sensing gossip, came over curiously asking, "Why? Why are you asking about their family?"
"My mother is a midwife, wasn’t Mrs. Feng one from their family in labor? At first, the baby’s position wasn’t right, my mother worked hard to correct it so the child could be born, then the mother had a severe hemorrhage. Despite being the best midwife for miles around, she still saved her in the end. Once the baby was born, its cries were loud, showing no harm was done. Normally you’d breathe a sigh of relief, but after my mother slept a nap, she heard their family said the child still died."
"Hey, Auntie, if you’re close, comfort their family and tell them to let it go. That child had a weak fate destined to be unrelated to their family; they’re still young, they’ll have more children."
The aunt’s expression turned odd, muttering, "I think that child wasn’t of weak fate, it’s fortunate not to be born into their family. Anyway, having survived so many dangers shows she’s blessed; how could she die as soon as she was said to? That family’s done all sorts of evil, could it be they did something?"
"Auntie, what are you saying?"
"Nothing, I just want to know if the child was a boy or a girl?"
"She was a lovely little girl."
"No wonder." The aunt slapped her thigh, muttering, "They must have done it on purpose, poor little baby just born..."