Chapter 619 - 615: Unwilling to Support the First Household (Part 1)
Chapter 619 - 615: Unwilling to Support the First Household (Part 1)
"Bah!"Old Mrs. Mu spat right on Mu Dazhong’s face and then started cursing.
"You really think you’ve got a dog’s tail wagged up to the sky, thinking you’re some Golden Noble, eh? Don’t want to do any work at home and still want to hire someone else? Why don’t you just fly up to the heavens?
Let me tell you, old woman here says, you’ll do it whether you want to or not!"
Old Mrs. Mu’s words carried some weight, at least those who previously refused to work fell silent.
Everyone looked at each other, unsure of what to do.
Mu Danian gritted his teeth and took a stand, "Fourth brother has a point, the work should be done by everyone together; that’s fair!
If we’re working, then Xiangxiang should too, and so should the eldest sister-in-law and the nieces; no one should be left out.
We didn’t let the first branch work before so that big brother could focus on his exams, and sister-in-law and Dan Dan, Yingying could take good care of him.
Now that big brother has succeeded as a scholar, there’s still the question of whether he’ll continue with the exams, but it won’t affect his future endeavors. Sister-in-law and the nieces should also help out."
Mu Danian’s words spoke directly to everyone’s feelings.
In the Old Mu Family, work had always been like this. Those liked by the old man and the old woman stayed home with nothing to do, while those they didn’t like had to do the heaviest work, leaving early and returning late.
That’s how it was for the third of the third branch back then. Now that the third has been separated and can’t work, they don’t want to be the next fools who get exploited.
"Mom, I think Fifth has a point. During the summer harvest, our second branch was fully mobilized, even Gou Dan, just a few years old, had to come along.
At that time, Xiangxiang hadn’t returned, but Zhenzhen was there, she’d just eat and sleep every day, not once lending a hand in the fields, it made us feel really cold-hearted.
If this time, the entire second branch goes out while the first branch and Xiangxiang rest at home, we might not be able to work." Mu Dazhong boldly shouted.
Previously, in the Old Mu Family, the different branches would shirk work onto one another.
Now that Mu Dade has become a scholar, everyone feels that their status has risen.
They’re no longer mere mud-legged peasants of Er Gui Village.
They are unwilling to do dirty and tiring work.
But Mu Dazhong made a grave mistake by suggesting Mu Xiangxiang should work.
"You heartless dog, trying to kill Xiangxiang, a young girl who’s never done fieldwork, how come the heavens don’t strike you down with lightning!"
Old Mrs. Mu opened her mouth and spat a thick wad of phlegm onto Mu Dazhong’s face.
Mu Dazhong retreated several steps, disgusted, wiping his face continuously.
"Mom, since you say so, we’re not working either." Mu Danian plopped down on a stool.
He thought: Worst case, I’d get a beating. Even if that happens, Xiangxiang must go work.
"You... you ungrateful wretches, Xiangxiang is your sister, what’s wrong with taking care of her?..."
Old Mrs. Mu was so angry that her mouth was crooked, looking at each son wanting to make Mu Xiangxiang work, wanting to skin them alive.
Beside her, Mrs. Jin also looked displeased, even angry, especially as Old Mrs. Mu only defended Mu Xiangxiang and not the first branch.
All these people, when times are good, they want the first branch to lead. Now that work’s needed, they want to drag the first branch down, no way.
"Dad, Mom, it’s not that I don’t want to work, but now I’m a Scholar’s wife. In the future, I’ll have to deal with those officials and landlords in the county.
If others see me dirty and filthy, it’s not just my own face that’s lost, but also that of Dade’s.
You wouldn’t want Dade’s official position to be unstable because people look down on his wife as an old and ugly black woman, right?"
Having seen the world, Mrs. Jin’s words swayed even Mr. Mu.
The first branch daughter-in-law was the only one presentable in the entire family. If they did go to the county, only she resembled city folk, only she could maintain an appearance.
"The eldest sister-in-law doesn’t have to go out, she can cook at home, but Dan and Ying have to go work. It’s not like those young girls need to meet those officials, right? I haven’t heard of young girls going to see officials." Mu Dazhong rolled his eyes.
The first branch is the best at maneuvering, and also the laziest.
This time, the group was united against the first branch.
At this point, Mr. Mu was put in a difficult spot too.
Work in the Old Mu Family had already become a tradition of sorts: the third was honest, worked fast, and was willing to endure hardship, so the dirtier and more tiring jobs were his.
The fourth was reclusive, worked slowly but never complained, so plowing and harrowing the fields were his tasks.
The second and fifth were lazy, but with the third and fourth as backup, house work would generally get done on time.
"Since everyone feels this way, today’s work will be done by the whole family. The eldest daughter-in-law and your mother will cook at home, Xiangxiang will go to the fields, and the eldest’s two daughters as well; anyone who slacks off won’t have lunch!"
This decision only came after Mr. Mu thought it over a long time.
The Old Mu Family must remain fair and just, otherwise, this family would fall apart.
"No way, Mrs. Lin can’t just lie on the brick bed either; Second, go get your wife up. If she won’t come, give her a divorce paper, let her return to the Lin Family Village!"
"Mom, Gou Dan’s mother isn’t fully recovered yet, if something happens to her, what then?"
At least Mu Dazhong had a little conscience, understanding not to drag Mrs. Lin down.
"Something happens? What could happen? The lazy die, not the working. If she really dies in the fields, I’ll spend money to get you a young, pretty wife, now off you go!"
Old Mrs. Mu’s words were harsh but aligned with Mu Dazhong’s desires.
Mrs. Lin didn’t have a miscarriage; if she really worked to death, his mom would find him a young and pretty one.
"Mom, I’ll go get that lazy woman Lin up right now. If she doesn’t get up, I’ll whack her with a hoe!"
Mu Dazhong rushed towards the second branch, with everyone watching him call the recuperating Mrs. Lin up, the words they wanted to say choked in their throats.
Fine, we’ll just slack off in the fields then!
After a while, the second branch of the Old Mu Family let out cries like slaughtering pigs.
Mu Dazhong urged Mrs. Lin to scream while pretending to beat her with something.
"Gou Dan’s mother, scream louder, it’ll help you slack off later!"
Mrs. Lin, unsuspecting, cried louder while cursing.
A while later, Mu Dazhong came out dragging a disheveled Mrs. Lin.
The entire Mu Family set off grandly towards the field ridges.
The scene was nothing short of spectacular!
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