Chapter 409 Reverse Revenge

Chapter 409: Turning the Tables

The three of them barely choked down their meal, while Wu Chaoyang didn't eat a single bite. He glared at Ji Yuntang with a look of pure resentment.

Ji Yuntang knew that this little brat was probably cooking up some scheme to mess with her again!

Her eyes sparkled with a sly glint, and she smiled, saying, "Foster parents, you've arrived just in time. Funny you should show up—the Prince Ye's estate is actually short on help. Since you'll all be living here from now on, I, the Princess, will now assign each of you your chores!"

"We don't have much at the estate, but we've got firewood coming out of our ears. Foster father, you're on chopping duty and feeding the horses. Stack the chopped wood neatly against the wall each day, and make sure the horses have fresh hay and water in their trough. I'll come by in the evening to see how you've done."

"Foster mother, since you're a woman and more detail-oriented, you'll help me look after my husband's day-to-day needs. Sometimes when I'm too swamped to look after him, I'll need you to step in and take care of him."

"There's still a lot of unused land on the estate that hasn't been tilled. Since eldest brother is a strong man, you'll till those fields, plant fruits and veggies, and water and fertilize them on schedule."

"Once those veggies grow, they'll be the food for everyone at the estate. So whether we eat or not depends on how well eldest brother tends those fields!"

After speaking, Ji Yuntang turned to look at Wu Chaoyang and gave him a sweet, innocent smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"As for third brother, you're still young, and I wouldn't want you to work hard. I've been getting into acupuncture and herbal remedies lately, so third brother can help me try out the medicines!"

The second those words left her mouth, Chen Huaxiu blew her top. She jabbed a finger at Ji Yuntang's face and started cursing.

"You wicked girl, you've got a heart of stone! Fine, make us do hard labor, but Yang Geer is just a kid. And now you want him to be your guinea pig for your medicines? If something goes wrong and he gets sick, what are we supposed to do then?"

"We lived with you for sixteen years, and I never once heard you knew a thing about medicine. You don't think that just because you fixed your own face, you can come out here and act all high and mighty, do you? Well, aren't you just so clever!"

Ji Yuntang dug a finger in her ear, totally tuning Chen Huaxiu out.

When Chen Huaxiu was done ranting, it was like punching a pillow—no reaction at all.

At this moment, Wu Chaoyang spoke up!

His eyes darted around, then he gave Chen Huaxiu's sleeve a tug.

"Mom, don't yell at Sister Yuntang. She runs this whole big place, and it's not easy for her. We really should help lighten her load, so Sister Yuntang can have an easier time."

Then he turned to Ji Yuntang with a look of pure, innocent obedience. When he smiled, two little fangs peeked out from the corners of his smile, looking all cute and harmless.

"Sister Yuntang, I'm willing to help you test the medicines. I'll do whatever you say and won't give you any trouble."

If he didn't agree to test the meds, how else was he gonna get a chance to mess with her?

Who knows who'll end up being the guinea pig in the end!

The second Ji Yuntang caught that look on Wu Chaoyang's face, she knew the little brat was plotting something.

Well, what do you know—she was just worried he'd say no!

Ji Yuntang smiled sweetly and reached out to ruffle Wu Chaoyang's hair.

"Third brother is still as obedient and thoughtful as ever, always knowing how to help your sister out."

"Don't worry, as long as you do a good job testing the meds, your sister won't 'shortchange' you."

Everyone in the family had their own agenda. After Ji Yuntang handed out the chores, she walked them to their posts.

Wu Jinxi was led to the stable out back. Beside the stable was a shed piled high with firewood.

Looking up, the stack was even taller than a person—this was something Ji Yuntang had specifically asked Chen Hu to pile up.

She said to Wu Jinxi, "Foster father, this firewood is your workload for today. Once you've chopped it all, you can eat!"

Wu Jinxi looked at the massive pile of firewood and nearly died of fright.

His eyes turned dark and fierce. He angrily threw the axe to the ground, his low voice dripping with displeasure.

"Ji Yuntang, you know full well that my back and legs aren't in good shape, yet you still make me chop this much wood. Are you trying to kill me?"

Ji Yuntang's fox-like eyes looked at him innocently, her expression feigning ignorance. "How can foster father say that about me?"

"Back when I lived in the small mountain village, it was you who took a whip to force me up the mountain every day to gather and chop firewood, saying it was to train my body."

"The reason my body is so good now is precisely because of foster father's excellent training back then. Ten years of going up the mountain through wind and rain—my legs are now very nimble."

"And as for you, foster father, the reason you have back and leg pain every other day is because you lay in bed when you were young and never exercised. Over time, you developed a lazy disease."

"Me making you chop wood isn't just about chopping wood—it's more about helping you treat your illness, foster father."

Seeing Wu Jinxi's face turn ashen, a smile bloomed at the corners of Ji Yuntang's lips.

"Think about it, foster father—you traveled all the way to the capital to find me, so you must want to live a good life."

"You can't have your health collapse before you even get to enjoy wealth and glory, right? If that happens, how am I supposed to fulfill my filial duties to you?"

Wu Jinxi's neck turned red with anger, his voice rising several notches.

"But you can't make me chop this much wood in one day! How long would it take me to finish all of this?"

"I'm already this old, and raising you wasn't easy. Can't you show some consideration for how hard it was for me as your father?"

Ji Yuntang raised an eyebrow and sneered, "Consideration? How am I not considerate?"

"It's precisely because I'm considerate of you all that starting from age five, I was boiling water and doing laundry for your whole family. At six, I gathered five bundles of firewood on the mountain every day and carried them home, chopping them neatly and stacking them in the kitchen. At seven, I cooked three meals a day for the whole family, and sometimes when you got hungry in the middle of the night, I'd get up and cook for you too. At eight, I went to the fields to transplant rice seedlings and pull weeds, tending the vegetable garden. At nine, I made my own slingshot and went hunting up the mountain, all so the family could have some meat. At ten, I went to the market alone to sell vegetables to earn money for the household."

"After I turned ten, basically all the chores in the house were handled by me. Even third brother was raised with my help when he was little. If all that doesn't count as consideration, then what does?"

Wu Jinxi said with righteous indignation, "That was your duty! You ate the family's food and used the family's things—what's wrong with helping out with some chores?"

Ji Yuntang curled her lips and said, "Exactly. So now you're eating my food and using my things, so you should also help me with chores, shouldn't you?"

"Actually, I should thank you all, because you made me realize that human potential is truly limitless. Sometimes if you don't push yourself, you never know how capable you really are."

"I was able to do so much work at such a young age. Foster father, you're only in your forties—that's the prime time to push yourself. Why not give it a try?"

"Besides, chopping wood isn't even mentally demanding work. You just sit there and chop—you don't even need to move from your spot."

Wu Jinxi: "..."

Wu Jinxi: "!!!"

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