Before the house was raided, the maidservant of the Prime Minister's residence absconded with t

"Old Master Liu, why should I kneel?"

Tao'er asked with a cold but neither humble nor arrogant gaze.

The air in the main room suddenly seemed to freeze.

Liu Erniu and Liu Sanniu looked at each other in bewilderment. Zhao's lips twitched, and even Liu Jiaojiao forgot to cry, staring blankly at Tao'er.

Liu Erniu: What's wrong with your daughter, brother?

How dare you speak to her grandfather like that?

Liu Sanniu: That brat is really bold!

This is going to be interesting!

Liu Laogen's face darkened at a visible speed, like the sky before a storm, so gloomy it seemed to drip water.

"I said, kneel down."

Liu Laogen spoke slowly and deliberately, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between his teeth.

I will not kneel!

Because you are not qualified!

Tao asked in return, her voice not loud, but it clearly carried to every corner of the main room.

Liu Erniu gasped, wanting to offer a reminder, but unsure how.

Zhao covered her mouth with her hand, and Liu Sanniu suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Has this brat really gone mad?

Liu Laogen probably never expected anyone to dare to speak to him like that.

In this family, he was the head of the household, and his word was law. Even his most beloved youngest daughter, Liu Jiaojiao, dared not be disrespectful in front of him.

But this granddaughter, who had been wandering outside for many years and had returned, actually dared to question him?

No wonder he dared to hit his wife and his precious daughter.

"On what grounds?"

Liu Laogen sneered, "Just because I'm your grandfather!"

This family is not a place for a junior like you to act wildly!

"Just kneel when I tell you to! Stop with the nonsense!"

He paused, then added, "Where's your dad?"

Tell him to get over here too!

Tao'er didn't move, her voice still in that indifferent tone: "You haven't fulfilled your responsibilities as grandparents, why should I kneel?"

Also, my father is injured and can't come.

Grandpa Liu, if you have something to say, just say it. If you have something to say, spit it out!

My dad got injured and needs to recover.

My mother is still in a coma and can't come.

Now, I'm the one in charge in our main branch of the family.

"Are you injured?"

Liu Laogen wondered to himself, "Could it be that my eldest brother is seriously injured?"

A sharp sound came from behind the curtain, and then Wang Shi came in from behind, leaning on her cane.

She wore a dark blue jacket and a matching headband. Her triangular eyes gleamed sharply, and her lips were downturned, giving her a rather mean appearance.

As soon as she came out, she pointed at Tao'er's nose and scolded, "What injury does he have?"

So what if I got whipped a few times and had to kneel for an hour?

With that worthless physique of his, how could he possibly get hurt?

I think he's just being lazy!

He's a grown man with elderly parents and young children to support, and instead of working in the fields, he hides at home pretending to be dead. What kind of behavior is that!

When Wang cursed, her voice was full of vigor, and her spittle flew everywhere.

She scolded Liu Daniu without blinking, as if she were scolding a disobedient farmhand rather than her own son.

"You still have the nerve to stand there?"

After scolding Liu Daniu, Wang turned her attention to Tao'er, saying, "You little brat, we sent you away so you could enjoy a life of luxury."

You, on the other hand, ran off and lived like a wild animal for so many years without even sending a word home, and now you know to come back!

You're back, fine, but you dare to let your people hit me, your grandmother, and your aunt?

This is outrageous!

"that is!"

Liu Jiaojiao immediately chimed in, covering her slapped face and complaining pitifully, "Mom, she made that madman hit me, and it hurt so much!"

I didn't even dare to fight back; they were so fierce!

Upon hearing this, Wang became even angrier and swung her cane forward to hit Tao'er, shouting, "I'll beat you to death, you ill-mannered brat!"

How dare you bully my darling!

Tao'er shifted her feet slightly, raised her hand to grab the cane, and snatched it away with a force.

He sneered, "Old fools, you think you can make me kneel? Do you even deserve it?"

"I hit Liu Jiaojiao, so what? She started it by hurling insults. Why can't I hit her?"

She used a little force, and the old lady was thrown to the ground by inertia, crying out in pain.

"This is terrible! The granddaughter hit her grandmother! How outrageous!"

Liu Sanniu's wife, Zhao, couldn't help but burst out laughing, then quickly covered her mouth.

The other daughters-in-law were secretly pleased.

After all, this old woman usually dotes on Liu Jiaojiao and the fourth son the most, and the daughters-in-law are only treated a little better than the eldest son.

So they felt pretty good when they heard that Liu Jiaojiao had been beaten.

"Who do you think you are, my grandmother? I don't have such a vicious grandmother."

Are there any grandmothers who sell their own granddaughters?

Is there anyone who would beat their own son to death?

"Does anyone treat their son and daughter-in-law like cattle or horses?"

"You called me an old man?"

You little slut!

I should have strangled you back then!

When Wang realized what was happening, she was so angry that she trembled all over.

Oh, too bad you won't have the chance!

Old man!

Beware of brain hemorrhage; it can lead to premature death!

Tao'er responded slowly.

The way they cursed was refreshing and unconventional.

"you……

This unfilial granddaughter actually dared to curse her own grandmother!

"What a tragedy!" Wang pointed at Tao'er, her fingers trembling.

"hehe!

You wicked old woman, you sold me, your own granddaughter, back then.

She just said she was going to strangle me again.

What, you think it's okay for me to die, but it's a sin for me to curse you to die?

I'm not my parents, you can't just bully and manipulate me!"

"That's enough!"

Liu Laogen finally spoke, his deep voice drowning out all the noise in the main room.

He stared at Tao'er for a long time, his gaze as if he were re-examining his granddaughter.

Tao'er neither flinched nor avoided his gaze, but met his eyes openly and frankly.

After a long pause, Liu Laogen said, "Your grandmother had no choice but to sell you back then. The family simply couldn't afford to support so many people. Don't blame your grandmother. Let's just let this matter go."

You are a descendant of the Liu family; your bloodline will never be severed.

Now that you're back, stay put and don't cause trouble.

These words sound so high-sounding, as if he wasn't the one who tacitly allowed Wang to secretly sell her.

Tao'er sneered inwardly, but she knew that now was not the time to tear off the mask of civility.

So he cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Since Grandpa has said so, then let's not hold it against him."

However, my father was injured, and my mother was injured even more seriously; neither of them could work anymore.

During this period, please don't assign any chores to our eldest son's family, Grandpa.

Oh, by the way, those two need a doctor. Grandpa, could you please ask the village doctor to come and treat my parents' injuries?

We can't completely break ties now; we need to carefully plan the division of the family property.

But she wouldn't just let it go like that.

Wang wanted to say something, but after a look from Liu Laogen, she ultimately held back and remained silent.

"Peach Girl, is your father really that badly injured?"

Liu Laogen clearly didn't believe him and asked tentatively.

"Does the old man not believe his granddaughter?"

If you don't believe me, you can ask a doctor to come over and take a look later.

I saw it all clearly when my dad was being beaten.

His back was covered in bloodstains, and in some places the skin and flesh were torn open.

My knees are still red and swollen; I was kneeling for more than an hour.

With an injury like this, let alone working in the fields, even walking a few steps would be excruciatingly painful.

If Grandfather still doesn't believe it or isn't at ease, he can go and see for himself.

This statement was made neither humbly nor arrogantly, yet every word was true.