Chapter 2988 - 2989: Aggressive and Overbearing

Chapter 2988: Chapter 2989: Aggressive and Overbearing

Making a scene may seem trivial, but being prone to gossip and offending the gods is something no one wants happening at their home.

The mother of the two girls was initially showering Madam Meng with attentions. Upon hearing the news, she rushed to their resting place, where she found Bai Ruozhu giving them acupuncture treatment, and she quickly thanked Bai Ruozhu, expressing her gratitude profusely.

Bai Ruozhu chuckled inwardly. She played the role of both hero and villain, truly a genius.

Her acupuncture merely provided temporary relief for their condition, but it would recur once they returned home.

A lesson learned too lightly tends not to stick.

"Madam Bai, what happened to them? Could it be something they ate?" a girl’s mother asked.

"Everyone at the table ate the same things; it shouldn’t be that. I’ve never encountered this before, but it’s not life-threatening. A few days of rest should do the trick," Bai Ruozhu replied.

The two mothers felt disheartened upon realizing even Bai Ruozhu couldn’t resolve the issue.

The girl who had been passing gas cried even harder, feeling that sneezing would have been less embarrassing.

"What if I don’t get better?" she asked through tears.

"Miss Xu, look into what you ate or came into contact with, address the root cause, and stay indoors to rest," Bai Ruozhu struggled to suppress a laugh. Her persistent passing of gas really makes it hard for her to venture outdoors.

The one sneezing had already rubbed her nose raw and cried out even more miserably, "And me? My nose is chafed to the point of peeling."

"I apologize, but I’m at a loss. Maybe your nose is allergic to something," Bai Ruozhu nearly bluffed.

With things at this impasse, the two pairs of mothers and daughters could hardly insist on further questioning.

"I have other people to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now," Bai Ruozhu nodded to them and withdrew.

Yet she didn’t rush off; she lingered to catch what they might say.

She circled around to the back of the house, entered the Space, and watched the commotion while petting Xiaohei.

"What on earth happened? How did this all come about?" Madam Xu asked angrily.

Now calmed by Bai Ruozhu’s acupuncture, the two girls sat quietly, still shaken.

"Mother, I don’t know either, we were just chatting and suddenly..." She trailed off, conscious that her flatulence could be Beiyu City’s laughing stock for a long time.

"Auntie, we didn’t eat anything; the meal hasn’t even begun, and we barely sipped the tea," the other girl added, revealing they were cousins.

Lowering her voice, another woman said, "Sister-in-law, could this be because of some taboo?"

Madam Xu looked at the girls, "What were you discussing?"

The girls’ expressions shifted, and Miss Xu bowed her head, speaking softly, "We just noticed the eldest daughter of the Meng Family, made a few comments."

"You were gossiping about her?" Madam Xu’s face changed drastically, "Did anyone hear?"

Miss Xu quickly gestured, "No, no one was nearby; otherwise, we wouldn’t have dared."

Madam Xu gave her daughter a slap, "You have some nerve! I’ve told you countless times to be careful outside; where’s your head? The Meng Family dotes on Meng Jinse, yet you dare gossip about her?"

Without even asking, she knew the girls hadn’t spoken kindly, though she understood her daughter, possibly recalling similar talk at home.

What a pity; lessons not taught early invite others to teach them for you.

"Sister-in-law, could it be Madam Bai..." queried the other woman in hushed tones.

Madam Xu had her doubts too, but the sneezing girl said, "Madam Bai was far from us the whole time; she only came towards us after the situation started."

"Regardless if it was her, you must both be cautious upon returning home. Neither the Meng Family nor the Bai Family are to be crossed," Madam Xu dared not linger further, sending a maid to apologize to the hosts, and hurriedly left with the two girls.

Bai Ruozhu deemed it sufficient and cheerfully returned to the banquet.

Many were curious about the recent incident but refrained from discussing it openly, hoping Bai Ruozhu would volunteer to clarify. Yet she casually greeted many people without speaking on behalf of the two girls, prompting some deeper reflection.

The feast soon unfolded, and Bai Ruozhu joined Meng Jinse at a table with Madam Meng.

The guests exchanged auspicious words, while a lively someone chimed in, "Madam Bai, you’re familiar with the Western Regions; could you tell us more? Everyone’s quite curious."

Bai Ruozhu smiled, saying, "The climate in the Western Regions is harsher than ours here. They have a king, and also a Holy Hall governing the politics through religion. Aristocrats aren’t as carefree as ours, though life has improved noticeably now."

Many listened astounded, as in Danliang Country, the Emperor stood as the Supreme and had the final say.

"In the desert, there lies a Barbarian Tribe, leading a nomadic existence, pitching tents wherever grassland is found, living with far greater hardship than ours. Yet, the Barbarian Clan excels at raising Beast Pets, lending them considerable fighting prowess. Previously, the Barbarian Tribe’s Beast Team used to raid passing Merchant Teams to sustain themselves, being the nightmare of Western traders."

Bai Ruozhu chuckled, "When I first visited the Western Regions, I encountered the Beast Team; it was indeed terrifying. Yet nowadays, the Barbarian Tribe has made an agreement with us in Danliang not to raid the traveling Merchant Teams any longer."

Madam Meng proudly noted, "And it’s all thanks to Ruozhu discovering a rare medicinal material in the desert and teaching the Barbarian Tribe how to cultivate it themselves. With their life secured, they’re willing to heed Ruozhu’s advice not to raid Merchant Teams anymore."

Some expressed admiration, though one muttered, "The Barbarian Tribe robbing our merchants, how can we even assist them? Isn’t it aiding the evil?"

Bai Ruozhu heard it but didn’t engage, knowing it was a narrow-minded view, typical of laypeople.

Unexpectedly, another military leader’s wife spoke up, "Madam Bai, such aggressive and cruel small tribes like the Barbarian Clan ought to be wiped out. Why give them the chance to become stronger?"

Bai Ruozhu remembered her as Tu Ying’s father Tu Lie’s subordinate’s wife. Her family being military, she had a fierce demeanor.

"The Barbarian Tribe is nomadic, lacking a fixed abode; how could they be wiped out?" Bai Ruozhu retorted, "Moreover, though few in numbers, their Beast Pets are incredibly unique. The Barbarian Clan has survived in harsh conditions for years; they undoubtedly possess special qualities. Rather than mutually assured destruction, why not tackle the root of their raiding problem?"

Madam Zhang stubbornly countered, "These barbarians are wild and greedy. Even if they’re well-fed now, they’ll remain unsatisfied, bound to raid again. What if they grow strong, and you claim their Beast Pets are formidable—how will our Danliang’s Northwest border cope?"