Chapter 37 Song Yi's Counterattack
As dusk settled, fine raindrops fell on the green tiles, making a crisp sound like pearls falling onto a jade plate.
But it couldn't hide the sounds coming from inside the room.
Through the carved window lattice, Grandmother He's weak voice carried a hint of anger.
"That's the money earned from the Song family's dowry shop. Li Yongfeng, has your Li family fallen so low that you have to use your daughter-in-law's dowry to support your family?"
"Aren't you afraid people will talk behind your back if word gets out? I don't agree with this."
Bang.
Grandfather, Marquis Anping, slammed his hand heavily on the table.
"You have no choice but to agree; I'm just here to let you know."
"What are you talking about dowry? Since you've married into the Li family, you and your dowry belong to the Li family. Why are you still talking about dowry?"
Song has been married into the family for so many years and has only given birth to a girl. She hasn't even had a son. She should be grateful that I didn't make the eldest son divorce her.
Making her use her dowry money to supplement the family income is giving her a chance to atone for her sins.
Upon hearing this, Li Nanke couldn't help but clench her small fists.
How could Grandfather say such things about Mother?
She looked up at Song Yi beside her with concern.
Song Yi bit her lip, but her face was already covered in tears.
In fact, Nan Ke was two years old when she became pregnant for the second time.
When my child was a little over five months old, I accidentally slipped and fell heavily on the ground in the snow.
A miscarriage resulted in the birth of a newly formed male fetus.
When Nan Ke was five years old, she became pregnant again. This time she took great care of herself and safely gave birth.
She was in pain for a day and a night, but unexpectedly gave birth to a stillborn child.
It was also a boy.
She held the child and cried for a whole day, refusing to let go. She developed health problems after that and was never able to conceive again.
The loss of two sons remains the most painful scar in her heart.
The fact that she couldn't give birth to a son for her husband has always been the thing that weighs on her mind the most.
These two sentences from Marquis Anping were like the sharpest knife, forcefully piercing her deepest wound.
Song Yi didn't even dare to cry loudly; she cried so hard that her whole body trembled.
Until Li Nanke grasped her hand and rubbed it vigorously, whispering as he did so:
“Grandfather is bad, Mother isn’t angry, Ke’er will go in and scold him.”
Song Yi suddenly remembered the promise she had just made to her daughter.
She wants to be a useful crybaby.
Don't just cry when you encounter problems; you need to be able to help.
Song Yi hurriedly wiped away her tears and reached out to grab the furious Li Nanke.
The voice of Marquis Anping came from inside the house again.
"If the Song family doesn't hand over this money to the public account, it will be squandered by that scoundrel of an eldest son sooner or later."
"Or we could leave it to Nan Ke; that little girl will get married sooner or later, wouldn't that just be letting outsiders benefit from the Li family's possessions?"
"Instead of doing that, it would be better to take it out and give it to the whole family to eat and drink as soon as possible. Song Shi is also in this house, and the three of them need to eat and drink too."
Lady He was so angry that she trembled all over and pointed at Marquis Anping, cursing him.
"You...you're shameless! You..."
He felt a tickle in her throat, and in her anger, she spat out a mouthful of blood, nearly collapsing to the ground.
Li Nanke couldn't resist and rushed in.
"grandmother."
He Shi was supported by her maid and quickly wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief.
Seeing the worry in his granddaughter's bright eyes, he felt a warmth in his heart and tried to suppress the anger surging within him.
"Grandmother is alright, don't worry. Have you seen your father? How is he?"
Li Nanke stepped forward and grasped the hand that He Shi extended.
Grandmother's palms were icy cold and trembling uncontrollably, showing how furious she was.
"The fine has been paid, and Mother has applied medicine to Father. Everything is fine."
Song Yi poured a cup of warm tea and handed it to Madam Wen, helped her rinse her mouth, and then gave her a fresh cup of tea.
She also said, "My husband told me not to worry about him, he will be out soon, and I should take good care of myself."
He's expression softened slightly.
The Marquis of Anping, sitting next to him, snorted and threw his teacup heavily onto the small table.
The teacup fell over onto the small table, spilling the tea inside and dripping it onto the bluestone slab with a pattering sound.
"Mrs. Song, what about your manners? You don't even know how to greet your elders properly, do you? You're supposed to pay your respects morning and evening."
Song Yi lowered her eyes and curtsied.
"The daughter-in-law greets her father-in-law."
Marquis Anping kept a cold face and did not tell her to get up.
Instead, he pointed at Li Nanke and continued to berate him.
"And you, Li Nanke, are like a mischievous monkey all day long. Don't you even know how to greet your grandfather?"
Where did you learn all those rules?
Li Nanke pursed her lips, her gaze towards Marquis Anping cold.
In the dream, it was the first day of the family's exile, just after they left the capital.
Her grandfather coaxed her into taking all the silver and jewelry that Zisu had given her.
He said, "If those yamen runners see these things on you, they will beat you. Nan Ke, give these things to your grandfather."
Grandfather took it and traded it with the yamen runners for enough food for our family, so that you and your parents could have enough to eat.
It was almost dark by then. She was thirsty and tired after walking for most of the day, and all she wanted was a sip of water and a bite of bread.
Upon hearing her grandfather's words, she took out the silver and jewelry without hesitation.
Grandfather took those things, but that very night he left with his second aunt and two cousins.
Later she learned that her second uncle had bribed the yamen runners with a large sum of money to report that her grandfather and her second uncle's family had died on the way to exile.
In fact, the whole family had long since taken the money they had swindled from each other, changed their names, and gone off to live a carefree life.
It was then that she learned that her grandfather was hiding a secret.
"Mrs. Song, is this how you usually teach her manners? You can't even teach her grandfather?"
Anping Hou's angry rebuke of Song Yi brought Li Nanke back to his senses.
Turning around, he saw his mother still in the same curtsy position, her body swaying precariously.
She puffed out her cheeks, unwilling to let her mother be scolded because of her, and reluctantly called out.
"grandfather."
Marquis Anping slammed his hand on the table.
"Listen to that tone of voice, so reluctant and unwilling, showing no respect for elders whatsoever."
It's clear that you, Song, have failed to properly educate your children. You two, go and kneel in the corridor until you learn proper manners, then you may rise.
Song Yi's expression changed.
It's raining outside right now, and the raindrops are slanting into the corridor. If you kneel for less than half an hour, you'll be soaked to the bone.
Was the father-in-law deliberately punishing them for the silver they brought back from Bianjing Prefecture?
Lady He, the wife of the Marquis, was so angry that she trembled all over.
"Li Yongfeng, how dare you..."
"What wouldn't I dare to do? I'm not dead yet, and I still have the final say in this family."
"Song, immediately take Li Nanke to the corridor and kneel before me. If you dare disobey, I'll have the eldest son divorce you when I get back."
Marquis Anping slammed his hand on the small table, causing the teacups on it to slip off and shatter into pieces.
The punishment of kneeling for not knowing the rules was just a pretext. Dao Songyi was always timid and weak, and would cry at the drop of a hat. The punishment was to make them kneel for half an hour.
After they have suffered, he will then propose that the money be turned over to the public account.
Song Yi will surely offer the silver with both hands, crying and wailing, and then even if Madam He objects, it will be useless.
The atmosphere in the room became somewhat heavy for a moment.
Although Li Nanke was young, he understood his grandfather's thoughts.
She twisted her little body in anger, about to go forward and argue with her grandfather, but Song Yi stopped her.
Song Yi stood up shakily, shielding her daughter behind her, and spoke in a trembling voice.
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