The journey was smooth and there were no naughty kids causing trouble. Zhu Ping'an rode the old ox and returned home smoothly with Zhu Pingjun.
Before I got home, I saw a lot of people gathered outside the Zhu family's gate, huddled together, pointing and talking about the Zhu family compound. Many aunts and ladies were even full of contempt.
Zhu Ping'an's heart trembled, thinking that something serious might have happened at home. He hurriedly urged Lao Niu to run home, and Zhu Pingjun also squeezed in from the crowd.
The Zhu family compound was in a mess, with cries, scolding, and noises all mixed up. Mother Chen and a few of her sisters-in-law stood on the same side, comforting the crying and scolding aunt.
"There was lightning, wind and rain at night. She stood at the door, weak and pitiful. The wind made her shiver and the rain soaked her clothes. She was helpless, pitiful and weak. Her tears were weak and hurt. I knew that she needed warmth at this moment, so I gave her a few dozen coins to buy her some clothes. Unexpectedly, she wanted to repay me with her own life." The uncle stood there, with a look of emotion on his face. He really was a person who worries about the world first.
"Bah, is this why you picked up a whore outside and brought her home?" The aunt spat, crying and cursing, wishing she could bite off a piece of flesh from the uncle.
After hearing the explanation from his uncle, Zhu Pingan had only four words in his mind: Great uncle! Too shameless. It's been more than a month since it rained. I really need warmth. It's been so hot at night these days.
Grandfather was so angry that he chased my uncle around the yard with a stick. My grandmother stopped him, fearing that he would hit my uncle with the stick. My uncle no longer had the bearing of a scholar. His hair was all messy, probably because he was scratched by my aunt. He ran around the yard like a drowned chicken, holding his head, afraid that his face would be hurt by my father's stick.
"Hey, old man, be gentle, don't hurt our uncle."
In a corner of the yard, there was a young woman standing against the wall, eating melon seeds with her fingers curled up. She looked average, but she knew how to dress up. She put on powder and drew her eyebrows, with a worldly look in her brows. The clothes she wore were very bright and more revealing than those of ordinary women. Her voice was also pretentious, and one could tell at a glance that she was not a decent woman.
Uh, Zhu Ping'an almost understood. It turned out that his uncle went to the county for only two days and brought a woman back. Didn't he say he was going to meet friends and study? Why did he bring back an obviously indecent woman? Also, where did you get the money? Two guan is not enough.
"Bah! You are a fickle and shameless slut. Who is your uncle? He is my man." The aunt was greatly irritated by this woman. She threw aside her usual pretense of composure and turned directly into a shrew. She walked up to the woman and spat a mouthful of thick phlegm on her and started to scold her.
That woman was not a pushover either. After being spat at by the aunt, she yelled and rushed forward to fight with the aunt. At this time, the role of the sisters-in-law was seen. Mother Chen, the fourth aunt, and the third aunt all put aside their past grudges and went to help the aunt scratch the woman. They also took the time to sneak in. Soon, the woman was pressed to the ground by mother Chen, the aunt, and the others, and scratched, especially on the face. Soon, the woman's clothes were messy, her hair was a mess, and she looked miserable.
"Zhu Shouren, what did you say when you came here? Are you still a man?" The woman was tickled and got mad, and she shouted at the uncle who was running around like a rabbit.
It's of no use. My uncle himself is in a difficult situation and can't save himself.
Zhu Ping'an and Zhu Pingjun were shocked by these scenes as soon as they entered the yard. They couldn't recover for a long time. The fighting between women was so crazy.
Over there, my grandfather also took the opportunity to hit my uncle twice with a stick, and my grandmother cried out in pain.
"Dad, Dad, listen to me." The uncle hid behind grandma and spoke in embarrassment.
My father and my third uncle stood there in a daze, not knowing what to do. But my fourth uncle took the opportunity to stare at the woman who was pressed to the ground by my eldest aunt and the others, and to satisfy his eyes.
I really don't know what to say. Zhu Pingan came to his senses, got off the cow's back, and hurried to the gate to close it to avoid being laughed at by outsiders. As for the rest, it was not up to a naughty child like him to decide.
The yard was noisy for a long time before it gradually quieted down. The yard was set up as a simple trial meeting. Grandfather sat on a chair, and except for my uncle and that improper woman, everyone else found stools and chairs to sit on both sides. My uncle and that woman stood in the middle, looking embarrassed.
"Evil son, why don't you kneel down!" The grandfather was so angry that he kept coughing.
Grandma quickly reached out to help grandpa calm down, but grandpa pushed her away and complained angrily, "It's all because of you!"
When my uncle was scolded by my grandfather, he fell to his knees. His previously clean face now looked extremely disheveled.
"Dad, listen to me, this is not my son's idea." The uncle insisted on explaining.
"It wasn't your idea. You should bring it home."
Grandfather was so angry that he threw the pipe in his hand at my uncle. My uncle dodged it and the pipe fell to the ground, splashing dirt. If my uncle hadn't dodged it, he would have been hit.
When my grandfather saw my uncle avoiding me, he became even angrier. His fingers were shaking with anger. "Tell me, what did you say when you asked your wife to ask your mother for money? Studying abroad, studying abroad, that's how you studied abroad!"
I don't know if the uncle's face was red from shame or from running so fast and tired, but he said with a red face, "Dad, I don't want to either. I went to the county to study with my colleagues, but I didn't expect that after discussing academic matters together, he was very impressed by his son's knowledge and invited me to his house for a drink. It was drizzling at the time, and Juan'er was waiting outside the door in thin clothes. My son couldn't bear it and gave her money to buy some clothes to keep out the cold. Who would have thought that she would pledge herself to him. My son's friend saw that my son was alone and had no one to take care of him, so he gave Juan'er to my son for free. My son also refused in every possible way. But the man forced it on my son and said that my son didn't regard him as a friend. If my son didn't accept it, he would sever ties with my son and didn't tell my son the test points that his mentor had taught him. My son couldn't refuse, and he was helpless."
My uncle's words meant two things: I didn't buy this woman with my own money, but a friend who admired my knowledge gave her to me for free. I had no choice.
This is too much of a distortion of right and wrong. Zhu Ping'an is speechless. Who are you? You are not even a scholar, and yet people give you a beautiful girl for free, and you can't refuse no matter how hard you try.
When his uncle said this, Zhu Ping'an clearly saw the mocking look on the woman's mouth.
"Calm down, old man. Didn't you hear what your eldest brother said? It was given to us by someone else, so why don't we just return it to them?" Grandmother spoke for my uncle.
Aunt Xiao Si quietly interjected, "Since it was given away for free, then where is the money that Big Brother took with him when he left?"
Mother Chen gave Fourth Aunt an admiring look.
"Of course I have the money." The uncle spoke with a lack of confidence.
"Where's the money?" Aunt Xiao Si held on tightly.
The uncle reached into his sleeve, took out a handful of money and put it in my grandmother's hand.
Uh, it’s less than ten cents in total.
Grandfather was already furious, and now he was even more furious. He couldn't help but pick up the stick at his feet again. Seeing this, grandmother immediately rushed over to hold the stick down, turned around and shouted at my uncle, "You evil son, why don't you explain yourself quickly!"
"Son, my son and his colleagues in the county treated his mentor to a meal, and it cost quite a lot..." The uncle explained stutteringly.
"His elder brother, that was two taels of silver, enough for our family to eat for nearly half a year, and it was spent on just one meal." Mother Chen sighed.
But not only did my grandmother not punish my uncle, she also gave Fourth Aunt and Chen a harsh look and told them not to talk nonsense.