CHAPTER 127: CHAPTER 126: SEVERING ALL TIES

Wrapping a corpse in a grass mat was still quite common among the lower-class families in ancient times.

If Sun Fengshou’s mother-in-law had died of natural causes, and the Sun Family couldn’t afford a coffin, using a grass mat would be understandable to the villagers.

After all, many families in the village did the same.

But in Mrs. Xu’s case, it was clearly different from normal circumstances. Ignoring her sick mother-in-law and neglecting care, intending to let her die of illness, was no different from intentional murder.

Yu Xiaolian quietly handed a handful of candy to the children on the outskirts, asking them to bring the Village Chief over.

The children took the candy and ran off like the wind.

Upper River Bay Village was not big, with only more than twenty households, forming a village without a designated chief due to its small size.

Mrs. Xu still didn’t realize her behavior had caused public outrage. She was lamenting the fact that her son not only didn’t support her but sided with others against her.

She figured she hadn’t taken care of her sick mother-in-law, but that wasn’t a capital offense, so what was there to fear?

In Upper River Bay Village alone, how many daughters-in-law actually got along harmoniously with their mothers-in-law?

On the surface, they were obedient, but secretly, they despised each other.

Most of them were just wishing for their mothers-in-law to die sooner to take charge themselves.

Mrs. Xu gave a malicious look around and said through clenched teeth, "My mother-in-law’s been unwell for years. Who knows if she’ll suddenly die from this illness? Am I wrong to weave her a grass mat at my maternal home? Don’t act all high and mighty, interfering with my family’s affairs, as if you’re all so filial yourselves."

Mrs. Xu pointed at the crowd and roared, "Mrs. Dacheng, you resent your mother-in-law for selling your eldest daughter as a concubine to Master Li, don’t think I don’t know about the doll you made to curse her.

And Mrs. Tiedan, you’re upset with your mother-in-law for criticizing you for not bearing sons despite giving birth to several daughters. Didn’t you call her ’old hag’ behind her back? So why are you all here playing the filial daughter-in-law?"

The two women Mrs. Xu pointed out looked flustered, hurriedly explaining to their families, but were quickly dragged home by their husbands for a beating.

Seeing this, Mrs. Xu looked pleased and then sharply said to Old Lady Wang, who had suggested dunking her in a pig cage, "Old Lady Wang, don’t come to my home to cause trouble with your frail body. It’s likely you won’t outlive your eighty-year-old mother-in-law. I doubt you’ll ever be the head of your household."

Old Lady Wang, in her sixties, had several grandchildren, but her mother-in-law was still robust. Their household hadn’t split, so the mother-in-law still held authority, leaving Old Lady Wang without power even at sixty.

The saying goes, "A daughter-in-law will one day become a mother-in-law," but Old Lady Wang doubted she’d live to see that day.

The long-living mother-in-law was Old Lady Wang’s constant worry.

Her mother-in-law had outlived several of her own children and their spouses without showing any signs of leaving, seeming to have an unnaturally long life.

The villagers often joked about it, saying Old Lady Wang would be the next to be outlasted by the mother-in-law.

Of course, Old Lady Wang didn’t want to die before her mother-in-law. She still wanted to know what it felt like to be in charge.

So, she was very sensitive about this topic. Mrs. Xu’s words hit a nerve, immediately firing up Old Lady Wang’s anger.

Old Lady Wang stepped forward and shouted, "My mother-in-law lives long because we are filial to her, accommodating her in everything without causing distress.

The neighbors know each other’s business well. You scold your mother-in-law openly like she’s your child, not even trying to hide it.

If we treated our mother-in-law like you do, she’d have died long ago. We could never be as heartless.

Fengshou wants to divorce you because you’re unfilial. He’s already given you a letter of divorce; he doesn’t want you anymore, so why are you still clinging to the Sun Family?"

Fuming with anger and chest pain, Mrs. Xu wanted to tear Old Lady Wang’s mouth apart, if not for having been beaten up recently.

Constrained by pain when moving, she could only retort, "What does it matter to you if I leave or not? I bore a son for the Sun family and mourned in sackcloth for my father-in-law. Why should Sun Fengshou divorce me?"

Old Lady Wang cursed, "You’re unfilial; that’s reason enough for a divorce."

Mrs. Xu sneered, "A divorce has three conditions that prevent it: having no return family, mourning for three years, and rising from poverty to riches. I’ve mourned for Sun Fengshou’s father, so he has no right to divorce me."

These three conditions meant the husband couldn’t divorce the wife with just a letter.

Another option is separation by mutual agreement, but Mrs. Xu didn’t seem willing to do that.

Old Lady Wang wanted to argue further when her son intervened, "Mrs. Xu is correct; having mourned for Sun Fengshou’s father means she cannot be divorced, only separated by mutual agreement."

Old Lady Wang cursed, "If she can’t be divorced, she’ll just cling to the Sun Family without leaving."

Yu Xiaolian, seeing Mrs. Xu’s smug look, mocked, "Besides divorce and mutual agreement, there’s also ’Yi Jue.’

’Yi Jue’ is generally decided by the government and is quite severe. If one party commits a serious error, not only will the government divorce them, but the guilty party could also be flogged or exiled.

"Yi Jue? Child, what is ’Yi Jue’?" asked Old Master Sun, bewildered.

Yu Xiaolian explained, "Acts like Mrs. Xu’s, causing public outrage in the village, can be unitedly reported to the authorities for them to break the marriage."

Ma Tongsheng added, "In cases of severe misconduct, the authorities might even flog or exile the guilty party."

The crowd immediately understood, and Old Lady Wang gleefully said, "Mrs. Xu, for her rebellious disrespect, should be flogged by the government. Let’s all go to the authorities to help Fengshou get rid of this wicked woman."

"I’ve already sent someone to He Yan Village to fetch the Village Chief. He should be here soon," Yu Xiaolian said.

It was the first time Mrs. Xu heard about ’Yi Jue.’ She thought that as long as she didn’t agree to a mutual separation and Sun Fengshou couldn’t divorce her, she’d be secure. She hadn’t expected there to be something like ’Yi Jue.’

Mrs. Xu started to panic; she definitely didn’t want to be flogged or exiled.

She turned a pleading gaze to her brother.

Her elder brother, angry, replied, "If you’re really divorced by the Sun Family, there’s nowhere for you to live at home."

The house was already cramped with many family members, and her old room had become the bedroom for her brother’s two sons after she married into the Sun Family. So, if Mrs. Xu were divorced and returned, there’d be no place for her to stay.

Short visits were manageable, with people squeezing together for a few days, but long-term residency was impossible.

Enraged by her brother’s words, Mrs. Xu retorted thoughtlessly, "No place for me? Then return the over ten taels of silver I brought!"