Chapter 8 Restoring Family Tradition

Chapter 8 Restoring Family Tradition

"Didn't the Bodhisattva say that our family committed sins? I thought about it carefully and we did commit sins. For example, I have been harsh on your elder sister and elder brother since I married into the Gu family, and now I allow you to form a group to bully your elder sister-in-law and Man'er. For example, sending Man'er to the Zheng family to marry a sickly man, what good family in Qinghe Bay would do such a thing?"

"I've been thinking about it these past few days. Since the Bodhisattva says we've committed sins, why don't we just pay off our past debts? Let's put away our past evil thoughts. I won't treat the eldest brother's family harshly anymore. You guys should respect the eldest sister-in-law and love Man'er."

"As for whether we can change our fate, there are gods above us. It depends on whether the Bodhisattva can see our changes."

Tong Huaqiong revealed her plan to change the fate of everyone in the Gu family.

"mother……"

Chen Sufen's eyes turned red with excitement.

This Bodhisattva’s dream is really good!

If my mother-in-law really believed that there is a god above our heads instead of just acting rashly, their life would be better for the eldest wife.

She didn't ask for a good life, she just hoped that Man'er could grow up safely and get married.

She also has to be filial to her mother-in-law, love her sister-in-law, and be tolerant of the second wife and her uncle.

"During the three days since the Bodhisattva appeared in my dream, the past events have gone through my mind. Do you know how I married into the Gu family and became the second wife of your dead father?"

Tong Huaqiong used a sad voice to talk about the past events, starting from the dream given by the Bodhisattva.

"Back then, your good-for-nothing uncle learned a few words from the village teacher, and your ambitious grandpa thought his son was destined to be the top scholar, so he forced him to study despite the poverty of the family. What to do if there was no money? Your grandpa took 20 taels of silver from the Gu family and married me to the Gu family as a stepmother when I was 14 years old. It was called marriage, but in fact it was the same as selling. I fell in love with the cowherd in the village back then. If it weren't for your grandpa and uncle, would I have broken up with the cowherd?"

Tong Huaqiong wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, patted her thigh and sighed.

Gu Dashu and the others looked slightly embarrassed. Was the widowed mother reminiscing about her past or revealing her own love affairs?

"That cowherd was as handsome as Pan An, and also a lovelorn man. He jumped into a well on my wedding day and disappeared after being rescued. I have been thinking about the cowherd for so many years. If someone had said something for me back then, I would have had children with the cowherd. How could I have become someone's stepmother at such a young age and give birth to a bunch of you, the Gu family's useless, black-hearted, rotten beasts?"

Gu Dashu: "..."

Gu Jingzhe: “…”

Gu Taohua: “…”

Tong Huaqiong didn’t know whether Tong Da Jiao was thinking about the cowherd Tong Huaqiong during her lifetime. Tong Huaqiong only knew that she wanted to beat up the Gu family beasts in front of her again.

"That's off topic. I was just thinking, I wasn't happy marrying an old widower when I was fourteen, let alone Man'er who is only six. I feel so guilty!"

When the kind-hearted Baihua Chen Sufen heard this, she burst into tears.

It wasn’t easy for my mother-in-law back then!

The mother-in-law is kind by nature, she only becomes evil because she is forced into it.

Half of my resentment towards my mother-in-law has disappeared.

"I was fooled by Jingzhe a few days ago, and I had the wrong idea to sell Man'er to the Gu family in exchange for a better future. But taking crooked ways won't work. Your grandfather sold me to the Gu family as a stepmother. Can your uncle read it? He is not as good as Jingzhe. He didn't even get the title of Tongsheng after he was forty years old."

Gu Jingzhe thought to himself, how could I have fooled you? Didn’t you say that Man’er was a money-loser and should give her future to a man from the Gu family?

Tong Huaqiong continued to talk to Gu Jingzhe, "Jingzhe, you are right to want to go to Wanliu Academy to study and fight for your future, but you shouldn't have your niece in mind. Have you ever thought that even if you use the money from selling your niece to graduate, when you are at the top of the list and become an official in the court, it is revealed that you sold your niece to bully your sister-in-law, will you end up well? You are young and you only focus on Wanliu Academy, you can't see the future."

Gu Jingzhe felt a little unconvinced.

Since ancient times, people who sold their sisters, daughters, and nieces to survive have existed in every dynasty, and he was not doing it entirely for himself. When he was made a marquis and appointed prime minister, wouldn't it also be the glory of the Gu family?

He was flying forward with the Gu family.

In the process of ascension, someone has to sacrifice!

Besides, even if someone uses the fact that he sold his niece as a handle to attack him in the future, won’t he have any way to deal with it?

The right and wrong of things cannot be determined solely by words.

Gu Jingzhe lowered his head and said nothing. He felt sorry for his widowed mother who married into the Gu family at the age of fourteen to serve her parents-in-law and take care of her younger sister-in-law, but he did not think that his grandfather's behavior was wrong. The only mistake in this matter was that his uncle did not read it. If his uncle had read it, the widowed mother and the Gu family would have benefited at this time, and he would not have sold his niece because he had no tuition.

He is different from his uncle. He is more capable than his uncle. He is a talented person praised by the academician and the county magistrate.

As the creature that crawled out of Tong Huaqiong's body, Tong Huaqiong knew what Gu Jingzhe was going to do as soon as he raised his butt. At this time, Gu Jingzhe rolled his eyes and Tong Huaqiong naturally knew what he was thinking.

Tong Huaqiong did not expect to be able to reform Gu Jingzhe today. To change a person's mind, especially that of a genius boy, is not something that can be fooled by a Bodhisattva's dream.

"Jingzhe, you may not believe in gods, but a person's actions will determine his fate."

How does the saying go? The bullet fired in youth will hit you between the eyebrows many years later.

Gu Jingzhe looked at his widowed mother steadily. He thought that his widowed mother, who had always been rude and only knew how to throw tantrums, could actually say such a thing.

"Jingzhe, think about it carefully. It's good to farm at home. At least you don't have to bear the crime of selling your niece."

Only then did everyone realize that Tong Huaqiong did not intend to let Gu Jingzhe continue his studies.

The happiest person was Liu Yue'e. Her brother-in-law spent most of the family's money on studying, which had made her unhappy for a long time. Now that her brother-in-law stopped studying, the family would be more relaxed.

"Mom, my third brother is already a virgin, what a pity." Chen Sufen said.

Although Chen Sufen hated her brother-in-law for wanting to trade Maner for his future, her mother-in-law had now changed her mind and asked the whole family to treat her well and respect her. The kind-hearted Chen Sufen had already forgiven her mother-in-law and brother-in-law in her heart.

She really felt it was a pity that Gu Jingzhe didn't study!

"How about I go to the dock with Dahan to carry sandbags to support my third brother's studies..."

"Jingzhe, it is said that an elder sister-in-law is like a mother. Look, your sister-in-law treats you better than your mother, me. How can you bear to exchange your future for Man'er?" Tong Huaqiong wanted to pick up the fire poker and beat Gu Jingzhe again.

"Su Fen, you've done enough. If you continue to support Jing Zhe's studies, the Gu family won't be able to atone for their sins against you. Let your third brother stay at home and farm to atone for his sins."

Gu Jingzhe was no longer able to think at this time. His widowed mother had completely cut off his dream of studying!

"Not only Jingzhe has to atone for his sins, but you have to do the same. Taohua and Yue'e have to do the housework together, and Dashu has to take on the farm work. As the saying goes, a harmonious family brings prosperity, so from now on, let's live a good life together."

"Did you hear what I said clearly?"

Tong Huaqiong asked Gu Dashu and others to express their opinions.

"Listen carefully. I will respect my sister-in-law in the future." Gu Taohua was the first to express her opinion. She didn't want to be burned to death!

Gu Dashu and Liu Yue'e nodded.

Although Gu Dashu feels a little sorry that he cannot be the head of the Zheng family, his mother has said that if he does not atone for his sins, the descendants of the second wife will be beheaded. How can he not be afraid?

Tong Huaqiong expressed satisfaction with everyone's initial statements.

Even if we cannot completely straighten everyone's thinking today, as long as they do not continue to bend, that is the beginning of success.

"Sufen. I was foolish and greedy in the past. I tortured you and treated you harshly. You haven't had a comfortable day since you married into the Gu family. I don't ask for your forgiveness for what happened in the past. From now on, I will correct those bad habits. Although I can't treat you as my own daughter, I will never bully you or treat you harshly again..." Tong Huaqiong apologized to Chen Sufen.

After hearing her mother-in-law's confession, Chen Sufen's grievances disappeared by a large margin, and she burst into tears at Tong Huaqiong's feet.

Tong Huaqiong: “…”

After confirming the new family tradition, Tong Huaqiong felt slightly satisfied. She stretched and asked Gu Taohua and Liu Yue'e to cook.

"Well, even if you don't want to hear it, I have to mention it. Man'er is not going to the Zheng family anymore, so what about the marriage with the Zheng family?"

Gu Dashu mentioned the marriage between the Gu and Zheng families again.

We have to mention this. If this matter is not resolved, the entire Gu family will be implicated.

"Didn't I tell you to cancel the engagement? I will find matchmaker Wang to cancel the engagement tomorrow morning." Tong Huaqiong said as she swung the silver that Gu Jingzhe brought.

"No, Third Brother has spent fifty taels of silver from the Zheng family. Will they be willing to return it?"

Tong Huaqiong smiled and said, "That's easy. The Zheng family just wants to find a woman to celebrate their wedding. At worst, I can go and celebrate for Mr. Zheng."

"Mom, what are you kidding?"

Tong Huaqiong's words stunned everyone in the Gu family.

Tong Huaqiong was not joking. If possible, she really wanted to be reincarnated into the Zheng family and become a widow.

She's a widow anyway, so it doesn't matter who she becomes.

At least in the Zheng family, I can eat and drink well without having to drag along a bunch of burdens.