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

Chapter 350 Taking People Away
Wu Ren felt more confident.

The village head is right.

The Wu family did indeed have the midwife Ma kill Tong Pandi, but wasn't Tong Pandi perfectly fine?

Even if the midwife tells the truth, her testimony alone won't be effective.

Even the government can't control how their own daughters-in-law give birth to sons.

As long as he insists that his daughter-in-law cannot give birth to a son and wants a divorce, the government will side with the Wu family.

Having figured this out, Wu Ren said, "This is all a slanderous scheme used by the village head to take away the Wu family's daughter-in-law. Lord Jiao, think about it, why would our Wu family kill our daughter-in-law? If she can't have a son, she can have another one. It's not like our Wu family can't afford to raise one. To put it bluntly, if she can't have children, we can find a way for my son to have one through a concubine. Why would our Wu family kill her? Killing her would put us in legal trouble. Our Wu family just wants a son, not to get involved in a murder case."

Jiao, the constable, stroked his beard and said, "My lord, where is the midwife? We need to ask her for her opinion before we can draw any conclusions."

Tong Huaqiong said, "The midwife is in the woodshed. Lord Jiao, take your time with the interrogation. I'll give you a tip: this midwife isn't just trying to harm my niece; she has the blood of countless innocent women on her hands. Whether you can find out the truth depends on your abilities, Lord Jiao."

The midwife didn't have time to carry out the procedure, and Tong Pandi didn't die.

It's difficult to involve Wu Ren and the Qiao family.

However, we should take down as many as we can. Ma, the midwife, deserves to be eliminated.

Tong Huaqiong continued, "My niece is being mistreated by the Wu family and can't live like this anymore. As you just heard, Lord Jiao, it was her idea to get a divorce. As her aunt, I can't watch my niece suffer. She has nowhere to go after the divorce, so I have no choice but to take her with me."

Jiao, the yamen runner, had a big headache.

Let's put the matter of the midwife aside for now; it's clear the Wu family doesn't want to let her go.

Divorce is not something a woman can decide on her own; it requires the consent of her husband's family.

Tong Huaqiong insisted on taking people away, which was against etiquette.

Jiao, the constable, disagreed with Tong Pandi's decision to divorce. He felt that the woman was too young and unaware of the hardships that would follow a divorce.

She's so young, raising two children alone. How will she survive?

She might as well stay in the Wu family and continue to occupy the position of the main wife. If she can have a son, she can; if not, she can take a concubine to have one. With her aunt, the Lady of the Township, supporting her so much, no one can surpass her as the main wife.

Divorce is the worst option; he hasn't encountered anyone divorcing in the entire Pingchuan County.

“My lord, your niece is young and doesn’t understand many things. You must help her to see things clearly. Life is so difficult for a woman after a divorce, and not only that, it will also bring trouble to the girls in the family.”

Jiao, the yamen runner, then lectured Tong Huaqiong with profound principles.

Tong Huaqiong was too lazy to reason with Officer Jiao, so she asked directly, "Officer Jiao, do you know if the law states that women can get a divorce?"

The constable Jiao said, "The law is the law, and reality is reality. This is Pingchuan County."

Tong Huaqiong said, "Since the law states that women can get a divorce, no one can stop my niece from getting a divorce. As for her life after the divorce, you don't need to worry about it."

When Jiao, the bailiff, saw that he couldn't reason with Tong Huaqiong, he said, "Divorce is possible, but not today. You need to go to court and get the official divorce papers for the divorce to be considered successful."

It seems too late to get a divorce today.

Given the Wu family's nature, they would likely obstruct it.

Tong Pandi's body couldn't withstand the strain of childbirth.

Tong Huaqiong can take the person away first, and the formal divorce can be held after Tong Pandi has finished her postpartum confinement.

This is nothing serious.

Tong Huaqiong then directed Su Chengmin to carry Tong Pandi onto the carriage.

The Wu family began to obstruct them.

Seeing that Tong Pandi was determined to get a divorce, Wu Musheng said, "Divorce is out of the question unless you divorce Tong Pandi."

Tong Pandi wanted to leave the Wu family as soon as possible, so she was willing to agree.

Tong Huaqiong pointed at Wu Musheng and scolded, "Try writing a letter of divorce! What did Tong Pandi do that you want to divorce her?" In this era, divorcing a wife was not so easy; it wasn't something a man could just write a letter of divorce whenever he couldn't stand a woman.

To open an ancestral hall, one needs the clan's consent and also needs to obtain a government-stamped divorce decree.

With Tong Huaqiong, the village head, keeping things in check, the Wu family can no longer divorce Tong Pandi.

Tong Huaqiong was thinking of Tong Pandi and her two daughters.

Tong Pandi's dismissal has tarnished the reputation of her two children.

Divorce at least reduces the burden.

Su Chengmin carried Tong Pandi onto the carriage, with Madam Hong and Midwife Cai following behind carrying large and small bags.

Tong Huaqiong personally picked up Duo'er.

Seeing that they could not stop them, the Wu family began to snatch Duo'er.

Jiao, the bailiff, shouted, "What are you doing? This is a village lady personally appointed by our Emperor. Who dares to touch her?"

If Tong Huaqiong gets injured today, he can forget about working; Magistrate Liu will be the first to not let him off the hook.

Although he did not approve of Tong Pandi's divorce, he could not stand seeing the Wu family members going against Tong Huaqiong.

Tong Huaqiong carried the tearful Duo'er onto the carriage.

It was very windy outside, but warm inside the carriage.

Su Chengmin had already guessed that Tong Pandi would be leaving today, and had already used the quilts he had scavenged from the main house to create a comfortable space in the carriage.

He also conveniently put the Qiao family's hand warmer on the carriage.

Hong and Cai, the midwife, wrapped Tong Pandi up tightly.

Perhaps because she was about to escape the Wu family, Tong Pandi felt that the carriage was more comfortable than the room.

Tong Huaqiong lit the lantern and hung it on the carriage. When the carriage curtain was pulled back, a warm light shone from inside.

"Is there no law anymore? Does becoming a village head give you the right to take someone else's daughter-in-law away?"

Wu Ren stomped his feet in anger, wishing he could overturn the carriage.

"Lord Jiao, aren't you going to do anything about this?"

Jiao, the constable, was at his wits' end. He said to Wu Ren, "I'm not saying this to be mean, but you've been too cruel to your daughter-in-law. No matter how bad the Tong family girl is, she was still married to you through proper matchmaking. She's not a maid you bought to mistreat; she's a proper daughter-in-law. No wonder the village head is angry and supports his niece's divorce."

Jiao, the constable, frequently visited Black Dragon Pool and knew that the Wu family treated Tong Pandi very harshly.

"If you really get a divorce, it will be a disgrace to your Wu family. Lady Suifeng is not an unreasonable person. If you sincerely treated your daughter-in-law, she would not have taken her away today. In my opinion, since the Lady is angry now, you should let her vent her anger. During your daughter-in-law's postpartum period, you should send her money. After the postpartum period, you should sincerely apologize and then bring your daughter-in-law back."

"As for the talk about divorcing my wife, it was all said in the heat of the moment. I will never mention it again. Living a good life is the most important thing."

Jiao, the constable, felt that family harmony was the most important thing. Tong Huaqiong was angry right now, but once she calmed down, the Wu family might be able to persuade Tong Pandi to change her mind by being humble and subservient.

Wu Ren bowed to Jiao, the yamen runner.

Wu Mu angrily stuck out his neck.

He would absolutely not agree to a divorce.

Since Tong Pandi did not commit any of the seven grounds for divorce, no one would interfere with demoting his wife to a concubine on the grounds that she had not borne him a son.

Yes, that's what we'll do.

If he doesn't agree, Tong Pandi will have no choice but to obediently return to the Wu family, where he will then be at their mercy.

He will get his revenge on Tong Pandi sooner or later for the humiliation he suffered at the hands of Tong Huaqiong and Tong Pandi, the aunt and niece.