The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 358: Successful Divorce

Tong Pandi kept mentioning Wu Ren, making Wu Ren’s face darken.

The clan leader’s expression also darkened.

The clan leader said, "Every daughter-in-law in the family has struggled in this way. You can rest assured, as long as you stay in the Wu Family, I will stand by you, and they will surely not treat you like this again. Once you give birth to a son, I will ensure you get your own household."

Tong Huaqiong was displeased and said, "Clan leader, you’re quite amusing. Every daughter-in-law has suffered like this, and you have the nerve to say it. No wonder Wu Ren treats daughters-in-law this way. It turns out your Wu Family has this longstanding tradition, rotten from the top down. Enough nonsense! We’ve come today to get Pandi the divorce letter, not to argue logic with you Wu Family folks."

The clan leader angrily said, "Bold! When the Wu Family speaks, what business does an outsider have to interrupt?"

Tong Huaqiong said, "I am a village lady personally appointed by the emperor, and you have not even paid your respects. I won’t fuss over that. Now, you say I shouldn’t speak. Is this how you speak to a village lady? Lord Jiao, what do you think about this matter?"

Jiao Yamen was sweating and bowed slightly to Tong Huaqiong, saying to the Wu Family patriarch, "Do not be disrespectful to the village lady."

Initially, Jiao Yamen intended to not break up a marriage. However, County Magistrate Liu reproached him, saying that if the Wu Family treats the village lady’s niece poorly, it’s grounds for divorce. It’s none of his business; the divorce won’t relocate them to his home, and he should defer to Tong Huaqiong on this matter.

The Wu Family patriarch was furious, but Tong Huaqiong used her status as village lady to pressure him, leaving him powerless.

"I do not agree with the divorce."

"I’d rather die than divorce."

"Unless you let me write a dismissal letter, no, I won’t write that either. Tong Pandi will belong to the Wu Family in death."

Wu Musheng stood up, glaring at Tong Pandi.

He had thought all night and decided not to easily let Tong Pandi go. If he dismissed her, she might flee the Wu Family.

He wanted her to stay in the Wu Family and slowly torture her.

Tong Huaqiong said, "This is beyond your control."

During the deadlock, Mr. Su stood up and said, "I’d like to have a few words privately with the clan leader."

Tong Huaqiong and the others went out, and after about two cups of tea’s time, the ancestral hall doors opened, and Mr. Su and the clan leader came out.

"The clan has agreed to let the Tong and Musheng divorce today, and to have no further ties in marriage or family matters," the clan leader said to Wu Ren and Wu Musheng, without looking at Tong Pandi.

This meant the Wu Family clan agreed to the divorce of Tong Pandi.

Tong Huaqiong couldn’t help but glance sideways at Mr. Su.

Impressive indeed to persuade the Wu Family patriarch to agree to a divorce.

Mrs. Qiao from the Wu Family reacted first, jumping and cursing: "Clan leader, what right do you have to promise my Musheng’s divorce? Tong Pandi belongs to us alive, and her spirit will join us dead. Without my Musheng’s consent, she dreams of leaving the Wu Family."

"Old man, say something; you’re the village chief," Mrs. Qiao pushed Wu Ren beside her.

Wu Ren’s face was unsightly; being the village chief, he couldn’t stand against the clan.

The clan leader said to Mrs. Qiao, "You’re a woman, what do you understand? In clan decisions, there’s no place for your words."

Mrs. Qiao angrily clenched her handkerchief.

The clan leader continued, "Moreover, let Tong take the two girls. Not being sons, it’s not such a loss. Musheng, a great man need not worry about being without a wife; marry another tomorrow, one who can bear sons."

Even without the clan leader saying so, Wu Musheng was going to marry, whether Tong Pandi divorced or not. He had to find a woman who could give him a son.

Yet it had to be his own choice, not a forced choice after Tong Pandi "dismissed him."

In front of everyone, Wu Musheng felt his reputation was utterly ruined by Tong Pandi.

Originally, the clan leader was on his side, but after scheming half a day with Mr. Su, he changed his mind.

The matters between him and Tong Pandi, what did they have to do with Mr. Su?

Mr. Su, a teacher, found it necessary to skip class and get involved in the divorce.

Mr. Su was Gu Jingzhe’s teacher; during the month Tong Pandi was at the Gu Family, did something improper happen between Mr. Su and Tong Pandi?

Wu Musheng pointed at Mr. Su and said, "What does my divorce with Tong Pandi have to do with Mr. Su? It’s not as if our Wu Family has any dealings with Mr. Su. Surely Tong has some extended dealings with Mr. Su in Yan Guan Town, otherwise why would Mr. Su meddle in such matters? Tong Pandi, you adulteress, as a Wu Family wife you go around seducing people."

"Shut up!"

"Outrageous!"

Gu Jingzhe and the Wu Family patriarch yelled out curses in unison.

Mr. Su angrily pointed at Wu Musheng and cursed, "Outrageous! As a son, you did not dissuade your parents from bullying your wife - unfilial! As a husband, you indulge in worldly pleasures - unfaithful! As a father, you failed to protect your daughter - unworthy! I taught you for two years, yet you slander me - no respect for teachers! As a citizen, you disregard divorce - disdain for laws! As someone so unfaithful, unfilial, and unjust, merely living is a waste of food. If I were you, I’d rather buy tofu and bash myself to death."

Tong Huaqiong sighed long while holding her forehead; indeed, learned men scold without using swear words, yet every word strikes the heart.

"And you Wu Ren, as Wu Musheng’s father, failing to manage your son and raising such a degenerate - unworthy as a father. With the top beam not upright, the bottom beam is crooked, no wonder Wu Musheng behaves so doubtfully and slanderously. Tong doesn’t want to be your daughter-in-law because your family doesn’t act humanely. A household of beasts does not deserve daughters-in-law or descendants."

Mr. Su continued to curse Wu Ren.

Wu Ren, the village chief, was scolded so badly he could barely raise his head.

The crowd at Black Dragon Pond cheered the scolding.

If it were solely about Tong Pandi and the Wu Family, bystanders might have had people on both sides.

But involving Mr. Su against the Wu Family, folks largely sided with Mr. Su.

After all, in Yan Guan Town and Black Dragon Pond, Mr. Su had the best reputation as a teacher; many parents at Black Dragon Pond would even send their children there for schooling.

Many in Black Dragon Pond saw Mr. Su as their hope to improve their family’s status.

If Mr. Su supports the divorce, it must be right.

Now Mr. Su had been publicly slandered by Wu Musheng, and the crowd’s anger erupted, everyone condemning Wu Musheng for slander, Wu Ren for failing to teach his son properly, and the clan leader for poor governance...

"Musheng, go kneel in the ancestral hall," the clan leader was provoked by the angry crowd, scolding Wu Musheng before ordering two tribesmen to take Wu Musheng to the ancestral hall.

Tong Huaqiong stopped the Wu Family patriarch and said, "Sign the divorce paper before kneeling."

The Wu Family patriarch was muddled with anger and forgot to have Wu Musheng sign the divorce paper.

Gu Jingzhe brought the divorce paper that had long been written, and under the witness of tribesmen and Jiao Yamen, Wu Musheng was forced to press his handprint.

Tong Pandi pressed her handprint on the divorce paper, her eyes rimmed red.

The course of her life had changed forever.

The destiny of her two daughters also would change.

Jiao Yamen, as the official witness, saved Tong Pandi and Wu Musheng a trip to the county government, directly placing the official seal on both copies of the divorce paper.

Tong Pandi was completely free from the Wu Family.

Wu Musheng sinisterly said to Tong Pandi, "Even if divorced, you should not dream of escaping my grasp."

Tong Pandi looked directly into Wu Musheng’s eyes and said, "Wu Musheng, you should focus on whether you can have a son in this lifetime."

For Wu Musheng, spanning his past and present lives, the greatest desire was to have a son, something he most could not achieve.