Chapter 678: Chapter 678: Are They Here to Claim Kinship or to Seize the Family Fortune?
Second Aunt of the Li Family steadied her nerves.
These three clearly wouldn’t respond to pressure, so she tried a gentler approach and started pleading with Su Qing.
"Good girl, I beg you to return the silver to me. Fifty taels is the lifetime savings of us farmers. This silver is for my son to marry a wife. Please have mercy on me, I don’t even want the embroiderer’s position, just give me back the silver."
No matter what Second Aunt of the Li Family said, Su Qing was confident she hadn’t seen the silver, insisting it was all slander from Second Aunt of the Li Family.
She even boldly claimed that if one is upright, they should fear no shadow, daring Second Aunt of the Li Family to go to the officials.
Second Aunt of the Li Family fell into despair.
Suing Su Qing for embezzling her silver would require witnesses.
Even if she didn’t understand the law, she knew her own son couldn’t be a witness; otherwise, they could be convicted of colluding to slander Su Qing and be punished publicly.
While Second Aunt of the Li Family was desperate, Li Mingxiu flashed a box in front of her, whispering in her ear: "I forgot to tell you, I’ve reclaimed the jewelry you snatched years ago. Also, I’ve registered myself independently, so stop thinking about selling me as a concubine. If you keep doing bad things, worse retribution awaits you than losing fifty taels of silver."
Second Aunt of the Li Family widened her eyes, staring intently at the jewelry in Li Mingxiu’s hands.
Those were her possessions.
How dare Li Mingxiu, this vile woman, take them!
Even the simplest person would understand that the attractive embroiderer’s position and giving Su Qing fifty taels to become an embroiderer were all schemes by Li Mingxiu and Su Qing.
Well then, they’ve conspired against her.
"Low woman, give me back my jewelry!"
"Give me back my silver!"
Second Aunt of the Li Family screamed as she lunged at Li Mingxiu, only to be met with a harsh kick to the back of her knee by Li Mingxiu.
"Ouch."
Second Aunt of the Li Family winced in pain and fell to the ground.
Li Mingxiu delivered her kick with full force, leaving Second Aunt of the Li Family unable to get up for a long while, despairingly lying on the ground, sobbing.
She cried over Li Mingxiu and Su Qing deceiving her, over her silver...
The three returned to the weaving workshop, and Tong Huaqiong felt happy for Li Mingxiu when she learned that Li Mingxiu had registered independently and reclaimed her belongings from the Li Family.
Li Mingxiu plans to buy a small house in town when the weather warms up, though her silver is still not enough, requiring her to work for another two years.
Anyway, she can live at the weaving workshop.
In winter, sleeping in piles of cotton is warm and cozy; in summer, sleeping on the veranda is cool and comfortable.
If Tong Huaqiong hadn’t mentioned that girls need their own place, she truly wouldn’t have considered buying a house.
Li Mingxiu’s independent registration caused a stir in the weaving workshop, greatly envied by Gu Xiaoxue.
She also wishes to become independent, to part from the Gu Family.
But she can only dream.
With Li Mingxiu’s parents both deceased and clan bullying her as an orphan, she can register independently.
While her own parents, grandparents, elder brother, and sister-in-law are all alive, she cannot.
...
As the first month came to a close.
The He Family from Pingyang County, long "anticipated" by Tong Huaqiong and Mrs. Hong, finally arrived.
A large group of men and women, with quite the presence.
After inquiring about Manager He’s home, the group headed straight there.
Mrs. Hong received the news and arranged for Tong Huaqiong to accompany her at home to wait.
Mrs. Zhao and Aunt Qin also rushed over upon hearing the news to lend support.
A bustling crowd entered, led by a silver-haired old lady who stepped in crying for "Chao’s wife," but upon spotting both Mrs. Hong and Tong Huaqiong, her cry abruptly halted, unsure which of the two was He Chao’s wife.
She only heard He Chao’s wife was very beautiful, and the two on the right were dressed elegantly.
She reached out to Tong Huaqiong, but before uttering "Chao’s wife," Tong Huaqiong shifted aside, saying: "You’ve got the wrong person."
The silver-haired old lady showed no embarrassment, turned, and grabbed Mrs. Hong’s hand, calling her dear.
Mrs. Hong: "..."
Tong Huaqiong’s mouth twitched.
Thick-faced indeed.
The old lady cried on Mrs. Hong’s shoulder, seemingly grieving Manager He’s supposed death on the border.
Mrs. Zhao and Aunt Qin exchanged glances; this group didn’t seem friendly.
With renewed spirit, the two persuaded the silver-haired lady off Mrs. Hong, and the crowd bustled into the house.
He Chao’s relatives from He Family Village lived off farming, scraping a living in the mud, with days that were not prosperous. Thus, seeing He Chao’s large house, they shared knowing looks, their eyes furtively surveying their surroundings upon entering.
This visit was right.
"How should I address you all?" Tong Huaqiong prompted on behalf of Mrs. Hong.
The silver-haired old lady didn’t answer, feeling unsettled, glancing at Tong Huaqiong asked: "Who are you?"
Wasn’t He Chao’s wife an orphan? How could she have sisters?
Tong Huaqiong replied with a half-smile: "I’m Manager He’s employer."
The silver-haired old lady felt relieved; an employer wasn’t an official and couldn’t interfere in the He Family’s affairs.
"I’m the employer’s in-law."
"I’m the employer’s in-law’s neighbor."
Mrs. Zhao and Aunt Qin noticed the silver-haired woman scanning them, internally cursing the old hag as they volunteered their identities.
Aunt Qin saw among the women the cousin of Second Aunt from the Li Family, but since the Zhang Family cousin pretended not to know her, she didn’t bother greeting her.
The silver-haired woman’s gaze swept past the two, returning to Mrs. Hong, her eyes reddening.
Tong Huaqiong thought the performance was slightly overdone.
"Chao’s wife, I’m your Second Aunt, this is your Uncle."
Tong Huaqiong frowned: "Oh, you two do look like a couple, turns out you’re an uncle and aunt duo."
The silver-haired old lady and the cane-leaning old man were both embarrassed.
Observing Mrs. Hong neither offering tea nor seating, the silver-haired woman became irritated but restrained her emotions, pointing to the silver-haired cane-wielding elder beside her. He remained stoic, emanating a cold aura.
"This is your Third Aunt, this is Second Uncle... Third Uncle, Third Aunt... Eldest Cousin, Second Cousin, Fifth Cousin... Eldest Sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law, Fifth Sister-in-law" the silver-haired woman introduced one by one.
Mrs. Hong smiled without greeting them or nodding.
The silver-haired woman paused, then pushed the fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy standing behind her to the front of Mrs. Hong, saying: "This is my third grandson."
"Zhu Zi, come, bow."
Tong Huaqiong and Mrs. Hong exchanged glances, both subtly furrowing their brows.
Why bow?
Only one reason: they wanted this child adopted by He Chao and Mrs. Hong as their heir.
The boy named Zhu Zi knelt beside Mrs. Hong with a thud, bowing thrice with loud thumps.
Since entering, Tong Huaqiong had observed him.
While examining the room just now, greed filled his eyes, as though already coveting Manager He’s and Mrs. Hong’s assets as his own.
He Family Yaozu indeed is like this!
Tong Huaqiong commented blandly: "It’s neither a holiday nor a special occasion, why bow?"
Zhu Zi paused, glanced at Tong Huaqiong bitterly, quickly lowering his head to hide it.
Mrs. Hong furrowed her brows tightly, looked at the silver-haired woman, puzzled, and asked: "Did everyone in Old He’s family die? Where did these uncles and aunts suddenly pop up from?"
At this, the room fell silent.
The He Family didn’t expect that having found He Chao’s home, Mrs. Hong refused to acknowledge this kinship.
Uncle He’s cane thumped on the ground, angrily saying: "He Chao has grown arrogant, hasn’t he? Not recognizing relatives from the old home."
Mrs. Hong hid her sneer.
When He Chao was an orphan, they never treated him as family.
Calling themselves relatives, they were merely distant, at most not exceeding the fifth rank—not proper uncles.
A group of strangers attempting to manipulate her.
Imagining things under broad daylight.
Were they here to acknowledge kinship or seize assets?
Even fools could see through it.
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