Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside Chapter 1198: Never Lost a War of Words

Gu Jinli gazed at Miss Zhou Er, offering a sweet smile as she declared, "That’s right, she’s precisely the Company Commander’s Wife."

Aren’t you overflowing with jealousy, totally sour, just itching to erupt, young miss?

Miss Zhou Er stiffened upon catching Gu Jinli’s smile, suddenly so furious that tears burst from her eyes.

Why? Why does the Gu Family snag all the fortune?

That face—years ago, Gu Er had been a pale, scrawny girl resembling a beggar. Yet in just five years, she transformed into this vision: refined features, smooth pale skin, a tall slender figure, and elegant steps. Utterly breathtaking.

Glancing at her own reflection, Miss Zhou Er noted her skin tanned deeply from fieldwork, her hands roughened terribly... Heart aching deeply, her tears poured even more fiercely.

All of them had been famine refugees on the run—why did the Gu Family’s girl enjoy such incredible luck?!

Gu Jinli stood dumbfounded. Why the tears again? I haven’t even touched you.

Hearing of Gu Jinli’s betrothal to Company Commander Qin, Mrs. Zhou Hu felt a sharp pang of envy. But her daughter’s sobbing irritated her further, prompting a sharp rebuke: "Why the crying? You’re no longer a kid—aren’t you embarrassed bawling before your Gu Family sister? Dry those eyes and eat your pancake."

Or else, if nothing’s left later, don’t come whining to us.

Miss Zhou Er sniffled twice, then devoured her egg pancake amid flowing tears.

Mrs. Zhou Hu kept munching steadily. As she chewed, she eyed Gu Jinli appraisingly. "Girl Gu Er, you’ve blossomed into a real stunner. Your beauty’s gone overboard now."

Such a shame. Had she foreseen the Gu Family’s ascent, she’d have rushed over sooner to betroth her son to Girl Gu Er.

With her son wed to Girl Gu Er, endless dowry would flow their way, banishing worries of hunger or rags forever!

The deeper Mrs. Zhou Hu pondered, the harder it was to restrain herself. Her gaze on Gu Jinli gleamed hungrily. Nudging Zhou Er, she urged, "We’ve got excess egg pancakes here, too many to polish off. Bring some to the guest hall for your brothers. Lads devour food; they must still be hungry."

Her words done, she pinched Zhou Er, eyes flashing an unmistakable signal.

Mrs. Lin He frowned at the sight. Sister-in-law from the Zhou Family was scheming once more. Previously, eyeing the village chief’s granddaughter, she’d pulled this stunt to give Zhou Erlang a chance to draw near the girl.

Should those egg pancakes go over, Zhou Erlang would trail Zhou Er back swiftly, claiming to "thank the elders" as cover to glimpse Miss Gu Er.

"Sister-in-law Zhou, food’s already in the guest hall—no need to deliver more to Er Lang and the boys," stated Mrs. Lin He.

Noticing Mrs. Zhou Hu’s intense stare at her second daughter, Mrs. Cui sensed trouble. Frowning, she added, "Sister-in-law Zhou, the guest hall has plenty of food; no need to send extras."

Turning to Erqing, she instructed, "All ladies here—shut the door."

Were it not for fearing the Zhou and Lin girls might target Good Brother An, she’d have ushered them to the rear flower hall. Yet Mrs. Cui, terrified by those girls hounding Good Brother An before, refused to allow young ladies past the inner courtyard threshold now.

Gu Jinli cheered silently upon hearing: Mom, brilliant move—you’ve gotten sharper!

"Erqing, Third Grandma hasn’t quite shaken off her heatstroke. Fetch a Heat Relief Pill for her and make sure the old lady takes it," Gu Jinli directed, pulling out a Heat Relief Pill for Erqing. "Don’t forget to close the door."

Prior to arriving, she’d already directed Erqing to alert Third Grandma against loaning silver to the Zhou or Lin families.

"Understood." Erqing accepted the Heat Relief Pill, spun around, departed, and secured the side room door.

Mrs. Zhou Hu’s face soured at this. Wafting air with her hand, she complained, "Girl Gu Er, with this blistering heat, why close the door? No air flows in—we’ll bake alive. Open it up now."

Rumble rumble!

Thunder boomed suddenly. The once-clear sky turned gloomy, fierce winds howled, signaling an imminent storm.

Mrs. Zhou Hu: "..."

Heavens, this timing for real? This poor woman wasn’t scheming anything too wicked—just aiming to give her son a food-delivery pretext to thank Mrs. Cui and sneak a meeting with Girl Gu Er.

If it succeeded, wouldn’t all be delighted?

Rumble rumble—thunder roared again, echoing Qin San Lang’s rage, as if eager to smite Mrs. Zhou Hu. He’d at last secured his wife, their engagement sealed, yet she dared entertain such devious notions!

Observing Mrs. Zhou Hu terrified nearly to death, Gu Jinli flashed a smile. "Aunt Zhou, it’s about to rain. It won’t be hot anymore."

Mrs. Zhou Hu's complexion darkened thoroughly. Deep humiliation surged through her.

Gu Jinli held an even greater embarrassment in store. Settling beside Mrs. Cui, she bluntly questioned, "Aunt Zhou and Aunt Lin came to borrow Silver to pay the tax?"

Hearing those words, Mrs. Zhou Hu ignored her dread of thunder, chomped her pancake, and responded, "Girl Gu Er got it right. We aunts did come to borrow money."

Next, she unleashed a tearful complaint. "Girl Gu Er, your family thrives. Silver stacks like mountains, plus a Scholar brother means no tax worries for you. Ours couldn't differ more. Close to thirty folks jammed in two muddy yards, poverty grinds us down. Forget taxes—we can't afford decent meat dishes."

"Ma, what are you saying?" Miss Zhou Er valued her dignity. Unwilling to let Gu Jinli grasp their dire poverty, she interrupted her mother.

Mrs. Zhou Hu shot her a glare and snapped, "Saying what? Of course I’m talking about borrowing Silver. I know it’s embarrassing to ask people to lend you money, but our family really can’t scrape together dozens of taels for tax. Do you want face or do you want Silver?"

Having rebuked Zhou Er, she directed her anger at the Emperor. "The Lord Emperor really isn’t a damn thing..."

"Aunt Zhou, if you want to die, go die by yourself. Don’t drag our family down with you." Gu Jinli's face chilled, her gaze piercing Mrs. Zhou Hu like frozen spikes. "The Emperor is wise. Collecting tax is to resist the Rong people. If your family has a problem with that, take it home and say it there."

Words that get people beheaded must not escape their own home!

Terror struck Mrs. Zhou Hu... How had Gu family’s Second Girl transformed into a fierce female King Yan, switching expressions so suddenly?

Mrs. Lin He rushed forward to ease the tension. "Gu Family’s Second Girl, don’t be angry. Sister-in-law Zhou is just like this—she speaks her mind freely."

Gu Jinli refused to tolerate Mrs. Zhou Hu further and fired back, "If she wants to be blunt, she can do it at her own house. Don’t say things that get people beheaded in mine."

At those words, Mrs. Zhou Hu lost all face. She sprang up in rage and berated, "Girl Gu Er, what kind of way is that to talk? I’m decades older than you, I’m your elder. Who talks to their elders like that?"

"Pah, what elder? How are you any sort of elder to her? You were just a random passerby we met fleeing famine, and you haven’t shown your face in years. Now you show up and claim to be an elder. Planning to remarry into the Gu Family, are you? Too bad you’re so old—at your age, even if you remarry, you won’t be marrying into a rich household like the Gu Family!" Mrs. Chen arrived right on cue, catching Mrs. Zhou Hu’s outburst, and unleashed a savage retort.

After her tirade, she pounded the door and demanded, "It’s raining, hurry up and open the door for your old lady."