pertwk Chapter 567: They All Learned This Madness from the Eldest Daughter-in-law
Chapter 567: They All Learned This Madness from the Eldest Daughter-in-law
"Xiao Xue is now the apple of elder sister-in-law’s eye. She and Daqiao’s wife hold the power of life and death over those who come to apply, whoever can enter the weaving workshop to become a female worker is entirely up to their judgement. Tsk tsk tsk, you all really should go have a look, Xiao Xue wears the new clothes sent by elder sister-in-law, and the pearl hairpin given by Taohua, she has the demeanor of a steward now."
Gu Honglian said these words with a mix of envy and sourness.
Although Gu Xiaoxue still lives in the same courtyard, she eats and stays at Feng Nian’s place. These days, she runs to Tong Huaqiong’s weaving workshop early in the morning and returns late at night, so neither Mrs. Jia nor Old Mrs. Gu have seen much of her.
Naturally, they don’t know about her current appearance.
Their own daughter actively going to embrace the big house’s thigh pricked Mrs. Jia’s heart.
Old Mrs. Gu is extremely dissatisfied with this granddaughter, previously she thought Gu Taohua, who dared to overturn the table at her when young, was rebellious enough, now she sees Gu Xiaoxue is not much better than Gu Taohua.
Old Mrs. Gu attributed this madness to being learned from the elder daughter-in-law.
"Hmph. A girl should be quiet and gentle, what good can your elder sister-in-law be, leading all the village wives to make a public spectacle, ruining the village’s girls. Just you wait, these girls will suffer when it’s time to discuss marriage. What family would want to marry a wife who flaunts herself outside? A girl doing laundry, cooking, and working in the fields is called virtuous and capable. Earning monthly money outside is called too strong-willed. Once a person is strong-willed, after marriage they’ll defy in-laws and argue with husbands relying on the few silver coins they can earn, making life difficult. How did Tong Pandi divorce? It’s because of this kind of behavior."
"Elder sister-in-law earns money for herself, disregarding the girls’ lives, and families in the village still cling obsequiously to her. Just wait and see, there will be tears eventually, and in the future our village will be left with a group of undesirable old maids."
Old Mrs. Gu clapped her hands as she shared her insights.
A rural old lady like her, taking Mr. Gu as heaven for a lifetime.
She truly felt what Tong Huaqiong was doing was no different from digging up ancestors’ graves.
Their own daughter’s mind is simple, unable to see this layer, only thinking of earning silver.
A proper girl should stay at home, give birth to sons, and take care of household chores.
Earning silver, that’s a man’s business.
Her own Honglian would certainly not wade into muddy waters.
Mrs. Jia knew her mother-in-law had always been biased against elder sister-in-law. Originally, she wanted to join in the criticism, but then thought that her mother-in-law didn’t like her either, so she swallowed the words back down.
She had just been thinking that Gu Xiaoxue could earn Silver Coin a month, and now she worried that Gu Xiaoxue would be burdened by Tong Dajiao, making her marriage prospects difficult.
Gu Honglian however did not agree with Old Mrs. Gu’s words, complaining, "Father, Mother, it’s one thing for you to favor second brother and sister-in-law to offend elder sister-in-law, but how can you ask me to hate elder sister-in-law with you. When I was little, elder sister-in-law doted on me, putting delicious food and drink into my mouth, even Gu Taohua sometimes envied me. Now it’s fine, Xiao Xue can go to elder sister-in-law’s weaving workshop as steward, all the village girls can work in elder sister-in-law’s workshop, except me."
Old Mrs. Gu and Mr. Gu almost spat out an old mouthful of blood hearing the youngest daughter’s complaints.
Old Mrs. Gu said, "Just those scraps bought you out, making you alienated from your parents? If she really treated you well, could it be incited by us? Comparing yourself to Taohua, she’d not abandon a dear daughter for confronting her."
Gu Honglian retorted, "It’s exactly your incitement. Mother, you’re still inciting even now. Every day you tell me elder sister-in-law’s kindness is fake, I’m young and ignorant and fell for your trick, causing elder sister-in-law to dislike me."
The more Gu Honglian thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt.
In the past, being young, what did she know? Old Mrs. Gu said elder sister-in-law was malicious in heart, not sincerely cherishing Gu Baishuang, how could she truly care for her, this distant little sister-in-law? Mrs. Jia saw her close to elder sister-in-law and immediately said your elder sister-in-law is trying to win you over to use you as dowry for Gu Jingzhe later.
Following along, she hated elder sister-in-law together too, said many things conflicting with elder sister-in-law, even schemed against elder sister-in-law with second sister-in-law, angering elder sister-in-law to leap off her feet.
Now no matter how she tries to please elder sister-in-law, she doesn’t respond. Today watching Gu Xiaoxue confidently inspecting village girls’ weaving skills, she felt both envious and jealous.
"Sister, Mother is right. Because you’re young and clueless, you fell for elder sister-in-law’s trick. Look, now she’s so rich, but doesn’t she give you anything? And yet you run to her all the time. I say, as her little sister-in-law, elder sister-in-law should help find you a good match, properly speaking. See, she holds the title, runs the shop, did she give any thought to your match?" Mrs. Jia took the opportunity to badmouth Tong Huaqiong.
Old Mrs. Gu did not squint coldly at Mrs. Jia this time.
She saw it, as long as she joined in the detesting of Tong Dajiao, her mother-in-law would show slightly kinder face.
Mrs. Jia speaking those words provoked Gu Honglian even more.
She couldn’t take it out on parents, who was second sister-in-law to count?
"Second sister-in-law, your words sound as if you’re a good person. Elder sister-in-law hasn’t tried to use me as debt payment, hasn’t dressed up her niece to overshadow me during matchmaking, didn’t pawn my satin. Second sister-in-law, you’re so good, why don’t you help me find a good match? Or maybe prepare dowry for me?" Gu Honglian was blunt to Mrs. Jia.
Mrs. Jia’s face turned pale.
Gu Honglian continued, "Second sister-in-law, always quick with the lips. People who don’t know might think your family runs a honey shop, honey so abundant it can’t be sold as it all ends up on your lips. People are knife-mouth tofu-heart, but you, full of good words with a belly of bad tricks. You think I’m still young and ignorant, ready to be incited again to plot against elder sister-in-law and hit your pregnant belly? It was clearly you who stepped on dog poop on a snowy day, yet you blamed elder sister-in-law. I was foolish enough to say I saw elder sister-in-law hit your belly."
Thinking back then, Gu Honglian shed tears in anger.
She helped second sister-in-law plot against elder sister-in-law, and second sister-in-law promised to give her a pair of shoes.
Yet she went back on her word.
What did second sister-in-law say? Second sister-in-law said gifting her shoes would be too conspicuous, others will suspect their scheme against elder sister-in-law.
Though angry, she held back, afraid revealing it would have others discover the truth.
How could she be so silly, being tricked into a spin by second sister-in-law since childhood.
Mrs. Jia was rendered speechless by Gu Honglian’s scolding.
Gu Honglian did not spare her, continuing to expose second sister-in-law’s trickery.
The more she spoke, the more aggrieved she became, with tears flowing fiercely.
Old Mrs. Gu’s face grew darker, her beloved youngest daughter, treated as if a precious pearl, deceived to such an extent by the second daughter-in-law.
Further considering the second daughter-in-law’s plan to hand Gu Honglian over to Xu Dabao, old grudges combined with new grievances erupted, leading her to furiously scold Mrs. Jia.
Ultimately scolding to the point of threatening to divorce Mrs. Jia.
Mrs. Jia was too scared to make a sound.
Outside came the crackling sound, Old Mrs. Gu glanced outward, Gu Ruinian was frying something in the courtyard.
"Every day doing nothing useful, frying with your crippled leg? I won’t spare you if the house burns down. Not sweeping the courtyard, not pulling weeds in the field, only eating without work, a wastrel. You should’ve been drowned in the urinal at birth."
"The leg’s crippled, are your ears deaf too? Fill up those two water jars for me. If your leg’s unfit for carrying water, use a ladle or spoon to fill them."
Old Mrs. Gu shouted out the window to scold Gu Ruinian.
Gu Ruinian could only, grudgingly, put down the sulfur and pick up the bucket under scolding.
Old Mrs. Gu perfectly exemplifies the severity of turning against a favored one.