The Mightiest Little Peasant c1-799

by Watermelonian, 西瓜星人

  “I’ve prepared this painting for you, Grandpa. It’s from the Qing dynasty. Take a look!” As she spoke, she stepped forward and handed the scroll holder to Old Master Qin.

  “Silly girl!” Old Master Qin muttered, then laughed heartily.

  He opened the scroll holder and took the painting out. His eyes sparkled as he unfurled it. “Good! This is a good painting! You know what I want, my granddaughter! No wonder you’re my favorite!” He exclaimed.

  “Isn’t that so!” Qin Xiangyi said with a smile.

  “Look here, Grandpa. I’ve brought you a present too!” Qin Gang smiled as he stepped forward while holding a wooden box in his hand.

  “There’s no need for presents, boy! If you can get married soon and let me carry my great-grandchild in my arms, that’ll be the best birthday present!” Old Master Qin said sternly.

  Qin Gang scratched his head and looked a little awkward.

  “Can you not mention that, Grandpa? It’s still too early!”

  Old Master Qin glared at him, then turned his head to behold the wooden box. “What’s that?”

  Qin Gang smiled. “It’s a pair of jade horses from the Song dynasty. Take a look!” He opened the box as he spoke.

  In the box was a pair of identical white jade horses. They were delicately carved and looked real.

  “You know what I want too! Good boy!” Old Master Qin laughed heartily.

  Right after Qin Gang stepped back, Chen Yan and Zheng Haoyu squeezed their way to the front.

  “Old Master, the Zheng family sends our regards to you. Haoyu has prepared a special birthday present for you and he hopes that you’ll like it,” Chen Yan said.

  “Come here, Haoyu, give Old Master the present!”

  Zheng Haoyu walked forward while carrying a classic-looking black wooden box.

  “Old Master Qin, my father could not make it today because he is on official business. On behalf of the Zheng family, I wish you a long and prosperous life.” As Zheng Haoyu spoke, he went down on one knee and handed Old Master Qin the wooden box.

  Old Master Qin grinned. “You don’t have to so formal. Get up! I haven’t seen you for several years and you’re already so tall and handsome. Not bad at all! Right, what’s this?”

  “You can open and take a look for yourself, Old Master.”

  Old Master Qin reached out and opened the lid of the wooden box. When he saw its contents, he was shocked.

  “This is…?” He blurted.

  “That’s right. It’s a set of jade inkwells belonging to my late grandfather. He knows that you like them, and now that he’s gone, it’s time that the inkwells find a new owner.”

  Old Master Qin felt sentimental as he beheld the inkwells.

  Then, he lamented, “Sigh! He’s gone too soon. If he could tough it out for a few more years, he’ll be celebrating his birthday with me today.

  “Haoyu, these inkwells are too precious!” Old Master Qin was touched.

  “You should accept them, Old Master!” Zheng Haoyu said.

  “Alright, I’ll accept them! This is very considerate of you.” Old Master Qin nodded.

  Chen Yan watched the scene with glee. She breathed a sigh of relief when the Old Master accepted the present.

  Now that the Old Master was fond of Zhang Haoyu, their plan later was more likely to succeed.

  Then, she glared at Tang Hao and shrieked, “Hey, Tang kid, why aren’t you giving him your present? Don’t tell me you didn’t bring anything when attending a birthday celebration?”

  Everyone, including Old Master Qin, turned to look at Tang Hao.

  Tang Hao smiled casually. “You don’t have to worry about that. Of course, I’ve brought something.”

  “Heh! I wonder what did you bring? Let’s show it to everyone!” Chen Yan mocked.

  “Alright!” As he spoke, he reached into his pants pocket and retrieved a small jade bottle.

  Everyone was shocked when they saw that.

  “Don’t tell me… the jade bottle is your gift?” Even Chen Yan also found it to be ridiculous.

  She had thought that Qin Xiangyi would prepare a present for him. However, the jade bottle was too small and too plain to be a decorative antique.

  Everyone frowned and looked at Tang Hao with condescension.

  “What kind of trash is that? Doesn’t he have any dignity at all?”

  “I think he must’ve picked it up from a flea market!”

  Old Master Qin seemed unimpressed.

  He did not care much for gifts, though he felt that Tang Hao was being insincere.

  Tang Hao remained composed. “Of course, the gift is not the bottle, but its contents. I’ve prepared some medicine for you, Old Master. You’ll be healthy once you take the medicine.”

  Everyone became silent after they heard that.

  ‘He made the medicine himself?’

  ‘Is this kid crazy? What if something goes wrong?’

  “Whoa!” Everyone exclaimed. They began to look angry.

  They thought that the kid was rude. How could one give handmade medicine as a birthday present?

  In the worst-case scenario, the medicine would be poisonous to Old Master Qin!

  Even Old Master Qin started to look angry.

  Chapter 177 - Thrilling Drama

  “Extend one’s life? Are you sure? I bet it’ll drastically shorten it!”

  Chen Yan laughed mockingly. She was as happy as she could be.

  ‘This kid is a total idiot! How could he bring that as a birthday present?’

  The faces of the Qin family members became more unpleasant.

  Qin Gang noticed that the situation was not looking good and urgently said, “Grandpa, Lil Tang is a highly talented Chinese physician. I don’t doubt that his medicines are amazing.”

  “Grandpa, you can trust in Lil Tang’s talents,” Qin Xiangyi added.

  The Qin family members’ expressions calmed down a little.

  “So, he studies Chinese medicine! But since he’s so young, he should still be a disciple! I don’t believe that his concoctions are of any benefit at all!” Master Qin said.

  Old Master Qin’s expression calmed down a little. “Is that so! It’s good to be studying Chinese medicine, but you’re too young and you still have a lot to learn. You shouldn’t be concocting medicines, much less giving them as birthday presents.

  “Since the medicine is your present to me, I’m obliged to take it!”

  He turned to gesture at Master Qin as he spoke.

  Master Qin took the jade bottle from Tang Hao’s hands.

  Tang Hao raised an eyebrow.

  Old Master Qin’s implied meaning was obvious. He accepted the jade bottle so that no one would be embarrassed, but he did not sound like he would take the pill.

  Tang Hao was helpless. The medicine inside was an alchemical pill! The pill would strengthen one’s vital foundation and extend one’s life. The Old Master would be able to live healthily for another ten years after taking the pill.

  “Ignorant people!” Tang Hao muttered but did not argue.

  Those people did not know the amazing effects of alchemical pills and would not believe him.

  ‘Whatever. At least I’ve given him something!’ Tang Hao thought.

  Chen Yan was even happier when she saw how Old Master Qin treated Tang Hao. She could see that the Old Master was not fond of the kid.

  Very soon, the present-giving came to an end.

  The people went to their seats and the banquet started.

  The attendees of the celebration ate and drank merrily. It was a lively scene.

  Tang Hao sat at a table next to the wall. Other than occasionally chatting with Qin Xiangyi, he lowered his head and ate silently. Everyone was envious when they saw how close he was to Qin Xiangyi. Their eyes were almost spewing fire.

  Soon, the banquet was about to come to an end.

  Suddenly, Tang Hao’s phone rang.

  He took it out to see it was from Old Master Luo.
<
br />   He excused himself to pick up the call. Seven or eight minutes later, he returned with a curious look on his face.

  “What’s wrong?” Qin Xiangyi asked when she saw his expression.

  “Nothing. There’ll be some interesting drama soon!” Tang Hao said with a smile.

  A while later, Chen Yan, who was sitting opposite him, stood up and went to the next table to talk to Old Master Qin. “It’s your eightieth birthday today, Old Master Qin. What an auspicious occasion! Do you want more good news?”

  “Oh?” Old Master Qin was piqued.

  Everyone went silent and looked toward Chen Yan.

  “Old Master, our Zheng family has been generational friends with your Qin family. Our social statuses are the same, and we should be joined together by marriage. I’d like to propose a marriage today.”

  Everyone became excited when they heard that. They knew what Chen Yan was trying to propose.

  She wanted the Old Master to give his word so that Xiangyi would have to marry Zheng Haoyu!

  Next to Tang Hao, Qin Xiangyi’s face darkened. She seemed embarrassed and frustrated.

  Old Master Qin furrowed his brows. He never wanted to interfere in the relationships of the younger generation. Times were different, and he believed that the youngsters should marry whomever they loved.

  However, he was not too happy with Qin Xiangyi’s young boyfriend, though he said nothing to outright reject him.

  “Old Master Qin, our Haoyu is an outstanding man!” Chen Yan continued, “Look at him, he looks handsome, and he has a master’s degree from a prestigious university. Also, our families have matching social statuses.”

  Old Master Qin nodded as he listened to that.

  He was quite satisfied with Zheng Haoyu.

  “As for that kid though… First of all, he’s too young. He’s only eighteen years old. When he reaches the legal age for marriage, Xiangyi would have been too old. If he decides to dump her, then Xiangyi’s youth would have been wasted. [1]

  “Also, he comes from Tang Village. That’s a poor mountain village. He didn’t even graduate high school!

  “How can he match a good girl like Xiangyi?”

  Everyone showed approval when they heard that.

  “That’s right, Xiangyi is already twenty-three. It’s the prime age to be married. She’ll be too old in a few years.”

  “Tang Village? I’ve heard of it. It’s very different from our Greenwillow Village. They’re very poor.”

  Everyone discussed among themselves while stealing glances at Tang Hao.

  Tang Hao remained calm, though Qin Xiangyi’s face darkened little by little.

  “Think about it, Old Master, what did he give you as a birthday present? You should know that he’s not dependable or mature. He’s no match for my Haoyu.

  “My Haoyu is mature and dependable, not to mention that he’s loyal. He has liked Xiangyi for many years, and he’ll definitely treat her well if they’re married,” Chen Yan continued.

  Old Master Qin was beginning to be convinced.

  “Old Master, Jiahui has already agreed to this proposal. If you agree to it, then we’ll see it happen. It’s alright if they don’t love each other. They can slowly develop their feelings for each other! I’m doing this for the good of Xiangyi!” Chen Yan continued persuading the Old Master.

  “Well…” Old Master Qin hesitated, even though he had silently agreed to it.

  Qin Xiangyi could not take it anymore. She slammed the table and stood up, her face flush with anger.

  “Auntie Chen, I haven’t talked back because I respect you as my elder, and it’s also my grandfather’s birthday celebration today. However, don’t even dream that I’ll marry your son in this life.

  “It’s entirely my prerogative to marry whomever I like. No one else can make up my mind for me!

  “You keep saying that it’s for my good, but I’m sorry to say that I don’t need your kindness. Also, when I marry is none of your business, you don’t have to worry about that.

  “I like Tang Hao, and that is final. It’s nothing if I have to wait for a few more years!”

  As she spoke, she held Tang Hao’s hand tightly.

  Her hand was smooth and soft, as though it did not have any bones.

  Tang Hao felt warmth in his heart as he held her hand.

  The entire courtyard fell silent after her little speech. Even Old Master Qin did not have a reply.

  He knew that his granddaughter was a headstrong one. She might not listen to his advice.

  “How can you say that, Xiangyi?” Lin Jiahui chided her with a sullen face.

  “You don’t have to convince me, Mom! I’m not compromising, no matter what,” Qin Xiangyi said coldly.

  “Ah, Xiangyi, you’re so silly! Your mother and I are doing this for your good. Why can’t my Haoyu compare to that kid? Isn’t Haoyu a hundred, no, a thousand times better than him?

  “You don’t think so because you’ve fallen deep into his trap. In the future, you’ll understand who is the better man.” Chen Yan tried to convince her.

  Qin Xiangyi straightened her brows and was about to say something.

  Tang Hao gently pulled her arm and said, “You can sit down. Leave the rest to me!”

  Qin Xiangyi was taken aback. She looked at him, confused.

  She had her doubts, but she sat down anyway.

  Tang Hao coughed lightly, then confidently stood up. He regarded Chen Yan and Zheng Haoyu curiously as he scanned across the courtyard.

  “Hey, Granny Chen, I’ve been tolerating you since we arrived at Stonegate Town. Do you think that I’m a pushover?”

  “You…” Chen Yan was immediately furious. “You’re calling me ‘Granny’?”

  Tang Hao laughed coldly. “You’re already so old. Aren’t you a granny? Am I wrong? You’re so old, yet you wear thick makeup. Don’t think that you’re young anymore, Granny Chen!”

  Everyone felt awkward when they heard that.

  Now that he mentioned it, they noticed that Chen Yan’s make up was quite thick.

  The corners of Chen Yan’s eyes twitched, and she looked scary.

  “What did you say again earlier?” Tang Hao said confidently, “Oh, right! You said that your son was mature, dependable, and loyal, right?”

  “Of course! He’s a million times better than a loser like you!”

  “Alright! We’ll see how mature, dependable, and loyal he is then!”

  Tang Hao smiled curiously, then bent over and took out a stack of documents from under the table. He distributed it to everyone.

  Everyone was confused about what was going on. When they received the documents, their expressions changed and they exclaimed in surprise.

  “What’s this? I can’t believe that Haoyu is actually like this!”

  “Oh my god, this is revolting! You can’t tell that he’s such a person from his facade!”

  Everyone exclaimed in surprise while looking at Chen Yan and Zheng Haoyu in disgust.

  “What’s going on?” Zheng Haoyu was getting flustered.

  “Let me see!” He snatched a set of documents and read it. Soon, he looked as though he was struck by lightning and all color drained from his face.

  His knees went limp and he fell on his chair.

  On the document was the record of his motel reservations over the past few years.

  [1] The legal age for marriage in China is 22.

  Chapter 178 - The Zheng Family is Finished

  Chapter 178: The Zheng Family is Finished

  “This is too disgusting! I’ve always thought that Haoyu is a good kid!”

  “I didn’t expect that he’s ‘that’ kind of person!”

  Everyone discussed hotly as they flipped through the documents.

  Old Master Qin took a set of documents and started reading it. His face became darker and darker.

  The information about his motel reservations was printed in a tiny font on the document. He had a one-night stand every few days. S
ome of the rooms even had unique themes.

  Old Master Qin might be old, but he understood what was going on.

  If Zhang Haoyu was in a steady relationship with a girl, they would not need to go to love motels every other day. The Zheng family house was big after all.

  Mature, dependable, and loyal? No, that was immature, unfaithful, and irresponsible!

  Mr. Qin and Mrs. Qin could not believe their eyes when they saw the documents.

  They had always thought that Zheng Haoyu was a well-behaved kid. They did not expect that it was only a facade!

  “This is all false! That kid made it up! Don’t believe what you see!” Chen Yan shouted frantically, “My Haoyu is a good kid.”

  She was totally flustered.

  With Old Master Qin’s approval, she was another step closer to succeeding in her plan. Now that the motel reservation records were leaked, all her effort was for naught.

  “Right! This is all made-up! I’ve never made so many reservations at love motels! He forged the documents!” Zheng Haoyu stood up and shouted frantically.

  “Yes, that guy is well-connected to the police. He must have asked the police to forge these documents. How can you believe an underhanded person?”

  Everyone hesitated when they heard that.

  That was perhaps possible! They had seen how Captain Zhang behaved so courteously toward the kid. He must have connections in the police force.

  It was all too easy for him to create an official-looking document to frame someone else.

  Everyone’s eyes turned to Tang Hao at that instant.

  “You’re still trying to look for excuses? Alright, I have more juicy news!” Tang Hao smirked. He took out his phone, tapped it a few times, and suddenly the sound of heavy breathing was heard.

  “Look at this. Who do you think the male is?”

  Tang Hao muted his phone, then passed it around.

  The females were too embarrassed to watch, while the guys crowded around. “Isn’t that Haoyu?” They exclaimed in surprise.

  Zheng Haoyu trembled and his face went pale again.

  He was utterly confused.