Shen Zhuang, who was squatting in the distance, saw Shen Qing stand up and thought that Shen Qing was going to beat him up, so he subconsciously took two steps back and prepared to run away at any time. When he found out that Shen Qing was heading for the main room, he became bolder and threw a stone at Shen Qing's back: "Hey, big idiot, our master told us not to go into the main room, and you're going in to get scolded?"
Shen Qing dodged the stones and ignored him. He picked up the hatchet in one hand, lifted the door curtain and walked into the main room. Inside the room, Shen Zhigao was still talking to the Miao brothers. He felt the hand pulling his collar loosen its grip and he felt more and more that this was a good idea.
He felt very bad that Miao was unable to continue his family line, but it was always good to have more people to work at home: Miao was efficient and clean, and always kept the house tidy. Her cooking skills are also good. The same farm dishes cooked by Miao taste much better than those cooked by Shen's mother. Later, Shen Zhiwei's husband came into the family, but his craftsmanship was not as good as Miao's.
My mother is old, Jiaofeng is pregnant and can't do heavy work, and she will have to take care of herself after childbirth. My brother married a man who is not convenient for her to take care of him closely. You can't let an old mother like me take care of Jiaofeng during her confinement, right? Keeping Miao would only mean adding an extra pair of chopsticks and an extra bucket of water, but the family would have someone to do the housework and serve, and Jiaofeng and his precious son would be able to enjoy a good life in the future.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt it was a good deal. Shen Zhigao said to Miao: "I see that you really don't want to leave our family, and you even asked your brothers to make trouble. But you can't continue the incense of our Shen family, and you are not worthy of the position of the first wife. From now on, Jiaofeng will be the eldest and you will be the youngest. Our Shen family can still keep you, and we will allow you to be buried in our Shen family's cemetery in the future."
These words were so shameless that even Zhao Youdang was stunned: How could someone say such a thing? Are you crazy? Didn't you see that the Miao brothers have already rolled up their sleeves and are ready to fight?
Shen Zhigao was just feeling smug and thinking he had come up with a good idea to kill two birds with one stone, when suddenly a hatchet passed in front of him and chopped into the table in front of him, going in more than an inch deep. Shen Zhigao was so scared that his face turned pale.
When he looked up, it was his younger brother Shen Qing, who was famous for his fierceness in the village, with his hand on the handle of the hatchet.
In fact, Shen Zhigao has always been afraid of his brother. It was fine when he was a child, but he became more and more ferocious as he grew up. When Shen Qing was fourteen or fifteen years old, if Shen Zhigao dared to touch Miao, this guy would glare at him as if he wanted to eat him! Shen Zhigao's anger gradually faded. He had to consider his brother's mood before beating his wife. As a father, he felt so aggrieved!
However, no matter how aggrieved he felt, Shen Zhigao no longer dared to beat Miao in private when he saw his brother who was taller and stronger than him, and could knock him down with one arm. But he felt depressed staying at home, so he always went out to find an outlet to vent. In addition, Widow Li wanted to find someone to rely on, and she quite liked the Shen family, which had a simple population and was relatively wealthy. As a result, the two of them hooked up.
Shen Zhigao didn't want to divorce Miao at first, and he was also afraid of Shen Qing and Miao's two brothers-in-law. But who could blame Widow Li for being pregnant with his son? Not having a successor was a major concern for Shen Zhigao, and Widow Li often encouraged him from the side: How can a father be afraid of his own son? This excited him so much that he forgot his fear.
Now, looking at the axe stuck into the table, he remembered his brother's ferocity. He shrank his neck and glanced at Shen Qing. His voice became weak and he said fiercely, "What? You still want to chop your father?"
Shen Qing's face was so gloomy that water could be squeezed out of it. His tone was also chilling. He didn't even look at Shen Zhigao, but said to the village chief Zhao Youdang: "Village chief, I have something to say."
Shen Qing is tall and has a decent frame. He stands in front of people against the light, holding a hatchet that glows coldly in his hand. There is a slight sense of oppression.
Village chief Zhao was also frightened. Before he could answer, Old Man Shen started to curse with his beard puffed and eyes glared: "It's not your place to interrupt the adults' affairs. Do you have the right to speak here? Get out of here." Shen Zhigao was a little afraid of Shen Qing, but Old Man Shen, the head of the family, was not afraid of him. The most important thing is that as a father-in-law, it is impossible for him to be violent with his daughter-in-law. They don't often stay in the same room. Shen Qing has never done anything out of the ordinary to him. Old man Shen thinks that this boy is just a little tough and unruly, and he still has his authority.
Village chief Zhao didn't like women and boys interrupting when he was talking about serious matters. Besides, they were still young people. How could children have the right to talk about their parents' marriage? This made Village Chief Zhao feel that this was very rude. But when Old Man Shen's eyes fell on Shen Qing, his gaze fell on the hatchet in Shen Qing's hand. Then he thought of Shen Qing's fierce reputation in the village, and his heart was startled.
As the old saying goes, the arrogant ones are afraid of the stupid ones, and the stupid ones are afraid of the desperate ones. Shen Zhigao's incident almost pushed the Miao family into a dead end. His own mother had been forced to this point. If Shen Qing was a filial son, would he not fight for his life?
It’s better not to try your best when you are there. Thinking of this, Village Chief Zhao moved his butt back, his expression relaxed, and said in a gentle voice: "Qing'er is the only flesh and blood of Brother Zhigao and his wife, so he should have a few words."
I didn't expect him to say such a thing. Old Man Shen was a little surprised, and his face was full of disapproval, but in the end he did not offend the village chief. He just glared at Shen Qing with a warning look.
Shen Qing didn't even look at him, but said to Zhao Youdang: "I agree with my parents' divorce."
Miao was stunned, and the handkerchief she was using to wipe her tears fell to the ground. Miao Xing and Miao Wang's faces also froze.
They have a good relationship with the Miao family, and as brothers, it is their duty to support the Miao family. But before leaving, the people in the house reminded them again and again that they could help Miao family and they were willing to contribute manpower, time, and even a little money, but they could not bring the person back!
Not to mention how embarrassing it is to have a divorced sister in the family, the children in the family will be inferior to others when they are looking for marriage partners in the future. It’s just that every family is tight on money. The children are getting older and older, and they are about to get married but they don’t have a house. How can they squeeze out an extra room to feed another mouth?
The Miao brothers readily agreed when they left. The reason why they brought so many people from Shiqu Village to Lantang Village today, including the son of the scholar, was to suppress the Shen family by force, morality, and law. As long as they could convince and defeat the Shen family, and make them give up the idea of divorcing their wives and continue to live in peace, that would be the purpose of their visit today. They had never thought of bringing Miao back.
This is also what the two brothers think is the best way for Miao from the bottom of their hearts - since her parents' home has no place to stay, whether she divorces or is divorced, Miao has to remarry. There is no need to worry about this, as there are many old bachelors and widowers in the village, but how can such people be considered good families? I'm afraid it's better to stay in the Shen family. What's more, it was Shen Zhigao who was in the wrong. Why could he just divorce his girl? That doesn't make sense!
Qing'er is still young after all. He doesn't understand the twists and turns here and only knows how to cause trouble. He just asked his parents to divorce. Now he feels relieved, but what will he do in the future?
Miao Xing spoke up: "Qing'er, I know you love your mother and you can't bear to see her suffer this. But the matter here is not something that a little boy like you can understand. You should go out first. Your uncle and second uncle will seek justice for your mother."
Shen Zhigao is really out of his mind. Allowing Widow Li to be their mistress is already their bottom line, and now they dare to let his sister be their mistress. This is trampling on the face of their Miao family. Do they really think that there is no one left in their family!
Shen Qing refused to move and still stood there holding the hatchet. Although he looks fierce, he is actually nervous inside. He had rehearsed these words countless times in his mind. What he feared most was that his two uncles would not stand on his side! He continued hurriedly, "After the divorce, my mother doesn't have to go back to Shiqu Village to live with my uncles. I will go with my mother, and I will support her in the future. I will have nothing to do with the Shen family anymore, and I won't bother my uncles. As long as you agree to this, I will agree to let my mother divorce and make room for Widow Li. If my mother refuses to divorce, I will persuade her to do so!"
Shen Qing knew clearly what his two uncles were worried about, so he made it clear in advance that he would not return to Shiqu Village. He thought better than his two uncles. Who is the eldest and who is the youngest? Are the statuses so clearly defined in this farmyard?
For so many years, his mother is the eldest sister-in-law. Has his second uncle's husband ever respected his mother? Have Shen Zhuang and Shen Xiaojuan ever respected his mother, their aunt? Behind closed doors, he is the one who suffers all kinds of injustices and bullies, and has to do the dirtiest and most tiring work! What’s the use of such status of legal wife even if the uncles help to get it!
Everyone in the room was stunned by Shen Qing's words. Divorce and separation are rare in the countryside, but they do exist. There have been two or three cases over the past few decades. Everyone has always assumed that the child is the blood of the husband's family and no one can take it away.
Let alone divorce, even if the husband dies and the woman and her husband do not want to stay with him and want to remarry, as long as there is someone in the husband's family or clan, it is rare for the widow to be allowed to take the child away. But Shen Qing asked to leave the Shen family and go with Miao, and he wanted to have nothing to do with the Shen family anymore!
This, this Qing Ge'er wants to sever ties with the Shen family?
Everyone from Shiqu Village was shocked. When the brothers Miao Xing and Miao Wang heard that Shen Qing and Miao Shi had no intention of returning to Shiqu Village to live alone, they first breathed a sigh of relief. Qing'er's words sounded a bit shocking, but after thinking about it carefully, the two brothers felt that it was not impossible.
All the men in the village are single wives. If there are two wives in one house, life will definitely not be peaceful. If the widow Li gives birth to another son in the future, it is inevitable that the east wind will prevail over the west wind. Even if Miao went back to live with the two of them in her parents' home and her nephew took care of her in her old age, how could he compare to being caring and obedient like her own biological brother?
Besides, Qingge'er is well-known for his ability!
Not to mention that the Miao brothers lowered their heads to think about it, Shen Zhigao on the other end came back to his senses after a while and said angrily: "You unfilial thing! What do you mean by no longer having anything to do with the Shen family? Do you still want to sever your relationship with your father?"
These days, only parents sever ties with their children, but no children dare to say they want to sever ties with their parents. It would be fine if the neighbors were to criticize them, but if the parents really went to the government to file a complaint, they would be accused of being disobedient and unfilial, and could even be sentenced to exile!
Shen Qing finally turned his gaze to Shen Zhigao, but his tone was cold and hard: "How am I unfilial? Dad wants to divorce Mom and marry Widow Li to have a son. My uncle's family disagrees, so you can't divorce, and my uncle can go to the government office to sue you for adultery - I heard it all, you have to be exiled! Now I persuade my mother and my uncle to agree to the divorce, isn't this what Dad wants? Dad doesn't have to be exiled, I can't be more filial."
Everyone present was confused by these words, and some even felt that... there was some truth in them? Shen Zhigao didn't know how to refute for a moment, but became more and more angry: "You dare to threaten me? You want your uncle to sue me?!"
Shen Qing continued, "I have the blood of both my father and mother flowing in my body. It was not easy for my mother to carry me for ten months. I persuaded my mother to divorce, which was filial piety to my father. After that, I have to be filial to my mother, so I am leaving with my mother, and I will support her in the future."
Miao was already crying her eyes out. She had never made up her mind before, but she finally made up her mind. She stood up and threw herself on Shen Qing, crying, "I agree to divorce! As long as I can take my Qing away, I'll make room for that vixen!"
She had gritted her teeth and refused to agree because she was worried about Shen Qing: Although she, as a mother, had no ability and usually relied on Qing'er to protect her, if she was gone, her Qing'er would be all alone in the Shen family's yard. She would really be worried and would not be able to close her eyes even if she died!
From now on, the two of them will stay together no matter what, even if they starve to death outside!
But although the Miao family agreed, the Shen family was not willing to let the person go. It would be fine if it was Miao, but Shen Qing is almost 18 or 19 this year. Normally, boys of this age would have already married off and earned some money for the family as a betrothal gift. It's just that Shen Qing doesn't look as thin and pretty as other young men, nor does he behave as quiet and gentle as other young men. Instead, he is tall and big like a man, and his temper is famously fierce and tough in the area - look, he even dares to wield an axe in front of his father.
Therefore, no one came to propose marriage to her.
But there is one advantage to his being like a man: he works like a man, and is even more capable than his father and uncle. Since Shen Qing turned fifteen, Old Man Shen no longer had to work in the fields. In recent years, most of the work in the fields has been done by Shen Qing, and the harvest is much better than before.
Shen Qing is at the age where he can work. The Shen family has quite a bit of land, but they don't want to lose such a strong laborer. Old Lady Shen had planned it out early: let Shen Qing stay at home and work until she was twenty-four or twenty-five years old, and when Shen Zhuang grew up and could take over the work in the fields, she would marry him off far away to a ravine deep in the mountains: it was poorer there, and it was not easy for the mountain people there to find a brother, and they would not be picky about appearance, temperament, or age. This way you can earn more money for the betrothal gift.
With such a good plan, how could you be willing to let him go? Now that Shen Qing is gone, who will do all the work in the fields? Shen Zhuang's body has not grown up yet. No matter whether it is his precious grandson or her own old man, Mother Shen doesn't want them to be tired.
Shen Zhigao's face flushed red, and he said in a muffled voice: "I didn't say that I had to divorce your mother. As long as she agrees to be the mistress and let Jiaofeng be the elder, our Shen family can still provide your mother with food. You little bastard are rebelling... Ouch!"
Before he finished speaking, Miao Wang couldn't bear it anymore, jumped up and punched Shen Zhigao in the face: "I gave you face, right? You even let my sister be your mistress, but don't you think about your old face and whether you are worthy of being your mistress!"
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