Chapter 58

Chapter 58: Apology

At dawn, the Village Head gathered everyone in the village again.

He’d only just tasted the half-jin of braised pig head Qin Hui Yin and Tang Lu Wu had brought him, and he sat straighter than usual, voice booming as he lectured with righteous severity.

The other villagers needed no urging. Some had witnessed the hair-pulling fight with their own eyes. Hearing there was more to come today, they poured into the open yard outside the ancestral hall as if drawn by a bell. The ones who came slowly—reluctant, wary—were the ones afraid the fire might reach them.

Tang Ji Zu’s family didn’t hide.

Under the villagers’ stares, Tang Ji Zu wore a face full of shame. Tang Bao Yu kept his head down, acting like he truly knew he’d done wrong, nothing like the little tyrant he usually was. Li Er Niu’s face was red and swollen, her eyes heavy with exhaustion, haggard enough to stir the faintest reluctant pity.

“Everyone’s here,” the Village Head said. “Ji Zu, you can begin.”

Tang Ji Zu turned in a slow circle, bowed to the villagers, and spoke solemnly. “Friends and neighbors, I, Ji Zu, am ashamed. I failed to discipline my wife and child, and they acted overbearing. Yesterday, our Bao Yu was in the wrong. Bao Yu’s mother spoiled him—not only did she fail to correct his mistake, she let it happen again and again.”

He bowed again, deeper. “Today I bring my wife and child to formally apologize to Yi Xiao and to Da Fu’s wife.”

“Last night we rushed to Shi Jia Village to see the village doctor,” he continued. “The doctor wrote a new prescription for Yi Xiao, using good medicine. It cost a full five taels of silver. I promise everyone—if Yi Xiao has any problems afterward, I, Tang Ji Zu, will take responsibility to the end.”

His gaze cut hard to the two beside him. “Bao Yu. Bao Yu’s mother. In front of the whole village, promise everyone you won’t make this mistake again. Hurry.”

Li Er Niu had spent the night half-conscious outside, her body aching, her skin itching, her head heavy as stone. The moment she’d opened her eyes, Tang Ji Zu had dragged her here.

She only wanted it over.

With her head lowered, she mumbled, “I’m sorry, Hui Yin’s mother… Brother Xiao…”

Tang Ji Zu frowned. “Louder. If you’re apologizing sincerely, everyone should hear it.”

Li Er Niu jerked as if struck again and shouted, “I’m sorry! I was wrong!” Her voice rang out like a broken gong.

She never lifted her head, but the villagers thought of how proud and smug she usually was. Losing face in front of the whole village—what must that feel like?

Still, no one truly pitied her.

Over the years she’d offended plenty of people. Seeing her brought low felt satisfying.

Of course, the villagers didn’t like Li Tao Hua either.

But after yesterday, their view of her had shifted.

They’d always thought she was nothing but a pretty vase—soft-voiced, coquettish, good at luring men and using them like knives, but not capable herself. After yesterday, they’d learned that when this fragile woman went mad, even a shrew like Li Er Niu was no match for her. Suddenly, they felt Li Tao Hua had been quite polite to them in the past.

Since neither woman was someone they could afford to offend, they decided to watch quietly—as long as the fire didn’t spread.

Tang Ji Zu fixed Tang Bao Yu with a sharp look. “Bao Yu. It’s your turn.”

Tang Bao Yu forced out, “I’m sorry, Aunt Tao Hua.”

Then he looked at Tang Yi Xiao.

Tang Yi Xiao’s face wasn’t as swollen as it had been last night, but the bruises and scratches still stood out beneath the morning light.

Tang Bao Yu didn’t resist apologizing to Li Tao Hua. He knew she was stronger than he was, and a weak person apologizing to a strong person felt—at least to him—like the natural order.

But Tang Yi Xiao was different.

Tang Yi Xiao was the boy he’d pushed down for years. The boy who’d crawled at his feet. The thought of that same boy standing tall while he bowed his head… it made Tang Bao Yu’s throat clamp shut.

When it came time to apologize to Tang Yi Xiao, it was as if someone had sealed his mouth.

The whole village was watching, including the lackeys who used to fawn on him. Today, his pride was being ground into the dirt under Tang Yi Xiao’s foot. How was he supposed to face them afterward?

“Cat got your tongue?” Tang Ji Zu barked. “Didn’t you repent last night? Yi Xiao is younger than you—like your own brother. How can a brother bully his brother? A real man dares to do and dares to bear it. If you apologize sincerely, you’ll still be brothers afterward.”

Tang Bao Yu’s lips trembled as he struggled to force the word out.

Before he could, Li Tao Hua spoke.

“Bao Yu’s father,” she said softly, “you’re saying your son truly wants to apologize, right?”

“Of course,” Tang Ji Zu said quickly, eager. “The child went home last night and cried—cried the whole night, until his eyes were swollen. He knows he was wrong!”

Li Tao Hua’s gaze turned cold. “Back then, your precious son made our Yi Xiao crawl through his legs.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

“Yi Xiao’s body is weak,” Li Tao Hua continued, her voice still gentle, almost sing-song, “and he couldn’t fight back when they pressed him into the mud and made his illness worse.”

She tilted her head. “Since Bao Yu is sincerely apologizing, then let him suffer what Yi Xiao suffered first. If he feels it himself, we’ll believe his apology is sincere.”

She didn’t raise her voice, but the authority in her eyes made the words land like a slap.

“A single ‘sorry’—just moving your lips—counts as an apology?” Li Tao Hua asked, her smile thin. “Then if I splash manure on your house every day and say sorry afterward, will you forgive me?”

Tang Da Fu and Tang Yi Chen stood to the side and didn’t speak.

Before leaving home, Li Tao Hua had told them men didn’t need to step in for this. She wanted the whole village to understand she wasn’t someone to provoke. The men could watch—and only move if she truly needed them.

Tang Lu Wu and Qin Hui Yin stood on either side of Li Tao Hua like two guards.

Qin Hui Yin’s voice stayed gentle, even as she slid the knife in. “Uncle Tang must be reluctant, right? I’ve heard Bao Yu talk about it often. He says his father works for a high official in town, and if we offend him, he’ll have us all arrested and killed.”

She blinked innocently. “Bao Yu is young. He doesn’t understand. Someone must have taught him those words. Uncle Tang, who do you think taught him?”

Smack!

Tang Ji Zu slapped Li Er Niu across the face.

Li Er Niu had been dazed, barely standing. The slap sent her crumpling to the ground with a dull thud.

She stared up at him, disbelief shaking her whole face. “Husband… I already apologized. Why are you still hitting me?”

Tang Ji Zu glared down at her, voice hard as iron. “Is this how you usually teach Bao Yu? When Bao Yu does wrong, it’s because you, his mother, can’t be trusted.”

He turned to the villagers, as if declaring a judgment. “From now on, Bao Yu will be sent to his grandmother. You won’t be the one raising him.”

“No!” Li Er Niu’s panic erupted instantly. “I only have this one son—don’t take him away!”

She crawled forward, crying, hands shaking. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have talked nonsense. I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

Tang Ji Zu bent at the waist in a deep bow. “Da Fu’s wife, Hui Yin girl—Bao Yu’s mother has already apologized. Please be magnanimous and forgive this mistake.”