Chapter 148
On the wedding day, Tie Yi's ex-wife, Liu Runiang, appeared, upsetting Baise.
Her once-in-a-lifetime wedding was disrupted.
She was just thinking about how to press Tie Yi for details that night.
Tie Yi walked into the bridal chamber holding a letter. "Baise, I have to leave on urgent business. I must go now."
"Where to?"
"I can't say."
"If you won't give a specific address, at least tell me the direction," Baise said, planning to investigate herself.
"No." Tie Yi refused again.
"Tonight is our wedding night." Baise approached Tie Yi, her body draping over him like a boneless snake. "Do you really have the heart to leave me?"
Tie Yi held Baise. He was reluctant, but he had to leave.
He bit her lip gently. "My wife, wait for me to return."
Baise's long-awaited wedding night was gone just like that.
Anger was useless, so Baise simply went to find Liu Runiang, who was locked in the woodshed.
Using some minor tactics, she interrogated Liu Runiang about everything in her past.
Liu Runiang married Tie Yi at sixteen, originally hoping for a harmonious marriage, having children, and a happy life together.
However, Tie Yi was too busy.
Out of the twelve hours in a day, he spent seven in the forge, hammering and crafting. The remaining time was either spent searching for materials or discussing with others how to forge better weapons.
On the rare occasions he rested, he would take her to his father's house to visit his father, elder brother, sister-in-law, and nephews.
After their marriage, Liu Runiang and Tie Yi lived in the residential compound of the ironworks.
Every day, Liu Runiang watched other couples being affectionate while she was alone.
They spent little time together. Three years into the marriage, Liu Runiang still hadn't gotten pregnant.
Many people privately called her a barren hen.
Relatives also hinted and urged Liu Runiang to have a child soon.
With her man never home, how could she?
The gossip made Liu Runiang increasingly reluctant to go out. She only returned to the Tie family once a month to fulfill filial duties on Tie Yi's behalf.
Every time she returned, she saw Tie Yi's eldest brother and his wife deeply in love.
In this situation, Liu Runiang grew resentful and developed ill intentions.
Liu Runiang went to talk to her sister-in-law, He Xiugu, pouring out her loneliness and grievances.
As a fellow woman, He Xiugu sympathized with Liu Runiang and began interacting with her more frequently.
Sometimes, when Tie Yi didn't return, He Xiugu would even invite Liu Runiang to stay overnight. The room for Tie Yi and Liu Runiang was always kept ready.
This gave Liu Runiang an opportunity.
Liu Runiang used the chance of staying over to approach Tie Sheng.
Tie Sheng remained unmoved, sternly reprimanding Liu Runiang not to entertain improper thoughts.
If this got out, it would damage the Tie family's reputation. Tie Sheng didn't tell anyone, believing his reprimand would make Liu Runiang restrain herself.
Instead, it provoked a rebellious streak in Liu Runiang.
The deranged Liu Runiang then set her sights on the 13-year-old Tie Xiong.
After several overt and covert verbal probes, she found Tie Xiong completely naive. His only interest was martial arts training.
Finally, Liu Runiang turned her attention to Tie Yi's father, Tie Lian.
It didn't take much effort for Tie Lian to take the bait.
The two began meeting in secret frequently.
Tie Yi left early and returned late every day, sometimes not coming home for several days in a row, and never discovered the affair.
Other members of the Tie family had their suspicions.
In the end, it was Tie Xiong who exposed the matter.
That day, Tie Xiong encountered a bottleneck in his martial arts training. His father and uncle weren't home, so he thought of his grandfather.
He went to the study to find Tie Lian.
As he reached the door, he heard intermittent moans from inside the room, accompanied by phrases like, "No... help... ah... don't..." and such.
The innocent Tie Xiong thought something was wrong and charged in with his spear.
Subsequently, the affair between the Tie family's father-in-law and daughter-in-law spread throughout the borderlands.
Tie Yi was forging in the ironworks at the time. When he received the news, he was stunned.
Tie Yi quickly made a decision. He wrote a letter of divorce, severing all ties with Liu Runiang from then on.
Upon receiving the divorce paper, Liu Runiang immediately packed all her belongings and went to the Tie family home.
Disregarding Tie Sheng's objections, Tie Lian opened the door and let Liu Runiang in.
Tie Sheng had a huge argument with Tie Lian, then left the Tie family home with his wife and children. He bought a house not far from the military camp to live in and never returned to the old Tie family residence again.
Tie Yi disowned his father but held great respect for his elder brother and sister-in-law. He wrote to them in advance about his marriage.
Tie Sheng was overjoyed upon receiving the letter. In his excitement, he spoke to people nearby, unaware that Tie Lian was listening behind him.
As he grew older, Tie Lian increasingly missed the days when his children and grandchildren were around. He regretted ever accepting Liu Runiang.
He went out with an old friend, got thoroughly drunk, and only then returned home.
While attending to Tie Lian as he slept, Liu Runiang heard him mutter that Tie Yi was getting married.
Liu Runiang's first reaction was disbelief.
She had long since come to regret her actions.
During the few years of marriage to Tie Yi, although he was seldom home, he gave every penny he earned to her to spend.
Liu Runiang could buy whatever she wanted.
Tie Lian had treated her well at first but later became stingy.
Most importantly, Tie Lian was getting old.
Liu Runiang had been inquiring about Tie Yi's news, knowing he hadn't remarried. In her heart, she believed Tie Yi couldn't forget her.
Now, Liu Runiang's fantasy was shattered. Unwilling to accept it, she took the household money, hired people, and traveled day and night to Jiangcheng to stop Tie Yi's wedding.
After undergoing Baise's interrogation, she regretted it. No one had told her this woman was so ruthless.
Tie Yi wouldn't say where he was going, but Baise had already found out that Tie Yi had departed from the north city gate.
Tie Yi was heading north.
Baise didn't bother sleeping. She packed her things, took Liu Runiang with her, and set off north, planning to visit the Tie family along the way.
Tie Xiong, concerned, packed his bags and followed.
Having ruined his uncle's first marriage, he couldn't let anything go wrong with the second one.
Along the journey, Baise inquired about Tie Yi's whereabouts as they traveled. They reached Beijiang City.
Tie Xiong led the way to the Tie family home.
"Your daughter-in-law pays her respects to Father-in-law." As a new bride, Baise performed a very proper bow to Tie Lian.
"You are Tie Yi's wife." Tie Lian looked Baise over. She didn't flinch under his sharp gaze, standing straight and tall.
Tie Lian was inwardly pleased and gave Baise the gift he had prepared in advance.
A chest of furs, all in the bright, colorful shades Baise liked.
The old man had inquired about her preferences.
"Your daughter-in-law likes them very much. Thank you, Father-in-law." Baise didn't decline and accepted them graciously.
"Your daughter-in-law has also brought a gift for Father."
As Baise spoke, Tie Xiong hauled someone over and placed them in front of Tie Lian like carrying a chicken.
"This lady claims to be my husband's mother-in-law. She rushed to the wedding, made a huge scene, and forbade my husband from marrying me.
Both my husband and Xiao Xiong say she is not my mother-in-law.
I thought, since my husband and Xiao Xiong left home over a decade ago, perhaps Father remarried and they didn't know. So I brought her here to ask?
Father-in-law, is she your wife?"
Beside them, Tie Xiong couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth upon hearing "Xiao Xiong".
No matter how many times he heard it, he couldn't get used to being called "Xiao Xiong".
But remembering that his aunt was the wife his uncle had finally managed to marry, he had to endure it.
After Liu Runiang disappeared, Tie Lian had his suspicions.
Now that Baise brought her here, Tie Lian wasn't very surprised. However, his opinion of Baise changed again; she was someone who could handle affairs.
"She is my concubine," Tie Lian's reply made Liu Runiang's face turn pale, and she began cursing.
"Tie Lian, you are not human!"
"If I were human, I wouldn't have gotten involved with you in the first place."