I was a stepmother in ancient times, and I led my whole family to wealth.

Chapter 37 Being splashed with dirt

Aunt Gu looked at Dongfang Jin with mixed feelings: "Cheng Lin's family, this is my eldest uncle, the second oldest among the older generation, and he used to be an elder in the clan."

What exactly happened today? You'd better explain yourself, or... or you might be kicked out of the village.

Dongfang Jin looked at Aunt Gu. "So you're calling Cheng Lin's wife now? Not Xiao Jin anymore?"

Haha, that makes sense. After all, they're not from the same village. Even if Gu Chenglin's surname is Gu, he's still an exiled member of the clan.

Faced with the bigger picture, they still believed in their own people. Didn't they see Gu Meiyu's smug and provocative eyes?

"Fourth Aunt, why don't you tell me what really happened? It's not good to start interrogating people right away. Even if you go to the county magistrate to hear a case, there are legal documents, and you have to distinguish between the plaintiff and the defendant, right?"

The old man gave her a deep look and said coldly to Aunt Gu, "Tell her, and let her understand that if she does speak up, this matter will not be tolerated!"

"Well, that's how it is..." After that, Aunt Gu told the whole story of the rumors circulating in the village that day.

It turned out that after the four of them went to the Four Seasons Study with Ma Wencai and his group of five, Gu Meiyu and Gu Xiaocui returned to the village.

On the way back, I passed the village's central gathering area. Who lives in this place?

Just then, someone learned that the two of them had gone to the county to hand in their embroidery work, and some busybody asked how much their embroidery had sold for.

And so, once they started talking, they somehow ended up talking about her.

She said she bought a lot of jewelry at Jin Yu Lou today, spending a lot of Gu Chenglin's money.

Gu Meiyu and Gu Xiaocui kindly stepped forward to stop her, advising her to find a doctor to treat Gu Chenglin's injuries and not let her squander money recklessly.

They kindly tried to persuade her, saying that she wouldn't listen to their advice and instead warned them that they were meddling in other people's business.

After that, the two of them, one after the other, fabricated a story about her, portraying her as a spendthrift, selfish, and lazy wife who couldn't manage a household.

After arousing everyone's interest, Gu Xiaocui then said that Dongfang Jin had been scolding Gu Meiyu and her in the county.

They also said that their embroidery skills were not good, and scolded them for not being able to afford a single piece of jewelry from Jin Yu Lou despite embroidering so many things.

They insulted them, calling them like the peasants in the village and so on.

Finally, she also said that in the county, she and so many other people gossiped about how bad the girls of Lingwu Village were.

In short, Dongfang Jin said that whoever marries a girl from Lingwu Village will be unlucky.

Good heavens, how can this not cause public outrage?

She wondered why so many people had gathered here today, all with angry expressions. Now she understood.

Lin Lizheng walked over with a dark face: "Xiao Jin, how do you explain this? I heard you were still outside... and even flirting with other men?"

Dongfang Jin was speechless and sighed deeply: "Uncle Village Head, I'm innocent! From beginning to end, these two children have never left my side."

Before entering the Four Seasons Study, Gu Chenglin always followed me. After that, except for the time when he met with you, he was always with me.

Moreover, when Gu Chenglin went to meet you, my two children and I did not leave Banbu Siji Study.

Yes, I was talking to a few men, but they were all students from Yunshu Academy.

You all know the students at Yunshu Academy, right? Who are they? Did I, a peasant woman, seduce them?

Moreover, Gu Chenglin and his two children were also present when I was talking to those students.

Furthermore, if I were to utter a single word of what you say about harming the village girls, even if I had only mentioned it, I would be struck by lightning and suffer a terrible death.

I swear, ask those two if they dare! If not, we'll find witnesses.

If all else fails, we can go to the government office. I'm sure someone in the county knows what they said and what I said today.

Gu Meiyu caused quite a commotion at Jinyulou with me; a lot of people did gather there.

Why don't you ask someone? Don't just listen to my side of the story.

After hearing her words, the villagers began to murmur among themselves: "Is it true?"

"She doesn't seem to be lying."

"She swore a solemn oath, didn't she say so?"

"So who is telling the truth?"

……

Hearing those words, Gu Meiyu angrily twisted the handkerchief in her hand. Seeing the disdainful look in Dongfang Jin's eyes, she said, "You vixen, those people are definitely on your side."

Gu Xiaocui suppressed her panic and echoed, "That's right, who knows what kind of seductive tricks you used to make those people believe you."

Dongfang Jin looked at Gu Xiaocui: "Miss, I don't think I know you."

Today is the first time we've met at Jin Yu Lou, isn't it? Do I have a grudge against you? Or did I dig up your ancestral graves?

"You're slandering me like this; do you know that's illegal?"

"Stop spreading rumors! My daughter never lies!" a fat woman shouted, pointing at Dongfang Jin with her hands on her hips.

Dongfang Jin looked at them and scoffed, "Oh, she never lies? Then I'm the one who lies."

I bet all of you here that I didn't say those things. I'd bet fifty strokes of the cane, do you dare?

Gu Xiaocui's mother, Song Xiang, was furious: "My daughter doesn't lie. My daughter has always been obedient and well-behaved. I believe my Xiaocui. Let's gamble."

Dongfang Jin looked at her and laughed: "So you're betting? The fifty strokes I mentioned are for the county government; they don't apply to the village."

I'll ask you one more time, do you dare? Anyone who dares, step forward.

If I said even one of the questions Aunt Gu asked me, I'll still receive fifty lashes.

When everyone heard her say that, they all looked at Gu Meiyu and Gu Xiaocui with suspicion.

One of the women said, "It seems she is telling the truth."

"So it was Gu Meiyu and Gu Xiaocui who said those things?"

"Then why did they say that?"

"Jealousy, I guess. Haven't you heard that Gu Chenglin's family bought a lot of jewelry?"

"But I haven't seen her wear it. Gu Ya, on the other hand, has it on her ears."

……

Because just as Dongfang Jin mentioned giving him fifty lashes, Gu Meiyu and Gu Xiaocui fell silent.

However, just as Gu Xiaocui's mother was about to agree to the bet with Dongfang Jin, she turned pale with fright.

Several of the most vocal women were also stunned, because each of them had two or three daughters, and they were the most indignant to hear these words.

After hearing these words, they angrily ran over and threw a lot of excrement into Gu Chenglin's house.

Now... Gu Chenglin's already dilapidated house has been smashed beyond recognition by their clamor.

The yard was full of excrement, the gate and the house door were collapsed, and the windows were smashed open with stones.

This place is completely uninhabitable right now, what can we do?

Even worse, Gu Chenglin's pot and the jar he had just bought yesterday were also smashed.

Smash the pot? That's not a good thing; it can only be described as despicable.

In modern rural areas, there is a saying that this is a very serious act of revenge, meaning to prevent the other party from continuing to live.

Moreover, this was in ancient times with feudal ideology; this matter could be described as an act of enmity.

Looking at everything in the courtyard, Dongfang Jin's anger flared up.

"What? You're not going to say anything? If you're not going to report this to the authorities, I'll go ahead and not care who smashed it."

"Gu Meiyu, is that Gu Xiaocui? You will all be responsible for all the losses my family has suffered."