The Fortunate Lady and Her Mountain Man

Chapter 145: Chapter 145: Left Unresolved

From the moment it all began, everyone had overlooked one thing.

The town academy’s classes hadn’t begun, and the county school had also postponed its start date. As a result, Ji Liantang was currently at home.

It was a testament to his composure that despite the massive commotion in the main hall, he didn’t even emerge to take a single glance.

’If he couldn’t be bothered to intervene when they were arguing about whether Ji Xuelan could stay, I refuse to believe he didn’t hear when they brought up Ji Mingfang’s leg.’

Mrs. Zhu had always thought this younger brother-in-law of hers was no ordinary man.

’Looking at him now, he’s more than just extraordinary—he’s not even human!’

’If it were her own misdeeds that had been exposed, she’d have been scared out of her wits long ago.’

’She’d deny it if she could, and if she couldn’t, she’d be wailing, kowtowing, and begging for forgiveness.’

’Fourth Brother is on another level! He isn’t flustered in the slightest. He won’t even show his face.’

’Is this what he’s always talking about? That saying about a mountain collapsing before you without batting an eye?’

’Truly worthy of a future government official...’

"Fourth Son?" Ji Qingshan’s knocking escalated to pounding as he struck the door with greater force.

There was still no response.

It seemed the person inside was determined not to come out.

The moment Granny Kang saw Ji Qingshan calling for his fourth son, looking as if he wouldn’t stop until the door was broken down, she flew into a rage.

She had felt a brief pang of guilt, but it wasn’t for any other reason than the fear that her husband would call their fourth son to account.

Farming families prized their male heirs. Her perfectly healthy eldest grandson had been crippled due to her own son’s "small mistake." Even if she knew her husband wouldn’t punish him severely, he certainly wouldn’t let their fourth son off lightly.

How could Granny Kang possibly bear that? If her precious fourth son suffered the slightest grievance, it was as good as killing her.

"Husband!"

Granny Kang shrieked, shoved aside anyone in her path, and scrambled to the door of the west room, spreading her arms to block Ji Qingshan.

"Why are you yelling for our fourth son? He’s studying! I told everyone not to disturb him. This is a critical time for him, he can’t be distracted!"

"He can study any time. What’s a few minutes now? Tell him to come out and clear the air."

"What is there to talk about? And what good would clearing the air do?" Granny Kang watched Ji Qingshan warily.

Even now, she was still kicking up a fuss, her favoritism on full display without a shred of shame.

She didn’t stop to think: if he couldn’t uphold justice in front of a room full of his juniors, how would they view him in the future? Who would still respect his status as the head of the family?

Ji Qingshan heaved for breath, shoved her aside, and raised his foot to kick the door.

"Fourth Son, I know you’re in there! I know you heard everything. Put aside what you’re doing and come out. In front of your eldest brother and your nephew, you will explain what needs explaining and apologize for what needs apologizing... Don’t force me to resort to family discipline!"

Seeing him about to kick the door again, Granny Kang let out a wail and threw herself to her knees, clinging to his leg.

"Why must you force him out?! He was just a child back then, what did he know? It was just a little accident while they were playing. He gave a small push, who could’ve known he’d roll into the ditch..."

With every "he was just a child" and "it was just an accident," Ji Liansong’s fists clenched and unclenched. A suffocating frustration rose in his throat, but he was a man of few words and couldn’t find a way to express his rage.

The moment Ji Xuelan remembered that her brother had been deliberately harmed, she couldn’t stop herself from trembling.

Her eyes blazing red, she retorted, "Is there a shortage of children in our village? How is it that no one else crippled my brother’s leg, then hid the truth for so many years as if nothing happened! In terms of cruelty and ruthlessness, he puts most adults to shame! You call that a child?"

Granny Kang glared at her with resentment. "Is that any way to speak to an elder? You’re a daughter who has married out. You have no place to speak here!"

After silencing her, she turned back to Ji Qingshan, weeping and wailing dramatically.

"I worked myself to the bone to give your Ji Family a potential Champion Scholar! Even if I were to die right now, I could face all the ancestors of the Ji Family. But you, Ji Qingshan! If you frighten our fourth son and something happens to him, I’d like to see how you’ll answer to our ancestors!"

Ji Qingshan’s expression faltered. The foot he had raised slowly lowered back to the ground.

Seizing the opportunity, Granny Kang turned and pointed her finger at her eldest son, cursing him.

"You heartless creature! Are you trying to hound your own brother and me to death? Is that what it will take for you to stop? Even though your grandmother raised you from the day you were born, you still drank my milk for three days! That’s a debt you’ll owe me for the rest of your life! If you dare to be unfilial, I’ll go to the government office and report you! You crawled out of your mother’s womb! I gave you your life! Never mind just crippling your son’s leg, even if..."

Even if what? She didn’t finish the sentence.

But what she’d said was already enough to chill one to the bone.

Besides, being accused of trying to drive one’s own mother to death was no laughing matter.

Ji Liansong stared at Granny Kang, full of grief and indignation. His heart felt colder than a winter sky.

Granny Kang grew a little uneasy under his gaze, but she kept a stiff expression and added another line.

"In any case, it has nothing to do with our fourth son. It was Ming Fang who wasn’t standing properly! Why is everyone blaming my boy?"

Ji Mingfang let out a dry, sarcastic laugh. "By your logic, Grandma, if Fourth Uncle were to murder someone someday, we couldn’t blame him for that either, right? It would be the victim’s fault for not knowing how to dodge, or for not running fast enough."

’The eldest branch is in open rebellion!’

That was Granny Kang’s first, most immediate thought.

’One after another, they’re all talking back to me, cornering me with their words, pressuring me.’

’In the past, they wouldn’t have dared to let out a peep!’

’Especially this cripple! Give him an inch, and he thinks he can walk all over his elders!’

’And now he’s making up stories about my fourth son being a murderer. Why didn’t he just die when he fell back then!’

Hatred surged in Granny Kang’s heart, fueling a vicious daring.

Since the truth was already out, she had nothing left to fear.

So what if they threw all pretenses to the wind? No matter what, she was still the eldest son’s mother!

"He’s already crippled, so what can be done about it? Are you going to break our fourth son’s legs? He’s a Scholar descended to earth! Whoever dares to touch him will face divine retribution!"

After delivering that heavy threat to Ji Qingshan, Granny Kang turned to sharply rebuke Ji Mingfang. "You want our fourth son to apologize to you? Take a look at yourself and see if you’re even worthy of it!"

Ji Mingfang’s gaze was like ice. "I don’t need his apology. Because I will never forgive him as long as I live."

"See? Do you see? All of you, look at this!" Granny Kang seized on his words and immediately scrambled up from the floor.

"The Ji Family raised him all these years for nothing, only to nurture a vengeful snake! So what if you don’t forgive him? Does your fourth uncle need your forgiveness? When your fourth uncle makes his fortune, I dare you not to come groveling at his door!"

"Don’t you worry. Even if I’m reduced to begging on the streets, I won’t ever show up at his door!"

The implication was clear: he intended to cut ties with the entire Ji Family.

Ji Qingshan knew that if he didn’t handle this properly, he would completely alienate his son and grandson.

But for all his wife’s faults, one thing she said had struck a deep chord within him.

The Ji Family’s hope of bringing glory to their name now rested entirely on Ji Liantang. He couldn’t fail their ancestors!

In truth, he had never intended to actually punish Ji Liantang. He just wanted him to come out and make a gesture.

It would be a way to save face for everyone. The eldest branch would feel their anger had been acknowledged, and they would naturally stop causing a scene.

But Ji Liantang had always been proud, and he was destined for a career as an official. To make him bow his head in front of so many people...

Moreover, the county examinations were fast approaching. At such a critical time, what if this family drama caused him distress and affected his performance...

After weighing all the consequences, Ji Qingshan made his decision.

He walked over to Ji Liansong, let out a deep sigh, and patted his shoulder.

"Father knows the grievances you have all suffered over the years. Just be patient. Once the county examinations are over, I will have your fourth brother apologize to Ming Fang. And Xuelan, you should stay. No matter what, this is her home too."

All that fuss, only to let the matter drop so gently.

A ruined life was to be smoothed over with a single, trivialized apology.

And even that was framed as if it were some great honor being bestowed upon them.

Tossing in the "favor" of letting Ji Xuelan stay... wasn’t that just a way to shut them up?

Ji Liansong had never expected his parents to do anything drastic to his fourth brother, but he also never imagined the whole affair would simply be swept under the rug like this.

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