Immortality: Raising an Ant Queen to Cultivate by increasing stat points

Chapter 475: Chapter 467: Heroes Struggle to Pass the Beauty Test _1

“I really have nothing with Madame Zhao.”

Xu Zhenchang, in any case, would not admit it even if it killed him.

Having been the village chief for so many years, he hadn’t held the position for nothing. He understood the principle of leniency for those who confess, harshness for those who resist.

With such matters, as long as you’re not caught in the act, a firm denial means nobody can do anything to you.

If he admitted it, his status at home would definitely plummet, and what if Liu Qing caught wind of it? Would he let him off?

Don’t take Liu Qing for a fool, despite his slow wits, his body is all muscle, strong and powerful.

When he loses his temper, he’s like a bull, intimidating to anyone who encounters him.

Xu Zhenchang’s physique was certainly no match for him.

He reckoned it would only take two or three rounds before Liu Qing had him pinned to the ground, at the very least giving him a good thrashing. If he really were beaten, he reckoned he’d also lose face to continue as the village chief, forever unable to hold his head up in the village.

“Hmph, dare to do but not admit it? You’ve taken so much silver money to give to that vixen; without that kind of relationship, would you, the stingy rooster, be so generous? The household is nearly falling apart, yet you’re still sending out half a tael of silver. Xu Zhenchang, don’t take everyone in the world for fools.”

Li Shuixiang grew angrier as she spoke.

The hard-earned money made with her husband, yet being squandered by him on wining and dining, and on other women. Anyone would be unable to stand it.

No wonder she wanted to seek death.

“This…this was just the wages I settled with Liu Qing for the work he did for our family!”

“Oh, it was for settling Liu Qing’s wages, was it? You gave at least five taels of silver to Madame Zhao, right? That’s nearly two years’ worth of wages. I’m going to ask Liu Qing in person right now, to see if it’s really wages or money for sleeping with his wife.”

Li Shuixiang said and started to head outside, intending to confront Liu Qing face to face.

When this woman got angry, she was truly more fearsome than a tigress.

Xu Zhenchang didn’t dare have a face-to-face confrontation, knowing it would definitely reveal the truth. Panicked, he grabbed his wife, almost pleadingly saying, “Wife, I was confused for a moment, I won’t dare to do such recklessly generous things again. I assure you, I won’t have any contact with that Madame Zhao from now on. If I dare to violate this, you can deal with me as you see fit.”

Looking at him like that, he was almost close to kneeling and begging for mercy.

“Get the money back that you gave away, and we’ll call it even. I’m not clear on exactly how much you gave that vixen. Let’s just go with what we know, five taels. You go and get it back right now, otherwise, we can’t go on like this.”

With a day as husband and wife comes a hundred days of grace; Li Shuixiang clearly softened as well.

Xu Zhenchang’s face was filled with difficulty, and he looked to Qin Niu for help.

Having no choice, Qin Niu had to step in to mediate.

“Aunt, the money that’s been given away will likely be hard to get back. Madame Zhao loves nothing more than money. Once money falls into her hands, it’s difficult to get it back.”

Qin Niu had interacted with that Madame Zhao a few times as well.

She was a formidable woman.

There were definitely more men in the village who had given her money besides Xu Zhenchang, rumor had it there were even men from outside the village involved with her.

But all these rumors, no one had concrete evidence, they were all hearsay.

Madame Zhao was indeed fickle and in love with money, and she was equally talented in dancing. Seeing that Qin Niu was now well-off, she took her chances a few times when they were alone, even making a play for him.

She was clearly over thirty, yet she flirted and behaved frivolously around him.

She even used suggestive language to tease him, both overtly and covertly.

Qin Niu, no matter how scarce his food supply, would never look favorably upon such lousy fish.

With Xu Zhenchang squandering money on Madame Zhao, hoping to get the money back was like a fool’s dream.

“But I don’t care. My family only managed to preserve some of our crop yield in the first half of the year with your help. In the second half of the year, we were hit by continuous pestilence and ended up with a complete crop failure. Now, my family is so poor that we can barely keep the pot boiling. After paying off the workers, we still owe the Yan Family more than a dozen taels of Silver Money. If we can’t get those five taels back, I’m afraid we won’t be able to make it through the year!”

Li Shuixiang was usually hard-working and had a feisty personality, but she cared a lot about her reputation.

If it weren’t for the family being truly impoverished, she wouldn’t have revealed such embarrassments in front of outsiders.

A man turns bad once he gets money.

Xu Zhenchang was truly foolish. As soon as his family came into a bit of money, he started fooling around outside.

That woman, Madame Zhao, was one not to be trifled with. Otherwise, even a large fortune would be squandered away.

“Wife, our farming did lose quite a bit of money this year, but we can definitely earn it back next year. Asking for money from Madame Zhao now is really putting me in a difficult position…”

Xu Zhenchang pleaded bitterly.

Forget five taels of Silver Money, he wouldn’t have the guts to ask for fifty from Liu Qing’s family.

If Liu Qing found out about his affair with Liu’s wife, Madame Zhao, he would definitely fight Xu Zhenchang on the spot.

“Exactly, Uncle Xu is right. The Black Tiger Gang has now defeated the Nine Insect Gang and the Shennong Sect; the pestilence will soon disappear, and next year we’ll surely have a good harvest. With Uncle Xu’s excellent farming skills, coupled with Auntie’s help as a wise and virtuous wife, you’re certain to make a big profit. Things will get better then. Auntie, considering the many years of affection between you as husband and wife, and for the sake of the children, please let this go!”

Qin Niu joined in to mediate the situation.

Women are emotional creatures; tenderness is their biggest weakness.

“Wuwu… Master Qin, if not for giving face to you today, I would have no choice but to jump into the river and commit suicide. Now that my family owes so much money, and he still enjoys his pleasure-seeking without trying to find a solution, is there such a person as this?”

Li Shuixiang sobbed, expressing the grievances in her heart.

“Sister-in-law, I know you’ve sacrificed a lot for this family. Don’t worry, now that I’m here today, I will definitely talk to Uncle Xu,” said Qin Niu, aware that this step had basically resolved the family conflict.

All that remained was to help the Xu Family overcome their financial crisis, and this family could soon return to normal.

“Uncle Xu, let’s step outside for a chat!”

Qin Niu called Xu Zhenchang out.

“Er Dan, let them both go in to keep Auntie company!” Qin Niu told Er Dan.

Xu Zhenchang’s son and daughter were very sensible. Seeing their parents argue depressed them. They wanted to persuade their mom and dad, but they didn’t dare to speak up and didn’t know how to persuade them.

The siblings ran into the house and crowded around Li Shuixiang.

Li Shuixiang hugged her children tightly, and she stopped crying.

Indeed, crying in front of her children was somewhat embarrassing.

“Master Qin, I truly owe you a debt of gratitude today. Otherwise, there would have been trouble at home,” said Xu Zhenchang, who started the conversation first.

“We are neighbors, after all; it’s only right that we help and look out for each other, such a small matter is not worth mentioning. Although Madame Zhao has her charms, as a married man, why in the world did you get involved with her?”

Qin Niu, being a junior, didn’t feel it appropriate to speak too harshly.

“Alas, it’s all my fault for being foolish momentarily. Since last year, Madame Zhao has been seductively luring me, both subtly and overtly. I knew that she had been involved with many men in the village, and usually, I could resist. This year started with the flood, followed by a prolonged pestilence, which left me feeling agitated, and I fell for her tricks,” said Xu Zhenchang, shaking his head and sighing.