The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

Tong Zhaodi fawned over Tong Huaqiong, attending to her every need.

They brought water for washing my face and handed me a towel.

Tong Huaqiong still had mixed feelings about her niece, Tong Dajiao.

Tong Zhaodi's name itself reveals that she was a product of the preference for sons over daughters, destined to sacrifice her entire life for her father and brothers.

In Tong Dajiao's previous life, she had a good relationship with this niece.

The good premise is that both of them wholeheartedly contribute to the Tong family, with the aunt and niece acting as each other's blood donation bags.

While Tong Dajiao sacrificed herself for the Tong family, she at least treated her own family members, especially the few bad apples, quite well.

Tong Zhaodi's support for her brother was so extraordinary that it was astounding. She was beautiful, but at the age of eighteen, she was married off by Tong Fusheng to a wealthy family in the prefectural city as a concubine.

She gave birth to twins as soon as she entered the family, overshadowing the original wife who only had one daughter.

After having a son, she became domineering and arrogant in the inner quarters. After the first wife died of depression, she was promoted to the position of principal wife because of her merit in giving birth to a son.

After becoming the legal wife, she began to find ways to torment her daughter from the first wife's marriage.

Even Tong Dajiao was ashamed of her insidious methods of palace intrigue.

They even went so far as to arrange for their daughter to marry a teacher in his sixties at Wanliu Academy in the prefectural city, just to pave the way for Tong Fusheng, who had spent his entire life taking the imperial examinations but was still a novice, to get into Wanliu Academy.

Fortunately, the daughter knew Lu Zhaozhao and went to Lu Zhaozhao for help. Lu Zhaozhao asked Gu Jingzhe to teach Tong Zhaodi a lesson and then notified the daughter's maternal grandfather to take her away.

This was one of the few good things Gu Jingzhe did in his previous life.

Because of this incident, Tong Zhaodi and Tong Fusheng developed a deep hatred for Lu Zhaozhao.

After Lu Zhaozhao was abandoned by Gu Jingzhe, the two of them took advantage of her misfortune.

Besides tormenting her daughter from her first marriage, she arranged a marriage between her daughter and Tong Zhijie's son, and after the wealthy man's death, she handed over her vast fortune to Tong Zhijie.

The entire Tong family began to enjoy a life of luxury, living off the wealth of their descendants.

The things this family did were so bad that even Gu Jingzhe, a high-ranking and cunning official, looked down on them and advised Tong Dajiao to sever ties with the Tong family.

Tong Dajiao would certainly disagree; severing ties with the Tong family would be like cutting off her own hand.

Not only did Tong Dajiao refuse to sever ties, she also insisted that her son donate an official position to Tong Fusheng. After Gu Jingzhe refused, Tong Dajiao believed that it was all Lu Zhaozhao's influence, so she pretended to have a headache and dizziness and made Lu Zhaozhao stay by her bedside to take care of her in the dead of winter.

"Auntie, what's wrong?"

Tong Zhaodi handed a towel to Tong Huaqiong, but Tong Huaqiong was lost in thought and didn't take it for a long time. Tong Zhaodi couldn't help but call out to her.

"Nothing much." Tong Huaqiong casually picked up the towel.

Tong Zhaodi, as a young woman herself, was a victim of the preference for sons over daughters, and in turn, she severely persecuted other girls.

Tong Huaqiong didn't know whether to sympathize with her or hate her.

There is sympathy, but also a lot of hatred.

She watched coldly, concluding that a girl like Tong Zhaodi was unlikely to awaken to her true potential.

Just like some women I knew in my past life who grew up in families that favored sons over daughters, they were suppressed by their parents and family members, but they wholeheartedly supported their brothers. Even though there were so many opportunities and so civilized ideas in that era, they could not wash away the self-deprecation in their minds and their willingness to be their brothers' blood bags.

They even forced their daughters to repeat their old ways.

"Zhao Di, I don't need you to serve me." When Tong Huaqiong saw Tong Zhao Di pick up the comb, she knew that Zhao Di was going to serve her by combing her hair, and she became resistant.

"Isn't it my duty to serve my aunt?" Tong Zhaodi started to style Tong Huaqiong's hair without thinking twice.

At this moment, Gu Taohua got up and came to Tong Huaqiong's room early in the morning, complaining, "Mother, I was so hot last night, why is this darn weather so hot?"

It's the height of summer, and it hasn't rained for many days, making the heat in the air even more intense.

Gu Taohua was already chubby, so she felt hotter than most people when she slept at night.

Hearing Gu Taohua's complaints, Gu Dashu said, "I'll bring you a basin of ice from the shop tonight. I'll put it in your room with the window open, and the cool air will keep you from getting hot." Gu Taohua said, "The hot weather is long, wouldn't it cost a lot of money to use ice every day?"

Gu Dashu said, "If we don't spend the money our shop makes on you, who will? At worst, I'll save the money I would have spent on new clothes and wine this year to buy you ice."

Gu Taohua said without any politeness, "Then it's settled."

Gu Taohua was a pampered guest in the family. When Tong Dajiao was in charge, the family spoiled her.

Now, Tong Huaqiong favors Gu Taohua, and Gu Dashu and others dote on their only younger sister.

Hearing the conversation between the brother and sister, Tong Zhaodi concealed the jealousy and disdain in her eyes.

Gu Taohua is so lucky; even her brother dotes on her.

Unlike her, who would prioritize sharing the best things with her brothers at home.

What kind of family uses ice in the summer?
Even after my eldest sister married into the village chief's family, they didn't need ice.

The Gu family doted on Gu Taohua so much that they even brought out ice for her when she complained of the heat.

However, despite her jealousy, she also looked down on Gu Taohua.

In Tong Zhaodi's mind, Gu Taohua was not a good girl. She didn't know how to get up early to cook and clean the yard, and she was so fat every day. She didn't hesitate to use her brother's money to buy ice cream.

Who would want a girl like that in the future?

Tong Zhaodi was different. She was skilled in cooking and farm work, never cared about her appearance, and always gave the best things in the house to her younger brother and offered the best food to her father.

A girl like her is a good girl; that's why matchmakers would wear down her doorstep.

Gu Taohua is fourteen years old, and I heard that not a single matchmaker has come to her door. She has been looking for a partner since she was twelve.

Tong Zhaodi thought to herself, "Gu Taohua, you're being pampered so much at your parents' home. Let's see how you'll establish yourself when you get to your husband's family."

Tong Zhaodi's thoughts were reflected in her eyes and on her face; she forgot that there was a mirror in front of her.

Her gaze and expression naturally fell into Tong Huaqiong's eyes.

Tong Huaqiong sneered; she knew what Tong Zhaodi was thinking.

They just felt that Gu Taohua didn't deserve to be pampered by the whole family.

She herself felt unworthy, so she attacked all the girls who did feel worthy.

In her previous life, Tong Zhaodi, Tong Dajiao, relentlessly attacked Lu Zhaozhao when she was down, simply because Lu Zhaozhao had acquired the Lu family's assets. Jealousy twisted her into a twisted person.

"Zhao Di, are you envious of Tao Hua's life?" Tong Huaqiong suddenly asked.

Tong Zhaodi quickly suppressed the jealousy in her eyes and said meekly, "Tao Hua has a good life."

Tong Huaqiong shook her head and said, "It's not that she's lucky, it's just how things are supposed to be. She's not even as well off as Zhijie. At least I didn't have to make Gu Dashu and Gu Jingzhe save everything for Taohua. Why don't you say Zhijie is lucky?"

Tong Zhaodi said, puzzled, "Of course it's different. Zhijie is a son, the continuation of the family line."

Tong Huaqiong patiently said, "I used to believe that daughters were not as good as sons, which is why I went to great lengths to be good to your father. Your father was supported by the whole family since he was a child and never learned anything. Not only that, he was also spoiled so much that he couldn't lift a finger and could only live by relying on his sister, wife, and daughter. He's a good-for-nothing."

“I’ve seen through it all now. Daughters are no less capable than sons. Zhao Di, I’m telling you this now because I don’t want you to follow the same path I did.”

Whether or not Tong Zhaodi listens is up to her.

Tong Huaqiong didn't have such a deep-seated saintly heart that she insisted on bringing Tong Zhaodi back.

Only she herself can realize this.

Tong Zhaodi had an incredulous expression on her face.

Aunt's words are extremely disrespectful.

How can a daughter compare to a son? A daughter can't carry on the family line. (End of Chapter)