Gu Jiu raised her eyebrows, "So you've noticed, huh!" She glanced at Mrs. Zhang, "Never mind, I'll let it slide for my sister-in-law's sake. I won't attack this old lady."
Although Gu Jiu didn't plan to confront her, she remained seated, unmoving. Since Mrs. Zhang didn't ask her to make way, she pretended not to see or hear anything. Who told the old lady to utter nonsense?
If it were someone else whose family couldn't spare a mount for their child, they would politely explain the situation. But with these two, forget it.
After Mrs. Zhang Yushi spoke, the Xie Family members felt annoyed. It's not easy to cajole a maid to serve them, so what's wrong with pampering her? How does it concern you?
They all looked over with unfriendly eyes. But out of respect for Mrs. Zhang Yushi being Mrs. Zhang's sister-in-law from her natal family, they didn't want to offend her.
Only Mrs. Gao could speak up and criticize her, but she never liked quarreling with unreasonable village shrews. She merely frowned without saying a word.
Mrs. Zhang was also furious. She originally wanted to save some face for this old lady, but now she didn't care. "What's it to you? Gu Jiu is one of our Xie Family members. Our Xie Family can let her ride our horse if we want. Can't you see her feet are all blistered? Blood is seeping out. Are you blind?"
If she weren't an elder, Gu Jiu would have added - "Are you blind?"
Mrs. Sun couldn't help but chime in, "How ridiculous! My sons Er-Qing and San-You can walk on their own. San-Yu is only seven years old. Your grandson is about the same age as Er-Qing, nine years old. My children can walk by themselves, why can't your grandson?"
Mrs. Xu pulled her back with a disapproving look. Mrs. Zhang could insult her own family, but it wasn't Mrs. Sun's place to comment.
Third Xie also shook his head at her, signaling her not to say more. Mrs. Sun pursed her lips and fell silent.
Someone in the village muttered, "There are so many children younger than that spoiled brat in the village. If they all want to ride horses, the horses would be worked to death. Their own children can't even ride, why should they let others?"
Another person remarked with a smile, "They're just relying on their thick skin. They think they can get their way if others feel too embarrassed to refuse them."
Mrs. Zhang pointed behind the procession, towards her natal family's direction. "Speaking of closeness, aren't my nephews even closer relatives than your spoiled brat? My nephew Han Dou is a year younger than your spoiled brat. If I were to give up my spot, it would be for San-You or Han Dou, not your spoiled brat. Sister-in-law, you'd better hurry up. If you keep delaying us, we won't wait for you."
Mrs. Zhang Yushi slapped her thigh and started ranting, "This is outrageous! Unfilial! In all my years, I've never been scolded by a junior like this. I might as well be dead..."
The father of the spoiled brat pushed his way forward with a carrying pole, saying, "Big Sister, you're really inconsiderate. It's just letting an outsider get off the horse so your nephew can ride for a bit. What's the big deal? You made your sister-in-law cry over nothing."
Mrs. Zhang was so furious, she was about to unleash her primordial powers and give this jerk a mouthful of curses. But the village elders couldn't stand it anymore.
Everyone criticized the mother and son, "How can you not understand plain speech? Just a pair of unreasonable fools."
"What's unreasonable? I think they're just pretending to be fools, relying on their thick skin to bully others. Do they think the village chief's wife is easy to provoke?"
This person's voice grew softer, adding in a low voice, "She's like a mother tiger. They dare to make trouble just because they're relatives, aren't they just asking for death."
"The child is also spoiled rotten, thanks to such parents. This spoiled brat is ruined for life. When taking a wife, one must be very careful. Marrying an unreasonable fool would doom three generations."
Mrs. Zhang's parents were watching this scene from behind. Originally, they didn't want to say anything, but when the spoiled brat's father criticized their daughter, they couldn't stand it anymore.
Mrs. Zhang's father, Old Zhang, shouted at the spoiled brat's father from behind, "Old Seven, get your ass back here, and bring your dumb old lady with you! The Xie Family's horses belong to them. They can lend them out if they want, or not if they don't want to. If you keep delaying us, don't blame us for leaving you behind and not caring what happens to you."
The spoiled brat's father shrank back. His own father passed away early, and he was most afraid of this elder paternal cousin. Fearing that the others would really abandon them, he hurriedly pulled his wife aside and tried to persuade her in a low voice.
Unable to vent her anger, Mrs. Zhang Yushi made a move to slap the spoiled brat's buttocks a few times. "See, you're being looked down upon for being so pampered!"
Mrs. Zhang glanced at her sideways, too lazy to respond.
The spoiled brat started wailing at the top of his lungs, refusing to move while lying on the ground and throwing a tantrum.
Oldest Xie paid no attention to them. "Hurry up, hurry up. Those who want to live, move faster."
The procession sped up, and the Zhang family trio hurried to catch up at a small jog, worried about being left behind.
After a slow and hurried trek, the group finally caught sight of the mountain in the distance on the third day in the afternoon.
The mountain seemed close when viewed from afar, but by the time they reached its foot, the sun was almost setting.
Not far away, another group of people slowly caught up to them.
Oldest Xie glanced back and said, "It's the people from Dahu Village. They've caught up."
No sooner had he spoken than a muffled rumbling sound came from the distance, low like an awakening dragon. The ground trembled accordingly.
Xie Zhan's face changed, and he shouted loudly, "The flood is coming!"
Oldest Xie also realized it and turned to yell at the villagers, "The flood is coming! Everyone, run up the mountain quickly! Hurry! Leave your belongings behind!"
Xie Zhan directed the Xie Family members on this side. "Second Brother, escort Mother and the sisters-in-law first. Third Brother, fetch water. Sixth Brother, take care of the nephews. Fifth Brother, carry the food supplies!"
Xie Zhan himself stayed behind with Oldest Xie to guide the villagers. The elderly and children were carried on people's backs. They shouted hoarsely for the slower ones to hurry up and not worry about their belongings.
The people from Dahu Village also scrambled to run towards the mountain. The able-bodied led the way, while the elderly and children stumbled behind.
The mountain path was difficult to navigate. Gu Jiu had already gotten off her horse, enduring the needle-like pain in her feet as she dragged Xie Siyu up the mountain.
After running for a while, they turned back to see the murky floodwaters rolling in, carrying trees, mud, and debris, with an overwhelming force that swept everything in its path.
Oldest Xie and Xie Zhan guided the villagers, running swiftly among the rocks and shouting, "Don't stop! Keep going up! The water level is still rising!"
The villagers, who originally thought they were safe, didn't dare linger and hurried up the mountain.
The people from Dahu Village soon reached the mountain's foot, but they were a step too slow. The able-bodied adults and adolescent boys managed to climb up the mountain in a mad rush, followed closely by two young women. Those slightly slower - the elderly, weak, women, and children - were instantly swept away by the flood.
One young woman was nearly washed away, but a man pulled her up just in time, saving her life.
The remaining villagers' arms and heads bobbed in the water for a few moments before disappearing without a trace, unable to even cry for help.
In this crisis, the able-bodied men of the entire village chose to abandon the elderly and weak, leaving only a few young men, three women, and two children around ten years old on the mountain.
The Dahuai Village villagers, upon witnessing this, turned pale. They didn't have time to criticize the selfishness and heartlessness of the Dahu Village people, only feeling grateful for heeding the village chief's words and not delaying their journey. Otherwise, they would have met the same fate as Dahu Village.
The floodwaters at the foot of the mountain grew larger, and although they were temporarily safe, no one dared linger. They continued climbing upwards.
After a long climb, they looked back to see the flood had already reached halfway up the mountain, and the water level was still rising rapidly.
