Free Web NovelChapter 621: Chapter 621: Jealous of Their Good Looks
"Tian Fugui, why did you set fire to my weaving workshop?"
Following Tong Huaqiong’s question, Gu Taohua went up and kicked Tian Fugui hard.
Tian Fugui’s mouth was stuffed with cotton by Li Mingxiu and he let out a muffled cry from the kick.
With that kick from Gu Taohua, many villagers were eager to join in on kicking him.
Especially the young women and wives working in the weaving workshop, who saw it as their lifeline. Now, someone was trying to harm them for profit, how could they tolerate it?
"Tian Fugui, you’ve lost your conscience. How could you have such vile thoughts to burn the weaving workshop? What good does burning the workshop do for you?"
"The upper beam is crooked, so naturally the lower beam is slanted. No wonder your son was executed at the border for backstabbing his superior; it’s all because he had a wicked, heartless father like you who lacked virtue."
The crowd surrounding Tian Fugui shouted curses and accusations.
Nobody could understand what kind of grudge he had against Tong Huaqiong that would drive him to set the weaving workshop on fire.
His mother usually didn’t get along with Tong Huaqiong, but his wife and daughter worked at Tong Huaqiong’s pig farm.
Under such public accusations, Tian Fugui suddenly regained his senses, and his initial boldness for arson disappeared completely.
Tong Huaqiong signaled for Gu Dahuan to take a basin of water from Liu Qingsong and splash it onto Tian Fugui’s head, then removed the cotton from his mouth.
Without needing Tong Huaqiong to ask, Tian Fugui confessed everything on his own.
It was Xu Xinghua who gave him five taels of silver, instructing him to set fire to the weaving workshop.
Tian Fugui regretted it now, not for taking Xu Xinghua’s silver to burn the workshop, but for not being discreet and underestimating, getting caught by a girl who held him like iron pincers.
"I was tricked by Xu Xinghua. She hated Gu Xiaoxue and told me Gu Xiaoxue would be sleeping at the workshop tonight, offering me five taels of silver to scare Xiao Xue. I didn’t expect her to have me commit arson. The oil and fire starters were given by her... She’s fled..."
"I was foolish, my mind clouded by her words."
"Let me go; I didn’t set the workshop on fire."
Song Qiaoniang said, "You didn’t set the weaving workshop on fire because you were caught before you could. If it weren’t for Li Mingxiu pinning you down, the whole house of cotton, cloth, and looms would have been burned up, and even Daqiao and I would have been burned to death."
Tian Fugui shivered.
The crowd was in an uproar; how could Xu Xinghua, despite being connected to the Lian Family, still harbor resentment against Gu Xiaoxue?
Gu Xiaoxue spurned the rich Young Master, whom Xu Xinghua managed to snatch; shouldn’t she be grateful to Gu Xiaoxue? How could she harbor hatred instead?
Xu Xinghua’s mind was truly vicious, aiming to burn Gu Xiaoxue to death.
Originally, it was Gu Xiaoxue’s turn to be on duty today, but because Li Mingxiu and Gu Xiaoxue exchanged shifts, in a twist of fate, Tian Fugui was caught by Li Mingxiu. Otherwise, Gu Xiaoxue would have been burned to death.
"Xu Xinghua is your mother, isn’t she? Just because she told you to burn the workshop, you did it? If you don’t tell the truth, you’ll end up beheaded just like your son when the authorities get involved," Tong Huaqiong said.
She couldn’t believe Tian Fugui would conspire with Xu Xinghua just for five taels of silver.
He must have his own reasons for wanting to burn the weaving workshop.
Tian Fugui lowered his head and remained silent as Tong Huaqiong directed Granny Lei to prepare a hot iron brand.
Granny Lei swiftly picked up a piece of burning coal and moved it towards Tian Fugui.
Tian Fugui was almost scared to death.
"I was tricked by Xu Xinghua. She divulged that the reason Dashi knew about Chun Wang was that Nie Xiaofeng, who enlisted with Chun Wang, had harmed him at the border... otherwise, how could Dashi know everything so clearly?"
"I believed her words..."
Tian Fugui initially wanted to avenge his son but softened at the sight of the red-hot coal.
He didn’t want to reunite with his son.
"Xu Xinghua has always been full of malice, and you believe her words? She’s been trouble since she was young, even instigating her cousin-in-law to cheat in front of her cousin, forcing the cousin-in-law to jump into the river," someone said, pointing at Tian Fugui.
"Don’t you know the circumstances under which Chun Wang went to the border? If it hadn’t been for Dashi kindly bringing you news, would you even know about Chun Wang’s fate? Don’t say I’m helping him build a tomb for his peace in the afterlife. Not only do you not appreciate it, but you repay kindness with enmity. Burning the weaving workshop workers’ financial road. You scoundrel who will come to no good end; you should join your son in the afterlife," Zhao, Dashi’s mother-in-law, said in anger.
In her opinion, her son-in-law should have never brought Chun Wang’s news to Tian Fugui.
He just unleashed a viper.
Tong Huaqiong said, "He wasn’t just instigated by Xu Xinghua; he already had a burning desire in his heart to destroy the workshop. Xu Xinghua just instigated him to act on it."
Tong Huaqiong didn’t bother to explain the cause of Chun Wang’s death to Tian Fugui; no matter what, he believed it wasn’t Chun Wang’s fate.
"Tie him up. We’ll send him to the authorities tomorrow," Tong Huaqiong ordered.
Gu Dahuan brought a rope, and with Liu Qingsong, they tied up Tian Fugui.
The village chief said he’d report to the county government at dawn.
No one would tolerate anyone attempting to burn the weaving workshop.
Although others may not know, Tong Huaqiong and County Magistrate Liu knew well enough that some of the cotton and cloth in the workshop were military supplies. In the grand scheme of things, Tian Fugui’s crime of arson could be seen as a military offense as well.
Exile wouldn’t be avoidable.
After dealing with Tian Fugui, Tong Huaqiong had Gu Dahuan escort Tian Fugui briskly towards Xu Yong’s house.
Without needing a word from Tong Huaqiong, the villagers followed voluntarily.
The weaving workshop steward, Gu Daqiao, went up and knocked on the door.
Xu Xinghua’s sister-in-law came down, opening the door in her nightclothes.
Tong Huaqiong led the crowd inside, and Gu Taohua rushed into Xu Xinghua’s room and dragged her out.
Xu Xinghua screamed loudly.
Xu Yong had just started to drift off to sleep, having spent half the night excitedly talking with Mrs. Tian about how their alliance with the Lian Family could elevate their status when he was awakened by the commotion.
"Tong Dajiao, what’s happening?" Xu Yong asked.
Tong Huaqiong sneered.
The villagers clamored to recount the whole story.
With Tian Fugui’s testimony, Xu Xinghua had no way to deny it.
"Tong Dajiao, I hate you. I hate that you lavish affection on Gu Taohua. I hate that you’ve made Gu Taohua so beautiful. I hate that you stand up for Gu Xiaoxue and Gu Xiaocao... I hate that the most beautiful girls in our village all have connections to you..." Xu Xinghua sat on the ground, looking deranged.
She was nearly driven mad.
Why? They’re all girls from Qinghe Bay. Why were they born so fair and beautiful?
Gu Taohua has been fat and bad-tempered since she was young. Xu Xinghua thought Gu Taohua should feel as inferior as she did, but this girl was always confident and domineering. She has become even more beautiful these past two years, making Xu Xinghua feel even more inadequate.
As for Gu Xiaocao, despite her family being so poor, she was still born so good-looking.
The same for Gu Xiaoxue. As soon as she returned from the south, she attracted all the attention of the young men in the village.
And there was no need to mention Gu Taohua. After slimming down, her snowy complexion and delicate features made her stand out.
Xu Xinghua hated these three girls to death!
After listening to Xu Xinghua’s words, Tong Huaqiong and the villagers were speechless.
Originally, they thought Xu Xinghua set the weaving workshop on fire in part because she hated Gu Xiaoxue and in part because she resented Tong Huaqiong for ousting Xu Yong from his village chief position.
Who would have thought it was because she was jealous that Gu Taohua, Gu Xiaoxue, and Gu Xiaocao were better-looking than she was?
This...
"You may not be pretty, but that doesn’t stop you from marrying well," Aunt Qin, who had come to watch the drama, said.
These words thoroughly enraged Xu Xinghua.
She let out a howl and lunged at Aunt Qin, but Liu Mingxiu held her back.
Tong Huaqiong squinted, thinking that Xu Xinghua’s marriage should be hurried along.
This troublemaker shouldn’t stay in Qinghe Bay even for a day longer.
After Tong Huaqiong and the villagers left the Xu family, Xu Xinghua continued to throw a fit, even threatening to set her own house on fire.
Her parents didn’t believe her and refused to inquire about the Young Master Lian’s affairs in Pingchuan County.
Eldest Sister-in-law Xu was terrified and called her husband to drag Xu Xinghua into the house. It was her oversight that let Xu Xinghua sneak out and collude with Tian Fugui.
Her sister-in-law was to be married in ten days, and no mistakes could be afforded.
She planned to bind Xu Xinghua.
