“Li Zhenniang brought death to my elder brother—she should forfeit her life in return,” Tian Rongchang said, wiping sweat from his brow. The Li family’s Seventh Great-Aunt’s presence was truly formidable.
“This old woman must be quite ignorant. Traditionally, following one’s betrothed in death has always been voluntary, hasn’t it? How can there be logic in forcing someone to die? As an elder of the Li family, since I’ve encountered this, I cannot stand by and watch such a thing happen,” Seventh Great-Aunt frowned slightly, her knife-like gaze fixed on Madam Tian.
“It’s all because Madam Zhao forced the marriage! If she hadn’t, my son wouldn’t have been cursed to death. So since my son died, Li Zhenniang must forfeit her life!” Madam Tian cried out with red eyes, heedless of everything else.
“Madam, haven’t you made enough trouble? Rongchang, your mother is overcome with grief, yet instead of stopping her, you join in this nonsense. How thoughtless! Go home and confine yourself to the study for three days.” At this moment, several more people arrived, with one angrily addressing Tian Rongchang.
Walking together were Li Jinshui, the Li family’s grandfather, Tian Huai’an, Madam Tian’s husband, and the Tian family patriarch. Behind them, Li Dalang supported Old Madam Li, carrying an old jewelry box.
These were the long-awaited Li family elders. They had first gone to find Tian Huai’an—Li Jinshui knew better than to waste time arguing with Madam Tian, going straight to Tian Huai’an to resolve the matter.
The one who had just scolded Madam Tian was Tian Huai’an himself. The Tian family had been in the timber business for years, accumulating some wealth. With money naturally came aspirations for official positions—having an official title was the only way to protect one’s wealth. This was the path every merchant wanted and had to take, or else all would come to nothing.
So when Old Manager Li suddenly appeared at his business, he was shocked to learn his wife and son had gone to force Li Zhenniang to die with their son. Old Manager Li had once frequently visited noble households.
Back then, the old master had valued this connection when arranging the engagement. After all, a timber merchant without official status was just a merchant, no matter how wealthy. But top-tier ink makers often became suppliers to noble houses, providing a path to official status.
Moreover, there were specific ink-related official positions. Truthfully, if the Li family hadn’t experienced such changes, Li Jinshui would undoubtedly have become a court-ink official.
Although Li Jinshui had withdrawn from the family and left the ink-making business in recent years, he still had his connections. If he chose to create trouble, it could ruin all of Tian Huai’an’s plans.
He had been too busy leading people to search for his son on Huangshan these past days to pay attention to matters at home.
So upon hearing this from Old Manager Li, he rushed over immediately, only to find the Li family’s Seventh Great-Aunt present as well. This complicated matters further, as he had been planning to enter the ink-making business himself in the next couple of years.
“Rongchang, Ronghua, quickly help your mother home,” Tian Huai’an waved his hand.
“Fine, if Li Zhenniang won’t die with my son, then she doesn’t deserve the title of his betrothed. Return our betrothal gifts,” Madam Tian glared at her husband, her voice still filled with reluctant hatred.
“Madam, are we so desperate for that small amount of money?” Tian Huai’an stamped his foot in exasperation.
“This isn’t about money! She brought death to my son—do you expect us to let them off easily? Never!” Madam Tian spat viciously, glaring at the Li family as if she wanted to tear flesh from their bones.
“My worthless son has already squandered the betrothal gifts. Here is the equivalent value in compensation. Dalang, present it,” Li Jinshui instructed Li Dalang.
Li Dalang stepped forward and opened the jewelry box. Inside were large silver ingots, small pieces of silver the size of beans, some old jewelry, and even copper coins—the box was full.
Anyone could see at a glance that this money had not been easy to gather.
Li Zhenniang looked at the jewelry box, feeling a dull ache in her heart. This money felt heavier than Mount Tai, and that dullness seemed to carry something else—a stifled feeling of sorrow.
This sorrow seemed to be for Tian Benchang’s death. She knew this wasn’t her own emotion but that of the body’s original owner.
Thinking this, Zhenniang suddenly turned to look at Madam Zhao.
Madam Zhao’s eyes were also red.
Suddenly Zhenniang understood—perhaps everyone thought Madam Zhao had forced the Tian family to honor the engagement for their money, but in reality, it was likely because the original Zhenniang had loved Tian Benchang.
That’s why Madam Zhao had schemed so hard to make this marriage happen. But with her personality, few could truly understand her.
No one had expected things to turn out this way.
As the drama concluded and people dispersed, Zhenniang felt this was for the best.
The Li family’s Seventh Great-Aunt left with her timber convoy without another glance at the gate tunnel Li family.
Who knew how deep the old grudges ran? Nevertheless, Zhenniang would remember Seventh Great-Aunt’s help today.
Night had fallen, and unusually, two lamp wicks burned on the eight-immortals table in the Li household.
Inside, Grandfather Li Jinshui talked with Li Dalang.
Meanwhile, Grandmother Wu was quite proud of herself as she directed Madam Zhao, Madam Du, and Zhenniang in cleaning up two rooms in the neighboring Sun family’s house. The Sun family had made some money in recent years and had long since moved out of the gate tunnel, leaving their two rooms empty. Although Madam Zhao had offered to clean out her room for the elderly couple, they declined.
Instead, they rented the Sun family’s two rooms and broke through a connecting window between them, joining the two houses together. This made the Li family’s living space considerably more spacious.
“Jingfu’s wife, put that tea table over here,” Madam Wu assigned tasks to Madam Du and Zhenniang but paid them no further attention, choosing instead to constantly direct Madam Zhao.
“Wasn’t this just over there? You said it was in the way and told me to move it here, so why do you want it moved back now?” Madam Zhao panted.
“Well, now I think it’s better over there. Is that not allowed?” Madam Wu said with a sidelong glance.
“Fine, fine, fine, whatever you say goes,” Madam Zhao gave up and carried the tea table back.
“Well, Jingfu’s wife, didn’t you say you could handle everything in the household? How is it that you couldn’t handle this and had to come begging us to return?” Madam Wu’s expression was like that of a triumphant child.
“They say having an elder in the family is like having a treasure—I’ve brought back two treasures this time,” Madam Zhao said soothingly.
Both Zhenniang and Madam Du smiled at this.
Madam Du lowered her voice to tell Zhenniang: “Actually, your grandmother personally chose your mother. They got along quite well at first. They only fell out because of your father. Your father’s gambling ruined the family, and when your mother would scold and beat him, your grandmother would protect him. Gradually, they became like fire and water.”
“Well, now that Grandfather’s back, he can keep my father in line,” Zhenniang said, feeling that Li Jingfu was truly failing as a father.
“What are you doing back here? Get out! Get out!” Just then, Li Jinshui’s roar came from next door, his voice filled with disappointment.
Li Jingfu had returned home.