Chapter 147 - 148: Shengdong Village
Li Cuicui’s face was etched with disappointment. She couldn’t understand. It had only been a few years. How had her daughter become so unrecognizable?
Even if Gu Dashishi played favorites, he knew what mattered most. He slammed his hand on the table. "You lot, throw them out! From now on, I don’t have this daughter, and you don’t have this sister."
"Father, are you really going to abandon me?" Gu Yuanfeng cried. "In that case, I’ll divorce my husband! I don’t want to go back to the He Family!"
He Tuping stared in disbelief. "Woman, what nonsense are you spouting?"
"I said I want a divorce! Your family never thinks of us anyway. I don’t want my unborn child to continue suffering there with me.
"Besides, I’ve had enough! Every time my family stands up for me, you all behave for a little while, only to torment me even more viciously later.
"Think about it! Ever since we started building the house, it might look like I’m treated the same as Eldest Brother’s wife, but haven’t I been the one to shoulder all the household chores?"
"We haven’t been idle! Weren’t we out clearing new farmland? What’s wrong with you doing a little work at home?" He Tuping frowned. ’Bringing this up now? Isn’t she just making a scene?’
"Clearing farmland? Did I do any less of that than you? Why is it that when you all come home, you act like lords of the manor, while I’m left to run around with Chuncao, busy with everything? We’re both daughters-in-law, so why should I be treated as inferior to my sister-in-law?"
"We’ve already talked about this. She married into the family before you and did a lot more housework back then. It’s only right that you work a little harder for a few years." He Tuping’s tone was laced with impatience. ’She doesn’t even know the time or place for such a conversation. Couldn’t she have said this in private? Why must she humiliate me in front of outsiders?’
The Gu Family was speechless. ’What kind of logic is that?’
Li Cuicui slipped on the thick cotton coat Jin Qianqian had brought her last time. "Let’s go, let’s go. I’m only just learning about all this today. It looks like I need to find your He Family’s Clan Leader and ask him if this is some kind of clan rule."
"If that’s really the case, I’ll personally escort my daughter over to serve her sister-in-law."
Her sons could no longer hold back. They marched over, grabbed He Tuping, and started dragging him outside. Whenever he dared to struggle, the brothers would land a few painful, unseen blows, until he finally submitted and let them drag him along.
Gu Yuanfeng wanted to stay and make a scene, but under Li Cuicui’s glare, she obediently clutched her stomach and followed.
As for He Chuncao, who had been forgotten by everyone, she cast a longing glance at the warm house, then bit her lip and trotted to catch up.
As they reached the village entrance and passed the house belonging to Ancient Wen Heng and his family, Gu Yuanfeng ran over and clung tightly to the main gate. "Mother, let us live here! We can find a way to feed ourselves!"
Li Cuicui strode over and pried her hands away. "It seems I was too good to you in your younger years. It’s made you forget your place. Is this house something you think you can lay claim to?"
"Fifth son, come get your sister! She never gives me a moment’s peace."
Gu Yuantu sighed. "Sixth Sister, let’s go. You should think long and hard about what’s really best for you."
"Fifth Brother, you too? All I want is to live a better life! Why can’t any of you just help me?"
"Don’t take advantage of your Fifth Brother’s honesty," Li Cuicui said, marching over and grabbing her by the ear. "A good life is something you build for yourself. All these years, you haven’t thought about how to stand on your own two feet. Instead, you’ve learned to scheme just like the He Family. Today, you have two choices: either you leave the He Family for good, or you sever all ties with us."
"Tell me, how many times have you made a scene like this? While I’m still alive, I can back you up to some extent. But if you keep carrying on like this, you’ll burn every bridge you have. Then we’ll see what you do!"
"But Mother, we have a child! If I leave, what will happen to her?"
Li Cuicui glanced back at her granddaughter. "The child? A mother who can’t even protect her own daughter is no mother at all."
"Look at Chuncao. Her clothes aren’t even as thick as yours. Do you really think you’ve been a good mother to her?"
Li Cuicui walked over and took He Chuncao’s hand. "Look at this little girl, her hands are covered in chilblains. Don’t tell me you, her own mother, haven’t noticed."
"Which family’s child doesn’t do chores..." Gu Yuanfeng trailed off, unable to continue under Li Cuicui’s stare.
’It seemed she herself had hardly lifted a finger before she was married.’
「Shengdong Village」
"How did this end up at the Clan Leader’s home?" Mrs. He Zhou asked, her face grim, as she looked at the messenger.
"How should I know?" He Shuigen retorted. He had no desire to be running around in this freezing weather. "A lot of people are gathered at the Clan Leader’s place. You’re all to go there at once."
After the man left, Mrs. He Zhou turned to He Tuliang. "Now what? I told you this wouldn’t work. We should have at least given them some grain before sending them over. Now that it’s blown up into a huge mess, what are we going to do?"
"What do we do? What do we do? How should I know what to do?" He Tuliang silently cursed his second son and daughter-in-law for being so useless. They couldn’t even handle one simple task.
He was convinced that the Gu Family’s rapid reversal of fortune, and their ability to build an entire village so quickly, had to be connected to some divine miracle.
Now, the Gu family’s Seventh son had become a Scholar, elevating his status to that of a county-town resident in a single stroke. He refused to believe there wasn’t some secret behind it all.
Using the collapsed house as an excuse, he had sent those two fools back to test the waters. If they actually managed to settle down in Kao Mountain Village, the rest of their family could move there too, and they would eventually uncover the Gu family’s secret.
He never imagined the plan would fail right at the outset. ’Utterly useless at getting things done, but experts at screwing them up.’
No matter how unwilling they felt, they had to make the trip.
When they arrived at the Clan Leader’s house, they were met with the sound of Li Cuicui’s sharp-tongued interrogation.
"We’re only just learning today that you He Family people have such a rule: a younger daughter-in-law must serve the elder one, simply because the elder one married into the family a few years earlier and did more chores back then."
"What wonderful family values you have! I’m starting to regret not marrying my daughter to an eldest son from your He Family. That way, she would only have to suffer for a few years before getting to enjoy the same treatment as a mother-in-law."
"For miles and miles around, I imagine the eldest daughter-in-law of any He Family household will become quite the catch."
"Good heavens, ma’am, you can’t say that! Our clan has no such rule. That would be setting a trap for people, wouldn’t it?" Several women in the courtyard grew anxious. If word of this got out, none of their sons would ever be able to find a wife.
"How is it a trap for others? Are you saying my family was the only one to fall into this pit and get swindled?" Li Cuicui said with feigned realization. "Ah, but speaking of that, that’s nothing. I married off one daughter, and in return, I got a son-in-law and a granddaughter back."
"With the snow falling so heavily outside, this little family of theirs is so filial! They came empty-handed, ready to take care of us two old folks through the winter. It’s just a pity our old bones can’t afford such service."