Chapter 5 – Don’t mess with me

Jiang Zhen was resting inside the house, but outside, the rest of the Jiang family had already met their new daughter-in-law.

There aren’t many people who can write and read in the south of the Yangtze River, so it is very difficult for them to pass the scholar’s examination. Jiang Chengxiang new wife, Zhu Shufen, is the daughter of a scholar, and her father, Zhu Xiucai, is expected to be elected in the examination. Because of this, the Jiang family attaches great importance to the marriage, not only paying a large amount of money to marry her but also holding her in high regard.

But even so, Shufen was still not happy.

Last night, she was trying to talk to her husband on her wedding night. There was a lot of noise outside. Her mother-in-law kept insulting her brother-in-law like a shrew.

Even if her brother-in-law was out of his mind and could not speak or do things, her mother-in-law should be embarrassed to behave like that.

After pursing her mouth, Shufen first looked down on old Madam Jiang, but she did not show it on her face. She still appeared gentle and courteous.

“Shufen, I made you sugar eggs. Eat.” Old Madam Jiang put a bowl in front of Zhu Shufen. Inside the bowl are two poached eggs boiled in brown sugar water.

On the first day, Jiang Chengwen’s wife, Huang Min, married into Jiang’s family, she got up early in the morning to help old lady Jiang cook, but she did not get to eat sugar eggs. Now that she saw the treatment of her sister-in-law, she could not help but feel a little angry. But old lady Jiang did not pay attention to her and invited Zhu Shufen to eat meat. She also complained again about Jiang Zhen. “The table was overturned yesterday, and all the good dishes fell on the floor. I had to wash them and cook them again . . .”

Zhu Shufen wanted to stretch out her chopsticks to eat chicken, but when she heard this, she took them back. Yesterday, her mother-in-law scolded for a long time, and she understood the context. She lost her appetite when she thought that the things on the table had been picked up from the ground.

Zhu Shufen didn’t want to eat anything at the table anymore. She used the chopsticks to eat the eggs in her bowl. At the same time, she felt like complaining again. There was too little sugar in the sugar water, and the sugar was not sweet enough. As for the eggs . . .

Zhu Shufen took a bite, the uncooked egg yolk flowed out, and her face changed. “Why is this egg not cooked? As I said before, I like cooked egg.”

Zhu Shufen knew Jiang Chengxiang before her marriage. Jiang Chengxiang would send her something from time to time. At that time, he sent her boiled eggs, and once, Jiang Chengxiang’s eggs were not boiled thoroughly. She told Jiang Chengxiang that she did not like to eat eggs that were raw and uncooked.

After that, all the eggs sent by Jiang Chengxiang were well-cooked, but how could they bring her such eggs today?

“Half-cooked egg tastes better,” old Madam Jiang said. The third had told her that his wife wanted to eat well-cooked eggs, but poached eggs would use more firewood to fully boil, so she took them out when they were almost done and packed them in a bowl.

What’s more, eggs are obviously more delicious. Jiang Xiaomei liked to eat half-cooked eggs. If she could eat an egg occasionally, she had to wait for her to prepare a meal before putting them on the steamer. She steamed them half-cooked with the hot air bellow.

Zhu Shufen pushed the bowl in her hand to Jiang Chengxiang and refused to eat the sugar eggs.

Old Madam Jiang regarded this scene with some disapproval and dissatisfaction but still said, “Shufen, if you do not like to eat them like this, I will cook for you a boiled egg later.”

“Eggs, eggs!” Jiang Yuan Wen, the only grandson of the Jiang family, knocked his bowl with a spoon and asked old lady Jiang for food.

“There must always be eggs for our family, Yuan Wen. Don’t worry.” Old Madam Jiang had always loved her grandson the most.

Although there was a little unhappiness, everyone in the Jiang family was able to meet the new daughter-in-law.

Zhu Shufen ate something then went back to her room with Jiang Chengxiang. Old Madam Jiang asked Jiang Xiaomei to tidy things together and asked, “The one who has jumped into the river hasn’t come out yet?”

No matter who Madam Jiang scolded, he was the only one who was called like that.

“I didn’t see him come out,” Jiang Xiaomei said. Thinking of what happened last night, she couldn’t help but feel frightened.

Old Madam Jiang was also frightened by what had happened last night. She didn’t sleep well all night. Now she looked at the direction of the storeroom with a gloomy face. “He can never come out. It’s best if he starves to death in it!”

If Eldest Jiang was not feeling well before or was not busy with farming, he would occasionally lie motionless in the house for a day without eating or drinking. Jiang Zhen did not leave the storeroom after last night, which made Madam Jiang think of the past, and she was not very afraid of him.

She is his mother. Does the guy who has no balls really dare to kill her?

With this in mind, Madam Jiang wanted to go over and rattle the door again.

“Mother.” Just as Madam Jiang was about to teach her eldest son a lesson, the newlywed Jiang Chengxiang suddenly entered the kitchen.

“What is the third son doing here? This is no place for you men to come,” Old Madam Jiang said, but she completely forgot that all the work in the kitchen, such as washing dishes and pots, was done by Eldest Jiang after he came back from the field.

The only reason that Eldest Jiang didn’t cook was because Old Madam Jiang was afraid he would steal food.

“Mother, I have something to tell you,” said Jiang Chengxiang. “In the future, when you make eggs for Shufen, they must be cooked. She doesn’t like to eat uncooked eggs. In fact, she likes scrambled eggs best.”

“She is too choosy. Where can I get so much oil for her scrambled eggs?” Old lady Jiang disgruntledly muttered. It is good enough to have eggs to eat, how much oil is needed for scrambled eggs? Eggs are already the greatest food!

“Isn’t it alright to spoil her little in the family?” Jiang Chengxiang smiled and said, “There is also big brother. Mother, don’t always catch him and scold him all the time. It’s so ugly. Yesterday, we heard your scolding from the bedroom. Although Shufen did not say anything, but I was very embarrassed. Her parents’ arguments are usually as short as a single sentence.”

“What is that?” Old Madam Jiang frowned. “She will give me the cold-shoulder?”

Old Madam Jiang was told off by her son; her heart was on fire, and she was not happy with Zhu Shufen. But she thought that she is the daughter of Master Xiucai, so she needed to give her face. After that, she wanted to find trouble with her eldest son, but thinking about her daughter-in-law, she did not do so in the end. She just chattered on and on about the two chicken legs that were supposed to be left for Yuan Wen.

However, thinking that Yuan Wen did not get to eat chicken legs, old Madam Jiang, who was rarely generous, steamed six eggs in one breath while cooking.

When the meal was ready, Madam Jiang ate one by herself. When she arrived at the table, she gave Jiang Yuan Wen two eggs, Zhu Shufen two eggs, and the rest went to Jiang Xiaomei.

Old man Jiang did not like to eat dry eggs and sat at the table, picking fat meat to eat. Huang Min looked at her brother-in-law and sister-in-law with jealousy. With mother-in-law staring at her, it was impossible for her to take a bite of the eggs her son was eating.

“Are you eating?” The crowd was about to eat when a hoarse voice suddenly rang out.

When the Jiang family looked over, they saw a tall, black, thin, and angry man coming towards them with a sharp knife attached to his waist and a big knife in his hand and looking at them menacingly.

Old Madam Jiang subconsciously wanted to swear, but when she saw the knife in Jiang Zhen’s hand, she could no longer make a sound in her throat. Old man Jiang was also a little stupefied, and the others were even more afraid to greet Jiang Zhen.

Honest Eldest Jiang, how did he become like this in the twinkling of an eye?

For a moment, there was no sound in the room.

Jiang Zhen was very satisfied with this scene. When he saw that the eight members of the Jiang family had filled the eight seats next to the eight Immortals tables, he sneered at Jiang Chengwen. “Second son, make way.”

Jiang Chengwen saw Jiang Zhenwei last night. When he heard Jiang Zhen’s cold words, he subconsciously gave way and pulled away Huang Min, who was sitting next to him.

Jiang Zhen sat down and put the knife on the table.

This knife, which can easily cut off the bones of a pig’s leg, was very heavy. When it was placed on the table, the whole table was in shock . . . Jiang Zhen pressed his left hand on it and did not let go, but his right hand took Jiang Chengwen chopsticks and picked the cooked vegetables to eat. Then he went on to eat Jiang Chengwen’s bowl of rice.

“Eldest Jiang, if you want to eat, why won’t you take the bowl yourself?” Old man Jiang killed pigs and had been a soldier who has seen the world. At that time, he finally came back to his senses and glared at Jiang Zhen, who had driven Jiang Chengwen away.

Jiang Zhen simply buried his head into the bowl while eating and did not respond to the words of old man Jiang. His action made old men Jiang forget his fear last night.

“Bastard, I’m talking to you!” Old man Jiang slapped his hands on the table, and the dishes on the table shook.

“You son of a bitch, you give me so much trouble yesterday and still dare to eat at the table today. I will beat you to death!” Old Madam Jiang went to find the broom again.

“Eldest Jiang, what’s the matter with you? Shufen has just married in. Can you stop making trouble?” Jiang Chengxiang had not seen Jiang Zhen holding a knife last night. He was not afraid of Jiang Zheng at all. “You are too disgraceful!”

Jiang Zhen ate very quickly, put three or two bowls of rice into his own mouth. After eating, he stood up.

Why do these people like toasting instead of drinking fine wine?

Standing up, Jiang Zhen suddenly picked up his knife and chopped the table. He only split one side of the wooden table: “Have you forgotten what I said yesterday? Curse me again and I will cut you to death!”

This time, the dishes on the table were not only shaken but were even directly overturned. Old man Jiang’s rice bowl fell to the ground and broke in half.

Old man Jiang was so angry when he stared at him. The new daughter-in-law was right next to him. He didn’t want to show weakness, so he stood up and said, “Who do you think you are? How dare you talk to your father like that?”

Jiang Zhen looked at him coldly, pulled out his knife from the table, and while moving aside, cut off the broom handle held by old lady Jiang.

The knife almost cut her own hand! Old Madam Jiang screamed uncontrollably. Jiang Zhen gave her a cold look but suddenly reached out and snatched the two eggs for Jiang Yuan Wen, who was sitting next to Jiang Xiaomei, and held them in his arms. Then he robbed the two eggs for Zhu Shufen. Finally, he took a look at Jiang Xiaomei. Even the egg in Jiang Xiaomei’s hand was not left behind.

Five eggs were all packed in his arms. Jiang Zhen raised his foot and kicked the table over again. “You’d better not mess with me in the future!”

He had not planned to do anything to the Jiang family. He even thought that if these people were good enough, he would take a few rest and recuperation meals in the Jiang family and leave the Jiang family when he was well. But what was the result?

He just had a meal at the table, and these people were making a lot of noise.

They don’t let him eat well, so he doesn’t have to let them eat well too.