"Oh, my dear mother, my waist. My hands are going to break! Tang Wanwan, you wretch, how dare you defy your superiors, you disloyal and unfilial, malicious bastard, I will report to the authorities." Mrs. Wang cried in pain, tears and snot flowing down her face as she wailed.
Granny Zhang saw this, and immediately felt distressed. She quickly picked up a stick from the ground and angrily approached Tang Wanwan.
"You little brat, you've gotten bold, daring to poison your brother and now trying to kill your aunt. It seems I've treated you too well. If I don't beat you to death today, I can't uphold our family's reputation."
Heh. Indeed, they're not really a family.
At this moment, Lady Chen desperately held the door, kneeling and crying, "Mother, sister-in-law, please let Wanwan go. I will take her to the ancestral hall to confess."
"Hmph, now you speak up, too late."
"Mother, we must drown her in a pig cage. Such a malicious woman, even if she marries out, will ruin the Tang Family's reputation. In the future, Ruyi and Ruyue still have to get married."
Granny Zhang nodded in agreement, "You have a point, daughter-in-law, such a wild girl should never have been allowed in."
"Mother, I beg you, she is your legitimate granddaughter!" Lady Chen cried uncontrollably in the house, pulling the door forcefully, finally tearing it open. She crawled kneeling on the ground, kowtowing.
"Mother, I'm begging you. Now my husband is gone, Tang Wei is sick, and the two little ones are only eight years old. If anything happens to Wanwan, you are driving our whole family to death."
Seeing Granny Zhang hesitating, Lady Chen knelt all the way to her daughter's side, shielding her with her frail body. "Wanwan, my Wanwan."
Even though Tang Wanwan had never tasted the so-called love of family, she was moved by the sight of Lady Chen. This kind of mother, she was determined to have and to protect.
As for these two, there was no way she would let them off easily.
At this moment, Tang Wanwan completely understood her identity. Many memories about the original owner's background became clear. Now she realized how shameless this family was.
"Mother, you don't have to beg them. Go inside, I'll talk to them."
"Oh, aren't we bold now. Let me tell you, compensate me for my medical expenses right away, you've broken my hand."
"Oh everyone come see, this heartless vicious girl broke my hand." Mrs. Wang cried like this, but no one paid her any attention.
She turned to Granny Zhang and said, "Mother, my hand is broken, I can't work anymore. I think we should take the five taels from Brother Jianfei's burial fee along with it. If that's not possible, the few thatched houses can be used for stacking firewood. No one's living in that broken temple, right? Anywhere would be better than here for them! Those five mouths, who can fill such a big hole they're gonna leave?"
Granny Zhang knew her daughter-in-law's temper. If she offended her, her own life would be hard too. She glared at Tang Wanwan and said sternly, "Tang Wanwan, kneel and confess to your aunt right now, and bring the five taels from your late father. You all move to that broken temple and today's matter will be settled, otherwise, you're just waiting to be drowned in a pig cage."
Tang Wanwan snorted inwardly; it was clear they were after her family's five taels. The bulk had already been taken, and the remaining money was for their family, including her brother's medicine. It was also used to build a cenotaph for their father, pay for a family meal, and with all these expenses, only two taels were left at home. These two black-hearted people actually wanted to snatch it away too, thinking she was a pushover.
Since she had taken on the original owner's identity, she naturally had to take good care of her family. If she let these two take advantage today, the future would be even harder.
Tang Jianfei, the original owner's father, had an accident while transporting salt for the government to another place. He encountered bandits who stole the emergency salt they were escorting. Tang Jianfei reportedly resisted and was stabbed, and the informant said his body was thrown into the river to feed the fish by those bandits.
Finally, the County Magistrate showed some conscience, knowing their family's main support was gone, he subsidized them with thirty taels of silver. But before this money even warmed up, it was embezzled by Mrs. Wang and Granny Zhang, saying it was for their family's food and drink, and should be turned over for expenses. Only five taels of burial money were left to them.
Poor as they were, the twenty-five taels lasted less than a year, and the children were always starving. Tang Wei didn't even have money for medicine. If they had used it for their own family, it would have lasted several years.
"Grandma, I didn't feed Tang Cheng the poisonous mushrooms, he ate them himself, I tried to persuade him not to. You can ask Doctor Chen if you don't believe me, whether he ate them, one question will tell you. Also, I decided to separate from you and want you to return those twenty-five taels that belonged to my father."
"What, what did you say? You dead girl, if you have the guts, repeat what you just said for me to hear." Granny Zhang didn't expect this girl to not only refuse to confess but also to counter her for the silver, it was utterly reckless. As she spoke, she raised the stick in her hand, ready to strike Tang Wanwan.
However, this time it wasn't working. The little girl grabbed the stick with one hand, and Granny Zhang couldn't move, her face turned red from strain.
"Are you rebelling? Daughter-in-law, help me catch this brat." Granny Zhang was infuriated, this girl actually dared to resist.
Tang Wanwan turned to Mrs. Wang and said in a low voice, "Aunt, if you want that hand to be completely useless, then go ahead. If you don't let go of today's matter, I'm not afraid. But I'm afraid of you bullying our family, and rumors spreading would be bad for Brother Cheng and Ruyi's future."
"Isn't tomorrow Ruyi's matchmaking day? If today's matter is resolved, I promise not to show up front."
Mrs. Wang planned to send her son Tang Cheng to a school in town. The school's teacher highly valued character, and if this incident reached his ears, her son's prospects might be affected. Furthermore, with Tang Wanwan promising not to cause trouble tomorrow, her daughter's worries were alleviated somewhat.
"Grandma, if you agree to let us separate, I can ask for only half the silver, and our paths won't cross in the future."
"Dream on, I think if I don't beat you one day, you'll reach for the sky!" Granny Zhang gave the daughter-in-law a wink. They prepared to encircle and catch Tang Wanwan, but they couldn't catch her. The girl was as sly as a monkey, and Granny Zhang almost hit Mrs. Wang's head.
Tang Wanwan jumped to the other side of the mud wall and said to Granny Zhang, "Grandma, what if I go to the County Magistrate and report that you've embezzled my father's burial expenses and didn't give us enough to eat or buy medicine for my brother? I wonder if Fourth Uncle's position at the county office can be preserved?"
"You dead girl, why is your heart so ruthless? Why didn't I just drown you in the river when you were born?" Granny Zhang didn't expect Tang Wanwan to become so formidable, directly hitting her weak spot. This matter was her fear indeed. Her youngest son, weak and sickly since childhood, had finally managed to find a government job through someone's connection. If he lost it, don't even mention his marriage prospects, their family's support would be gone. Besides, Tang Jianshu didn't secure the position properly, if the just and strict County Magistrate knew, who knew what would happen.
Seeing Granny Zhang hesitating, Tang Wanwan said immediately, "Your silence means consent. I promise that as long as you return my father's silver to us, our family will stay out of your business in the future."