Chapter 9: This Family Must Be Divided

Madam Song sneered, “You’ve used my child for so many years, and now that he’s no longer of value, you want him to die? How heartless!”

She laughed and cried at the same time, her expression incredibly pitiful. Jiang Wan quickly shoved Shen Qian aside and supported Madam Song, who was teetering on the brink of collapsing.

At this moment, Song Jiuli, who had just come to her senses, also stepped forward and helped Madam Song on either side.

The second and third branches of the family were left in a state of shock. Their mother had actually been a concubine?

No wonder, no wonder that when their father passed away, he had clung to their eldest brother, begging for forgiveness, asking him to honor their mother properly.

Meanwhile, the third young lady, Xu Shi, closed her eyes in pain. She, a noble lady, had married a man who was born of a concubine’s child. She deserved it—everything was her fault!

Aside from them, some other exiled individuals also cast curious glances. When the old Madam Song’s secret was revealed, her body trembled, and her eyelids fluttered as she fainted.

“Mother!”

“Grandmother!”

People from the second and third branches gathered around in a hurry. Shen Qian, who had failed to strike Jiang Wan, quickly looked around, her eyes turning with a gleam as if she had found new leverage.

“Jiang Wan, look at what you’ve done to grandmother! You’ve made her so upset!”

This remark caused the second and third branches to once again direct their resentment toward Jiang Wan. However, Jiang Wan remained calm, stepping forward. In the dimly lit cave, she noticed that Madam Song’s fingers were slightly trembling.

“Heh~”

She chuckled lightly. “Since I’ve made her angry to this point, I guess I should take responsibility.”

Everyone was puzzled by her words, but Jiang Wan had already reached Madam Song and, with her fingertip, pressed firmly on her philtrum, pinching it sharply.

“Ah!”

Madam Song jumped up in pain, and if one looked closely, they could see that her philtrum had been pricked, drawing blood.

“Jiang Wan, are you trying to kill me?”

Madam Song was the first to speak up. Jiang Wan wasn’t flustered. “You misunderstood. I’m actually trying to save you. If it weren’t for my pinch just now, you’d still be unconscious.”

Madam Song: !!!

Truly, it was like lifting a stone only to smash it on one’s own foot. Sooner or later, she would be driven to death by Jiang Wan.

“Mother, what are we going to do about Yuan’er?”

Madam Song was anxious, staring at Madam Song in a fixed gaze, clearly waiting for an explanation.

“I have no way,” Madam Song said, her chest tightening in anger. Even if she had money, she wouldn’t save that woman’s child!

“I need money,” Madam Song said, her eyes scanning the people present, her gaze making everyone uneasy.

The people from the first branch were truly crazy!

“Grandmother, let’s not talk about the past. Since our family hasn’t been divided, my husband’s matters concern everyone.”

Jiang Wan said coldly, causing everyone to shudder. “I hope the elders will not refuse. Otherwise, if I get serious, I’m afraid even my birth mother wouldn’t recognize me.”

Jiang Wan said these chilling words, which shocked everyone. In fact, when Madam Song had first approached, Jiang Wan had secretly given Song Jiuyuan some fever-reducing medicine.

So, rather than being worried about Madam Song’s concerns, she was more focused on whether she could achieve her goals.

Hearing this, the second young lady, Song Erniang, suddenly turned to Madam Song and said:

“Mother, now that father is gone and elder brother has been missing for a year, our family is already broken. It’s better to divide the family now, don’t you think?”

Song Erniang kept signaling Madam Song with her eyes. She was Madam Song’s niece, and their relationship had always been close.

Upon hearing her words, Madam Song’s heart stirred. The reason she hadn’t agreed to divide the family before was that her sons and grandsons needed to rely on the descendants of that vile woman.

But now, because of this, she had been punished. Her sons and grandsons now had money. Even if they were exiled to the wilds, they would certainly live better than Song Jiuyuan and his relatives.

So why not divide the family and make things cleaner?

Just as Madam Song was about to speak, Madam Song insisted stubbornly, “I disagree with dividing the family. You must save my Yuan’er!”

Jiang Wan wasn’t as worried, since she had already given Song Jiuyuan medicine. But Madam Song, not knowing this, was still most concerned about her son.

Song Jiuli was crying uncontrollably, shouting, “Grandmother, I don’t want the family divided. I only want you, Grandmother.”

She had always been close to Madam Song, treating her like a true elder. This made Jiang Wan frown in concern.

It seemed that even if the family was divided later, she would have to watch out for Song Jiuli. She seemed a little slow-witted and unable to distinguish between close and distant relationships.

Madam Song was also deeply pained by Song Jiuli’s words. If her real mother-in-law knew about this, she might blame her for not teaching her children well.

Song Jiuchi, though young, looked up defiantly. “I also disagree with dividing the family. I want to save elder brother!”

The young boy’s eyes were full of tears, his emotions overwhelmed by the events of the day. These family members who once cared for him suddenly seemed hateful, and he couldn’t accept it.

What he couldn’t accept even more was their indifference to elder brother’s life and death. That elder brother was the one who had once brought them wealth and honor!

“No!”

Madam Song looked at her two sons with a determined tone. “This family must be divided, even if we don’t.”

Her children could no longer be dragged down by Song Jiuyuan and his relatives!

“I… I… need dung!”

The third young lady, Xu Shi, with one of her front teeth missing, was the first to agree. She no longer wanted any connection with Jiang Wan and the others. They had driven her mad!

Since the lady had said so, Song Ren naturally agreed. Song Erniang had no objection either. Therefore, there was no need for the first branch to agree, and the family was forcibly divided by the old lady.

At the end, Madam Song spoke in a formal tone, “Now, there are no disputes over property. Each family will go their own way. I will follow the second son, so you don’t need to take care of me in my old age.”

As for your family’s Yuan’er, whether he lives or dies, it’s his fate. As an old woman, I truly have no ability to help.”

These words made Madam Song feel cold all over. She suddenly felt that all the respect she had once held for the old lady had been wasted. Trembling, she said:

“You… you’re so heartless. You’re all so heartless.”

“Mother…”

Suddenly, a faint voice came from the side. Everyone turned to look, and it was the now-conscious Song Jiuyuan.

He had woken up, though his voice was hoarse. Jiang Wan quickly rushed over.

“Husband.”

Her expression was anxious. She even touched his forehead to check his temperature, and Song Jiuyuan, for the first time, found it hard to understand this woman.

But at that moment, both Madam Song and Song Jiuchi ran over. “Yuan’er.”

Madam Song grasped Song Jiuyuan’s hand, tears streaming down her face like beads from a broken string.

Song Jiuchi, the young boy, also shed tears, while Song Jiuli, who was still unclear about things, remained by the old lady’s side.

“Grandmother, I don’t want the family divided. I want to stay with you.”

The girl was crying like a rain-soaked pear blossom, completely forgetting her newly-awakened elder brother. She seemed a little slow-witted.

“Song Jiuli!”

Madam Song gritted her teeth and shouted. Song Jiuli then snapped out of her trance and walked toward them with hesitation.

Song Jiuyuan glanced at Song Jiuli with a profound look, took a deep breath, and finally made his own decision.

“I… agree with dividing the family!”