Chapter 5

“That’s right. If I knew your family was full of animals, I would never have entered your house. Your family is just trying to take advantage of me. They’re trying to take advantage of my family’s lack of respect for me. Your family is providing for a child’s education. Money is tight. Don’t act like you’re unlucky. You only used 100 catties of wheat to marry me. It’s really worth it to obtain a worker.”

Qiao Mai replied unhurriedly. She was not afraid of Madam Tian Li at all. She was like a different person from before.

Today, she would fight to the death with whoever dared to force her to a corner. At most, she would die again. She had never been afraid of the word death!

“You b*tch, you’re not even worth a bag of wheat!”

“Yes, I’m not worth it, but I know that for a laborer like me, working in a rich family for a day would earn at least ten coins, and I could earn two to three hundred coins a month.”

“How much is your 100 catties of wheat? I worked for ten months at your house. I should earn at least two taels of silver. You guys eat rice and noodles, and I drink soup.”

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“Just based on this point, I don’t owe your family anything, let alone you hitting and scolding me. Your family is not losing money but profiting. In the future, it’s better not to mention anything like betrothal gifts. Otherwise, people will laugh their heads off.”

“You, you!”

It was the first time Madam Tian Li saw Qiao Mai so sharp-tongued. She was so angry that she lowered her head and wanted to find someone to beat Qiao Mai up.

The village chief roared. It wasn’t that he wanted to protect Qiao Mai, but he was too angry.

He, the village chief, was here to uphold justice. Qiao Mai was soon to leave the Tian family, yet Madam Tian Li dared to treat the victim like this. She did not put him in her eyes at all.

“Madam Tian Li, she’s not a servant you bought. Do you believe I’ll make you sit in prison? How insolent! Anyone who dares to torture their daughter-in-law like her in the future, think about how your daughter-in-law will torture you when you’re old and can’t move! Humph!”

When the surrounding villagers heard this, their hearts could not help but tighten. That’s right. If they tortured their daughter-in-law for a moment’s joy, they would suffer when they were old and unable to move.

If their daughter-in-law died, their reputation would be ruined. Not only would their children and grandchildren lose their mother, but they would also have to spend money to marry another one for their son.

However, if a daughter-in-law lived past her parents-in-law’s torture, would she still want to serve them? Dream on!

Who knows, one day, they might die from a handful of rat poison. To the outside world, she could say that they were old and did not make it through. After all, it was normal for one to die at this age. Who would suspect her? No one reported it to the authorities, and the matter would blow past.

Everyone looked at Madame Tian with a bit of schadenfreude. She was not only torturing her youngest daughter-in-law but also torturing her eldest and second daughter-in-law. It was just that her methods were not as terrible.

Her two daughters-in-law had bad tempers. Who knows, there might really be such a day.

Thinking of their own family, they wanted to restrain themselves when they returned, lest drugged when they turn old. The village chief’s unintentional words made the daughters-in-law in the village have better lives.

Qiao Mai didn’t care what the villagers said. In any case, if the Tian family dared to say anything to her, she would retort ten times fiercer.

The Tian family looked at her with such vicious eyes, but so what? She had to leave the Tian family today.

She could not stay in the village either. The people in this village were too cruel. They would not even bear to give her any leftover food. She did not want to deal with them, nor did she have an excuse to use this body to turn the tides here.

The only thing she could do was to leave, so she glanced at the villagers. She still had to put on an act later.

If they don’t help her today, don’t even think about getting her help in the future.

Just as she and the Tian family were fighting with their gazes, the chief’s second son had finished writing the letter of release.

He read the letter in front of the whole village.

The content did not offend anyone and even described the Tian family as a good person. Sanzhuang served in the military with an unknown status. As they could not bear to let their daughter-in-law waste her youth guarding an empty room, they wrote this letter in Sanzhuang’s stead to release his wife. It was signed by Tian Laoshi.

Upon seeing that both parties had no objections, Tian Laoshi and Madam Tian Li pressed their fingerprints on it. Qiao Mai followed suit.

She took the letter and looked at it. Although she didn’t know much about ancient traditional Chinese characters, she could roughly guess them. Seeing no problem, she solemnly folded it and held it tightly.

Old Tian was about to leave with his family when Qiao Mai called out.

“Leave later!”

The village chief frowned. What now? There were so many things to do with Madam Qiao. He was a little impatient.

“What now?”

Qiao Mai stood up from the ground. “Chief, please ask a few aunts to search my body.”

“What are you trying to do now?”

“I’m afraid if I get rich after I leave, the Tian family will shamelessly say that I stole their assets.”

“You’re too calculative.”

“I have no choice. I’ll have to live alone in the future. It’s better to avoid trouble. What do you think, chief?”

“Alright. Old Tian, wait a moment. Leave after you’re done searching!”

Therefore, the village chief asked his wife and a few other women in the village to go forward and search Qiao Mai.

Other than the letter in her hand, she didn’t have a single coin on her, let alone any other things. Even her hair was pinned up with a branch.

Qiao Mai looked coldly at the Tian family. “There are so many witnesses. I, Qiao Mai, did not take a single cent from the Tian family. I even got this dress from my original family.”

“Hmph, you better die outside.”

“Don’t worry. I am diligent and will only get better.”

After saying this, Qiao Mai glanced at the villagers.

“Which kind-hearted person can help me? If I, Qiaomai, become successful one day, I’ll return you ten times the amount. I won’t mind a penny or two.”

Hearing this, the Tian family members pursed their lips and left. The surrounding villagers also quickly dispersed. Qiao Mai looked at the village chief.

“After a while, when I recuperate, I’ll come to you with the letter to register my identity?”

“Find the village chief wherever you live to settle it. Aren’t you very capable? You don’t listen to advice and insist on getting a divorce. You can use your own abilities. Remember what you said. Don’t let Peach Blossom Village be implicated because of the Tian family.”

“Chief, you’re really childish. Even if I don’t say anything, do you think this matter won’t spread? Which gossipy women in the village didn’t have relatives and friends? Let’s control their mouths first.”

“When did you become like this?”

“Why? Should I lower my head and work every day and not say a word when bullied? I deserve to be bullied to death by the Tian family?”

“Alright, alright. You can go. Don’t return to the village in the future.”

“Who wants to come back?”

Qiao Mai turned around and walked towards the village entrance. The village chief looked at her back thoughtfully. He seemed to have said something wrong just now. He had supported Madam Qiao, so what’s one more household registration?

If she had a future, she would be grateful for his kindness, right?

Now, he had said a few angry words just now and offended her.

Fortunately, he was the village chief. When Madam Qiao does her household registration, it will implicate him. At that time, they could ease their relationship.

Qiao Mai threw the letter into her space to store it. She walked alone on the village road, thinking about how to settle down in town.

There was a small town on the north side of the official road, which was close to the original owner’s mother’s house. She couldn’t go there. There was another town on the south side, which was close to Peach Blossom Village, but it was more prosperous than the one on the north.

After thinking about it, she decided to go to Tianshui Town in the south.

Just the village’s dirt road alone was two miles long. If she went south on the official road, she would have to travel at least ten miles.

Although her body was full, she was weak after childbirth, especially her tailbone. It was sore when she walked, so she could only walk and rest.

She had everything she needed in her space, including things that could be exchanged for money, but she couldn’t take any out.

After being a secret agent for many years, she was meticulous in her work. She would not give anyone a chance to frame her, and she would try her best to avoid trouble.