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

Chapter 633 Gu Dashu Disappears at the Border

While Wu Na was causing chaos at the old house, Tong Huaqiong's business was booming.

The weaving workshop's cloth shops were located in all the major clothing stores in Ningcheng.

Merchants have a keen sense of smell. When out-of-town merchants came to Ningcheng to purchase goods, they immediately sensed a business opportunity upon seeing the cotton cloth from the Tong family's weaving workshop and flocked to Qinghewan to request cooperation.

When someone comes knocking with money, Tong Huaqiong is naturally happy to cooperate.

Especially in winter, cotton fabrics are well received in the market and sell well, resulting in a flood of orders for weaving workshops.

Orders mean money, and Tong Huaqiong wasn't a stingy boss; she was willing to pay the weaving workshop's female workers a considerable wage.

Motivated by the monthly salary, the cotton ginning machines and spinning wheels in the weaving workshop sparked as bolts of cotton cloth flowed from the Tong family's weaving workshop into the market.

Tong Huaqiong also had to spare some people to make cotton-padded clothes for the border area; in short, she was extremely busy.

In addition to the weaving workshop, Jufulai opened another branch in Ningcheng, and its peach blossom dessert business is also developing steadily.

Tong Huaqiong felt everything was fine, the only thing that worried her was her adopted son, Gu Dashu.

For nearly half a year, Gu Dashu and He Chao did not send another letter.

Nobody knows what's really going on with people at the border.

The caravan sent by Grandpa Lu from the border did not bring any news of Gu Dashu.

Liu Yue'e and Hong were extremely worried. Tong Huaqiong asked Prefect Yao to inquire about the matter, and Prefect Yao only said that he would send someone to Qinghe Bay if he had any news.

The war between Dasheng and Mobei has been going on for a year and is still not over.

At first, the northern desert region had the upper hand, but later the Great Sheng Dynasty gained the upper hand.

News from the border would occasionally reach Ningcheng, and then spread like the wind to every nook and cranny of the countryside.

Some say the mighty general was injured, some say twin young generals appeared on the battlefield, and some say that a spy from the Great Sheng Dynasty infiltrated the merchant caravan, was discovered by the Northern Desert, tied up along with the caravan, and killed by an explosion while trying to knock on the city gate.
There are all sorts of opinions. The war has been going on for a year, and it's not as popular as it was at the beginning.

Let's just discuss it like everyday family matters.

Tong Huaqiong didn't pay attention to the other news, but she did notice the last piece of news.

There was nothing they could do. Gu Dashu and He Chao were leading a caravan on the border. In the summer, they even said their business had reached the northern desert. If they were blown up, she could bear it, but Liu Yue'e and Hong Shi couldn't.

Rumors began to circulate in the village that Gu Dashu had died at the border.

Before Tong Huaqiong could even refute the rumors, Gu Dashu's mother, Zhao, took action. She confronted and attacked anyone who dared to say that her son-in-law was dead.

The villagers who loved gossip were silenced by Zhao and dared not spread rumors about Gu Dashu's death anymore.

While washing clothes by the river, Jia heard everyone's discussion and felt a surge of pleasure. When she got home, she mentioned it to Gu Ruinian and cursed, "No one can have a smooth life forever. I'll see how long they can be so smug. I hope the second son of the eldest son's family is nowhere to be found, not even his bones."

Jia and Wu Na, this mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, were arguing every three days and having minor arguments every two days. She was being driven crazy by her stubborn daughter-in-law and had nowhere to vent her frustration. She just hoped that Tong Huaqiong's misfortune would bring her some comfort.

Upon learning that Gu Dashu had disappeared at the border, they were overjoyed and couldn't help but curse him.

"Second son's wife, are you cursing my grandson?"

This time, Old Madam Gu did not stand with Madam Jia.

No matter how good the second son's wife is, she can't be as important as her grandson in her heart.

Grandma Gu no longer liked or cared for Gu Dashu, and she didn't want to experience the pain of a black-haired person burying an white-haired person again, nor did she want her grandson to die.

"You heartless, rotten seed, you have no good intentions. Even if you die, my grandson won't die." Old Mrs. Gu scolded Jia.

Jia: "."

She used to join her in criticizing the eldest son's unfilial and heartless mother-in-law, so why did they break up?

"How could it be my curse? You don't know, do you? There are rumors outside that you, Gu Dashu, have disappeared at the border, and some even say you're dead." Jia Shi suppressed her anger and told the rumors outside to Old Madam Gu and Old Master Gu.

Grandma Gu and Grandpa Gu were shocked by the news that Gu Dashu had disappeared at the border. The two elders decided to go to Tong Huaqiong to ask about the situation.

From the beginning of the twelfth lunar month, merchants in Ningcheng who were on good terms with Tong Huaqiong began exchanging New Year's gifts. Besides being busy with business, Tong Huaqiong directed her maids and servants to prepare return gifts.

She had just finished arranging for someone to deliver holiday gifts to Magistrate Liu's mother and was sitting inside drinking tea when Old Master Gu and Old Madam Gu stepped into the courtyard.

Chen Su-fen invited the two into the main room.

The charcoal fire inside the house was burning very brightly.

The warmth of the incense that came with the extinguishing made the two elderly people feel indescribably comfortable, but at the same time, they felt uncomfortable. Why could the eldest daughter-in-law enjoy this, but they couldn't?

Tong Huaqiong provided them with charcoal, cotton-padded clothes, and food according to the standards for old-age care agreed upon by the clan, but this could only ensure that they would not starve or freeze to death; it was impossible for them to enjoy life properly.

Ever since Wu Na took away the charcoal fire, the main room of the old house has been as cold as an ice cave.

Seeing Tong Huaqiong dressed up and sitting on the chaise longue without getting up to pay her respects, the two elderly people felt uneasy.

The two sat opposite Tong Huaqiong. Grandpa Gu tugged at Grandma Gu, worried that she might offend her eldest daughter-in-law again. He also wanted to take the opportunity of showing concern for Gu Dashu to repair the relationship with the eldest son's family.

"I heard from outsiders that Da Shu went missing on the border, so I came here to inquire about the situation," said Grandpa Gu.

Grandma Gu began to wipe away her tears.

Anyone who didn't know better would think she was worried about Gu Dashu.

It's impossible not to worry. Old Mrs. Gu's tears were mostly out of grievance, because Tong Huaqiong disregarded their feelings and made them suffer in the old house.

"You actually believe all that nonsense from outside?" Tong Huaqiong said bluntly. "Isn't it normal for Da Shu to go to the border to do business for more than a year and not come back? My second brother also stayed in the south for many years without coming back. Instead of slapping whoever spread this rumor, you all joined in the cursing."

Tong Huaqiong has nothing to say about her parents-in-law.

She was already anxious because there was no news from the border caravans, and then Old Mrs. Gu and Old Mr. Gu came to make things difficult for her.

And were Grandma Gu and Grandpa Gu just feeling sorry for their grandson?

They're just here to make their presence known, aren't they?

Sure enough, Old Mrs. Gu spoke with resentment.

"How could you be so heartless as a mother? You knew there was a war on the border, yet you still sent him there. I think you had no good intentions and deliberately sent him to his death." Old Mrs. Gu's mouth was never kind.

Tong Huaqiong laughed in anger upon hearing this, saying, "Putting aside the fact that everything is fine during the Great Heat, you keep talking about death. What, did you live this long by cursing your descendants? And what's with the 'good intentions' thing? It's ridiculous. I think you have something to hide, that's why you think everyone is like you. How did your eldest son die? Wasn't it because you, as his mother, favored the second son from a young age, making the eldest work himself to the bone to support the whole family, and in the end, he was worked to death? You're number one in terms of 'good intentions,' nobody else is second."

Isn't it just moral pressure?

Who can't do that?

Her son isn't dead yet; the grass on Old Lady Gu's eldest son's grave is already very tall.

"you"

Grandma Gu was quite agitated.