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

Chapter 648 Step by Step Towards Happiness

"You are about to set off for Shengjing. Will your mother stay with the Lian family or go to Shengjing with you?" Tong Huaqiong asked.

As Aunt Tang's business partner, Tong Huaqiong admires this pure, ancient version of an aunt who is resourceful and refuses to succumb to fate.

The mother and daughter fought against the Lian family together. The daughter went to Shengjing, leaving Aunt Tang in the Lian family. Any mother would probably feel bad in that situation.

“I’ll go first. Once I’ve settled down in Shengjing, I’ll come and pick up my aunt.” Lian Hengruo suddenly smiled. “My mother has been scheming for so long and has devoted all her efforts to raising me, hoping that I will take her away from the Lian family in the future.”

"How could I not do as she wishes?"

Tong Huaqiong nodded: "Your mother's wish is about to come true."

With Prefect Yao backing them up, even the old man probably wouldn't dare to stop them.

Although Aunt Tang is now in charge of the Lian family, she is still a concubine of the Lian family. Both her business and her personal life belong to the Lian family.

Only after arriving in Shengjing and breaking away from the Lian family could Aunt Tang finally achieve true freedom.

As for Lian Hengruo's stepmother, Madam Hua, and her three sons, they wished that Concubine Tang would disappear from the Lian family as soon as possible. They would not only not stop Concubine Tang from going to Shengjing, but would also encourage her to set off as soon as possible.

This fulfilled the wishes of Aunt Tang and Lian Hengruo.

Lian Hengruo looked at Tong Huaqiong with a smile, everything was understood without words.

"Aunt Tong, I don't know when we'll meet again."

After explaining the arrangements for Aunt Tang, Lian Hengruo revealed her reluctance to leave Ningcheng for Shengjing.

Speaking of which, what she's reluctant to part with now are Tong Huaqiong, Gu Taohua, and others.

Tong Huaqiong said with a smile, "I also plan to go to Shengjing this year."

Lian Hengruo said with a look of surprise, "Great! We can get together again in Shengjing."

Tong Huaqiong only stayed in the prefectural city for two days this time.

The wedding date for Gu Jingzhe and Lu Zhaozhao has been set, and preparations are underway at home.

As the granddaughter of a royal merchant and the younger sister of a top scholar, Lu Zhaozhao's marriage to Tong Huaqiong is considered a step down in terms of their family background.

Therefore, Tong Huaqiong wanted to hold a grand wedding for her son to marry Lu Zhaozhao.

There are still two months left, but in this era there are no wedding planning companies, so everything has to be prepared by ourselves. So, after calculating, the time is just enough.

When Lu Zhaozhao learned that Tong Pandi and Master Su would be getting married on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, she sent a set of valuable jewelry to Tong Huaqiong to give to Tong Pandi.

After Tong Huaqiong arrived home, she handed Lu Zhaozhao's gift to Tong Pandi. Tong Pandi opened the box and saw the dazzling display, and tears welled up in her eyes.

In the previous life, when Tong Pandi was tormented to the point of being lifeless by the Wu family, Tong Dajiao took Lu Zhaozhao to her parents' home to show off her daughter-in-law. Lu Zhaozhao sympathized with Tong Pandi's plight and gave her this set of valuable jewelry.

In this life, the same set of jewelry was still given to Tong Pandi.

However, in this life, it was a wedding gift given to her.

Compared to her previous life, Tong Pandi is not the same Tong Pandi she was before.

Lu Zhaozhao is no longer the Lu Zhaozhao she used to be.

"Aunt, please make sure your cousin treats Miss Zhaozhao well," Tong Pandi said, rubbing his head and face.

In his previous life, this set of headdress was taken by Wu Musheng and given to his second wife.

In this lifetime, no one can take anything that belongs to Tong Pandi away from her.

Tong Huaqiong didn't know why Tong Pandi was crying, but she vaguely guessed that it was related to Lu Zhaozhao from her previous life.

Based on Lu Zhaozhao's character, Tong Huaqiong was certain that she had extended a helping hand to Tong Pandi in her previous life.

Lu Zhaozhao is such a wonderful person, whether in her past life or this one, she remains the same.

Thinking of this, Tong Huaqiong's hand, which had been itching to beat Gu Jingzhe, began to stir again.

Time flew by and it was the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, the day Tong Pandi and Master Su got married.

In Qinghewan, any celebration in any family is a matter for the whole village.

In particular, since Master Su was a respected teacher, any adult in the family with children studying under him would start preparing for his marriage several days in advance.

Shopping, sweeping the yard, tidying up the new house, putting up "double happiness" characters, and setting up tables and chairs.
Master Su was once all alone and never owned a house. When he taught in town, he lived in a private school, and when he lived in Qinghewan, he lived in a side room of Tong Huaqiong's house. When he married Tong Pandi, he originally planned to buy a house in town, but since none of the businesses were open during the first month of the lunar year, he gave all his savings to Tong Pandi.

Therefore, Master Su and Tong Pandi were temporarily settled in Tong Huaqiong's old courtyard.

Although the old courtyard is old, it is not dilapidated at all. Since Tong Pandi moved in last year, it has undergone a major renovation. The roof and walls were repaired in the summer, and the house and yard were cleaned inside and out. It looks better than the average house in the village.

Four main rooms, one kitchen, and two storage rooms are enough for a family of four to live in.

Village Chief Liu hired a suona band, and they started playing it the night before.

Boss Qian paid extra to bring the chef and staff of Fenglelou to the village to prepare a banquet.

Although the New Year celebrations ended on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the wedding on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month kept the whole village immersed in the festive atmosphere of the New Year.

Tong Huaqiong plans to have Tong Pandi marry out of her own family.

The women in the village spontaneously and proactively came to Tong Huaqiong's house in advance to help Tong Pandi make preparations.

The wedding quilt was made, clothes were tailored, and facial hair was removed.
Tong Pandi almost cried several times; this was even more grand than her first wedding.

She recalled the time when she married Wu Musheng. When Wu Musheng came to fetch her, Tong Fusheng suddenly raised the price, demanding an extra fifty taels of silver before he would open the door. Wu Musheng, sitting on his horse, cursed the Tong family for selling their daughter and demanded that the engagement be called off.

After much persuasion from various parties, she was finally able to get into the bridal sedan chair. After the wedding ceremony at the Wu family home, Wu Musheng slapped her.

No one understood her feelings or paid attention to her thoughts during that marriage.

She was nothing more than a tool in the eyes of the Wu and Tong families, marked with a price by Tong Fusheng, and taken away by the Wu family for a fee.

"Pan Di, you're the bride, you can't cry."

Zhao took a handkerchief and carefully wiped away the tears on Tong Pandi's face.

As the village's biggest winner, Zhao, who has both parents and children, as well as grandchildren, was invited by Tong Huaqiong to do Tong Pandi's makeup and put on her veil.

“Master Su is a good man. He treats your two daughters like his own and is good to you. Your future is destined to be harmonious and happy,” Zhao said.

Tong Pandi wiped away her tears and smiled.

This is her second marriage, but she will not place her hopes on it.

She now has a daughter and the ability to earn money, which are far more important than marrying a good man.

The flowers were dressed in bright red clothes, looking just like the dragon maidens in the painting.

Duo'er led Hua'er by the hand to the room where Tong Pandi was getting married.

"Mom, you're so beautiful." Duo'er looked up at Tong Pandi.

"Mother is so beautiful." Hua'er was at the age of imitating speech, repeating her sister's words.

Tong Pandi patted his two daughters' heads.

With a smile on her little face, Duo'er said to Tong Pandi, "Mom, Hua'er and I will always stay with you."

Tong Pandi choked up.

Hong picked up Hua'er and said to Tong Pandi, "Today you will get married properly, and I will help you take care of the two children."

The sound of firecrackers could be heard outside; the auspicious time for the wedding had arrived.

Zhao picked up the veil.

Tong Huaqiong has something to say.

She held Tong Pandi's hand and said, "Pandi, walk forward bravely. Don't worry, your aunt will always be behind you, right where you turn around."

Tong Pandi shook hands with Tong Huaqiong and nodded.

She was afraid that if she opened her mouth, she would burst into tears and ruin her makeup.

Zhao happily placed the red veil over Tong Pandi's head.

Chen Sufen and Liu Yue'e helped Tong Pandi out the door.

Tong Pandi, her head covered by a veil, walked steadily, step by step toward her happiness.