A Trifling Matter

"Fang Cheng of the Fang Family looks honest enough, but he's actually full of crooked schemes."

"And that second son of theirs is vicious too. Why is he the only one who can catch fish while nobody else can learn it? He must be holding something back."

"Exactly, exactly."

Though he was far away, after training in martial arts, Fang Yue's ears had become sharp and his eyes keen. He heard every scrap of idle gossip clearly.

Having identified the culprits, Fang Yue turned and left.

When dealing with petty people like this, he could not exactly go up and beat her up. Throwing fists would only lower him to her level.

After all, he could not beat someone to death.

Once he resorted to violence, even if he had reason on his side, it would easily become unreasonable.

Of course, people like this could not simply be left alone either. They had to be taught a lesson.

With that in mind, Fang Yue headed toward the center of the village.

The sun was setting.

Inside the Fang Family's courtyard.

Father Fang, Fang Cheng, Chen Shi, and Fang Lan were all in the yard.

"Father, did you hear? People in the village are saying our family broke off the engagement and drove that Zhou Girl to seek death." Chen Shi spoke with a worried expression.

Ever since Zhi'er had returned home these past few days, she had been in high spirits.

Life at home was getting better and better, and she had more energy for work every day.

But today, she had unexpectedly heard people outside spreading rumors that her family had broken off the engagement for no reason, driving the Zhou Family's girl to the point of seeking suicide.

Some even said that her second son had a wicked heart, deliberately kept things to himself, and was no good thing.

Their family had lived honestly and dutifully their entire lives, only to now be gossiped about behind their backs.

What could be endured, if this could be endured?

"Mm." Fang Mu's face darkened.

"The Zhou Family is truly shameless. They demanded so much betrothal money, and now they're actually playing the victim first. Bah! Good thing we didn't marry such people into the family, or it truly would have been a calamity for our household!" Chen Shi continued.

After speaking, she stopped and looked at the two men in the family.

"Th-this matter... I think... we should think it over some more." Father Fang had no choice but to speak after Chen Shi glared at him.

He was an honest, dutiful man. When had he ever encountered something like this?

For a moment, he was at a loss.

Chen Shi widened her eyes and shot Fang Mu a fierce glare.

"Father, how can we keep thinking it over? If you go on thinking it over and let that long-tongued woman keep spouting nonsense, how will our two sons marry wives in the future? How will our Lan'er find a husband's family?"

Father Fang sighed softly, then said, "Fine. I'll go find Lao Qi Fang."

That long-tongued woman was Lao Qi Fang's wife. Lao Qi Fang was famously henpecked in the village, kept under his wife's thumb so tightly that no one knew whether finding him would do any good.

However, just then—

The gate to Fang Yue's courtyard opened.

Then a voice rang out, seven parts frightened and three parts worried.

"Brother Fang, I'm terribly sorry. My wife has been wagging her tongue all over the village these past few days and offended you. I'm truly sorry."

The Fang Family, who had been discussing how to deal with the rumors in the yard, could not help turning to look toward the gate.

There stood the very people they had just been discussing: Lao Qi Fang and his wife, even their son Gou Danzi.

The scrawny man, who usually feared his wife terribly, savagely kicked the woman beside him.

"You wretched woman, why aren't you kneeling already? Hurry up and apologize to Brother Fang Mu and Sister-in-law."

Zhou Fang, Lao Qi Fang's wife, no longer had any of her usual shrewishness. Tears streamed down her face as she cried, "I was wrong. I truly know I was wrong. I'll never make up stories about you again. Please spare me. I won't dare do it again."

Seeing this scene—

The Fang Family was utterly dumbfounded. They had just been discussing how to resolve the matter.

After all, Zhou Fang was famously fierce in the village. Even Lao Qi Fang did not dare control her.

People like her would roll about on the ground and make scenes without the slightest shame. They could not beat her, and scolding her did no good because she was not afraid of being cursed at.

In the rural countryside, people like this were truly difficult to handle.

Yet unexpectedly—

Before they had even come up with a good solution, Lao Qi Fang had brought his wife Zhou Fang to their door to apologize.

They had even knelt before the family.

Was this really the fierce Zhou Fang, who feared neither Heaven nor Earth?

What was going on?

"Father, am I seeing things? Why are those two here? We haven't even gone to reason with them yet. Have they come to bully us at our own doorstep?"

Chen Shi felt as though her mind had turned to mush and could not make sense of anything. She had not even processed what the pair had just said, only feeling that they had come to cause trouble.

But if they had come to cause trouble, why were they kneeling here?

"Third Sister-in-law, please don't say that. It was all because I couldn't keep my mouth shut. It was all my fault. If you're still angry, then hit me."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Fang cried even harder. She hurriedly slapped herself across the mouth and apologized.

That afternoon, the steward from Master Liu's household had come to their home.

He said that from today onward, the Liu Family would no longer lease their fields to them.

How could that be acceptable? If they did not lease Master Liu's fields, their family would be unable to pay the corvée tax silver, and they would have to perform labor service.

And if Lao Qi Fang went to serve, not only would no one be left to tend the fields at home, but if anything happened to him, their family would be ruined.

But they had always farmed those fields properly. Why were they suddenly being taken back?

Realizing how serious the matter was, the couple begged and pleaded for a long while before finally learning the truth from Steward Liu.

It turned out that Zhou Fang had spread rumors about Fang Yue's family throughout the village these past few days, offending Fang Yue's family and bringing about this situation.

Though they could not understand it, since Fang Yue's family was clearly not much better off than theirs and surely could not have moved the Liu Family—

But now that things had come to this, the couple could only hurry over to apologize to Fang Yue's family.

"Ah, this..."

Fang Mu was also somewhat bewildered. Seeing Lao Qi Fang and his wife repeatedly kowtowing and begging for forgiveness, with even their son kowtowing alongside them—

He naturally felt reluctant to press them too hard. But thinking of the rumors that woman had spread, he still said harshly, "I can forgive you, but keep your wife under control. If more rumors spread through the village, I won't let you off so easily next time."

"Understood, understood. We won't dare do it again." Lao Qi Fang hurriedly promised again and again.

"Enough. Go back." Fang Mu said.

Having received Fang Mu's permission, Lao Qi Fang and his wife pleaded humbly for a while longer before finally leaving Fang Yue's home.

After they had gone far away—

The four people in the courtyard looked at one another, all still lost in a fog over what had just happened.

"Mother, those two haven't gone mad, have they?" Fang Cheng asked.

"Yeah, why did they come to our door crying and kneeling? They haven't really gone mad, have they?" Fang Lan added.

"No. Definitely not." Fang Mu shook his head.

"Then why were they acting like that?"

Chen Shi was initially puzzled, but then she seemed to think of something. Her face lit up with sudden realization. "Zhi'er! It must have been my Zhi'er!"