"Shameless creature! Whining like a slaughterhouse pig when asked to do some work, disgusting! You filthy-hearted wretch, doing no farm chores and not tending to the vegetable fields, always dressing up like a courtesan, who are you trying to seduce? Shen Nanwei, are you already thinking of remarrying right after my son's death?! My poor son worked so hard to support you and your children, and now that he's gone, you dare to bully his old mother! You refuse to give your filial money and instead keep those two burdens who eat and drink our supplies! I can't live like this anymore!"
The shrill, angry curses mixed with fake sobbing was so overwhelming that even Lu Jingzhi, who was far away, heard the sound buzzing in her head.
Jiang Tanyue's voice was mixed in there as well, calm and indifferent in comparison to Old Mrs. Jiang's overly theatrical tone, which stirred people's emotions.
"When we separated from the main house, we left all our money there. Along with the compensation my father received after his accident, it should cover at least half a year's worth of filial support. Plus, the last ten pounds of fine grain, a rabbit, and my mother's silver bracelet you took the other day could account for another half-year."
No matter how reasonable and logical Jiang Tanyue's words were, someone needed to listen to her first.
Old Mrs. Jiang spat angrily, her dirty fingertips nearly poking Jiang Tanyue's eyeball. Jiang Tanyue retreated two steps back, protecting the woman behind her, but Old Mrs. Jiang would not let her go easily. Her slanted eyes narrowing, she cornered her mouth and advanced again.
"Nonsense! Even before we split up, you damn burden started scheming over my money! The old house belongs to the Jiang family; it's not yours! Your father crawled out of my womb, even if he's dead and rotten, the compensation is still meant for me! To offset filial support, you have the nerve to babble on!"
In between her words, she didn't mention anything about fine grain and the rabbit.
Old Mrs. Jiang opened her foul-mouthed, dazzling her eyes with venom as she spoke, "Look at them, dear villagers! Which son and daughter-in-law don't offer filial support to their elders? Look, look at this! Fine white rice and flour, good quality fabric, and they don't even give a penny to their father-in-law and mother-in-law! Such a daughter-in-law must have hidden motives!"
The villagers circled around, enjoying the show.
As Old Mrs. Jiang raised the issue, their gazes naturally moved towards the woman behind Jiang Tanyue.
The coarse clothes couldn't hide her stunning beauty.
Quite a few of them remembered, before Shen Nanwei married into the Jiang family, she was the flower of Anning Village; fair-skinned, bright-eyed, and having white teeth. If not for the fact that she was a farmer's daughter, the villagers would think she was some pampered young lady from a wealthy family in town.
For the first half-year after Shen Nanwei married into the Jiang family, the village women envied and hated her. However, after another half-year, she became dirtier than any other village woman.
Gradually, people forgot about her beauty.
Until recently.
Shen Nanwei's charm was no less than when she first married into the Jiang family.
"Dressing up so seductively, maybe she really wants to be a newlywed bride again?" A woman sarcastically muttered.
Some men also had hidden lustful gazes.
The woman behind her whispered a curse, but Jiang Tanyue couldn't hear it clearly.
She lowered her gaze.
The village chief had gone to the town today. The Jiang family likely knew no one could stop them, so they came knocking again.
As long as they seized the opportunity to sell the Jiang sisters, even if the village chief returned, it would be too late to do anything about it.
Even if they managed to come back by some stroke of luck, it wouldn't make a difference. In the eyes of these primitive and backward ancients, they would already be tainted.
What's more, Jiang Tanyue didn't think she could fight a strong, prime-aged man with her malnourished body.