Chapter 367 - 368: Comparison

Chapter 367: Chapter 368: Comparison

Xie Ruyi and Gu Yuanjin called their two sons and their wives together.

Their second son, Gu Le Di, had only recently married Xie Yuewei, the legitimate daughter of Landlord Xie from nearby Fu County.

Xie Ruyi couldn’t be more pleased with her second daughter-in-law. She was gentle, courteous, and always greeted everyone with a warm smile.

Song Xiuyang, on the other hand, wore a sour expression all day long, as if the whole world owed her something.

"I’ve called you all here today. I trust the brothers have already told you why?"

Song Xiuyang clutched her handkerchief tightly, knowing her mother-in-law was about to give her a hard time again.

"What is wrong with you, wife of my third son? All this time, and you haven’t thought to send a single letter to your family? Besides, your husband paid more than enough for the betrothal gifts and nearly lost his life in the process, yet your brother still has the audacity to go there and cause a scene." From the moment Xie Ruyi opened her mouth, she spared her no dignity.

Song Xiuyang shot a quick glance at her younger, wealthier sister-in-law, only to find her looking at Gu Le Di beside her. She felt a flicker of relief, but her heart immediately tightened again. ’She doesn’t even see me as worthy of her notice.’

She wanted to point out that her second sister-in-law’s betrothal gifts had been more than ten times greater than her own, but she lost the courage when she remembered the woman’s twenty-six-cart dowry.

"I’m talking to you. Why are you looking at other people?" When Xie Ruyi received no answer from Song Xiuyang and saw she had the nerve to be observing others, her anger flared.

"Mother, I’m illiterate. How was I supposed to write him a letter?" Song Xiuyang stammered.

"Those are just excuses. Hardly anyone in our large family is literate, but have you noticed our correspondence with your Seventh Uncle ever stopping?" Xie Ruyi found herself looking down on this daughter-in-law more and more. ’If she can be this heartless toward the family that raised her, how can we expect her to care about the Gu Family?’

"If you can’t write, then find a Scholar to help you. If that’s not possible, your younger brothers- and sisters-in-law can all write now..." Gu Yuanjin stopped his wife from saying any more.

He looked directly at Gu Lejia. "This is the path you chose. You will walk it to the end, even if you have to do it on your knees.

It is completely unreasonable for your brother-in-law to repeatedly go to your Seventh Uncle’s residence in Sea City and cause a scene.

Besides, that residence is just guarded by servants. How can he constantly throw around that he’s your Seventh Uncle’s relative? What is he trying to accomplish?"

No one there was a fool. Was he trying to take advantage of the owner’s absence and use his status as a relative to become the master of the house?

If the steward left in charge hadn’t been so assertive, their branch of the family might have ended up on bad terms with Seventh over this matter.

Gu Lejia had entertained such a thought himself before returning to his hometown, and now that Gu Yuanjin had mentioned it, he lowered his head in shame.

"Don’t delay. Write a letter today and have it sent to Fu County. The steward who is returning to Sea City will pass through here in a few days," Gu Yuanjin said with a cold snort. "He is your brother-in-law. Even if he needs help, he should only be looking for you two. You had better make that clear to them.

If there is a next time, I won’t have you in this family."

Although his words weren’t explicit, both Gu Lejia and Song Xiuyang understood.

If they didn’t handle this matter properly, the second son’s household would likely receive the lion’s share of the family’s assets in the future.

Once Xie Ruyi and the others left, Song Xiuyang finally dared to wipe away her tears. "It’s not my fault, but they’re blaming it all on me."

Xie Yuewei and Gu Le Di were just about to leave when they heard Song Xiuyang’s cold voice. "I know you’re enjoying my predicament. We’re both daughters-in-law of the Gu family. What makes you think you’re always a cut above me?"

Xie Yuewei stopped and turned to face her, the smile long gone from her face. "You overestimate yourself. Do you really think your little problem is worth us coming all this way just to gloat?

Father-in-law and Mother-in-law called us here too, but only to use your situation to warn us. We all depend on Seventh Uncle for the good lives we have now. Don’t ruin it for yourself because of your family’s selfish desires.

I’m more at ease in the Gu family than you are because I’m much more aware of my position."

’As long as I play my part as a granddaughter-in-law of the Gu family, as Ancient Wen Heng’s niece-in-law,’ Xie Yuewei thought, ’my own family won’t have to do a thing; they’ll be tied to this ship right along with me. Wherever they go, people will have to show them respect and won’t dare to cause them trouble.’

’And what truly excites me isn’t the man standing beside me, but the Gu Family rules. If I manage things well, I won’t have to sink into the mire of the inner courtyards like my mother, endlessly fighting with concubines and bedchambers’ maids.’

"Our mother-in-law likes you. She’s never said a harsh word to you, so of course you can stand there and talk so casually," Song Xiuyang said resentfully.

Xie Yuewei just smiled, unconcerned. ’Some people are determined to dig their own graves. Why should I waste my time here?’

She turned to Le Di beside her and said softly, "My dear, let’s go home."

...

Once the two of them had left, Song Xiuyang immediately turned to Gu Lejia. "So that’s your family for you. Not a single one of them treats us with any respect."

Having been back in the family for so long, Gu Lejia had already come to understand. Out in the world, he was nothing. This was where his roots were.

"If you’re that unhappy here, we can get a divorce. I’ll find a way to give you a sum of silver taels and send you back to Sea City."

He was sick of her ceaseless complaining. If Song Xiuyang had committed any major transgression, he would have given her a formal letter of divorce.

"I will not get a divorce!" Song Xiuyang shrieked at the word. Life was finally starting to get better, and the Gu family’s fortune was growing. ’Why on earth should I leave?’

’I was a widow when I remarried. If I leave the Gu family now, what future will I have?’

"Then quiet down a little. Stop acting like everyone has a grudge against you. People won’t say anything to your face, but they will avoid you," Gu Lejia said, shaking his head. "Haven’t you noticed that you don’t have a single person to talk to in this village?"

Of course, Song Xiuyang knew all this. "That’s because everyone looks down on me. I’m a wid—"

"That’s because you look down on yourself first," Gu Lejia cut in impatiently, tired of hearing the same old complaint. "My sixth aunt also divorced and remarried, and she’s perfectly happy all the time."

Song Xiuyang muttered, "...How can that be the same? It’s not like I have capable brothers to back me up, do I?"

"I can’t talk to you," Gu Lejia said. He turned to walk away, then came back and grabbed her. "Come with me. We’re writing a letter to your brother right now. I still haven’t settled the score with him for nearly killing me last time, and now he has the audacity to go around pretending to be a close relative.

You’ve helped that brother of yours more than enough. For him to cause such a ruckus, does he ever think about you? How can you still be so devoted to someone like that...?"

***

Jin Qianqian didn’t know when it started, but the talk all over Shangjing was that she was a jealous woman.

They said she used her wealth to control the Gu family, forbidding Ancient Wen Heng from having anything to do with other women, to say nothing of taking concubines.

At first, Jin Qianqian paid the matter no mind. After all, new topics of conversation sprang up in Shangjing every day. Some faded away before they even became hot gossip, buried by the next juicy rumor.