Li Guangshu was dumbstruck, his lips moving as if he had been punched, unable to speak.

The current situation left him with two choices: either admit he had no private savings and let Mother sell the servants he brought back, or admit he had private savings, let Mother confiscate those savings, and then sell the servants he brought back anyway.

In short, the servants he brought back couldn’t escape being sold off.

After days of travel during the harsh winter months, the journey had been quite arduous. At this moment, Li Guangshu felt his head splitting with pain and resigned himself, saying, “Everything is up to Mother’s decision.”

Old Madam Deng looked at her younger son with some regret and nodded to Nanny Rong.

Nanny Rong turned to fetch the matchmaker.

“Second son, you’ve had a long and tiring journey. Get up first, go wash, and freshen up. We’ll talk about other matters after the family has eaten our reunion dinner.”

Seeing that Old Madam Deng didn’t mention Hao Ge’er again, Li Guangshu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He stood up and said, “Mother, your son should first go to the East Residence to pay respects to Uncle’s wife.”

Going to the East Residence to pay respects immediately upon return, rather than going after washing up and eating, would naturally appear different in the eyes of the old country lady and his eldest cousin.

His eldest cousin had already been appointed as Vice Minister of Justice, a high court official. Building good relations with him would naturally bring great benefits.

Old Madam Deng lifted her eyelids slightly. “Go ahead.”

She was a reasonable person. No matter how annoying that old country lady in the East Residence might be, proper etiquette naturally couldn’t be lacking. She just hadn’t expected her younger son to be in such a hurry.

Li Guangshu bowed to Old Madam Deng once more and was about to leave.

Old Madam Deng seemed to remember something and reminded him, “Oh, the country lady can’t see anymore.”

Li Guangshu’s steps halted.

The old lady unhurriedly added another sentence, “Your eldest cousin was demoted two ranks for poor case handling and is in a bad mood. Watch what you say when you go.”

Li Guangshu staggered and nearly fell.

Why wasn’t such important information mentioned earlier?

“Go quickly now, go early and return early. The whole family is waiting for you to start dinner.”

Li Guangshu: “…” If he had known this, why would he drag his aching legs that hurt from kneeling over there?

Why did he always feel like his mother was setting him up?

Second Master Li left in tears, and the hall fell quiet.

“Fourth Miss, Sixth Miss, your eldest sister has been in poor spirits lately. Go check on her.” Old Madam Deng suddenly spoke.

Fourth Miss Li Yan and Sixth Miss Li Chan exchanged glances.

“Go ahead.” Liu Shi patted her two daughters’ hands.

If she could help it, how would she want her two daughters to witness such distressing affairs?

Li Yan took Li Chan’s hand, curtsied to the elders, and withdrew.

Seeing this, Qiao Zhao stepped forward and requested to take her leave.

Old Madam Deng looked at her deeply, her tone meaningful, “Third Miss, you’re engaged now. From now on, you’re an adult and don’t need to avoid these matters.”

This granddaughter had surprised her the most. After suffering once, it was as if she had been completely transformed. Even if she stayed in the Li residence as an old maid for life, she would consider it the Li family’s blessing. She never expected that such a marriage could be arranged.

She was an experienced person. When she saw Marquis Guanjun display his divine prowess at the Li residence gate that time, how could she not understand? Marquis Guanjun truly cared for Zhaozhao.

After this engagement was settled, she had heard those sour words spoken in secret, saying that Marquis Guanjun could personally kill his wife, that he was ruthless, and that after marrying a new wife, he would turn his face at any moment.

Hearing this only made her want to sneer coldly.

As a military commander, if he hadn’t made the decisive decision to shoot and kill the hostage at that moment, should he have performed a display of marital affection before both armies and let the two forces personally watch his wife be stripped naked and tortured to death?

If that were the case, she would think this man was a muddle-headed fool who couldn’t think clearly.

She was very satisfied with Marquis Guanjun as a grandson-in-law, and even more satisfied with her third granddaughter’s judgment.

Old Madam Deng’s mind wandered briefly before she lightly coughed and said, “Big Brother, you may also withdraw.”

Li Guangwen, dismissed by his mother, felt quite dejected.

Mother had just said that his daughter was an adult and didn’t need to avoid these matters in the future, so why was she immediately sending him away?

He was also an adult!

With no men left in the hall, Old Madam Deng reached out and patted the back of Liu Shi’s hand, “Second daughter-in-law, it’s the Second son who wronged you. I apologize to you on his behalf.”

“Old Madam, this daughter-in-law cannot accept this—” Liu Shi, who had been as fierce as an angry porcupine, suddenly burst into tears.

Old Madam Deng sighed deeply, “No matter what, I think you still need to continue living your life, don’t you?”

Liu Shi twisted her handkerchief and nodded.

Her eldest daughter would soon reach the age for marriage discussions, and her second daughter wasn’t young either. Should she seek a divorce rather than continue?

If she were truly divorced, her two daughters would certainly have to stay with the Li family. Now that her father was no longer alive, would she throw herself on her brother and sister-in-law’s mercy and live looking at their faces? Or remarry to an old man who might be even more of a bastard than Li Guangshu, not to mention more unsightly to look at!

She would have to be crazy to abandon her current stable life to take that path.

“Since you want to continue living, listen to my advice and take Hao Ge’er to raise. Hao Ge’er is young and doesn’t remember much yet. As long as you treat him sincerely, what does it matter if his birth mother is around in the future? He’ll still be closest to you.”

Liu Shi’s face gradually turned pale, her lips nearly bitten bloody.

Raise that child? How could she be willing? It would be good enough if she could restrain herself from targeting that child.

Married daughters cannot inherit paternal family property. Are you willing to let the Second son leave all the family wealth to Hao Ge’er in the future, and have Hao Ge’er turn around and give it to his birth mother? Are you willing to have Fourth Miss and Sixth Miss receive no support from their maternal family in the future because Hao Ge’er isn’t close to his legitimate mother and legitimate sisters after they marry?” Old Madam Deng asked in return.

Liu Shi was questioned into speechlessness, left only with a state of speechlessness, shaking her head.

She knew the old madam’s words were precious pearls of wisdom, not even spoken from a mother-in-law’s perspective but with genuine concern for her well-being. But what could she do? She couldn’t bear to look at that child even once. Even though the child was innocent, seeing the similarities between that child and Li Guangshu made her hate drip blood.

These five years, she had yearned for him night after night with bone-deep longing, while that man had been sleeping on the same bed holding his beautiful concubine.

Old Madam Deng hadn’t expected Liu Shi to have such a stubborn nature. She wearily rubbed the corners of her eyes and said earnestly, “Second daughter-in-law, I’m old, and that day will come sooner or later. When the household is divided, then you’ll still have to continue living your life.”

If one could be willful, who would want to suffer grievances?

But this world was just like this for women. Even if she upheld justice for her daughter-in-law while she was alive, once she closed her eyes, the elder brother couldn’t interfere when his younger brother favored concubines over his wife after the household division.

Don’t talk about favoring concubines over wives being a crime—everyone understood propriety and education. But once the great house doors were closed, as long as it didn’t reach the point of universal condemnation, how would outsiders know what happened inside? The women in the rear courtyard knew their warmth and cold.

“By then, whether Hao Ge’er can be taken over is questionable, and even if he could be taken over, once the child is grown, it would be too late to nurture him.”

Liu Shi’s expression changed repeatedly, biting her lip hard, clearly wavering.

At this moment, Qiao Zhao spoke up in confusion, “Grandmother, why must Second Aunt raise Hao Ge’er? Can’t Second Aunt bear one herself?”