Upon hearing Wu's words, Xu Shao's face immediately showed anger and hurt. She didn't care about her sister-in-law and brother-in-law anymore. Her face was pale as she said, "Mother, I am your own daughter. Back then, that old hag bullied me. I came back to you crying and complaining. You told me to just endure it and it would pass. All that gold and silver was secondary. The most important thing was to get my mother-in-law to accept me. I listened to you, but how did I end up?"
After Xu Shao said these words, Ning Shi, Yao Shi, and Chen Zhaoci couldn't help but look at each other in bewilderment. Chen Zhaoci really didn't expect that it was because of her mother-in-law's teachings that this muddle-headed sister-in-law had lived such a muddle-headed life for so many years.
Wu was shocked by Xu Shao's words and her face darkened. With reddened eyes, she said, "What can you do? You can't just get kicked out of the house right after you get married because you disobeyed your mother-in-law. Your father told you long ago that your mother-in-law is not easy to deal with. We all didn't want you to marry into that family, but you were determined to marry her. You cried, made a scene, and even threatened to hang yourself every day to get married. What can we do?"
After saying those words, Xu Shao regretted it. Seeing the three Ning sisters-in-law looking helpless, she wiped her face haphazardly with a handkerchief and said, "Yes, I was a fool. I didn't listen to my parents' teachings and deserved to be bullied."
Seeing that Wu's expression was not good, Ning quickly said, "Elder sister, it's not right for you to talk like that. Over the years, Mother has worried so much about you. How sad it would be for Mother if you said that to her?"
Thinking back on the past twenty years, Xu Shao felt even more heartbroken, and tears streamed down her face. She turned her head away and vigorously wiped her tears with a handkerchief.
Ning was determined to make a big scene this time. There were nine daughters of Xu Gao's generation, both married and unmarried. Although Ning knew that Xu Shao's decision to divorce was ultimately her in-laws' decision, she dared not gamble with her two daughters' futures. She didn't care much about her younger daughter, but what about her elder daughter? Her elder daughter's mother-in-law wasn't a good person to begin with; if this matter caused further distress, how could her elder daughter possibly live?
Not only did Madam Ning invite her three daughters-in-law from her own branch of the family, but she also sent people to the second branch to invite the second wife and the other two sisters-in-law from the adjacent branches. Since they haven't separated their households yet and are still living in the same house, they appear to the outside world as one family.
The second wife's courtyard was quite far from Wu's courtyard. When the second wife, along with the second mistress Chen and the fifth mistress Zhou, came over, they happened to see Xu Shao wiping away tears with a handkerchief.
Second Madam Zhu was a very low-profile person. She usually wouldn't be present unless something major happened in the mansion. However, she was very gentle. When Xu Shao saw Madam Zhu come in, she quickly stood up.
Zhu stepped forward and took Xu Shao's hand, saying, "Grandma, if you've been wronged, talk to your second aunt and all your sisters-in-law and brothers. Although our family isn't a very powerful one, we can't just stand by and watch our daughters be bullied in their husband's family."
Xu Shao bowed to Zhu Shi, who then said to Wu Shi, "Sister-in-law, I heard about it on the way here. My eldest aunt has really been wronged this time. We are her family, so we must stand up for her."
Xu Shao thought of the mocking faces of those people at the Jianning Hou family flower fair yesterday, and a wave of sorrow washed over her, causing tears to stream down her face again.
Xu Shao covered her face and said, "Mother, Second Aunt, for the past twenty years, I haven't had a single good day under my mother-in-law's control. She looks down on me, yet she always tries to get things from me. If our Xing'er hadn't gone to study in Tai'an, and if Father hadn't arranged this marriage for him, who knows what kind of impoverished family he would have ended up marrying. Mother, Second Aunt, yesterday was in front of so many families in the capital. Tell me, in such an occasion, which family isn't of high social standing?"
Madam Zhu gently patted Xu Shao's back and said, "You're right, why are you getting angry with her? We've known your mother-in-law since we were kids. Don't be fooled by her seemingly righteous, gentle, and compliant appearance in public. Everyone knows she has a bad upbringing. You're young, you don't know that when we were young, no one looked up to her. If it weren't for the fact that her marriage was arranged by her ancestors early on, would she have been able to marry into the Marquis's mansion?"
When women get together, they love gossip the most. As soon as Zhu started talking, not only did her five sisters-in-law sitting next to her widen their eyes to listen, but Xu Shao also wiped away her tears while perking up her ears.
At first, Madam Zhu didn't realize it, but when she saw her daughter-in-law's expression, she realized she had said something she shouldn't have. She quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "She's confused. Everyone in the capital who understands things knows she's wrong. Just don't hold it against her. If you divorce the heir because of this, people will say you're being unreasonable."
Xu Shao realized it was impossible to continue listening to her mother-in-law's gossip, and felt a little regretful. But she said, "Auntie, she's disgusting me all the time. She always acts like a mother-in-law, but she bullies me with those underhanded tricks. What kind of matriarch would put someone in her grandson's room? She doesn't care at all, and she makes it sound so pitiful, as if I, as her mother, am the tyrant who broke up lovers."
Chen Zhaoci couldn't help but nod. Indeed, it was rare to see a mother-in-law with such a unique style.
Ning also chimed in, saying, "Little sister, this matter certainly can't be left like this. The family will definitely get you justice."
Xu Shao remained silent, but Yao Shi, unable to contain herself any longer, said, "Elder sister, what my sister-in-law said is right. We are all mothers now. If it's not for anything else, but for the sake of our children, can we let them become a laughing stock because of their parents?"
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