Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Driving Them Out? Splitting the Family!

Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The guest etiquette had been carefully taught by her mother. The etiquette of a noble family was naturally impeccable, even a simplified version was enough to leave a good impression in front of the elders.

As she stepped out of the hall, she clearly heard the elderly people inside discussing that Wang Guizhang’s choice of daughter-in-law was excellent; not only among the younger generation but she stood out even among the older generation.

Ling Chengyan walked briskly with a basin, washing napkins, without showing a hint of abnormality.

When Wang Guizhang and Zhou Xiuying faced a group of elderly relatives, they acted like children meeting their mothers, expressing utter grievance, crying loudly and wiping tears, accusing the second daughter-in-law of being unfilial and rebellious.

Even Wang Futang, who knew the situation, along with the older elders frowned at their accusatory tone.

The oldest among them, Fifth Grandfather, who had short hair and no beard, was the first to speak: “Stop crying, the two of you. If there’s an issue, state it clearly. You’re accusing the second family’s daughter-in-law of being unfilial and rebellious; you must explain specifically how she is unfilial and rebellious, right? Since we are here as elders to resolve this, we should not listen to one side only.”

Wang Guizhang glared at his weepy wife, stamped his uninjured foot, and scolded, “Didn’t you hear what Fifth Grandfather said? Why aren’t you explaining the matter to the elders quickly?”

Zhou Xiuying, hearing this, instinctively turned to look at her young daughter, Wang Lianxiang, but found her curled up in a corner of the kang bed, crying without even glancing her way.

Having no choice, Zhou Xiuying pulled herself together and personally took the stage to list Ling Chengyan’s arrogance and bossiness, eating three meals a day with a dozen eggs each time, and charging into her room to seize fabrics and sheets.

Zhou Xiuying’s complaints focused on how Ling Chengyan indulged herself and snatched things, a long list of petty grievances that were trivial and insignificant, making Wang Futang and the older elders frown uncontrollably.

“It’s one thing to indulge a little, take small advantages, but the key is that she has no sense of filial piety towards the elders,” Wang Guizhang, more perceptive than Zhou Xiuying, noticed the displeased expressions of his elder brother and the seniors and immediately offered a reminder.

Zhou Xiuying quickly chimed in, “Right, right, she even hits…”

“Alright,” the hot-tempered Seventh Grandfather interrupted Zhou Xiuying with a wave, frowning, “Let’s not dredge up these pointless matters, Guizhang, the two of you must explain why you called us all here today.”

Zhou Xiuying instinctively turned to look at her husband, and Wang Guizhang cursed under his breath, realizing that their plan backfired. Initially, they wanted his wife and daughter to evoke some sympathy from the elders, to pin the ’unfilial and rebellious’ label on the second family, make dividing the family simpler, perhaps even expelling them without giving anything. But his wife’s rambling had irritated Seventh Grandfather, making it hard to pin the unfilial label on the second family.

Thinking quickly, Wang Guizhang immediately spoke up: “The two of us have suffered, I’m injured, my wife is sick and bedridden, and our little Lianxiang is forced to cry every day. We really have no other choice but to invite the elders to help seek fairness, at the very least allow us to live peacefully.”

The elders exchanged glances and all turned to look at Wang Futang.

Being the eldest brother and also the team leader, how to handle this situation depended on his opinion.

Although Wang Futang was the team leader, he was still the junior in front of these elders. So, these elders sat on chairs and high stools while he took a small stool and sat by the door, smoking a dry cigarette with his head lowered, without saying a word.

The main reason being, the behavior of his second brother and his wife was disgraceful, embarrassing the family. If he wasn’t tied down by his role, he wouldn’t want to get involved at all.

Now, with the elders all watching him, Wang Futang had no choice but to tap the bowl of his tobacco pipe, straighten his back, and speak: “Old Second, stop beating around the bush and say clearly what you want.”

Finally, Wang Guizhang didn’t beat around the bush and simply said two words: “Divide the family!”

Zhou Xiuying reacted like a cat whose tail was stepped on, suddenly exploding: “It’s not dividing the family, it’s about kicking out that unfilial woman. We can’t keep such a daughter-in-law in our Wang Family.”

Fifth Grandfather slowly spoke: “Guizhang’s wife, by that you mean divorcing Liansheng’s wife? Are you planning to keep those two children yourselves?”

Everyone knew this couple wasn’t that generous. Simply kicking the wife out while leaving the two children, especially with one still nursing, it was unlikely they were willing to bear the burden of raising them.

Unexpectedly, before Wang Guizhang and Zhou Xiuying could speak, Ling Chengyan, who had just finished washing diapers and was standing outside, suddenly said: “I won’t leave the children behind. I don’t trust them; who knows where the children would end up if I left them.”

Amid everyone’s astonishment, Ling Chengyan walked in, holding a few documents with both hands, and handed them to Big Brother Wang Futang.

Wang Futang took a quick glance, and his face changed instantly. He gritted his teeth and handed the paper to Fifth Grandfather, stepped into the inner room, pressed Wang Guizhang down, and picked up a shoe to beat him with it.

“You are truly blinded by greed, how dare you think of selling the Wang Family’s descendants? Back when times were tough, our parents saved their food to keep us alive, almost starving themselves but never considering selling or giving us away. And yet, when it’s your turn as an elder, you consider selling your children… I must beat some sense into you today…”

The furious Wang Futang struck hard, raining blows on Wang Guizhang until he lay flat on the kang, pleading for mercy.

Zhou Xiuying and Wang Lianxiang were both terrified, shrinking to the side and trembling, neither daring to step forward, let alone take a blow for Wang Guizhang, nor even helping him up.

It was only when the Seventh Grandfather and two slightly younger elders stepped forward to restrain Wang Futang that Wang Guizhang was saved.

However, Wang Guizhang was already beaten to a pulp, his head and face swollen with bruises, looking like a smashed pig’s head.

Ling Chengyan stood silently at the doorway of the hall without making a sound.

She had already recovered the documents, with these in hand, whether Wang Futang’s beating was out of genuine anger or a show, they couldn’t mistreat her and her children.

The final agreement was that Ling Chengyan would take the two children and live separately. Coincidentally, the male intellectuals living in the nearby commune’s quarters had returned to the city, leaving two vacant rooms. The second branch of the Wang Family would provide funds for renovations and repairs, allowing Ling Chengyan and her kids to move in.

The remaining two female intellectuals in the commune could keep them company.

The second branch would provide two hundred yuan in compensation, rations for three, as well as pots, pans, and various daily necessities, including two chickens and a piglet.

Additionally, the production team allocated three parts of land for her and the children.

The next day, with the help of Wang Futang, Ling Chengyan and her children established an independent household, with their household register and ration books all properly arranged.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep