Chapter 142: Blood Relatives
Inside the Hua Family Courtyard, in the main room of the east wing.
Madam Yao sat before the vanity, silently wiping away tears. Hua Minghe sat beside her with a troubled expression, while not far away sat Hua Da Lang, Hua San Lang, and Hua Liu Lang, all silent.
Hua Minghe handed a handkerchief to Madam Yao, “Alright, stop crying.”
Madam Yao threw the handkerchief away, “Jiu Niang is gone, and I’m not allowed to cry?”
Hua Da Lang couldn’t help but say, “Mother, it’s clear Jiu Niang was in the wrong today. She publicly embarrassed Grandfather, making him lose face in front of Uncle Mingzhe and Third Master He. No matter where this goes, it’s her fault.”
Madam Yao: “Yes, Jiu Niang’s temper is a bit stubborn, but she didn’t instigate things. I just can’t understand why every time Jiu Niang returns, the family ends up in such a mess.”
Hua Da Lang: “If Jiu Niang were like her other sisters, sufficiently gentle, virtuous, and obedient, such things wouldn’t happen.”
Madam Yao glared at him, “Are you hoping Jiu Niang will be like Wu Niang, letting the family arrange anything for her, is that it?”
Hua Da Lang was helpless, “Mother, we’re talking about Jiu Niang, let’s not bring others into it. Jiu Niang is too unrestrained. Do you really think it’s good for her to continue like this?”
“Grandfather didn’t make any excessive demands of her today, but look at her reaction. In front of guests, she showed no respect for Grandfather. Do you think this is really good?”
Madam Yao let out a cold snort, “Your Grandfather didn’t show Jiu Niang any respect either.”
Seeing his mother was so unreasonable, Hua Da Lang’s head began to ache, “Mother, Jiu Niang is the junior, and Grandfather is the elder. Even if his words were a bit inappropriate, a junior should be understanding and tolerant.”
Madam Yao thought of something, a cold smile appearing at the corner of her lips, “Wu Niang had a difficult childbirth, and Jiu Niang caused a scene at the Marquis Wu Yi’s Mansion. After that, your Grandfather didn’t control the family as tightly, and he didn’t interfere too much with everyone’s choices.”
“However, since he started body refining, especially after becoming an Elder in the clan, he has resumed his posture as the absolute head of the household, wanting to have the final say in everything and have everyone follow his arrangements.”
“What’s laughable is that he can cultivate and become a clan elder because of the body refining technique Jiu Niang provided to the family. Without Jiu Niang, he would still just be an outsider in the clan.”
“Enough!”
Hua Minghe, seeing his wife speaking more and more inappropriately, had to interrupt her, “Yu Tong, the children are all here, how can you say such things?”
Madam Yao looked at Hua Minghe, her expression very angry, “Do you really not want your daughter anymore? Don’t you know Jiu Niang’s personality? Is she the type of person who is willing to be arranged and controlled by others? If Father continues like this, it will only make Jiu Niang more estranged from this family.”
Hua Minghe was somewhat annoyed.
On one side was the father who gave birth to him, and on the other was the daughter he had doted on since childhood. One considered the family’s development and the need for everyone to work together; the other considered personal development.
Neither was wrong, and neither would yield. He was caught in the middle, and favoring either side would hurt the other. At this moment, he wished he had two bodies, one to support one person.
Hua Da Lang: “Mother, I think you’re taking the problem too seriously. Jiu Niang is just too hot-tempered and spoiled. I don’t believe she would really not come home.”
Before Madam Yao could react to this, Hua Liu Lang spoke with absolute certainty, “Jiu Niang will.”
Hua Da Lang choked, glaring at his younger brother who was holding him back.
Seeing this, Hua Liu Lang said seriously, “Eldest Brother, you’ve been studying outside for years, so you might not fully understand Jiu Niang’s personality. She always does what she says.”
“Furthermore, you can’t see Jiu Niang as an ordinary young woman. Jiu Niang embarrassed Grandfather today because she saw through Grandfather’s true intentions.”
Upon hearing this, Hua Da Lang’s eyes flickered, and an unnatural expression crossed his face.
Hua Liu Lang continued, “Also, I do think the family is being too greedy.”
“Grandfather has already obtained the position of clan elder by using the body refining technique, and our siblings have caught the eye of the Earl’s Mansion because of body refining. Everything we have now is much better than before.”
“Most of this was brought about by Jiu Niang.”
“However, Grandfather wants to maintain absolute authority as the head of the household and doesn’t want anyone to challenge his power. That’s why he intentionally or unintentionally suppresses Jiu Niang and ignores her contributions to the family.”
Hua Da Lang wanted to defend Hua Old Master, “Grandfather isn’t…”
“Eldest Brother, please let me finish.”
Hua Liu Lang forcibly stopped Hua Da Lang, “Grandfather asked Jiu Niang to leave the Medical Affairs Department and return to help the family, disregarding Jiu Niang’s thoughts and wishes. His true intention is not to have Jiu Niang hand over her eleven apothecary shops and the spirit mine at Three Forked Medicine Valley to the family?”
“Eldest Brother, aren’t you supporting Grandfather like this because you will be the biggest beneficiary once this goal is achieved?”
“I can guess all the calculations you have in your hearts, let alone Jiu Niang.”
“If you think about it, Jiu Niang built this industry all by herself. How could she be the kind of young woman who stays indoors and knows nothing?”
“Jiu Niang must have seen through your tricks at a glance, which is why she was so merciless today.”
Listening to Hua Liu Lang’s analysis, Hua Minghe, Madam Yao, Hua Da Lang, and Hua San Lang were all surprised. They hadn’t expected the blunt Hua Liu Lang to have such insight.
Hua Da Lang was silent for a long while before speaking again, “Liu Lang, aren’t you also biased towards Jiu Niang? You’re doing this because Jiu Niang entrusted the spirit mine to you to manage, aren’t you?”
Hua Liu Lang did not deny it, “I admit that by managing the spirit mine for Jiu Niang, I gain many benefits. I never intended to hide this. I am genuinely proud to have a sister like Jiu Niang.”
“But what about you all?”
“You clearly covet Jiu Niang’s possessions, yet you put on a show of acting for her own good and constantly criticize her shortcomings.”
“You all say Jiu Niang has a bad temper, but have you considered that perhaps it’s precisely because Jiu Niang is bold, unwilling to admit defeat, and defiant that she was able to earn eleven apothecary shops and a spirit mine all by herself?”
“Grandfather is even worse, even wanting to suppress Jiu Niang with his status as an elder, forcing her to hand over her apothecary shops and spirit mine without compensation, and speaking disparagingly. What is this if not greed?”
Hua Da Lang never expected that his usually slow-witted younger brother would one day leave him speechless.
Hua San Lang also looked at Hua Liu Lang with great surprise, “Liu Lang, how did you become so eloquent?”
Hua Liu Lang ignored Hua San Lang and continued, “I spoke with Jiu Niang earlier, and I suddenly realized that everyone in the family is using filial piety and the idea that women should be obedient and yielding to demand things from her, completely ignoring what she wants and wants to do. It seems no one in the family stands by her side. Seeing her lonely expression, I suddenly felt she was so pitiful. I suddenly understood why she doesn’t tell the family anything anymore.”
Hearing this, Hua Minghe and Madam Yao were stunned. Hua Da Lang and Hua San Lang also fell silent.
Hua Liu Lang looked at his parents and two elder brothers, “Putting ourselves in her shoes, if we had earned eleven apothecary shops and a spirit mine, would we be willing to give them to the family for free?”
“If we are unwilling, then why should we demand that Jiu Niang give them up?”
After a pause, Hua Liu Lang added, “From what I know of Jiu Niang, after today, she will no longer provide medicinal herbs for medicinal baths for body refining to the family. You should be mentally prepared.”
“She gave the body refining cultivation method, she gave the medicinal herbs for medicinal baths, and in the end, she gained nothing good and was blamed for everything. Anyone would find this unacceptable.”
Hua Minghe looked at Liu Zi with some relief, thinking that traveling and experiencing the world truly tempered people. Liu Lang had only been at the spirit mine for a few months, and his growth was astonishing.
At the same time, in the west room of the main courtyard of the Hua family.
Old Master Hua sat on the heated brick bed with a face full of gloom. Old Madam Hua sat opposite him, looking through the gift list received for the Mid-Autumn Festival, saying as she looked, “You know Jiu Niang’s personality, she’s never been one to be controlled since she was little. When you spoke to her in public, you should have expected her to embarrass you in public.”
“If you ask me, the embarrassment you suffered today was entirely your own doing.”
Old Master Hua’s tone was sharp, “Enough, don’t stand here and say sarcastic things. Quickly think about what we should do next.”
Old Madam Hua’s expression paused, “What about next?”
Old Master Hua rubbed his face with a headache, “The Earl’s Mansion wants the complete chapters of the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique.”
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Hua immediately said, “Why didn’t you refuse? This cannot be agreed to. Even if Jiu Niang is willing to give it, you cannot hand it over to the clan.”
Old Master Hua lowered his head and said nothing.
Old Madam Hua knew her husband’s desire to prove himself to the clan members, “Don’t worry about this matter. It’s uncertain whether Jiu Niang will continue to provide body refining cultivation methods to the family in the future.”
Old Master Hua suddenly looked up, “Jiu Niang… won’t really be that heartless, will she? She won’t care about her siblings in the family anymore?”
Old Madam Hua said irritably, “Didn’t you tell Jiu Niang not to return to this family anymore?”
Old Master Hua also knew he was in the wrong, “I… I was just too angry!”
Old Madam Hua: “When the clan came looking for you, asking you to hand over the Qi Huang Body Refining Technique to the clan, I told you to tell Jiu Niang, but for the sake of your pride, you refused.”
“If you ask me, you should let go of that pride. As an elder, bowing your head appropriately is not a world-ending matter.”
Old Master Hua was somewhat angry, “What am I doing all this for? Isn’t it for the good of this family? Now it’s become my fault.”
Old Madam Hua said directly, “You are indeed doing it for the good of the family, but you have excluded Jiu Niang. Not only have you excluded her, but you also expect Jiu Niang to use her possessions for the good of others. If it were me, I wouldn’t do it either.”
Old Master Hua was choked with anger, “Fine, fine, fine. I’m the villain, and you’re all good people.” With that, he stood up angrily and quickly left the room.
Seeing this, Old Madam Hua continued to look through the gift list. She wasn’t worried at all about her granddaughter’s outburst today. She knew very well that with the eldest son and his wife around, even if Jiu Niang was angry, she wouldn’t truly abandon the Hua family.
This is the bond of blood!
