Treating others like fools!

It seems I was being too rash. Are you the younger cousin-in-law? I am Su Cheng from the main branch of the Su family. The newcomer quickly suppressed the displeasure flashing across his eyes, took a step back, and gave a proper formal bow. His gaze bypassed the elderly woman blocking the doorway to look into the courtyard, and he raised his voice. Xiangzi, do you still remember me? Your cousin Cheng!

Old Man Su stood in the courtyard, looking somewhat dazed. ...Cousin Cheng?

Su Cheng immediately beamed. It's me! It seems you still remember! We are family, may I come in and talk?

His joy stood in sharp contrast to the reaction of the others in the Su family.

Upon hearing that the visitor was from the main branch, the rest of the Su family members immediately changed their expressions, gnashing their teeth and sneering repeatedly.

Su the Second, who had a rather impulsive temper, directly pulled a piece of firewood from the kitchen to use as a weapon. He held it horizontally across the doorway and sneered at the man standing outside, The main branch of the Su family? You still have the nerve to show your faces here! It would be one thing if you never appeared, but the moment I see you lot, I want to beat some sense into you!

Old Madam Su had already started shoving the man who was trying to push his way into the courtyard, her face icy cold. The Su family courtyard does not welcome you! What main branch, bah!

Although the others did not make a move, they all stood by with cold detachment.

Even Old Man Su averted his gaze.

Seeing this, Su Cheng grew anxious and his face darkened. What are you people doing? The Su family clan is supposed to be of one branch and one mind! Besides, since ancient times, there has been a proper order of respect between superiors and subordinates, elders and juniors. How can you be so unreasonable and boorish! Xiangzi, say something!

Old Man Su said calmly, I am not the master of the house, I listen to my old partner.

A real man, and you fail to uphold your husbandly authority—

I listen to my old partner.

You—

Old Madam Su struck him with a swift slap, knocking the look of righteous indignation right off Su Cheng's face as she sharply rebuked him, You want to police the heavens and the earth, yet you come to police someone else's household? If you want a proper order of seniority, you have to look at who you are dealing with! When you were soaring high and living in luxury, you didn't remember us poor distant relatives, but now that you've fallen on hard times, you come knocking with your scheming tricks! Go back and tell your Su family head, whatever main branch or branch family, I'll put it bluntly today: my family led by Su Xiang does not recognize you! I am merely a country woman, don't feed me your moral doctrines and etiquette! From now on, you walk your broad path and we'll cross our single-plank bridge! We have nothing to do with each other! Get lost right now! Don't try to pressure my Su family with righteousness; if you people had any sense of righteousness, you wouldn't have been reduced to this state today! Are you leaving or not? If you don't leave, I'll beat you again!

Su the Eldest and Su the Second timely stepped behind their mother to back her up. Mom, well struck! Showing up at a doorstep like this, what good intentions could they possibly have? It's just a weasel wishing the chickens a Happy New Year!

The main branch of the Su family had been exiled, condemned along with all nine degrees of kinship. Could those people in the main branch not know how many relatives would be implicated?

Yet they had already been in the place of exile for several months, and the main branch had never once shown their faces.

Now that their Su family's days were finally looking up and their roots were settling down, they suddenly started showing up at their door!

Did they take everyone else for fools?

Su Cheng was left dazed by the slap, taking quite a while to react. Clutching half of his burning face, he said in disbelief, You—how dare you hit me?! Su祥! Are you just going to sit there and say nothing?!

Hearing this, the mother and her two sons blocking the gate made a threatening gesture to raise their hands and strike again, scaring Su Cheng into retreating several steps in utter wretchedness.

Old Man Su turned his face away, pretending not to see. With an exclamation of surprise, he turned around and scooped up his little granddaughter who had crawled to his feet. Tianbao, how did you crawl all the way over here? Thank goodness Grandpa has sharp eyes, otherwise, what would we have done if I had stepped on you!

Picked up by her grandpa, her field of vision instantly became higher. Tianbao took aim at the furious old man standing outside the gate, waved her tiny hand with fierce momentum, and shouted, Yi! Da!

Grandpa, hit him!

Cough! Old Man Su suppressed a laugh, leaned close to his little granddaughter's ear, and whispered, Precious, Grandpa can't hit him. If Grandpa makes a move and hits him, our whole family will be in the wrong. Let Grandma, your father, and your second uncle teach him a lesson. Later, when outsiders gossip about it, Grandpa can put on a show and scold his own family to gloss it over, understand?

Such worldly lessons could be slowly taught to his granddaughter as she grew older.

Just as being unfilial would get one's spine pointed at and ruin one's future prospects, the class status between the main branch and its offshoots was just the same.

Therefore, things had to be done gracefully.

As long as he, the head of the household, did not make a move, the big hat of societal censure could not be placed upon him.

As for his wife and children taking action, well, aren't women and children just ignorant? A little discipline behind closed doors would settle it.

Once the doors were closed, who would know whether they were being disciplined or indulged?

Tianbao understood half-heartedly, barely grasping that Grandpa couldn't hit the man, but the others could.

So Tianbao took action.

Just as Old Madam Su was still hesitating whether to fetch a tool and chase the man away to the outside of the gate, a sudden rain of stones fell from the sky, pelting Su Cheng head and foot.

Ah! Ow! Who, who is hitting me? Preposterous! Such a crude act! Ow-wa!

The mother and her two sons all stared with wide eyes, mouths half-open in a daze.

The distance between them and Su Cheng was merely two or three steps.

Such a dense rain of stones had fallen out of thin air, yet not a single pebble had mistakenly hit them.

The three young women behind the door also pinched their own thighs in astonishment, barely managing to suppress their explosive laughter and cheers.

An expert had made a move!

How satisfying, what a release of anger!

The three children could no longer restrain themselves. They ran to the doorway, hugging the doorframes to watch the fun, their small hands clapping wildly. Grandpa, Grandma! He's running just like a dog being chased out of the village!

The Su family members: ...

Pfft!

Hahahaha!

Old Madam Su laughed until tears came to her eyes. Only after Su Cheng had run out of sight did she close the courtyard gate, turn around, and pick up her little granddaughter who was also giggling nonstop. It was an expert helping us chase away that dog! Eldest, Second, bring your wives and children over, and you too, Xiu'er! Bow towards the outside! The expert is noble and pure, but we cannot forget this kindness!

Su the Eldest and Su the Second loudly responded, Coming!

Tianbao's smiling face froze.

Do we really have to?

After bowing in gratitude to their benefactor, taking advantage of the early hour, the whole family gathered together to ponder the reason behind the main branch suddenly sending someone over.

Their family became tenant farmers, working for others over on that mountain ridge. Logically speaking, they have busy work every single day, so there is no reason for them to come looking for us at a time like this. Tutnanshan isn't exactly close to our location either, said Su the Eldest.

Su Liang's clan had become tenant farmers; he had accidentally heard people nearby mention it when they first arrived at Tutbeishan.

Su the Second also added, Being a tenant farmer is pretty much the same as being a slave, working yourself to the bone. Coming to look for our family so suddenly now, there has to be a reason.

Su Xiu'er snorted. Of course there's a reason! If they genuinely wanted to keep up family ties, why didn't they show their faces back when our family was suffering the most and going through the hardest times?

Old Madam Su and Old Man Su exchanged glances. Tutnanshan is right in the territory of the Twelve Docks. I reckon those people haven't given up and are still plotting against our family.

As soon as these words were spoken, the household fell into a brief silence.

The Twelve Docks didn't dare to come because they were wary of the expert who had been secretly helping their family, coupled with the fact that they now had the broken-blade official who wielded a giant saber living with them... Therefore, the Twelve Docks didn't dare to use force, so they started resorting to soft tactics!

Just wait and see, it won't be long before that branch of the Su family comes knocking again! said He Daxing with lingering resentment.

How could she not resent them?

Back in Dahua Village, although their lives were simple and austere, they were full of joy and warmth, at least peaceful.

Once implicated, the entire family was exiled. How much bitterness they endured along the way and what perilous situations they faced—only they themselves knew the heartache and hardship.

What she hated even more was that from then on, their children and descendants would hardly ever have a chance to get ahead in life!