The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 843 - 842: Getting Married and Severing Ties

The Zhang Family never expected Old Granny Zhang to harbor a secret, hiding her private savings.

After all, Zhang Dabao and Lady Zhao felt uneasy, speculating that Old Granny Zhang might have discovered her true lineage. She seemed ungrateful, so they decided to make a clean break since there were still two sons in the family who needed wives.

They started searching everywhere to see if there were any families willing to pay a high price for a bride.

Coincidentally, in the Wang Family, Wang Laozhu’s original wife had died, leaving only a daughter behind. The Wang Family, having had single heirs for generations, was urgently seeking to continue the family line.

Old Lady Lin heard about the Zhang Family’s situation and knew that Old Granny Zhang had brought prosperity. Everyone in the ten villages around knew that Zhang Dabao and his wife couldn’t have children initially.

It was only after Old Granny Zhang arrived that the Zhang Family had so many children.

This sparked an idea in Old Lady Lin. Moreover, Wang Laozhu was marrying again and had a child from his previous marriage. Old Lady Lin feared that the new wife might not treat the child well.

Everyone knew how capable Old Granny Zhang was. Adding to Old Lady Lin’s satisfaction was the fact that Old Granny Zhang was an adopted child bride; if she married into their family, wouldn’t they have complete control over her?

After much deliberation, they finally decided to bring Old Granny Zhang into their home.

Although Wang Laozhu initially disagreed, Old Master Wang, who had seen many people outside, was still alive then. Old Granny Zhang had sold mountain goods to him several times before, leaving an impression that she was resilient and capable, able to sustain the household.

With Old Master Wang’s direct approval, Wang Laozhu had no choice but to agree.

Fearing that Old Granny Zhang might discover her true lineage and harm them, Zhang Dabao and Lady Zhao hurriedly agreed when they heard the Wang Family’s bride price was high, ultimately arranging for Old Granny Zhang to marry into the Wang Family.

When Old Granny Zhang heard about this, she didn’t say anything.

The Wang Family provided a generous bride price. Knowing that the Zhang Family wouldn’t provide a dowry or prepare wedding clothes for Old Granny Zhang, Old Master Wang specially sent a piece of red cloth from the town to the Zhang Family, explicitly for Old Granny Zhang’s wedding attire.

Old Granny Zhang felt grateful. Despite being a second wife, she knew the Wang Family could afford the bride price and recognized her future father-in-law. He was the kind shopkeeper who collected mountain goods in town.

Considering her current situation, marrying into the Wang Family was already a significant elevation.

After all, she was nearly twenty, an old maid. Even if she left the Zhang Family, she couldn’t marry into a good family.

Therefore, she calmly accepted and diligently embroidered her dowry. With nothing else to take, the wedding attire was the only item she could bring into the Wang Family.

Finally, the day of the wedding arrived, but Zhang Qiuju fancied Old Granny Zhang’s wedding attire, crying incessantly to keep it for herself.

Lady Zhao, distressed over her daughter, forcefully stripped the wedding attire from Old Granny Zhang and threw an old, faded wedding dress she had worn back then to Old Granny Zhang.

When the Wang Family came for the wedding and saw the bride in old, worn wedding attire, Wang Laozhu’s face turned dark with anger, almost ready to leave in a huff.

Old Granny Zhang was driven to a corner. If she didn’t seize this last lifeline from the Wang Family, she feared she would be sold to an even worse family.

Right there, in front of everyone gathered for the wedding and the onlookers, she started crying. She was generally not unattractive, though she had deliberately made herself look homely usually. On this joyful day, she had dressed herself well.

She appeared as a pretty girl wearing a shabby wedding dress, silently shedding tears. Kind-hearted neighbors standing nearby spoke a few words to console her.

Someone had already run back to the Wang Family to report the news.

The villagers, who had watched Old Granny Zhang grow up in Zhang Family Village, had a good impression of her. She was capable and generous, never refusing when neighbors asked for help.

In inter-village relationships and mutual assistance, it was always Old Granny Zhang who stepped forward.

Seeing such a good girl forced into this situation, the women of Zhang Family Village couldn’t bear it and came forward to speak on her behalf, condemning Zhang Dabao and Lady Zhao’s dishonesty.

An old woman stepped up, asking about the wedding attire.

Old Granny Zhang choked out, saying Zhang Qiuju wanted it and insisted she take it. She had promised to embroider a new wedding dress as a wedding gift for her when she got married, but Zhang Qiuju and Lady Zhao forcefully took it away.

Upon hearing this, the surrounding people exploded with anger, even Wang Laozhu felt pity for his bride. What kind of life was she living?

The Wang Family members who came for the wedding were furious, immediately cursing. They said the bride price had been paid, no dowry was needed, and additional cloth was given specifically for the wedding attire, yet it was taken away. The Zhang Family’s behavior was outrageous.

Unhappy, Lady Zhao retorted that Old Granny Zhang wasn’t their biological daughter. Raising her to this age, her gratitude couldn’t be repaid even if she served like an ox or horse. What’s wrong with taking a wedding dress?

Old Granny Zhang, appearing unable to bear it anymore, publicly exposed Zhang Dabao and Lady Zhao’s true faces, stating she wasn’t adopted but stolen by them.

She detailed the scene she had overheard, explaining the old woman holding her was her grandmother. After Zhang Dabao and Lady Zhao secretly took her away, she dared not cry or make a fuss, fearing they might kill her or abandon her to feed wild animals.

These words caused a stir in the crowd.

Zhang Dabao and Lady Zhao were stunned, never anticipating that Old Granny Zhang remembered and had exposed them publicly, turning pale.

More importantly, abducting someone’s child was a serious crime if reported to the authorities!

The people of Zhang Family Village were dumbfounded by Zhang Dabao’s and Lady Zhao’s audacity, stealing a child and treating her this way.

Everyone was shocked!

At this moment, Old Master Wang arrived. Without saying anything, he asked Old Granny Zhang what she desired.

Old Granny Zhang straightforwardly replied that from now on, she was solely a Wang Family member, severing all ties with the Zhang Family! She demanded a complete break with the Zhang Family, leaving any future dealings out of the picture!

Someone from Zhang Family Village tried mediating, suggesting this was unreasonable.

Old Granny Zhang franked everything, declaring that if they didn’t agree, she would risk everything to file a complaint, even if it meant mutual destruction!

If they agreed, with the village witnessing the severance, out of sentiment for the ten years living there, she would drop everything. The bride price would be seen as repayment for those years of nurturing, and everyone would go their separate ways henceforth.

The Zhang Family was terrified, fearing they would be taken to the authorities. Zhang Dabao could only shout for a break!

The Lizheng and Clan Leader of Zhang Family Village knew if this escalated, the entire village wouldn’t escape involvement, better to agree.

Old Master Wang hadn’t expected such decisiveness in his new daughter-in-law. He personally wrote a severance document and had the Lizheng and Clan Leader of Zhang Family Village sign it.

He also sent someone to retrieve the wedding attire, allowing Old Granny Zhang to change, and the Wang Family escorted her to their home with celebration noises.

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