Farming Family's Pocket Dimension: A Charmed Little Lady Comes to Farm

Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Come, Hit Me Here

The Second Miss leaned against the window, peering out through a hole in the paper pane. When she saw Gu Erlang kneel, she wiped away a tear. ’She wished she had a brother like that, too.’ As the daughter of a concubine, she was practically invisible in the eyes of her brother, the Princely Heir.

The old madam grew even more furious. "Fine, just fine! Your whole family protects that wretched girl. I say one little thing, and so many people jump to her defense."

"You didn’t just buy some girl back; it seems you’ve brought home a matriarch to worship!"

The old madam raised her cane and struck Gu Erlang a few times. The Second Miss clapped a hand over her mouth, her shoulders shrinking in fear.

Gu Erlang kept his head down, not making a sound.

Gu Zhang and Mrs. Chen watched anxiously, but they couldn’t say a word. It was considered perfectly natural for a grandmother to discipline her grandson.

After a few strikes, the old madam ran out of strength. She threw down her cane, sat on the ground, and began to wail. "What sins did I commit to deserve this? To raise such unfilial children and grandchildren! My life is so bitter! My husband died young, I raised them through every hardship imaginable, and now they dare to despise me!"

Gu Zhang’s face turned livid. ’If this weren’t his own mother, he would have already grabbed a broom and chased her out. But it was his mother, and he could neither strike her nor scold her.’

The old madam’s commotion quickly attracted a crowd of onlookers. In an era with little entertainment, a family squabble or a fight was prime-time viewing. The gossips would grab their little stools and come running.

Gu Fei, who had been listening from her room, could not stand it any longer. She climbed down from the kang bed and walked straight into the courtyard.

She looked at the old madam sitting on the ground. "Grandmother, you shouldn’t paint everyone with the same brush. My parents have been nothing but filial to you."

"If anyone is to blame, it’s me."

"I’m the unfilial one. Go on, hit me here." Gu Fei turned, knelt, and pointed to her back.

"Oh my, what happened to that Little Fei? Her back is covered in blood. It’s a frightening sight."

"I heard she was beaten at the Marquis Mansion!"

"And that’s not all! The Marquis Mansion was sacked, and I heard Little Fei was thrown in prison, then dragged to the South Market to be sold. It was lucky Gu Qing saw her and bought her back."

"No wonder Gu Qing was borrowing silver from everyone yesterday."

"Exactly! I heard it cost twenty taels to buy her back. She was originally sold for just five taels of silver. Spending twenty taels now, what a loss!"

"So the old madam made a losing deal. And Little Fei was beaten so badly on top of it all. No wonder the old woman is so angry."

The gossips stood at the courtyard gate, chattering all at once.

When the old madam heard the words "losing deal," she lost face. She wanted to argue that Gu Fei had gone to the Marquis Mansion to live a life of comfort, but she couldn’t get the words out while looking at the bloodstains on Gu Fei’s back.

If she actually hit Gu Fei with her cane, she feared her second son’s entire family would turn against her.

With no graceful way out of the situation, the old madam could only cover her face and weep.

Gu Zhang looked at his daughter kneeling on the ground, his heart aching.

He stepped forward and helped the old madam up. "Mother, you’re getting on in years. The ground is cold. Let me help you back to your room to rest."

The old madam seized the opportunity to extricate herself, pounding her fists on Gu Zhang a couple of times. "I raised a heartless son for nothing!"

Gu Erlang also got up from the ground. He and his father supported the old madam on either side as they led her out of the courtyard.

Ms. Qian sneered from the side. ’The old madam is all thunder and no rain,’ she thought. ’Made a scene for nothing and didn’t gain a single thing from it!’

She suddenly raised her voice. "Mother-in-law, didn’t you say yesterday you wanted to visit your cousin’s family?"

"What a coincidence! Gu Zhang’s family just bought a mule cart. Lend it to us for a few days, and my husband can take you to your cousin’s."

The old madam stopped in her tracks at the courtyard gate. She turned to look back at the mule cart, its blue cloth curtains clearly brand new.