Free Web NovelChapter 105: Chapter 105
Chapter 105
"I’ve said what I needed to say. I will prepare the documents and work out the division of Mu Tian’s share, then inform the village leader." No matter what the mother and daughter said, once Mu Xian had made his decision, he wouldn’t change his mind.
Besides, when he and his wife eventually passed away, Mu Tian would probably still be unable to get a husband. He believed with more than 90% certainty that she would remain unmarried till the end of her days. Therefore, separating her from the family would benefit the other members like the first and second sons of his. With the third son already gone, his grandchildren, Xiao Heng, Xiao Long, and Huan’er, were well taken care of. He couldn’t allow the children of his eldest and second sons to also suffer.
In any case, once he and his wife were gone, Mu Tian would want to take over the main house, since she had nowhere to go. Mu Tian would become a burden to those who would live in the main house. She would potentially cause trouble for his grandchildren. Thus, while he was still alive, in his generation, he needed to settle this clearly.
While he was still alive, he could have his wife secretly bring food to Mu Tian if she was in difficult situation to prevent her from starving, allowing her to learn to take care of herself during that. Once he and his wife were gone, she would find it much harder to seek help.
“No, you can’t do this. Sob, sob. How can you do this? You can’t do this. I’m your daughter. Mother, help me, please.” Mu Tian realized from her father’s stern expression that he wouldn’t be swayed. She could only ask her mother for help.
Grandmother Zhu looked like she wanted to say something but didn’t dare. She feared that if she said anything, it would only make things worse. She didn’t know what her husband was thinking, and she was just a wife.
In this era, women were expected to obey their parents before marriage and their husbands afterward. She should not display defiance, especially when they were in front of the villagers, as it could embarrass her husband. If it got worse, her husband might give her a divorce notice, forcing her to live with her daughter, which would be even worse.
Now, she still held the position of his wife. If she needed help, she could still ask for it within the household. But if her status changed, she didn’t know how she and her daughter would survive.
“About this, since your father has made his decision, let it be. Even Mu Heng, a child, can take care of each other. You should grow up too. As for marriage, even after separating from the family, if there’s a matchmaker, your mother is still willing to help.” Grandmother Zhu comforted Mu Tian, not wanting her to throw a bigger tantrum as it could provoke her husband’s anger further.
Initially, she wanted to reach out and touch her daughter’s shoulder to signal her to calm down, but once she reached out, she withdrew her hand almost immediately.
Despite Mu Tian’s shivering from the cold water which was thrown onto her, her body was still covered in vomit. If one didn’t see her as a daughter, Mu Tian looked like a filthy pig. It served as a stark reminder to Grandmother Zhu of the recent events and the people’s hatred Mu Tian had incited.
Thinking this way, if the Mu family wanted to avoid being entirely ostracized, they had to show they were serious about punishing someone like her. Should Mu Tian cause trouble again, the Mu family wouldn’t suffer.
The more she thought about it, the more Grandmother Zhu understood her husband. After she looked at their grandchildren, who seemed destined to be valuable scholars, handling Mu Tian this way was the best solution.
But someone as selfish and inconsiderate as Mu Tian wouldn’t understand. Unable to gain mercy from her father or help from her mother, she felt abandoned! Having endured the worst day of her life, she now faced abandonment. How could Mu Tian stand it?
Her face was so ugly, it was deep red, as if she was angry. Naturally, Mu Tian never felt remorse or thought she had done anything wrong. She only believed she was being bullied, and the cause of it was... fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
“Screech!! I won’t accept this. Father, Mother, I refuse to let this happen. I’ll go to the authorities. You’re being deceived by this fox demon. Ever since she arrived in this village, disaster has occurred non-stop. Even Zhu Liang nearly drowned, Fu Liao almost died from fainting as well, and suddenly there were the bandits and the soldiers falling ill. It’s all... it’s all because of the jinx like that evil woman for sure”
Mu Tian directed all her anger towards Yueqian. From the beginning, she noticed that Yueqian’s influence in the Mu family and among the villagers had grown daily. Whatever Yueqian did, people praised her, when in fact, that evil did nothing. She just had a lot of money she could spend, so she didn’t want to work hard.
She let the villagers rent her land because she didn’t want to farm herself!
Moreover, Yueqian pretended to be the one who came up with the idea of using a water fetching pulley. Mu Tian never saw it as Yueqian’s achievement. She thought that such devices were already used in the capital, and Yueqian just copied it and told others she was a good and clever person.
And all those medicines she had—didn’t she say her mother prepared them for her? So what merits did she have? She was just a wealthy girl who had everything, was her?
Of course, Mu Tian had the rights to think that. But did she forget that those items weren’t cheap? If Yueqian hadn’t helped, would anyone has blamed her? It was her right too. That was why everyone saw Yueqian as a good person—because of her generosity.
However, the narrow-minded person was jealous of the woman who was more beautiful, wealthier, had a better manner and even came from the capital. No matter what aspect, Yueqian was superior to her. This jealousy blinded Mu Tian, causing her to be unable to see that she was behaving so foolishly, causing the feeling of disgust among people.
“A jinx? Haha, that’s ridiculous. Let me tell you, my illness has been long-standing. That day, I fainted because I worked too hard and ate too little. If Yueqian hadn’t helped, I would have died.” Aunt Liao, upon listening, was almost approached to grab Mu Tian by the hair and slap her a few times.
Unfortunately, Mu Tian’s hair and face were so filthy that Aunt Liao didn’t even want to touch her. Otherwise, today would have been the day to see Aunt Liao unleash her wrath!
"And as for me, last year, did you not hear about someone dying after falling into the water? It happened in the previous years as well. So, when A’Heng’s wife helped, it was like a torch in the snow. I survived because of her. I must thank her. Her methods have helped many. Do you still think she’s not a good person, but a jinx?"
Uncle Liang also spoke up. He was so disgusted with Mu Tian that he didn’t want to engage with her, but he couldn’t let this pass.
“Do you really not know who the real jinx of our village is?”
“Indeed, all of us almost die this time because of your selfishness. You are the real evil here.”
“Even though Yueqian claimed she asked you to put the medicine in the food for the soldiers, I don’t believe it. If it had been Yueqian, you would have said so from the beginning. Do you think someone like you would protect Yueqian and endure such suffering?”
“The one who’s evil must be you. Initially, I felt sorry for you and thought Grandfather Mu was too harsh. After all, you’re a woman. But I forgot that someone like you can do anything. You’re bold enough to take money from whoever and poison soldiers. You must be thriving with that skill.”
“I agree too. Grandfather Mu, expelling her from the family is the right decision. Village leader, I think it’s best if you ask her to leave this village.”
“But I pity the next village that takes her in. Having a resident like her is a misfortune.” The surrounding villagers couldn’t hold back any longer when Mu Tian blamed Yueqian, despite Yueqian having stood up for her. No one could accept this ungrateful woman.
Initially, some might have sympathized with her, understanding that money can be a powerful temptation for any person. Two silver taels was a significant amount, even them might accept the job. But seeing her lack of remorse and how she blamed the one who helped her like this, they couldn’t stand it.
Mu Tian hadn’t expected to be scolded by everyone that she couldn’t even respond. She opened her mouth like she wanted to argue, but others spoke over her. The looks and demeanors of the villagers were frightening. Her initial screams gradually subsided.
It seemed no one in the village believed her anymore. She couldn’t touch or destroy Yueqian now without facing a barrage of scorn like this. As for how evil Yueqian was, Mu Tian could only keep that resentment to herself.
All she wanted now was not to be expelled from the village. Otherwise, she would have no place to go.
“Village leader, please have mercy on me. Don’t drive me out,” Mu Tian pleaded, kneeling and crying. Being expelled from the village was a big issue. If the villagers didn’t accept her, there was a possibility that she couldn’t live here peacefully.
Previously, there had been a wicked man. Though he had money to buy land, his house was mysteriously burnt down one day, no one bought anything from him, and he couldn’t get a cart ride to the city. Everything was tough. Eventually, he couldn’t live here. This method of driving someone out was what she feared most. However, if the village leader stood up for her, giving her a chance, the villagers would not act so harshly toward her as they respected him.
“Village leader, please have pity on poor Tiantian,” Mu Tian feigned being weak and pitiable. She even clung to the village leader’s leg.
“What do you think, Mu Xian?” The village leader, despite his disdain for her filthiness and vile character, still respected Mu Xian by letting him be the one to decide.
“I... this matter... Let’s start by separating her from the family. After that, let her reflect on her bad deeds. If she continues to misbehave despite getting a chance to stay here, then we can reconsider expelling her from the village. Is this... acceptable?” Grandfather Xian also hadn’t expected things to escalate to the point of expulsion from the village. He hesitated for a while before expressing his wish.
Mu Tian was his child, after all. Expelling her from the family was already a harsh punishment, let alone driving her out of the village, facing difficulties.
"Then it’s settled. Come to my house to finalize the separation. As for the division of property, I and these villagers will be your witnesses," the village leader finally decided.
This left Mu Tian sitting in tears of relief mixed with anger. Although she didn’t look up, Yueqian could still sense the hatred directed toward her.
"I and my family won’t be joining you for this. We have many other matters to attend to." Yueqian said beforehand. She found the idea of listening to the Mu family’s property division annoying.
The more she listened, the more irritated she might become. Her husband and the children used to be part of the Mu family but received nothing. If they were to witness the division now, wouldn’t it be like rubbing salt in their wounds?Better to take them home and make them some bananas in coconut milk to relief the tension.
