Dressed as a middle-aged mistress, I want to lie down every day

Chapter 216: Controlling the Cao Family

He Wenliang walked in and yelled at his mother, "That's enough! Even if Mom doesn't agree, the family has to be divided! I still want my wife and children to live well!"

Old Madam He let go of her hand, and Old Madam Jiang rushed towards her son again, "Is this how you miss your mother? When you fell into the river as a child, your mother held you day and night, and you treat your mother like this? Are you worthy of your dead father?"

He Wenliang allowed his mother to beat him. "Mom, you can beat me to death. Even if you beat me to death, I still want to divide the family property! If Dad were alive, would he let Mom destroy the He family?"

Old Madam Jiang stopped beating her son and slapped herself.

"What's the point of me living? My son and daughter-in-law bully me!"

He Wenliang said, "Mom, go and sue me for being disobedient and unfilial! Mom, go and sue my eldest brother for being disobedient and unfilial! Mom, then, kicks my daughter-in-law and grandson out! Mom is so powerful at home all by herself!"

Old Madam He pushed He Wenliang out. "Alright, alright, we'll divide the family property tomorrow. Help your brother figure out how to divide it. Your mother can make a scene if she wants. She's not ashamed to open the door and let the neighbors hear why we're dividing the family property. I'm the He family's patriarchal wife. I can go to the government office and beat the drum to complain. I'm going to sue her for murdering a patriarchal wife!"

Old Madam He was also ill, and exhausted from all this commotion. She opened the door and said to Old Madam Jiang, "This is your home. No one will stop you. If you want to make a scene on the street, you can make a scene. If you want to make a scene at your son's yamen, you can make a scene. You have to think clearly. No one will be frightened by you like your eldest son. It was your son who wanted to divide the family, and that was your fault. You are the daughter-in-law of the He family, and I am also the wife of the He family. I cannot watch you destroy your nephew's family. So, go ahead and make a scene. If you do, I will go to the yamen and sue you for murdering the wife of the He family! Don't think I'm trying to scare you. You've been to Xiangzhou before, so you know who I am!"

Old Madam Jiang shuddered. The reason she was afraid of her brother's wife was because she had even sued her in-laws.

So no matter how unwilling Mrs. Jiang was, she had no choice but to let her sons divide the house and let Mrs. Mo move out. Her brother's wife even said that she wanted to save her life and went to live with Mrs. Mo.

The second and third wives moved away, and Mrs. Mo's children followed her. In the entire He family, only the three concubines and illegitimate children of the first wife were left.

Old Madam Jiang thought of Cao as well, so she took her back. When Cao gave birth to a great-grandson, she would take him away to raise him and see if Mo would come back.

While she was waiting for He Shanluo to come back, she called her grandson over and said, "It's not good for Cao to always live in her mother's house. You should bring her back as soon as possible."

He Shanluo pursed his lips and said, "Cao lives with my mother. My mother will take good care of her."

Madam Jiang was anxious. "Why are you so confused? Your mother is so naughty. People will say so much. You let Cao move in. Aren't you afraid of what others will say about you? If you don't think about yourself, you have to think about your father. Your father is too embarrassed to see anyone."

He Shanluo thought, "My father is too embarrassed to face people because of my grandmother. What does it have to do with me? I am too embarrassed to face people."

He is not good at speaking and doesn't know how to deal with his grandmother in this way.

Madam Jiang felt that she could still control her grandson, so she said with a sullen face, "Your mother is so old and ignorant, you can't follow her. Our He family has always been a well-behaved family. It was after your great-uncle came that she urged your mother to move out. Don't think I don't know what she was thinking. She did it for her family, Shanqiao. She saw that your maternal grandfather's family had made a name for themselves and had met some noble people, so she coaxed your mother to move out. You see, she moved in with them, didn't she?

"Shanqiao is more knowledgeable than you. When he passes the imperial examination and becomes a Jinshi, he'll ask your maternal grandparents for help. Your mother was used by her. Don't be so foolish. Grandmother is doing this for your own good. She supports her own grandson, so how can she not support you? You should listen to grandma and stay away from their branch. You should also tell your maternal grandparents not to help them. They've all used their favors on Shanqiao. How can your grandparents ask for help when it's your turn?"

If the family division had not happened and his grandmother had not disliked the Cao family, He Shanluo would have thought that his grandmother was indeed thinking about him.

But even now, he didn't believe a word his grandmother said.

Madam Jiang was still nagging, "Go and bring Cao back home. How could you give birth to a child outside? Grandma is doing this for your own good. Cao gave birth to your mother's first grandson. Will your mother not want a grandson by then? If you beg your mother again, she will move back home. You are my grandson. You must listen to me. I won't harm you. I am doing this for your own good."

In He Shanluo's mind, the words his mother imitated from his grandmother a few days ago emerged, exactly the same.

Mother said that your grandmother would say this to you because she wanted to control my eldest grandson. I had to go back to the He family and I had to bow to her. Your grandmother kept saying that it was for my own good. When the time comes, she will tell your father that it was for his own good and that she wanted our family to be reunited. Your father wanted it this way even more, and then he would blame me for not being considerate of the elderly.

His mother told him that if he wanted to be a filial grandson, it was up to him, but Cao could choose whether to live with him or not, and could choose to return to the He family or live with her.

When he said this, he was in front of Cao, who immediately said, "I'm willing to stay with you, mother. I'm willing to live here with you."

She touched her belly, tears welling up in her eyes. "If my husband doesn't want me to be your daughter, I'll be with you all my life and treat you like my real mother."

What this means is that He Shanluo is unwilling, and she will not return to the He family even if she divorces.

He Shanluo is not the same person he used to be. He certainly doesn't want his wife and son to be controlled by their grandmother. His mother is such a capable person, but she has suffered from chest pain because of her grandmother's torture. Cao looks strong, but she is actually delicate and pregnant, so she can't stand the torture from her grandmother.

So he listened to his grandmother's every word, which was for his own good, but he refused to say anything about going to pick up Cao.

Madam Jiang said so much but her grandson didn't respond. She flew into a rage and said, "You are also being disobedient and unfilial!"

He Shanluo knelt down and said, "Grandma, please tell me. Cao is my mother's daughter-in-law. It is my duty to respect my mother-in-law."

Madam Jiang pointed at her grandson and said, "You're all driving me crazy! I'm doing this for you out of kindness, but none of you understand me!"

He Wenliang walked in and pulled his nephew up. "Since your grandmother feels that you make her angry, come back less often in the future. Your grandmother has me and your father to help her if she needs help."

He Shanluo kowtowed, stood up, bowed to his uncle, and left.

Mrs. Jiang turned her head and ignored her son. He Wenliang didn't say anything and went out. He heard his mother smashing a teapot behind him.

He shook his head. This was not a solution. His elder brother was like a walking corpse now, and his mother did not understand him and was looking for trouble.

I didn't tell my sister about the division of the family, nor did I notify the Jiang family. My mother didn't dare to mention it either, but she was furious and couldn't just let it go.

He Wenliang guessed his mother's plan, which was to use Cao's child to control his eldest sister-in-law.

He had a headache and sometimes thought, it would be great if he could send his mother to the temple.

I also thought that what I did was extremely rebellious.