Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside Chapter 1700: A Bunch of Trouble-Makers

Elder Ji held absolute authority in the Ji Family. Second Uncle Ji, seeing this, was scared and hurriedly knelt down to plead: "Father, your son knows his mistake. Please show mercy and spare me a beating just this once. I promise to change."

It would have been better if he hadn’t done so; Elder Ji became even angrier.

Elder Ji’s gaze was filled with fury and murderous intent as he pointed at Second Uncle Ji and said, "You! I’ll give you one chance—say what you just said once more."

Though his voice wasn’t loud, the deadly look made Second Uncle Ji fearful.

Second Uncle Ji was used to being beaten; he knew Elder Ji was very angry now and didn’t dare to repeat his previous words. He instead knocked his head on the ground: "Father, please calm down. I promise to do things well in the future and ease your burdens!"

"Ease burdens?" Elder Ji laughed. "How can a coward like you, who only knows how to kneel and plead, help an old man like me with his burdens?"

Elder Ji was utterly disappointed with Second Uncle Ji. Although the eldest son was also unreliable and needed constant watching, the most infuriating thing he had done was just favoring the concubine.

Second Uncle Ji, however, acted like a servant, spineless and particularly jealous of the first branch, making Elder Ji want to slaughter him!

Second Uncle Ji: "Father, it’s your son’s fault, but if you are willing to teach me, I promise to learn well."

Elder Ji laughed, stood up, and came before the prostrate Second Uncle Ji, giving him a hard kick to flip him over: "Even now, you’re trying to use tricks to gain power? If you weren’t my son, I’d have sold you off long ago!"

Second Uncle Ji was shocked: "Father, are you abandoning your son?"

He wanted to continue pleading but was interrupted by Elder Ji: "Since you want to help with my affairs, go to the various Manors of the Ji Family to lure and kill poisonous insects then."

What?

He is asked to lure and kill poisonous insects?

"Father, please don’t, I’ll be killed by the insects. Let the servants do it; our family is prosperous, we have plenty of servants!" Second Uncle Ji wanted to rush and plead with Elder Ji again but was kicked once more: "Come here, take him away, and send him to the Manor to lure insects!"

The Protector outside immediately rushed in, held Second Uncle Ji down, and escorted him away.

Second Uncle Ji’s son kept his head down, not daring to speak.

Elder Ji looked at him: "Brother Bin, your father has been taken away, do you have anything to say?"

Ji Bin was stunned, then knelt down: "Grandson apologizes on behalf of father to grandfather, please calm your anger."

"Humph, kneeling and pleading again. Can’t you father and son come up with something better?" Elder Ji wanted the second branch to have proper sense, not just kneeling and pleading!

Ji Bin was somewhat smart and said: "Grandfather, though I want to plead for my father, he indeed was wrong and deserves punishment... I dare not plead on behalf of a father who erred, only ask grandfather to not be angry and take care of your health."

A while ago, news came from the Northwest stating Nanny Ji, Hong Xiang, Hong Xiu, and others from the Ji Family’s servants harmed the master, nearly poisoning Ji Zhenniang into madness.

His mother had some connections with Nanny Ji and others and had already been sent by grandfather to purify herself, likely never to return in this lifetime.

Now his father was being dragged by grandfather to lure insects in the countryside. He was scared, genuinely scared; he didn’t want to end up like his parents.

Elder Ji looked at Ji Bin’s frightened face and felt even more enraged, but he didn’t immediately deal with Ji Bin. Instead, he turned to Ji Zhenniang’s father and asked: "Eldest, what do you think we should do with Brother Bin? In Great Chu, we practice collective punishment; his father and mother have wronged, and as the eldest son, he should be punished collectively."

Grandpa Ji almost laughed out loud, rubbed his hands, suppressed his excitement, and pretended to be compassionate: "Father, although Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law have made grave errors, Brother Bin hasn’t committed any major mistakes yet and should stay home first."

Next time, I’ll find a chance to kick you out!

Elder Ji heard Grandpa Ji’s hypocritical words, and felt heartache... even if he were more competent, even with the business he built up for the Ji Family being so successful, he had failed to manage his sons properly, causing their brotherhood to fall apart, with each one disregarding brotherly love for family fortune.

"Grandfather~" Ji Qi saw Elder Ji closing his eyes with a look of sadness, and called out worriedly.

Bang, Elder Ji slapped the arm of the chair, glaring at Ji Qi: "Are you summoning souls? You’re speaking weakly like that—can’t you have a bit of presence as the legitimate Heir of the household?!"

What sin did he commit that all his descendants turned out to be useless cowards?

Ji Qi was startled, wanting to speak but was too scared, unable to form words.

Elder Ji felt as if he wanted to die, pointing at him: "You’re still Zhenniang’s brother; can’t you learn from her? Be bold when facing issues, rather than being mute as a gourd without words—how will you manage the household in the future?!"

Ji Qi felt some grievance but earnestly said to Elder Ji: "Grandfather, you always said women should be virtuous and elegant, yet Zhenniang is too bold; her temper should not be emulated. Moreover, I’m a scholar and cannot act like a shrew."

Elder Ji slapped his forehead, "Curse it, none of these grandchildren are useful!"

"Eldest, Brother Qi, Brother Bin, listen well. From today, all of you are to go to the countryside to lure and kill insects. Without my orders, none are allowed to return!" Elder Ji was infuriated enough to send them all away, saying sternly, pointing at Brother Qi: "Especially you, stop reading books, and you’re not allowed to take any to the countryside!"

Ji Qi got anxious: "Grandfather, grandson has to attend the exams, how can I not bring books to the Manor? If I fall behind in studies, how can I take the exam to become a Scholar and change our family’s fortune?"

"Pooh, someone like you, even if you pass, would never be an official!" Elder Ji said: "Someone who can’t distinguish grains and doesn’t understand emotions—how can such a person be an official? Go to the countryside and learn the essentials, human relations, and worldly affairs thoroughly before speaking. Otherwise, besides being an official, you won’t even have the skills to inherit the family business!"

Blame him, all blamed on him, for wishing earlier to change the family fate, thus pushing his grandsons hard to study.

Due to Ji Qi’s best performance in studies, he was constantly monitored for diligent studying, resulting in him becoming this kind of bookworm!

Though Ji Qi felt aggrieved, he dared not say anything more.

Grandpa Ji was nervous: "Father, the Capital has already sent officials from three ministries and one temple to collect taxes on shops; our family has so many, I must stay back to help! What if those officials from the Capital purposely take more of our Silver?"

"Silence, do you want to destroy the Ji Family?" Elder Ji was almost about to die of rage, ordered the Protectors: "Drag him away, if he dares speak nonsense, beat him!"

"Yes." Elder Ji had absolute control over the Ji Family; the Protectors, upon hearing, immediately dragged Grandpa Ji away.

"Father, you can’t do this, mmm mmm!" Grandpa Ji just pleaded but was covered by the Protector’s hand, and shortly dragged away, disappearing from view.