"I didn't see the county magistrate, I only saw the county lieutenant," Tang Shiyue said, "They saw that I was a child and didn't make things difficult for me."
Qi Jing said, "I'll temporarily pledge fifty taels of silver here. When the county magistrate investigates the matter, if compensation is needed, I'll give it to them. If not, I'll take it back. But Yue'er has to come over at any time. I've hired someone to run errands for her when the time comes. I guarantee that she won't delay things. Only then did the county magistrate agree."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Tang Sishu said, "It doesn't matter how much money it costs, as long as we can go back home. A place like a prison is too much for a child like you!"
Others also offered their comfort.
Tang Shiyue nodded repeatedly, being very well behaved.
In fact, she just had a flash of inspiration at the time, but she didn't expect it to cause such a big commotion. Although the effect was quite good, she was a little embarrassed for alarming so many people.
But since the play has already begun, we have no choice but to continue.
Several people rushed back to the village. Many of them were still gathered in twos and threes, waiting to hear the news. Tang Shiyue hurriedly got off the mule cart and explained and thanked everyone.
The clan leader and the headman's son went back to report the news. Tang Shiyue went home while explaining things to them.
...
...
Wang was seen leaning against the door frame like a weak willow in the wind, looking up with a look of artificial anxiety.
She held the door frame with one hand and held the corner of her clothes with the other. Her waist was bent in a delicate arc, and her body was half turned sideways. Her posture seemed unintentional, but extremely seductive.
Tang Shiyue paused.
She often heard people say "leaning" against the door to sell smiles, and she felt that Wang's expression and posture simply brought the word to life.
It's a pity that her level is too high. Few of the simple women in the village can see through her. If she were placed in a real mansion, no matter whether she is a woman or a young lady, she would be able to see at a glance that she is a white lotus in the prosperous age.
When Madam Zhou saw her, she pushed Wang away, trotted over, hugged her, and burst into tears.
Tang Shiyue felt ashamed and her eyes turned red as she hugged her. Xiao Qi Yang and Xiao Yao Er both ran out, one on each side hanging on her, making Wang next to them seem very redundant.
Someone whispered, "If you don't know, you would think that Sister Zhou is the real mother."
"This love is no less than that of a biological mother. My real biological mother is so cold-hearted!"
Tang Shiyue did not dare to tell the truth to Madam Zhou, mainly because she was afraid that they would be angry.
The next day, she went to Mrs. Sun's house to borrow money.
She explained to everyone yesterday that the case has not been judged yet, but if they don't want to stay in the county jail, they naturally need to make arrangements. Qi Jing also helped to hire someone to stay at the county government every day, waiting to come back to deliver letters when needed, which also costs money.
She didn't borrow much, just ten taels.
As soon as Tang Yongming got home, he gave Mrs. Sun 100 taels of silver. They had already boasted about this to others, so everyone knew that she had money. The less she borrowed, the more indifferent Mrs. Sun seemed.
Sure enough, as soon as she opened her mouth, she was scolded by Mrs. Sun.
The more Mrs. Sun thought about it, the more she felt something was wrong. She was afraid that she would be implicated, so she dared not delay any longer and went to the clan leader's house to demand a division of the family.
In the eyes of the clan members, dividing the family at this time was a real kick when they were down, but Grandma Sun was an elder and she insisted on dividing the family, and the clan leader could not stop her.
The clan leader called Tang Shirong back and asked Grandma Sun in front of everyone, "Are you determined to split up the family? If Rong'er gets admitted to high school or Yue'er becomes successful in the future, will you regret it?"
Grandma Sun almost turned her mouth up to the sky: "Just them?!"
"I won't regret asking you!"
"Of course I don't regret it!" Granny Sun rolled her eyes and said, "What I regret most is that I didn't strangle my third child to death when I gave birth to him. As a result, I raised such a bunch of unlucky people! Now I've been sued, and it has brought shame to our Tang family!"
She glanced at the two of them and said, "I'm afraid that some people will cling to our Tang family shamelessly, and we won't be able to get rid of them even if we divide the family!"
Tang Shiyue said loudly: "Tang Shiyue swears to heaven, from now on, even if I am so poor that I have to beg for food, I will never come to your house! I will never beg you! If I break this oath, I will die with my intestines pierced through my stomach!"
Granny Sun snorted, "Okay, remember this well!"
Tang Shiyue said coldly: "Grandma, please swear an oath too!"
Grandma Sun glared and asked, "Why?"
Tang Shiyue said: "Why, you don't dare? If you don't swear, I won't split the family!"
"Who said I don't dare?" Fearing that things might change, Grandma Sun said quickly, "After the family is divided, I won't look for you if anything goes wrong! I won't be jealous even if you become rich! Otherwise, I will be drowned, bitten by wolves, or struck by lightning!"
So the family was divided.
No matter what everyone said, the clan leader was so angry that he slammed the table, but Mrs. Sun gritted her teeth and refused to give a penny.
The whole family, men and women, put on a big show for the villagers. In the end, they didn't get a penny or half an acre of land. They just moved the third room out.
After leaving the clan leader's house, Tang Shiyue felt relaxed and refreshed.
The villagers tried to comfort her, and Madam Zhou also said, "If you need money, you can use it even if our wine shop is closed!"
Tang Shiyue thanked him with a smile.
After dinner in the evening, Tang Shiyue quietly told Tang Shirong about the matter. Tang Shirong was stunned when he heard it.
He frowned, but before he could speak, Qi Jing suddenly stood up and motioned for him to follow him out. Then he asked him, "Do you think it's wrong to lie to others, or are you worried that things will be exposed in the future?"
Tang Shirong thought about it carefully: "Both."
Qi Jing said calmly, "It's wrong to lie, but can you live your whole life without lying? Even on the battlefield, deception is allowed, let alone here? As for your worry about the matter being exposed, you don't have to worry about it. Ayue has always been a person who returns the kindness of others to her. After the separation of the family is resolved, she will definitely find a way to repay the kindness of the villagers. Even if something unexpected happens in the future, she will never hurt anyone's feelings."
He paused and said, "So, your expression is useless except for making Yue unhappy."
Tang Shirong was speechless.
Thinking about it carefully, she took so much trouble to avoid the trouble because people like Sun Pozi were really difficult to deal with. He could hide in the school, but what about her? As the eldest brother, he couldn't support the family and had to ask his younger sister to worry about everything. After the matter was done, he still had to be pedantic and calculative. It was really a bit... ignorant of the value of firewood and rice.
Tang Shirong took a long breath and bowed to the ground: "Thank you, Brother Qi, for waking me up."
He hummed and turned away.
After he left, Tang Shirong felt something was wrong. This... Tang Shiyue was his sister, right? Why did Qi Jing protect him like this, making him seem like an outsider?
The next day, Tang Shiyue prepared offerings and the whole family went up the mountain to pay homage to Tang Yongli.
After all, we have divided the family, so I still have to tell him.
Tang Shirong knelt in front of the grave, kowtowed and apologized. Everyone lit incense and prayed in turn, and then they cleaned up the bowls and went back.
Wang was walking in the front gracefully.
It was a very hot day, but she was still wearing a white Chu palace dress, with flowers wrapped around her waist and her hair in a bun. She was indescribably beautiful, graceful and elegant. Both her dress and temperament were completely different from those of a country woman.
The villagers she met greeted her, and many farmhands glanced at her secretly.
When passing by the Tang family mansion, he happened to meet Tang Yongfu and He coming out.
After the wheat harvest, the skin on Tang Yongfu's face was sunburned. He greeted them with an awkward smile.
For country people, separation of family is a big deal. From then on, they are truly two different families, and the only relationship they have is greeting each other when they meet.
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