The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 316: Unflappable in the Face of Crisis
Xiao Long shouted, "I donβt want to wear these clothes, and I donβt want braids like this. I want to change back to how I was." ππ«πππ¨ππ―ππ πππ.ππΌπ
Tong Huaqiong coaxed him, "Weβll turn you back to how you were in a few days."
Then she scolded Yaozu, "Donβt say Xiao Long is a girl."
Only then did Xiao Long calm down.
After soothing Xiao Long, Mrs. Hong began to disguise Su Chengmin.
Su Chengmin was still in a deep sleep, with his head wrapped like a dumpling, and his face exposed to the air.
"This young man is really handsome," Mrs. Hong clicked her tongue in admiration, raising her wrist with the makeup brush cautiously to avoid touching his wound.
In his sleep, Su Chengmin felt someone drawing on his face. Years of martial arts training had made him sensitive, and he instinctively thought someone was trying to disfigure him, so he tried to raise his hand to stop them.
But his body was powerless; he couldnβt even open his eyes, let alone raise his hand.
He could only lie there as they kneaded and painted his face.
"All done." Mrs. Hong applied the final touch and nodded in satisfaction, turning to Tong Huaqiong, "Sister Tong, howβs my handiwork?"
Tong Huaqiong laughed and said, "Very good."
Mrs. Hong was just born in the wrong era. If she lived in the era of Tong Huaqiongβs previous life, she could have become a top influencer with this disguise technique.
Su Chengmin was transformed from a handsome young man to a farmer by Mrs. Hong.
Gu Dahuan took out some old clothes for Su Chengmin to dress him up. Even lying motionless in bed, he looked like a hardworking hand.
An honest laborer like this being called a groom would be completely believable.
With the two people disguised, the worries of Gu Taohua and the others about the officers discovering their true identities significantly lessened.
The entire Gu Family Mansion returned to normal order.
After dinner, Man Er pulled Xiao Long to play sandbags in the yard.
Tong Huaqiong again emphasized to the family how to deal with the officers.
She simulated many questions to test everyoneβs response abilities.
The Lu Familyβs carriage driver looked distressed; after breakfast, he wanted to leave, but people from the village said no one was allowed to freely enter or leave the village anymore.
Even if he could leave Qinghe Bay, he couldnβt leave Yan Guan Town.
"Everyone just carry on as normal, donβt panic," Tong Huaqiong stressed to everyone.
Mrs. Hong finally realized the identities of the big and small people she disguised, and emotions welled up in her heart. Tong Huaqiong not only didnβt avoid her but also let her participate in such a critical thing.
What does this mean? It means she trusts her.
"Yue Er, where are you going?" Tong Huaqiong saw Liu Yueer about to go out and asked cautiously.
Itβs not that she distrusts this daughter-in-law.
But Liu Yueer is a gossip lover who enjoys talking about others. She often sits at peopleβs houses chatting until dark.
Tong Huaqiong worried that Liu Yueer might accidentally blurt something out.
Liu Yueer said, "Iβm going to my motherβs house."
Tong Huaqiong said, "Donβt go just yet. Wait until the situation calms down. Send the gift you bought for your motherβs family in the city through Jingzhe. Stay home for today."
Liu Yueer looked aggrieved and had no choice but to go back inside to prepare the festival gift for her motherβs family.
She thought her mother-in-law underestimated her too much.
Harboring rebels would lead to their family being executed. How could she possibly let anything slip to others?
She wouldnβt even mention it to her own family.
Itβs not about being able to keep a secret, but if things were to happen, she didnβt want her family being dragged into it.
At this moment, Liu Yueer felt extreme disdain for Su Chengmin and Xiao Long. How did they end up at their doorstep? She wished that Xiao Long would get taken away by kidnappers, and Su Chengmin best remain unconscious, so the Gu Family wouldnβt have to bear the pressure of being executed.
Liu Yueer felt her fate was tragically bitter.
She finally had a few good days, and now she was teetering on the brink of execution.
Tong Huaqiong stood in the yard talking to Gu Dahuan to understand the familyβs situation while she was away.
There were still two acres of corn to harvest, expected to be done by the afternoon.
The wheat seeds were ready; they just needed to finish the corn and till the land before planting.
The pigs in the pigsty were getting fatter. Mrs. Cao and Chun Ni were working hard. During that time, Tian Fugui and his mother, Ms. Luo, sought trouble with Mrs. Cao and Chun Ni while Tong Huaqiong was away but were firmly scolded by Gu Dahuan.
Tong Huaqiong was pleased with how Gu Dashu arranged and performed during her absence at home.
Gu Dahuan grinned as he went off to feed the foals.
The morning passed quickly; everyone waited on high alert, but no officers came to search.
As lunch was being served, the sound of hoofbeats and noise erupted outside.
Yaozu and Man Er peeked curiously through the door, and Man Er turned to Tong Huaqiong and said, "Grandma, there are many people with knives outside."
What should come will always come; this was the search for rebel remnants.
Yaozu said, "Xiao Long, you quickly hide."
Yaozu and Man Er werenβt entirely sure what was happening; they just knew that people were after Xiao Long and the injured uncle in bed, and they couldnβt tell the truth, or the whole family would be executed.
Xiao Long sat in the yard without showing any emotion, holding a corncob in his hand, as calm as a mountain crumbling in front of him without change in expression.
Tong Huaqiong marveled that this indeed was a child of the imperial family, who had experienced great resolves from a young age, making conspiracies and intrigues seem routine to him, so these were minor events.
Tong Huaqiong prayed silently, hoping that this child, who grew up in the struggle, wouldnβt fail and drag them all down.
"Seal off all village roads."
"From now until dusk, no one is allowed to leave the village."
"Inform everyone in the village to open their courtyard doors."
The officers outside were shouting.
"Are you from this village? Whatβs in your donkey cart?" an officer asked sternly.
"Officer, the cart is loaded with corn," replied Er Gouzi, the hired hand from Tong Huaqiongβs household.
Village head Liu Tieshan chimed in, "This is our villageβs Er Gouzi, who just came back from fetching corn in the fields."
Tong Huaqiong looked out through the door and saw Er Gouzi pulling a cart full of corn stopped at the entrance.
An officer walked over and poked around the corn pile with a knife.
Seeing much corn cut in half, Er Gouzi protested, "I said itβs corn, how could there be people hiding in this donkey cart? I think youβre just making a fuss over nothing. How could fugitives come all the way here without considering how far away Shengjing is from us?"
"Maybe theyβre using the excuse of finding remnants to harass common folk. Now, every household is rushing the harvest, but youβre not letting people leave the village. If it rains, the corn will rot in the field. Doesnβt the emperor eat grains? Keep toiling away like this."
The officer pointed his sword at Er Gouzi, "Insolent!"
Village chief Liu Tieshan was greatly shocked and punched Er Gouzi, shouting angrily, "Er Gouzi, shut up! What nonsense are you spouting?"
Er Gouzi stubbornly held his neck, looking defiant.
Tong Huaqiong was shocked.
If Er Gouzi angered the officers, it would be no joke.
Immediately, she emerged from the courtyard and addressed the officers, "Dear officers, this is my hired hand. Itβs my fault for saying nothing should delay the corn harvest. Heβs a straightforward person who doesnβt know how to adapt, and I apologize on behalf of the employer for any offense."
"Dear officers, youβve worked hard; why not come to my house for a cup of tea?"
The officer directed his sword at Tong Huaqiong, his whole demeanor exuding βdonβt try to get chummy with meβ.
Tong Huaqiong: "..."
