Chapter 52: An Incident ◇

◎ Her grandson's wife was actually slapped by a country hag! ◇

"I wonder why I'm here?"

"Explain yourself first! How many days has it been? Have you finished your errands or not? Did you spend all the money Miss Lian'er gave you on alcohol? Let me tell you, if you did such an immoral thing, you won't even need Miss Lian'er to deal with you; Uncle Two will take care of you."

Then he recalled Uncle Wood's deadly martial arts skills and added, "If you're not afraid of death, go ahead and mess around. Miss Lian'er used to say that you have connections and are cunning but have a good character. I never thought you'd be so irresponsible, neglecting your duties for wine!"

The waiter chased the bickering pair away. As they walked, they continued to argue. When they reached the carriage, Sanshu helped Hua Sanduo up, determined to take him back to the village to give an account to Miss Lian'er!

Hua Sanduo refused to get in, which made Sanshu suspect that the man was too ashamed to face her.

He held tightly onto Hua Sanduo's arm. "If you're not going back, then what do you plan to do? Keep drinking?"

Hua Sanduo forcefully shrugged him off, almost falling to the ground. Fortunately, he caught himself on the carriage just in time. Heading out, Sanshu assumed he was trying to escape and followed after him. The two tussled all the way to the steamed bun shop.

Hua Sanduo took out some copper coins to buy buns, only then climbing into the carriage.

In the carriage, Hua Sanduo bit into a steamed bun hungrily while he said, "Do you really think I want to drink? Alcohol harms the body; it's not worth it. Do you really think I'm that foolish?"

"Why did you drink all night and even get drunk at the tavern then?"

He was trying to fool who? Only an alcoholic would do something like that!

Hua Sanduo finished the three buns he had bought in one go without asking if Sanshu wanted any. He had never been one for politeness.

After eating, he spoke slowly, "The green bricks in town cost twenty percent more per cart than in the county. Miss Lian'er's house is huge, with a large courtyard, so she must need countless green bricks. I did some calculations: if I can save twenty percent on each cart, how much silver will I save once the entire house and courtyard are built? A mere sum for alcohol cannot compare to that."

Sanshu still didn't understand. "What... does that have to do with the money spent on alcohol?"

Hua Sanduo looked at him as if he were an idiot. "Who am I, Hua Sanduo? Just a village ruffian, an unknown nobody. While I can barely manage in town, I have no connections in the county. What should I do without connections? Important figures wouldn't give a second glance at someone like me, a country bumpkin. So, I can only drink with these lowlifes and ask for guidance."

Sanshu finally understood and felt quite embarrassed. He was an honest man, so he apologized to Hua Sanduo, admitting he had jumped to conclusions.

"I shouldn't have thought that you used Miss Lian'er's silver to buy alcohol."

Hua Sanduo, seemingly out of nowhere, pulled a withered dog-tail grass from his pocket and placed it in his mouth. He said lazily, "I'm used to you fools. In the end, my reputation is poor, so it's not surprising that you'd think that way."

Sanshu was eager to explain, but Hua Sanduo waved his hand to stop him. He was not someone who cared much about others' opinions. If it weren't for the fear that this simpleton might really drag him back and report him to Miss Lian'er, he wouldn't bother explaining at all.

He raised an eyebrow and countered with a question, "Why are you here? What are you doing here?"

"Does Miss Lian'er not trust me?"

Sanshu stammered, "No, it's just that Miss Lian'er asked me to come and assist you. She said you'd need the carriage to transport goods after your discussion, so I came early."

Hua Sanduo glanced up and down at Sanshu before suddenly speaking, "Go back. Leave the carriage behind. I'll drive it."

Sanshu, after much effort, had secured this task from his wife and Miss Lian'er; how could he possibly leave so willingly? How could he endure the humiliation of being sent back in his carriage because of Hua Sanduo's single command? For the moment, he put aside his manners, his eyes widening as he declared, "I'm not leaving. Since Miss Lian'er has entrusted me with a job, I must see it through. There's no way I'm going back."

Hua Sanduo: "I know how to drive the carriage. Your presence, Miss Lian'er, would only add to the expense. If you're wise, you'd return to avoid wasting others' silver."

Sanshu argued forcefully, and the two engaged in a heated debate for quite some time. Eventually, they returned to the village in their carriage, their argument spilling right in front of Yu Lian.

Sanshu felt rather aggrieved. "Miss Lian'er, this was the task you entrusted to me. I've been sincere in my efforts, wishing to carry it out diligently. Hua Sanduo is simply too overbearing. He must be hiding something, fearing that I might hinder his plans."

Hua Sanduo removed the blade of grass from his mouth, adopting a more respectful demeanor in front of his employer, Yu Lian. He frowned and countered, "I am capable of driving the carriage; there's no need for an extra idle hand. Hiring another person would only be a waste of silver. Miss Yu Lian, you're not running a charity, so how can you afford to squander money?"

Yu Lian studied Hua Sanduo carefully. The man was slender, probably due to his inclination to shirk work, making him fairer than the other villagers. His large eyes, accentuated by his thinness, gleamed with enthusiasm whenever the topic of silver came up.

She had hired Hua Sanduo because she appreciated his cunning nature. Though his laziness and cunning were frowned upon by the diligent villagers, Yu Lian saw potential in him as a merchant.

If he were born in modern times, he would be an adept capitalist, embodying traits like self-interest, laziness, a preference for shortcuts, love for money, calculative nature, and a knack for cunning schemes.

These traits, which might be deemed undesirable among laborers, made Hua Sanduo well-suited for the world of commerce.

Of course, his character was crucial. After observing him closely, Yu Lian found that despite his bad reputation, Hua Sanduo's integrity was acceptable. Although he disliked hard work, he never shortchanged his wife, ensuring she was always fed even if it meant sharing his own meals. Though he had his quirks, his moral standing seemed sound, which was why she entrusted him with the purchasing tasks.

She didn't mind if Hua Sanduo profited a little from their transactions as long as he carried out his duties effectively, saved her more silver to buy better materials, and earned a fair share for himself.

Hua Sanduo, being astute, likely understood this. As for Sanshu, who only handled transportation, his lack of knowledge about the goods wouldn't hinder Hua Sanduo's profit-making, provided Hua Sanduo could negotiate effectively with outsiders to secure lower-priced materials.

What truly surprised Yu Lian was how meticulously he economized, unwilling to let Sanshu help to save on labor costs... This man was so frugal that he wouldn't spare even himself, a true embodiment of a penny-pinching capitalist in today's world.

After some thought, she intervened in their dispute, saying, "Each person should focus on their specialized tasks. Just because you can drive doesn't mean Sanshu shouldn't work. Everyone has limited energy and capabilities. Hua Sanduo, just ensure the purchasing is done efficiently, and leave the rest. Sanshu is diligent; he can be a great help to you."

Influenced by Yu Lian's persuasion, Hua Sanduo reluctantly agreed. After all, it wasn't his money being spent. Nevertheless, he still found Sanshu somewhat irritating. As Sanshu accompanied him, driving the carriage and assisting in business transactions, their collaboration gradually improved, fostering a better rapport between them.

Just as they had settled the matter with Hua Sanduo and Hua Sanshu, someone rushed over in a panic, shouting, "Lian, something terrible has happened to Miss Yu Lian! Someone was hit by a wooden beam and has fainted, bleeding profusely!"

Yu Lian's heart raced, and she hurriedly rushed to the scene. Not only her, but even the matriarch and Mrs. Chen were alarmed, all dashing towards the construction site out of concern for human life.

The matriarch was so anxious that sweat drenched her forehead. She repeatedly chanted "Amitabha Buddha," hoping that the person would be unharmed.

Should an accident resulting in a loss of life occur on their construction site, their house would undoubtedly not be built. Moreover, they would be implicated in a legal case, and the goodwill they had painstakingly established within the village might crumble. Their ability to live peacefully in the future would become a daunting challenge.

Worse still, the one struck was an only son, a rare occurrence in the village. His aging mother had given birth to several daughters before finally bearing this son at nearly forty, making him the very lifeline of their entire family.

The man was named Hua Baogui, barely twenty years of age. His mother and newly wed wife were prostrated on the ground, weeping bitterly. Yu Lian's brows knitted tightly together as she observed.

Thoughts raced through her mind, silently declaring, "Major trouble is impending."

Despite the perilous journey she underwent while transcending time, she emerged unscathed, with events unfolding favorably along the path she desired. Though life in the countryside was somewhat challenging, her endeavors proceeded smoothly, and she had yet to encounter any significant troubles.

Now, the true ordeal has arrived.

Recalling news of construction site accidents from her previous life, Yu Lian had stumbled upon a situation that any employer would dread, and this was in ancient rural China with extremely primitive medical facilities.

What should she do if something terrible happened?

Before she could ponder more, Yu Lian arrived at the scene. Just as she steadied herself to kneel down for a closer look, the old woman crouching on the ground suddenly sprang up and shoved her, causing her to fall onto her backside. The stirred-up dust blinded her.

Yu Lian blinked and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her eyes. Through her tears, the old woman cried and pointed at her, scolding, "Just because you're a lady from an esteemed family, you think you can get away with taking lives? I see that your whole family is a curse! Building this house has brought nothing but misfortune to my son!"

"If anything happens to him today, I'll sacrifice my own life just to take a bite out of you! My precious child, my heart and soul, it took so much effort to raise you to twenty years old. You've just married, and we haven't even seen any grandchildren yet, and now this calamity befalls you!"

The old woman attempted to attack again, but was held back by those nearby.

Dashu's wife had been standing nearby. She hadn't managed to rush over to intervene when the old woman struck, but now that Ma Dafen and others had restrained the old lady, Dashu's wife quickly helped Yu Lian to her feet and brushed off the dust from her clothes.

Mrs. Chen and the grandmother hurried over, their eyes bulging with fury at the sight before them. She, the wife of the East Yuan Marquis and grandmother to his heir, had just been struck by a peasant woman!