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

Granny Luo and Tian Fugui found Cao Shi more agreeable than ever before. The fact that Cao Shi was able to get a job from Tong Huaqiong showed that she had some influence with Tong Huaqiong.

If she asks, Tong Huaqiong might ask for less.

Tong Huaqiong sneered at Cao Shi and said, "You make it sound so easy. Do I have to pay extra to clean up your son's mess?"

Luo Pozi and Tian Fugui were disheartened.

Tong Huaqiong looked troubled and said, "I know about your family's situation, but I can't waste money on you. What will you do if you can't pay it back? How about this?"

Seeing that Tong Huaqiong was only halfway through her sentence, Tian Fugui hurriedly said, "Please tell me, please tell me! I'll agree to anything I can do."

Tong Huaqiong said, "I'm just afraid you won't agree."

Grandma Luo grabbed Tong Huaqiong as if she had seen a savior and said, "Great Heat Mother, hurry up and tell me. As long as Chunwang can be saved, I will agree to anything, even if it means my old bones."

Tong Huaqiong laughed, saying as if joking, "Your bones aren't worth much. But your daughter-in-law and granddaughter are!"

Granny Luo thought to herself, how could two worthless things be valuable?

Cao raised her head and stared intently at Tong Huaqiong.

Chunni, standing in the shadows by the door, felt her heart pounding like a drum.

Tong Huaqiong said, "Chunwang's mother is capable, more capable than most men. I heard that Chunni is going to be paid thirty taels of silver to be a child bride in Heilongtan. That's why I said they are valuable. Since they are valuable, they can be given to me as payment and come to my house to work. When will you give me seventy taels of silver? No, it's eighty taels. Sister Luo, you still owe me ten taels."

“They worked at my house. They will be released once their wages have been deducted from their eighty taels of silver.”

After Tong Huaqiong finished speaking, she looked at Granny Luo and Tian Fugui with a forced smile.

If they don't agree, then Chunwang's theft of the jade pendant will not be covered up.

Whether they protect Chunwang or give Cao Shi and Chunni to her, anyone with a brain would make a choice that would satisfy Tong Huaqiong.

“Fine, Chunwang’s mother and Chunni will come to your house to work.” Tian Fugui abandoned his wife and daughter without hesitation.

Grandma Luo nodded; she thought Tong Huaqiong's idea was good.

As long as the grandson can be saved, sacrificing the daughter-in-law and granddaughter is nothing.

It's a pity that the two of them can't bring home the money they earned from Tong Huaqiong, and Chunwang won't be able to eat meat every day anymore.

"Alright, Peach Blossom, take out the contract."

Tong Huaqiong glanced at Gu Taohua, who then pulled out two pieces of paper from her bosom.

No one in the Tian family was literate, and neither Granny Luo nor Tian Fugui knew what was written on it.

Gu Taohua read the contents aloud: the Tian family owed Tong Huaqiong eighty taels of silver and was willing to have Cao Shi and Chunni work to pay off the debt.

Granny Luo smiled bitterly to herself, fearing that Widow Tong had come prepared, taking advantage of Chunwang's theft of the jade pendant to get her daughter-in-law and Chunni to do chores for free.

What a heartless person!

Tong Huaqiong didn't care at all what Granny Luo thought. Anyway, Chunwang really stole the jade pendant, and it didn't matter who broke it.

Gu Taohua took out an ink seal and asked Cao to put her handprint on it.

Grandma Luo muttered, "They can't read, should we ask the village chief to be a witness?" Tong Huaqiong glared at her and said, "Do you want word to get out that your grandson is a thief?"

Granny Luo was so frightened that she dared not utter another sound.

Tian Fugui, as the head of the family, pressed his fingerprint, and then Cao Shi pressed her fingerprint as well.

Isn't it only natural to pay off one's son's debts?

"Chunni, what are you standing there for? Come over here and put your handprint on the document!" Tian Fugui spotted Chunni at the door and started cursing.

Chunni walked in, pressed her handprint without hesitation, her heart pounding wildly.

"It's all your fault! Why didn't you try to stop your brother from arguing with the magistrate's son?" Tian Fugui was about to hit Chunni.

Gu Taohua reached out and pushed Tian Fugui away.

"Look carefully, from now on, Sister-in-law Cao and Chunni will be my family's hired workers. Only my family members can hit them. None of you can hit them. If you hurt them and they can't work, then Chunwang will have to pay off the debt," Gu Taohua said fiercely, hands on her hips. Tian Fugui looked embarrassed and withdrew his hand from the blow.

“Taohua is right, your wife and daughter are now part of my family. Hitting them is like slapping me in the face. Don’t let my kind and easy-going nature fool you; I’ll fight back if I get slapped in the face,” Tong Huaqiong said.

Granny Luo's lips twitched. What misunderstanding did Tong Dajiao have about her? She was so kind and easy to talk to.

They were ruthless and silently ensnared the two able-bodied members of the Tian family.

Cao was at a loss until she pressed her handprint. She had now become a servant of the Gu family.
Tong Huaqiong seemed to see through Cao's thoughts and said to Cao, "The ones who sold you to me were none other than your mother-in-law and your husband."

Cao had nothing to say.

She could only comfort herself by thinking that Tong Huaqiong wouldn't mistreat the people who did the housework.

As long as she puts in the effort, she won't have to worry about not earning eighty taels.

"Chunni, you and your mother are now mine. No one in the Tian family can beat or scold you at will, do you understand?" Tong Huaqiong said to Chunni.

Chunni nodded.

She remembered!

"Come to my house first thing tomorrow morning to pick corn to feed the pigs." Tong Huaqiong waved the contract in her hand and led Gu Taohua out of the yard.

Not long after leaving the Tian family, Chunni caught up with Tong Huaqiong.

"Grandma Tong, Aunt Peach Blossom, I know you came to my house to save me." Chunni knelt down in front of Tong Huaqiong with a thud, the moonlight shining through her tears.

Tong Huaqiong helped her up and said, "The reason I helped you is because you were willing to save yourself. You are so smart at such a young age. I like smart people, and I also like people who fight for themselves."

“If they bully you in the future, fight back, understand? Just like today,” Tong Huaqiong said.

Chunni nodded and said firmly, "I understand, I will."

Tong Huaqiong took out twenty taels of silver and said to Chunni, "I'll save these twenty taels of silver that I squeezed out of your father and grandmother for you."

Chunni stared blankly at the silver in the moonlight, then suddenly kowtowed to Tong Huaqiong.

Tong Huaqiong left under the moonlight.

“Mother, you have to admit Chunni is quite clever, and also ruthless,” Gu Taohua said.

“We were all forced into it by our families,” Tong Huaqiong said.

Today's events made Tong Huaqiong look at Chunni in a new light, and also made her determined to pull Chunni out of the mire.

That jade pendant was part of a scheme set up by Tong Huaqiong with Chunni's help.

Chunwang stole the cheap jade pendant from Liu Yanhong's waist, and Liu Yanhong didn't notice until he got home.

It was Chunni who revealed what Tong Huaqiong and Chunwang had done.

Tong Huaqiong then told Chunni to smash the jade pendant in two, and Chunni did so without hesitation.

This is how the story of the jade pendant breaking and needing silver to repair it came about.

If it weren't for Chunni's self-rescue spirit and decisiveness, Tong Huaqiong wouldn't have been able to so easily control Tian Fugui and Granny Luo.

Now, Tong Huaqiong not only allows Cao Shi and Chunni to work for her, but also ensures that they are not bullied at home.

It can be said to kill two birds with one stone.

As for the contract, it wasn't signed by a servant, but by a hired worker.

Because Granny Luo and Tian Fugui were illiterate, they mistakenly believed that Cao Shi and Chunni had been "sold" to Tong Huaqiong.

As for what will happen to Cao and Chunni in the future, Tong Huaqiong can't think that far ahead.

Cao still harbors illusions about the Tian family and has an unbreakable bond with Chunwang. If Cao dares to dig a pit for the Gu family and harm Chunni for the sake of the Tian family, Tong Huaqiong will abandon her without hesitation.

As for Chunni, Tong Huaqiong believed she had no feelings left for the Tian family. (End of Chapter)