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

Chapter 410 I Don't Want to Separate the Family
“Logically speaking, she is the daughter-in-law of the Gu family. Now that the eldest son is gone, it should be your second branch that manages the household affairs on his behalf. You should rightfully have a share of the land belonging to the eldest branch.”

The clan chief explained his reasoning in this way.

These words were in line with what Grandpa Gu was thinking.

So Old Master Gu hurriedly had someone summon Gu Dahan.

Gu Dahan was at home working on cotton seeds when he heard the old house calling him over. He thought something had happened.

"Dahan, I heard that you bought those fifty acres of land at the foot of Xishan Mountain?" Old Master Gu asked Gu Dahan.

Fifty acres of land!
Everyone knows that the fifty acres of land at the foot of Xishan Mountain are the most fertile land in the whole village, yet it ended up in the pocket of the eldest son.

When Gu Dahan saw that Old Master Gu was asking him about something, he didn't hide it, nor could he hide it, so he nodded.

Grandpa Gu then asked, "Whose name is that fifty mu of land under now?"

Gu Dahan honestly replied, "It's under my mother's name."

When Grandma Gu heard this, she clapped her hands and scolded, "That vicious woman! I knew she had no good intentions. She puts everything in her own name. I think she just wants a man. Da Han, you've been working yourself to the bone to take care of the land, and she never even mentioned putting it in your name. I thought she had changed her ways, but it's not that easy."

Grandpa Gu was equally dissatisfied. His eldest daughter-in-law was going too far. Whose property wasn't kept in their husband's name? If their husband died, it would definitely be put in their son's name.

The eldest daughter-in-law's actions were considered unorthodox and unconventional.

Grandma Gu scolded Tong Huaqiong, which displeased Gu Dahan. He said coldly, "I didn't even know that my own mother would willingly cuckold her son, not even letting him go after death. Grandma, you shouldn't say such things anymore. People outside will only laugh at you and Grandpa. Also, the fifty acres of land at the foot of West Mountain were bought by my mother. If it's not in her name, whose name should it be in?"

"Listen to this, everyone says you're clumsy with words and honest, but why are you so eager to defend Tong Dajiao, you shameless bastard? Have you forgotten how she treated you before?"

Grandma Gu was so angry that she scolded Gu Dahan, calling him stupid and saying that he was a clay figure who had been suppressed by Tong Huaqiong.
"You called me here just to ask about the land at the foot of West Mountain? If there's nothing else, I'll head back now; I still have work to do."

After all, she was his own grandmother. When Grandma Gu scolded Gu Dahan, Gu Dahan, as her grandson, just listened without arguing back, and then he was about to leave.

Grandpa Gu stopped Gu Dahan and said, "This fifty mu of land was put in your stepmother's name to keep you out of trouble. In the future, this land will inevitably be given to Dashu and Jingzhe. But you're such a blockhead. When others give you a little something, you become so devoted that you don't fight for it anymore."

Gu Dahan thought that Grandpa Gu was overthinking things and said, "Mother said a long time ago that the family property will be divided equally in the future, including Taohua and Man'er. Grandpa, you don't need to worry about it."

"Who are you trying to fool? Anyone can say nice things. She'll eventually hand over the Gu family's assets to her brothers and nephews. You think she'll give you all an equal share? Otherwise, why would Tong's daughter be living in your house after the divorce?" Old Master Gu said.

Gu Dahan said, "My mother has already severed ties with the Tong family. My sister-in-law isn't living in my house for free; she works for us and earns her living with her own hands."

Grandpa Gu was extremely disappointed in Gu Dahan.

This grandson is such a blockhead; he does whatever his stepmother says.

Gu Ruinian despised Gu Dahan, a farmer who only knew how to cultivate the land. If he didn't still have some use to him, he really wouldn't want to bother with him.

Why waste his grandfather's roundabout explanations? He'd rather deliver a decisive blow. So he said, "Brother Dahan, what Grandpa means is that you're the eldest son of the eldest branch, so you should be in charge of the family property. After all, the eldest son bears a heavier responsibility. Auntie is holding onto the land tightly because she doesn't trust you, her eldest son. But you're not her biological son, so I can understand why she's doing this. However, you can't be led by the nose. You have a wife and son, and Sister-in-law Sufeng is about to give you another son. You have to think about your child. Before, when we weren't around, you didn't dare to speak up about your grievances. Now that we're back, we'll always be on your side. Don't worry, whatever you want to fight for, the clan will stand up for you. We will never let Auntie wrong you."

Gu Dahan found it strange; what did his matter have to do with Gu Ruinian?
Since my cousin came back, I haven't had much contact with him, but he keeps running back to our house every few days. One minute he's running to the pigsty, the next he's going to find Gu Jingzhe, always up to no good.

Now they're starting to sow discord between him and his stepmother again.

Gu Dahan frowned and said to Gu Ruinian, "Ruinian, you said the eldest son of the eldest branch should control the family property, so why did Grandpa give the land and silver to Second Uncle and not to my father? Don't say my father is gone, he gave the family property to Second Uncle while my father was still alive. Ruinian, what do you think?"

“Brother Dahan, it’s like this: my father needed money for his business back then, and he promised my grandfather that he would help my uncle when he made money. But my uncle never got to see it,” Gu Ruinian explained hesitantly.

Gu Ruinian did not expect that Gu Dahan would seize on the loophole in his words.

His first thought was that his older cousin had been manipulated into a daze by his aunt, and didn't even know how to fight for the immediate benefits.

He also wanted to use Gu Dahan as a breakthrough to incite infighting within the eldest branch of the family.

Looking back now, this older cousin was indeed the blockhead his grandparents described him to be.

“Ruinian, I don’t blame you for being young and naive. When I was suffering, Grandpa and the clan never stood up for me. Now your aunt is treating me very well, yet you’re encouraging Grandpa and the clan to stand up for me. Do you want me to separate from the family? I don’t want to separate. I’m quite content managing the land and the pig farm. You’ve been away for the past few years and aren’t familiar with our family’s affairs. Don’t make wild guesses based on what others say. I’m doing fine.”

Gu Dahan's words had a hint of educating Gu Ruinian.

Gu Ruinian was quite unconvinced when his older cousin, who was nominally a farmer, lectured him.

He underestimated Gu Dahan.

I thought he was a simple-minded fool who would take the bait at the slightest provocation.

Grandpa Gu came to Gu Ruinian's rescue, saying, "Dahan, how can you talk like that? Ruinian is your brother, you share the same surname. He's doing this for your own good. You can't be ungrateful."

Gu Dahan pursed his lips and remained silent.

Originally, Old Master Gu thought that if the land of the eldest son's family was under Gu Dahan's name, he could ask Gu Dahan to allocate ten acres of land to him.

If the land is registered in the daughter-in-law's name, then things will be complicated.

Grandpa Gu asked again, "Dahan, I heard that your land has been leased to other families in the village."

Gu Dahan said, "Yes. I can't farm all that land by myself, so I kept thirty mu of land and leased the rest to villagers, paying them rent every year."

Grandpa Gu sighed, wiped his eyes, and said, "Dahan, now that your second uncle's family and I are back, you know this whole family needs to eat and drink. In the village, you need land to survive. After much persuasion, Daqiang agreed to give us back three mu of land, but it's not enough for a family of ten or so. Grandpa only asks you one thing: please let me rent a few mu of your land. Since you're renting it out to someone else anyway, why not let me rent it out, and I'll pay you rent at the market price?"

Gu Dahan looked troubled.

Grandpa Gu said, "Of course, I'm not asking you to agree right now. Go home and discuss it with your stepmother. Since you say your stepmother treats you very well now, she will probably give you that kind of face."

Grandpa Gu exerted moral pressure on Gu Dahan.