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

Grandpa Gu and Grandma Gu stood in the crowd, looking very proud.

Gu Dashu is their grandson, and Nie Xiaofeng is their great-grandson; they are very proud to say that.

The two elders stood tall, eagerly awaiting everyone's compliments.

However, the limelight was stolen by the eldest daughter-in-law, Tong Huaqiong, and no one paid attention to them.

Apart from Grandma Gu's battle with Granny Huang making her presence felt, Tong Huaqiong and the other two were like transparent background figures as soon as she arrived.

Grandpa Gu and Grandma Gu were so angry that they gritted their teeth and tried several times to get closer to Tong Huaqiong, but Tong Huaqiong ignored them.

The crowd made a lively noise for a while and then dispersed.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to make a contribution during the Great Heat of the Grain Festival, Tong Huaqiong, the owner, added two extra dishes and gave each of the employees of various shops, including the Weaving Workshop, Jufulai Peach Blossom Dessert Shop, an extra two strings of cash to celebrate.

All the shopkeepers and employees had a sense of excitement, as if the Lunar New Year was just around the corner.

The Nie family celebrated grandly when Nie Xiaofeng became a deputy general.

Nie Mingyuan hosted a banquet and invited many relatives and friends to attend. Gu Baishuang would usually refuse Nie Mingyuan's offer for other matters, but since it was a family banquet to celebrate her son's birthday, she readily agreed.

She wanted everyone to know that her son had made something of himself.

This also made Nie Xiaofeng's two stepsons and the clansmen realize that Nie Xiaofeng had become an unshakeable force, and anyone who wanted to harm them would have to think twice.

Tong Huaqiong and the others naturally went to the Nie family to offer their congratulations.

Nie Mingyuan wanted to take this opportunity to reconcile with Gu Baishuang, but Gu Baishuang's expression was indifferent, clearly indicating that she was unwilling to repair the thin marital bond with Nie Mingyuan.

The Nie family patriarch, having been bribed by his stepson with a large sum of money, subtly hinted to Gu Baishuang in front of everyone that she should hand over her business. He also alluded to Nie Xiaofeng being a deputy general, implying that he would either be stationed on the border or in the capital, with the Emperor's decision to make.

He became the most successful person in the Nie family overnight. In order to balance the relationship between the three sons of the Nie family, the meager resources of the Nie family were left to the two stepsons. Presumably, Nie Xiaofeng would agree with the clan leader's proposal.

Gu Baishuang slammed her chopsticks down and gave the clan leader a good scolding.

"You want me to give up my business? Don't you even know who Nie Mingyuan and those two good-for-nothings rely on to make big money? Me! Even if my son makes a fortune on his own, not a single penny of what belongs to the Nie family will be given to anyone else."

Upon hearing this, the faces of all members of the Nie family, including Nie Mingyuan and his two stepsons, turned pale.

Nie Mingyuan glanced at Gu Baishuang, then at Tong Huaqiong, who was sitting to the side and was clearly there to support her stepdaughter. He secretly regretted that he had underestimated Tong Huaqiong. He thought that no woman could accomplish anything, so he confidently handed over the money to Gu Baishuang and asked Tong Huaqiong to connect the Lu family with maritime business.

The business deal is now done, but the Nie family's economic lifeline is in Gu Baishuang's hands.

He never imagined that one day he would be at the mercy of his partner.

Gu Baishuang showed no respect to the crowd, pointing at the eldest of the stepsons and asking, "Tell me, how much silver did you give the clan chief for him to speak so earnestly on your behalf? Clan chief, you're really confused. Xiaofeng just made smoke rise from the Nie family's ancestral graves, and you're already trying to team up with his brother to put that smoke out? When my son comes back, I'll give him a good talking-to. The clan chief is getting senile; it's time to replace him with a younger person."

Everyone was stunned.

Since marrying into the Nie family, Gu Baishuang has always been known for her gentle and dignified demeanor. This sharp side of her is something many people are seeing for the first time.

Many people speculated that her behavior was instigated by her stepmother.

Who doesn't know Tong Huaqiong's bad reputation?

The clan chief lost face, his lips twitched as if he wanted to curse a few times to vent his anger, but he couldn't utter a single word.

It wouldn't be difficult for a mere deputy general like Nie Xiaofeng to replace a clan leader. Tong Huaqiong looked at Nie Mingyuan and the others with a smile on her lips, wondering how the Nie family would react if they knew that Gu Baishuang was leaving the Nie family to go to Shengjing and start a separate family genealogy with Nie Xiaofeng.

The merits of Gu Dashu and others sparked a heated discussion throughout Yanguan Town.

The discussion was particularly intense in Qinghewan.

Liu Yue'e and Hong Shi became the envy of the villagers.

It is said that the Emperor bestowed honors upon the two women, Liu Yue'e and Hong Shi, who will benefit from their husbands' success and may become noblewomen.

The villagers didn't understand the concept of a noblewoman. They assumed that the way the play portrayed it meant that a meritorious person would have his wife and children granted titles and privileges. Liu Yue'e and Hong Shi benefited from their husbands' fame, which led to their social status rising accordingly.

If that's the case, then they are different in status from other women in the village.

We can look up to Tong Huaqiong.

Liu Yue'e was living in Jufulai, Pingchuan, so she was naturally unaware of the villagers' envy of her.

Hong Shi truly felt it; some older women praised her to her face for choosing a good man and for her good fortune, but Hong Shi just smiled and let it go.

She waited for two years, lived in fear for two years, and now all Hong wants is to reunite with Manager He as soon as possible.

As the villagers discussed it, the conversation veered off course.

From envying Liu Yue'e and Hong Shi, to worrying about them, to feeling jealous and envious.

Some people whispered among themselves that a man who had made a contribution might be blinded by the allure of the capital and abandon his wife who had shared his hardships.

During festivals, plays are always performed like this, and such stories circulate in the vast countryside of Dasheng. Everyone takes it seriously, and everyone can tell a story about a wife who has endured eighteen years of hardship in a cold cave, only to have her husband finally achieve success and think that good days are coming, but is then abandoned by her husband.

This inevitably leads people to speculate about the fate of Liu Yue'e and Hong's husbands after they made meritorious contributions.

"Da Shu is a lively man who knows how to amuse women. Otherwise, how could he have seduced Yue'e so badly that she broke off her relationship with her parents and insisted on marrying him, even when he was just naked? Now that he has made meritorious contributions and his family is wealthy, he might actually divorce his wife and marry someone else when he gets to Shengjing. There are so many beauties in Shengjing. Even if he doesn't want to, what if the emperor grants him a marriage?"

"It's possible. Men with money and power are prone to becoming like Chen Shimei (a notorious figure in Chinese folklore known for abandoning his wife). The reason why the men in Qinghewan don't have multiple wives and concubines is because their families are too poor to support them. If someone becomes rich, do you think they would take concubines? I think it's impossible for him to divorce his wife and remarry during the hottest days of summer, but it's possible for him to take a few beautiful concubines."

Some of Liu Yue'e's close female relatives were genuinely worried about her.

Some of the wives who had conflicts with Liu Yue'e were actually hoping that Gu Dashu would divorce her and marry another woman or take a concubine.

Even the men who participated in the discussion envied Gu Dashu. They were too embarrassed to say it in front of their wives, but if they could achieve merit and receive imperial rewards like Gu Dashu, they would definitely want to take several beautiful concubines.

Upon hearing this, Zhao scolded those who were gossiping.

“You underestimate Da Shu, but don’t underestimate his mother. If he dares to have any ulterior motives, my mother-in-law will be the first to break her legs.”

Regarding the topics being discussed, Zhao initially dismissed them, but gradually grew worried.

Zhao told Tong Huaqiong what the villagers were gossiping about in private. Tong Huaqiong assured Zhao that if Gu Dashu really dared to use tricks, she would be the first to not let Gu Dashu off the hook.

With Tong Huaqiong's assurance, Zhao felt relieved.

After Zhao left, Tong Huaqiong's heart sank.

She was so happy about Gu Dashu's meritorious service that she forgot about Gu Dashu's past life of wealth and success. (End of Chapter)