Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 1658 - 846: Direct Confrontation

Si Lang really knows how to shock people when he opens his mouth.

No wonder Lady Zhou would argue with them. Although Lady Zhou no longer holds Lian Lanlan in as high regard as before, no matter what, Lian Lanlan is still her own daughter, and Lady Zhou still protects her in her heart.

Lady Zhou has a characteristic that in her heart, only her daughter is the continuation of her own life. Her daughter’s reputation is her reputation. Her daughter’s well-being is her well-being. She can sometimes half-heartedly complain about her daughter, but she would never allow others in the family, especially her sons and daughters-in-law, to say a single bad word about her daughter. If her sons and daughters-in-law speak ill of her daughter, or are dissatisfied with her daughter, it’s like being dissatisfied with her, a slap in her face.

Between her daughter and sons and daughters-in-law, Lady Zhou will always stand by her daughter’s side.

However, if someone thinks Lady Zhou wants to rely on her daughter for support, they couldn’t be more wrong. Lady Zhou doesn’t even want to live at her daughter’s place for long and wouldn’t take advantage of her daughter in the slightest. Even when her daughter brings gifts during festivals, she always sends back generous returns to ensure her daughter doesn’t ’lose out.’

’Lose out’ is a term commonly used by the tenant farmers of Thirty Mile Camp, roughly equivalent to being at a disadvantage.

Lady Zhang once described Lady Zhou’s behavior behind her back as "living off the common fund and saving personal wealth." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

The saying "living off the common fund and saving personal wealth" refers to those living in big family households who always have their own calculations. While using public resources for all their needs, they are unwilling to contribute back to the common fund, selfishly hoarding personal savings, sometimes even using public resources for personal gain. To Lady Zhou, the Old Lian Family, including her sons and daughters-in-law, is the public fund, while her married daughter is her private reserve.

After all, everything in the Old Lian Family will eventually belong to the sons and daughters-in-law, or rather, the sons and their children. It has nothing to do with her, but her daughter is her own flesh and blood.

This makes it clear who is distant and who is close, who is important and who is not.

Lady Zhou’s plan is to wield power within the Old Lian Family and have her sons and daughters-in-law provide for her. The sons and daughters-in-law, including their children, are beneath her. They are servants, there to serve her. Only her daughters hold the same status as her, they are the esteemed ones.

Now, the second daughter-in-law, Lady He’s son Si Lang, wants to send her own daughter to be punished and imprisoned. How could she agree to that? This is simply outrageous. This isn’t just against Lian Lanlan, it’s against her. If she allowed this to happen, it would mean that within this family, she would be trampled by her daughters-in-law and their children.

This is why Lady Zhou, who usually remains silent on serious matters, chose to confront Lian Shouyi, Lady He, and Si Lang this time.

As for the truth of the matter, Lady Zhou is not concerned at all.

"Is the yamen yours? Do you get to decide everything?" Lady Zhou shouted at Lian Shouyi instead of Si Lang, "Are you really that arrogant now, not knowing your own position? Is Old Fourth your servant boy? Does he do whatever you say? What do you take Old Fourth for?"

’Servant boy’ is also a rural colloquial term, roughly equivalent to a lowly servant or odd job worker.

"I’m not ordering my Fourth Uncle around." Si Lang quickly defended himself, "This isn’t just about me. It’s about people bullying our Old Lian Family. Fourth Uncle is the most capable in our family. Bullying the Old Lian Family is bullying Fourth Uncle. If Fourth Uncle doesn’t step in, who will?"

"Those who sit on the kang in our Old Lian Family are part of the family. There are no Luo family members here!" Si Lang added, without directly looking at Lady Zhou, but glancing at her from the corner of his eye. Clearly, this was meant for Lady Zhou, implying that she was disloyal to her own, siding with outsiders.

Lady Zhou was nearly knocked back by Si Lang’s words, and it was the first time in her life she faced such a severe accusation. Her chest heaved violently, and after taking several deep breaths, she still didn’t address Si Lang directly.

Lady Zhou turned to Lian Shouxin.

"Old Fourth, do you see this? Your father and I are old and useless, and they look down on us now. They’re starting to push us out." Lady Zhou said this while slapping her thigh and wailing, "I hate myself, this old useless thing, why don’t I just die, stop being an eyesore around here. Second son, second daughter-in-law, give me a rope, I’ll hang myself right now to make space for you..."