Chapter 187: Chapter 21: Need Silver
"So today we are going to settle this. What rumors can they spread about me, Lv Tao?" Mrs. Lv planned to clarify this matter. The eldest and second sons were already present; if she didn’t explain it today, how would they look at her? How could she stay in this family in the future?
"Jin Niang?" Mr. Gu was somewhat reluctant to speak of the past. He definitely believed in Mrs. Lv. When he married her, he knew clearly whether she worked as a maid in a wealthy family or not; she was absolutely innocent.
"Let him say it! See what nonsense he can come up with!"
"Hmph! Back then, you sold me for three taels of silver, handed me over to the baby broker, and said that if you could sell me for more, it didn’t matter if I was sent to a brothel. It was our mother who pleaded with the broker to sell me for less silver. Luckily, the broker pitied me and had some conscience, otherwise, how could I have gotten married now?"
As Mrs. Lv spoke of this, her eyes filled with tears. Her brother and sister-in-law had been so heartless back then! Now, her heart was filled with hatred for them.
"You knew how poor our family was back then. Had we not sold you, the family would have starved to death. You might not care about us, but you had to think of our parents, didn’t you? Besides, going to a wealthy family was also for you to have a good life, living in luxury, isn’t that better than staying at home? And you are blaming us now!"
Lv Yang dared not speak tough words anymore and resorted to using familial ties.
"Why didn’t you say back then you wanted to sell me to a brothel?" Mrs. Lv looked at Lv Yang with hatred, wishing she could devour him.
"How could that be? In the end, you went to a noble mansion, didn’t you? Look at you now; had you not entered that estate, could you have been this well-off now?"
Lv Yang sized Mrs. Lv up and down, noticing that even after all these years, she still looked beautiful, and smirked somewhat sleazily.
Mr. Gu thought Lv Yang was becoming more inappropriate; is this what a brother should say?
"Since I was sold, I naturally am no longer part of the Lv Family. Back then, I signed a contract selling myself; the master family kindly freed me, also ensuring I had an independent household status."
"As for those filthy matters you speak of, it’s absolutely impossible! Back then I served the mistress in the mansion, not those young masters. Later, it was the mistress who took pity on me, considering I was of age, therefore letting me marry out. And after listening to you, how did it become so vile? You also implicated the third son? It was half a year after marrying my husband that we had the third son, and you say he’s not a Gu Family member?"
Mrs. Lv no longer wanted to hide anything, revealing everything from the past. She wanted everyone to see how shameless Lv Yang and his wife were.
In the meantime, the elderly couple had tears streaming down their faces; back then, it was their weakness that led to Tao’er being sold. They hadn’t dared to visit Tao’er all these years, afraid it would trouble her, and fearing she still harbored resentment.
"Who knows whether you served the mistress in the mansion or not? That’s only your own claim," Lv Yang said, clutching his ribs and gasping from the pain.
"I can testify to that! Back then, I was a waiter at that noble family’s restaurant and saw Jin Niang several times. Jin Niang was indeed serving the mistress, and the owner’s wife entrusted her to me because she deemed me hardworking."
Mrs. Lv glanced at Mr. Gu, knowing he lied for her sake, and did not expose him.
"So you two had an affair back then, which explains why you married as soon as you returned! When she returned, there wasn’t a beauty like her to be found within ten miles; even being a concubine in a wealthy family would have suited her."
He had already planned it, arranging for a matchmaker to find Lv Tao a suitor. Back then, he found an old lord from the prefecture city, whose family ran a silk business; he had even discussed it with them, and the old lord secretly wanted to see Lv Tao, utterly satisfied! He didn’t dare let Mrs. Lv know, fearing she would flee.
Who knew Mr. Gu would come knocking the next day? Whenever he thought of this, he was resentful.
"Our marriage was decided by the owner’s wife, what affair are you talking about? You’re like a dog who can’t spit ivory from its mouth!" Mr. Gu was furious; how could there be someone so shameless?
Gu Chengyu saw Lv Yang still bouncing around, thinking a lesson was necessary to make him learn his place. He had to devise a plan; as a scholar, he valued his reputation and wouldn’t ruin his future for such a scoundrel.
"I don’t care about your previous issues. If you don’t give me the silver, I’ll spread that Lv Tao is a disgrace! Your son’s studying; do you still want a reputation? Do you want to drag him down?" Lv Yang finished and deftly jumped aside with Mrs. Qin, fearing Mr. Gu might hit him again.
He had indeed come to get the silver today; with the other side pressuring him, if he didn’t get the silver soon, they might threaten to cut off his hand.
Upon hearing this, Lv was taken aback. She was being threatened with Xiao Bao’s future, and she turned red with anger. She picked up a shovel from the yard and charged at him madly, shouting, "If you dare say anything, I’ll make sure you have no descendants! If you ruin my son, I’ll make sure your son can’t live and you can’t ever have a son!"
Lv was fierce at the moment; whoever dared to harm her son, she’d kill them!
Gu Chengyu felt there was something wrong with Lv’s demeanor and he must stop her. He exerted great force to restrain Lv, "Father! Help quickly, third sister-in-law, help hold her!"
"Mother! Calm down; it’s not worth it for someone like him. Don’t do anything foolish!" Lv was in a rage, her eyes red, lacking any rationality. Gu Chengyu didn’t dare pull her hard, fearing she might get hurt.
Mr. Gu and Mrs. Zhang quickly stepped forward to help, pinning down Lv’s hand along with Gu Chengyu, while Gu Chengli grabbed the shovel from Lv’s hand.
Lv Yang and his wife were terrified; how could it escalate to wanting to kill someone so quickly? The Gu Family was too scary; they had just been beaten up, and the wounds still hurt! They almost got killed this time, and Lv Yang was a bit cowardly now, his legs trembling. Luckily Lv was restrained, otherwise, he couldn’t imagine the consequences!
"Oh, the sin! Son! Let your sister’s family be! Their life is just starting to look up; where do they have silver to give you? You’re driving them to death!" The elderly lady covered her mouth, not daring to shout loudly, afraid others might hear. The family’s shame shouldn’t be exposed; what if rumors spread around the village?
"What do you know, old lady? I feed you and clothe you, and you’re siding with outsiders to lecture me? Get out of my sight." Lv Yang, already furious, got angrier seeing his own mother start to criticize him.
Hmph! Clearly haven’t beaten her enough; the old lady’s eating too much, gaining enough strength to meddle. Next time, she’ll get one meal a day, and see if she still has the energy to nag!
"You unfilial son! That’s your mother! How can you talk to her like that?" Mr. Lv spoke up when he saw the old lady being scolded.
"Old bastard, is this any of your concern?" Lv Yang said, stepping forward, ready to vent his anger. These two old things dare meddle in his affairs? He’d beat them to death!
At this point, Gu Chengyu couldn’t stand it any longer; how could anyone treat their parents like this? Truly worse than an animal.