Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Jiang Chun's grandmother and maternal grandmother in modern times were both gentle and courteous elders. Women like Li Shi, who were used to making a fuss and rolling on the ground at the slightest provocation, she had only seen in TV dramas.

Today, her eyes were finally opened.

But she wasn't about to indulge this woman.

Jiang Chun looked down at Li Shi from above and snorted coldly, "Grandma, you'd better stop crying over Grandpa. If he really comes back because of your tears and finds out you're planning to sell his precious granddaughter, he might take you away in a fit of anger."

Li Shi's sobs came to an abrupt halt.

Then she erupted in fury, shouting at Jiang Chun, "You wicked girl, how dare you curse your grandma? Is this how you treat your grandmother?"

Jiang Chun immediately protested, "Grandma, don't wrongfully accuse me. I was just kindly reminding you not to cry over Grandpa. How can you take my kindness for granted?"

After lodging her complaint, she ignored Li Shi and turned to Jiang Hu, urging him, "Uncle, quickly pay me for the medicine, don't waste time! Once we settle our accounts, Grandpa Li can talk to you about selling Sister Liu."

Although getting the money was important, stopping Li Shi and Jiang Hu from selling Jiang Liu was equally crucial; she couldn't let one thing overshadow the other.

When Jiang Zhaonian heard this, the fire that had slightly subsided flared up again. He said coldly, "Erlang, as an uncle, you must keep your word and quickly pay Chunni the cost of the medicine!"

Hearing this, Jiang Hu immediately looked down at Li Shi on the ground.

Li Shi wanted to make another scene.

But just as she opened her mouth, Jiang Zhaonian stopped her, "Second Sister-in-law, you're no longer young. Crying and making a fuss in front of the younger generation, what kind of example is that? Get up now!"

Li Shi was quite afraid of her stern brother-in-law, Jiang Zhaonian. Seeing him angry, she hurriedly scrambled to her feet.

Seeing her younger son looking at her with a troubled expression, she reached into her sleeve and pulled out a dirty handkerchief. Unfolding it, she picked out a small piece of silver, about the size of a soybean.

She weighed it in her hand a few times, then threw it on the bed with a pained look, saying irritably, "Take it!"

She didn't forget to insult Jiang Chun, "You're such a money-grubber!"

Farmers rarely had opportunities to spend money, and carrying a dozen copper coins was considered a lot. Li Shi, being a miser, was no exception.

At this moment, she could casually pull out a handful of silver pieces because she had been collecting fifty taels of silver as compensation for Wang the Matchmaker, so she carried a "large sum" with her.

Jiang Chun picked up the piece of silver and weighed it.

She didn't feel much.

But given Li Shi's shrewdness, this piece of silver wouldn't exceed half a tael; otherwise, she wouldn't have been willing to pay it.

Jiang Chun didn't argue with her; she took what she could get.

After all, treating Song Shian had only cost fifty-five cash coins, and she had exaggerated it tenfold. Even if the amount she received was reduced, it was still a substantial gain.

On the day Li Shi tried to snatch the white steamed bun, Jiang Chun had warned her that she wasn't easy to take advantage of. Now, karma had come full circle.

Seeing that the matter was settled, Jiang Zhaonian immediately brought up the old topic and questioned Jiang Hu, "Erlang, tell me the truth, do you really plan to sell Sister Liu?"

"Brother, don't listen to Sister Liu's nonsense, there's nothing to it," Jiang Hu tried to bluff his way through.

Jiang Zhaonian then looked at Li Shi and asked, "So it's Second Sister-in-law who wants to sell the granddaughter?"

Li Shi immediately refuted, "Brother, don't wrongfully accuse me. Why would I sell a good granddaughter? There's nothing to it!"

Jiang Zhaonian nodded, "Since both Erlang and Second Sister-in-law say there's nothing to it, I'll believe you."

Just as Jiang Hu and Li Shi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, he added coldly, "If you secretly sell Sister Liu behind my back, I, as your elder brother, will represent Second Brother and divorce you, Li Shi, and then expel Erlang from the clan as the clan leader!"

Jiang Chun almost jumped up to applaud Jiang Zhaonian; he was decisive and ruthless!

In ancient times, the most shameful thing for a woman was to be divorced by her husband, and the most humiliating thing for a man was to be expelled from the clan.

This was hitting them right where it hurt, firmly grasping Li Shi and Jiang Hu by the throat.

Sure enough, when they heard Jiang Zhaonian's words, they were struck like thunder on a clear day, completely stunned.

Especially Li Shi, whose husband, Jiang Zhaofeng, had been dead for more than ten years. Who would have thought she would face the risk of being divorced?

She immediately sat on the ground, ready to make a scene.

Jiang Zhaonian said coldly, "Second Sister-in-law, making a scene won't help. I, Jiang Zhaonian, always keep my word. If you dare to sell Sister Liu, I'll make sure you have no place to stand in Daliushu Village."

Desperate to raise money, Jiang Hu shouted, "Sister Liu is my daughter. Whether I sell her or not is none of your business, Brother. Can't you mind your own business?"

Jiang Zhaonian laughed coldly, "Our Jiang clan has no tradition of selling people. Even during famine, we supported each other and survived.

Now you live in a brick house with tiles and farm twenty acres of land, living better than most families in the clan. Yet you want to sell someone. What will the clan think?

Anyway, we cannot set a precedent for selling people. Whoever dares to sell someone will have their wife divorced and the man expelled from the clan. No exceptions!"

Seeing Jiang Hu's unconvinced expression, almost asking "Why should I?" Jiang Zhaonian sneered, "I am the clan leader, and I set the rules. If you disagree, persuade all the clan members to make you the clan leader. Then you can sell anyone you want, even your mother, and no one will utter a word."

Li Shi: "..."

She agreed to sell the granddaughter and had even suggested it first.

But opening the door for her son to sell his mother was unacceptable. What if one day he was swayed by a cunning matchmaker like Wang and sold her for money?

It seemed they couldn't sell Jiang Liu after all.

So Li Shi glared at Jiang Hu and smiled sheepishly at Jiang Zhaonian, "What are you talking about, Brother? Erlang is clumsy and can't compare to his cousin for a moment."

Even if Elder Brother steps down in the future, it will be Brother Wan who takes over, not this fool. Stop belittling him!"

Jiang Zhaonian snorted, "Even if Huage’s father wants to sell Mianjie, I would still expel him from the clan!"

Mian was Jiang Wan's daughter and Jiang Zhaonian's granddaughter.

"Look at what Elder Brother is saying, Brother Wan wouldn’t do such a thing," Li Shi chuckled.

Then she pushed Jiang Hu and urged, "Alright, it was all a misunderstanding. Just explain it clearly to your Uncle. Let’s hurry home and get to work; the cabbages and radishes in the field are waiting to be harvested."

She then glanced sideways at Jiang Liu and huffed, "Liu, don’t be lazy, hurry up and follow us!"

Jiang Liu didn’t argue. Working in the fields was nothing new to her. Who would be scared of that?

As long as she wasn’t sold, working a bit more was no big deal.

She sincerely thanked Jiang Zhaonian for standing up for her.

After leaving his house, she quietly said to Jiang Chun, "Big Sister, thank you for giving me advice and bringing me to Grandpa’s house to seek justice. I don’t have much to offer, but I’ll embroider a handkerchief for you later."

Jiang Chun rolled her eyes at Jiang Liu, "Forget it. Grandma is so frugal that she knows exactly how many colored threads we have at home. Don’t get scolded, I don’t need your handkerchief."

Worried that Jiang Liu might feel bad, she added, "If you really want to thank me, go to the back mountain and bring me half a basket of chestnuts when you’re done. I love eating them."

Behind Daliushu Village was a small hill, not very large, but it had plenty of chestnut trees.

In late autumn, after finishing their farm work, villagers would go up the mountain to cut firewood and gather some chestnuts to satisfy their children’s cravings.

Jiang Liu happily agreed, "Okay, okay, okay! I’m really good at gathering chestnuts. I’ll bring you a whole basket!"

Jiang Chun couldn’t help but laugh and cry, "What do I need so many for? Eat them as meals?"

"Whatever, I’m giving them to you anyway. If you can’t finish them, feed them to the pigs," Jiang Liu said assertively.

Then she hugged Jiang Chun’s arm, sniffed, and said earnestly, "Big Sister, you’re the best to me in this family. When I marry into a good family in the future, I’ll try my best to save money from my husband’s family to support you."

Jiang Chun: "..."

Everyone else is a brother-obsessed sister, but you want to be a sister-obsessed sister?

No need for that!