Chapter 1410: Chapter 1410: Divorce
The Lin Family looked down on the Shang Family. Lin Guangtong, with a favored concubine, ignored his wife, and it was known that he had beaten Shang Xiuyu. The Lin Family claimed it happened only twice. So why were there still injuries?
How to explain the long scar on her stomach?
Shang Laodaâs Wife explained how Shang Yuanyuan noticed something amiss with Shang Xiuyu, seized the opportunity to bring her into the room with the maid, restrained her, and lifted her clothes to check the injuries.
"Father-in-law, the Lin Family are not human; theyâre a bunch of beasts... Not an inch of Yuâs sisterâs body is unscathed. Those long scars were cut by Lin Su with a knife. She said Yuâs sister was useless, costing her two Lin Family grandsons, so she gave two cuts as a lesson. But those two children were lost due to the Lin Familyâs concubine. How can Yuâs sister be blamed?!" Shang Laodaâs Wife wept uncontrollably.
"What? Sister-in-law, is what you said true?!" Village Chief Shang never imagined the Lin Family could be this ruthless.
Shang Laodaâs Wife nodded: "Itâs absolutely true. My second brotherâs wife fainted in fear and is still lying in the room."
Zhang, the wife of Shang Laoer and Shang Xiuyuâs biological mother, was so shocked upon seeing her daughterâs injuries that she fainted directly.
Upon hearing this, Shang Laoer, overwhelmed with rage, collapsed with a bang.
"Dad!"
"Second Uncle!"
Shang Zifu and Shang Zixiang hurriedly rushed over to help Shang Laoer.
Shang Zixiang called out to Doctor Wu: "Please come quickly and save my father."
Doctor Wu hurriedly rushed over, needled Shang Laoer a few times, and revived him.
Upon awakening, Shang Laoer cried: "Itâs my fault. Itâs all my fault for wanting to climb the social ladder, and now it has harmed Yu... What to do? There are still decades to live; how will Yu get through the days ahead?"
Scholar Shang said: "Of course, we should sue the Lin Family, let the government office adjudicate a separation, and bring Yu back to her maternal home."
"S-separation?" Shang Laoer was shocked. He didnât want Shang Xiuyu to separate. A girl who marries and then returns due to separation, where does that leave the familyâs reputation?
Scholar Shang was infuriated by Shang Laoerâs indecisiveness, so he addressed Village Chief Shang directly: "Uncle, the Lin Family abuses Yu as if they arenât related by marriage. If our Shang Familyâs married daughters are treated this way and we endure without reacting, people will only mock us for being weak, and they will bully us even more in the future."
"Uncle, this concerns the Shang Familyâs reputation and dignity. We cannot endure. We must file a complaint against the Lin Family to support Yuâs separation and bring her home!"
Village Chief Shang listened with tears falling and, after a moment of silence, said: "Alright, to the government office, weâll sue the Lin Family!"
Really, really sue them?
Lin Su became frightened and hurriedly pleaded: "Elder Family Patriarch, donât go to the government office. Weâre related by marriage, any issues can be resolved privately... Rest assured, in the future, the Lin Family will treat Xiuyu well, never letting her suffer again."
She then called to Lin Guangtong: "Come quickly to apologize to your grandfather and father-in-law, promising never to beat Xiuyu again!"
Lin Guangtong said: "You were the one who cut Shang Xiuyuâs stomach, why should I apologize? Besides, Iâm from Linhe Prefecture, the Tianfu Countyâs pathetic office wouldnât dare arrest me."
Unrepentant, utterly unrepentant!
Village Chief Shang was utterly disappointed, wiping his tears, he declared: "Tie up the Lin Family members. As itâs not too late, letâs head together to the county government to settle the Lin Familyâs fate!"
"Good!" Scholar Shang laughed and immediately led people to bind Lin Guangtong, stuffing his mouth to prevent any more nonsense. He then went on to tie up Lin Su and even didnât spare the fainted Lin Yueyun.
"Master, our family will go along too," Gu Jinâan said. "The Lin Family slandered the innocence of my two sisters. They must admit their mistakes for that."
The reputation of the girls of the Gu Family cannot be sullied!
Scholar Shang: "Alright, letâs go together."
The Qin, Gu, and Luo Tian families were already familiar with visiting the government office, and within 30 minutes, had prepared and set off, heading grandly to the county seat.
When Young Master Dou heard that the Lin Family dared to slander the innocence of Gu Jinli, he nearly wished death upon them... Damn it, even the Young Marquisâ official wife is someone the Lin Family could slander? If the Lin Family is not destroyed, he will not be called Dou Ke!
Young Master Dou also got on the carriage, rushing to the county government.
Today, Luo Wu had just started his duties and encountered a case concerning Gu Jinxiuâs reputation, infuriating him. When Lin Su and her two sons got off the carriage, he grabbed Lin Guangtong and started beating him.
Young Master Dou also took a few kicks.
Lin Guangtong screamed incessantly, spitting blood, and fainted from the beating.
But no worries, Doctor Wu was there. After a round of silver needles and a bowl of medicine, Lin Guangtong woke up: "Donât worry, you can continue beating, this brat can withstand at least three sessions of it."
Hearing this, Lin Guangtong almost fainted again, wanting to curse the Gu Family, but with his mouth blocked, he could only make muffled noises.
"Hush, youâll suffer soon enough," Young Master Dou stepped on Lin Guangtongâs face, releasing his pent-up anger before having Luo Wu drag Lin Guangtong into the government office.
County Magistrate Zheng heard that the Gu and Shang families jointly came to file a complaint, and quickly came out to preside over the court. At first, he thought it was a minor case, but after listening to the statements and sending a female prison guard to inspect Shang Xiuyuâs wounds, he was completely shocked.
"What did you say? The wounds on the stomach are not just two cuts, but multiple cuts on the same scar?" County Magistrate Zheng was astonished, having lived half his life, he had only heard of such torture at the Da Li Temple, Ministry of Justice, or in the military. This Lin Su was truly vicious.
The female prison guard said: "Yes, my lord. The two scars on Lin Shangâs stomach are both raised, and there are some new scars on the scar, which are certainly caused by repeatedly cutting the same scar over many years."
The female prison guard was forty, a sturdy woman who had seen many cases, but the situation with the Lin Family was truly disgusting. That Lin Shang even cried and begged her not to tell the truth, or if she went back to the Lin Family, Lin Su would have the servants rape her!
She was stunned upon hearing it, how could a mother-in-law say such shameless words to her daughter-in-law? What kind of poisonous woman was this?
The female prison guard did not conceal anything and revealed Lin Suâs threats to Shang Xiuyu.
Slap!
County Magistrate Zheng, furious, turned livid, pointing at Lin Su: "Hold down this poisonous woman and beat her hard!"
"Yes!" Luo Wu, hating the Lin family, personally delivered the blows to Lin Su, every hit piercing Lin Suâs bones with pain.
Lin Su cried and pleaded: "I beg your pardon, my lord, itâs false, those were just threats to scare Shang Xiuyu, I didnât have anyone rape her!"
County Magistrate Zheng coldly snorted: "If you truly had your servants defile Lin Shang, it wouldnât be just a beating."
But would have been executed by the Shang Family!
Village Chief Shang, Shang Laoer, and Zhang wept uncontrollably, they really hadnât expected the Lin Family to be such beasts, treating Yuâs sister in this manner.
Yuâs sister was also foolish, why didnât she tell her family?
Shang Xiuyu initially wanted to speak up, but Shang Laoer and Zhang always said the second branch was inferior to the first branch, that she was the familyâs best-married granddaughter, and must seize the Lin Family to maintain face for the second branch at home.
Shang Xiuyu, for the sake of the second branch, kept enduring, enduring until it became a habit. Even when Lin Su abused her, Lin Guangtong beat her, and the concubines bullied her, she didnât think much of it, just felt frightened and trembled when she saw them.