At that point, Ms. Liu Junior’s mother and brother had heard about these rumors.
They were furious. Their family might be poor, but since when were the Liu daughters unworthy?
That very day, Madam Ye had paid lip service to the idea that the engagent wouldn’t be about status or social position, and now she’d turned around and scorned the Liu family. What kind of behavior was that?
Alright, in a very short ti, the rumor spread so widely that nobody even knew who had started it anymore.
The relatives of Ms. Liu Junior didn’t even consider that it might have co from their own people. Their first thought was that it had either co from Land Officer Yang’s family or the Ye Family. Of course, they were more inclined to believe it had co from the Ye Family because Land Officer Yang’s family and theirs were relatives by marriage; surely they wouldn’t spread such rumors without cause.
"The Ye Family is really going too far. As if being rich gives them the right to do anything," said Ms. Liu’s sister-in-law, pretending to be indignant but secretly delighted inside. Let the rumor spread—more people knowing about it was exactly what she wanted.
The bigger the scandal, the better. Eventually, when everyone started gossiping about the Ye Family, they would have to agree to the marriage to save face.
If the Ye Family continued to disagree, they could even accuse them of ruining a young lady’s reputation. The current Lord County Magistrate was a man of integrity and would surely intervene in such an affair.
Ms. Liu’s sister-in-law’s calculations were not too shabby.
Ms. Liu Junior’s mother was also enraged, slapping the table so hard it shook.
"I am going to Yangshu Village to ask your second sister, to ask the Ye Family what they an by this. They owe an explanation. Do they really think the Liu family is so easily bullied?"
Ms. Liu Junior’s brother was also fuming at that mont; it was his daughter’s reputation being tarnished, after all. How could he not be distressed?
Grinding his teeth, he said, "Mother, I’ll go with you. I have to see for myself what they have to say. This engagent, if they really didn’t want to proceed, they could’ve just backed out; what’s with all this deceitful behavior afterward?"
"Right, let’s go! I refuse to believe that there’s no justice left in this world."
Thus, the Liu family borrowed an ox cart from the village in high dudgeon and hurried toward Yangshu Village.
They weren’t entirely clueless—they knew to visit Land Officer Yang’s residence first.
But once they arrived at Land Officer Yang’s ho, they banged on the door as if they were there to rob the place, making a racket.
Land Officer Yang’s wife, hearing the relentless knocking, hurried to open the door while muttering, "Who on earth is it, banging so hard? What if you break the door?"
When she opened the door, she had intended to scold the visitors, but upon seeing that it was Ms. Liu Junior’s relatives—and quite a few of them at that—she was taken aback, especially because each one of them looked furious.
Land Officer Yang’s wife imdiately sensed trouble, recognizing the likelihood of a confrontation.
"Relatives, what’s the aning of this??" She still managed to ask politely before knowing the full extent of the situation.
"Pah, what relatives." Ms. Liu Junior’s mother was still seething with anger and shoved Land Officer Yang’s wife aside. If Dayong hadn’t heard the commotion and co out in ti to catch her, she would have fallen to the ground.
Instantly, Dayong’s face darkened. What were his in-laws doing here?
His aged mother couldn’t withstand such rough treatnt. What if she’d fallen to the ground? Would that have been alright?
"Mother-in-law, Uncle, is this a visit or what?"
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