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

Chapter 675 Fifty Taels of Silver in Hand
After Su Qing had been busy at the weaving workshop for a while, Tong Huaqiong sent her home to get the account books.

Aunt Li had been waiting outside for a long time, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Su Qing come out.

"Miss Su Qing." Aunt Li greeted her warmly.

Su Qing said coldly, "This is not the place to talk."

While talking, he led Aunt Li to a secluded spot around a bend in the village.

“Miss Su Qing, Mingxiu told you, right? I want to work as an embroiderer in the weaving workshop. You've seen my skills.”

Su Qing interrupted Li's second aunt, saying, "Which embroiderer isn't skilled? This weaving workshop isn't a place you can just walk into."

Aunt Li took out some silver and said with an embarrassed smile, "Miss Su Qing, here is fifty taels of silver. Please do me this favor."

Su Qing did not accept the money, and sighed, saying, "Second Aunt Li, what am I supposed to do? She gave me money yesterday, you gave me money today, and someone else will give me money tomorrow. There hasn't been a moment of peace all month. If I accept your money and let you work in the embroidery workshop, then one of the embroiderers on the list will have to be removed. That's not fair to them."

That being said, her tone softened noticeably.

Aunt Li glanced at Su Qing and thought to herself, "Keep pretending. Your attitude changed the moment you saw her take out the silver. Your eyes never left the silver."

"Good girl, everyone knows that your word carries weight in the weaving workshop. Whatever kind of person you need, whoever you choose, once you've decided, who dares to object? It's just a spot for an embroiderer; you can get it with just a wave of your hand," said Aunt Li with a smile.

Su Qing frowned and said, "There are still two spots that haven't been decided. To be honest, one of the spots is for a distant relative of Song Qiaoniang. I'm not very satisfied with her embroidery, but she's willing to pay sixty taels of silver. You paid fifty taels of silver, but your embroidery is good, which makes things a bit difficult for me."

Aunt Li cursed Su Qing for being greedy in her heart, but gritted her teeth and promised, "Take this fifty taels of silver first. Once I start earning money in the embroidery shop, I won't have to worry about not having enough money to make up for it later."

“Miss Su Qing, my mother is right. Once you get paid by working in the weaving workshop, you won’t have to worry about money to spend in the future. If I can become a manager in the weaving workshop, I’ll give you half of my monthly salary.”

Su Qing wanted to roll her eyes at Li's second brother; how dare he be the manager?

"Second Aunt, you're always joking. Alright, since you're so sincere, I'll accept this money." Su Qing said with a smile, and then took the money away.

Su Qing tucked the silver into her bosom.

"Miss Su Qing."

"Su Qing, I told you to go get the account books from your family. What are you doing here chatting with people?"

Aunt Li's words were interrupted.

Su Qing turned around and saw Tong Huaqiong walking towards her. She left Li's mother and son behind and went to greet her with a smile. Then, when Tong Huaqiong wasn't paying attention, she turned to give Li's second aunt a reassuring look.

The Li family, mother and son, left Qinghewan with one hoping to make a fortune in the weaving workshop and the other hoping to marry a beautiful and wealthy woman.

"Master, Aunt Hong, I've swindled fifty taels of silver." Su Qing counted the silver in front of Tong Huaqiong and Madam Hong.

Fifty taels in total, no more, no less.

This time, the second branch of the Li family has suffered a major financial loss.

Fifty taels of silver could be a farmer's life savings.

Tong Huaqiong felt no sympathy whatsoever for Li's second aunt.

Su Qing gave the silver to Li Mingxiu, who then gave Su Qing three-tenths of it and put the rest in her pocket. She said to Tong Huaqiong, "Boss, I'd like to invite you and Aunt Hong to Fengle Restaurant for a nice meal."

Tong Huaqiong and Madam Hong waved their hands repeatedly.

Tong Huaqiong said, "The money has been received. Next, we will go and establish a female household."

Li Mingxiu nodded and said, "I have a clear conscience about taking this money. They have mistreated and tormented me since I was a child, making me wash clothes, cook, and do farm work for them. I didn't have a moment's rest before I came to the weaving workshop."

Tong Huaqiong said, "So this money is rightfully yours."

Two days later, the weaving workshop announced the number of embroiderers.

As before, the notices were posted on the big trees at the entrances of each village. Li Mingxiu's second aunt arrived at the village entrance early in the morning to check the list. Of course, she was illiterate, so she asked someone in the village who could read to read it for her.

Her name wasn't among the ten people.

"Aunt Li, what's your full name?"

Aunt Li said, "Niu Sanmei."

The literate schoolchild looked for a long time, shook his head, and said, "There is no name like Niu Sanmei, only Tian Ermei."

Aunt Li panicked. It couldn't be! She clearly gave Su Qing fifty taels of silver, and Su Qing clearly gave her a reassuring look. How could her name not be on the list?

She suddenly remembered that Su Qing had taken the money without ever asking her name.

The hiring process at the weaving workshop is well-known throughout the surrounding area. The names of the female workers are always written down, but not names like "so-and-so's mother," "so-and-so's wife," or "so-and-so's clan name." If a name is not provided, it is written according to the birth order.

For example, Li Daya, Wang Erni, and Tian Ermei.

Aunt Li was the third daughter of the Niu family. Everyone in the family called her Third Sister, so she called herself Niu Third Sister.

Since Su Qing didn't even ask her name, it's impossible to put her name on the list of hires.

Aunt Li Er took off running towards Qinghe Bay.

However, they did not find Su Qing, nor did they see Li Mingxiu.

When asked, the people at the weaving workshop couldn't say where they had gone.

The weaving workshop operates on a rotating schedule for holidays. When it was Li Mingxiu's turn to take a holiday, she could go wherever she wanted, and the people at the workshop did not pay attention to where she went.

In her panic, Aunt Li wanted to ask Tong Huaqiong about the situation, but she was afraid that if Tong Huaqiong found out that she had given Su Qing fifty taels of silver, her job would be completely ruined.

He could only wait for Su Qing to return at the village entrance.

Where did Su Qing and Li Mingxiu go?

Naturally, Gu Taohua led him to the county government office, where he took Tong Huaqiong's invitation and went to Magistrate Liu to request the establishment of a female household.

In fact, Tong Huaqiong didn't even need to step forward. Li Mingxiu's tearful account of her tragic situation—that she had lost both her parents at a young age and that her uncles and aunts were trying to sell her to a wealthy family as a concubine—was enough to resonate with Magistrate Liu, who had been bullied by his clan since childhood and had no father.

In half a day, Li Mingxiu's household registration office was set up.

Magistrate Liu sent two constables to the Li family to summon Li Mingxiu's grandmother, uncles, and other relatives. He then called the clan head and other members of the clan together and announced in public that Li Mingxiu had left the Li family and established herself as a female household.

Li Mingxiu's grandmother looked at her granddaughter with tears in her eyes and a pale face. She clearly did not approve of her granddaughter establishing a female household.

Li Mingxiu's uncles jumped up and vehemently opposed her establishing a female household. Gu Taohua waved the official documents in her hand, indicating that the government had already filed the documents. Did they intend to go to the county government for a hearing?

With two armed constables guarding the place, the uncles were too frightened to speak any further.

The bailiff then asked the clan head which houses Li Mingxiu's parents had left behind and where the five mu of land they had left behind were located, so that they could remeasure and register the land under Li Mingxiu's name.

This time, it was Li Mingxiu's eldest cousin who stepped forward.

The three rooms left by Li Mingxiu's parents are now occupied by her eldest cousin's family, and her eldest cousin also cultivates the five mu of land.

“The house and land left by my uncle belong to the Li family. I am the eldest son of the Li family, so it naturally belongs to me. What right does Mingxiu, a mere girl, have to compete with me?” The eldest cousin said, pointing at Li Mingxiu with his finger.

Other clansmen and villagers who were watching nodded in agreement, believing that Li Mingxiu should not have taken her eldest cousin's things.

"Ouch."

The eldest cousin let out a wail and fell to the ground, curling up in a ball. Gu Taohua and Li Mingxiu attacked at the same time, one kicking him in the lower abdomen and the other breaking his fingers.