Chapter 17: Going Together

Xin Wanqing held Madam Yu’s hand, her eyes slightly reddened. "Ever since Father and my brothers met with disaster, the Marquis’s estate has been looking for ways to sever ties with me."

"It just so happened that Wu Menyuan wanted to take a brothel woman as a concubine, and I firmly refused. They used that as a pretext to divorce me and cast me out."

"Wu Menyuan even listed several charges against me, claiming I was barren and jealous," Xin Wanqing said with a bitter smile. "I spent years managing his household day and night, and in the end, I was branded a shrew."

The old matriarch was so angry she felt faint.

The eldest daughter-in-law, Madam Nie, hugged her daughter and burst into tears, "My poor child, why is your life so bitter?"

"Mother, don't be sad. Leaving a family like that may not be a bad thing for me," Xin Wanqing said, her expression calm as she comforted her mother.

"You don't know, but over two years ago, Wu Menyuan bought a small house outside to keep that brothel woman. Now that the harlot is over six months pregnant, Wu Menyuan brought her home and actually expected me to swallow my pride and accept this illegitimate child."

Xin Wanqing sneered, "It is the ancestral teaching of the Xin family that we never share a husband with a harlot. Naturally, I could not agree."

Madam Nie wept, her face full of sorrow, "Wanqing, your temper is too fiery. Couldn't this have been discussed?"

"Discussed? There is absolutely no room for discussion on this matter." Xin Wanqing arched her brows, her tone sharpening. "Does Mother really want me to share a husband with a prostitute? In her wildest dreams! Does she think she’s worthy of using me to save face?"

Madam Nie was left speechless, stammering for a long time before saying, "But you... you were living a good life in the capital. Must you follow us into exile?"

Married daughters were not included in the exile, yet here Wanqing was, throwing herself into it.

"Grandmother, Mother, I would rather go to the northern lands in exile with my family than stay at the Wu house and suffer that humiliation."

"Besides, there is no turning back now." She took a stamped divorce paper from her bosom and unfolded it. "The divorce paper is written; I have made a clean break with the Wu family."

"My only regret is that I spent all these years patching up the Wu family's financial holes, and there is little of my dowry left."

"Yet, even for this measly two thousand taels, Wu Menyuan didn't want to return it to me."

"He claimed that a divorced wife takes no dowry with her. Ha! I have nothing left, so what is there to fear? They are the ones who should be afraid."

"I held a knife to that harlot's throat and threatened to burn the Marquis of Pingyang’s estate to the ground. In the end, Wu Menyuan got scared and obediently handed over 2,600 taels as compensation."

Madam Yu and Madam Nie were left dumbfounded.

Xin Rouyu didn't even notice the half-eaten brown rice cake in her hand fall to the ground.

"And then? Big Sister, how did you fight your way out? Did you sweep through the enemy lines on this tall horse and break through the siege?" Seeing that everyone remained silent for a long time, Xin Nian couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.

Xin Wanqing was startled, looking down to meet a pair of sparkling, bright eyes.

The little girl was squatting beside her, tilting her head as she looked up, still holding a half-eaten pickled vegetable pancake. Her eyes were shining, as if full of longing for the future.

Xin Nian had come to find her father, but ended up listening to her eldest sister’s exciting story, having unknowingly squatted down beside her father to listen...

"Sixth Sister, you joke. I don't have the skill to sweep through armies. The harlot was startled and went into labor, so I took advantage of the chaos to escape."

Madam Nie’s face turned pale, "You—you took their money and fled the city. Will the Wu family send people to hunt you down?"

The old matriarch glanced at her eldest daughter-in-law, "What are you panicking about? If the Wu family has any shred of dignity left, they won't dare come after the eldest girl's dowry."

"After causing such a scene, as long as the Wu family doesn't want to become the laughingstock of the entire capital, they will be eager to cover this up."

"Now that the eldest girl has left the capital, they naturally won't dare to cause any more trouble." The old matriarch sighed and patted Xin Wanqing’s hand, "It’s just been hard on you, child."

Xin Wanqing was optimistic, "Grandmother, with me helping you along the way, our journey will be a bit easier."

At the thought of the two thousand-plus taels in her eldest daughter's hands, Madam Nie’s brows immediately smoothed out.

"Wanqing, it’s not convenient to buy things on the road. Did you bring any food..." As Madam Nie spoke, her stomach let out a loud growl.

Xin Wanqing took off the bundle on her back and pulled out several sesame flatbreads, distributing them to everyone one by one.

When she reached Xin Nian, the girl waved her hands, "Big Sister, don't bother. Father and I have already eaten."

With that, she pulled her father, who still wanted to hear the gossip, and nimbly left the area where the eldest branch was gathered.

People from the apocalypse weren't used to taking things from others. In those days, no one had it easy; everyone ate behind closed doors, and no one would be so tactless as to visit others during mealtime.

Furthermore, their family had never given food to the eldest branch before.

Xin Wanqing stared blankly at the backs of the fourth branch’s father and daughter as they ran off, "Grandmother, Fourth Uncle and Sixth Sister, they..."

Madam Yu thought of the food the little brat Xin Wenyuan had secretly slipped her, and she pursed her lips, "Don't worry about them, the fourth branch has their own food."

"Grandmother, there are two baskets on the horse's back. I prepared warm clothing and water skins for everyone."

Madam Yu felt both comforted and guilty, "This was your own dowry money; you used it all to help us."

"We are all one family, why distinguish between yours and mine?"

"Is Big Auntie not leaving anymore? If we stay with Big Auntie from now on, will we always have food to eat?" the five-year-old girl asked with her large, clear eyes.

"Man'er, don't talk nonsense." Second Brother's wife, Madam Mei, awkwardly patted her daughter, signaling her to be quiet.

"Big Auntie isn't leaving." Xin Wanqing looked at the child, her expression softening, "With Big Auntie here, none of us will go hungry."

"Yay! I'm going to tell Brother Zhe that we won't be hungry anymore!"

"Man'er." Madam Mei patted her daughter, "Brother Zhe has been sick these past few days, don't go bother him."

"What's wrong with Zhe'er?" Xin Wanqing quickly turned to look at her eldest sister-in-law, Madam Lin.

Lin Xiuyi’s eyes were clouded with a faint worry, "He was a bit listless last night, and after traveling all day today, the child has started coughing."

Over there, Xie Ninglan saw the father and daughter strolling back and couldn't help but poke Xin Wenyuan in the waist, "What happened? You were squatting there listening for so long."

Xin Nian summarized Xin Wanqing’s ordeal for her mother in a few words.

Xie Ninglan clicked her tongue, unfazed, "Throughout history, scumbags have always been plentiful. You don't even know what kind of creature you've been sleeping next to!"

Xin Wenyuan quickly pledged his loyalty, "Wife, my heart is as clear as the sun and moon, and the heavens can bear witness. Let's not take that anger out on me."

Xie Ninglan glanced at her pretty-boy husband and pouted, "I really can't stand your face right now, Old Xin. You've lost your masculinity."

Xin Nian burst out laughing.

Xin Wenyuan added, "Wife, don't look at my weak frame now; my inner strength is unshakable."