Chapter 126 Neighbors
Bai Ruozhu held Dengdeng and went back to the room to feed her milk, and then she, along with her father and two brothers, left the house after tidying up.
When they came back, they had already informed the Zheng family and had sent a message to the village chief. On the way out, they called out to Zheng GuiGui, but the Zheng family responded with a gloomy face saying, "GuiGui of our family is about to get married, it’s not convenient for her to go out."
After thinking for a while, Bai Ruozhu said, "It doesn’t matter that it’s not convenient for her to go out. We can call out Grandpa Village Chief and my grandpa, then come to your Zheng family and explain the situation clearly."
Upon hearing this, the old lady from the Zheng family became upset, and began to rant, "What are you trying to suggest, Bai Ruozhu? Now that your second brother has passed the examination, have you started bullying people with your power? Why are you dragging our Zheng family into the Bai family’s business?"
Bai Ruozhu did not hurry or get angry after hearing this. She slowly said, "Originally, the matters of the Bai family had nothing to do with the Zheng family. But since GuiGui stepped in to testify that I had asked her to pass messages to Sanlang, it seems now we do need to have discussions on both sides. Granny Zheng, it’s not that I want to trouble you, but if GuiGui doesn’t come forward now, I wonder what the villagers will think of her."
"Nonsense! Are you falsely claiming that you didn’t ask GuiGui to pass on your message? It was you who dragged her into this mess, yet now you want to ruin her reputation," Granny Zheng began to scold, standing with her hands on her hips.
"Have I been close to Zheng GuiGui? Do we ever interact frequently? Why would I seek help from a bride-to-be to pass on a message to a man? She doesn’t know me well, why would she help me then? Also, who saw me finding her?" Bai Ruozhu said, the corner of her mouth carrying a smile. After all, the neighbors knew that she and Zheng GuiGui were not on friendly terms.
Granny Zheng’s face reddened as she thought for a moment then said, "I saw it! You pretended to be pitiful and said that there was great urgency at home. And out of kindness, GuiGui from our family agreed."
The smile on Bai Ruozhu’s face broadened as she turned to Granny Zheng and asked, "As you were there at the time, Granny Zheng, why didn’t you ask any young man from your family to find Sanlang, instead of sending your granddaughter who is about to get married, to pass on the message? I remember Zheng family have many young boys, don’t they?"
There were onlookers who’d gathered when Bai Ruozhu called at the door of the Zheng family. At this moment, after hearing Bai Ruozhu’s words, they couldn’t stop laughing, and some people teased Granny Zheng, "Granny Zheng, are you getting senile because of old age?"
Granny Zheng blushed and turned pale. She did not expect Bai Ruozhu to speak so sharply, puncturing her lies within a few sentences.
"All the children in my family were working in the fields at the time. My GuiGui was going to see a good friend to do some embroidery, so she just happened to pass the message on the way. Who knew you would cause such a roundabout mess!" Granny Zheng defended stubbornly. In fact, her fifth son and sixth son were only seven or eight years old, and they didn’t have to go to the fields to work, but they were certainly old enough to pass on a message.
"Since Granny Zheng is insistent on saying so, let’s wait for the village chief to come and continue the conversation. After all, I’m not in a hurry." Bai Ruozhu stepped back, making way for the Zheng family’s main gate. She did not intend to enter the Zheng house, but she would make things clear at the doorstep of the Zheng family’s house.
"You, you..." Granny Zheng was so angry, pointing at Bai Ruozhu, quivering with rage. However, she couldn’t stop Bai Ruozhu from standing there. After all, the road at the entrance of the Zheng family house belonged to the village, and anyone could stand there.
The village chief arrived after a while, but Master Bai didn’t, making Bai Ruozhu snicker to herself. She felt that old Bai had already predicted the bleak outcome and hence, did not dare to come. Smiling victoriously, she thought to herself, how could someone like this, who cannot differentiate between right and wrong, compete with her?
If it were the past, village chief Wang Shugen would have rather not interfered in such matters. On the surface, it seemed like a conflict between the Bai family and the Zheng family, but in fact it was an internal matter of the Bai family. Given that there are now three scholars in the Bai family, he would rather not interfere in their internal strife.
However, Bai Zepei had asked him to maintain justice, and he had been given respect both privately and publicly. If he refused to intervene completely, it would seem unkind. He hoped he hadn’t misjudged this time, and that Bai Ruozhu was truly wronged, otherwise, it would be hard for him to step down later.
"Alright, I understand the whole matter. Granny Zheng, bring your granddaughter out. Once the matter is clarified, it will be good for her reputation too." Just as expected from a village chief, his words hit the nail on the head.
"My GuiGui is not convenient to see anyone. I was present that day, so it should be the same if I talk about it!" Granny Zheng continued to pile on lies stubbornly.
The village chief frowned and heavily struck the ground with his walking stick, asking, "So now, even the words of this village chief carry no weight? Your granddaughter is not engaged yet, she isn’t ashamed to appear, so stop acting as if you feel guilty."
In the end, Granny Zheng was afraid of the village chief and reluctantly said to her eldest daughter-in-law: "Go and call GuiGui out."
Her eldest daughter-in-law, who is also GuiGui’s mother, didn’t want to do this at all. But as everyone turned their gaze towards her, if she hesitated further, she would actually admit to the "guilt" stated by the village chief.
GuiGui’s mother went inside the room and saw GuiGui crying, she said, "Why are you crying now? There are so many people outside looking. Hurry up and go out. Regardless, you can’t give in. Keep saying it was the Bai family’s girl who looked for you."
Zheng GuiGui trembled fearfully as she looked at her mother and said, "Mother, I’m not going, I’m scared!"
GuiGui’s mother jabbed her finger at her head forcefully and replied, "Now you know you are scared. Who told you to get involved in this mess in the first place? Even if you’re scared, you have to go out and clarify. Otherwise, your reputation will be affected."
In the end, Zheng GuiGui only had to wipe her tears, walk cautiously out, and stand in front of the village chief. Her swollen red eyes and pale face looked pitiful.
"My granddaughter is suffering so much, she was deceived into committing such a crime. She has never experienced such hardships in her life," Granny Zheng also began to wipe the corners of her eyes while speaking, winning the sympathy of many towards the two of them.
Bai Zehao couldn’t bear it anymore and said, "My sister was framed while in confinement. She has never experienced any injustice."
Bai Zepei, on the other hand, kept silent. He simply gave Bai Ruozhu a light smile, seeming to say that he was standing here just to lend support to her. He knew Bai Ruozhu had a way to solve the problem.
Bai Ruozhu returned her elder brother’s proud look, then she turned to another elderly neighbor, Mrs. Li, and said, "Granny Li, if I looked for someone from your family while standing in our own yard, I would need to raise my voice and call out, wouldn’t I?"
Granny Li nodded on hearing this and said, "Yes, if you shouted, we would hear it, but so would the Zheng family."
Bai Ruozhu smiled and nodded, Granny Li really is a smart person.
"Well, thank you, Granny Li." Bai Ruozhu nodded at Granny Li and then turned to the village chief and said, "Dear Village Chief, please discern this matter. I am not familiar with Zheng GuiGui, and moreover, I was in confinement. It is absolutely impossible that I set up a meeting with her under the wall. Given the distance from her room to our yard, if I called her out, not only would people from the Zheng family be able to hear it, but so could the Li family."
The village chief nodded. The sound insulation between houses in the village isn’t good, so noises can travel a distance between closely built houses, making it possible for others to hear. He understood this clearly.
"Here you could ask Granny Li, during my month of confinement, when did I call for Zheng GuiGui or anyone from the Zheng family?"