Who is spreading rumors that my filial piety towards them has changed?

Chapter Thirty-Five: Divorce

Witnessing everything that happened inside the door, Zhong Feihuang's breasts heaved violently with anger. Chu Mingkong comforted her while sighing for Old Master Cui in his heart.

Previously, Chu Mingkong had quite admired Cui Lian, but this admiration was based on comparison. Cui Lian had been hanging out with Cui Rong so much, yet he was still content with the status quo and didn't cause any trouble. How could he not admire him?

I never expected that with the support of the old lady and the government, this guy would become so rampant now, having only gotten a little advantage by abusing his power.

The rapid changes made Chu Mingkong wonder why things were like this.

After much thought, it seems to be that power and that sense of superiority that comes from being above others. But what's rather ridiculous is that this so-called sense of superiority is actually extremely fragile. It is only supported by the rules of filial piety and giving the old lady some face.

What truly constitutes a decisive "sense of superiority" is this violent cultivation system.

Cui Lian was simply afraid of hardship and fatigue. He didn't use the family resources and instead coveted this illusory and easily shattered worldly power. But relatively speaking, it was indeed the easiest way for him to gain a sense of superiority.

Power that comes easily leads to corruption and decadence.

Chu Mingkong was also wondering if he hadn't been so engrossed in the study of weaponry in his early years, and hadn't been forced to go to the border of the Abyss to play around, would he have also become addicted to this illusory "superiority complex" that he could only maintain by relying on others?

Coming to his senses, Chu Mingkong realized he couldn't just stand by and watch Cui Lian act recklessly.

He whispered to Zhong Feihuang:

“Sister-in-law Huang, I’ll go and invite the old lady over so she can see what her good grandson has done. Don’t lay a hand on him, just stop him.”

Zhong Feihuang calmed down and was no longer as furious as before.

Ultimately, she no longer considered Cui Lian a part of her life. Her anger stemmed more from the thought that "a man who had nothing to do with her was trying to take advantage of her personal maid," and from the fact that Cui Lian had secretly instigated people to steal the property deeds of her shops!

"Enough, Cui Lian, what are you doing? Release Ping'er!"

Zhong Feihuang suddenly pushed open the door, her phoenix eyes wide open. When Ping'er saw her mistress arrive, she thought she had found a savior and quickly hid behind Zhong Feihuang. Only after finding her support did she feel a wave of fear and her eyes redden.

"Grandma Huang Er..."

Cui Lian, relying on the fact that this was the master's courtyard and few people came here, and that there were maids guarding the outside, never expected that someone would suddenly appear, especially Zhong Feihuang.

Having developed a deep-seated sense of guilt over the years, Cui Lianlu was almost scared out of his wits. However, he belatedly realized that his current situation was different. If things really got out of hand, he could rely on the old lady in the mansion and on the connections with the government and his brothers outside.

Unless she's suicidal and wants everyone to die together, there's absolutely nothing to fear about her!

Chu Mingkong found the old lady, but given his current situation, he naturally couldn't show up to pay his respects to her. He might have his whereabouts exposed by Cui Lian and the others.

The old lady was enjoying the cool air in the tea room, basking in the flattery of the newly recruited maid from the Cui household.

Chu Mingkong made a grabbing motion towards the old lady from a distance, and she and her chair "flew" up, quickly heading towards Cui Lian's direction.

The old woman gripped the palm-leaf fan tightly, clung to the armrest, and cried out in a hoarse, panicked voice, "Help! Help!"

After a loud crash, the old woman, along with her chair, was carried away, breaking through the paper window and landing unharmed in Cui Lian's room. Still in shock, she screamed and thrashed about.

When Cui Lian saw the old lady, just like Ping'er who had almost been forced into something, he seemed to have seen a savior. He slid down and knelt down next to the old lady, pretending to be the villain.

"Grandma, you must stand up for your grandson!"

After a long while, the old lady finally came to her senses, looked around blankly, and asked in confusion:

"How did I get here... What happened to Sickle?"

Ping'er wanted to get justice from the old lady, so she knelt down and said:

"Old Madam, Master Lian just tried to force himself on me and even put something filthy in the incense burner. Please, Old Madam, do me justice!"

Cui Lian quickly got up, grabbed the incense burner, threw it out the window, and cursed:

"Bullshit! Listen to me, old lady, is there no law in this world? This Ping'er came with me as part of my dowry to be my maid. It's perfectly natural for me to do things with her. It's her good fortune. Besides, she's been part of my dowry for so many years. What's wrong with me touching her now?"

How can a servant order his master not to do something?

It took the old lady a long time to calm down before she realized what was going on. The couple had been arguing again, and it sounded like it was because of the maid. They could argue over such trivial things.

She adopted a neutral stance, assuming the airs of an elder, and said:

“I’ve been there, and I know that harmony is the most important thing between husband and wife. If each of you gives in a little, things will be fine. But Feihuang, you’re the same. You’ve been married into the Cui family for so many years and haven’t given birth to a son. And now you’re even controlling your husband and not letting him touch the maids. That’s really going too far. A wife shouldn’t act like that. When I was your age, I couldn’t wait to give birth to more children for the clan.”

Here it comes... Chu Mingkong sighed inwardly. This old lady is really something, she's mastered that set of family rules and regulations.

In the power struggles within wealthy families throughout history, a woman's influence often stemmed from the number of children she bore—in other words, her status rose through the ranks of her sons. As long as clan values ​​persist, the old adage "Of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is to have no offspring" will remain in this world.

The old lady seemed to be gently trying to reconcile them, but in reality, she was helping Cui Lian to suppress Zhong Feihuang's arrogance.

Zhong Feihuang had already suffered several humiliations at the hands of the old lady, so she no longer held a grudge and was used to it. However, the fact that the old lady didn't even utter a word of rebuke for her own children and grandchildren for forcing women made Zhong Feihuang sneer.

"Grandma, you just said you're an 'experienced person,' which means you were also forced into sexual acts like Ping'er when you were young. Who did it?"

The old matriarch had lived a life of luxury in the Cui household for many years. Even when the Cui clan chief was alive, he could still discipline her until she dared not talk back. But now, she was being talked back to by a daughter-in-law who had married into the family and had not yet given birth to a son, and the words she said were so rude.

The old man was so angry that his face turned red!

"you!"

Zhong Feihuang abandoned all pretense of respect, revealing her fiery temper, which she had suppressed for many years. She interrupted:

"What do you mean, 'I'? I've never experienced anything like this. If Ping'er was willing, I would accept it. It would be fine if Cui Lian had the ability to attract girls. But in this situation, as a woman, I, Zhong Feihuang, cannot bear to see a woman being forced by a man!"

Grandma, you were just talking to me about having children?

Back then, Old Master Cui said that Cui Lian was of the main clan bloodline, and that Cui Lian should break through the third level of cultivation before making plans to reproduce. He was afraid of the pain of the marrow cleansing and purification, and he held back for more than ten years at the second level of the Great Perfection without daring to break through. Whose fault is this?

My child belongs to the Cui family, but he also came from my womb. Regardless of whether he is a boy or a girl, as his mother, I want to give him the best! This child clearly has the ability to inherit even better talents, so why should he suffer? If I give in, this child will suffer for the rest of his life and be bullied!

Since he is a child who came from my womb, he can choose to be an ordinary rich young master, but he cannot be forced to be an ordinary rich young master. He can endure some hardships of cultivation, but he cannot suffer for a lifetime without seeing any hope of cultivation.

If this child's father isn't willing to bear even the slightest responsibility or hardship for the sake of his child, then it would have been better not to have the child at all. I don't want to see my child suffer like this for the rest of their life!

The old lady's face turned even redder, and she could barely speak. Zhong Feihuang spoke very quickly, and the old lady's lips trembled with anger, but she could only remain silent, unable to keep up with her pace.

Chu Mingkong was deeply ashamed. Due to his own situation, he could only remain silent and quietly pat his sister-in-law's shoulder to comfort her.

Zhong Feihuang has endured for many years, and now he is like a firecracker in the first month of the lunar year, exploding endlessly as soon as a spark touches the fuse.

She understood that things had come to this point, and there was no possibility of amicable relations going forward. Zhong Feihuang, having gone this far, decided to go all the way and coldly said:

"Let's leave it at that. Old Master Cui has treated me well, and I can't do anything to betray him. If I were to write the divorce papers, it would be embarrassing for the Cui family, and my sister-in-law and Keqing would lose face when they go out. Let Cui Lian write the divorce papers. I'll move to the East Mansion first, and once I get the divorce papers and pack my things, I'll leave. Remember to find someone with nice handwriting to write them for me."

After saying that, she pulled Ping'er away, leaving the old lady and Cui Lian in the room, stunned.

After a while, Zhong Feihuang walked away. Cui Lian glanced down the corridor to make sure she was gone before closing the dilapidated door and saying disdainfully:

"This ungrateful woman is so arrogant! She married into my Cui family and I won't let her be touched. She even has the nerve to say that!"

But he didn't just vent his anger; he also spoke well of the old lady, cleverly saying:

"Grandma, look at this scoundrel! He's so lawless that he dares to talk back to his elders! What a wicked woman! Good riddance! From now on, I'll grit my teeth and work hard so that you can have a big, chubby little boy to play with as soon as possible!"

The old lady was furious and only now had she figured out how to retort, but Zhong Feihuang was already gone, and besides, it was pointless to talk to thin air. Frustrated, she cursed:

"Then you should find someone to write a letter of divorce as soon as possible. Your wife is acting so arrogantly. Also, you should have the government investigate more thoroughly to see if the money from selling the shops is all there."

You'd better be careful; she might have embezzled some money and is trying to cover it up now to avoid being exposed later. Investigate thoroughly and don't let her take a single penny! Her dowry when she married into the family has also been withheld, causing the Cui family to be childless for so many years, and we haven't even held her accountable! That wretched woman!"

Cui Lian was so excited at the thought of being free that he wanted to jump and shout, but for now he could only agree with the old lady:

"Absolutely! I'll find a maid with neat handwriting right now to write this letter of divorce and then show it to you, Madam!"

Chapter Thirty-Six: Settling Accounts

Zhong Feihuang had already been living with Keqing in the East Mansion next door for some time, so she didn't need to go back to her room to pack anything; she could go directly to the East Mansion to stay temporarily.

However, it is estimated that some savings were still left in the former couple's bedroom. But after so long, it has been tainted by Cui Lian's scent, and Zhong Feihuang felt nauseous and disgusted just holding it. She might as well give it up.

Chu Mingkong hadn't expected things to turn out this way. His original plan was to find out what Cui Lian was up to, such as how Cui Lian had just tried to force Ping'er. In other families, although the maids wouldn't dare to speak out and the masters and young masters would be in the right, such things were not allowed in principle. If it were brought up in the open, he would still be punished according to the clan rules.

However, he underestimated the extent of the old lady's favoritism; it went beyond simply lying through her teeth!

The situation quickly escalated to its current state, with a divorce agreement being broken off inexplicably. Moreover, Zhong Feihuang was generous enough to let the other party write the divorce agreement, telling others that it was the Cui family who divorced her.

However, this gave Chu Mingkong a new idea. It was unrealistic to leave with all the women at once, but if it was a family conflict that had broken down, then leaving the capital legitimately would be fine, right?

It is foreseeable that Cui Lian is now like a cowardly wolf who has tasted blood and flesh. After experiencing the feeling of squeezing out those who are in his way and having no one to refute him, he will inevitably become more and more ruthless in the future and will most likely try to squeeze out Aunt Gu's position as acting clan leader.

This is also a legitimate opportunity for Aunt Gu to leave the capital!

At that moment, Zhong Feihuang brought Ping'er to the East Mansion, briefly explained what had happened to Keqing, found a room to settle Ping'er in, and then calmed down by herself in the room.

She now feels some regret, not for the decision itself, but for the timing of its announcement. Right now, the men of the Cui family are unreliable; it's her and Gu Jun Gui who are supporting each other. By "withdrawing," Zhong Feihuang is essentially dumping all the burden on Gu Jun Gui and the others...

"Mingkong, was I too impulsive just now?"

Chu Mingkong sat down next to her and said gently:

"It was a bit impulsive, but nothing was wrong. Some pent-up anger just had to be released. Sister-in-law Huang's scolding made her feel better, which is a great thing. Why bother with Cui Lian and the old lady anymore?"

"But once this burden was put down, it all fell on my sister-in-law and Keqing."

"Since things have come to this, let's not defend it anymore. Originally, my plan was to have the entire Cui family in the capital move to Xiling, but now it seems unnecessary. Let Cui Lian and the old lady continue to enjoy their lives in the capital. Let them do whatever they want with their family property! I will just protect you."

In a sense, Chu Mingkong really had to thank Cui Lian, who truly relieved his burden.

The original evacuation plan mainly focused on those few wives, but out of respect for Old Master Cui, the entire clan had to be considered. Now, it really only needs to focus on a few wives.

If we plan further on Yongzhen, Madam Zhen, Jinyu, and Rong'er, the difficulty will decrease dramatically.

Zhong Feihuang suddenly got up, walked to the dressing table, took out a small book from the makeup box, and sat down next to Chu Mingkong.

"Mingkong, I'm still angry..." she said softly.

"What anger is still lingering? Has it not subsided yet?" Chu Mingkong asked. "Sister-in-law Huang, just tell me. I'll try my best to comfort you!"

"Why don't you open this little book and take a look..."

"Alright, let me take a look!"

Chu Mingkong took the booklet from Zhong Feihuang and opened the first page. He thought it might contain some secret martial arts technique passed down by the Cui family, or some hidden treasure, but he was obviously overthinking it. The first line he saw left Chu Mingkong completely astonished.

"On the morning of the 0th day of the 0th year, Cui Lian did not return home all night. He claimed that he was cultivating outside, but in reality, he went to the Red Fragrance Pavilion, captured the madam there, and questioned her. Cui Lian claimed that he had lost his virginity, but was bitten by a girl in the pavilion and spent the night with her."

"On the afternoon of the 0th day of the 0th year, Cui Lian was hanging out with a few cronies. He didn't lose his virginity, but Rabbit God stabbed him."

"On the night of the 0th day of the 0th year, after arguing with me, Cui Lian secretly went to lose his virginity."

...?