MHBOWSBTMT Chapter 5

“Aunt Lin is spouting nonsense! You barged into our home to throw a tantrum, and now you claim we bullied you?”

 

Qiao Ruifeng pointed to the wound on his forehead, then turned to Old Wang with a stern voice. “Uncle Wang, I’ve never once offended your family. I don’t know why Aunt Lin wants to humiliate my Qiao family like this! Although my family is weak, we will not allow others to bully us! ”

 

Wang Qing shot a glance at Lin Xiuhua. He was well aware of his wife’s knack for stirring up trouble, but being publicly scolded in front of so many villagers made him feel like he had lost face. Clearing his throat, he frowned and said, “Rui, where is this coming from? She’s your elder. How can you just drive her out like this?”

 

“If we didn’t send her out, should we have just let her beat and curse us? An elder like that is one we can’t afford to respect!”

 

Qin Yu had anticipated Wang Qing’s response. The man was petty by nature, always bullying the weak while fearing the strong. The only advantage he could claim now was his age. “She’s not even our elder so why should we tolerate her? If that’s how things are, then what hope do us younger folks have left?”

 

“You—!” Wang Qing was instantly choked into silence.

 

But Wang Ming’er spoke up. “Ruifeng, with all this shouting, we still don’t know what happened. We can’t just let you scold us like this. Why would my mother go to your house to make trouble?”

 

Qiu Ruifeng sneered. “Why don’t you ask her yourself? That way, you won’t accuse me of exaggerating.”

 

Then, with a disdainful glance at Lin Xiuhua, he added, “Auntie, why so quiet now?”

 

“Pah! You heartless little brat! I went to propose a match for you, and not only were you ungrateful, you even dared to curse at me!” Lin Xiuhua planted her hands on her hips and began shrieking again.

 

The Wang family members were puzzled. The only marriageable person in the Qiao family now is Qiao Suiman, the ge’r. It couldn’t possibly be Qiao Chengfu, the widowed drunkard.

 

But if there was a man looking to marry, why would they propose to the Qiao family when they had an unmarried daughter of their own?

 

Li Yue sensed something fishy and feigned concern. “Yu-ge’r, if she was proposing a match for your family, why weren’t you happy about it? Man’er is almost seventeen so it’s about time, isn’t it?”

 

“Hmph! We dare not try to marry into this family and be humiliated for no reason!” Qin Yu said coldly.

 

“Ah, Yu-ge’r, you’ve been cursing all this way, but you still haven’t said which family proposed the match. What got you so angry?”

 

“Exactly! I’ve been watching this whole time and still don’t know who it was. Man’er is of age so it’s about time to settle down.”

 

“That’s right! Which family did Lin Xiuhua propose? Tell us all! In decades, I’ve never seen her play matchmaker. Is she trying to steal Granny Luo’s business?”

 

Laughter rippled through the crowd. Granny Luo was the village’s dedicated matchmaker, known for her efficiency and expertise in betrothal gifts and dowries. Everyone in the village sought her services.

 

“Pah! This shameless old hag didn’t even bring a single gift[mfn]”Nacai” (纳采) is the first of the Six Rites (六礼). The “Book of Rites: Marriage” (礼记·昏义) says: “Nacai means the ceremony of selection, so the wedding ceremony is passed down, and the geese are used for the “Nacai”. Qin Huitian of the Qing Dynasty explained: “If you want to marry someone, you must first let the matchmaker pass on the proposal. If the woman agrees, then someone will accept the gift of the selection.” It means that the man’s family proposes to the woman’s family, and the matchmaker will convey it on their behalf. After the woman’s family agrees, they will accept the gift sent by the man’s family to discuss the marriage. “Geese” are used as gifts for “Nacai”. (Baidu)[/mfn], yet she had the nerve to demand we sell off our brother!”

 

Qin Yu paused, as if the sheer audacity was too much to bear, then continued mournfully, “This wretched woman, she actually wanted to pair Xiao Man with her good-for-nothing nephew from her maiden family!”

 

Qin Yu bent slightly at the waist, stomped his foot, and struck his chest with a fist, wailing, “Who of us doesn’t know the character of that Lin from Hexi Village? Our Man-ge’r has suffered so much since childhood, and now she wants to push him into a pit of fire!”

 

So it was that gambling, drunken wastrel!

 

The crowd erupted in outrage. Even the Wang family members were stunned, exchanging silent glances.

 

“It’s actually that Lin from Hexi Village? How shameless! Everyone in the nearby villages knows he’s a gambling drunkard. Lin Xiuhua’s heart is black through and through!”

 

“Tsk. Qiao Chengfu is a drunkard himself. Ruifeng and Man’er suffered so many beatings growing up, so they naturally hate drunkards. And she has the nerve to propose this? Does she really think her nephew is some kind of treasure?”

 

“Exactly! After all these years of hardship, Ruifeng has finally grown up and made something of himself. The two brothers struggled so much and now she wants to shackle him to another drunk? This is outright bullying!”

 

“Damn it! And Lin Xiuhua still dares to call this a ‘good match’? Has she no conscience at all? What family would willingly marry their daughter or ge’r to such a man?”

 

Qiao Ruifeng grabbed Qin Yu’s hand, stopping him from hitting his own chest. Qin Yu understood that he didn’t want him to hurt himself, so he withdrew his hand and wiped his eyes.

 

“We refused, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. The moment we disagreed, she turned violent, smashing Ruifeng’s head open and cursing Xiao Man for ‘not knowing what’s good for him’! She even had the nerve to lecture him on how to ‘serve his husband’s family’! Poor Xiao Man, he’s never seen anything like this. He was terrified!”

 

“What a thunderstruck bastard! I’ve lived decades and never seen someone beat others over a failed matchmaking!”

 

“This isn’t matchmaking. It’s practically kidnapping! The sheer shamelessness!”

 

“Tsk tsk tsk. If you ask me, anyone with a marriageable daughter or ge’r better keep an eye out. Who knows when this shrew will come knocking to snatch them away!”

 

“Didn’t she always say Man’er was ‘ill-omened’? And she used to look down on the Qiao family for being poor. Why the sudden interest?”

 

“Isn’t it obvious? Qiao Chengfu is useless, and Ruifeng is young. She thinks they’re easy to bully! Otherwise, how could that Lin family gambler ever hope to get a match?”

 

“This…” Li Yue hadn’t expected Lin Xiuhua to stoop so low. She glanced at her mother-in-law, her expression conflicted.

 

As for the matchmaking, since it didn’t involve their own family, Wang Qing and Wang Ming’er had even less ground to speak.

 

But Lin Xiuhua refused to back down. Still with her hands on her hips, she screeched, “Qiao family! Don’t you dare disrespect me! My maiden family is offering two taels of betrothal gifts. It’s more than what you could earn in years! You’re born lowly and poor, yet you dare treat kindness as malice!”

 

“Who do you think we are to sell someone off for money?!”

 

Qiao Ruifeng had no intention of wasting more words on Lin Xiuhua. Instead, he turned to Wang Qing. “I won’t be bullied. Today, I will get justice!”

 

The fire poker was already in Qiao Ruifeng’s hand. He drove it into the ground with a forceful thud, his presence intimidating.

 

“It’s just a failed matchmaking, why make such a fuss? Rui-ge, Man’er is almost seventeen, right? Why not just agree? Two taels is a lot.”

 

Wang Ling’er had appeared at some point, covering her mouth as she sneered. “If you wait any longer, the matches he’ll get will only get worse. At this rate, he’ll only end up with widowers!”

 

Qin Yu spat right in Wang Ling’er’s face. “You shameless wench! How dare you speak? A concubine who got thrown back. You’re nothing but a whore, yet you still have the gall to bark!”

 

“You bitch! You’re the whore! I’ll rip your mouth apart!” Wang Ling’er, struck where it hurt, flew into a rage and lunged, only to be shoved away by Qiao Ruifeng.

 

“The Wang family has gone too far. There’s no need for further discussion. Let’s take this to the village chief and settle it by village law!”

 

Wang Ling’er kept pressing. “Fine, take it to the chief! It’s not like he’ll favor you—”

 

“Enough!” Wang Qing cut her off. He had offended the village chief years ago, and with this situation being so unjust, he knew he would definitely not get any good results.

Better to end it here. Even if the village head found out later, there’d be nothing more to say.

 

With that in mind, Wang Qing stepped forward, forcing a smile. “Rui-zi, I truly didn’t know about this. That woman is always causing trouble. No need to drag the chief into it.”

 

“Uncle Wang, you expect us to just let this go? Not a chance! Are we supposed to just swallow the curses and beatings?”

 

“You damn bastards! What more do you want? You worthless paupers! My Ling’er is a madam in town. Who are you to insult her?!”

 

Lin Xiuhua played a big part in Wang Ling’er’s affairs. After being sent back, the villagers mocked them relentlessly, but anyone who dared say it to her face was met with her shameless screeching.

 

“That Man-ge’r is cursed, hah! What family wouldn’t avoid him? Who’d marry him and risk being wiped out? The only reason we’d even consider him is because my nephew’s fate is strong! And now he’s putting on airs! A motherless, ill-omened brat! His own father’s a drunk so he’s used to this life. What’s the difference if he marries into it? Marrying into our family would be feeding and clothing him! He should be grateful!”

 

Slap!

 

Qin Yu lunged forward, yanking Lin Xiuhua’s hair and slapping her hard across the face. He furiously struck again, then shoved her aside. Before she could react, he kicked her repeatedly until she collapsed to the ground.

 

“You—!” Wang Ming’er couldn’t stand seeing his mother beaten in front of him so he moved to intervene.

 

Li Yue, standing beside her husband, quickly pulled him back and shot him a warning glare. This wasn’t over yet. The village chief held Qiao Ruifeng in high regard so she didn’t want to get involved.

 

As for her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, it was high time someone take them down a peg. Otherwise, they’d keep thinking they were untouchable!

 

A dark glint flashed in Qiao Ruifeng’s eyes. Ignoring Wang Ming’er, he raised his voice at Wang Qing. “Aunt Lin dares to insult Xiao Man in front of our faces. Who knows what she’s said behind our backs! I’ve long known about the rumors in the village. With the old grudges and the new hatred today, she deserved the beatings my fulang gave her! Uncle Wang, I believe you didn’t know about this. But your wife must’ve gotten some benefit from the Lin family to treat us like this. If you don’t give us an explanation, I won’t let this go!”

 

He rolled up his sleeves. “If it comes to a fight, I’m ready!”

 

“What ‘benefit’? Hah! If her maiden family farts, she’d call it perfume.”

 

“Pfft. Exactly. Only she thinks her nephew is a treasure. She wasn’t even this eager when arranging matches for her own son.”

 

“That nephew of hers, what’s his name? He’s already in his twenties, right? Why the sudden desperation? Resorting to snatching people now?”

 

“Isn’t it obvious? It’s all because of that scumbag Lin Junfang’s own disgusting deeds!”

 

A sharp voice cut through the noise. The crowd turned to see Feng Jie, the wife of the Zheng family who lived farther from the Qiao household. She had come at some point to watch the spectacle.

 

Feng Jie was holding melon seeds, cracking a few before continuing. “That bastard got drunk a few days ago and had the guts to harass the daughter of the wealthy He family! The He family servants broke his legs on the spot!”

 

Feng Jie’s husband was a peddler who traveled from street to street, so he often had news before the rest of the village. During idle times, women and fulang loved gathering at her place to chat and gossip.

 

Hearing this, Qiao Ruifeng and Qin Yu burned with even greater fury! This black-hearted witch! Now that her nephew’s legs were broken, she wanted to drag Qiao Suiman down with him for life!

 

Qiao Ruifeng’s eyes were cold as he clenched his fists.

 

Perhaps because he had been beaten so often by Qiao Chengfu in his youth, he knew exactly where to strike to cause the most pain. When fighting the local ruffians who bullied him and his brother, he’d attack like a madman, ignoring his own injuries until his opponent was too afraid to continue.

 

By fourteen or fifteen, he’d begun fighting back against Qiao Chengfu, and in recent years, his father no longer dared provoke him easily.

 

Wang Qing’s heart sank. If Qiao Ruifeng really lost his temper, not even he and Wang Ming’er could take him on. Who else fought like a possessed man, throwing punches without regard for his own safety, yet with terrifying strength?

 

The Qiao family wasn’t a prominent clan, so Wang Qing shouldn’t have needed to fear them. But Qiao Ruifeng’s reputation as a fighter was well-earned. He never bullied others, only defended himself, and whenever the village needed help, he never refused. Thus, he had decent standing among the villagers, and even the village chief favored him.

 

Besides, it was obvious to anyone with eyes that Qiao Ruifeng was now the head of the Qiao household. To offend him for no reason—Wang Qing himself felt wronged.

 

Meanwhile, Lin Xiuhua, still sprawled on the ground, was angry and anxious as her family’s dirty laundry was aired.

 

Just the day before, she had secretly taken some rice, flour, and money back to her maiden family. The moment she stepped inside, her mother wailed about Lin Junfang’s broken legs.

 

But the one who’d beaten him was Old Master He, a man they couldn’t possibly confront. They had no choice but to swallow their anger.

 

The marriage they’d painstakingly arranged had fallen through. The girl’s family was dirt-poor, but Old Master He had paid them off, forbidding them from marrying their daughter into the Lin family. Just like that, the match was ruined.

 

That was why they had set their sights on Qiao Suiman, hoping to secure the match quickly. Once the wedding was done, even if Lin Junfang’s leg never healed, the Qiao family would have no way to back out.

 

Now that everything had been exposed, how could her nephew ever find a wife again? Lin Xiuhua’s eyes burned with malice as she wished she could tear Feng Jie’s mouth to shreds!

 

 

 

 

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Translator [LUNE]: I don’t know how to pluralize the the words fulang and ge’r. Any suggestions? Should I keep them as is?

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