Chapter 218:
This Zhou Shi is too shameless!
The people in the yard who came to watch the excitement pursed their lips and chattered away, making Old Li Tou feel like he was being roasted over a fire.
“That was bought with the dowry my dad gave me, why should you take it away?”
Luo Zhi’er was of course unwilling; she had to take it back, as she needed it for doing business in town!
“Exactly, what right does she Zhou Shi have? If my mother-in-law snatched my dowry, life would be impossible! I’d definitely divorce Zhao Hu Zi.”
Zhao Hu Zi’s wife said.
“Wife, what does this have to do with me? My mom wouldn’t, you mustn’t…”
Zhou Shi put her hands on her hips and spat at Luo Zhi’er,
“You wish! You say it’s dowry so it is? Maybe you stole our family’s private silver to buy it!”
The people in the yard whispered again; Ma Shenzi: “Zhou Shi, where did she get the private silver she hid? Wasn’t it earned by her third house themselves?”
Zhou Shi’s old face flushed red, “Ma Shi, get lost, it’s none of your business!”
“Tch, I’m just curious. You sat in jail for so long, the family’s silver was all squandered by Li Lei, and you say San Mao’s wife hid private silver—where did her private silver come from?”
Zhou Shi was stumped, swallowed some saliva, and hated these women watching the excitement to death.
“Exactly, what are you feeling guilty about?”
The young wives at home who once had or now have evil mothers-in-law were all indignant.
“It wasn’t earned by her anyway! Besides, it’s the private silver given by someone’s dad!”
“You can take that dog one if you want! Don’t even think about the rest!”
Zhou Shi thought it better not to pay attention to those meddling women, and shouted shrilly.
“Village Chief, Li Zuzu, Zhao Zuzu, I need you to uphold justice for me on this matter!”
Luo Zhi’er turned her head and pleaded with the three stewards.
“Hmph! Zhou Shi, you’re too greedy and unreasonable! What you did to the third house when you came back a couple days ago—we all saw it with our own eyes: smashing doors, things, and robbing them of more than ten taels of silver…”
“Now you even want the mule and sheep bought with the dowry from someone’s dad—our village has no such unreasonable parents!” Li Zuzu shouted loudly.
Zhao Zuzu and the Village Chief also bore witness!
“Think about it, what did you turn her things into?”
“Almost dug three feet into the ground? I thought we’d been robbed!”
The crowd in the yard, even Old Li Tou, was cursed at; Old Li Tou looked gray and dirt-covered.
“Pah! Lose face!”
Clumps of saliva flew at him!
Old Li Tou was like a homeless dog, attacked and insulted by people!
This was the meaning of Luo Zhi’er sending Miaomiao to call people, to have them witness it personally!
So they could agree to let them divide the family, and let her openly take back her own things.
“Brother Li, this matter isn’t simple. Call her Old Zhou Family to pick her up. Our Zhao Li Village’s Li Shi clan has no such unreasonable wife; I believe Old Li has no complaints either!”
Zhao Zuzu meant to divorce her.
“Li Depei, did you and your old wife lead the way in rummaging through people’s rooms and robbing their silver?”
“Ah? No, no, it was my wife!”
Old Li Tou, with a head full of saliva, sighed and said!
“Li Depei…!” Zhou Shi trembled with anger…
“Your wife first raised such unfilial sons and grandsons to drag down the village’s reputation, then led in doing this shameless thing—what are you waiting for if not to divorce such a woman?”
“Anyone who leads the Li Shi descendants astray is a sinner!” Li Zuzu said righteously!
How could Li Depei dare complain? This was Zhao Zuzu and Li Zuzu for the first time mentioning divorcing a woman in the village—she had really gone too far!
With the clan leader personally demanding divorce, the crowd even blamed him along with her.
“I dare not, I dare not!”
“If you disagree, you Li Depei can go out with your wife to make a living! From then on, dead or alive, it has nothing to do with Zhao Li Village!”
Old Li Tou kept backing down, “Two great-uncles, no such thing—this matter is up to you to decide!”
Divorce is fine too; he’d long been fed up with her!
“Old man, you, you’ve gone too far!” Zhou Shi opened her eyes wide in disbelief.
“Hmph! Isn’t it all your own doing, you stinking woman?” His patience had long been worn out, plus last time with the tea set purchase she hit him—his feelings for her were long gone.
Look at that withered old face of hers—divorce early for peace!
Zhao Zuzu and Li Zuzu didn’t expect Li Depei to say that; they shook their heads—too heartless, no wonder Li Lei and Li Gui are like that; parents are just as selfish.
“Zhou Shi, come to the Ancestral Hall later and take the divorce letter back to your maternal family!”
Li Zuzu stared at her with eagle eyes and said.
“No, I have sons and grandsons; I’ve been a cow and horse for the Old Li Family for decades—why go back? I won’t go!” Zhou Shi shouted loudly.
“You unwilling? Why do you act without any sense? Without considering consequences? These two days you were punished to take your two daughters-in-law to the clan to learn rules—was that in vain?” Li Zuzu berated her head-on.
Zhou Shi’s eyes actually turned a bit red, “Fine, I don’t want it. Luo Zhi’er, take the sheep and mule!”
“Mom, why say it like you’re the aggrieved one? This mule and sheep were bought by me originally—they’re mine. The one aggrieving you isn’t me!”
What aggrieved her was Old Li Tou, but greed and lust are human nature, true for both men and women; it has nothing to do with marriage, age, or whether quick or slow to bury in the dirt.
“Besides, you and Dad need a cart—we’re not not letting you use it!”
Li Zuzu said: “Exactly, San Mao’s wife is sensible. You as mother-in-law, having eaten for decades more, aren’t as open-minded or magnanimous as her!”
Luo Zhi’er said to the several stewards again, “Thanks to the two ancestors and the fair Village Chief!”
Several people nodded to her.
“Also, this kiln I built, the tables and chairs, and the bathroom over there, small fish pond—we made them… Parents, they can use them too, but ownership belongs to our third house!”
“Mm, these were made by you and San Mao—they’re your third house’s!”
Old Li Tou and Zhou Shi had no issue with this; they just occupied a bit of garden plot. They were a bit uncomfortable when they first came back, but after living two days, this place was really comfortable, and she even said they could use them!
Xiao Zhou Shi and Chen Shi were unwilling too, “Why?”
“If you want to build, build your own! Old Li, did you ever forbid them from building?”
The Village Chief asked.
“How could we? As long as they give us a heads-up in advance, and build reasonably, as comfortable and practical as these tables and chairs, we old folks would only be happy!”
He was old and couldn’t build a house; he could just enjoy life a bit.
In the end, Luo Zhi’er got an iron pot with a hole, one jar, three bowls, one chipped saucer, five jin of corn flour, one jar of lard—the pot she threw away!
They couldn’t take the belongings in her room; her baking pans were all snatched clean by them, bowls too. She only took back three baking pans and two iron basins herself.
Once they took into the room, it was none of her business; Zhou Shi took even more.
Luo Zhi’er was furious; looks like for baking bread and such, she’d have to go to town herself to have them made again, and procure some rice flour and oil—how to live with only corn flour?
Some loss some gain; more than ten taels of silver to finally divide the family—worth it.
From now on, she only needed to strive for her own small family; thinking of this, the air was all sweet.
