Chapter 22: The Vicious Father Strikes, Threatening to Drag Miaomiao into the River to Die?

Four hundred and fifty copper coins.

It would likely not be enough to buy high-quality grain. A *shi* of fine grain already cost a tael of silver. Chu Feng did not buy a full *shi*; he only purchased ten catties, which cost over a hundred copper coins. As the war dragged on, the price of food would only continue to climb.

After buying the grain, Chu Feng spent another hundred coins on rouge and powder. At this price, they were naturally of inferior quality, but women were always fond of beauty, and he was certain Zhou Xiaoxiao would love them. He spent another ten coins on two sugar figurines. In an instant, half his money was gone.

"Money doesn't last long," he sighed. Relying on a single pig and a sheep would never be enough to provide a good life for his family. The weather was cold, so he didn't have to worry about the sugar figurines melting; he tucked them away with the rest of his purchases.

Zhao Yuxiang was waiting for him at the entrance of the town, and the group returned to the village together. No sooner had they arrived than Du Dahai tracked Chu Feng down.

"You're finally back! Get home quickly; your father is causing a scene at your house!"

"My father?" Chu Feng paused, momentarily taken aback. He had almost forgotten. The village had expelled Chu Long and Wei Xiaoxia, but the other members of the Chu family remained. In truth, Chu Feng had no memory of this so-called father at all, as if the man barely existed within the Chu household. Even when Chu Long and Wei Xiaoxia were driven out yesterday, this man had never shown his face. He hadn't expected him to show up and cause trouble today.

Chu Feng’s expression darkened. Regardless of who it was, he would never let anyone off if they dared to stir up trouble in his home. The village was small, consisting of only twenty households, so news of Chu Feng’s affairs spread quickly. Soon, the entire village had gathered at his doorstep to watch the spectacle.

When Chu Feng arrived, he found his so-called father clutching his daughter Chu Miaomiao’s hand, pulling at her desperately. Zhou Xiaoxiao was hugging the girl, determined not to let the old man take her away.

The onlookers were speaking up for Zhou Xiaoxiao. "Chu Tian, aren't you afraid Chu Feng will come back and beat you for this?"

"That's right! No matter what, you shouldn't be dragging a child! She's your own granddaughter!"

"Let the girl go! We won't stand for such outrageous behavior!"

The villagers offered their support, though they dared not intervene too deeply; after all, it was a family matter.

Chu Tian, acting like a rogue, roared, "That boy Chu Feng has betrayed his ancestors! He drove out his own mother and brother—how am I supposed to live? If I can't live, then none of us will! I’m taking his daughter to jump into the river right now!"

Before the words had even left his mouth, a hand clamped onto Chu Tian’s arm. The grip was so fierce that Chu Tian’s face twisted in agony. He hurriedly let go of Chu Miaomiao and turned to see Chu Feng standing there, his face cold as ice.

"Are you looking to die?"

With a violent shove, Chu Feng sent Chu Tian sprawling to the ground. The old man landed on his backside and immediately began to wail and throw a tantrum. "An unfilial son! Truly unfilial! I have failed our ancestors to have sired such a beast! He forced his own mother and brother away and tore the Chu family apart! I have been cursed with an unfilial son..."

Before he could finish, an axe blade was resting against his neck. The crowd gasped in shock. Du Dahai rushed forward to restrain Chu Feng. "Little Feng, you can't! He’s your father! You’ll go to prison for murder!"

Chu Feng glanced back at his daughter and wife. "If I don't kill him, what happens if he tries to hurt them again?" The question left Du Dahai stunned.

Chu Feng wrenched his arm free and raised the axe to strike. At first, Chu Tian didn't believe his second son would actually do it. No one knew Chu Feng better than he did; the boy had been cowardly his entire life, never daring to speak up, which was why Chu Long had bullied him for so many years. He never imagined the boy had become so vicious.

Seeing the axe descending, Chu Tian scrambled away, his voice trembling with a mix of bluster and fear. "Chu Feng, have you lost your mind? I am your father! You dare kill me?"

"I gave you life, I raised you, and now you want to kill me!"

Chu Feng sneered. "Gave me life? You’ve been like a cripple since I was a child, lying in bed all day! You never lifted a finger or earned a single copper for this family—is that what you call raising me? You gave me life, perhaps, but raised me? Hardly. I have already severed ties with the Chu family; we are strangers now. If you want to harm my daughter, you had better be prepared to die."

He swung the axe again. His words had stunned the villagers; they realized for the first time that Chu Feng had truly changed. He was nothing like the man they remembered.

Chu Tian tried to flee, but his aged legs were no match for Chu Feng. Just as it seemed he would meet his end under the blade, someone rushed in front of him—it was Zhou Xiaoxiao.

Chu Feng reflexively pulled back the axe, his chest heaving, his eyes bloodshot. His mind was flooded with memories of how the Chu family had tormented his small household. Even after breaking away, even after Wei Xiaoxia and Chu Long had been driven out, he hadn't expected this so-called father to emerge and bully them. He didn't want to endure it anymore. He couldn't bear to see his loved ones mistreated.

But as Zhou Xiaoxiao looked at him with her large, tear-filled eyes, the impulse began to fade. The villagers finally snapped out of their shock and rushed forward—some to snatch the axe, others to offer comfort. If that axe had landed, Chu Feng’s life would have been over. He might not have understood the full weight of filial piety in this era, but killing one's own father would leave him with only two paths: surrender and face execution, or flee into the deep mountains, never to return.

Chu Tian was terrified. He had only come to cause trouble because no one was left to serve him at home; he wanted to threaten Chu Feng into coming back to wait on him. As for actually throwing his granddaughter into the river? He didn't have the guts. He had thought that if he put on a show of wanting to die, Chu Feng would surely yield. He hadn't expected his son to try to kill him in front of the entire village.

Trembling, he scrambled to his feet, his voice still defiant. "You... don't threaten me. You drove your mother away, and there's no food left at home. Give me some grain, and I'll leave! I promise I'll never bother you again."

"Grain?" Chu Feng’s expression twisted again, and he stepped forward to strike.

"Brother Feng, he's your father, you can't touch him! Let me handle it!" Sun Can appeared from nowhere and landed a flurry of punches on Chu Tian’s face.

Chu Tian yelped and turned to run, but Wang Wei stuck out a foot, sending him face-first into the dirt.

"Coward! If you ever come to Brother Feng’s house again, I'll beat you every time I see you! From today on, I, Sun Can, will stand guard at Brother Feng’s gate. No one is going to bully his daughter or sister-in-law!"

"And me too," Wang Wei added, coughing once before standing tall. If Sun Can lacked authority, Wang Wei, as the local bully, held plenty.

Realizing there was nothing to be gained, Chu Tian turned and fled, shouting back as he ran, "Chu Feng, just you wait! This isn't over!"