Chapter 42: Coercion
Su Guilan and Grandma Su exchanged a glance, a similar slyness and deceitfulness flickering in both their eyes.
"How could you owe so much money?" Su Guilan feigned shock, pretending to know nothing. "Big sister, who do you owe, and how did it happen?"
Su Guilan’s acting was terrible, but Zhang Zhaodi pretended not to notice and recited her prepared lines.
Su Guilan slapped the table angrily and said, "The Feng family’s people are truly despicable. Their children’s fate is unfortunate and didn’t survive, how can they blame it on you?"
"Exactly." Zhang Zhaodi was equally angry, "I should report them to the authorities. Younger sister-in-law, you’ve always been bold; why don’t you help me report them?"
Su Guilan: "...Better not report to the authorities. Didn’t you say they already buried the baby girl’s body? If the government officials come, they might convict you as the midwife."
"Oh my heavens, this truly leaves me with no way to live. One hundred taels, how can I pay that? Child’s father, I’m coming to join you..."
"Big sister, don’t worry, there’s still a way. That Feng just happens to have some connection with my husband; maybe if he steps in to mediate, there might be a turnaround?"
Zhang Zhaodi stopped crying, her eyes sparkling as she looked at her: "Really? Then hurry back to find my brother-in-law and have him help me. After the matter is resolved, I’ll certainly remember his favor."
"My man is only worried about Mutou’s marriage now. If you marry Yaoguang to Mutou, he’ll be delighted and will definitely help plead on your behalf."
Zhang Zhaodi said coldly, displeased: "After all that talk, this is what you’re waiting for. Yaoguang will not marry Mutou, don’t bother with this notion!"
"How can you be like this?" Su Guilan said angrily, "What’s wrong with my Mutou? If Yaoguang marries into our family, I’d be her mother-in-law; do you think I’d treat her poorly?"
"Stop talking, there’s no discussing this matter. Even if I die, I won’t let Yaoguang suffer." Zhang Zhaodi said coldly, "You can leave now, I don’t have time to entertain you."
Grandma Su pulled Su Guilan to a corner, lowered her voice, and whispered a few words.
"It’s useless to continue talking; she won’t agree; we have to resort to deceit. Once she signs and seals, her daughter won’t marry but will have to."
"How do we deceive her?"
"Let’s promise first, say we’re willing to help mediate. Then bring up the matter of buying land, get her to sell it to us for twenty taels, and then draft the contract. We’ll also write the marriage agreement with Mutou in the contract. That way, the land is ours, the marriage agreement too, and with her signature and seal on it, she’ll have to acknowledge it even if she doesn’t want to. If she doesn’t, reporting won’t scare us."
"Alright, that’s the only way to handle it." Su Guilan returned to her previous seat, sat down, and said, "Big sister, mom said many good things about you earlier, mentioning it’s not easy for you alone with brother not around. Although we had some quarrels before, we’re ultimately family, seeing you’re in trouble, we certainly won’t turn a blind eye. I’m willing to go mediate and try to negotiate the silver down to the lowest, I guess twenty taels should be enough. The Feng family’s daughter wasn’t made of gold; her early death, twenty taels as compensation is about right. However, we intend to buy your land. We’ll help mediate, reducing your compensation to twenty taels. You sell your land to us, also for twenty taels. This way, you’ll have money to compensate the Feng family, no need to borrow from outsiders."
Grandma Su, at the side, appeared gracious: "If you feel it’s acceptable, we’ll immediately find someone to draft the contract and transfer the land deed to us."
"If twenty taels can settle this matter, of course I’m willing. Losing the land means it can still be repurchased, but if people are lost, nothing else remains." Zhang Zhaodi said tearfully.
"Then you wait here, I’ll immediately find someone to draft the contract." Grandma Su gave Su Guilan a knowing look.
Su Guilan replied, "I’ll wait here for you."
Soon, Grandma Su returned, holding a freshly inked contract.
Grandma Su pretended to recite it once over. The whole contract roughly meant they agreed to sell ten acres of fertile land and five acres of good land to Grandma Su, for twenty taels.
"Did you understand? If you did, sign and seal it!"
"Mom, when did you learn to read?" Zhang Zhaodi asked.
Grandma Su impatiently replied, "Learn what? I memorized what was written here. You can’t read; if I don’t recite it for you, how do you know what’s written here?"
"Or, maybe find someone who can read to take a look!" Zhang Zhaodi clapped her hands. "I almost forgot, Wang Shu can read! I’ll wait for Wang Shu to return and then sign."
Hearing this, Su Guilan and Grandma Su dared not delay any further. Su Guilan grabbed Zhang Zhaodi’s palm, used a chopper from the wall to cut her finger, and pressed it directly onto the contract.
"Ah, ah, ah...I didn’t agree to press it..." Zhang Zhaodi exclaimed while struggling, but the fingerprint had already been pressed onto the signature and seal spot.
"Alright, we’re going to mediate now." Su Guilan and Grandma Su exchanged a look, promptly left.
Once Su Guilan and Grandma Su were gone, Su Yaoguang and Zhou Wangshu came from the next room.
"Daughter, signing that thing, will it be bad for you?" Zhang Zhaodi was a bit worried.
"Mom, don’t worry, it’s fraud, doesn’t count." Su Yaoguang said, "I deliberately let things escalate; if they don’t, how do we completely fall out?"
The filial piety weighs heavily. If we don’t entirely break off with them, even if they earn mountains of gold in the future, they’ll demand half, costing us dearly!
"What comes next?"
"Next, the Feng family needs to step in." Su Yaoguang said, "By now, they should be here."
Just as Su Guilan and Grandma Su left the house, Eldest Feng appeared at Su Yaoguang’s door.
Su Guilan knew Eldest Feng, Grandma Su didn’t.
"Eldest Feng, why are you here?" Su Guilan asked.
Eldest Feng said loudly, "My lady has regained consciousness and knows the newborn daughter’s gone; she’s been sad for a long time. However, she said if it weren’t for Midwife Zhang, she wouldn’t have survived. Midwife Zhang’s midwifery skills are unmatched. That child was difficult to deliver, causing my lady to hemorrhage heavily. The early passing was due to her frail destiny. I came specifically to inform Midwife Zhang; the previous demand to compensate one hundred taels was said in anger. Midwife Zhang, Midwife Zhang, did you hear? That hundred taels, just assume our Feng family didn’t mention it."
Eldest Feng’s voice thundered, not only heard inside, but throughout the village. Curious villagers gathered, eager to see the development.
"Thank heavens, Yaoguang’s father showed mercy, sparing Lady Yaoguang from a massive disaster. One hundred taels, could we afford that compensation? Now Lady Yaoguang needn’t worry."