“You’re shameless, but don’t ruin us sisters’ lives. It’s your business if you don’t want to marry into a good family, but if you drag our sisters down, you have to apologize to each and every one of us.”
Following An Xia'er's words, her half-sisters started to make a big fuss.
"Grandmother, Grandmother, please stand up for us! Now everyone outside is laughing at us, the women of the An family, for being shameless and of poor character. I can't even hold my head up when I go out."
An Piao'er supported the old lady and watched coldly.
The lessons she learned in her childhood helped her mature. She no longer stirred up trouble herself; more often, she used the method of using others to do her dirty work while she reaped the benefits.
The old lady values the family's reputation most. Regardless of the reason why An Yuan'er got involved in this matter, in the old lady's eyes, it was all because of An Yuan'er.
This is something the old lady cannot forgive.
“An Yuan’er, the An family has been disgraced because of you, and your sisters have also lost face. Over the years, your grandmother has neglected to discipline you, which has led to your increasing indulgence and the current situation. Now that things have come to this, as the mistress of the An family, I must punish you to quell this matter, restore the reputation of the An family, and give your sisters an explanation.” The old lady said coldly, placing all the blame on An Yuan’er.
For the old lady, sacrificing herself to salvage the family's reputation was the right choice. She never considered helping An Yuan'er catch the mastermind and find the truth.
An Yuan'er used to think that her grandmother was just a bit old-fashioned and stubborn, but now she realized that her grandmother was used to being high and mighty and that she made all the decisions. Her grandmother was cold-hearted and that her children were just tools of the family. If they were useful to the family, her grandmother would show them some favoritism, otherwise they would be abandoned.
This is also why An Yuan'er is reluctant to return to the An family mansion; this place is much more terrifying than she imagined.
Before she even stepped inside the house, her grandmother was already impatient and ready to punish her.
An Yuan'er is vengeful. If someone treats her well, she will repay them tenfold. But if someone treats her badly, she will show no mercy, even if that person is her nominal relative.
An Yuan'er sneered: "Yuan'er may ask Grandmother, how do you intend to deal with me to quell this matter?"
“As punishment according to family law, you shall be flogged thirty times, kneel in the ancestral temple for three days and three nights, write a letter of repentance, and then explain to everyone that this matter was caused by you alone and had nothing to do with the many women of the An family.”
"However, Grandmother is not entirely heartless. After the matter is settled, the An family will not expel you from the family. Your name will be kept in the family genealogy. However, you will not be able to stay in this An residence. At that time, you will be ordained as a nun and go to a nunnery down the mountain to spend the rest of your life in peace."
As soon as Grandmother finished announcing the punishment, the gloating expressions on the faces of the half-sisters who had been watching the spectacle were impossible to hide.
An Yuan'er is the legitimate daughter, of noble status and outstanding appearance. Most of the men who came to the An family to propose marriage were originally there for her. But once something happened to her, these half-sisters had a chance, so they couldn't wait for An Yuan'er to suffer.
Family feuds and the hierarchy between嫡庶 (legitimate and illegitimate children) have been intractable problems since ancient times.
"Preserving the family tree? Grandmother talks as if Yuan'er would care about such things. To Yuan'er, the An family status that Grandmother is so proud of is nothing but an empty title. If something happens to Yuan'er, the family will only abandon us after we've served our purpose and protect themselves. What use is such a family status?"
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