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

Madam Xu put down her chopsticks, grabbed Tao'er's hand, and said excitedly, "Girl, do you really mean it?"

Can my daughter Xiuxiu and her friends marry into the county town?

"You're not just trying to make your second aunt happy, are you?"

Tao'er smiled and said, "Second Aunt, of course it's true. Xiuxiu and the others will become more and more outstanding, and they will be seen by more and more outstanding young men."

When the time comes, people will be knocking down your door to propose marriage.

So you don't need to rush to find them husbands.

There are also beliefs that marrying and having children too early can negatively impact a girl's lifespan.

"Ah, then let's postpone the marriage proposal for a few years. Listen to Peach Girl, you can't go wrong!"

Mrs. Xu was startled.

"However, Second Aunt, the prerequisite is that you have to separate from the old house."

Otherwise, they might hesitate.

Tao'er reminded her.

After all, many families consider the parents when it comes to marriage.

"ah……

What should we do then?

The old house separated you out of necessity.

Now, the main source of labor in the family is the two of us from the second wife's side.

The others are either all show and no substance or they're just deliberately lazy.

The fourth son and his wife even went to the county town to avoid work. How could the old man possibly agree to us dividing the family property?

Xu was so worried that she died.

Liu Erniu frowned deeply, "Tao Yatou, give your second uncle some advice, see if we can also be separated."

He pinned his hopes on this niece, as he feared he couldn't count on his two daughters.

Once they separate, they can save their own money and build their own new house.

A house with blue bricks and large tile roof.

As for selling the original house, that's fine too.

I don't want to live with the people in the old house anymore, it's awful!

Tao'er is a clever girl, her mind works better than anyone else's, she'll definitely have a solution.

"Yes, yes, Peach Girl, think of a good idea for your aunt!"

Xu quickly echoed this sentiment.

Xiu Xiu and Shi Liu looked at Tao Er with hopeful eyes, as if they had seen a savior.

"Peach Girl, if you really have a way, please help your second uncle and the others."

Liu Daniu felt that since his daughter could get the old man to agree to separate their eldest son's branch of the family, she must also have a way to get his second brother's branch separated as well.

Tao'er thought for a while before speaking, "There is a way, but Second Uncle will have to suffer a bit."

"I'm not afraid of hardship, Peach Girl, tell me quickly, what should your second uncle do?"

Liu Erniu's eyes lit up, and he asked eagerly.

"I have a kind of poison here. Take it and I will give you the antidote after the family division is successful."

Ingesting this poison causes symptoms similar to contracting a plague: red rashes all over the body, high fever, and persistent coughing.

If the old folks knew you had the plague, they would love to separate you from them!

If you dare to try, I can help you.

Although this method doesn't harm the body, it's quite painful.

"Peach Girl, I'm not afraid, I'll listen to you."

Liu Erniu trusted his niece completely.

"Second Uncle, tell the old man tomorrow that a friend of yours asked you to go to town to work for three days, and you can earn one tael of silver for the wages."

Take the pills I gave you before you come back in three days. They should take effect when you get home.

Then……"

"Why do we have to wait three days? Can't we come back today?"

Liu Erniu asked, puzzled, as he couldn't wait to separate the family.

"My second uncle's time was too short, which makes people suspicious."

Three days is just right.

This proves that you were infected while working outside and came back home.

"Oh, Peach Girl, you're such a clever little devil, you're so smart!"

Liu Erniu gave a thumbs-up in praise.

"Don't praise me yet!"

The second aunt also had to play along; she had to cry, act sad, and ask the old man for money to treat her husband's illness.

Then you shouldn't do any work, but take good care of your second uncle.

"Then the old man and his family will kick you both out."

Tao'er reminded her.

Mrs. Xu nodded vigorously. "I understand."

The whole family looked at Tao'er, thinking: How did this girl get such a clever idea?

"That's settled then. Now let's talk about the indentures of Xiuxiu and the other girl."

I'll tear up these two contracts of servitude right in front of you.

From now on, both of you will remain free and can leave at any time.

Tao'er took out two pieces of paper from her bosom; they were Xiuxiu and Shiliu's indentures.

In front of everyone at the table, she folded two pieces of paper together, tore them apart with both hands, and with a "rip," the paper split in the middle. She folded it in half again and tore it into many pieces, finally reducing it to a handful of scraps, which she then tossed into a pot of begonia flowers on a small square table in the corner.

"Xiuxiu, Shiliu, your sister Tao'er has bestowed great fortune upon you, hurry up and kowtow to her!"

Xu suddenly spoke to her two daughters.

Xiuxiu and Tao'er immediately knelt down in front of Tao'er, "Thank you, Sister Tao'er!"

"Xiuxiu, Shiliu, get up! This kind of thing doesn't work here!"

Tao'er helped the two of them up.

The two sisters hugged each other and cried; they were truly happy!

After the two sisters had finished crying, Madam Xu lowered her voice and said, "Eldest brother and sister-in-law, Tao'er, there's something else I need to tell you."

The old man wrote a letter of divorce today and is sending Wang Shi away. She will be sent back to the Wang family before dawn tomorrow.

Tao'er listened without much expression; this was all within her expectations.

Even if Old Master Liu is somewhat reluctant to do it, he will definitely compromise and write a letter of divorce for the sake of his children, especially for his fourth son's career.

Those Liu brothers wouldn't stop them at all; they might even be adding fuel to the fire!

Wang Shi will probably cry her heart out. Wang Shi, who has been powerful all her life, has finally received the punishment she deserves!

Upon hearing this, Zhang Su'e laughed out loud, "Serves you right!"

That old woman, who had been so domineering for so many years, finally ended up being abandoned by everyone!

"Would Wang really be willing to leave?"

Tao'er felt that Wang Shi probably wouldn't leave willingly.

"She cried and screamed, but it was no use. The old man gave a strict order, instructing the third and fourth sons to personally escort her back to the Wang family."

No one pleaded for her, not even Liu Jiaojiao herself, who now despised her own mother.

"Haha, karma really works!"

Tao'er was also happy.

Madam Xu continued, "Tao'er, but you must be careful of Liu Tianbao."

He hates you now.

He's petty and holds grudges the most.

"You publicly humiliated him today. If he actually passes the imperial examination and gets a minor official position, he can easily find a pretext to make things difficult for your whole family."

These words made Liu Daniu's family tense again, and they looked at Tao'er with concern.

Liu Daniu frowned, and Zhang Su'e was even more worried.

Tao'er's two older brothers, who were eating their rice, stopped eating at the same time upon hearing this.

Zhao Tiechui slammed the bowl down: "Why should we be afraid of him?"

He can take the imperial examination, we'll farm our land; he can't possibly throw us in jail, can he?

Although his words were firm, the way he rubbed his fingers together betrayed his guilty conscience.

Zhao Tiezhu muttered to himself, "Second brother, officials have plenty of ways to bully ordinary people."

Zhang Su'e became even more worried upon hearing this, "Then what should we do?"

What if Liu Tianbao really becomes an official? What will Tao'er do then?

Tao'er's father sat at the corner of the table, remaining silent. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he swallowed it back.

This honest, simple farmer had never argued with anyone in his life, but he knew his daughter was different, and he hated himself for being useless and unable to protect her.

Tao'er scanned everyone's faces, from her parents to her brother, then to her second uncle and aunt and her two younger sisters, and every face showed worry.

She took a sip of tea and said slowly, "Father, Mother, elder brother, and second elder brother, please put your minds at ease."

Whether Liu Tianbao will pass the imperial examination is still uncertain, but even if he does, I'm not afraid.

I have a way to deal with him.

She didn't say what the method was, but her gaze silenced everyone in the room.