"You're spouting nonsense!" Madam Mo, usually gentle, was so furious her face turned crimson.
She pointed a trembling finger at Shen Wang's nose. "You knew Madam was out and decided to barge in and take things. That's trespassing, and you'll go to jail if reported to the officials!"
Shen Wang squeaked, his voice taking on an indescribable strangeness. "You're of the same ilk as Li Yue Shu, of course you'd defend her!"
"Everyone, judge this! Sun Ming Da broke his leg looking for Shen Wei in the back mountain. Old Master Sun is bedridden and needs medicine. Li Yue Shu is now successful, running a pharmacy and a restaurant. Shouldn't she compensate the Sun family!"
Shen Wang incited the surrounding villagers.
"If you ask me, although the Shen family's eldest sister wasn't a good mother-in-law, the Sun family's matters are indeed Li Yue Shu's responsibility," shouted Aunt Zhao from the crowd. Everyone felt she had a point.
"Aunt Zhao, have you said enough!" Aunt Liu was also anxious. "Yue Shu already visited Madam Zhou. How they resolve it is their own business. Why are you interfering so much!"
"Also, I've heard you gossiping all over the village, saying the Shen family would help the Sun family against Yue Shu, and that there would be a good show in the village. Confess honestly, did you instigate this today!"
Aunt Zhao's eyes flickered, but she stubbornly retorted, "Don't talk nonsense, I came with everyone else. Don't you dare smear my name!"
Li Yue Shu looked at the flustered Aunt Zhao, her eyes darkening slightly.
Thinking back, her biggest grievance with this Aunt Zhao was simply when her family was poor, and she took an ox cart to town. Old Man Liu, being kind, didn't charge her.
Aunt Zhao wanted to get a free ride, and Li Yue Shu had rebuffed her a few times.
She never expected that after so long, this petty matter would cause her trouble repeatedly.
It seemed her leniency was perceived as weakness by some people!
Aunt Zhao, unaware she was already being targeted, felt a chill down her spine.
With so many people present, Shen Wang gained confidence. "Aunt Liu, you rely on Li Yue Shu for food and clothing, and you even take wages from her, so of course you'd defend her!"
"Everyone, tell me, does the Sun family need Li Yue Shu to compensate them?" Shen Wang put on a righteous air. "Sun Ming Da was the pillar of their family. His leg is crippled, and the family's support for decades to come is gone. And Old Master Sun needs medicine every day. Li Yue Shu happens to run a pharmacy, so she's the perfect person to be responsible! Even if she doesn't cover his entire future, she should give a few hundred taels of silver as compensation!"
At these words, everyone gasped.
Ten-odd taels of silver were enough for a family of seven to live for a year, with some left over if they were frugal.
Shen Wang, in one breath, demanded hundreds of taels. His greed was astonishing!
Shen Wang, however, felt nothing from the questioning glances.
Li Yue Shu had earned three hundred taels for treating the Zhang family's illness alone. Now, she was preparing to open two pharmacies and a restaurant. Her wealth must have multiplied many times over.
A mere few hundred taels, he even thought it was too little!
Although Old Master Sun's health was failing, his mind was still sharp.
Hearing Shen Wang's words, he was so startled he nearly choked on his own saliva.
"Cough! Cough cough cough!" Old Master Sun leaned on a nearby stone, swaying precariously as if he might collapse at any moment.
Li Yue Shu frowned, sighed, and stepped forward to support him. "Uncle Sun, please sit for a moment. We can discuss this slowly. Shen Wei, go fetch a stool."
Without hesitation, Shen Wei released the village chief's sleeve and ran into the house. He quickly returned with a stool and, thoughtfully, a cup of water.
Li Yue Shu helped him sit down and took the opportunity to feel his pulse.
In reality, Old Master Sun was only in his forties or fifties. However, due to excessive labor in his youth, chronic illness, and a lack of proper treatment, he looked like an elderly person on his last legs.
Even if Li Yue Shu did her utmost to treat him, she could only manage to make his remaining time more comfortable.
After a sip of hot water, Old Master Sun finally recovered.
He looked at Li Yue Shu beside him, his clouded eyes full of apology. "Third Shen's wife, don't listen to Shen Da's nonsense. It won't be hundreds of taels, I..."
Old Master Sun seemed somewhat embarrassed. "I don't intend to extort you, it's just that the family can't go on!"
Thinking of their situation, Old Master Sun's eyes reddened. "Ming Da and I are both useless now. We can only be a burden to Shan'er. Third Shen's wife, I'm not asking for much, I just beg you... I just beg you to give a few dozen coins as a dowry for Shan'er, so I can find her a good home."
Li Yue Shu's heart trembled. She had never expected Old Master Sun to say such things.
She had thought Old Master Sun had come with Madam Shen and Shen Wang to cause trouble, intending to extort benefits from her.
She let out a soft sigh and was about to speak when the wailing Madam Shen on the ground suddenly cried out, "Sun, are you crazy!"
Madam Shen lay on the ground, her hair disheveled, her twisted arm hanging limply like a puddle. She looked worse than a beggar on the street.
She glared fiercely at Li Yue Shu, as if she wanted to pounce and bite her. "Sun Ming Da used to be one of the best hunters in the village. If it weren't for looking for Shen Wei, your Sun family wouldn't have ended up like this!"
"This wicked woman should compensate your Sun family for the rest of her life! And my arm, she must compensate me! Three hundred taels... no, five hundred taels, she must pay five hundred taels as compensation!"
Madam Shen, disregarding her pride, was solely focused on extracting as much as she could from Li Yue Shu, otherwise, her crippled arms would be in vain.
Li Yue Shu chuckled, her mockery undisguised. "A dislocated arm is worth five hundred taels? I might as well break your arm right now!"
As she spoke, she stood up and walked towards Madam Shen, appearing genuinely intent on crippling her arm.
Madam Shen's face, filled with hatred, instantly turned to terror. She forgot the pain in her arm and frantically crawled outwards, looking like a wriggling maggot.
If the timing weren't so inappropriate, Li Yue Shu would have burst out laughing.
No one had expected Li Yue Shu to be so audacious, daring to resort to violence in front of so many people.
"No, no, no, Third Shen's wife, please don't be rash!" The village chief was the first to react and rushed to block her.
Li Yue Shu had no intention of actually crippling Madam Shen; she was merely scaring her, so she didn't press forward.
Shen Wang, however, became excited at this moment. "Everyone, look! Li Yue Shu, this wicked woman has gone mad! She even wants to lay hands on people!"
"Not only does she have to compensate the Sun family, but she also has to compensate my mother for the rest of her life! She must pay!"
Shen Wang appeared extremely agitated, his sharp, piercing voice causing those around him to instinctively step back.
But Shen Wang paid no mind.
Ever since he was disabled by that Li Xiang Ru, he had grown accustomed to the villagers' pointing and whispering.
Now, as long as he could make Li Yue Shu suffer and get money, nothing else mattered!
Li Yue Shu's gaze deepened, and her demeanor became somewhat cold.
Knowing that the Sun family was not allied with the Shen family and was deliberately causing trouble for her, she had nothing more to hesitate about.
Just as she was about to speak, a loud roar of anger suddenly came from behind the onlookers: "Shen Wang, you scoundrel, what kind of rubbish are you spouting!"