CMWKSD -Chapter 83 Ji Dajiang’s Death

Hu Chunhua and Ji Shan crouched on the ground, retching as if their hearts would break, trying to vomit out the medicine they had swallowed.

But it was useless.

Jiu Yue squatted beside them. “Do you know why I haven’t killed you yet?”

Hu Chunhua and Ji Shan flinched. Jiu Yue sneered coldly: “Of course it’s because if you die, Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian will have to suspend their exams to mourn you. That’s the only use your lives have.”

“But if you dare to anger me, if you disobey, think about it—you’re old bones. How many times do you think you can withstand what I can do to you?”

Hu Chunhua and Ji Shan almost burst into tears.

Shen Mei and Su Ruo, over the past year or so, had straightened their spines because they were the most useful people in the family. Even their own husbands had to listen to them. The only one who still couldn’t stand up for themselves was Li Xiaocao.

Jiu Yue glanced at Li Xiaocao.

She had no intention of saving anyone; Shen Mei and Su Ruo had stood up on their own. Jiu Yue merely provided the opportunity.

Shen Mei and Su Ruo seized that chance, climbing desperately, earning themselves a place in the family. No longer were they just “someone’s mother.”

“I originally didn’t want to give you the medicine,” Jiu Yue said. “After all, we’re family. I couldn’t always control you with poison.”

Shen Mei and Su Ruo exchanged a glance and looked directly at Jiu Yue: “We’ll take it.”

Jiu Yue smiled. Her poison posed no real threat to the body; not taking the antidote would just cause problems.

“Mother and Second Aunt, you’re really on point.”

With that, Jiu Yue tossed them a bottle. “One dose per year. If next year they pass the exams, you’ll immediately be brought to the capital, and I’ll give you the antidote. After that, you won’t need to take it again.”

Shen Mei and Su Ruo swallowed it right away.

Ji Dahai and Ji Dahu had behaved better over the past year, so they took it without fuss.

The three young girls were a bit small, and Shen Mei and Su Ruo felt a touch of pity. But if they didn’t take it, who knows what Hu Chunhua and Ji Shan might make them do?

Although Jiu Yue gave them poison, as long as they obeyed, nothing bad would happen.

In the end, the whole family took it.

Hu Chunhua and Ji Shan cowered in the corner. Jiu Yue hadn’t really noticed them in a long time.

Look at what they wear, what they use—all of it earned by her. She had already been far too generous with them.

Jiu Yue had once considered simply paralyzing them like Ji Dajiang, but these two were elderly. She worried that if she went too far, they might die instantly. Not worth it.

Speaking of Ji Dajiang, Jiu Yue realized she had forgotten one thing. Keeping a scum like him around was pointless.

It just so happened that Ji Weizhou wouldn’t take the Tongsheng Exam for another three years. Ji Dajiang could die now during mourning, and three years later, the exam could proceed.

It would be a death fitting the circumstances.

After all, everything had already been delayed for so many days. A few more wouldn’t matter—better to hold the funeral properly before leaving.

Before going to bed, Jiu Yue went to the woodshed.

Ji Yiqing somehow thought the same thing. Ji Chaomian also wandered over from somewhere.

The three met at the shed’s door, and it seemed they were all thinking the same thing.

Jiu Yue: !!!

Ji Yiqing: …

Ji Chaomian: …

Jiu Yue clicked her tongue, gently pushed open the door, and walked in. She could hear the clattering of bones.

She was realigning Ji Dajiang’s bones. Just in case someone wanted to conduct a postmortem.

She emerged in a single breath.

Jiu Yue felt no psychological burden about killing Ji Dajiang.

Looking at Li Xiaocao alone, she could tell what kind of sins Ji Dajiang had committed.

Unbeknownst to Jiu Yue, Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian knew Ji Dajiang had abused other girls as well. Keeping him alive would only be a disaster.

Ji Dahu, although greedy, had a shred of conscience. Now that Jiu Yue had disciplined him, his conscience was greatly improved.

Ji Dajiang, however, was different. He absolutely could not be kept alive.

After over a year of living like a dead man, Ji Dajiang had long lost the will to survive.

Li Xiaocao couldn’t stand on her own, so she poured all her emotions onto Ji Dajiang. Feeding him pig feed was common. She let him soil himself without cleaning. Beatings had no effect on him. Only when outsiders were around would he be properly cleaned and dressed.

To outsiders, the Ji family seemed benevolent. Ji Dajiang could do nothing but lie in bed.

They never abandoned him and even took him to the capital to live well.

Jiu Yue remained indifferent.

Then the three said nothing and returned to their respective rooms and beds.

…

A rooster crow woke the sleeping people. Jiu Yue had already finished her morning exercises.

Outside, she saw Li Xiaocao carrying a basin of pig feed toward the woodshed.

Jiu Yue snorted coldly. “With Ji Dajiang like this, how is he still not thinner?”

It turned out he was fed pig feed at every meal. Pigs fatten on that; humans even more so.

Next moment, Li Xiaocao’s piercing cries suddenly echoed from the shed.

The Ji family, already awake, rushed to the shed in small groups.

Everyone gathered there. Jiu Yue didn’t care which tears were genuine and which were fake.

Only Ji Xiaoya shed a single tear, crying most sincerely. Besides Ji Weizhou, probably only Ji Shan and Hu Chunhua were sincere as well.

Ji Dahu suddenly howled: “Third Brother, you can rest easy now. Did you see Chaomian and Yiqing become successful in the exams? You can rest now. I will honor our parents, care for the children and nephews, and make the Ji family flourish.”

Jiu Yue, Ji Yiqing, and Ji Chaomian exchanged a glance. Ji Dahu was surprisingly competent.

In such a short time, he came up with this whole story. Otherwise, outsiders might think the Ji family had disposed of Ji Dajiang once he was no longer useful.

Soon, the joy of the past few days was put away. One by one, they donned white hemp, wore mourning clothes, and notified neighbors.

Ji Dahu and Ji Dahai went to inform the villagers.

At each stop, they repeated the same story: Ji Dajiang left only after seeing the Ji family live well and could finally depart with peace of mind.

Ji Weizhou and Ji Xiaoya knelt in the ancestral hall, burning paper money, mechanically greeting the mourners.

It was the first time Jiu Yue wore mourning clothes herself. She was so rough she didn’t even want to leave her room. But if she didn’t, others would say she was unfilial.

They had originally planned to leave for the capital on the tenth of October. Due to this funeral, they postponed their departure until the tenth.

Before leaving, Jiu Yue called Shen Mei and Su Ruo into her room.

Seeing the two daughters-in-law trembling, Jiu Yue didn’t feel triumphant.

“Third Aunt, if you want to remarry, don’t let anyone stop you. But Xiaoya and Weizhou are part of the Ji family. If you leave, you must sign a document severing ties. After that, you will have nothing to do with the Ji family or Xiaoya and Weizhou.”

Otherwise, if Li Xiaocao were taken away, she could manipulate Ji Dahu and Ji Dahai later. Especially Ji Dahai—so blindly filial that Jiu Yue thought he must have a screw loose.

But he was her father-in-law. Jiu Yue didn’t complain in front of him, only chatting with Ji Yiqing.

Shen Mei and Su Ruo exchanged a glance. They didn’t think Li Xiaocao would leave.

Now the Ji family had two successful examinees, two Tongsheng graduates. The family’s future was uncertain in terms of wealth and status. Would Li Xiaocao give it up?

Jiu Yue said nothing. From the expression of Li Xiaocao’s mother during the funeral, she didn’t believe the Li family wouldn’t try to profit one last time.

The Ji family’s wealth belonged to the Ji family. Li Xiaocao was timid and obedient. None of it would fall into her hands, let alone her maternal family.

So how could the Li family not be thinking about making one last gain?