The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 737: Compensate Five Hundred Taels (1)_1

Chapter 737: Chapter 737: Compensate Five Hundred Taels (1)_1

Fang Hui’s teeth clenched in annoyance as she stormed off to confront them.

Feng Shouxing pulled her back, "Hui Niang! You’re in a rage. Once you get there, won’t you end up arguing!?" he suggested she cool down before going. He felt some regret for not having stopped her from asking Pei Qin for the pickled cabbage, and also resented Pei Qian for being too ruthless, silently snatching away their supply—a move that seemed aimed at cutting off their pickled cabbage trade.

"That damned wretch! Snatching away our cabbages - I must demand an explanation!" Fang Hui bit her teeth and was beyond persuasion.

Feng Shouxing thought they would have to confront the situation sooner or later; it had to be resolved. Without cabbages, they couldn’t produce pickled cabbage. They had already agreed to a reduced price with several households who had promised to buy pickled cabbage from them this year; if the agreement broke, it would be a breach of trust, and they wouldn’t be able to do business in the future.

The couple made their way to town and saw that the workshop was busy. Fang Hui decided to head straight there.

Feng Shouxing quickly said, "The workshop is full of people; if we say something and others overhear, it won’t be good. We are relatives, after all. It doesn’t look good to tear each other apart! It’s no good for our family either!"

"It’s precisely because there are people that I want them all to see the extreme measures that dead girl has taken! She’s pushing our family to a dead end!" Fang Hui said darkly.

"Those who managed to get work at their workshop, taking their wages, who wouldn’t side with them?" Feng Shouxing advised.

Fang Hui’s face darkened, and she huffed angrily as they headed to Liu’er Alley.

People were busy processing soy sauce in the workshop. Pei Qin had also gone to the workshop, and nobody was home except Hong Xia, who was busy sewing winter clothes. When she heard the robust knocking at the door, she became curious. If it were the lady or the third young miss, they wouldn’t knock like that. And while the lady could sometimes be rough, at most she would just kick the door.

Upon opening the door, Hong Xia encountered an enraged Fang Hui and a grimacing Feng Shouxing. Her eyes flickered as she greeted, "Old Feng! Mrs. Feng!"

Fang Hui, annoyed by how slowly she opened the door, stepped forward to enter, ordering her coldly, "Go call your lady and Pei Qian here!"

Hong Xia stood in her way, "Mrs. Feng! The lady and the third young miss are both at the workshop. If you have matters to discuss, I can take you to the workshop!"

"You insolent servant! We come to visit, and you dare to bar us from entering!?" Fang Hui lost patience when Hong Xia continued to block the way and immediately burst out.

Hong Xia’s gaze turned icy, and she managed a strained apology, "If Mrs. Feng came to visit and nearly broke down the door, as a mere servant, I wouldn’t dare to let you in without permission. If it’s my fault when the lady and the third young miss return, I will apologize and make amends. For now, Mrs. Feng, please go to the workshop! I will accompany you!" With that, she fetched the keys from behind the door, came out, and locked the front door.

Fang Hui, seeing even a maid dared to slight her and look down on her, felt her rage boil over and lifted her hand, striking out in fury.

Hong Xia had just locked the door and turned around when, with a slap, her face immediately took the blow. She was momentarily stunned. Initially, she had thought that serving a miserly and harsh mistress meant working day and night, enduring both beatings and scolding. But after nearly two years, though the third young miss was strict and sharp-tongued, she knew her to be kind-hearted underneath and had never struck any of them.

"You disrespectful wretch! I am Pei Qin’s aunt, a close elder. We arrive and you, a base servant, dare to prevent us from entering? Since when does a servant make decisions in this household!?" Fang Hui, having delivered the slap, saw the red mark quickly appearing on Hong Xia’s face, and although she realized this wasn’t good, she couldn’t afford to soften her stance to a mere servant.

People from Middle Street heard the commotion and started to look in their direction.