Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside-Chapter 1024: Asking for a Beating

Even though Elder Xu was getting on in years, his mind was still sharp, and he immediately voiced his idea of changing the person involved.

Xu Zhao Ming was stunned and looked at his grandfather, too shocked to close his mouth: "Grandfather, how could you have such an idea? Isn’t this inappropriate? It’s very disrespectful."

Today, they were clearly aiming for Gu Jin’an, but now that the plan for Gu Jin’an had fallen through, they wanted to choose someone else – isn’t this too... If word got out, where would the family’s face go?

And how could he face Good Brother An and the others? After the county examination results were announced, he genuinely wanted to befriend them.

"What’s wrong with my idea? Is it shameful? Didn’t you say that Gu Jin’an was favored by the Zheng Family and told me not to compete with them?" Elder Xu was upset. Not being able to secure Gu Jin’an was already a displeasure to him, and now that he wanted to select another candidate, his own grandson was still dissatisfied: "You’re forcing me to grab Gu Jin’an from the Zheng Family!" 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Xu Zhao Ming had a headache; was Elder Xu joking? Even if I pushed you, would you dare snatch someone from the Zheng Family?

After venting his frustration, Elder Xu asked Xu Zhao Ming, "Is it true that the Zheng Family took a liking to Gu Jin’an? Do they intend to pair him with a girl from the Zheng Family? A legitimate branch or a collateral one?"

The question clearly conveyed his dissatisfaction.

Xu Zhao Ming sighed, "Grandfather, you are wiser than your grandson. You know that noble families speak with hidden meanings. For Lord Zheng to express this much, it means the Zheng Family truly fancies Good Brother An."

As for whether it was a legitimate or collateral branch, don’t ask; even if it’s only a collateral branch, their status is a hundred times better than our Xu Family.

After listening, Elder Xu’s expression was grim... Talented youngsters are always in demand, to the extent that even noble families are interested.

Upon thinking this, he scolded Xu Ling: "Look at you, truly blind to the treasures before you. Gu Jin’an is such a high-potential youth even the Zheng Family fancies, yet you dare to disdain him? You’re going to drive me to my grave!"

Xu Ling was still aggrieved, crying, "What’s so great about Gu Jin’an? Even if he marries a girl from the Zheng Family, the Gu Family won’t instantly become a noble family. He’s still a farmer’s son; to truly prosper, at least three generations of wealth are needed!"

People value the honor of their ancestors; if your grandfather was a farmer, others would still ridicule you, seeing you as a fake noble in golden clothes but muddy feet.

She continued to Elder Xu, "Grandfather, I know what you want. But the Gu Family is truly not worthy. You should marry me into a high-class family, into a noble family. That way, it wouldn’t take three generations; immediately a noble son-in-law will be yours, and our family can instantly become in-laws with a noble family."

Hearing this, Elder Xu was astonished, looking at Xu Ling’s haughty expression, anger boiling, he whipped her sharply with the rattan stick.

"Ah!" Xu Ling screamed in pain, looking at her grandfather in disbelief, tears streaming down: "Grandfather, you, you hit me?"

She shouted again, "What right do you have to hit me? What’s wrong with wanting a good marriage? Don’t you know people from Jiangnan are so snobbish? If I don’t marry a noble son, those official’s daughters will never look at me. At social gatherings, they treat me like a maid. I never want such a life again!"

It’s too suffocating; she wants to rise above.

Elder Xu was trembling with anger, pointing at Xu Ling: "You know Jiangnan people are snobbish? You know official’s daughters disdain you? Then what makes you think you can marry into a noble family? Noble families are even more particular about pedigree than officials."

Elder Xu almost burst into laughter, wondering how his second granddaughter’s mind worked. She knew official’s daughters wouldn’t regard her, so the noble sons would?

Where does she get the confidence to believe she can marry into a noble family? Dreaming her way into it?

"Even if a noble son fancies you, at most you’d be a concubine. Dreaming of being the official wife is just that—a dream!" Elder Xu knew his second granddaughter was blinded by the exalted status of noble families, so he bluntly stated: "The only ones who can marry a noble son as an official wife are either the daughters of high-ranking officials or noble daughters. A common rich girl from a small county, even as a concubine, they would disdain!"

Xu Ling was shocked, looking up with tear-filled eyes at Elder Xu: "Grandfather, how can you say this about me?"

She was the only daughter of the first branch of the Xu Family, her status more valuable than the daughters of the other two branches. Her brother had just passed the student exam and was certainly going to become an official. Her grandfather relied on her brother for the family’s future; yet, he belittled her this way?

Elder Xu sneered, "Don’t play dumb with me. Since you know official’s daughters won’t regard you in Jiangnan, you should be clear noble families won’t either. Wake up immediately; if you keep having such big dreams, involving the Xu Family, I’ll marry you off to a faraway place."

Girl Ling’s courage was truly bold; she dared to argue with him even while kneeling in the ancestral hall. Elder Xu believed if he didn’t discipline her, she would surely create a scandal trying to marry into a noble family.

Xu Ling, hearing this, was both fearful and angry, crying and shouting: "You look down on me, favoritizing Xu Zhong from the second branch. Just you wait, someday I’ll show you who the most capable granddaughter of the Xu Family is!"

But just as she finished speaking, Elder Xu’s rattan stick came down with a series of sharp smacks, hitting Xu Ling harshly: "You unrepentant thing, today I will beat some sense into you!"

She dared to say he favored Miss Zhong from the second branch? Everyone in the manor knew he favored the first branch, giving all good things to them, while the grandchildren from the second branch were the most wronged.

Yet, his favoritism resulted in such heartless words from Xu Ling. Elder Xu nearly wanted to beat himself up; he truly spoiled the first branch too much, pampering them into unbridled arrogance.

Xu Ling was being aggressively beaten, crying pitifully and loudly.

Seeing this, the couple from the second branch rushed over. Xu Er grabbed Elder Xu’s rattan stick: "Father, stop hitting her. Girl Ling is fragile, she can’t endure your beating; you’ll end up harming her."

Xu Er’s wife also protected Xu Ling, saying: "Father, Girl Ling knows she was wrong. Just punish her by making her kneel in the ancestral hall. Young ladies can’t be beaten like this."

If scars were left, her husband might dislike her in the future, and this is a lifelong matter.

Usually, Elder Xu wouldn’t discipline granddaughters, but today he was too infuriated by Xu Ling. Seeing the couple from the second branch pleading, he stopped and said to the trembling Xu Ling: "For the sake of your second uncle and aunt pleading for you, your punishment will be remembered for now."

However...

"You committed a grave error and still don’t acknowledge it, so you’re punished to kneel in the ancestral hall for three days and nights, to confess to the ancestors." Elder Xu wanted to properly teach Xu Ling this time, specifically instructing Xu Er’s wife: "Let her go hungry, no one is allowed to give her food, just some water. If you indulge her and let her continue being foolish, you’ll be harming her."