Chapter 15

"This uncle, I, Qiao Mai, remember that the day I left the Qiao family, you said that the Qiao family's door would never let me enter again. Does this mean that I, Qiao Mai, have no relationship with your Qiao family anymore?"

"Bullshit! A married daughter is like spilled water. That means you should be devoted to your in-laws. Otherwise, do you think you would have done such a shameless thing and your mother and I would come to settle accounts with you? You unfilial thing, you actually dare to call me uncle."

Qiao Mai sneered, "So that's what it means? I really misunderstood. Other people's daughters are pampered in their natal homes, and after they marry, their natal families support them. But what about my natal family?"

"You don't even look at what our family's condition is?"

Qiao Lvshi wiped her tears and cried softly on the side, while Qiao Shicheng, a man, argued with Qiao Mai.

"Hmph, what condition? Isn't it just poverty? I'm not afraid of suffering and hardship. What I fear is that even my own parents don't treat their daughter as a human being. How could others cherish your daughter?"

"The life I lived in the Tian family was even more bitter than in my natal home. In the Tian family, I was worse than an animal. I was kicked by my mother-in-law in the Tian family and had a miscarriage. I don't believe you didn't know, even though you live in the neighboring village."

"You say I'm disgraceful, but tell me, where am I disgraceful? Is it wrong for me, Qiao Mai, to want to live? If I had committed adultery, I wouldn't blame you for beating me to death."

"But look at what you did! For a hundred catties of wheat, you sold your daughter to such a family. The child in my womb was born prematurely."

"It was the Tian family's doing. My life didn't stay in the Tian family, but my child's life did. The murderers will sooner or later be punished by heaven."

"I don't owe the Tian family, and I don't owe you either. Selling me for a hundred catties of wheat provided you with a few full meals and kept your grandson from going hungry."

"I, Qiao Mai, have already used the life of the child in my womb to repay your kindness in giving birth to and raising me. I, Qiao Mai, didn't go back to find you after leaving the Tian family. The law is clear."

"A wife follows her husband; if there is no husband, she follows her son; if there is no son, she follows herself. I am no longer under the control of your Qiao family. I make my own decisions about my own affairs; I don't need you to lecture me here."

The Qiao couple were stunned by her words. Was this still their daughter?

"You, how can you say such rebellious words?"

"Why, is it wrong for me to want to live? Do I deserve to be tortured to death by the Tian family? You might be willing, but I, Qiao Mai, am not. My life is up to me, not heaven. Whoever dares to take my life, I, Qiao Mai, dare to risk my life with them."

Qiao Lvshi looked at Qiao Mai with lingering fear, "You, you are not my daughter, you are not."

"It's best if I'm not. If I'm not, why are you still here?"

Old Tian Head and Tian Li Shi originally wanted to watch the fun on the side and let the Qiao woman's parents deal with her.

They didn't expect that a few words would expose the Tian family's secrets. The two didn't even dare to get angry; there were too many onlookers, and they were afraid of being pointed at, which would affect their grandson's future career.

"Come home with us!"

Qiao Shicheng still thought Qiao Mai was easy to manipulate.

"Fine, do you have the silver to redeem me from Shopkeeper Lu?"

"What? You actually sold yourself to Shopkeeper Lu?"

"Otherwise? A person who was about to die appearing alive before your eyes, do you think that's possible?"

Hearing that she had sold herself, the Qiao couple looked at each other. Qiao Shicheng said through gritted teeth.

"You shameless thing, you actually learned to sell yourself?"

"Then what do you mean, wait for me to die?"

Qiao Shicheng didn't care about the onlookers pointing at them anymore, "How much did you sell for? Give me the money!"

"Sorry to disappoint you. I'm alive today because Shopkeeper Lu spent money to save me. In total, Shopkeeper Lu spent twenty taels of silver. Now I am working in her house to pay off the debt. Given how close to death I was, how much do you think I could sell for? Even if I were healthy, how much could a person worth a hundred catties of wheat sell for?"

They didn't hear anything else, only that Qiao Mai said she still owed Shopkeeper Lu twenty taels of silver.

Twenty taels of silver! Their family's annual expenses were only one or two taels. This silver would be enough to keep them fed for over a decade.

The couple felt heartbroken, and Qiao Shicheng was shaking with anger.

"You money-losing goods, you actually spent twenty taels of silver! Are you worth that much silver? You wasteful thing, I, I'll beat you to death."

Shopkeeper Lu, who was beside Qiao Mai, watched the Qiao family's faces and couldn't hold back her anger.

"Bah! Try hitting her once. If I hadn't saved her, she would have died long ago, and you wouldn't have the chance to make a scene here. Damn it, I've never seen people like you who don't treat their daughter as a human being. Pushing her into a fire pit is one thing, but when your own daughter escapes, instead of showing concern, you insult her, with eyes only for that bit of silver. What kind of things are you? For the Qiao woman to be born into your family is truly the worst luck in eight lifetimes."

"Shopkeeper Lu, this is our family matter; please do not interfere."

"Cut the crap! She sold herself to me, so she is my person. That is a death contract, understand? Don't even think about coming to ask for her wages in the future. For someone with a death contract, it's already good enough that I provide her with food and clothing; what wages are you asking for?"

"I, I don't believe it. Shopkeeper Lu, please let us take her home?"

"Are you two stupid? She is already separated; she can go wherever she wants and is no longer under your control. Furthermore, she is now a servant in my house, understand? If you want to take her back, you can: twenty taels of life-saving silver, plus five taels for learning embroidery, plus money for clothes, jewelry, and food—it all needs to be calculated clearly. That's thirty taels of silver in total. Bring it here!"

Qiao Shicheng's face turned red with shame, "Shopkeeper Lu is joking. How could a family like ours have so much silver?"

"If you don't have that much silver, what are you spouting off for? Why are you making a scene at my shop door? You're affecting my business. Today, neither you nor the Tian family can leave. We need to reason this out at the Town Mayor's office."

As she finished speaking, a heavy cough sounded, "Shopkeeper Lu, I, the Town Mayor, have been watching the show for a long time."

The surrounding people hurriedly took a step back, revealing the Town Mayor.

The Town Mayor's surname was Qian. He was about fifty years old, had a beard, was of medium-to-tall height, dressed appropriately, and was followed by two guards.

Lu Sanniang covered her mouth and giggled, pulling Qiao Mai's hand to the Town Mayor.

"Greetings to the honorable Town Mayor."

The two bowed to him. He had seen everything regarding Qiao Mai's angry retort to the Qiao and Tian couples just now.

He was neither unhappy nor happy; his face showed neither joy nor sorrow.

In front of so many people, the Town Mayor first glanced at the Tian family.

"The law clearly states that a daughter-in-law is also raised by her parents and must not be abused, let alone beaten or killed. On this point, you have failed. This matter has spread far and wide,"

"not only damaging the reputation of Taohua Village but also that of Tianshui Town. This is the first point. Secondly, a daughter-in-law who is pregnant should be treated well at home,"

"but in order to make her work, you kicked a woman who was seven months pregnant. Your hearts are truly vicious. If you were ignorant village folk, that would be one thing, but you even support a scholar at home. It is truly shameful."

The Tian couple truly regretted coming here; they had lost all their dignity. They lowered their heads, listening to the Town Mayor's lecture.

"I heard you even used the excuse of the daughter-in-law committing adultery to torture her. The Tian family is truly a fine example of a farming and scholarly family."

The Tian couple's heads were almost touching their shoes. The Town Mayor sighed.

"Since everyone is here today, I, the Town Mayor, will say a few words. Farmers should be honest and kind. You must never follow the style of the Tian family and lose face for your village and our town. If such things happen again, take your whole family and leave your village and Tianshui Town. We do not welcome such vicious families here."

"The Town Mayor is right! They have truly lost face for us. Two dog things, doing such a thing and still having the face to come to town to make a scene. Shameless things, get out of Tianshui Town!"

Old Tian Head truly wanted to close his eyes and faint. Today, he had lost all face; in the future, he would probably have to wear a mask when coming to town.

(End of chapter)