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

Man'er turned and ran home, shouting, "Grandma, Brother Yan Hong was beaten by Granny Luo!"

Tong Huaqiong rushed out of the house and heard a cacophony of wailing and howling coming from outside.

Upon arriving at the door, they saw Liu Yanhong leaning on Yaozu, crying; Granny Luo was hitting Chunni; and Chunwang was jumping up and down, cheering.
Tong Huaqiong felt her blood rush to her head.

Even if Liu Yanhong were the son of a county magistrate, no ordinary child would be allowed to hit him with that kind of fire poker in Granny Luo's hand.

Tong Huaqiong stepped forward and snatched the stick from Granny Luo.

Granny Luo retorted angrily, "What does it have to do with you, Widow Tong, what I do with disciplining my granddaughter?"

Tong Huaqiong angrily retorted, "What's wrong with you, Granny Luo? I can't control how you discipline your children at home, but I have to intervene when you beat someone up like a wailing ghost at my doorstep."

Then he pointed at Liu Yanhong and said, "Do you know who you hit?"

Granny Luo said, "No matter who it is, anyone who bullies my Chunwang deserves to be beaten."

Tong Huaqiong didn't waste any more words with Granny Luo and said, "This is the young master of Magistrate Liu's family. If you beat him up, will his father be happy about it?"

When Granny Luo heard that it was the son of Magistrate Liu, she didn't believe it at all.

Why would the magistrate's son be at Widow Tong's house, covered in mud like a monkey? He doesn't look like a magistrate's son at all.

Ignoring Granny Luo, Tong Huaqiong threw down the fire poker and went to Liu Yanhong's side, asking, "Where did you hit me?"

Yaozu said, "He hit his back."

Tong Huaqiong lifted Liu Yanhong's clothes. Fortunately, it was autumn and still chilly. Tong Huaqiong was worried that the mountain wind in the countryside would make Liu Yanhong cold, so she made him wear something thicker.

So when Granny Luo hit him with that stick, Liu Yanhong's back became red and swollen, but it didn't look that serious.

Tong Huaqiong planned to apply gentian violet to his wound after they got home.

However, if Magistrate Liu's mother finds out about Liu Yanhong's injury, no one will likely escape unscathed.

Tong Huaqiong was furious and said to Granny Luo, who was cursing Chunni, "Go and find out if he is the son of Magistrate Liu."

When village chief Liu Tielian heard that Magistrate Liu's son had been beaten by Granny Luo, he ran over wearing only one shoe.

He scolded Granny Luo, saying, "How could you be so foolish? You're supposed to be disciplining your own granddaughter, yet you've even beaten the magistrate's son."

Liu Tielian stomped his feet as he looked at Liu Yanhong's back.

It really was the county magistrate's son. Granny Luo was stunned. After realizing what had happened, she became even more furious with Chunni.

If Chunni hadn't taken Man'er's corn for herself, how could Chunwang have been bullied? And if Chunwang hadn't been bullied, why would she have come to vent her anger for him, thus accidentally injuring the magistrate's son?

Granny Luo forced herself to walk over to Tong Huaqiong and Liu Yanhong and said with a forced smile, "I'm sorry, I didn't know he was the magistrate's son. When I was disciplining my Chunni, this young master sided with Chunni. I thought he was just some ignorant brat."

Tong Huaqiong retorted without any politeness, "Even if he's not the magistrate's son, does that give you the right to use such ruthless methods?"

Granny Luo gritted her teeth and said, "Fine, fine, I accept the punishment. If you need to call a doctor, I'll pay for it."

Tong Huaqiong really wanted to extort a few taels of silver from Granny Luo.

Chunni stood timidly to the side when she saw Liu Yanhong being beaten for trying to stop her grandmother.

Granny Luo grabbed Chunni and slapped her, shoving her toward Liu Yanhong and yelling, "You good-for-nothing, it's all your fault! Come over here and apologize to the young master!"

When Tong Huaqiong saw that Chunni was covered in bruises, she grabbed Chunni and angrily confronted Granny Luo, saying, "It's all your grandson Chunwang's fault! Why did you hit Chunni? If I hadn't seen you hitting Chunni, I wouldn't have cared, but now that you're hitting Chunni in front of my house, I have to intervene."

Liu Tielian, standing to the side, angrily scolded, "Old woman Luo, what are you doing? Chunni is just a delicate little girl, how can she withstand your beatings and scoldings? I'm not trying to criticize you, but you always beat and scold Chunni, and you won't listen to my advice. You're getting more and more arrogant, going to other people's doorsteps to beat their children. How old is Chunni? You're beating her so hard with a fire poker. What if she dies?"

Granny Luo snorted, clearly unconvinced.

"If a little girl is beaten to death, so be it. What's there to feel sorry for?" Tong Huaqiong knew what Granny Luo was thinking just by looking at her expression.

Luo Pozi was not as wicked as Yan Pozi and Huang Pozi in the village, nor as troublesome as Tong Dajiao in the past.

She was a typical old lady from the countryside, with a moderate relationship with her neighbors, never causing trouble or making a fuss, and only regarding her husband, son, and grandson as her heaven.

He viewed all the women in his family, including himself, as a financial burden.

This old woman felt no remorse whatsoever for almost beating her granddaughter to death.

She just felt that outsiders were meddling in her affairs.

Moreover, you can't lecture her about gender equality; she feels inferior even to herself, so how could she possibly think her granddaughter is as important as her grandson?

She would only think that a grandmother like Tong Huaqiong, who treats her granddaughter Man'er like a treasure, must be out of her mind.

Such an old lady cannot be persuaded to change unless she is possessed by another Tong Huaqiong from the modern era.

Or Chunni might awaken on her own and rebel.

"How did it get like this?"

Hong appeared beside Chunni at some point, took Chunni's hand, and looked at the purplish-red marks on Chunni's wrist where she had been hit with a stick, her face full of heartache.

Only then did she realize the meaning behind Tong Huaqiong's saying "Chunni is the one who is pitiful".

Such a young girl shouldn't be being held and cherished in someone's arms; instead, she's been beaten like this.

Hong knew that girls were not valued in the countryside, but she imagined that this disrespect meant that girls had to do housework and farm work from a young age. She never imagined that not only would they have to do farm work and housework, but they would also be beaten to the point of near death.

This completely overturned her expectations!

Seeing Chunni's numb face filled with tears, and then seeing Chunwang smiling at Chunni with a crooked mouth and raised eyebrows, Hongshi felt a sharp pain in her stomach.

“Let’s go back,” Tong Huaqiong said, pulling Liu Yanhong along.

Granny Luo dawdled as she came up to apologize to Liu Yanhong, but was glared at by Tong Huaqiong and sent back.

Tong Huaqiong took Liu Yanhong home to apply medicine, and Hong Shi brought Chunni along as well.

Granny Luo stopped Madam Hong, saying, "I'll take my granddaughter home and discipline her."

Mrs. Hong got angry and said, "How are you disciplining him? Are you going to hit him with a stick again?"

After saying that, he pulled Chunni into the yard and closed the door.

Tong Huaqiong went inside and brought out gentian violet, anti-inflammatory medicine, and cotton swabs.

"Yan Hong, does it hurt?" Tong Huaqiong comforted Liu Yan Hong while applying gentian violet. "It'll be alright soon, it'll be alright soon."

Liu Yanhong winced in pain, but said, "Grandma, don't worry, I won't tell my dad or grandma about being beaten today. Otherwise, my grandma won't let me come to Qinghewan anymore. I like your home, and I like your pastries."

Tong Huaqiong was both amused and exasperated, and took the opportunity to lecture him: "Starting tomorrow, practice writing one hundred characters a day, or I'll send you home."

Liu Yanhong obediently nodded in agreement.

Tong Huaqiong was worried; when exactly would Magistrate Liu come to pick up his son?

She has no responsibility or obligation to continue supporting the person.

I got hit on the back today; what if I fall into the water or trip on a mountain tomorrow?
"Pah, pah, pah!" Tong Huaqiong cursed inwardly. She desperately hoped nothing would happen to the magistrate's son in her house. (End of Chapter)