The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 15: Why Don’t You Swear Brotherhood with Your Dead Father

Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Why Don’t You Swear Brotherhood with Your Dead Father

"Jingzhe, you good-for-nothing, you only worked for a day and already you’re complaining of being tired. What kind of delusion of grandeur are you indulging in, thinking you’re some pampered young master needing your sister-in-law to serve you? You think you’re a Bodhisattva in a temple that the whole family has to worship?"

"Do you expect your sister-in-law to wash your clothes too? What, have you no hands or feet? If you can’t wash your clothes yourself, you might as well not wear any and just walk out naked."

"Don’t think just because you’ve read a few books you can act like a Buddha, ordering everyone around at home. You’re treating Sufen like she’s a maid. Let me remind you, that’s your sister-in-law. Even if you were the Emperor, you’d still have to respect her."

Tong Huaqiong’s temper was provoked by Jingzhe.

If it weren’t for his misdeeds, would she have had to cause a scene at the Zheng Family?

Even though she knew the original Tong Dajiao had a hand in it, she wasn’t Jingzhe’s real mother, and she intended to straighten out this bad bamboo.

If she couldn’t, the destructive power of a gifted but malicious youth would be more than the entire Gu Family combined could handle.

Tong Dajiao stepped out of the doorway, picked up the fire poker from the corner of the wall, and headed straight for Jingzhe.

Among the troublesome sprouts in the family, only Jingzhe had never been beaten with a stick. In fairness, she ought to let him know that the fire poker could stir not only fire but also people.

"Just try coming home and acting like a lord! Just try disrespecting your sister-in-law!"

"People study to learn reason, but you study to act like a master. If you think your social standing is too low, then go and swear brotherhood with your dead father."

"You think just because you recognize a couple of words you’re above everyone else, and can’t handle a day of pulling weeds? Not letting you study is the right call. Now you’re just a child student and already you dare bully your sister-in-law. If you become a Champion Scholar, would you not go as far as to dig your father up from his grave to bow to you?"

"You black-hearted scoundrel, you even went behind my back to the docks to beg your brother for silver."

Tong Dajiao vented as she wielded the poker.

Jingzhe wanted to escape, but he was as weak as a chicken from being pampered by Tong Dajiao, and exhausted from a day of pulling weeds, he was as helpless as a fish on a cutting board.

Taohua and Dashi remained indifferent to Jingzhe’s cries. They couldn’t allow two of the siblings to have been whipped and let Jingzhe off scot-free.

After all, it was he who brought the trouble with the Zheng Family upon himself.

Liu Yueer looked on with satisfaction.

Hit him, and hit him hard!

If it weren’t for the fact that his studies put the Gu Family fifty taels in debt to the Zheng Family, would her son’s future be hanging by a thread?

Every time she thought of her own son possibly being sent to the Zheng Family as a servant in five days, she wanted to skin Jingzhe alive.

Tong Huaqiong stopped when she was tired from beating.

Afraid she’d really beat Jingzhe to death, the poker landed mostly on his thighs and buttocks.

Jingzhe was in a sorry state from the beating.

He originally intended to ask Tong Huaqiong about the Zheng Family’s matters, and then cry and plead with her to continue his studies.

But now, with the poker’s lashes, all those thoughts were beaten out of him.

"Third Brother, you deserve this beating. Do you realize mother even ruined her own reputation trying to persuade the Zheng Family to call off the engagement today..."

Taohua recounted how Tong Huaqiong forced the Zheng Family to call off the engagement to Jingzhe.

Jingzhe, though bad to outsiders, was very considerate to his widowed mother. Upon hearing how Tong Huaqiong risked her reputation, he immediately knelt down crying.

Tong Huaqiong remained unmoved, asking, "Jingzhe, let me ask you, can we get back the fifty taels from Wanliu Academy?"

Jingzhe lightly shook his head and said, "I don’t think we can get it back."

Liu Yueer started crying on the spot. Her only hope was that her brother-in-law could reclaim the fifty taels from Wanliu Academy to prevent her son from becoming a servant.

Hearing Jingzhe’s words, Dashi’s expression turned grim.

Regularly, the widow’s favoritism towards Jingzhe already made him bitter, and now, thinking about his son’s future made him even more upset. He didn’t dare blame the widow; he thought everything was Jingzhe’s fault for being too clever, tricking the widow into a biased favoritism like she’d been drugged, promising him everything.

"You quit going to Wanliu Academy, and the academy just keeps the money? Since when was that acceptable?" Dashi sneered, "Jingzhe, did you pocket that money?"

Jingzhe, wounded by the accusation, gasped, his beaten buttocks stinging unbearably.

"Second Brother, you can’t falsely accuse me like that. Wanliu Academy has that policy: once the tutorship fee is paid, it won’t be refunded if you quit or drop out part way," said Jingzhe.

"Knowing they have such ridiculous rules, yet you still rushed to pay," Dashi, angered, wanted to grab Tong Huaqiong’s stick and beat his brother some more.

With red eyes, Jingzhe remained silent, filled with grievance. How could he have known that in just a few days, the widow would change so much, stripping him of his right to study?

"Jingzhe, usually I would speak to you about brotherhood, but if I do that today, my son is doomed. Tomorrow, I’ll go with you to the prefecture, and we’ll get that silver back—whether by stealing or robbery, we have to retrieve it," said Dashi.

Jingzhe’s eyes widened.

What did he mean by "my son is doomed"?

Chen Sufen was equally puzzled; something seemed amiss the moment Second Uncle’s family of three entered.

She also wanted to know what had happened.

"...The Zheng Family did call off the engagement, but since Third Brother has already spent their fifty taels, do you think the Zheng Family would be happy? On the way here, the Zheng Family’s housekeeper stopped us, saying if we don’t repay the fifty taels in five days, they’ll take Yaozu to serve them."

Liu Yueer detested Jingzhe.

Chen Sufen’s expression changed.

Although she didn’t like the second house’s family, when her own daughter was about to be sent to the Zheng Family, they didn’t even speak up, and Yaozu bullied Man Er all the time.

However, kind-hearted Chen Sufen thought Yaozu was just influenced by adults; after all, he was still a child, and being sent to the Zheng Family as a servant would ruin his life.

"Mother, is that true?" Chen Sufen looked towards Tong Huaqiong.

Tong Huaqiong’s face was grim, refusing to speak.

"It’s true, mother even put her seal on it."

"Yaozu, my poor child."

Liu Yueer hugged Yaozu and cried.

"Jingzhe, you worthless scoundrel. The whole family treats you like an ancestor, and yet now we must become oxen and horses for you. What’s my son’s business with your studies? Why should he have to pay for it? I reckon we should just send Jingzhe to the Zheng Family to be a servant. Why should my son go?"

"The Eldest Young Master Zheng has only a few breaths left; when he’s gone, there’ll be no one to mourn him. How about you ask Scholar Zheng to adopt you as his son instead?"

"Anyway, mother has plenty of sons; you leaving still leaves Dashi to carry on the family line."

...

Liu Yueer cried and cursed.

Yaozu followed along crying loudly.

Dashi, troubled, squatted in a corner clutching his head.

Chen Sufen stood by helplessly.

Tong Huaqiong sneered; it wasn’t like this when they were going to send Man Er to the Zheng Family.

Let Dashi’s family experience the terror of impending separation.

Jingzhe, after a day of pulling weeds, took a beating from Tong Huaqiong, and got cursed by Liu Yueer.

Jingzhe, always cradled in the hands of the Gu Family, had never felt this desolate and humiliated.

"Enough, stop howling. No amount of howling will bring back the silver."

"Jingzhe caused the affairs with the Zheng Family, but Dashi and his wife aren’t blameless either. You two know what kind of trouble you’ve been stirring."

They certainly weren’t shy about asking Housekeeper He for benefits.

Dashi and Liu Yueer’s faces alternated between red and white.

"Of course, I, this old fool, share the blame for raising such a bunch of wastrels. Since Wanliu Academy won’t return the fifty taels and you don’t want Yaozu to become a servant, we need to start finding a way to get that money."

Tong Huaqiong tossed aside the stick, forming a pit in the ground, splattering dirt all over Dashi and Liu Yueer.

Fifty taels—where could they find fifty taels in five days?

Dashi and Liu Yueer were tearlessly distraught.