Chapter 414: Divorce

He Cui’er’s family was crying miserably, standing at the entrance of Gui Liu Village, cursing loudly, "You heartless evildoers, not only did you steal our fifty taels of silver notes, but you also beat us up. We are going to sue you and have all of you surnamed Liu put in jail!"

When the Patriarch of Liu Family heard that He Cui’er’s family had been expelled from the He Family Clan of Da Feng Village, he was not scared at all and directly retorted, "If you want to sue, go ahead. If the government officer can’t find the silver notes, our Gui Liu Village will sue you for false accusation, and even for forcefully violating our women! Hah, that’s a capital offense. Without your clan to back you now, just wash your neck and wait for execution."

He then ordered the young men of Liu Family, "Come on, chase away these beasts who have come to falsely accuse our Liu Family. Make sure they go far, don’t let them gather around our village entrance. They may not be ashamed, but we in Gui Liu Village still have our reputation to uphold."

"Ei," the young men of Liu Family, holding hoes and shovels, chased away He Cui’er’s family.

He Cui’er’s family, frightened by the beating, dared not linger and were chased more than two kilometers away by the Liu Family’s young men.

He Liangzi felt extremely wronged; he had planned everything with Mrs. He Liu properly—they were to take good care of his own mother, get hold of those fifty taels, cause a family split, drive away He Minzi’s family, then sell He Cui’er as a concubine in the county, making him and his wife the heads of He Family.

But he couldn’t understand, how did everything change just after one night’s sleep?

While being chased by the young men of Gui Liu Village, he looked back and yelled, "I am Liu Xiaofen’s man, your son-in-law of Gui Liu Village, you can’t chase me away. I want to see Liu Xiaofen, I want to see Liu Xiaofen! Liu Xiaofen you poisonous woman, come out and explain yourself, why did you change your mind halfway? Did you hook up with another man, planning to leave me? I tell you, no way!"

Bang, bang, bang!

Liu Xiaofen’s older brother, holding a long bamboo pole, fiercely hit He Liangzi, "He Liangzi, not only did your family wrongfully accuse ours of stealing the silver note, but you also laid hands on my mother. Xiaofen said, your family never respected her family, and she no longer wants to be with you. This is the divorce paper, Xiaofen has already stamped it, just go away!"

Liu Xiaofen’s older brother instantly wrapped a divorce paper around a small stone and hurled it at He Liangzi.

Thump, it hit He Liangzi right on his forehead, causing him considerable pain.

He Liangzi, who couldn’t read, didn’t know what was written on the divorce paper, but he had heard of divorce papers—a document written when a couple no longer wishes to stay together, marking the end of their marriage.

Upon learning that Liu Xiaofen wanted a divorce, He Liangzi was completely shocked; was this a trap set by Liu Xiaofen?

After coming back to his senses, He Liangzi started cursing furiously, but Liu Xiaofen’s older brother simply ignored him, letting him vent until he was exhausted. Then, Liu Xiaofen’s older brother spoke mockingly, "He Liangzi, you can’t blame Xiaofen for this. It was your family who disrespected mine first, and also disrespected my mother. Xiaofen, considering the past affection as husband and wife, didn’t come out to scold you. Just be satisfied with that."

Upon hearing this, He Liangzi was so angry he almost spat blood... It was always his family who falsely accused others, but today, it was the Liu Family’s turn to falsely accuse him, and the most harmful accuser was his own wife.

"Liu Xiaofen, you poisonous woman, you won’t die a good death, I will haunt you even as a ghost!" He Liangzi’s face twisted in rage, his eyes nearly splitting with fury, feeling murderous.

His two children, seeing this, burst into tears, crying, "Wah, dad, dad..."

"Dad my ass, you two little beasts, our family has been ruined by that cheap woman your mother, and you’re still crying, mourning perhaps? You think our family isn’t unlucky enough? I’ll beat you to death!" Furious beyond control, He Liangzi grabbed his two children and beat them fiercely, causing them to cry out for their father and mother.

Liu Xiaofen’s elder brother just watched and didn’t speak up for the two children... His family had long disliked the He Liangzi family for being poor. They tolerated living like this because everyone was poor, and once divorced from He Liangzi, Liu Xiaofen couldn’t hope to marry into a better family.

Yet, the He Liangzi family had been expelled from the clan and still carried fifty taels of silver note with them.

Upon knowing this, Mrs. Huang became green with envy and immediately discussed with them to steal those fifty taels of silver notes and then drive He Liangzi’s family away.

As for Liu Xiaofen, while still young, divorcing He Liangzi and finding another suitor wouldn’t be difficult. Mrs. Huang even promised to give Liu Xiaofen ten taels of silver as dowry. After hesitating for a while, Liu Xiaofen agreed.

As for the two children born to Liu Xiaofen, they were unwanted. Anyone who remarried with two burdens would only be despised by their new husband’s family. Besides, she was still young and could have more children.

He Cui’er’s mother had no time to worry about her grandchildren now, as she was sitting on the ground crying her heart out.

He Minzi saw the fifty taels of silver note gone, deeply believing Liu Family had stolen them, had always disliked He Liangzi, and now charging forward, punched him right in the head.

"He Liangzi you dog, it’s all because you wanted to come to Gui Liu Village. Now look, our family’s silver notes have been stolen by Liu Family, you son of a bitch, give me back my share of money!"

"He Minzi, you dare to hit me, I’ll kill you." He Liangzi, after being hit, retaliated without showing weakness, and the two brothers started fighting in the wild, scaring the four children into crying bitterly.

He Cui’er cried even harder, gasping for air and complained, "I told you all to wait longer, but you wouldn’t listen. Now see what happened, our family has been expelled from the clan, the silver note is stolen, we can’t even sue because there’s no evidence, how are we supposed to live from now on?"

Without evidence, even if they sue, the government won’t help them. And Liu Family People even threatened, if her family dares to sue, they will counter-sue accusing their family of assaulting a woman. With so many people on their side and clan’s support, suing would only lead her family to a dead-end.

Upon hearing this, He Cui’er’s mother realized leaving the clan was a terrible mistake and wailed even louder.

He Dashu woke up amidst the crying, learned that his family was expelled from the clan and the silver notes were stolen by Liu Family People, and with a scream of horror, fainted again from distress.

...

The news of He Cui’er’s family soon reached Da Feng Village. Hearing this, He Family People felt He Cui’er’s family’s plight was too tragic. Led by He Daqian and Old Si, several destitute families ran to find Village Chief He, begging him to take He Cui’er’s family back.

"Village Chief, after all, they are our kin, we can’t just watch them die."

He Daqian was very anxious inside, seeing He Cui’er’s family’s situation as a portent of their own possible future, thus he wanted Village Chief He to take He Cui’er’s family back, so they could use their return as a pretext the moment his own family made a mistake.

Unfortunately, Village Chief He refused: "He Cui’er’s family has already been expelled from the clan, they are no longer among He Family People, whether they live or die has nothing to do with He Family."

After saying this, he had He Dacang chase away He Daqian and others who came to plead.

He Daqian and Old Si were trembling as they left Village Chief He’s house, muttering, "Times have changed, the Village Chief is really determined this time to deal with disobedient clansmen, we are in jeopardy."