"Dad," Lian Yeye cried.
In the end, Lady Zhao and Lian Yeye still knelt down.
Seeing this, Lady Zhou slowly let go of Lian Shouli’s hand.
"Mom," as Lady Zhou let go, Lian Shouli’s body went limp, and with a thump, he knelt onto the ground beside the kang bed. He completely broke down, a grown man crying like a child of re years.
"Look how you’ve frightened the children," Old Master Lian chided Lady Zhou at this mont, then turned his head to Lian Shouxin who had just arrived, "Old Fourth, quickly help your third brother up, Manman, you too help your third aunt and sister Yeye back to their feet."
At this ti, Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi had also hurried over.
"I’m making it clear here, if anyone dares to ntion splitting up again, strangle first," Lady Zhou, touching her own neck, threatened her sons.
"Mom, rest assured, I won’t split with you in this lifeti or the next," Lian Shouli placated Lady Zhou.
"And you, Eldest?" Lady Zhou asked Lian Shouren.
"Mom, I also won’t split," Lian Shouren said.
Lady Zhou snorted.
"...All these years, everyone has worked hard for the family; I’m well aware of that," Old Master Lian took a puff of his dry pipe and slowly began, "None of you should overthink it. Better days are just around the corner, so set your mind at ease; I know well that none of you will be treated unfairly..."
All they could do was agree reverently.
At the end, Old Master Lian asked Lian Shouli and Lian Shouxin to stay while instructing everyone else to return to their own rooms.
Leaving the Upper Room, Lady Zhao and Lian Yeye both hung their heads, clearly dealt a blow. Even Lian Manman couldn’t help but look a little dispirited. Lady Zhou’s move to threaten her own life had really scared Lian Shouli. He was probably scared out of ever ntioning splitting up the family again.
It was precisely because Lady Zhou was Lian Shouli’s biological mother, and she knew Lian Shouli cared and was dutiful to her, that her threat of death was so effective. Lian Shouli wasn’t tough enough, but Lady Zhou was tough enough to resort to extre asures, so it seed that for the rest of his life, Lian Shouli could only be manipulated by Lady Zhou.
What was this, is this what they called "emotional blackmail"?
"Manman, stop frowning," back in the West Wing Room, seeing Lian Manman looking downcast, Lady Zhang spoke to comfort her, "Each person has their own fate. Perhaps not splitting up might turn out to be a good thing in the future—who can tell."
"A good thing? I find that hard to believe," Lian Manman sighed.
"What can be done about it? Your Third Uncle certainly can’t just watch your grandmother seek death," Lady Zhang also sighed.
After a while, Lian Shouxin returned.
"Dad, what did Grandfather say to you?"
"Your Grandfather didn’t really say much to , just advised your Third Uncle not to think about splitting up," Lian Shouxin relayed Old Master Lian’s words in summary, "Your Grandfather said, you and your third brother are not the sa; I have Wu Lang and Xiao Qi, your third brother has no son, there’s nothing to split. He also said he knows Yeye has suffered grievances and will definitely find a way to compensate Yeye in the future."
"Grandfather is also unwilling to split up the family," Lian Manman said.
"Isn’t that the truth."
"Dad, Mom, Third Uncle Wu is here," Xiao Qi called from outside.
"Oh, he’s back so soon!" Hearing that Wu Yugui had arrived, everyone got busy and went out to greet him. Lian Manman guessed that Wu Yugui had brought the Red Deed, and her heart instantly filled with joy.
After welcoming Wu Yugui into the room and sitting him down, indeed Wu Yugui took out the deed from his chest and handed it over to Lian Shouxin.
"Such a great help from Third Brother Wu, I didn’t expect it to be handled so swiftly," Lian Shouxin expressed his gratitude.
"We’re family, no need for formalities," Wu Yugui said with a smile.
Lian Shouxin glanced at the deed a few tis then handed it to Lady Zhang, who also looked at it with a smile, and then passed it to Lian Manman. Lian Zhizhi, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi also gathered around, looking at the Red Deed with Lian Manman.
The upper part of this deed was the civilian agreent made yesterday, only now it was appended with an official endorsent. The endorsent briefly restated the contents of the civilian agreent, ntioning the taxes paid, and had a date stamped at the end. A red seal was pressed in the center of the endorsent, and where the endorsent t the civilian agreent, a seal straddling the junction was also affixed.
Lian Manman looked over the Red Deed several tis with overflowing joy. Yesterday’s civilian agreent was a private arrangent, still open to interference, but now with the Red Deed, it ant that the Governnt Office recognized them as the rightful owners of the twenty-five acres of land. Now no one could take that from them.
Lian Manman folded the Red Deed with a beam of joy and locked it away in the wooden box where she kept her silver coins. Lian Zhizhi, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi all huddled around Lian Manman, their eyes also filled with exhilaration.
...
The day after Song Hailong left, the Song Family sent a Steward to bring over many gifts for Lian Huahua. The Steward also brought the matchmaker again to finalize the arrangents for the delivery of the dowry and welcoming of the bride.
After seeing off the matchmaker and Song Family’s people, the people of the main branch looked like they had brushed off the recent gloom, everyone beaming with joy. Those from the second branch naturally reveled with them, being even more obsequious than before toward the main branch. Holding the newly acquired land in their hands and looking forward to the good harvest next year, Lian Manman and her family were happy as well.
Thus, these days the courtyard of the Lian Family was often filled with laughter.
"Mom, let’s have so sweet and sour cabbage tonight," Xiao Qi said, holding a big, plump head of white cabbage, handing it to Lady Zhang.
"Alright," Lady Zhang laughed and agreed.
"Mom, the cabbages in the backyard garden have all grown; when should we make sauerkraut?" Lian Manman asked.
"What’s the rush? It’s still early," Lady Zhang replied. The current temperature isn’t low enough. If we make sauerkraut too early, it will rot. "I guess we’ll have to make two crocks of sauerkraut and pickle a crock of salty cabbage."
"If only we could have sauerkraut to eat right now," Xiao Qi said, looking up.
Lian Manman had an idea.
"Mom, let’s make sauerkraut now." (To be continued... If you like this work, you are welco to vote for recomndation tickets and monthly tickets at qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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