The original owner was timid by nature and always tried to please the Zhu family by bowing and scraping. However, the more she did so, the less her in-laws liked her, especially since she was just a second wife.

Now, Liu Yingying would no longer indulge them.

In just three years, she secured her position as the county's top official through her own abilities, a feat that a peasant woman like Ma could not match.

When Ma Qiumei met Liu Yingying's disdainful gaze, she felt a chill run down her spine, but the feeling vanished in an instant.

She's just a widow who lost her husband and has no children of her own. Who is she trying to impress with this pretense?

"Liu Yingying, what do you mean by this? Hmm?"

"What's the meaning?"

Liu Yingying smiled sarcastically, "When Xiucai was alive, you brothers and sisters squeezed a lot of money out of him. The reason you're able to live a good life in this area is all thanks to Xiucai's influence!"

I originally thought that after the scholar's death, you brothers and sisters would take care of his children out of consideration for our relationship. Haha, I really overestimated you!

Look at what you've done!

"How long has it been since that scholar died? You've already robbed my family of every last grain of rice. Now we, a widow and her children, can't even afford to eat. Since we're going to starve to death anyway, we might as well take you all with us!"

Liu Yingying gritted her teeth, her bright eyes sweeping over the kitchen knife in her hand. She chuckled and gently blew on the blade, sending a sharp tearing sound through Ma Qiumei's ears.

bass--

"Stop right there! Is there no law anymore? Your in-laws are home, how dare you be so insolent... Do you want to be kicked out?"

Ma Qiumei staggered back a few steps, her voice weak. Looking at the cleaver with its cold, cracking light, she was also afraid.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yingying's face was full of sarcasm.

"Oh, so you're kicking me out? My in-laws are still here. When did it become your place to make decisions? I haven't committed any of the seven grounds for divorce. Tell me, what have you done to deserve this?"

"you..."

Ma Qiumei was speechless and couldn't help but frown deeply.

When did she, who was usually timid and taciturn, become so aggressive?

I'm actually finding it a bit overwhelming...

Seven grounds for divorce...seven grounds for divorce?

Ma Qiumei's sly eyes darted around, and she immediately became sharp-tongued again, "Fine, you want to talk to me about the seven grounds for divorce? You've been married into the Zhu family for three years without bearing a child. First, you don't serve your parents-in-law. Second, you cause trouble. Third, tell me! Can you divorce me or not?!"

That's right! That's exactly it!

My in-laws are old and won't be able to manage things for many more years. As long as I get rid of Liu Yingying first, and then sell Zhao Di to the biggest brothel in town, and sell the two boys to the palace to become eunuchs, I can make a fortune!

The more Ma Qiumei thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. She gritted her teeth, her chest heaving more and more violently, and her back visibly stiffened.

Unexpectedly, the next second, Liu Yingying grabbed her hair.

"Aaaah! You shameless Liu! What are you doing?"

The pain in her scalp made Ma Qiumei's face contort with rage and frustration. Although she tried to resist a few times, Liu Yingying was too strong, and she couldn't break free at all. In the struggle, several strands of her hair broke off, leaving bloodstains.

"Let go of me right now! Or you'll regret it!!"

Clutching her head, the disheveled Ma Qiumei could only stubbornly persist.

However, Liu Yingying showed no intention of letting go. Instead, she leaned close to Ma Qiumei's ear and coldly read, "Adultery is one of the seven grounds for divorce, and it also results in being drowned. Guess if your in-laws know about your affair with Su Daqiang?"

Submerged in pond…

Upon hearing this, Ma Qiumei shuddered. She was defiant, but she was determined to save her life!

Driven by fear, Ma Qiumei softened, "Good sister-in-law, my good sister-in-law, can't we sit down and talk things over?"

Liu Yingying remained expressionless and aloof, "Fine, give me back my family's few acres of paddy fields."

"What? You actually want my family's paddy fields?"

Ma Qiumei was both anxious and angry. In her usual way, once something was in her pocket, there was no reason for her to return it.

"Sister-in-law, think carefully, whose land is this?"

Liu Yingying pulled on Ma Qiumei's hair, making it even heavier.

“It’s yours! It’s yours! In the years since my uncle passed away, I was worried that you and your child would be bullied, so I kept it for you! Now it’s only right to return it to you, sister-in-law! It’s only right!”

Ma Qiumei's scalp had just loosened up a bit, but now it's tight again and even more painful. She feels like her scalp doesn't belong to her anymore. If this continues, losing her scalp is a minor matter; being taken to the pond to be drowned would be the real death of her!

brazen.

Liu Yingying rolled her eyes and continued, "Besides the land, the county school sent ten taels of silver as compensation after the scholar's death. That money ended up in your hands. Also, the ten coins you forcibly took from my house a few days ago, return them all to me now!"

The mention of money finally broke Ma Qiumei's temper. Ignoring the pain in her scalp, she roared, "Liu Yingying! Don't push your luck!"

She didn't swallow those ten taels of silver all by herself. Ma Qiumei only took half; the third son's family took the other half. Why should she be the only one to pay it back now?

Besides, she had already used those few taels of silver to support her family, so where would she get the money to repay Liu Yingying now?

Liu Yingying wasn't buying it, and continued to tighten her grip, saying, "Sister-in-law, my children and I have no way to survive, so I'll have no choice but to take you down with me..."

Ma Qiumei's body went limp, and blood slowly slid down her head, taking away her last bit of stubbornness. "Sister-in-law... Sister-in-law, please don't be impulsive. We're all family. We can talk things out. It's just a few taels of silver. I'll definitely pay you back. But... but you know my family's situation. That money has already been spent on the children. I really can't come up with that much silver all at once!"

"Oh, you don't have any money?"

Liu Yingying looked regretful and smoothed the stray hairs off Ma Qiumei in her hand. "If you don't have money, just sell them, like this head of beautiful hair... or... something else? I heard that a person's internal organs are quite valuable. Hey, sister-in-law, where do you think this is?"

The words came out of Liu Yingying's mouth lightly, but they hit Ma Qiumei's heart hard.

Liu Yingying playfully patted Ma Qiumei's waist, instantly silencing Ma Qiumei.

"Sister-in-law, I still have two taels of silver in my savings. I'll get it for you right away. Please let go..."

"Two ounces?"

As soon as Liu Yingying sighed, Ma Qiumei quickly changed her tune: "Five taels! Just five taels! I've been saving up these five taels, even though I'm frugal with my food and clothes! Sister-in-law, you understand!"

"Okay, then go get it!"

Liu Yingying released Ma's hair and kicked her into the door.

When the Zhu siblings arrived, they witnessed this breathtaking scene.