Chapter Sixty-Seven: Shifting Blame
Some women in the village who disliked Gu Xiaoyao nodded along with the village chief’s words, chiming in with several harsh remarks.
“That’s right, you’re just a woman—how could you possibly have the ability to compete with the men from Great Valley Village? Are you really so full of yourself to think you’re capable?”
“I say the whole mess today is the fault of Cheng Jin’s wife. If she hadn’t kept digging over there, the men from Great Valley Village wouldn’t have provoked us into agreeing to this.”
“That’s right, that’s right…”
The men who had just been glared at by Old Chu were all married, and naturally their wives couldn’t stand seeing their husbands scolded by the village chief.
So, they pushed all the blame onto Gu Xiaoyao, and as they talked, they truly began to believe it was her fault.
A woman daring to stand out in front of so many men—who knows what she’s thinking. Maybe she really believes she’s something special.
“What nonsense are you spouting, pushing all the blame onto her? Whether she says anything or not, the men from Great Valley Village would still have taken our land.”
“Sometimes you need to speak with your conscience. Was it her decision? It was you who were provoked by Great Valley Village and agreed.”
Dahua couldn’t stand seeing the village women speak of Gu Xiaoyao that way, especially since the whole matter had nothing to do with her.
Old Chu thought the same; at a time like this, the villagers squabbling amongst themselves was utterly useless.
“That’s right, it’s just because you couldn’t keep your cool and couldn’t hold your tongues that things turned out this way.”
The village women were not pushovers. Earlier, they hadn’t dared to speak up in front of the men from Great Valley Village, but now they had plenty to say.
“Village chief, your words aren’t right. Matters between men should be settled by men, but she insisted on meddling—clearly she’s doing it on purpose.”
“Look at her, she’s only been married into the village a few days and already caused so much trouble. Look across the way—someone’s still hanging in a tree! Don’t you think she’s gone too far?”
The women, voices overlapping, recounted Gu Xiaoyao’s supposed faults, growing ever more convinced it was all her doing.
When women get involved in men’s affairs, trouble is bound to follow. Their gazes turned hostile as they looked at Gu Xiaoyao.
Facing their unfriendly looks, Gu Xiaoyao’s expression remained mostly unchanged. She watched the village chief, her mind still occupied with thoughts of a few plots of land.
“Village chief, if I win tomorrow’s competition, will there be any reward?”
Old Chu saw she was truly determined, genuinely wanting to participate in the contest between the villages, and hesitated.
“Cheng Jin’s wife, I know you’re capable, but you don’t have to join in. It would spare you getting hurt.”
Competitions between men were no small matter; injuries were inevitable, and the men from Great Valley Village would not show mercy just because she was a woman.
“If she wants to go, let her. She thinks she’s skilled, let her prove it.”
“That’s right, village chief. She started this, so if she doesn’t go, who will? My man certainly isn’t up for a fight.”
It all came down to dragging someone else into the fray. The two women who spoke looked at Gu Xiaoyao, their eyes darting.
“If I can help Lotus Village win, what reward can you give? I don’t want small things—I want something big.”
Gu Xiaoyao swept a confident gaze over the villagers, openly asking for her prize should she win.
As expected, her words drew a mocking tone from many of the villagers.
“If you actually win, the plots of land offered by Great Valley Village can go directly to you. But honestly, you’re probably just boasting.”
“That’s right, if you win, pigs will fly. You’re talking big.”
Gu Xiaoyao listened to their remarks and found them rather sensible, at least knowing to hand over the promised land from Great Valley Village.
As for pigs climbing trees—in the apocalypse, pigs really could climb trees.