The group walked out of the Ma Family, and Mrs. Chai couldn’t help but sigh, "I was wondering why Sister Li would chase you out of the house. It turns out you’re not her biological child! You said you encountered bandits on your way back, and after falling severely ill due to injuries, this..."
Mrs. Chai trailed off, realizing that falling ill ant spending a lot of money on dicine in the future, which would burden a family. So families might even abandon their biological children in such situations, let alone soone who was taken in...
Mrs. Chai sheepishly glanced at Li Qingmu, thinking that even a fair judge would struggle to arbitrate family matters. This was a Li family affair, sothing that outsiders like them shouldn’t ddle in.
"Help, help—"
Suddenly, a person appeared on the horizon, running frantically towards them. The snow had stopped by now, allowing them to see the runner’s face clearly.
"Xiang Yin?"
Li Qingmu was taken aback. Xiang Yin’s family was in the county town, so why was he in their rural area? Curiosity piqued, he noticed several others following Xiang Yin, including Mrs. Wang, Mrs. Zhang, and Mrs. Li Zhou, who was being supported by Li Qinghai.
What was going on?
"Help... Brother Li, save !"
As the two sides got closer, Xiang Yin recognized Li Qingmu and imdiately waved frantically for help.
Li Qingmu took a few steps forward and, seeing his breathless face, asked in astonishnt, "What’s going on? Why are they chasing you?"
"I... I don’t know..."
Xiang Yin gasped heavily, looking at the fierce expression of the Li Family mber behind him. He quickly hid behind Li Qingmu, saying, "Your family mbers..."
"Li Qingmu! You lying little brat, don’t you have a conscience? How dare you deceive us!"
Mrs. Li Zhou stumbled her way up to them, and upon seeing Li Qingmu, spat out a stream of curses.
Gah?
Prior to this, Mrs. Chai had inadvertently overheard from Long Yue that the Li family had been too harsh and excessive. Not only did they drive Qingmu away, but they also wanted to strip away even the fur clothing given by others. However, listening to Mrs. Li Zhou’s cursing, it seed there might be more to the story?
Her curiosity about the gossip could no longer be suppressed, and she asked, "Sister from the Li family, what’s going on? Didn’t you throw him out of the house earlier, and now you say he deceived you? What did he deceive you about?"
"Oh, Sister from the Chai family, you wouldn’t know. This little brat is quite devious. He actually passed the Scholar exam but claid he didn’t. What is that if not ungrateful? People say we should share blessings and hardships, but our Li family has raised him for so many years. Now that he’s successful, he wants to abandon us..."
"Mother, my husband never said he failed. You all just jumped to that conclusion yourselves! Wasn’t it because he suffered injuries outside and beca sick, and you worried about future dical expenses overburdening the family?
You presud he failed the exam, couldn’t bring you riches, and might even drag you down. So you quickly drove us out of the house, and now you accuse us of being ungrateful? I wonder who is truly ungrateful here?"
It was now afternoon, and with the snow having stopped, everyone was out walking or preparing for the new year, thus witnessing the commotion here. They gathered around.
On hearing the exchange between this mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, the villagers were thrilled. Was this about to turn into a dostic family drama?
So villagers even cracked their knuckles and were ready to intervene should the two parties start a brawl!
Long Yue spoke with a tone both aggrieved and choked with emotion, painting herself as the victim. This situation naturally made Mrs. Li Zhou feel a twinge of guilt, as she wasn’t in the right.
But with so many people watching, backing down would be too humiliating.
Moreover, she had an ace up her sleeve!
So, she akimboed and said, "Stop it! Our family supported him for seventeen years, providing for him and sending him to school. But in the end, he passed the exams and voluntarily left the house, severing ties with us. Such an ungrateful person doesn’t deserve the title of a scholar!"
"What? Voluntarily leaving the house, isn’t that setting up your own family? How can soone form their own household when parents are still alive? That’s out of line, isn’t it?"
"Indeed, such a person’s character is questionable. How can he be a good official in the future!"
"We can’t let such a person beco an official, or else common folks won’t be able to get by!"
"..."
The surrounding villagers, while cursing, pointed fingers at Li Qingmu with looks of disdain, and Li Qingmu’s gaze turned cold.
Mrs. Li Zhou said this to thwart his official career. If soone wanted to employ him and found his character questionable during a background check, he’d have no choice but to return to farming.
Li Qingmu narrowed his eyes and coldly stared at the Li family mbers. He knew once his exam result was revealed, this family would entangle them, but he never expected it to happen so quickly and fiercely!
Before leaving, besides not giving them the Big Hat gifted by the Princely Heir, he had left them with the Jade Pendant and dicine field. The Li family could have lived comfortably on these, partially repaying them for their years of upbringing. But human nature is never satisfied...
There were contemptuous insults from villagers around, each scornfully pointing fingers at him and his wife. The Li family mbers, feeling the backing of the crowd, grew smug.
Zhang ihua felt inwardly pleased. In those days, everyone cared about reputation, especially a scholar. Once they had a bad reputation, let alone officialdom, even finding footing was problematic.
They had taken his Jade Pendant and dicine field, leaving him unable to hold his head high. Why did that feel so satisfying? Well, there was no turning back since the rift was wide open. Might as well completely ruin it to prevent Li Qingmu from seeking trouble with them in the future!
Yet, Li Qingmu extended his arm, revealing a cascade of uneven scars, disturbing to look at.
In his hand, he held the docunt of household separation from the governnt and said flatly, "My parents, thinking I might not have passed the exam and unable to bring them wealth, went to the governnt early to get this docunt. They couldn’t wait for to co back, urging my wife and to leave and be self-reliant. What they didn’t know was that I was ambushed by mountain bandits and almost lost my life. If not for my wife’s tily appearance, I might not have made it back. These wounds on my arm and the date on this docunt are the best evidence!"
After speaking, he shook the docunt gently, the official seal’s date on it clearly visible!
The previously severe criticisms of Li Qingmu’s ingratitude stopped abruptly upon seeing the wounds on his arm and the docunt’s date.
The harsher the earlier accusations, the more they felt ashad now!
It was always said that words alone were not credible, but now with both physical and docuntary evidence, everyone’s judgnt naturally leaned towards him.
So, the Li family thought he couldn’t bring them wealth, so they didn’t want to keep him?
Mrs. Li Zhou, seeing the situation turning against her, quickly spat on the ground and cursed, "What nonsense are you spouting? You’re my son. As a mother, how could I ever disown you? You’re the one being ungrateful..."
"But you said I wasn’t your son before!"
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