stingy landlady

Chapter 248 The Li Family Makes a Scene in Huanghua Village (1)

Xu Hong had just entered the house when he happened to run into Du Huaichuan. He looked at the two of them with a slightly puzzled expression.

"Manager Xu, these two returned with Miss and Manager Han. Manager Han and Miss must have gone home to harvest vegetables. These two young masters were just having lunch in the cafeteria, saying they had nowhere to stay."

I've brought it over. Manager Xu, please see how you would like to arrange it!

Xu Hong nodded after hearing what Niu Qi's wife said. He then said to Du Huaichuan and Du Teng:

"Please follow me, both of you. There is a place to stay, but you'll have to heat the kang (heated brick bed) yourself."

He then led the two to an empty thatched hut.

"No one has lived here for quite a while. Let's heat up the kang (heated brick bed) first. There's a big pot so you can boil water for yourselves. How many days do you plan to stay?"

Du Huaichuan, recalling Guizhi's words, asked:

"Are you Manager Xu Hong? My surname is Du."

Xu Hong nodded.

"Oh! Young Master Du! I am Xu Hong!"

Du Huaichuan said:

"I called your master and told Manager Han to make arrangements for you to go to Lirenfang to find her. She's planning to go to the prefectural city with you. You haven't seen Manager Han yet, have you?"

Xu Hongdao:

"Okay! I understand! Thank you, Young Master Du, I'm already making the arrangements!"

Du Huaichuan asked again:

"When are you going to the county town? I'll go with you! That way I'll have company on the road!"

Xu Hong considered for a moment before saying:

"Probably the day after tomorrow!"

"Alright! Then I'll trouble you for a few more days. I'll set off with Steward Xu the day after tomorrow!"

After Guixiang returned home, she told him about Guihong's broken engagement. Dazhu remained silent, while Li Shi was so angry that she burst into tears.

"These city people specialize in bullying us country folk! They're full of immoral and immoral behavior themselves, yet they try to pin the blame on others! Is there no justice in this world?"

While crying, Li suddenly remembered the matchmaker.

"The Qu family was the matchmaker, and they've been eating, drinking, and taking things from our house these past few days. What kind of family did they find for Guihong?"

"Honey! We can't let this go unpunished. They're probably still in town, let's go find them! We have to get an explanation!"

Dazhu remained silent for a long time before finally saying:

"They meant well when they acted as matchmakers! Who would have thought that Madam Qu's sister-in-law would be like this? What are you going to say to Master Qu? What are you going to say?"

The engagement has already ended; learn from this experience! It's just that Guihong wasn't destined to be a young mistress! She'll still have business dealings with the Qu family in the future, and by making things so tense, how will she be able to do business in the future?

You woman, you're really something, all talk and no action!

Li cursed at Dazhu:

"You're only powerful at home! You're nothing outside! When our daughters are wronged, you can't stand up for any of them!"

Gui Xiang is like this, and Gui Hong is like that too! No, I have to bring Gui Zhi and Gui Ling back. They're all so wild outside, they don't know anything and they can't do anything!

And yet we always get bullied!

Dazhu was also furious after being scolded by Li.

"You think you're so great! Do whatever you want! I'm incompetent and can't control you, so I'm not going to interfere anymore!"

After saying that, he turned and went to find his two concubines. Madam Li was so angry she was jumping up and down in frustration!

Gui Xiang said to Li Shi:

"Mother! It's too late to cry or get angry now. You still need to take good care of yourself. I have to get up early tomorrow to harvest the vegetables."

"Mom, you should get some rest. I'm going to rest too!"

Li nodded:

"Go to sleep early, Guixiang! You're the eldest, so you'll have to take good care of your younger sisters from now on!"

"Okay! Mother! Don't worry! I watched my sisters grow up, how could I abandon them!"

After Guixiang finished speaking, she went back to her room to rest. Li Shi tossed and turned on the kang (a heated brick bed) alone, unable to sleep. She made up her mind to go and bring back the three sisters, Guihong and Guizhi.

The next day, Steward Han and Gui Xiang went to harvest vegetables, and Li Shi also went out to help. On the third day, Gui Xiang and Steward Han went to the county town to buy vegetables wholesale, and Li Shi finally took Pan Qiang's carriage to Huanghua Village early in the morning.

Xu Hong and his servant Du Huaichuan had already gone to the county town to find Guizhi. They did not encounter each other.

When Li arrived at Huanghua Village, she was completely lost and grabbed Pan Qiang, refusing to let go.

"Pan Qiang, you can't leave yet. This village is so big, where am I supposed to find Guiling and the others! You always take them there, you have to take me there too!"

Left with no other choice, Pan Qiang sent Li Shi to Wanrou's house. Wanrou was teaching several children to read. The children's clear and melodious voices reciting their lessons filled the air.

Li didn't dare to rush in; she didn't know many characters. But she had an innate reverence for scholars.

Li didn't make a sound; she simply waited quietly outside until the children had rested before going inside. Only then was Pan Qiang able to leave to work in the woods and bushes in town. They agreed that he would come back to pick Li up after he finished.

Wanrou heard a noise in the courtyard and came out to see Li Shi dressed in silk, looking rather wealthy, suggesting she came from a noble family. However, there were no servants with her, making her seem unfamiliar. She softly asked:

"Madam! Who are you? Who are you looking for in my house?"

Seeing that Wanrou had a fair complexion, a gentle demeanor, and was dressed in cotton home clothes, Li thought she didn't resemble an ordinary countrywoman at all. She quickly replied:

"Madam! I am Wang Guiling's mother! I've come to see my child!"

Li thought that since Guiling was studying here, Wanrou should know Guiling. As for the Guizhi sisters, they weren't important figures, so Wanrou probably wouldn't know them.

"Oh! It's Madam Wang! Please come in!"

Li followed Wanrou into the room on the right, where she saw Guiling, Erbao, and a girl practicing calligraphy. The two girls held brushes and looked quite skilled.

Wanrou whispered to the children:

"Alright! Now you can rest for a bit. Guiling! Your mother is here to see you!"

The sound of a baby crying came from next door. Wanrou said to Li Shi:

"Madam Wang, I'm sorry, please wait here for Guiling for a moment. I'll go check on the child!"

Guiling looked up and called out to Li Shi:

"Mom! My hands are dirty. Wait a moment, I'll wash them and come right away."

Guiling washed the calligraphy brush clean and tidied the desk before toddling over to hug Li Shi. Erbao also came over, bowed, and called out:

"Uncle mother!"

"Hey! My little darling!"

Li bent down and hugged the two children. After a while, she remembered to ask Guiling:

"Guiling! Where are your second and third sisters? Take your mother to find them!"

Gui Ling's clear, childlike voice replied:

"Mother! I don't know where my two older sisters are either!"

Li asked curiously:

"Aren't those two working in some kind of handicraft workshop? Your third sister comes home often and travels around a lot, it's normal that you don't know."

But your second sister has been working here and hasn't gone home. Haven't you seen her?

Gui Ling shook her head and said:

“No! Mother! Second sister isn’t working in the village! I don’t know where she is! Third sister always comes to see me when she’s in the village, but she’s not here these past few days.”