Given the Song family’s wealth, the twenty taels, considered a huge amount for farmstead families, meant nothing to them. The Song Family had always been generous with gifts, never taking back anything or any silver once given.

Therefore, Aunt Sun naturally would not take the silver.

Meanwhile, Old Master Lian was also adamant, with a stern face, refusing to accept the silver no matter what.

"...Great Grandfather, if I take this silver back today, my days at the Song family will be over. Don’t think that since I’ve been with our old madam for decades, I won’t get a beating. After the beating, I would still be thrown out." In the end, Aunt Sun could only say with a chuckle.

Old Master Lian glanced at Aunt Sun, then at the bundle of silver in front of him, finally sighed, and stopped insisting.

Only then did Aunt Sun breathe a sigh of relief, exchanged a couple of pleasantries, and then stood up to take her leave.

"...I have other errands to run, got to hurry back. The old madam instructed me to pay respects to Fourth Old Master and Fourth Madam on her behalf. I’ve paid respects to Fourth Old Master, now I have to go pay respects to Fourth Madam."

Aunt Sun, before heading back to the county town, was on her way to Lian Manman’s family to visit Lady Zhang.

Old Master Lian glanced at Lian Shouxin and Lian Manman but did not make any further attempts to stop Aunt Sun. Lian Manman then had Xiao Xi lead Aunt Sun and Xiao Hong to see Lady Zhang, while she and Lian Shouxin stayed back with Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou.

Lady Gu and Lian Duoduo had run away but were sent back. Earlier, because Aunt Sun and Xiao Hong were present, Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou had temporarily set the matter aside. Now that the Song family people had been sent off, and only their own Lian Family remained, it was time to thoroughly discuss this matter.

Lady Gu and Lian Duoduo were called to the middle of the room.

"Why are you still acting like a wooden post?" Lady Zhou pointed at Lady Gu and berated sharply, "Kneel down!"

Lady Gu’s body trembled, and her previously dull, expressionless face showed a hint of a different expression. However, she still stood straight, not obeying Lady Zhou’s command to immediately kneel down.

This enraged Lady Zhou. Her daughter-in-law had run away and now returned to live under her, and yet dared to defy her orders without bending low, this was simply outrageous.

"Why won’t you kneel? Do you feel wronged being told to kneel? Do you still think you’re some precious person? Didn’t you run away, to enjoy a good life with the Song family? Why did you get sent back? That face of yours, you heartless thing, up to no good, you just went to shame our Old Lian Family." Lady Zhou spat a string of curses at Lady Gu.

Lady Gu hung her head, neither retorting nor kneeling down. Lian Duoduo, standing close to Lady Gu, also slightly hung her head, but cast a venomous sidelong glance at Lady Zhou and Lian Manman. Since Lady Gu didn’t kneel, neither did she.

"What, you think you’re meritorious, standing there like that?" Lady Zhou saw Lady Gu still not kneeling and got even angrier, spitting toward Lady Gu’s head. "Shaming our Old Lian Family, and look at you coming back decked in fine clothes. You have the face to wear them. Our Old Lian Family must have had eight generations of bad luck to marry in this jinx."

"Hurry up, take off those clothes for me." Lady Zhou looked at Lady Gu and Lian Duoduo in their silk clothes, getting more and more displeased, first deciding not to make them kneel, but instead make them remove their clothes. "Are you going to take them off yourselves, or have someone else do it for you?"

Lady Gu and Lian Duoduo didn’t budge.

"Second daughter-in-law," Lady Zhou called to Lady He, "and Jizu’s wife, come over and take their clothes off."

Lady He and Lady Chiang agreed and slowly walked over but hesitated, unwilling to touch Lady Gu and Lian Duoduo.

"What are you all here for if you can’t be ordered around by me, huh?" Lady Zhou angrily said, "I get it, you’re all in on the same scheme, what benefits did the eldest daughter-in-law promise you, huh, thinking of going to the city with her to enjoy, aren’t you? I must have wronged you all, you’re all eager for me to just drop dead suddenly, huh?"

"Fine, there are no outsiders here, why are you two still standing there, I’m just an old hag, you might as well come over, each take a hand and strangle me to death." Lady Zhou scolded and scolded until she became tearful, "Oh my steadfast Xiuxiu, look at the kind of creatures you’ve been protecting all along..."

Lady Zhou was deeply hurt, thinking of the days when Lian Xiuxiu was at home, back then, without saying about others, at least when she gave an order, Lian Xiuxiu would follow it absolutely. Unfortunately, Lian Xiuxiu was manipulated by Lady Gu into marrying an old man and is now a suffering widow.

In her grief, Lady Zhou never wallows in self-pity but prefers to make others feel worse.

"Old Fourth, Manman, didn’t you just bring people over? Since I can’t command these creatures, let your men do it, strip these big and little hags for me." Lady Zhou cried out twice abruptly coming to a stop, and spoke toward Lian Shouxin and Lian Manman, "What are you all looking at? Are they anything good? Do you even need to spare them any face?"

"This big hag can’t stay in our family, strip her naked and kick her out in a bit!"

"This little hag Duoduo isn’t anything good either, glaring at me with those eyes. She’s just how old, already ran away herself and lived with some peddling man for days. If we don’t beat her to death, just waiting for her to ruin the old Lian Family’s reputation."

With new grudges and old hatreds, Lady Zhou was determined to divorce Lady Gu and kill Lian Duoduo.

*************

First Chapter updated, will try to post a second Chapter later.

Dropped out of the Pink List, found that everyone prefers to vote at the end of the month, sigh. Please support with base monthly tickets, at least keep me on the list, or else it’ll be hard to catch up later. Let’s work hard with Ruoyan, clench fists. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets, your support is my greatest motivation.)