Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 856 - 436 Who Deceived Whom_2

No wonder that day when Lian Xiuxiu was married off, they even brought Lady Zhou and Lian Lanlan with them; this had been planned in advance to keep Lady Zhou and Lian Lanlan from talking.

On that day, they were supposed to stay in Lian Xiuxiu’s bridal chamber all the time, and they certainly did not go to witness the wedding ceremony. Even if they could leave the room, they could probably not leave the designated courtyard.

But there were still those from the Zheng Family attending to them, couldn’t they have said something? In the course of conversation, the fact that Third Old Master Zheng was the groom should have been revealed somehow.

Unless, the Zheng Family was also complicit. On the Zheng Family’s territory, it would not be difficult to keep these few women trapped and deceived just for that half day.

Considering what Third Old Master Zheng and the Zheng servants were like just now, Lian Manman judged that not only the Lian Family but also the Zheng Family had things that most people were well aware of, while only a minority were kept in the dark.

This minority most definitely includes Lady Zhou and Lian Xiuxiu, who were certainly completely oblivious.

Given the situation with Third Old Master Zheng, he should be unaware as well... and Old Master Lian probably didn’t know either...

After pondering for a moment, Lian Manman decided not to dwell on this issue.

At this time, Lady Zhou had started to curse at Lady Gu again. Rationally speaking, Lady Zhou could not outreason Lady Gu, but Lady Zhou’s specialty lay in being irrational. Moreover, as the mother-in-law, she could be irrational to Lady Gu without consequence. What could Lady Gu do about it?

"...Heartless wretch, you deserve to never have a son, and for the daughter you gave birth to also never to be able to have a son in this lifetime..."

Lady Gu knelt there, her body trembling slightly. She hung her head low, her hands clenching her clothing tightly.

There’s a common saying, ’Don’t slap the face when you hit someone, don’t bring up shortcomings when you curse them. However, Lady Zhou did the exact opposite with her sons and daughters-in-law. Your own family knows where you’re vulnerable, where it hurts the most. Lady Zhou nailed it and did not pull punches, hitting right where it hurts without mercy.

Being a mother, she could curse her own son Lian Shouli as a disgrace, so cursing her daughters-in-law for not bearing sons, and even cursing her granddaughters to the same fate, was effortless for her.

Lian Manman’s gaze shifted from Lady Gu to Lady Zhou and then back to Lady Gu. She sighed inwardly; Lady Zhou might enjoy cursing, but it seemed she had never considered how the person being cursed felt.

Why do common sayings advise against slapping faces and bringing up shortcomings? More than teaching decency, it’s wisdom accumulated over thousands of years, the wisdom of survival. Leaving a way out for others is also leaving a way out for oneself. There have been continuous instances through the ages where a single sentence has brought fatal misfortune upon oneself.

Lady Zhou has cursed Lian Shouxin, Lady Zhang, Lian Shouli, and Lady Zhao like this. Her honest and clumsy sons and daughters-in-law did not hold grudges and could not think of revenge or retaliation. But what about Lady Gu then?

Lian Manman could assure that Lady Gu was definitely no pushover.

Lady Gu could not talk back or retort to Lady Zhou, so how would this accumulated resentment develop? It’s impossible to rule out Lady Gu’s accumulated resentment as a factor in the incident with Lian Xiuxiu.

In the past, Lian Shouxin, Lady Zhang, and Lian Manman had never wronged Lady Gu. At that time, for her own daughter’s sake and Lian Shouren’s future, Lady Gu could conspire with Lian Shouren to sell Lian Manman. With Lady Gu suffering so much from Lady Zhou, and with the allure of the Zheng Family providing a backing for Lian Shouren, to "sell" Lian Xiuxiu, Lady Gu would probably feel no pressure at all.

Lady Zhou, pointing at Lady Gu, cursed incessantly. Lady Gu, with her head lowered, silently endured.

Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi had still not arrived.

Lian Xiuxiu was still sobbing intermittently, Lian Lanlan was comforting Lian Xiuxiu, and Old Master Lian sat there without speaking a word.

Lady Gu seemed to extricate herself cleanly, but there were clear loopholes in her words. Lady Zhou could not notice them, and Lian Xiuxiu was solely focused on crying. So neither Lian Lanlan nor Old Master Lian noticed?

Or did they notice, or even anticipate it, but found it inappropriate or did not wish to say it?

Indeed, both Lady Gu and Lady Zhou lived according to the adage ’No exit through the main gate, no stepping beyond the second gate.’ This was the way of women in great households, but they also had their sources of information.

Let’s not mention the maids and servants for now; let’s talk about the closest relationships. Lady Zhou’s source of information was Old Master Lian, and Lady Gu’s source was Lian Shouren.

Old Master Lian was also confined in the County Magistrate’s small courtyard and had no independent source of information. Then what about Lian Shouren? He was out every day on official business, meeting people.

There was also Lian Shouyi, who was always by Lian Shouren’s side.

To say that they, who remained in the courtyard daily, were deceived, then what about those who were outside, not blinded or bound, how could they be deceived by such a big event?!

"Go and see, why haven’t the eldest and the second arrived yet?" Old Master Lian finally spoke again.

All those who could go out to search were dispatched.

"I’ll go with Xiao Qi to check." Wu Lang spoke up and pulled Xiao Qi out with him.

"Matchmaker! Bring that matchmaker to me!" Lady Zhou cursed, spitting wildly and finally remembering another key culprit. "I saw her just now. She even had the nerve to congratulate me this morning, asking me for congratulatory money, came here for the wedding feast. Bring her here, I want to ask her in person." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"You go." Seeing no one moving to her orders, Lady Zhou pointed at Lady He and gave the command.

Lady He agreed and went to find the person.

Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi were still not to be seen, and Matchmaker Hu waddled her plump buttocks, following Lady He with a smile on her face as she arrived.

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Here’s the second update, request for pink [likes/support].

Striving for a third update tonight, ask for pink encouragement, aiming for three updates a day, but it’s getting hard to keep up, they say. (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets. Your support is my biggest motivation.)