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Chapter 470: Resentment

However, Gu Zi’s silence did not mean she would let the murmurs go unchallenged. Aunt Zhang, who was assisting with the preparations at the ancestral hall, was in the process of distributing the “blessing surplus” food to each table. She happened to be near the woman who had spoken, and she caught sight of her.

Immediately, Aunt Zhang set down the large bamboo basket she was carrying. She addressed the gossipy woman, “Can’t all this food keep your mouth shut? What’s wrong with being a woman? If women can’t preside, then isn’t all this food prepared by women? If you think women can’t be in charge, then you shouldn’t eat the food they prepare. Is this your child? Put down that sesame ball right now!”

As Aunt Zhang uttered the last sentence, her voice was not loud, but her expression was fierce enough to frighten the child standing next to the gossipy woman. The child, taken aback by her words, immediately dropped the sesame ball. Tears welled up in his eyes as he timidly looked at the gossipy woman.

The gossipy woman immediately scowled, picked up the sesame ball, and handed it to her child. She rolled her eyes at Aunt Zhang, “Who do you think you are? Are you a member of the Su family? Do you think speaking up for them will earn you any benefits? Ridiculous!”

Aunt Zhang was left speechless by the gossipy woman’s retort. However, all the food and the expenses for the ritual were covered by the Su family. Wasn’t this woman just like someone who enjoys a meal and then smashes the bowl? It was infuriating!

Just as Aunt Zhang was contemplating a comeback, she felt a hand on her back. She turned around to find Su Jing standing behind her.

Su Jing stared at the gossipy woman, then suddenly slammed her hand on the table. The sudden noise startled everyone at the table, and they all turned to look at Su Jing, their faces filled with guilt. They had thought they could make these comments without the Su family noticing amidst the busy ritual.

They were slightly annoyed, but they certainly didn’t have the courage to confront the Su family directly. But why was Su Jing here? Wasn’t she living in the city?

Ever since Su Jing moved to the city, she hadn’t attended the village rituals. Why had she suddenly appeared this year? Could it be that Su Jing had returned to compete with Gu Zi for the family property? That would certainly make for an interesting spectacle.

“I am a member of the Su family,” Su Jing declared. “What’s wrong with my brother letting me and my sister-in-law preside? What era are we living in that you still think women can’t take charge? I’ve seen women with bound feet, but I’ve never seen people like you with bound minds! This is a new era, and we women can hold up half the sky!” Su Jing’s proud posture exuded an irresistible pressure.

The gossipy woman naturally didn’t dare to retort. “Sorry, Sister Su Jing, we didn’t mean it that way. We won’t say such things again.”

Although the gossipy woman apologized on the surface, she thought to herself that Su Jing was quite clever. She knew to defend Gu Zi in public. Once she got home, she could discuss with her husband about using Su Jing to negotiate a collaboration with Su Shen. That would surely work out.

Su Jing paid no further attention to the woman, turning on her heel and walking away. The people around her began to praise the women of the Su family for their competence and progressive thinking. First, there was Gu Zi, the sister-in-law, and now Su Jing. Not one of them shied away from responsibility.

One of them said, “Gu Zi, as a woman, presiding over the sacrificial rites, has brought honor to the women of our village. We can now go home and speak to our men with our backs straight. We women can also hold up half the sky. This is a new era!”

With that, the atmosphere in the ancestral hall became harmonious once again.

Later, Aunt Zhang sought out Gu Zi and said, “I’ve remembered who that loud-mouthed woman is. She, along with the entire table, are all from the neighboring Chen Village. The ones who started the conversation were the women from Chen Village. This all goes back to an old story. After Daqing Village started making money from their pig farm, the people of Chen Village set their sights on Su Shen.

“They wanted to discuss a partnership with Su Shen, hoping he would help them make money. But the negotiations fell through, the specifics of which I’m not sure. In any case, those people have held a grudge against Su Shen for not wanting to cooperate with them in setting up a joint pig farm. They’ve been spreading rumors that Su Shen’s wealth is nothing more than the result of speculation.”

Gu Zi had initially thought it was just some women gossiping. No matter what you do, whether it’s good or bad, they always have a few unpleasant words to say that can upset you.

Gu Zi considered herself immune to such irrelevant chatter, so she hadn’t planned to delve too deeply into it. But now, it seemed that this matter really needed to be investigated further.