Chapter 59

Chapter 59: Hypocrite

Tang Yi Xiao spoke calmly, his voice steady despite the bruises on his face. “Auntie Li has apologized. We all heard it. But Tang Bao Yu still hasn’t apologized.”

He lifted his eyes, quiet and stubborn. “And I don’t think my mother’s request is excessive. The way he bullied me—why shouldn’t he feel it the same way once?”

Tang Da Fu stepped forward, jaw tight. “That’s right. Why do you keep making Bao Yu’s mother apologize? Isn’t the one who should apologize Tang Bao Yu?”

Li Tao Hua planted her hands on her hips, her gaze sweeping the crowd. “You dote on your son, and we dote on ours. Your son is flesh and blood, and so is mine.”

She pointed toward Tang Yi Xiao. “Besides, who doesn’t know Brother Xiao lives on tonic medicine? Just now you said you went to the village doctor last night and spent a full five taels of silver.”

She paused, eyes narrowing. “I heard someone beside me saying it was a rip-off. Auntie Yang, that was you, wasn’t it?”

Li Tao Hua’s gaze pinned an older woman in the crowd.

Madam Yang took a few steps back, face reddening. “Well… I just meant five taels is too much. That doctor is too ruthless.”

Li Tao Hua’s voice sharpened. “Then I have to speak up for that doctor. Five taels is indeed a high price for ordinary people, but he used extremely expensive tonic herbs.”

Her eyes flicked toward Qin Hui Yin. “What the doctor said—Tang Ji Zu and his whole family were there. They heard every word clearly. Daughter, repeat what the doctor said.”

Qin Hui Yin stepped forward, voice clear enough to carry. “The doctor said that after this ordeal, my younger brother’s body has been depleted even more. He should take these doses first. Whether he can be nursed back will depend on the next few months.”

She let the last part hang, then lowered her voice slightly. “If it can’t be mended, I’m afraid…”

She looked straight at Madam Yang. “Five taels could keep a family clothed and fed for two or three years, but it might not be enough to save a life. Do you still think five taels is too expensive?”

Tang Lu Wu’s anger burst out like a spark. “That five taels went to the doctor, not to our family! Calling it a rip-off makes it sound like we wanted any of this to happen.”

Tang Yi Chen’s stare locked on Tang Ji Zu, sharp and cold. “And if anything happens to my younger brother, this won’t be over. You’d better pray those five taels weren’t spent for nothing—or I’ll make you pay with your lives.”

Tang Ji Zu forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Pay with lives… don’t say that. You’ll scare Brother Xiao.”

He swallowed, then tried to steer the crowd back into comfort. “How about this? It’s better to settle than to feud. What’s happened has happened. Making Bao Yu crawl through someone’s legs would only sour everyone’s feelings.”

He glanced around as if begging for support. “Let Bao Yu kowtow to apologize, all right?”

With the whole village watching, if Tang Bao Yu had to crawl through Tang Yi Xiao’s legs, he’d never be able to lift his head again.

Tang Yi Chen knew it was impossible.

Li Tao Hua wanted it, but she also knew forcing it would turn the village against them. To most people, it hadn’t happened to them. They couldn’t taste that bitterness. They’d only see a family “using reason” to bully others, and their sympathy would drift—slowly, inevitably—toward Tang Ji Zu.

And Tang Ji Zu had connections. On ordinary days, it wasn’t easy to build ties with him. Now, all someone had to do was say a few “reasonable” words and he’d owe them a favor. Who would pass up that bargain?

The Village Head was the first to speak. “Da Fu, I think that’s workable. We’re all in the same clan register. The child doesn’t understand—give him a chance to turn over a new leaf. Kowtowing to admit fault is already sincere.”

His voice turned stern again. “Let him kowtow this time. If he does it again, we won’t let him off. How about it?”

This was exactly what the Tang Family had expected.

They’d discussed it over breakfast. Tang Da Fu had insisted Tang Bao Yu needed to pay a price, but Li Tao Hua had poured a bucket of cold water over him. Reason was on their side, but if they clung too tightly, the villagers would start sympathizing with Tang Ji Zu’s family. In the end, it would be the Tang Family who lost goodwill—and gained complaints.

They needed the balance held at exactly the right point.

Qin Hui Yin stepped forward, voice sweet and reasonable. “My brother has been taking medicine and getting weaker and weaker. Shouldn’t he eat something good to build himself back up?”

She smiled. “How about this—you pay three taels of silver in compensation. If you want to kowtow instead, each kowtow will count as one wen.”

A murmur swept through the crowd.

Three taels meant 3,000 kowtows. If mother and son could kowtow 3,000 times, the silver could be written off.

They weren’t trying to squeeze blood from a stone. They were making a statement: their main goal wasn’t money. They even offered a way to pay nothing at all. If Tang Ji Zu wanted to save the silver, then he should show sincerity with his knees.

Li Tao Hua nodded. “Daughter’s idea is good. Discuss it among yourselves and decide who will stay and kowtow.”

Tang Yi Xiao’s calm voice cut through the murmurs. “If Tang Bao Yu is the one kowtowing, each kowtow counts as two wen.”

The Village Head glanced at Tang Ji Zu, then at Tang Yi Chen.

He’d already spoken up for Tang Ji Zu, which counted as a favor. Now it was better to stay quiet and not offend the other side.

Third Master Tang spoke up from the crowd, voice old but firm. “In my view, just kowtow. If you did wrong, you should be punished.”

“Kowtow already,” someone complained. “There’s still work in the fields! Don’t waste time—finish it so we can get to work.”

“Da Zhu’s wife,” someone snapped back, “no one’s forcing you to stay here and watch! I think you just want to watch Bao Yu’s mother suffer.”

Widow Wang curled her lips. “Such a trivial mess, and it’s gone on for two days. In my view, it’s just children being foolish—discipline them and that’s that. Hui Yin’s mother, don’t cling to this so hard.”

“Our Brother Xiao was wronged, and now it’s our fault?” someone shot back. “Next time let him hit your son. Let your son crawl through someone’s legs and see how you like it…”

“He wouldn’t dare!” Widow Wang glared at Tang Bao Yu. “If he dares lay a hand on my son, I’ll chop off his legs.”

Li Tao Hua’s temper flared. She planted her hands on her hips and cursed, voice slicing through the yard. “Why are you running your mouths so much? This is between our two families. You’re only here to witness it. If you have something to do, leave. If you just want to talk, then shut it.”

Her eyes swept the crowd again, colder now. “And by the way—weren’t there a few other families who bullied my son yesterday?”

She pointed straight at a few frightened children.

“Were you the ones who bullied our Brother Xiao?” Li Tao Hua’s voice turned dangerously soft. “Let me tell you—Brother Xiao is the youngest in our family. When you bully him, did you never think his three older brothers and sister would come to settle accounts?”

She lifted her chin. “Apologize to our Brother Xiao right now, and make up for the harm you did.”

Those families went pale. Seeing that even Li Er Niu couldn’t get the better of Li Tao Hua, they didn’t dare clash with her. They rushed to smooth it over, voices pleading. “Hui Yin’s mother, tell us what to do.”

Qin Hui Yin stepped forward, her smile gentle enough to make them breathe again. “Aunties, don’t worry. I know the boys were misled. After this, you should be able to tell right from wrong.”

She looked at them calmly. “Since they did wrong, an apology to my brother is necessary. You agree with that, don’t you?”

“Of course,” the women said quickly. “Of course. We support it.”