You cause trouble and I collect your body, the little emperor’s aunt abuses the scumbag again

Meng Siya paused, her hand holding the well rope, but she didn't turn around.

She continued to crank the well pulley, her movements unhurried, and the bucket slowly rose from the bottom of the well.

Seeing that she didn't respond, the women became even more emboldened.

The woman with the upturned eyebrows spat, her voice even shriller: "What are you pretending for? I've seen plenty of this kind of person. They couldn't make it outside, so they came to our poor, remote place to find peace and quiet."

"Exactly, exactly! Who knows whose child it might be!"

Meng Siya picked up the bucket and turned around.

She was neither angry nor did she argue; she simply looked calmly at the women.

That one glance silenced the women who had been shouting so loudly.

Meng Siya spoke, her voice low but clear: "The older sisters are right, I am indeed from out of town."

“My husband is away on business, and I am not feeling well, so I will stay here for a while.”

She paused, then added, "It's the old house of the Wang family at the end of the village that I rented. It costs ten taels of silver a year, and I've already paid it off."

Ten taels of silver!

The women's expressions immediately changed.

This is no small amount; it's enough to feed their whole family for a year.

The woman with upturned eyebrows smiled awkwardly: "Oh, so you've rented the Wang family's house. Then we'll be neighbors from now on."

Meng Siya nodded, picked up the bucket, and left.

She walked slowly, her back ramrod straight, and her imposing manner made several women envious and jealous.

Back in the courtyard, Meng Siya put down the bucket, put her hands on her back, and let out a long breath.

She is tired.

It's not physical exhaustion, it's mental exhaustion.

Back in the Meng family mansion, she was the eldest daughter, waited on hand and foot wherever she went. She had never suffered such humiliation.

But it's different now.

She had to endure it.

For the sake of the child in her womb, and to wait for Xingzhi to return, she had to survive here.

In the courtyard, my mute cousin was chopping firewood.

He was a master among the Dragon Breath Guards; with a single blow of his axe, the wood cracked instantly.

Meng Siya looked at him and suddenly said, "Go to the village and ask around to see who knows how to repair houses, and call a few people over."

The mute cousin paused for a moment, then nodded.

Although the courtyard is habitable, it is dilapidated everywhere.

The roof leaked, the paint peeled off the walls, and a corner of the courtyard wall collapsed.

Meng Siya doesn't know anything about farm work, but she knows how to manage people.

The next morning, my mute cousin brought over five or six men from the village.

The leader was a bald man named Zhao San, a notorious scoundrel in the village.

He entered the courtyard, looked around, and then grinned, "Madam, this job is no easy task."

"Repairing the roof, patching the walls, and building the courtyard wall will cost at least twenty taels of silver."

Twenty taels!

Meng Siya sneered inwardly.

Although she doesn't know how to repair houses, she knows how to do accounting.

Even if the entire courtyard were repaired, it would cost at most ten taels of silver, but he asked for twenty taels. He's treating her like a sucker.

Meng Siya did not immediately refute, but instead took out a piece of paper from her sleeve and handed it to Zhao San.

"Here's a list I made, take a look."

Zhao San took the paper, glanced at it, and his expression changed.

The paper was covered with writing:

The roof needs 300 tiles, each costing five coins, for a total of one tael and five mace of silver.

The wall needs two bags of lime, each costing 200 coins, for a total of four coins.

The courtyard wall needs 500 blue bricks, each costing three coins, for a total of one tael and five mace of silver.

The labor cost is 100 coins per person per day. Six people working for five days will earn a total of three taels of silver.

Total: 8.4 taels of silver.

After reading it, Zhao San broke out in a sweat.

This woman is no ordinary person.

Meng Siya said calmly, "Zhao San, although I am an outsider, I am not stupid."

“If you work honestly, I’ll give each of you an extra fifty coins when I settle your accounts.”

"If you try anything funny, I'll go to the village chief for a hearing."

Zhao San chuckled awkwardly, "Madam is too kind. We are all honest people, how could we dare to play tricks?"

"Eight taels and four mace it is, let's get started right away!"

The men immediately sprang into action.

Meng Siya moved a chair and sat in the yard, basking in the sun while watching them work.

She doesn't know how to repair houses, but she knows how to judge people.

She can tell at a glance who's slacking off or dragging their feet.

"Zhao San, you didn't lay that brick flat. Do it again."

"Li Si, your tile is crooked, adjust it."

The men felt uncomfortable under her gaze and could only obediently continue working.

Five days later, the yard was repaired.

The roof no longer leaks, the walls have been painted white, and the courtyard wall has been built neatly.

After Meng Siya finished inspecting the goods, she took out a purse from her bosom, counted out eight taels and four mace of silver, and added three hundred coins.

"Here's your pay, take it."

Zhao San accepted the silver with a beaming smile: "Madam, you're so generous! Please don't hesitate to ask for anything you need in the future!"

After the men left, Meng Siya sat in the courtyard, looking at the newly renovated courtyard, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She has finally established herself here.

In the days that followed, Meng Siya stayed at home and rarely went out.

Every morning, she gets up and first plants some flowers, grass, and vegetables in the yard.

She doesn't know how to farm, but she knows how to embroider.

She rummaged through her bundle and took out some fabric, embroidered a few handkerchiefs, and took them to the market to sell.

A handkerchief can sell for fifty coins, enough for her to buy groceries for a day.

As the village women saw that she neither fought nor tried to seduce men, they gradually became less averse to her.

Especially Aunt Wang next door, who saw that she was a pregnant woman alone at home, took the initiative to bring her some pickled vegetables.

Meng Siya reciprocated by giving him a handkerchief embroidered with peonies.

Aunt Wang held the handkerchief, admiring it with obvious delight: "This craftsmanship is truly exquisite! Madam, were you from a wealthy family before?"

Meng Siya smiled, neither denying nor admitting it.

Aunt Wang didn't ask any more questions, but simply told her, "If you need anything while you're home alone, just call me."

Meng Siya nodded, feeling a warmth in her heart.

The days passed like this.

Meng Siya's belly grew bigger day by day, and her days became more and more regular.

Every morning, she would take a walk in the yard to stretch her muscles and bones.

At noon, she would embroider for a while, or look at the military book that Xingzhi had left her.

At night, she would light a lamp, touch her belly, and talk to the private mark left by Xingzhi.

"Xingzhi, where are you?"

"How are you?"

"My child and I are waiting for you."

Her voice was very soft, so soft that only she could hear it.

But she knew that Xingzhi would definitely hear her.

Because their hearts are connected.

That night, the weather suddenly changed.

The dark clouds hung low, thunder rumbled, and heavy rain poured down.

Meng Siya lay in bed, listening to the rain outside, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

Suddenly, there was a rapid knocking on the courtyard gate.

"Boom boom boom!"

Meng Siya sat up abruptly, her heart pounding.

Who would knock on the door so late?

She put on her clothes, walked to the door, and asked through the door, "Who is it?"

There was no response from outside.

There was only the sound of rain and a dull thud as someone fell to the ground.

Meng Siya's heart was in her throat.

She hesitated for a moment, but then opened the door.

Outside the door, a person covered in blood lay on the ground.

Rainwater mixed with blood flowed all over the ground.

Meng Siya gasped.

She crouched down, trying to see the person's face clearly.

But the man's face was covered in mud and blood, making it impossible to see anything.

All she could see was that the man was tightly clutching a jade pendant in his hand.

The jade pendant was engraved with the word: "行".