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

Chunwang sobbed as he watched Chunni eat corn. With Tong Huaqiong in front of him, he didn't dare to ask for any, much less try to snatch it from her.

Hong was soft-hearted and took an ear of corn from the plate next to her.

Tong Huaqiong knew she wanted to hand it to Chunwang, so she hurriedly stopped her.

This corn is so bad it's not even fit for feeding dogs, let alone Chunwang.

It's not that Tong Huaqiong is being petty about a child, but rather that "Yaozu," who comes from an extremely patriarchal family like Chunwang's, doesn't need this one bite to eat at all.

Chunwang doesn't need their pity.

After dealing with the children's quarrel, Tong Huaqiong and Madam Hong returned to the courtyard.

With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, Tong Huaqiong decided to work on a few mooncake recipes.

Hong asked Tong Huaqiong, "I was giving Chunwang corn just now, why did you stop me, sister? He was crying so pitifully, he's just a child after all."

Tong Huaqiong thought to herself that Hong's saintly heart had been touched by Chunwang's tears.

But they forgot Chunwang's mischievous nature.

Tong Huaqiong felt no pity for a child like Chunwang.

If he is pitiful, then what about Chunni?
Tong Huaqiong said, "His pitifulness is just an act. Chunni is no more pitiful than him. If he wanted to eat corn, his parents and grandparents would break off an entire acre of corn for him to eat, while Chunni could only watch. Not only that, Chunni never got any of the good food or the nice clothes at home. Compared to Chunni, Chunwang is not pitiful at all."

Hong grew up in a wealthy family, and even though her family valued her brothers more, they never mistreated her.

They are more meticulous about their food, clothing, housing, and transportation than boys.

She was unaware of the deep-rooted preference for sons among ordinary families in the village, which indeed resulted in a severe imbalance of resources for survival.

If there's any food in the house, it can only be given to the boy, while the girl can only watch helplessly.

In more serious families, sisters may be sacrificed to secure the future of their brothers.

Just like the situation in Chunwang and Chunni's family, Chunni sacrificed herself to pave the way for Chunwang.

Hong sighed as she thought of the lock of hair that Chunni had been pulled out.

Tong Huaqiong was right; she did overlook Chunni's situation.

Chunwang not only didn't get to eat corn, but also received treatment that wasn't reserved for a young master, which made him very resentful.

He left Tong Huaqiong's house, wiping away his tears.

Chunni was a little worried that Chunwang would go back and complain.

If my dad and grandma find out, I'll definitely get a beating.

“Chunni, don’t worry about him, don’t be afraid of him,” Man’er said to Chunni.

Chunni shook her head, her eyes filled with tears, and said, "Chunwang will tell my dad and grandma what happened today."

Man'er and Yaozu understood what she was saying.

It means that her father and grandmother would definitely beat her if they knew what happened today.

Liu Yanhong said nonchalantly, "So what if I tell your dad and grandma? It's not your fault."

Man'er said, "You don't understand. Chunwang is the best at tattling. Chunni's father and grandmother don't love Chunni. If he tattles on Chunni, she will get beaten."

Liu Yanhong said to Chunni, "If he tells your dad and grandma, beat him up. Every time he complains, beat him up. Let's see if he dares to complain again next time."

Chunni was startled by these words.

Beating up Chunwang was something she wouldn't even dare to think about.

Chunwang is the only son in the family, a precious gem. You can't even raise your voice at him, let alone beat him.

Chunwang was pampered by his family as he grew up, especially by his grandmother. To this day, Chunwang has never dressed himself or held a bowl by himself. Sometimes, he even needs his grandmother and his grandmother to help him wipe his bottom after he poops.

If she were to beat Chunwang, it would be like tearing the sky apart.

After listening to Liu Yanhong's words, Man'er tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said to Chunni, "Brother Yanhong is right. Chunwang deserves a beating. Chunni, if you beat him up a few times, he'll behave."

“Yaozu used to be like that too, and my grandma beat him up. Now he doesn’t dare to bully me anymore.”

Yaozu: "."

Liu Yanhong frowned: "Did Yaozu bully Man'er before?"

Yaozu dared not speak.

Chunni shook her head: "If I hit Chunwang, my dad and grandma could beat me to death."

Liu Yanhong said, "Can't you find a secluded place and beat Chunwang into submission? Once he's subdued, he won't dare to complain. He's so fat and you're so thin. If you can't beat him, you should use your wits. Tie him up and beat him while he's asleep. If your dad and grandma beat you, then you beat them up too." Chunni's eyes widened.

They beat up both Grandma and Dad together; this is outrageous!

This was something she never even dared to dream of.

"Chunni, is that your grandma?"

Man'er pointed to the village road to the west, where Chunni's grandmother, Granny Luo, was running towards them on her bound feet, holding a fire poker in her hand.

Behind him followed a chubby boy; who else could it be but Chunwang?
"Chunni, run!"

Judging from Granny Luo's posture, she was sure she was going to give Chunni a few whacks, so Man'er told Chunni to run away first.

Chunni was so scared that her knees went weak.

Where else can they run?

"Chunni, you brat! The clothes at home haven't been washed, the vegetable garden hasn't been watered, and the pigs haven't been fed, and you've come here to slack off."

Granny Luo ran and cursed as she arrived at Tong Huaqiong's doorstep like a whirlwind.

Chunni defended herself in a trembling voice: "I washed the clothes early this morning, watered the vegetables, and fed the pigs."

Chunni's attempt to defend herself only fueled Luo Pozi's anger, who snapped, "Working is such a hardship for you! A good-for-nothing like you should have been strangled at birth. It's already a miracle you're alive. What more do you want?"

Seeing Man'er, Yaozu, and the others sitting at the door, with a few cooked ears of corn in the basin.

Grandma Luo felt uncomfortable; her eldest grandson didn't even have corn to eat yet, so Man'er gave the corn to Chunni.

Yaozu also hit Chunwang.

It's all Chunni's fault.

Granny Luo grabbed Chunni and lashed her wrists, thighs, and buttocks with a fire poker, yelling as she did so: "I'll teach you to bully your brother! I'll teach you to let others bully your brother! Your brother is the only heir in our family, even ten of you wouldn't be enough to compensate for him."

Grandma Luo was doing needlework at home when Chunwang came home and embellished the story of the corn incident, crying and telling Grandma Luo a whole tale.

Granny Luo's anger flared instantly.

Her eldest grandson was wronged.

Everything was caused by Man'er giving Chunni corn.

Man'er was wrong, but Chunni was even more wrong.

She shouldn't have colluded with outsiders to bully Chunwang.

She wouldn't dare hit Man'er and Yaozu, but wouldn't she dare hit her own granddaughter?
Granny Luo was ruthless; Chunni cried out as she was whipped.

Chunwang gritted his teeth and clapped his hands, shouting, "Beat her! Beat her to death!"

Man'er and Yaozu stood up, both of them terrified. Was Granny Luo going to beat Chunni to death?

Liu Yanhong felt that Chunni's grandmother was a troublemaker, and as the son of a county magistrate, he felt obligated to stop her.

So he stepped forward and shouted, "How can you hit people like that, you old woman?"

Granny Luo was a rather reclusive person and rarely interacted with the villagers.

She was unaware that Tong Huaqiong had gotten close to Magistrate Liu, and even less aware that Liu Yanhong was the magistrate's son. She assumed Liu Yanhong was some kind of relative of the Gu family.

She didn't care at all if a little brat dared to stop her.

Granny Luo continued to whip Chunni.

Chunni couldn't take the beating anymore, so Man'er quickly came up with a solution: "Chunni, quickly hide next to Brother Yan Hong."

Man'er thought to herself that Liu Yanhong was the son of the county magistrate, and that he could intimidate Granny Luo.

After hearing Man'er's words, Chunni hid behind Liu Yanhong.

Liu Yanhong stepped forward to block Chunni, and Granny Luo saw that Chunni was not obediently being beaten but instead learned to dodge.

My anger flared up even more.

He raised the stick and brought it down hard, the blow landing on Liu Yanhong's back.

Liu Yanhong let out a howl as he was whipped, while Man'er and Yaozu were terrified.

Oh no! The magistrate's son has been beaten; will my grandmother be implicated? (End of Chapter)