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Initially, Zhao Yangshi had scolded Liu Siniang, but after a reprimand from Su Zhi, she started to reconsider their strained relationship with the Liu family. A sudden realization struck Zhao Yangshi, not because she felt wrong for her earlier behavior towards Liu Siniang, but rather because she saw an opportunity to deal with the Liu family. She envisioned that by leveraging her daughter’s care for Liu Siniang, she could earn both goodwill from her daughter and potentially some money—a seemingly advantageous situation.
“Siniang, Auntie wasn’t right just now. Your sister-in-law and nephew are not well, and that distressed me, leading to my outburst. It was Auntie’s fault. Please don’t blame Auntie,” Zhao Yangshi said, reaching out to hold Liu Siniang’s hand, offering apologies. This unexpected gesture surprised not only Liu Siniang and Su Zhi but even puzzled Lianhua, considering her mother’s usual unyielding nature, even in the face of wrongdoing. What had come over her today?
Liu Siniang withdrew her hand, saying, “Auntie, it’s okay. Please have a seat. You’ve watched me grow up; I won’t hold it against you for saying a few words.”
Zhao Yangshi sat beside Liu Siniang and expressed concern, “That’s good, that’s good. By the way, Siniang, how did you end up divorced? The Zhao family is truly despicable. You’re such a good girl; how could they divorce you? Don’t be sad. If they want to find another woman like you, they’ll be searching in vain. Once you’ve recovered, Auntie will find you a good match. Let’s see what they have to say then. By the way, have you received your dowry back?”
“Mother, Siniang wasn’t divorced; she chose to separate on her own accord,” Su Zhi corrected. In her view, being divorced and choosing to separate were distinct concepts. She retrieved the divorce and separation documents. While both situations were undesirable, a woman who voluntarily separated was often viewed more favorably, as it might reflect poorly on the husband’s family. Su Zhi wanted to clarify this for Zhao Yangshi to prevent any misconceptions that could harm Liu Siniang’s reputation.
“Oh, it was a separation, a separation,” Zhao Yangshi quickly amended. Internally, she pondered that whether through divorce or separation, it essentially meant being rejected by the husband’s family. What difference did it make to nitpick about this distinction? “Siniang, you spent three years at the Zhao household. Did you come out empty-handed? Regardless of separation or divorce, shouldn’t you be able to retrieve your dowry?”
Su Zhi thought to herself that Zhao Yangshi seemed particularly fixated on money, always focusing on other people’s dowries.
Liu Siniang lowered her head and replied, “Auntie, as you know, I didn’t have much dowry when I got married. Whatever dowry I had was used up over these years.”
“That’s exactly what I mean. You’re too soft-hearted! Bullied in your maiden home, mistreated in your husband’s home. It’s a pity your parents passed away early, and your uncle and aunt didn’t stand up for you, allowing you to suffer for over three years, only to end up separated now. How will you live from now on? What a pity,” Zhao Yangshi remarked.
Zhao Yangshi once again grasped Liu Siniang’s hand, putting on a show of almost crying, as if she cared deeply for Liu Siniang.
Observing this, Su Zhi couldn’t help but recall her mother’s similar behavior in the past—an apparent display of distress without actual tears. It seemed that in her mother’s eyes, she couldn’t discern whether Liu Siniang or herself was the one being genuinely cared for, or if they were both merely treated as outsiders. Regardless of her thoughts, it appeared more like the latter. It was puzzling how others perceived her as the beloved daughter of the Zhao family.
Moved by Zhao Yangshi’s words, Liu Siniang thought about her parents and the hardships of the past few years, causing her eyes to well up.
Seeing Liu Siniang’s reaction, Su Zhi quickly handed her a handkerchief and said, “Mother, let’s not dwell on these upsetting matters. Sister Siniang is capable and smart; she will have a good future.”
Once again, Zhao Yangshi was chastised by her daughter and awkwardly forced a smile, saying, “Alright, let’s not discuss these distressing matters anymore. I only feel sorry for Siniang. Speaking of which, now that you’re separated and starting anew, without a dowry, it might be challenging to find a good match. I recall hearing from your aunt that your family’s house and land were given to their family, but they were supposed to provide some money, which they didn’t have at the time, correct?”
Upon hearing about the situation with the land and house, Su Zhi realized that this could be an opportunity for Liu Siniang to receive some money, significantly improving her circumstances. She glanced at Zhao Yangshi, suspecting that her mother might be trying to extract money from this situation to succeed getting the ten taels to the Liu family. Su Zhi was not in favor of this.
Liu Siniang hesitated for a moment and confirmed, “Yes, that did happen.”
“Oh, indeed, that’s quite a situation. Now that you’re separated, you should go and ask for the money from them. Once you recover that amount, you’ll have some hope for the future. With that money, you could have a dowry and marry into a good family,” Zhao Yangshi suggested enthusiastically.
This suggestion pleased Zhao Yangshi, as she saw an opportunity to deplete the Liu family’s resources.
“I remember your family had two acres of land, even if it was low-quality land, each acre could be worth ten taels of silver! Although the house is a bit old, it’s sizable. If you were to sell it, along with the land, you could easily fetch twenty taels! That means you could have around thirty taels in hand! That’s a significant sum of money!” Zhao Yangshi exclaimed.
“Mother, while that is a considerable amount of money, it belongs to Liu Siniang. It has nothing to do with you. Don’t try to factor in the ten taels you want from this,” Su Zhi interjected, making her stance clear.
Su Zhi calmly remarked, questioning Zhao Yangshi’s motives. Why would she scheme to manipulate Liu Siniang’s money when she had no debt to her?
Upon hearing Su Zhi’s response, Zhao Yangshi’s expression fell. Her ideal plan had been shattered by Su Zhi’s straightforwardness.
“Daughter, if we help Liu Siniang retrieve that money, she stands to benefit. It’s in her best interest. If she’s alone, her uncle’s family won’t take her seriously. Even if she has a promissory note from them, they could easily deny it. With our assistance, she would have a better chance. Isn’t that right, Siniang? You need our support. If we help you, we can ensure you get what you deserve. Don’t you agree?” Zhao Yangshi persisted, seeking validation from Liu Siniang.
Liu Siniang responded, “Auntie, I apologize, but I can’t retrieve that money. The promissory note is now gone.”
“What?! The promissory note is gone? How could it disappear?” Zhao Yangshi exclaimed in disbelief.
Zhao Yangshi was dumbfounded, realizing that without the promissory note, it would be challenging to demand the money owed. According to Yang Xianghua, it seemed their family had no intention of repaying the debt. Zhao Yangshi felt discontented, unwilling to let the Liu family benefit from the thirty taels without giving her demanded ten taels.
Su Zhi felt a sense of disappointment at the disappearance of the promissory note, understanding that Liu Siniang had lost out on a sum of money. However, she believed in Liu Siniang’s capabilities and thought they could still engage in business ventures together, ensuring Liu Siniang had funds to rely on. Yet, the fact that the Liu family had taken advantage of Liu Siniang left Su Zhi feeling indignant.
Lianhua inquired, “Siniang, did you lose the promissory note, or was it taken by your uncle’s family?”
Liu Siniang responded, “I lost the promissory note before I got married. I suspect someone from my uncle’s family took it. When I confronted them, they denied it, accusing me of hiding the money given by my in-laws and attempting to deceive them. I couldn’t prove who took it and didn’t want to cause further conflict with my in-laws. This incident created a rift between us, and they paid no heed to my concerns.”
Zhao Yangshi clapped her hands in realization, exclaiming, “They must have stolen it! Who else could it be?! I remember that incident when we attended the banquet together. Your aunt had a few sips and made those remarks. I suspected they hadn’t given you the money, but I never imagined they had already stolen the promissory note. They’ve truly lost their conscience! Calculating even against their own niece, they shouldn’t underestimate your parents’ retaliation when the time comes!”
Lianhua rolled her eyes and remarked, “It’s useless to dwell on it now that the promissory note is gone. Sister, focus on helping us retrieve those ten taels of silver.”
In Lianhua’s perspective, their own ten taels of silver were paramount.
Although Zhao Yangshi was reluctant to let the Liu family profit so unfairly, feeling helpless, she thought about the ten taels coming to their family and decided to enlist her daughter’s help.
“Daughter, your parents have suffered so much for you over the years! We even sent you to the convent, visiting you every year, depleting the savings, neglecting your siblings, all for your sake. Now, you mustn’t ignore us. I’m not asking for the silver from you. Just help me get it back. Once you and your husband stand firm, do you think they’ll refuse to pay? If necessary, bring the Sacred Beast along to intimidate them!” Zhao Yangshi urged emotionally.
As Zhao Yangshi began to cry and express her plea, she turned to Su Zhi, saying, “Daughter, if you don’t help me, I’ll kneel before you.” She was about to assume a kneeling position. However, Liu Siniang quickly intervened, realizing that a mother kneeling to her daughter was unacceptable, as it would bring bad luck and harm Su Zhi’s longevity. She hurriedly stopped Zhao Yangshi, while Lianhua also joined in, pleading with Su Zhi.
“Alright, I’ll go tomorrow. You can all head back now,” Su Zhi relented, feeling somewhat resigned. She decided to resolve the matter for them, despite her distaste for the family. As long as they didn’t overstep their bounds, she felt compelled to fulfill her filial duties.
Upon hearing Su Zhi’s agreement, Zhao Yangshi and Lianhua smiled with relief. They insisted that Su Zhi should bring the whole family the next day, even suggesting bringing the Sacred Beast along, followed by a string of instructions and reminders.
Su Zhi responded one by one, thinking that she would definitely not bring the Sacred Beast tomorrow. However, she would find a way to make the Liu family pay the price they owed, ensuring they didn’t treat lives as trivial!
After the mother and daughter left, Su Zhi went to Liu Siniang’s room and found her packing her belongings. At that moment, Liu Siniang held a piece of paper, examining it carefully. Upon Su Zhi’s arrival, Liu Siniang set the paper aside, stood up to face Su Zhi, inadvertently causing a gust of wind that made the paper fall to the ground.
Su Zhi picked up the paper, and as she absentmindedly looked at it, she suddenly froze.