Chapter 51: The Bing Family Turns to Nan Jinping, Bing Wengu Speaks More Than the Back Mountain…

Chapter 51: The Bing Family Sides with Nan Jinping; Bing Wengu’s Words Carry More Weight Than the Mountains

Li Shi appeared even more eager than the Bing brothers themselves, desperate to force the Nan family into compensating them.

Recalling yesterday's events, the two Bing brothers felt nothing but embarrassment. They had indeed made a scene, but Bing Wengu had swiftly quelled their protest.

Bing Silang roughly shoved Li Shi aside, snapping impatiently, "This is between our families. Stay out of it. Leave us be."

Bing Erlang followed suit, glaring at Li Shi with hostility.

Li Shi sensed that things weren’t going according to her script, and her heart sank.

"You brothers don’t know what’s good for you, do you? I’m only looking out for your interests," Li Shi said, veiling her selfish motives.

"Oh, looking out for us? Great! We’re short on cash—how about you hand over a coin or two for us to spend?" Bing Silang rolled his eyes.

Li Shi choked on her words, nearly suffocating from frustration. "You brothers really don’t appreciate kindness! I just pitied you three, being manipulated by Bing Dalang and his in-laws."

"Those recipes are rightfully the Bing family’s, yet they were given to the Nans, forcing you, the rightful owners, to toil for them. Look at your hands and feet—chapped and raw!"

She shook her head, clicking her tongue as if she were some benevolent saint. "Why should Bing Dalang get to study while you suffer, earning money to fund his education? And after all that, he hands a profitable recipe to his in-laws. Face it—he doesn’t trust you brothers. You really think those recipes were given for free? If the Nans aren’t sharing the profits, I’d bet my life!"

The two Bing brothers pretended not to hear Li Shi’s provocations. Bing Silang said, "Uncle and Aunt Nan, give us forty pieces of tofu each."

But the village was full of troublemakers. Someone deliberately fanned the flames: "Oh, you brothers don’t know yet, do you? Your eldest brother just left—seems he came specifically to teach the Nans two new recipes. Tofu skin and tofu pudding. Delicious! Selling quickly. The pudding’s already sold out, and only a few sheets of tofu skin remain. Want to buy some? It’s sure to sell well."

Just then, Feng Sanlang arrived with his brothers, overhearing the conversation.

Having witnessed yesterday’s drama firsthand, the Feng brothers knew exactly how things stood—the recipes hadn’t been taken back from the Nans, which was why they’d come to restock.

They’d assumed that was the end of it, but to their shock, Bing Wengu had the audacity to give the Nans two more recipes! It was practically a slap in the face to his brothers.

Feng Sanlang immediately glanced at Bing Silang and Bing Erlang for their reactions. According to his wife, his second brother-in-law was a hothead—he’d been the first to throw punches yesterday.

The two Bing brothers burned with anger, but it was pointless. The recipes belonged to Bing Dalang, and that man was now tyrannical, cutting off even his own kin.

"Uncle and Aunt Nan, just give us twenty pieces of tofu each, and twenty sheets of tofu skin," Bing Silang said, pretending to be deaf and blind to the taunts.

Miao Shi offered a tight smile. "It’s not that I’m bearing a grudge from yesterday, but I can’t make this decision. Your eldest brother left explicit orders—we’re not to supply you with anything anymore."

Even Nan Jinping’s father, who stood to benefit, felt this was going too far. Wasn’t this just escalating the conflict? How could the Bing brothers possibly tolerate it?

That said, the fact that the Bing brothers had come peacefully to restock today already surprised the Nans, who privately admired Bing Wengu’s methods.

Nan Jinping’s father didn’t know how to respond, finally saying, "Maybe you should go ask your son-in-law?"

The villagers gathered at the Nan household stared in shock, eyes darting between the Nans and the Bing brothers.

As for the Feng brothers, they were baffled, utterly unable to comprehend Bing Wengu’s logic.

But Feng Sanlang, having observed yesterday’s events, had already realized that the current Bing Wengu was nothing like the old one. He seemed compassionate, but cross his boundaries, and he’d show no mercy.

So, as the closest relative present, Feng Sanlang wisely chose not to intervene on behalf of his brothers-in-law, fading into the background like a ghost.

"Uncle and Aunt Nan, this isn’t right! You’re bullying them! Those recipes belong to the Bings—how can you even refuse to sell to them now?"

Troublemakers were everywhere, eager to fan the flames. "Brothers Bing, are you really going to take this lying down? They’re practically spitting in your faces!"

Li Shi seized the moment to add fuel. "If you brothers don’t settle this now, you’ll never have a say in your family again. Trust me—drive away that Nan Jia Xiao Geer. He’s nothing but a conniving fox! Think about it—didn’t Bing Dalang’s erratic ways start right after he set his mind on marrying that Nan boy?"

Those unaware of the inside story might indeed be swayed by Li Shi's warped reasoning. On the surface, it did seem plausible.

Even Nan Jinping's parents hesitated and glanced at their young man, never imagining their unremarkable son could possess such "manipulative seductress" talent.

But the Bing family knew the truth—their eldest brother's behavior had nothing to do with Nan Jinping. That delicate boy couldn’t possibly shoulder such blame. It was clear that after Bing Wengu's near-death experience, he had simply stopped pretending and revealed his true nature.

Bing Silang snorted disdainfully and retorted, "You old hag, you know nothing! Bing Dalang must’ve gotten waterlogged brains when he nearly drowned last time."

His words silenced the villagers. No one expected the Bing family to defend Nan Jinping so fiercely.

In any other household, even if the in-laws were completely innocent, blame would still fall on the "outsider." For instance, if a man fooled around outside, it was his spouse’s fault for failing to control him. If he gambled away the family fortune, it was the spouse’s "bad luck" ruining the household. Even the death of livestock could be blamed on them—as if they carried some curse.

But the Bings? Despite the obvious connection to Nan Jinping, they insisted Bing Dalang was the problem, refusing to drag the young man into it.

The villagers simply didn’t understand Bing Wengu. The Bings now knew Nan Jinping was his heart’s treasure. Criticizing Bing Wengu himself was harmless—he didn’t care. But a single slight against Nan Jinping? He’d remember it forever.

The villagers were stunned, but the verbal assault wasn’t over. Bing Silang glared at Li Shi and snapped, "You’re still yapping? This is all your family’s fault! If your money-grubbing daughter hadn’t ditched him at the altar, would my brother have jumped into the river? If he hadn’t, would his mind be scrambled now? Face it—your daughter wrecked him. Your family owes us compensation!"

Li Shi gaped. "What nonsense is this?"

Bing Erlang jabbed a finger at her. "Your daughter’s nothing but a shit-stirrer!"

With that, the two Bing brothers left without a fuss, not causing any scene at the Nan household.

Baffled, the villagers muttered among themselves.

"Wait—they just left? Just like that?"

"Bing Erlang’s always been a silent drudge, but Silang? That sly troublemaker? And they both just… walked away?"

"Silang’s been adopted out anyway. What else could he do? Notice he didn’t come with them today—who knows if he’ll even keep buying from the Nans?"

"Seems the whole Bing family’s lost their minds, not just Dalang."

"Or maybe Nan Jinping’s just that good at puppeteering. Even before marriage, he was spoiled rotten—rare for a boy like him. Now the Bings spoil him too. And Dalang? Convinced he’s some reincarnated fortune-bringer. That boy’s got skills."

"Thank goodness we didn’t marry into the Nans. My simpleton son would’ve been next." (Said by a villager with a forty-year-old, drooling son.)

Another added, "Li Shi’s a shit-stirrer, but let’s be fair—her daughter had nothing to do with this. They’re just pinning blame unfairly."

Despite their words, envy gnawed at the villagers.

If only they’d known how easily Bing Dalang could be swayed! If only they’d married into the Bings—those tofu and soy milk recipes could’ve been theirs.

And with a clever daughter-in-law, maybe even Bing’s seven-room tiled house and that noble’s reward money…

The thought made some villagers’ eyes lit up with schemes.

Miao Shi stared at her son as if seeing him for the first time.

Nan Jinping fidgeted under her stare. "Mother, why are you looking at me like that? You don’t actually believe that ‘homewrecker’ crap, do you? I never manipulated Dalang."

If anything, it was Bing Wengu who filled his head with radical notions—though Nan Jinping never breathed a word. He knew those words were truly for his own good.

Miao Shi shook her head, her eyes brimming with delight. "Mom isn’t blaming you. Mom wants to tell you, if you truly have the means, go all out. It’s best to wrap your husband around your finger. As for your side of the family, there’s no need to be so considerate in the future. With these three recipes, our family is set for life. As long as you and your husband are happy and live well, that’s enough."

Nan Jinping felt as though he couldn’t explain even if he had a hundred tongues.

On the other side, Qian Shi and Bing Sanlang had moved back to her parents’ place. The Qians refused to let things go and kept tabs on the Bings.

When they heard that Bing Wengu had given the Nans two more recipes, the Qians felt as though it was a knife to the heart—the pain was unbearable.

Qian’s mother rushed into her daughter and son-in-law’s room in a panic, exclaiming as if the sky had fallen, "Daughter, this is terrible! Bing Dalang has given the Nans two more recipes!"

"What!" Qian Shi jumped up. "This is beyond insulting! We absolutely cannot let this go!"

"What else can we do?" Bing Sanlang sat gloomily on the heated brick bed. "We’ve already been disowned, and the whole village knows it."

"Recipes! Those are family recipes! If he has three, what’s the harm in giving us one? How could he not care about us at all?" Qian Shi fumed.

Bing Sanlang sighed heavily. "Right now, he only has eyes for Jin Geer. No one else matters to him."

"Mom, how did Bing Erlang and Bing Silang react? Surely they won’t just let this slide?" Qian Shi spat. "Bing Silang is a tyrant—he’d never tolerate this. What’s the difference between this and being a coward?"

Qian’s mother scoffed. "Bing Silang is just a bully who preys on the weak. He’s tough with you, but in front of Bing Wengu, he’s a weakling. You should hear how harshly the villagers talk about him—he just took it without a word."

Qian Shi’s sister-in-law chimed in, "Bing Dalang’s tactic of making an example of someone worked perfectly. Bing Silang must be afraid of ending up like you and your husband, so he didn’t dare make a fuss."

Qian’s mother cursed, "He’s just greedy. Now that the Bings have money, he doesn’t want to leave. If it were the old days when the Bings were poor, Bing Silang would’ve rebelled long ago. And to think he was so close to your husband back then—pretending they were the closest of brothers in the family. But when trouble came, he sided with his own interests."

As Bing Sanlang listened to Qian Shi and her mother, his disappointment with the Bing family grew deeper.

Forget it. Since his parents had abandoned him and the Bings had cast him out, he was now just a nephew by relation. He could only hope his parents would fare well in the future.

The moment Liang Shi saw the two Bing brothers return, her eye twitched, and a sense of foreboding washed over her.

"What’s wrong? Why are you both back?" Liang Shi asked anxiously.

Bing Silang muttered a curse under his breath but swallowed it when Liang Shi glared at him. "You’ll have to ask our dear eldest brother about that."

Her bad feeling was confirmed. "What’s wrong with Dalang? Didn’t we settle yesterday’s matter?"

"Settle nothing! The Nan uncle and aunt said Big Brother cut us off from their business," Bing Silang grumbled.

The two brothers were fuming, wishing they could tear Bing Dalang apart—but it was just a fantasy.

To make matters worse, Liang Shi added, "Oh, well… you two better not provoke your elder brother again. The two of you combined still can’t beat him. Don’t ask for another thrashing."

This only made the brothers angrier.

Liang Shi offered them advice: "Your brother cares most about your brother-in-law. You’ll have to start with Jin Geer. Here’s what we’ll do: we skipped last night’s lesson, but today you’ll notify the Nans to come over and continue."

When Bing Erlang returned to his room, Zhou Shi hurried over. "I overheard your conversation. The Nans won’t do business with us anymore? What do Mother and Father say? Are we just accepting this?"

Bing Erlang shook his head. "What else can we do? Our eldest brother’s temper is fiercer than ever now. Even Father and Mother can’t control him. Push him too far, and he might just adopt a new ancestor for himself or pack up and marry into the Nan family."

Zhou Shi fell silent.

"Mother suggested a plan. We’ll invite the Nans over tonight to study together. If our families spend every day together, the Nans can’t possibly refuse us business." Bing Erlang said, "As long as the Nans aren’t completely unreasonable, with the olive branch extended, they’ll have to come down."

Zhou Shi saw right through it. "The Nans might be easy to talk to, but Big Brother isn’t. You’ve laid out the steps, but there’s nothing stopping him from blocking the way down."

"What other options do we have? We’ll just play it by ear," Bing Erlang said dejectedly.

In the evening, the Bing family came to inform the Nan family that lessons would continue as normal. The Nan family was stunned once again. Miao Shi whispered, "I thought for sure the brothers would end up fighting this time. Who knew they’d just let it go and even invite us back for lessons?"

Nan’s father said admiringly, "Our son-in-law truly has remarkable skills. Aside from Erlang, the Bing brothers are all stubborn troublemakers, yet he managed to whip them into shape just like that. I can’t even get my own sons to listen to me."

Nan Dalang, fearing his father might ask Wen Gu for tough-love tactics to keep them in line, quickly interjected, "Dad, we’re talking about our brother-in-law here. Why bring us into it?"

Gu Shi was reluctant to go and asked, "Dad, Mom, do we really have to go?"

"We must go," Miao Shi said firmly. "The Bing family is extending an olive branch. If we don’t go, it’s like refusing to step down. We should act even friendlier than before, as if nothing happened."

When the Nan family arrived at the Bing household, the Bing couple was more welcoming than ever. Both families behaved like it never even happened. Liang Shi even took the opportunity to praise Nan Jinping repeatedly in front of everyone.

In the village, when people were satisfied with their sons-in-law or daughters-in-law, they would praise them for being both graceful and capable—essentially, capable of managing household chores and serving the in-laws well. This was the highest compliment a family could give, and the bride’s family would feel honored.

Nan Jinping, however, had never lifted a hand since marrying into the Bing family. His undergarments were washed by Bing Wengu, and he had never even touched the stove—likely not even knowing what the Bing kitchen looked like. If he so much as hinted at a craving, Bing Wengu would prepare it for him.

There was nothing praiseworthy about his contributions to labor. In fact, if there were a laziness competition in the village, Nan Jinping would undoubtedly take the gold medal. Not that he was inherently lazy—he was actually a very diligent young man—but Bing Wengu simply wouldn’t let him work. The moment Nan Jinping tried to do anything, Bing Wengu would get upset.

Since labor couldn’t be praised, Liang Shi resorted to other compliments. "Jin Geer is so clever, even smarter than our Dalang. Dalang has studied for years, yet Jin Geer mastered it in no time."

"Heh..." The Nan couple laughed awkwardly. There was no need to exaggerate so much.

After the lesson ended and everyone dispersed, Nan Jinping returned to his room and leaned over the table, gazing at Bing Wengu. "Wen Gu, let’s allow Erlang and the others to resume picking up goods from our house tomorrow."

Bing Wengu looked up from his book. "Getting sentimental already?"

"They’ve all but surrendered in their own way. Isn’t that enough?" Nan Jinping pleaded.

Bing Wengu shook his head. "Either don’t strike at all, or hit them where it hurts. Only then will they remember."

Bing Wengu was set on pursuing an official career. To be a truly good official, one must first be financially secure—only then could one resist bribes and uphold fairness and justice.

Since he couldn’t personally engage in business, his best support would come from the Bing and Nan families. Neither family had major flaws, but they had plenty of minor issues. Bing Wengu didn’t have time to correct them slowly, so he resorted to heavy-handed tactics.

First, he had to bring both families to heel, ensuring they obeyed his commands no questions asked, no matter how unreasonable they seemed. This was a common tactic used in military training for new recruits, which Bing Wengu temporarily applied to the Bing family.

For several days afterward, Bing Wengu remained silent. Unable to bear it any longer, the Bing brothers approached their parents again.

Liang Shi rolled her eyes. "I told you both to behave and not provoke your elder brother. He’s as bossy as a tyrant now."

Bing Silang said, "Mom, what do we do now? We can’t just give up on this business, can we?"

"Fine, I owe you one. I’ll ask for you." Liang Shi climbed down from the heated bed and knocked on Bing Wengu’s door.

Knocking wasn’t a common habit in the village. Usually, only brothers knocked before entering their sisters’ rooms, while parents simply walked into their children’s rooms. The Bing family had been the same until Bing Wengu brought it up, after which they adopted the rule of knocking before entering.

Hearing Bing Wengu’s response, Liang Shi entered. Unconsciously, she automatically scanned the room for Nan Jinping and felt disappointed when she didn’t see him.

"Is Jin Geer at the Nan family’s?" she asked.

"Yes," Bing Wengu replied calmly, putting his book down. "What is it, Mom?"

Liang Shi smiled awkwardly. "Well, your brothers have learned their lesson. So, about the business..."

"Do you think they've truly realized their mistakes, Mother?" Bing Wengu's tone was flat, devoid of any anger.

"Huh?" Mrs. Liang asked, "Then what punishment do you think they still deserve?"

"The eldest brother stands in for the father. Respecting one’s elder brother and showing brotherly love are family traditions," Bing Wengu suddenly remarked. "You don’t go against family traditions."

Mrs. Liang walked away, still confused. "I don’t know what Da Lang meant. He just said it was about family tradition."

The Bings were simple farming folk, barely literate—well, now they could write their own names after learning from Nan Jinping, but beyond that, they understood nothing. How could they grasp the hidden meanings in such words?

Bing Erlang looked up at the sky in exasperation. "Why does Eldest Brother talk like this now, all twists and turns? Our back hill’s trails aren’t even this twisty!"

Bing Silang curled his lip. "A few days with his nose in books, and now he’s acting all high and mighty! Let’s see if he can actually pass the provincial exams!"