Old Madam Liang was no pushover, and she could least tolerate others bullying her children.
Back when the neighbor’s children bullied her three kids, she had been capable of acting like a shrew, cursing and arguing with them for three days and three nights, casting aside all pretense of being from a scholarly family.
Although she didn't argue with people like that anymore, when it came to her child’s future happiness, she didn't mind being a shrew once more.
So, she grew angry and sat up to think of a plan.
Eldest Sister Liang saw that she was quite upset and wanted to persuade her, but Old Madam Liang wouldn't listen.
Liang Qing, watching her mother’s angry state from the side, was so timid that she hid under the quilt, terrified.
Old Madam Liang thought for a while and finally came up with an idea.
"I’ve got it. Tomorrow, you tell your husband to go back alone, and you stay here with the children to keep me company. Don't go back to that Chen family just yet."
Didn't that Mother Chen say her daughter was lacking in this and that?
Then, she would simply have her daughter not go back at all. Let Mother Chen handle all the household chores herself and see how arrogant she could still be.
Eldest Sister Liang let out an "Ah?" and asked, "This? Is this okay?"
A married woman returning to her maiden home usually stayed for two days at most; staying too long would invite gossip.
Old Madam Liang shot her a glare. "What are you afraid of? Just say we went to burn incense and draw lots, and the lot said you cannot return to your husband’s home this year, or it will be bad for your husband’s future. You have to wait three months before you can go back. As long as you eat vegetarian food and pray to Buddha during these three months, your husband will surely pass the *juren* exam next year. Let’s see how that old hag handles that!"
Hadn't she been bad-mouthing her daughter in front of her son-in-law all this time?
Then she would spread the word: if her daughter went back, her husband would fail his exams. Let’s see if that old hag dared to call her daughter back then.
Eldest Sister Liang was caught between laughter and tears. "Will this really work?"
Her mother-in-law had been so puffed up with pride after being praised by relatives during the New Year that she had long forgotten her place.
Every day, she would repeat to her that she had married into the Chen family above her station, and so on.
Moreover, Mother Chen especially loved to speak ill of her daughter-in-law in front of her son, deliberately trying to sow discord between the couple.
If it weren't for Eldest Sister Liang letting her husband see the truth time and time again, their relationship would have long since shattered.
It was fortunate that she always kept a sharp eye out, timing her arguments with her mother-in-law so that her husband would return just in time to hear those snide, passive-aggressive accusations.
Otherwise, her husband would surely have assumed she was doing a poor job, which was why his mother spoke to her that way.
Old Madam Liang said indignantly, "I really want to go and have a row with that mother-in-law of yours. It’s infuriating!"
"No, tomorrow you do as I say and tell your husband. In any case, I won't allow you to go back this month."
Eldest Sister Liang thought about it and felt this idea wasn't very good. "But if my husband fails his exam later, she’s bound to blame me."
Old Madam Liang paused, having forgotten that.
"That’s true. Then let’s not use this trick; let’s think of something else."
The mother and daughter thought for a while but couldn't come up with any good ideas, so they finally gave up.
Eldest Sister Liang said, "Mother, I think rather than spending all that effort, it would be better to let Younger Brother pass the *xiucai* exam as soon as possible. Once he passes the *juren* exam, our family won't be inferior to anyone. Let’s see if that old woman dares to sow discord between me and my husband then."
Old Madam Liang thought this was absolutely correct and agreed wholeheartedly.
"Right, you’re right. As long as your brother can pass the *xiucai* exam, the Chen family is nothing. Their family background isn't much better than ours anyway; what is there to be so arrogant about?"
"And not only must your brother pass, but the fourth one from the Wu family must also pass. When our whole family is full of *xiucai*, let’s see if that Mother Chen dares to bully you!"
Eldest Sister Liang agreed completely. "Right, as long as our family keeps rising, I won't be afraid of that old hag bullying me, hmph."
Liang Qing, hiding in the quilt, also poked her head out and chimed in with an "Mm."
The mother and daughter looked back at her and both laughed.
Old Madam Liang teased her youngest daughter, "You know to come out now? You coward."
Liang Qing stuck out her tongue and hid back inside.
Eldest Sister Liang continued chatting with her mother. "Tomorrow when Younger Sister-in-law comes back, Mother, don't give her a cold shoulder. The Wu family is actually quite good."
If the Wu family were unreasonable scoundrels who came to sponge off them, then her mother’s disdain for the Wu woman would be justified.
But the Wu family was actually quite decent, and it wasn't good to always be so dismissive of them.
Old Madam Liang retorted, "When have I ever bullied her? It’s always her bullying me."
It was just that the Wu woman had a beautiful face, and compared to her own old face, she was surely the one who looked like the villain.
Anyway, she hadn't bullied her, hmph!
Eldest Sister Liang:...
"Fine, fine, you didn't bully her. Then in the future, say fewer unpleasant things. Otherwise, if you make the Wu woman lose heart and she goes straight back to her maiden home, let’s see how you’ll lose face when you have to go fetch her back."
Old Madam Liang blustered, "She wouldn't dare! Once she’s entered our family’s door, she dares to go back to her maiden home? In her dreams!"
If she really let the Wu woman go back, she would be mortified.
People would think she had been bullying that vixen.
"Don't you worry, I’ll keep an eye on her. I won't let her go back to her maiden home; this time was an exception."
Eldest Sister Liang saw that she was just being stubborn, so she stopped talking about it. Her mother was good in every way, but she was only muddled when it came to the Wu woman, and she couldn't persuade her.
Perhaps this was a common ailment of mothers-in-law—they just couldn't stand the sight of their daughters-in-law.
The mother and daughter chatted until very late before finally resting.
The next day.
The Wu woman finished breakfast and brought a large pile of local specialties, loading them into the carriage in big and small bags.
It was the same carriage they had hired yesterday; the driver had come early in the morning to wait.
Mother Wu gave the carriage driver some meat buns and chatted with him with a smile.
Ying Jie woke up early and smelled the fragrance of freshly ground soy milk in the house.
The Wu family not only raised pigs but also grew plenty of vegetables and rice.
Because they raised pigs, they grew a lot of vegetables specifically to feed them.
Things like beans were also grown by themselves, and the soy milk was ground with a stone mill; it was delicious.
Ying Jie gurgled and twisted her little body, wanting to drink some too.
But the Wu woman didn't notice, thinking she was just playing, and only went to pick her up after she finished drinking.
Mother Wu helped put all the things into the carriage, and the whole family came out to see them off.
Second Sister Wu went with her as well.
Old Master Wu stuffed some silver into both their hands, telling them to keep it safe. "If anything happens, tell the family. Don't hide everything yourself; your father and mother will stand up for you."
Upon hearing this, the Wu woman and Second Sister Wu immediately felt their eyes redden.
When a daughter marries, her maiden home is her greatest reliance, so the Wu woman also hoped her brothers would do well so that her parents would have support in their old age.
She said to Fourth Brother Wu, "Study hard this year; our family is counting on you."
Fourth Brother Wu nodded earnestly. "Mm, I know."
He also liked to study and hoped to pass the *xiucai* exam soon to bring honor to his ancestors.
Mother Wu gave the Wu woman a few parting words. "Go back and take good care of your health. Even though the confinement period is a month, you are nursing the child, so you need to eat more good food to nourish your body. Otherwise, if your body is weak, it will be difficult if you have a second child. Eat more good food, you hear?"
Although she also loved her granddaughter, she was afraid that the in-laws were biased toward boys and wanted a son, so Mother Wu also hoped her daughter would give birth to a son soon.