The courtyard instantly erupted into chaos.
Seeing one dead and one injured, Zuo Lide frowned so hard that his thick eyebrows seemed about to knot. He heaved a heavy sigh. "Go and fetch a doctor! Hurry up and fetch a doctor!"
Qi Jiao gritted her teeth tightly, her hands and feet ice - cold. In the last moment of consciousness, she thought that death would be good, for it would bring cleanliness.
She had been so unlucky to be transmigrated into this vexing world and encounter such troublesome things. She hoped that death could send her back through time.
Pei Xia reacted the fastest. He took two quick steps, rushed over, and supported Qi Jiao. Then he felt for her breath. Although it was faint, she was still alive.
The tension on his face eased a bit. When he touched the wound on the back of Qi Jiao's head and pulled his hand back, it was covered in bright red blood, a shocking sight.
Pei Xia shouted, "Quick! Bring a cloth!"
Pei Jin quickly took out her own cloth and handed it over. "It's just washed and clean."
Pei Xia supported Qi Jiao with one hand and tightly pressed the cloth against her wound with the other. Pei Jin also squatted down. "Brother, lay her flat."
Children who grew up by the sea were good at swimming and naturally knew how to perform artificial respiration.
Pei Xia knew that his sister was going to give Qi Jiao artificial respiration, so he gently laid her down steadily.
Pei Jin took a deep breath, leaned over, pinched Qi Jiao's nose, and slowly breathed air into her mouth.
Everyone around held their breath for Qi Jiao. Pei Jin, though young, was quite calm. After repeating the process of inhaling and exhaling seven or eight times, she leaned close to Qi Jiao's chest to listen. Sure enough, her breath had recovered.
Pei Jin wiped the sweat off her forehead and let out a sigh of relief. "She's much better now."
However, Pei Xia's face remained gloomy. The courtyard was as bright as day under countless lights. Looking at Qi Jiao's paper - pale lips, he pulled out the cloth from the back of her head. It was completely soaked in blood, and the blood kept dripping. The soil under her quickly turned dark.
He felt a sense of unease in his heart. "The bleeding won't stop. Go and pick some Erigeron acer on the ridge of the field quickly!"
Hearing this, Pei Li and several young and strong men dashed out of the door to pick the herbal medicine.
Fortunately, the wild grass was lush in autumn. The men quickly picked two handfuls of Erigeron acer. On the way back, they saw Qi Laoda hiding in the small woods. Pei Li let out a grunt, rushed up, grabbed Qi Laoda's beard, and dragged him back.
Qi Laoda lowered his head and entered the courtyard. Seeing Qi Jiao lying on the ground, his life in jeopardy, he didn't even bother to ask. He just took a quick glance and then slipped into the inner room.
Tang Guiniang thought that Qi Laoda and his wife were equally cold - blooded. She felt a bit of sympathy for Qi Jiao. Having such wolf - like brother and sister - in - law and being sold away since childhood, Qi Jiao was really a poor soul.
When the herbal medicine was brought back, there was no time to pound it with stones. Pei Xia directly put it in his mouth, chewed it into a pulp, and applied it to Qi Jiao's wound. Then he found a new cloth strip and tightly wrapped it around her head.
After a while, the bleeding finally stopped, but Qi Jiao still didn't wake up.
By this time, it was completely dark. Pei Xia was getting impatient. "Why hasn't the doctor come yet?"
An old man suggested, "I'm afraid she has lost too much blood. Pour a bowl of thick and hot sugar water down to warm her heart and mind. Maybe it will help."
Hearing this, Tang Guiniang went into the house and dragged Qian Shi out. "Quickly take out your family's sugar!"
Qian Shi had a cut on her arm from a kitchen knife. Because the fabric of her clothes was thick, the wound looked long and narrow but wasn't serious. The bleeding stopped after she pressed it for a while.
She wished that Qi Jiao would die soon. When she heard that sugar water was needed to save Qi Jiao, she curled her lips. "Sugar is a rare thing. We poor people can't afford it."
Tang Guiniang had long seen through Qian Shi. She stamped her foot in anger. "A life is at stake! Even if Jiao Niang has done something wrong, it's not a tenth as bad as your meanness!"
A kind - hearted aunt saw this and quickly went home to find a piece of old brown sugar. She made a thick bowl of sugar water and brought it over.
Pei Xia thanked her. After letting it cool a bit, he pinched Qi Jiao's chin and carefully poured the sugar water into her mouth. Most of the sugar water was spat out after a bowl was fed in, but it was better than nothing.
Pei Jin and Tang Guiniang quickly stroked Qi Jiao's chest and rubbed her hands and feet.
After a while, there were two coughs. Qi Jiao finally regained consciousness.
Opening her eyes, Qi Jiao saw a handsome jaw. It seemed to be Pei Xia. She saw Pei Jin, Tang Guiniang, and the people filling the courtyard.
A tide of memories rushed in, and her head ached as if it were about to split. Qi Jiao leaned in Pei Xia's arms and couldn't hold on. She vomited all over him.
Qi Jiao didn't dare to look at Pei Xia's face. She knew it must be very ugly.
When Pei Jin and her mother saw Qi Jiao vomit, they let out a big sigh of relief. Tang Guiniang said it was good to vomit. "Vomiting will make her regain her senses."
Qi Jiao's face was deathly pale. She forced a bitter smile. "Thank you for saving me. I, Qi Jiao, will always be grateful and will surely repay you in the future."
She supported Pei Jin's hand and slowly stood up. With a straight face, she walked straight into Qi Laoda and Qian Shi's bedroom.
When Qian Shi saw Qi Jiao alive, her eyes widened in shock. Seeing her heading towards the bedroom, she quickly rushed up to stop her. "What are you doing?!"
Qi Jiao gave her a cold look and smoothly took out a shiny axe from behind the main - hall door.
"If you try to stop me, don't blame me if my hand accidentally slips. Anyway, I've died once. I've lost everything and I'm not afraid of anything."
Qian Shi gritted her teeth but had to take a few steps back. She pushed Qi Laoda behind her. "Hurry up and stop that little whore! It's a sin!"
Qi Laoda was most afraid of death. How dared he get close? He just kept scolding Qi Jiao. "Put it down quickly! Are you crazy?!"
Qi Jiao turned a deaf ear. She dragged out an old box from under Qian Shi's bed, tightened her grip on the axe, and started hacking at the copper lock on it one by one, her eyes fierce.
The villagers following behind were all stunned. Qian Shi started to scream. "Uncle Zuo, please stop her. Is there any justice in this world?!"
Zuo Lide shouted for Qi Jiao to stop. "Jiao Niang, this box belongs to your brother and sister - in - law. Even if you have grievances, you shouldn't vent them like this!" His words were quite accusatory.
Qi Jiao sneered. "The box is theirs, but everything inside belongs to me."
Zuo Lide frowned deeply. "What do you mean? Are you really crazy?"
Pei Xia thought for a moment and stepped forward. "Let me do it."
Zuo Lide was also afraid that Qi Jiao would hurt someone. He told Pei Xia to be careful.
Seeing that Pei Xia was big and strong, Qi Jiao knew he must have great strength. She handed the axe to him and shouted, "The box contains my indenture and my hairpins and jewelry. I was the personal maid of Miss Guo. When Miss Guo was going to marry someone from afar, she kindly released me from the mansion, returned my indenture, and gave me twenty taels of silver.
I was longing to come back to offer sacrifices to my parents' graves. But as soon as I entered the door, this heartless couple snatched my package and took away my belongings. I was locked in the firewood shed, my hands and feet tied up. I barely survived these days until I was knocked out and sent to the Pei family's bridal sedan chair today.
Tell me, is there any relative like this in the world? An enemy would be a hundred times better than them! Every word I said is true. The evidence is in the box."
Tang Guiniang thought that's why Qi Jiao had marks on her ankles. She already believed most of what Qi Jiao said.
After hearing her words, Pei Xia didn't hesitate at all. He swung the axe and smashed it down. The copper lock snapped into two halves. Opening the box, there really was an indenture and two sets of old women's clothes lying inside, but there was no sign of the silver or jewelry.
Qi Jiao wasn't surprised at all. By some strange coincidence, she had inherited the original owner's memories. Without the information gap, she could see clearly. Besides the silver given by Miss Guo, there was also the savings and rewards she had accumulated over the years, worth at least thirty or forty taels.
This money was either used by the Qi couple to fill the hole for their precious son, Qi Hao, or given to Qi Fu, who was determined to be a concubine, to curry favor.
Similarly, the high bride - price from the Pei family was probably gone for good.
Qi Jiao wasn't in a hurry. She showed the indenture to Zuo Lide. "I've always behaved myself. There's no reason for me to be slandered without evidence. All the belongings I took out of the mansion were recorded. Whether what I said is true or not can be verified by asking at the Guo Mansion. May I ask Uncle Zuo, what crime should Qi Yong and Qian Shi be punished for embezzling property and harming a life?"
Zuo Lide could vaguely see the content of the indenture in the indoor light. What Qi Jiao said was indeed much more credible than Qian Shi's ranting.
If she had really committed a crime, the master's family wouldn't have returned her indenture. Moreover, the ladies in the mansion wouldn't tolerate any wrongdoing.
He nodded thoughtfully. "What you said makes sense. But for the sake of fairness, I'll go to the Guo family to find out first. This matter concerns the reputation of Biwu Village. I'll keep this indenture with me for now. After the investigation is clear, I'll surely clear your name. Jiao Niang, what do you think?"
Qi Jiao was furious inside but calmly said on the surface, "With all the villagers here, I naturally trust Uncle Zuo's character. I lost my parents when I was young and was sold to the Guo family as a maid for just a few taels of silver by Qi Yong and Qian Shi. From then on, I regarded this family as non - existent.
As a new maid in the mansion, I was of low status. I had to do the dirtiest and most tiring jobs, like emptying the night pots. I endured all these hardships for so many years. Fortunately, I was later assigned to Miss's courtyard. Miss was kind - hearted and treated me very well. She taught me to read and understand principles and even set me free. I don't expect to repay Miss, but I just hope not to cause her any trouble.
Please go to the Guo Mansion as soon as possible to clarify the facts. Otherwise, I'm afraid the villagers' gossiping will drown me."
Qi Jiao stood there straight, her thin body trembling slightly with anger. As she spoke, her eyes were already red.
With this emotional outpouring and the actions of Qi Laoda and Qian Shi, everyone's hearts were now on Qi Jiao's side.
Qi Jiao's experience also made Zuo Lide feel sad. But as he had to protect the reputation of Biwu Village first, his face remained calm. After putting away the indenture, he turned to look at Qi Laoda and Qian Shi.
"I understand Qi Jiao's situation. Since you won't hand over Qi Fu, quickly return the bride - price to the Pei family. From now on, the marriage is off, and you'll go your separate ways."
Qi Laoda folded his arms across his chest and squatted at the door, saying nothing. This time, Qian Shi didn't scold. She just shut her mouth tightly, like a clam.
Seeing the couple acting like scoundrels, Zuo Lide was so angry that he almost exploded on the spot. "I'm telling you! I'm being nice and trying to mediate today. But if you end up in court tomorrow, you'll cry your eyes out!"
At this time, Qi Jiao stepped forward and said, "I know where the Pei family's bride - price money went."