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

Liu Laogen led his family back home in a very disheveled state.

He glanced at his wife, whose hair was disheveled, face swollen like a bun, and who was still unconscious, sighed, and waved for his sons to throw her onto the kang (heated brick bed) in the east room.

He then instructed his third son's wife, Zhao, to fetch a ladle of cold water from the kitchen, wet a cloth, and apply it to Wang's face.

After doing all this, he seemed to have exhausted all his strength and plopped down on the grand chair in the center of the main room.

His gaze swept across the faces of his three sons and two daughters-in-law, finally settling on his youngest daughter, Jiaojiao.

"What are your thoughts on divorcing your mother?"

He spoke, his voice hoarse as if he had a mouthful of sand.

The crowd fell silent; though no one spoke, their faces were filled with resentment.

Why aren't you saying anything?

No matter how wrong she is, she is still your mother. We can't be too harsh on her!

Your mother has been with me for decades...

If word got out that the Liu family had divorced his wife, they would never be able to hold their heads high again in Xinghua Village.

Does anyone have a plan to avoid writing that divorce letter and still suppress Tao Yatou's side of the argument?

The main room was so quiet that you could hear Wang Shi's heavy breathing from the east room.

Liu Laogen glanced at everyone, finally fixing his gaze on Liu Erniu. "Second brother, you go first!"

Liu stood by the door, hesitated for a moment, and then slowly said, "Father, this matter... is not easy to handle."

She abused her older brother and even sold Tao Yatou; everyone in the village knew about it.

Peach Girl clearly hates her mother, otherwise she wouldn't have made such a request.

And your older brother, he must hate you and Mother too!

after all……"

At this point, Liu Erniu stopped talking.

The meaning is self-evident; even a fool would know.

"Fourth brother, it's your turn to speak!"

Liu Laogen didn't say anything, he just turned his head to Lao Si.

"Father, your son is currently studying at the county school, and the provincial examination will be held in two months."

If word gets out that my mother is a wicked woman who steals children and abuses innocent people, then my path to officialdom will be over.

How will my classmates view me in the future?

What do the county school teachers think of me?

If the examiners find out about this in the future, even if I have a wealth of knowledge, who will dare to admit me?

As he spoke, his Adam's apple bobbed, and his eyes reddened: "Father, I beg you."

First, divorce your mother and let her go back to her uncle's house to hide for a while.

Once I pass the imperial examination and become an official, I'll deal with that wretched girl's family and then bring my mother back in grand style.

This is just a stopgap measure!

It's not that I really don't want my mother anymore.

Today, that bitch Liu Tao'er made him lose face in front of the villagers, he will not let her go.

Liu Jiaojiao immediately chimed in, "Father, Fourth Brother is right."

If Mother were to remain at home now, it would not only negatively impact Fourth Brother's career, but also have a significant influence on us unmarried children.

"Father, you have to think about me too!"

If my in-laws find out that my mother stole and abused other people's children, how will I be able to stand on my own two feet in the Liu family?

My mother-in-law will use this to berate me every day.

"Can you really bear to watch your daughter suffer at her in-laws' house?"

Liu Laogen tapped his fingers on the armrest of the armchair, then turned his gaze to the third son and his wife.

Liu Sanniu stood at the back, and Zhao Shi half-hid behind him, only showing half of her face.

Seeing her father-in-law looking over, Zhao quickly nudged the man's arm.

Liu Sanniu then spoke up in a low voice: "Father, Mother's actions... were indeed not right."

She stole someone else's son, fine, but if she had raised him properly, there wouldn't have been a problem.

But even after raising her for so many years, her mother still beats and scolds her every day.

They even sold someone else's own daughter.

If I were Peach Girl, I would hate it too.

We were in the wrong from the start.

As for whether you divorce your mother or not, your son has no objection; it's up to you.

However, if you don't give that girl an explanation, our whole family will probably be in deep trouble.

"Second son's wife, third son's wife, fourth son's wife, what do you three have to say?"

The three shook their heads repeatedly and said almost simultaneously, "We will all listen to Father."

Looking at his children, Liu Laogen saw that the fourth son had a blank expression and anxious eyes, with Jiaojiao pouting. The second son had his head down, while the third son and his wife looked meek and obedient, as slippery as eels.

Wang treated the eldest son's family badly because they weren't her own flesh and blood, so she didn't care about them.

She doted on her third, fourth, and fifth sons, but treated her second son a little less well, though she didn't mistreat him.

But none of his children uttered a single word to plead for their mother.

"Then... write it." Liu Laogen's voice finally fell.

He got up and walked towards the study, his legs feeling a little weak, and he had to hold onto the door frame to steady himself.

The children followed behind, each with their own thoughts.

He asked his fourth brother to bring him pen and ink.

Just as the brush in his hand was dipped in ink, a scream suddenly came from the east room, followed by the "pat-pat" sound of bare feet stepping on the blue brick floor.

Wang rushed out with her hair disheveled, and the handkerchief on the back of her head fell to the ground.

She spotted the papers and brush on the table at a glance, and lunged forward as if whipped, grabbing Liu Laogen's wrist.

"Liu Laogen, you dare to divorce me?"

Her voice was so shrill it almost pierced the roof beams, and her fingernails dug into Liu Laogen's flesh.

"Old man, I've followed you for thirty-four years!"

Thirty-four years!

They gave birth to four children for you, took care of your parents in their old age and saw them off in their final days. When your father was bedridden, who was it that wiped his excrement and urine?

it's me!

Who fed your mother water and food every day for the three years she went blind?

It was me too!

Are you going to divorce me now?

Just for that little bitch?

Liu Laogen's wrist was pinched so hard it hurt, and his pen fell onto the table, staining most of the paper.

"Mother, please stop making a scene."

Liu Tianbao frowned, and advised with displeasure, "We're doing this for your own good. Why don't you go back to your grandfather's house and avoid the trouble for a while?"

"fart!"

Wang spat.

"Fourth brother, you ungrateful wretch!"

Who paid for your schooling?

I always love you the most and save the best things for you.

And yet, you turn around and push your mother away?

Have you lost your conscience?

And you...

She suddenly turned to Jiaojiao, "Jiaojiao, you heartless wretch, who prepared your dowry when you got married?"

I sold the pair of silver bracelets that came with my dowry from my family!

We'll do everything to make things easier for you after you marry into the family.

Are you now ashamed of me?

She scolded them one by one, eventually reaching her daughters-in-law, before finally turning back to Liu Laogen.

Her tears mixed with blood and foam from the corner of her mouth streamed down her face, making it a complete mess.

"Liu Laogen, if you dare to write this letter of divorce today, I will hang myself at the entrance of your Liu family ancestral hall!"

Let the whole village see how you, Liu Laogen, treat your wife who has suffered with you for thirty-four years!

The main room fell silent again.

Wang's breathing was heavy and rapid, and her chest heaved violently.

She stared intently at Liu Laogen, her eyes filled with a mixture of hatred and fear, like a tangled mess of burning hemp.

Liu Laogen looked down at the stained paper on the table, feeling a pang of regret; it had been wasted.

She looked up again at her children standing in a row at the door.

Erniu turned his face away, Tianbao pursed his lips, Jiaojiao bit her lip and lowered her head, while Sanniu and his wife remained expressionless as if it were none of their business.

They are all waiting.

He slowly withdrew his hand from Wang's grasp and put the pen back on the pen holder.

The unfinished character "休" on the paper was written with only one stroke, and the ink had spread out, resembling a dried black circle.

"Fourth brother, go inside and get another piece of paper."

Wang's legs went weak, and she slid down the table leg to the ground, bursting into tears.