Chapter 27: Confronting the Sun Family: Bing Wengu Can Twist Words and Deceive…

Chapter 27: Confronting the Sun Family. Bing Wengu could easily twist the truth and manipulate...

The children's voices were sharp and piercing, breaking the morning's first moment of peace.

The Bing family was startled awake. Mrs. Liang jumped off the kang bed and rushed out, shouting in panic, "What's wrong? What's wrong?"

Soon, Bing's father and the rest of the family came running out one by one.

"Mother, Eldest Sister has brought the children back," Bing Wengu stepped aside, and the Bing family saw Aunt Bing, disheveled and lying on the ground, clutching a tattered bundle. Beside her were her two daughters. At a glance, they looked like a family of beggars coming to their doorstep.

"Aunt Bing!" Mrs. Liang cried out and threw herself onto the ground.

Mrs. Liang held her daughter in disbelief, "Aunt Bing, how did you end up like this? What's in this bundle? Child! Did you give birth?"

Mrs. Liang was full of questions, unable to understand why her daughter, who should have been resting at her in-laws' after giving birth, suddenly appeared so wretched at their doorstep.

"Mother, Eldest Sister must have just given birth. Let's get her inside first. We can talk about everything once we're inside," Bing Wengu said.

Aunt Bing on the ground was pale and looked as if she might faint at any moment.

"Yes, quickly, Da Lang, help your Eldest Sister inside," Mrs. Liang was panicked and at a loss, not knowing what to do.

Bing Wengu and Bing's father helped Aunt Bing inside, while Mrs. Liang held her granddaughters' hands and led them into Bing's parents' room.

The Bing family had few rooms, and Bing's parents' room also housed Third Sister. The noise outside had already woken her up. Hearing that it was her Eldest Sister, she quickly dressed and was about to go out.

Bing Wengu helped Aunt Bing onto the kang bed. Aunt Bing was so weak that she couldn't get onto the kang several times, and in the end, Bing Wengu had to carry her up.

In just those few steps, by the time Aunt Bing lay down on the kang bed, her forehead was already covered in cold sweat.

The two children took off their shoes and knelt beside Aunt Bing. The younger one looked at her mother with concern, while the older one skillfully held the bundle, soothing the crying baby brother.

Bing Wengu looked at Aunt Bing and then at the children, instructing, "Si Lang, go start a fire and boil some water. Second Sister-in-law, go ask the neighbors if anyone has brown sugar and eggs. Borrow some. If there's no brown sugar, white sugar will do. If the neighbors are unwilling to lend, offer a few extra coins to buy it. Let me know how much money you need, and I'll give it to you. Once the water boils, bring in three bowls of brown sugar and egg water."

Mrs. Liang was completely flustered and couldn't give any orders. The rest of the family, though they might have thought of these things, didn't dare to take the initiative because they had no money. Sugar wasn't a cheap commodity.

Only Bing Wengu, with his financial confidence, dared to make such decisions. "Which sister-in-law is on duty for cooking today? Please start preparing the meal now. Don't make bean porridge. Ask Mother to give you some rice and make a thicker rice soup for the children. Also, prepare dry rice for breakfast. Go to the neighbors and get an old hen to make soup for Eldest Sister to nourish her body."

"Yes, yes," Mrs. Liang finally reacted and handed over the keys from her waist. Usually, Mrs. Liang would measure out the grain herself for the family's meals, fearing that the daughters-in-law might take more than their share. But now, she couldn't care less. "Go ahead. If you need money, don't ask your Eldest Brother. Come to me directly."

"Alright, Mother," Sister-in-law Zhou agreed and went out to busy herself.

Aunt Bing watched her family bustling about for her, feeling warmth in her heart but also fearing she was causing trouble for them. She grabbed Mrs. Liang's hand and said, "Mother, our family isn't well-off. There's no need to spend extra on me. We'll eat whatever the family eats."

Bing Wengu said, "Eldest Sister, our family is doing better now. Don't worry about money. Just focus on resting and recovering at home."

Though Bing Wengu wasn't a woman, he understood the importance of postpartum recovery. If a woman didn't recover well, she could suffer from postpartum illnesses for the rest of her life.

Hearing Bing Wengu's words, Aunt Bing was stunned, and so was Mrs. Liang.

Aunt Bing quickly waved her hands, "No, that won't do. I shouldn't have come back to my parents' home during my postpartum period. It brings bad luck. But I had no choice but to return."

"What bad luck?" Bing Wengu asked.

Mrs. Liang explained, "A married woman shouldn't return to her parents' home during her postpartum period. It brings bad luck to the family."

At that time, many people believed that a married woman returning to her parents' home during her postpartum period would bring bad luck to the family. Some even thought that men shouldn't enter the delivery room, as it would bring bad luck to the men in the family and affect their fortunes.

Bing Wengu frowned, "Nonsense. It's all superstition. Men who have no ability only blame women for their own shortcomings. It's cowardly behavior."

Liang Shi hesitated, "This tradition has been passed down from our ancestors; there must be some wisdom in it."

"What wisdom? Eldest Sister and Second Sister never observed postpartum confinement at home before, and our family's fortunes have only declined year by year. This year we nearly starved to death," Bing Wengu said. "There are countless reasons why life is hard; it's never just because of one woman."

Liang Shi's expression showed disagreement. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Bing Wengu.

"Mother, our family doesn't have such superstitions!" Bing Wengu said firmly. "Mother, let's first ask Eldest Sister what exactly happened."

Liang Shi then turned her attention back to Aunt Bing and asked urgently, "Aunt Bing, what brought you back so suddenly?"

"Mother, Da Lang, you have to help me," Aunt Bing said, tears streaming down her face. "Mother, yesterday while I was cooking at my in-laws' house, I slipped and fell. Late that night, I went into labor and gave birth to a Shuang Er. When my mother-in-law saw it was a Shuang Er, she wanted to abandon him right then and there!"

Liang Shi quickly opened the bundle, inside lay a thin and small baby boy, wrinkled and red-faced, with his eyes closed and weak breathing. If not for the rise and fall of his chest, one might think he was a stillborn child.

"Oh heavens, a Shuang Er—it's actually a Xiao Geer!" Liang Shi sank to the ground, as if the world had ended.

Sun Daya swaddled the baby and gently comforted her little brother.

Aunt Bing cried, "Mother, my mother-in-law wants to abandon the child on the back mountain."

There was a spot on the back mountain where children who died young were laid to rest. Villagers would also abandon children they couldn't care for or didn't want there.

Of course, most were girls and Shuang Er; boys were rarely abandoned unless they had disabilities. Some families couldn't bring themselves to abandon boys with disabilities, yet healthy girls and Xiao Geer were discarded without a second thought.

"Mother, abandoning such a tiny child on the back mountain is a death sentence. He's a Xiao Geer—even childless families wouldn't take him in," Aunt Bing cried.

Since learning that her daughter had given birth to a Xiao Geer, Liang Shi had been stunned. Hearing her daughter's words, she also began to cry, "Our ancestors never had a woman bear a Xiao Geer—how could you have given birth to one? The chances are so small, why did my daughter have to be the one?"

Mother and daughter clung to each other, sobbing uncontrollably, which made the younger children cry too.

Bing Wengu frowned and asked, "Eldest Sister, what did your husband say when your mother-in-law wanted to abandon the child?"

Aunt Bing shook her head, sobbing, "After I gave birth, my mother-in-law saw it was a Xiao Geer and, fearing gossip, immediately told Erlang to abandon the child on the back mountain. It was only after I pleaded with him that he agreed to let me keep the child for one night. He planned to abandon the child on the back mountain early this morning, before the villagers were awake. I waited until the middle of the night when Erlang was asleep and secretly brought the child back."

Aunt Bing had run back in the middle of the night when her family was asleep. She didn't dare disturb them and spent the night huddled at the gate with the children.

Bing Wengu snapped, "This is his own flesh and blood!"

"He's afraid the villagers will mock him. Back then, the Nan family..." Thinking of Jin Geer who was about to marry Bing Wengu, Aunt Bing vaguely said, "They were ridiculed for years, with people saying their family must have done something terrible to have a Xiao Geer."

Seeing how difficult it was for this child to survive, Bing Wengu could imagine how hard it must have been for Nan Jinping to grow up.

Bing Wengu's heart ached for Nan Jinping, and he vowed to treat her even better, to make up for all the hardships she had endured.

Along with that, Bing Wengu also felt a pang of pity for the thin and small child on the kang.

"Eldest Sister, what are you going to do?" Bing Wengu asked.

"Da Lang, could you discuss with my mother-in-law about keeping the Xiao Geer?" Aunt Bing looked at Bing Wengu pleadingly. She knew that on her own, even if she kowtowed until her head bled, the Sun family would not agree. She could only ask her family to intervene.

Bing Wengu looked at Aunt Bing seriously, "What if the Sun family disagrees? Eldest Sister, you've been married into the Sun family for eight years, you know better than anyone what kind of family they are. Even if Father and I intervene, do you think the Sun family, with their preference for boys over girls, would agree to let you keep this child?"

The harsh reality that Aunt Bing had been avoiding was laid bare by Bing Wengu. She had no choice but to face it, and the more she thought about it, the more hopeless she felt. There was no way out because she knew that no matter what, the Sun family would not accept this child.

Aunt Bing remembered the countless times Sun Shi had cursed, "My mother-in-law once said that if I gave birth to another burden, she would throw it away. Now that I've given birth to a Xiao Geer, she won't keep it."

"Then what do you think? Listen to the Sun family, abandon the child, and continue to endure in the Sun family. Then, like a breeding sow, keep giving birth over and over, discarding girls and Xiao Geer until you finally have a boy."

Thinking of the life Bing Wengu described, Aunt Bing shuddered in fear, "I don't want to live like that."

"You don't want to live like that, yet you want to keep this child and stay in the Sun family. Do you think that's possible?" Bing Wengu said bluntly, "Eldest Sister, you should divorce."

Liang Shi gasped in shock, and Aunt Bing was so startled she forgot to cry. The two little girls tightly grasped Aunt Bing's hands, their eyes filled with fear and anxiety.

Divorce is always a big deal, especially in the male-dominated society of Dayong. Although remarriage for women is encouraged, scholar-official households even consider having widows in the household as a disgrace. However, that refers to widows, not divorced women returning home.

Women who are divorced and sent back to their families are only ridiculed. Those who aren't strong-willed might even be driven to hang themselves because of unbearable gossip.

"No," Liang Shi said before Aunt Bing could speak, "After a divorce, do you want to push your sister to her death?"

"Mother, it's not that I want to push Eldest Sister to her death, but the Sun family is giving her no way out." Bing Wengu could understand why women of this era viewed divorce as something more terrifying than death. It was the environment that shaped this mindset, not the fault of the women themselves.

Bing Wengu's voice was gentle, carrying an inexplicable calming power, "Eldest Sister, don't think about anything else; just follow your heart. Do you truly want to divorce?"

"If you're willing to divorce, then come home, and I'll take care of you. If you wish to remarry in the future, I'll prepare a dowry for you and send you off to marry. If you want to bring the child with you, do so. If not, leave the child at home, and I'll raise them."

This sister had been good to the original owner, often helping her family by taking from her in-laws. The original owner had always been grateful, even thinking that if she ever passed the imperial exams, she'd give her two sisters enough money to live comfortably for life.

Bing Wengu could fulfill the original owner's wish. Moreover, since he now occupied the original owner's body, as long as Aunt Bing had not wronged him, he had to take on the responsibility of being a younger brother.

Whether in the interstellar world or in Dayong, Bing Wengu was never one to shirk responsibility.

It was just a matter of feeding three more mouths, and Bing Wengu believed he could handle it.

Aunt Bing stammered, "You want me to divorce and take the child?"

"Don't you want to? Or do you want to divorce by yourself?" Bing Wengu asked.

The two children clung tightly to Aunt Bing's hands, tears streaming down their faces, fearing that their mother might truly abandon them.

Aunt Bing hugged the two children tightly, weeping bitterly, "Da Lang, how could I abandon these children? If it weren't for Xiao Geer, I wouldn't have come back to my family today."

Bing Wengu secretly sighed in relief. After he'd clearly offered to raise the child, if Aunt Bing had refused and planned to divorce alone, he might've had to rethink his attitude.

Aunt Bing struggled to kneel up from the kang, and just this movement made her break out in a cold sweat.

"Da Lang, I'm kneeling before you. Please, help me. I want to live, and I want my two daughters and Xiao Geer to live. Please help me divorce. I want to take the two children with me." Aunt Bing made the two children kneel before Bing Wengu, "Quick, beg your uncle to save you from that den of wolves."

Aunt Bing knew this was her only chance to escape her misery. Bing Wengu truly had her best interests at heart. Not to mention anything else, how many families in their village would be willing to accept a divorced woman returning home? Now, Bing Wengu, as her younger brother, was willing to take her in. With a brother like that, Aunt Bing felt all her past sacrifices were worth it.

"Uncle, please save us," the two girls cried, kowtowing to Bing Wengu.

At that moment, Bing Sanniang and Bing Wulang came in carrying bowls of sweetened egg soup. Seeing the mother and daughters crying and pleading, they had no idea what was happening.

"Mother, help Eldest Sister and the children up," Bing Wengu said, "Eldest Sister and the children must be hungry. We can talk later. Let them drink the sweetened egg soup first."

Aunt Bing couldn't remember the last time she had tasted sweetened egg soup. It was a luxury item in the Sun family, reserved only for her in-laws and their precious grandsons. Sometimes, during busy farming seasons, Sun Shi, out of pity for her son, would let Sun Erlang have a bowl. But Sun Shi never allowed Sun Erlang to sneak any to her; she always made sure he drank it all in front of her.

As for the two little girls, they had never known what sweetness tasted like in their lives.

"Mother, can we really drink this?" Sun Daya held the bowl of sweetened egg soup, swallowing hard, unable to believe that such a worthless girl like her could drink something so precious.

"Yes, drink it," Bing Wengu said softly.

Sun Daya didn't move, looking at her mother until Aunt Bing nodded, only then daring to take a sip.

At first, she took small sips, but soon she was gulping it down as if she hadn't tasted anything good in eight hundred lifetimes.

Aunt Bing's eating manners weren't much better. Over the years, she had given birth to one child after another, never having a proper postpartum rest. Coupled with years of hard labor, her body was instinctively starved for nutrients.

In the blink of an eye, the mother and her two children finished the sweet egg soup with brown sugar. Sun Daya licked her lips, her eyes sparkling. "It's so good, Mom. This is the best thing I've ever had in my life."

Aunt Bing's heart ached with sorrow. Although life was tough for everyone in the village, it shouldn't be so bad that a child could reach seven without ever tasting an egg or sweetened water.

Bing Wengu reached out and ruffled the little girl's hair. "You're just a kid; your best days are still ahead."

Sun Daya blushed, smiled shyly at Bing Wengu, and then snuggled into Aunt Bing's arms.

Aunt Bing said bitterly, "This child is shy. She's never been hugged by anyone in the Sun family."

"The food's ready, Mom. Should we eat?" Zhou Shi came in holding a bowl of thick rice soup and asked.

Liang Shi nodded, "Let's eat."

Bing Wengu beckoned to the two children. "Come eat with Uncle."

The two children glanced at Aunt Bing, and seeing her nod, they jumped down. Bing Wengu took one child by each hand and led them out to eat.

Sun Daya felt her small hand enveloped by Bing Wengu's large hand and said in wonder, "Uncle, your hand is so big; it can cover my whole hand."

Hearing Aunt Bing, Bing Wengu realized the child had never been close to any male elders at home.

Since Bing Wengu brought back money, the Bing family's meals had gotten much better, with meat almost every day. Even if there was no meat, there were dishes stir-fried with pork fat.

The two girls, used to eating leftovers—sometimes worse than what pigs in richer families ate—were amazed by the good food. The younger one even drooled.

Bing Wengu didn't mind. He wiped Sun Xiaoya's drool and helped her onto the table. Sun Xiaoya, realizing what was happening, squirmed uneasily and whispered fearfully, "We can just squat and eat."

Sun Daya, being older, saw that the Bing family not only didn't show disgust but instead looked heartbroken. She quickly added, "At home, Grandma never lets us sit at the table. We eat squatting under it."

Tears filled Liang Shi's eyes again, and even Bing's father, silent since his daughter's return, cursed.

Bing Wengu felt it wasn't enough. He couldn't let the Bing family have any illusions about the Sun family. He narrowed his eyes and asked, "What about your mom? Can she sit at the table?"

Sun Daya shook her head, "Mom's like us; she squats to eat."

Bing's father grew even angrier, "What about your aunts? Can they sit at the table?"

"Aunts can sit at the table. Mom has to cook and is always last. By then, everyone's almost done. If there's nothing left, Mom doesn't eat."

If all the women couldn't sit at the table, that's one thing, but singling out Aunt Bing and sometimes not letting her eat was just bullying.

Bing's father was furious. If the Sun family were here, he'd have rushed to beat them.

Sun Xiaoya whispered, "Grandma says Mom only has worthless girls, so she doesn't deserve to sit at the table or eat."

Bing's father's anger deflated. He sat down, holding his head and sighing.

In the village, male children were prized. Women's only value seemed to be bearing sons, and failing that made them sinners in their husband's family.

Bing's father, a village farmer, had this mindset deeply ingrained. Hearing Sun Xiaoya, he was instantly deflated.

Bing Wengu sneered, "Father, Mother, are you still against Eldest Sister divorcing? What if she never has a son? Should she be treated like livestock by the Sun family forever?"

Divorce was still too unconventional for the two old folks, natives of Dayong, and they couldn't accept it immediately.

The meal was silent, everyone somber. Afterward, Bing Wengu didn't let the Bing family rest and gathered them to go to the Sun family.

Liang Shi hesitated, "Da Lang, maybe we should wait a bit longer."

Bing Wengu said, "Even if we don't separate, our family must go to the Sun family to seek justice. We can't let Eldest Sister be bullied by the Sun family without any explanation. Otherwise, the Sun family and the villagers will think our family is a bunch of weaklings."

Bing Silang slammed his hand heavily on the table, almost knocking the bowls off, "The Sun family is going too far. Do they think our Bing family is a pushover? No, we must go to the Sun family and teach that old woman a lesson, so she dares not bully Eldest Sister again."

Zhou Shi sympathized with Aunt Bing, while also feeling somewhat relieved. Times are tough, especially for women. Marriage is like a second life for women; if it goes wrong, they struggle in hell for a lifetime.

She married Bing Erlang, and though life was hard for the Bing family, it was hard for everyone. No matter how tough, she always had food. Her mother-in-law, though fierce, at most scolded her a couple of times and never hit her, and Bing Erlang never laid a finger on her.

Sometimes when they quarreled in private and Liang Shi overheard, she would scold Bing Erlang without asking who was right or wrong.

Comparing this, Zhou Shi couldn't help but feel fortunate.

Zhou Shi dared not imagine what she would do if she were like Aunt Bing, married into a family like the Sun family.

Her natal family wouldn't care for her. Not only would her in-laws want to abandon the children she bore, but if her natal family found out, they would only scold her for being useless, only capable of bearing worthless daughters. If she gave birth to a Shuang Er, they might even beat her, blaming her for having done something immoral to bear a Shuang Er.

Zhou Shi deeply empathized, thinking that if she were in such a situation, she would certainly hope her natal brothers would stand up for her, so she secretly tugged at her husband's clothes, prompting him to speak up.

Bing Erlang was also angry and, prompted by his wife, said, "Father, Mother, the Sun family has gone too far this time. No matter what, we can't let them abandon Xiao Geer or deny Eldest Sister food."

Bing Sanlang was about to speak when Qian Shi tugged at his clothes, glaring at him and whispering, "Why are you getting involved? Do you really want your sister to divorce? Isn't that embarrassing enough?"

Originally, Qian Shi was in postpartum confinement, avoiding the wind, and should have been waiting in her room for Bing Sanlang to bring her food. But not knowing that Aunt Bing had returned, and with the family preparing a feast, afraid of missing out, she came out to eat with everyone.

Bing Fu agreed with his sons; they had to go to the Sun family to demand an explanation. Otherwise, if they quietly let their daughter return, not only would she continue to be bullied, but the Sun family might also abandon the Shuang Er she bore.

Moreover, the longer this situation continues, the more they must stand up for their daughter, to prevent her from being bullied by her in-laws in the future.

It's not uncommon in the village for married women to be bullied by their in-laws, and the natal family would bring their brothers to confront the in-laws, making it clear that the woman has support from her natal family, so the in-laws dare not continue to bully her.

This is how villagers deal with such matters; there's no divorce. Bing Fu just wanted to go to the Sun family to stand up for his daughter.

"Today, we're going to the Sun family to demand justice for your Eldest Sister, at least to ensure that the Sun family promises not to abandon the Xiao Geer Aunt Bing bore," Bing Fu thought and said.

With Bing Fu's words, the Bing brothers went to gather their tools. Bing Sanlang, also holding back anger, naturally went to get his tools.

Qian Shi dared not openly stop him, so she secretly instructed Bing Sanlang, "No matter what, divorce is not an option, remember that."

Bing Sanlang replied dismissively, "Divorce? That's unheard of! There's no divorce in our ten-mile area. Eldest Brother is just blowing off steam; you're taking it too seriously."

"I don't think Eldest Brother is just blowing off steam. Anyway, no matter what, I just say we can't let Eldest Sister divorce."

Seeing the Bing brothers heading out the gate, Bing Sanlang quickly pulled away from Qian Shi and followed.

The Bing brothers marched in a large group towards the Sun family. Of course, gathering their tools wasn't really about fighting with weapons, but to make a grand show.

Along the way to the Sun family, whenever someone asked, Bing Wengu told the truth without covering for the Sun family.

Although most families in the village favor sons over daughters, abandoning healthy children in the mountains to die is still too horrifying, especially not in times of famine. Why go to such extremes?

The Sun family didn't want people to know they had a Xiao Geer, so Bing Wengu deliberately spread the word far and wide, even tearing off the last veil of shame.

By the time the group arrived at the Sun family, a crowd of villagers had followed to watch the spectacle.

"Sun Erlang, come out! Our Bing family is here to settle accounts with you!" Bing Silang, who had been holding his breath all the way, couldn't wait to shout as soon as they arrived at the Sun family.

It was still early, and the entire Sun family was at home, even discussing Aunt Bing just moments before.

Sun Erlang, upon waking up and finding his wife and children all gone, felt uneasy.

"Mother, Eldest Sister has run away with the child, probably back to her parents' home. Should I go and fetch her?"

Mother Sun was completely indifferent to the fact that her daughter-in-law had run back to her parents' home, even cursing, "Go get her? For what? Having a child like that is no great feat. Don't bother with her. The Bing family is so poor they can barely feed themselves, let alone have food for a married daughter. Do you think it's easy for a married daughter to move back in with her parents? Just wait, within two days, her siblings will start making a fuss. Then she'll see that only our family will take her in. If she doesn't want to end up homeless, she'd better shape up."

Sun Erlang was still uneasy, "Mother, what if the Bing family comes to make trouble knowing we want to abandon Xiao Geer?"

"Cause trouble? They wouldn't dare!" Mother Sun was furious, "I haven't even gone to the Bing family to demand answers for what kind of daughter they raised, having nothing but financial burdens and servants, and they dare to cause trouble?"

Before Mother Sun and Sun Erlang could finish speaking, they heard Bing Silang's curses outside, and the small fence gate of the Sun family flew open with a bang.

Inside, Mother Sun and Sun Erlang exchanged glances, both seeing the malice in each other's eyes.

The Sun family rushed outside to find the Bing family armed and looking threatening.

No matter how tough Mother Sun acted around Sun Erlang, she knew what she had done was not right and couldn't be openly discussed.

Looking at the crowd outside, she silently cursed the Bing family for not grasping the simple idea that family shame should stay private.

"In-laws, let's take this inside," Mother Sun suppressed her anger.

Father Sun forced a smile, "At this time, you probably haven't eaten yet, come in and have a meal, we can talk while eating."

Of course, eating wasn't going to happen. Father Bing knew the Sun family wasn't really inviting him to eat but wanted to call him inside to talk, to avoid letting the villagers see their family's troubles.

Father Bing still believed his eldest daughter would return to the Sun family and did not want to make things too ugly, so he was about to follow the Sun couple inside.

However, Bing Wengu was quicker to react than Father Bing, coldly saying, "We're not here to eat, let's talk right here."

Bing Wengu deliberately did not let Father Bing enter the house, as he had no intention of letting Eldest Sister return to the Sun family.

A family like the Sun's, if we're not divorcing, what are we waiting for, the New Year?

If the Bing family didn't listen to him, Bing Wengu would take action first and explain later, forcing the Bing family to listen to him.

Father Bing glanced at Bing Wengu, knowing he couldn't argue with his son at this moment. Otherwise, before dealing with the enemy, internal chaos would ensue, and how could they seek justice for the eldest daughter.

Father Bing acquiesced.

Seeing this, the Sun family was furious but had no choice.

Bing Wengu came with the purpose of completely separating Eldest Sister from the Sun family, not giving the Sun family any face, and directly said, "My Eldest Sister came home and said that your Sun family wants to abandon her newborn Xiao Geer. Even a tiger does not eat its cubs, and beasts know to protect their young. I think Uncle and Aunt Sun are not such scoundrels, and probably wouldn't do something worse than beasts. We are here to ask if there is some misunderstanding."

Mother Sun, already suppressing her anger, couldn't hold back her rage when she heard Bing Wengu mention Xiao Geer.

"Your family dares to come and ask, I want to ask how your family raised your daughter, after marrying here, she gave birth to one financial burden after another, and finally started giving birth to little servants," Mother Sun loudly vented all her dissatisfaction with Eldest Sister's continuous birth of daughters over the years.

Sun Erlang stood by his mother's side, actually supporting her words, even loudly saying, "My mother has been very kind, in other families, a woman who can only give birth to daughters and little servants would have been divorced and sent back home long ago."

Father Bing, constrained by the times, wilted when the Sun family mentioned Eldest Sister giving birth to daughters.

Bing Wengu did not have the outdated ideas about having sons or daughters, but he knew that at this time the villagers cared about this, and talking about equality would only push them to the opposite side.

So Bing Wengu did not talk about that, he coldly said, "Divorce, you have to be able to divorce. Does your family understand the law? If not, do you want me to explain it to you properly? There are seven reasons for divorce, my Eldest Sister has not violated any except for not having a son. But the clause about not having a son does not apply to my Eldest Sister now, a woman can only be divorced at fifty without a son, and my Eldest Sister is far from fifty."

These villagers did not understand the law, usually just talking about divorce. In reality, even if a wife could not bear a son in her lifetime, they would just adopt a child from a brother or the clan, almost no one would actually divorce, mainly because the family was poor and could not afford to marry again.

The Sun family looked at each other, but did not doubt Bing Wengu's words, after all, Bing Wengu was a scholar, more familiar with the law than them.

Bing Wengu continued, "As for your dissatisfaction with my Eldest Sister giving birth to daughters one after another, if you don't speak, our Bing family will come to your house to hold you accountable."

Sun's father laughed bitterly, "Bing Dalang, even if you're a scholar and know more than us field workers, you can't twist the truth. Aunt Bing can't have a son, so why are you blaming our Sun family?"

Bing Wengu began to distort the facts, "I ask you, if you plant beans in your field, do you expect to harvest rice? My eldest sister is the soil, Sun Erlang is the seed. Even if my sister's soil is fertile, if Sun Erlang's seed is bad, you'll still get beans. Do beans magically turn into rice just because they're in good soil?"

Bing Wengu spoke bluntly, and the villagers, who had never heard such a theory before, found it quite reasonable upon first hearing it. Some villagers even nodded along, agreeing with him.

Bing Silang, even more hot-headed, jabbed a finger at Sun Erlang, "Sun Erlang, I ask you, you planted beans in my sister's field, but she bore rice. Do you dare to acknowledge this child?"

Sun Erlang was so furious he could hardly catch his breath, "Does Aunt Bing have the guts?"

"That settles it!" Bing Silang rolled his eyes, "Your seed is defective; it only produces daughters and Shuang Er. You won't let my sister use another's seed, yet you expect her to bear a son? You're out of your mind!"

Sun's mother shook with rage, "You, the Bing family, are spouting nonsense, being sharp-tongued, and pushing us around too much!"

"What did Si Lang say that was wrong?" Bing Wengu coldly glanced at Sun Erlang, his expression clearly calling Sun Erlang a failure at siring a son, "My eldest sister is willing to bear rice, but does Sun Erlang, who planted beans, dare to take credit for it? Does your Sun family dare to take credit for it?"

This was just like calling Sun Erlang a failure at siring a son, implying that to have a son, he would have to be a cuckold.

The Sun family couldn't take it and immediately charged forward, aiming to scratch Bing Wengu's face, "I'll scratch your face to shreds."

Bing Wengu, already set on divorcing Aunt Bing, didn't hold back at all. He raised his leg and kicked Sun's mother, sending her sprawling. She crashed to the ground, wailing in agony.

The Sun family was shocked that Bing Wengu fought back. After all, Sun's mother was Aunt Bing's mother-in-law and also Bing Dalang's elder. From any perspective, Bing Wengu shouldn't have attacked Sun's mother.

Seeing Sun's mother being kicked like this in their own home, the Sun family's eyes turned red, and they all rushed forward.

Chaos erupted as the Sun and Bing families clashed.

The Sun family had more men and a better diet, making them stronger than the Bing men. Plus, this was the Sun family's home ground, and their relatives were all here. The Sun relatives couldn't just stand by and watch their family being beaten, so they also joined the fight.

Bing Wengu, being the one who struck first, was the first target for Sun's father and the Sun men.

Unfortunately, Bing Wengu was no pushover. On the contrary, he was a tough nut to crack. The Sun family came at him one by one, and he took them down one by one. Not a single Sun family member could last a round with Bing Wengu.

In the blink of an eye, Bing Wengu had knocked down the entire Sun family. Turning around, he saw the Bing brothers and Bing's father being surrounded and beaten by the Sun relatives, so he went to help.

In another blink, the Sun relatives were also knocked down by Bing Wengu.

The onlookers and participants were stunned, including the Bing family, who were somewhat confused. When did Bing Wengu become so skilled in fighting?

But upon closer thought, in their memories, Bing Wengu, as a scholar, rarely argued with others, let alone fought. So for a moment, the Bing family couldn't recall Bing Wengu's combat skills.

Bing Silang thought even more deeply. He recalled the last time he was held underwater by Bing Wengu and couldn't rise up. He had always remained unconvinced, believing that Bing Wengu had the upper hand simply because he was caught off guard. Had they truly fought, he was confident he could defeat Bing Wengu. But now...

After dealing with everyone, Bing Wengu wasn't even out of breath. He even leisurely straightened his slightly disheveled robe from the fight.

Everyone felt that Bing Wengu was even more unfathomable and terrifying. Those Sun relatives who had just arrived to help fight, upon seeing this scene, quietly hid in the crowd.

Forget about fighting, going up would just mean getting beaten. Didn't you see Bing Wengu knocking down one after another with a single punch? None of those who fell could get up again. A dozen strong men were all knocked down in the blink of an eye.

After straightening his robe, Bing Wengu said slowly, "Now can we talk properly?"

Everyone suddenly remembered that the initiators of this fight seemed to be the Sun family members who were now lying on the ground.

Seeing that they couldn't win, Sun's mother immediately started wailing and pounding the ground, "Everyone, come and see, is there no law in this world? The Bing family has bullied us to our doorstep, even coming to our home to beat us."

"First, you were the ones who started the fight. We were just defending ourselves," Bing Wengu looked down at Sun's mother from above. "Second, you all ganged up on a few of us. As for ending up being the ones knocked down, it's just that you're not as skilled as us."

Sun's father glared viciously at Bing Wengu, wishing he could tear him apart, "But you were the ones who came to our door first. If you didn't want to fight, why did you come with weapons? We were just defending ourselves."

Bing Wengu nodded. "So, are you going to report this to the authorities?"

Sun's mother shouted, "Yes, we will report it! Let the magistrate arrest all of you and throw you in jail!"

Bing Wengu showed no fear on his face, even smiling. Everyone thought he had gone mad with fear, but then he slowly said, "That actually suits me perfectly, saving us the trouble of reporting it ourselves."

Sun Erlang yelled, "You beat people up and still have the nerve to report us?"

Bing Wengu's smile faded, his expression turning cold. "I want to accuse you of abandoning and attempting to murder your own child."

Bing Wengu stepped closer to Sun Erlang, and under Sun Erlang's terrified gaze, he pressed his shoe sole against Sun Erlang's face. "Do you know the penalty for attempting to murder your own child? Oh, you don't know the law, huh? Let me tell you—it's at least ten years of hard labor."

Sun Erlang's pupils contracted. "You're lying, his life was given by me, he lives or dies by my will."

Bing Wengu sneered. "Ignorant of the law, huh? Don't forget to say that in court; maybe it will add a few more years to your sentence."

Bing Wengu twisted his foot on Sun Erlang's face, making him scream, then he withdrew his foot and loudly addressed the villagers. "Could one of you kindly go to the town for us? The Bing family wants to accuse the Sun family of attempting to murder their own child!"

Many villagers agreed with the idea that a father has the right to decide the life or death of his child, which wasn't surprising given the lack of compulsory education and widespread ignorance at the time. They didn't even know whether killing one's own child was a crime.

Initially, there was some doubt, but seeing Bing Wengu actually intending to accuse them, they became convinced. After all, Bing Wengu was a scholar; regardless of his academic achievements, he knew more than they did.

The villagers realized that in the end, it was their own people who were in the wrong, and they dared not take sides or report to the authorities, fearing that having someone from the village imprisoned would tarnish the village's reputation.

A quick-witted villager had already slipped away to inform the village chief, who, fearing the Bing family might really take the matter to court, arrived quickly.

"Brother Bing, what's happening here?" the Sun village chief said in a friendly tone, as if he and Bing's father were old buddies, though they had never met before. "We're all related by marriage; any misunderstandings can be resolved calmly, no need to make such a scene."

Bing's father glanced at Bing Wengu, who nodded slightly, and only then did Bing's father follow the chief into the Sun family's house to discuss.

Bing's father didn't beat around the bush. "Our Bing family is not unreasonable. Our only demand is that the Sun family does not abandon the boy and that they treat Aunt Bing well after taking her back, and never mistreat her again."

Bing's father still held the traditional view, unwilling to have his daughter divorced, as long as the Sun family accepted the child and no longer mistreated Aunt Bing, life could go on.

Unexpectedly, Sun's mother was the first to shout, "Impossible, absolutely impossible. Want us to raise that little servant boy? I spit on your wishful dreams!"

Bing's father was so angry he nearly fell over, never expecting that even at this point, Sun's mother would not relent.

"You, you..." Bing's father trembled with anger, unable to form a complete sentence.

"Alright, with your words, we have nothing to fear," Bing Wengu, in stark contrast to his father's extreme anger, calmly said. "Then we'll meet in court."

The village chief glared fiercely at Sun's mother. "Men are talking; no place for a woman to interrupt. Sun Laosi, you speak."

This woman, really long hair but short-sighted. Agree first, then when Aunt Bing returns with the child, what to do will be up to Sun's mother. A newborn child, there are plenty of ways to ensure he dies young.

The village chief kept signaling to Sun's father, who immediately understood. "Go, you have no say here. In-law, I agree to all your terms."

Bing Wengu, fearing his father might be fooled, spoke up. "Chief, no need to signal them with your eyes. Our Bing family is not stupid, to be fooled by the Sun family. If you want to take back my eldest sister, Sun Erlang must personally come to our house, kneel three times and kowtow nine times to apologize to her."

Bing Wengu never intended for the two to reconcile; the more outrageous, the better. "Additionally, the Sun family must guarantee to treat my eldest sister and the children well in the future—not only equal to the other children in the family but also ensure they eat eggs every three days, chicken every two weeks, and meat at least four times a month."

The village chief looked at Bing Wengu, realizing that among the Bing family, including Bing's father who was all bark and no bite, and the jumping-around Bing Silang, only this Bing Wengu was hard to deal with.

This scholar, after all, is a cultured person; no matter his level of knowledge, he's not easy to fool.

"Bing Dalang, these demands are excessive. Not to mention anything else, even your own family doesn't treat a daughter-in-law like this."

"Chief, that's not correct," Bing Wengu said. "Our family has never mistreated a daughter-in-law, much less beaten one. Everyone has seen how my eldest sister has been living in the Sun family—mistreatment and beatings are a daily routine. It's not that I'm being excessive, but my eldest sister's health has been severely damaged by the Sun family; if not properly nourished, it might affect her lifespan."

Bing Wengu was not lying. Given Aunt Bing's current condition, if she didn't eat well to nourish herself, he could diagnose her without a doctor even needing to take her pulse.

"Comparing my Eldest Sister to my brothers' wives is completely unreasonable. Our family has never mistreated our daughters-in-law to the point of shortening their lives. If our family had indeed tormented a daughter-in-law to the detriment of her lifespan, we would spend every last penny to treat her. Now that the Sun family has driven my Eldest Sister to this state, considering their financial difficulties, I won't demand treatment, but giving her some good food to build up her strength isn't too much to ask, is it?"

After Bing Wengu's explanation, what the villagers initially thought were outrageous demands suddenly didn't seem so bad—in fact, they seemed pretty reasonable. If even these conditions weren't accepted, it would truly be too much.

At this point, the village chief also realized that Bing Wengu's words could easily twist black and white and sway people's hearts. Even he couldn't argue against him.

No matter what the issue was, once he spoke, it became the undeniable truth.