126: Chapter 115: Compensation 126: Chapter 115: Compensation Old Liu was furious as he looked at Old Zhou, “In-law, these aren’t words that can be carelessly thrown around, Dalang has always been honest.”

Before Old Zhou could speak, Third Uncle Qian shouted, “Honest?

Is it honest to stuff a divorce letter into your wife’s hands at dawn, throw her out with her clothes in tatters?

Could it be there’s an illicit child?

We’ll know in ten months, won’t we?

I don’t buy it—your Liu family would never get rid of that child.

In ten months’ time, we’ll see if your Liu family isn’t adding another mouth to feed!”

Old Liu’s face was as black as a pot, trembling with anger.

Insiders know their own family affairs.

Why was he so anxious to divorce Zhou Xi if not because Widow Wu’s belly couldn’t wait?

The whole Liu family was extremely angry, yet Third Uncle Qian was notoriously shameless and articulate, and with Zhou Erlang and Zhou Silang egging on from the side, the Liu family was out-argued by them completely.

Old Liu couldn’t help but look for support from his clan members who had come to stand by him, but they all stood back in silence, and the women outside the courtyard who were watching enthusiastically did nothing to support the Liu family either.

Looking at the women brought by the Zhou family, they were all surrounding Mother Liu, pressing her so much that her face turned green.

In this moment, Old Liu deeply felt the benefit of having more sons; talk about other things aside, just the advantage in quarreling was enough to overwhelm the opposition.

The Zhou family quarreled noisily with the Liu family.

Old Zhou spoke reasonably, while Third Uncle Qian and Zhou Silang were responsible for creating havoc and cursing people, utterly crushing the opposition in all aspects of reason and unreasonableness, and they trampled the Liu family’s morale underfoot before presenting their demands.

A divorce letter was out of the question, and having Zhou Xi return to the Liu family was also impossible.

Old Zhou stated they could separate, but only through a negotiated settlement.

Zhou Xi’s dowry had to be returned in full, and on top of that, Zhou Xi’s dowry had to be compensated for an equivalent amount.

The Liu family, of course, did not agree.

When Zhou Xi married into the Liu family, the dry spell had just ended no more than two years prior, and times were tough for everyone, but the dowry Zhou family prepared for her was substantial.

Of course, ‘substantial’ is relative to the village standards; at that time, the Zhou family prepared for her two camphor wood trunks, two sets of new clothes, two new quilts, a pair of silver earrings, a fine silver bracelet, and a dowry money pouch.

Now, apart from the camphor wood trunks, which were still in good condition, the rest of the items had either become old or disappeared; Zhou Xi returned home empty-handed, basically.

In addition to the compensation Zhou family demanded, they needed to provide her with four sets of new clothes, four new quilts, two pairs of silver earrings, two fine silver bracelets, and two dowry money pouches, not to mention make two new camphor wood trunks.

All of these items would be enough for a son’s bride price.

Was this a divorce or a wedding?

The Liu family did not agree.

Old Zhou didn’t waste words; he stood up with a cold laugh, “You don’t agree?

Your Liu clan doesn’t approve either?”

The village head who had come with him then intervened, blocking Old Zhou and looking at Old Liu, “Which part do you not agree with, or do you decline everything?

Speak up, and we can discuss it one by one.

Otherwise, even if we argue past the New Year, we won’t resolve it; once spring arrives and it’s time to work the fields, nobody will have the spare time to deal with your family’s affairs.”

It was not until the clan leader and village head from the Liu side finally spoke up, “Village Head Zhou is right, please speak your mind, and let’s discuss it.”

Old Liu felt a burning rage inside.

He knew that in today’s discussion, the Liu family would not come out on top, so he wanted to delay talking until another day.

Zhou Erlang, sharp as a tack, how could he not know what Old Liu was thinking?

Seeing him hesitating and looking for an excuse, Zhou Erlang kicked Liu Dalang in front of everyone and rolled up his sleeves, “What’s this?

Can’t make up your mind, don’t want to talk today?

Well then, today he’s still our sister’s brother-in-law.

Third, Four, what are you doing just standing there?

This jerk drove our sister out, let’s all gang up and beat some sense into him for her!”

With that, he also glared at the Village Head of Liu Village and asked, “Village Head Liu, there’s no harm in us brothers-in-law getting some justice for our sister, right?”

Village Head Liu did want to say it was wrong, but in this rural place, it really wasn’t a problem.

Who didn’t have a daughter, who didn’t have sisters?

He vaguely said, “Just make sure not to beat him into a serious condition.”

Zhou Erlang and Zhou Silang rolled up their sleeves and charged towards Liu Dalang, who was so scared of them he quickly hid behind his mother, crying, “Mother, save me, save me!”

Mother Liu screamed, “This is in my Liu home, how dare you, how dare you.

Old man, old man, look at how outrageous they are in the Zhou family, such a daughter-in-law should’ve been divorced long ago…”

“Shut up!” Old Liu glared hatefully at Zhou Erlang and Zhou Silang, knowing there was no avoiding today’s discussion.

After some thought, he begrudgingly said, “A separation can be arranged.

As for the dowry, it has always been in Dalang’s wife’s possession since she came to our family; we have never touched it.

However, these years she has not only worked hard but also suffered in our household.

We are willing to raise money to prepare an equivalent portion for her.”

That meant compensation was out of the question.

Old Zhou smirked without saying a word, while Junior Ms.Qian stepped forward and said, “In-law, whether you know about my sister-in-law’s dowry, I’m not sure, but surely Mother-in-law would know.

Of the two quilts she brought with her, aside from the one she used herself, the other was taken for personal use by Mother-in-law.

Don’t you know every day you lie on my sister-in-law’s bridal quilt, in-law?”

Old Liu was a bit embarrassed.

Junior Ms.Qian continued to detail meticulously, with no one being clearer on how the things were used than Zhou Xi herself.

After all, they were her dowry, and she remembered every single item precisely.

One of the camphor wood trunks was in her own room, and the other was also taken by Mother Liu; it was in her room to this day.

At the time, Zhou Xi thought she couldn’t use both trunks anyway, and once she married, she was family, so when the mother-in-law asked, she couldn’t refuse.

But the money, silver earrings, and bracelets were still kept by herself despite Mother Liu’s hints; she never gave them up.

But in the end, all these items were used.

Mostly, Zhou Xi used them for her own medical expenses, and some were given to the Liu family in times of need after Liu Dalang and Zhou Xi discussed it together.

At this moment, however, Junior Ms.Qian didn’t care if the money was spent on her sister-in-law or not; after all, back then her sister-in-law was the Liu family’s daughter-in-law, and the money used should have been Liu family’s.

Even if it was for the daughter-in-law’s medical bills, the Liu family should have footed the bill.

She believed that all the money was borrowed by the Liu family, and so in the end, it all became a matter of the Liu family borrowing the bride’s dowry.

The Liu family was seething with anger, feeling the Zhou family was insatiable and unreasonable.

The two families argued from morning till afternoon, with the Zhou family pressing at every step; Old Liu barely held the line, not daring to retreat any further.

After all, besides Eldest, Two was yet to be married; they couldn’t possibly spend the money to divorce one daughter-in-law when it would be needed eventually to marry off another.

Third Uncle Qian, impatient, yelled, “If your Liu family doesn’t want to, then fine.

We won’t accept the divorce; you can forget about any separation agreement for now—drag it out for three or five years.

Our girl isn’t in a hurry to remarry; I want to see if your Liu family’s bastard child can also stay in the belly for three or five years before coming out!”