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

Chapter 712 The Days of Torment

After Tong Huaqiong, Gu Xiaoxue, Qin Da Niang, Liu Qiaoyun and others returned to Qinghe Bay, they ran into Gu Dahan and Gu Fengnian being summoned to the Gu family's old house by Old Master Gu.

"Why did you go to the old house?" Tong Huaqiong asked.

"They said Auntie is back and they want us to go there," Gu Dahan said.

“Aunt, what kind of situation is this? It’s fine if my aunt comes, but why make us two nephews go? I don’t even want to talk to my uncle.” Gu Fengnian complained, “It really delays our work. Grandpa sent Brother Dahu to urge us three times. If we don’t go, he will keep pestering us and we can’t get any work done.”

Gu Dahan and Gu Fengnian really didn't want to go. Their aunt was back, so why should they have to go and keep her company? They really didn't want to drink with their uncle-in-law; that scholar's words were more sour than pickled cabbage that had been fermented for over ten years.

No wonder he failed the imperial examination three times.

Tong Huaqiong said, "Go ahead, I'll go take a look too."

Tong Huaqiong's situation was not as simple as Gu Dahan and Gu Fengnian's assumption that Gu Honglian was returning to her parents' home.

Given the extent of the trouble caused by the three powerful members of the Fan family, Gu Honglian has probably suffered a great loss this time and has come back to her parents' home for help. Old Mrs. Gu and Old Mr. Gu are looking for Gu Dahan and Gu Fengnian to call for reinforcements.

However, if things really turn out the way she thinks, Gu Dahan and Gu Fengnian probably won't be able to come to her rescue.

Tong Huaqiong went along to see what was going on.

Because of the matter of forming a border caravan, Gu Baishuang happened to be in Qinghe Bay at this time. When she saw Tong Huaqiong go to the old house, she also dragged Wei Shi along.

Tong Huaqiong had originally come with the intention of watching the drama unfold, but when she arrived at Old Madam Gu's room, she was shocked by Gu Honglian's condition.

Gu Honglian had only been married for a little over a month, but she had already lost a lot of weight.

The dark-skinned and thin Gu Honglian sat next to the old lady Gu. Tong Huaqiong did not recognize her at first. When she did, she thought Gu Honglian had just returned from doing manual labor in the coal mine.

Grandma Gu hugged Gu Honglian and sobbed uncontrollably.

When Jia saw Tong Huaqiong arrive, she put away her gloating expression, while Wu Na ate melon seeds, seemingly enjoying the show.

Gu Honglian's eyes were red and swollen from crying. When she saw someone come in, she turned her head to face Tong Huaqiong and the others, looking blank and without any expression.

Upon closer inspection, Tong Huaqiong noticed that Gu Honglian's cheeks were swollen to an inch high, and there were also many scratches on her neck.

Tong Huaqiong gasped.

Was it the three great men of the Fan family who did the beating, or was it Fan Tong who did it?
If it's the latter, even if Tong Huaqiong doesn't like Gu Honglian, she'll still curse Fan Tong as a scoundrel.

Men who commit domestic violence deserve to die, regardless of the era.

In his previous life, Fan Tong did not reveal his violent nature, firstly because he could not beat Gu Taohua, and secondly because he was afraid of Gu Jingzhe and Tong Huaqiong.

Whether he becomes Gu Honglian's husband in this life is uncertain.

"What happened to Auntie? Who hit her?" Gu Baishuang asked.

Gu Baishuang also disliked Gu Honglian.

But as a daughter of the Gu family, she was also unhappy to see her aunt being beaten.

Grandma Gu cried and said, "Who hit me? My neck was scratched by my sister-in-law, and my face was slapped by Fan Tong."

Tong Huaqiong thought to herself, "Fan Tong really is a scoundrel."

Why did they beat my aunt?

Gu Baishuang got angry. Fan Tong had been scheming, so why was he hitting her?

"What else could it be? My aunt has such a bad temper. We can tolerate her at her parents' home, but not at her husband's. 'A wife who can be beaten into submission is like dough that can be kneaded softly.' That's what my grandma said when she had Ruinian beat me when I first got married. Now it's come true for my aunt."

Wu Na made sarcastic remarks from the side. Grandma Gu angrily yelled at Wu Na, "You talk too much!"

Wu Na pursed her lips.

When they first got married, Gu Ruinian was instigated to try to harm her. If she hadn't been slashing wildly with a knife and scared Gu Ruinian so much that he wet himself, Gu Honglian's present would be her past.

"What exactly happened?" Tong Huaqiong asked Gu Honglian.

Seeing Tong Huaqiong made Gu Honglian feel even more aggrieved.

Grandma Gu glanced at Tong Huaqiong, unsure whether Tong Huaqiong was there to laugh at her or genuinely to offer her concern.

"Sister-in-law, the Fan family is bullying me."

Gu Honglian began her story, sobbing uncontrollably.

Fan Tong's mother never even looked at Gu Honglian.

They only agreed to marry Tong Huaqiong in order to secure the support and resources of Gu Jingzhe and Tong Huaqiong.

Everyone thought Gu Honglian would bring a large dowry, but to their surprise, the only dowry they received was bedding, a washbasin, a chamber pot, and a mirror.

Sister-in-law Fan didn't believe that Gu Honglian only had these things, and forced Gu Honglian to hand over the silver and the land deed.

Gu Honglian clutched the silver given to her by Gu Jingzhe and Gu Baishuang tightly in her hand, refusing to reveal that she had any silver or land deeds, and denied having any dowry when asked.

When Grandma Fan and her sister-in-law couldn't get the money, they started giving Gu Honglian the cold shoulder, their words dripping with venom. Later, they went to great lengths to torment Gu Honglian.

Grandma Fan caught a chill when she got up at night, so Gu Honglian had to sleep on a makeshift bed by her bedside to take care of her. Gu Honglian took care of her for three days, and with the added burden of working in the fields during the day, she finally couldn't take it anymore and fell ill.

This caused an uproar. Old Mrs. Fan cried and said that she was unlucky. Not only did she refuse to seek medical treatment for Gu Honglian, but she also said that the scholar's son's wife was unfilial.

Gu Honglian retorted a few times, and then Old Mrs. Fan fainted.

When her sister-in-law learned the news, she rushed to the Fan family and scolded Gu Honglian. Gu Honglian had no way to explain herself.

Gu Honglian cried to Fan Tong every day because Fan Tong was studying at a private school in town, and Gu Honglian wanted to separate from the family and move to town with Fan Tong to live a quiet life.

Fan Tong disagreed, saying that Gu Honglian was unfilial, didn't want to serve her mother-in-law, and just wanted to go to town to enjoy a life of leisure.

Sister-in-law Fan and Fan Tong were of one mind, saying that no daughter-in-law should not serve her mother-in-law, but instead go out to live with the men who are studying. Gu Honglian's behavior was simply going against the natural order.

Gu Honglian angrily argued with Fan's sister-in-law, saying that her nephew was going to Shengjing to take the imperial examination, and her sister-in-law allowed her to go with him. Why couldn't she live in town with Fan Tong?

As soon as she said this, Sister-in-law Fan asked Gu Honglian how much dowry she brought. She said that if Gu Honglian brought a large dowry like Lu Zhaozhao, the Fan family would treat her like a grand aunt.

Old Mrs. Fan then berated Gu Honglian, calling her a slut who couldn't live without a man, saying that her level of filth and depravity far surpassed that of Old Mrs. Gu.

Even Fan Tong was dissatisfied with Gu Honglian's suggestion. He married a woman for her family's wealth. Since Gu Honglian had no family wealth, her role was to serve her mother-in-law at home, take on the heavy housework, and bear children.

How could Gu Honglian be worthy of living with him in town?

He also planned to wait until he passed the imperial examination and obtained an official position, then take a beautiful concubine to accompany him to his new post. He wanted to ensure that Gu Honglian would become his principal wife, and then the principal wife would secure his home front.

He felt that Gu Honglian was not virtuous at all, was unfilial to her mother-in-law, and disrespectful to her sisters-in-law.

She didn't even care enough about him, her husband. Whenever she saw him, she would pour out her troubles about the Fan family. He was a scholar, not someone who would solve cases for his family.

Fan Tong was very disappointed in Gu Honglian and expressed his disappointment to her directly, after which he ignored her.

Her mother-in-law disliked her, her sisters-in-law and elder sister-in-law constantly caused trouble, and her husband neglected her. Gu Honglian's life was as painful as being boiled in oil.

The situation escalated to the point of domestic violence a day earlier.