Chapter 35: Threat
“Mom, are you feeling better?” Su Yaoguang looked at Zhang Zhaodi with heartache.
Zhang Zhaodi ate some things and drank water, finally recovering.
She also knew she wasn’t dreaming; her daughter really came to find her.
She sat up, tidied her hair, and tried to make herself look less disheveled.
“Mom, how long have they kept you locked up?”
“Not long, don’t cry…” Zhang Zhaodi wiped the tears from Su Yaoguang’s cheeks. “Silly girl, it’s just a little misunderstanding; once it’s explained, it’s fine. They’re angry right now and won’t listen to my explanation. Once they calm down, they’ll definitely believe me.”
“Mom, tell me the whole process, and I’ll listen to exactly what happened.”
“Madam Feng’s baby was particularly big. They called me over to take care of her just before delivery. I walked with her in the courtyard for a few days. Labor started three days ago, and after two hours of pain, she still couldn’t give birth. I found it was malposition of fetus, adjusted the position, and she finally gave birth with difficulty, but then there was massive bleeding. I’d learned from the doctor how to handle this, saved the woman, and had just slept one full sleep when the newborn daughter died in the swaddling clothes. They said I caused it, and no matter how I explained, they wouldn’t listen and locked me up.”
“This family is truly unreasonable. I think they’re deliberately wronging you to extort you.”
Yu Shi shouted outside the wood shed: “Stinky girl, what nonsense are you saying? What is my family’s situation, what is your family’s situation? Do I need to extort you?”
“Mom, let’s go.” Su Yaoguang carried Zhang Zhaodi on her back.
Yu Shi blocked the doorway, not allowing Su Yaoguang to take Zhang Zhaodi away, and said with fierce glaring eyes: “No one hundred taels, no taking the person away.”
Zhou Wangshu took out the fire starter, blew on it, and lit the fire.
Yu Shi looked at him warily: “You dare.”
Zhou Wangshu walked to the doorway with the fire starter, aiming it at that pile of corn stalks: “Let’s make a bet; you can watch if I dare.”
“You…”
“Stinky boy, you really don’t take me seriously. Believe it or not, one fist from me and you’ll see the King of Hell?”
Feng Laoda clenched his fist, the fist making creaking sounds.
“You dare to detain my mom; I’ll go to the government office to sue you, and you won’t get off easy either.”
Su Yaoguang carried Zhang Zhaodi out of the wood shed and found a stool for her to sit on.
Next, she still had a tough battle to fight.
“I want to see that dead infant girl.” Su Yaoguang said.
“What did you say? She’s already dead, we buried her long ago, and you want to dig her up?” Yu Shi glared at Su Yaoguang. “You girl really have such a vicious mind. My obedient and cute little granddaughter didn’t even see her parents before she was gone like this; if she doesn’t enter the soil early for peace, how can she be reborn into a good family?”
“You say that child died because of my mom. Since you want us to take responsibility, you have to prove this matter is really related to my mom. My mom said the child was fine when born, with a loud crying sound, meaning she wasn’t affected by the difficult labor. How could such a healthy girl die within just a few hours? My mom said she was busy until very late that day, slept only three hours, and was slapped awake by you.”
“It must be my mom’s problem. Originally my daughter-in-law was perfectly fine, but your mom did the midwifery wrong, causing mother and daughter to be separated forever.”
“Report to the officials.” Su Yaoguang said. “You have no right to abuse private punishment. Since you think it’s my mom’s fault, we think my mom is innocent, and detaining her is breaking the law, let the official decide.”
“The person is already dead; what’s the use of reporting to officials? Could our poor daughter come back to life after reporting? My daughter-in-law has already fainted from crying and hasn’t woken up yet. Still the same words: compensate us one hundred taels of silver, and we’ll let your mom go; this matter never happened.”
“No way. We absolutely won’t admit something we didn’t do just like that. One hundred taels? What a big tone.” Su Yaoguang sneered. “Now there are two paths in front of you: one, report to officials, and we clarify the whole case from start to finish. However the government office rules, we accept. Two, release the person directly, and compensate my mom for the harm and grievance these days. We’re not as big-mouthed as you; not one hundred taels, just ten taels. Oh, and you must apologize to my mom. Your whole family should apologize to my mom. Also, give her the childbirth fee, not a penny short.”
“Aunt Zhang also saved the mother’s life; shouldn’t she get a reward?” Zhou Wangshu reminded from the side.
“This family is so ungrateful; they probably won’t remember others’ kindness at all, so we won’t count on this money.” Su Yaoguang continued.
Feng Laoda and Yu Shi exchanged a glance.
This girl’s mouth is really tough; if it goes on like this, they won’t get any advantage.
But they didn’t want to just let Zhang Zhaodi go like this.
Can’t report to officials, can’t release directly, or these days would be wasted. Since she’s so disobedient, they could only use some extreme measures.
Feng Laoda closed the courtyard gate.
He blocked in front of the courtyard gate and said to Yu Shi: “Mom, since they won’t pay the silver, grab them all and sell them, make as much as we can.”
“This is planning to use force against us. Mom, do you get it? They don’t dare report to officials, meaning that little infant’s death can’t see the light. I’m afraid they killed the little infant themselves. A girl infant, don’t want her, right? They directly killed the girl infant and framed you, so they can extort a sum.”
Zhang Zhaodi was always fierce, but this time she obediently endured their torment because of that newborn girl who died inexplicably. She thought this family lost their newborn child, couldn’t take the stimulation and blow, so wouldn’t listen to her explanation.
They locked her up, and she didn’t resist, just kept explaining that the little girl’s death had nothing to do with her. Using her experience as a midwife, she analyzed the reasons for them, just wanting to convince them to let her go.
Now hearing Su Yaoguang say this, she realized she was too naive.
If she had any strength now, she would have rushed over to deal with them, pay back the suffering of these two days, make them kneel on the ground and apologize to her.
Yu Shi felt guilty and didn’t dare look into Su Yaoguang’s eyes. She rolled up her sleeves to grab Su Yaoguang.
Su Yaoguang grabbed Yu Shi’s wrist, and with a click, directly dislocated her arm.
“Ah…” Yu Shi screamed miserably.
Feng Laoda rushed over furiously and grabbed at Su Yaoguang.
Before he got close, Zhou Wangshu pounced, directly knocking him to the ground, pressing his whole body on him.
“Yaoguang, look, I got him.”
When Su Yaoguang looked over, Zhou Wangshu picked up a nearby stone and smashed down.
“Don’t…” Su Yaoguang wanted to stop it, but it was too late; Zhou Wangshu directly swung the stone down.
However, it didn’t hit the head, but his arm.
“Ah…” Feng Laoda screamed miserably.
