Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 734 - 376: Scapegoat (Part 1)

It’s the second watch of the night, a request for pink lies therein.

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The person who alighted from the sedan chair was Scholar Wang, and those getting off the coaches were Wang Youheng, Shopkeeper Wu, Wu Yugui and Mr. and Mrs. Wang with their son Wu Jiaxing, while Old Huang was riding a horse, with a few people following on foot.

Old Master Lian, upon seeing the procession, barely steadied himself. Faced with the tenant farmers from the same village, he still had some confidence that he could suppress them, but the ones that had arrived now were not so easily dismissed.

The Lian Family’s disgrace had not only been made public; it had spread further than he had anticipated.

Not to mention Scholar Wang, people like Wang Youheng, Shopkeeper Wu, Wu Yugui and his son, as well as Old Huang, were clearly on Lian Shouxin’s side. The shallow, cursory words he’d just used were hard enough to fob off the tenant farmers from his own village, let alone explain to these newcomers. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

At this moment, Scholar Wang, Wang Youheng, Shopkeeper Wu, Wu Yugui and his son, as well as Old Huang had already exchanged greetings and were standing there. Lady Wang approached Lady Zhang and Lady Zhao, asked a few questions, and then tears started to fall.

With these few people neither advancing nor retreating, they appeared to stand with the onlookers. Old Master Lian was a worldly man; he clearly understood the implications.

"I was only away for a short while, and things have turned out like this," Old Master Lian stepped forward, cupping his hands in greeting towards Scholar Wang and the others, "It’s all because of my foolish old wife, who’s muddled and always speaks without thinking. The children don’t take her seriously... This matter today, it’s a Lian Family affair, and you all are kind-hearted, holding the Lian Family in high regard. This issue must certainly be clarified today, to give everyone an explanation."

Lian Manman blinked, as Old Master Lian was pushing all the blame onto Lady Zhou. This was really... the best way to minimize the damage to their reputation.

Who was Lady Zhou? She was the biological mother of Lian Shouxin and Lian Shouli, the grandmother of Lian Manman, Lian Yeye, and the other children. Lady Zhou was also an illiterate woman who’d spent her life either sitting on the kang or bustling around the stove, or picking at chicken behinds.

By further stating that Lady Zhou was muddled and gibberish-spouting, that the children didn’t take her words to heart, Old Master Lian had managed to smoothen over an incident that endangered both Lian Shouren and the entire Upper Room of the Lian Family, including himself.

As he spoke, Old Master Lian ushered Scholar Wang, Wang Youheng, and Wu Yugui into the house.

"A virtuous wife prevents trouble at home, but a nagging wife incites endless disputes. My old wife’s temper, our neighbors all know about it. She loves to create drama, to scold people for no reason. She harbors no ill will, but her temper is too volatile, too foul-mouthed," as he invited them inside, Old Master Lian continued, "After more than half a lifetime, having raised children, even I... sigh..."

Old Master Lian sighed.

"All is well with the children; they are filial. She is to accompany the eldest to his post, and there’s no concern over her spending. Her whole life, she’s just been on the kang, going nowhere, clueless about how to shop. She doesn’t even know the difference between one Wen Money and one tael of silver... Her temper is beyond advisement, scaring the younger children with her antics..."

With Old Master Lian putting it this way, the Lian Family seemed absolutely harmonious and blissful.

While saying this, Old Master Lian even smiled towards Lian Manman and the others.

There was no expression on the faces of Lady Zhang, Lady Zhao, Lian Manman, Lian Zhizhi, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi as they listened quietly, not openly objecting, but they couldn’t bring themselves to respond to Old Master Lian’s smile, to affirm that everything he said was true.

What had truly happened, the onlookers likely understood very well. Old Master Lian was doing this only for appearances, to save face. The term "deceiving oneself as well as others" probably referred to this.

Having done all he could and achieved his aim, with the arrival of Scholar Wang and his party, who were not as forthright as their neighboring farmstead dwellers, Lian Manman also became subdued, no longer exposing Old Master Lian’s falsehoods on the spot.

"My grandma Yueyue sells eggs, knowing the cost of each egg, the price of floral fabric per chi, and so on. The household’s money from selling pigs and grain, it’s all kept with Grandma; she’s very clear about it," Lian Yeye mumbled.

Lian Manman quickly covered her mouth to keep from laughing out loud.