Meng Xiaohe's eyes had been glancing over, and seeing that her three younger brothers had all knelt before their second uncle, she hurriedly ran over, clutching the hem of her skirt, and knelt behind her two younger brothers, timidly saying, "Second Uncle, I, I don't dare to go to the village."
Meng Xiaohe was telling the truth. She was naturally timid, and after what had happened today, she was even too afraid to cross the river.
Seeing the pitiful state of the children, Meng Qingping glared fiercely at Meng Qinghuai and then sighed, "Alas, all of you get up. I'll speak to Commander Qi about your family's matters tomorrow. Whether it succeeds or not, Commander Qi will have the final say."
Meng Qinghuai nodded like a little chicken pecking at rice. As long as his second brother was willing to speak up, this matter would likely be settled.
Thinking of this, he nestled closer to his second brother, maintaining his usual demeanor of an aggrieved little wife.
Meng Qingping was completely at a loss. He snorted coldly and beckoned Li Shi and Liu Shi over, telling them about Commander Qi's plans.
"That would be wonderful." Li Shi was the first to respond. These women and children couldn't do much work. When they were banished from the capital, their families had secretly given them some money, but it couldn't be too much.
This money was dwindling, and they had initially thought building a house would be the biggest expense. Now, hearing Meng Qingping's words, they knew Commander Qi had saved them the bulk of the cost.
"Second Uncle, thank you for being so considerate of our needs."
Meng Qingping didn't pick up on Li Shi's words and continued with his own plans, "I'll go to a nearby town tomorrow with Ci'er to buy grain, some daily necessities, and farming tools. What do you all need? Tell me, and I'll bring it back for you."
Li Shi knew that as exiles, they were not allowed to leave the area, so she glanced at Liu Shi.
Liu Shi's mind was quick. After a moment, she stated what they needed to buy, "Second Uncle, please bring us some grain tomorrow as well. Just buy fifty catties of sorghum and ten catties of corn flour."
Saying this, Liu Shi looked at the nearly tattered clothes on the children and continued, "Second Uncle, please also bring us four bolts of cloth, cheap ones. Two bolts for undergarments and two for outer clothes. For the rest, please just buy what you think is best. Niece-in-law can't think of that much right now."
Liu Shi had actually thought of a lot, but asking her second uncle to bring so much was beyond her.
Li Shi saw that her daughter-in-law had finished speaking and quickly added, "Second Uncle, I'll buy the same amount of grain as the second daughter-in-law, and similar cloth. As for the rest, please decide as you see fit."
Meng Qingping looked at the mother and daughter-in-law and couldn't help but ask, "Have you separated your households?"
Liu Shi glanced at her mother-in-law and remained silent. No matter their current predicament, as a daughter-in-law, there were things she couldn't say.
Li Shi, however, had fewer reservations and had thought things through clearly. For her old age, when she could no longer walk or crawl, and someone would still give her food, she calmly stated, "Even if we have separated, this old woman and Tang'er are one household, and the second daughter-in-law and Lin'er's family are another."
"Old Madam, why separate? Wasn't our family quite good together?" Mei Shi did not want to separate. She had no money at all; how would she live in the future? Thinking of the bank note Liu Shi had taken out then, she was resentful and absolutely refused to separate.
Ten taels of silver had been insignificant to her before, not enough to buy her a box of rouge. But now, with ten taels of silver, they wouldn't starve this winter.
As for the future, they would deal with it later.
Li Shi completely ignored her words and quietly looked at Liu Shi, implying, "Don't listen to her rambling. Do whatever you want."
"Thank you, Old Madam." Liu Shi hadn't expected that since their exile, her mother-in-law was becoming more discerning day by day.
And just now, she had said that they were their own household even after separating.
The Old Madam making their mother and son one household, and no longer having to associate with Mei Shi, made her feel relieved.
Clearly, she didn't want to spend another cent on Mei Shi.
"Old Madam, I do not agree to separate," Mei Shi said irritably.
"Does your disagreement matter? Did your maternal family give you money, giving you the confidence to speak?"
Mei Shi: ...
"Not a single coin, and this old woman is ashamed for you?" Li Shi patted her own old face and continued to grumble, "You two, mother and daughter-in-law, the things you extorted from the Duke's mansion for them were enough for two lifetimes for a proper family. But what was the result? When the Duke's mansion fell into trouble, not only did you not help, but you weren't even allowed to go home, and not a single coin was given. Do you think you failed as people? Or is your Mei family too worthless?"
Mei Shi had no response to Li Shi's words.
Xiao Mei Shi wanted to cry. She hadn't expected her parents to be so heartless. She wanted a divorce and to return to her maiden home, but they wouldn't even allow that. Otherwise, why would she be suffering like this?
"Sob sob." She wanted to cry.
Meng Yutang said nothing and hobbled to Li Shi's side.
Liu Shi looked at Meng Yutang with complex emotions. Her lips trembled for a long time before she said gently, "Tang'er, Second Aunt thanks you today for risking your life to protect your sisters."
"Second Aunt, you also said they are my sisters. How could Tang'er not protect them?"
Meng Yutang's words again brought tears to Liu Shi and her children's eyes.
Meng Yulin walked to Meng Yutang's side, holding his hand with admiration, "Cousin, Lin'er will protect our sisters with Cousin from now on, so they won't be bullied by bad people."
"Good, good." Hearing her grandson's words, Li Shi couldn't help but shed tears of joy. She couldn't worry about so much now; she only hoped that the children before her could live a pure life.
Meng Qingping also let out a long sigh, feeling less dejected.
"Second Brother, please also bring some things for us," Xu Shi said to her second brother this time, not relying on Meng Qinghuai.
"What to bring?" Meng Qingping's attitude towards Xu Shi, his brother's wife, was the same as towards the four children.
"Second Brother, we'll also buy four bolts of cloth. As for anything else, please just buy what you think is best."
Fu Xinci: These people have given Grandfather a big problem.
One family asked him to buy what he thought best, another family asked him to buy what he thought best, and a third family also asked him to buy what he thought best. This was torture!
"Grandfather," Fu Xinci's little face was creased like a steamed bun.
Seeing his granddaughter's face scrunched up like a bitter gourd, Meng Qingping had no choice but to smile wryly.
Fu Yu couldn't get involved in this matter either, so he pulled Fang Shi along to tidy up the newly built shelter.
"Wife, I must say, with these two small rooms, my heart feels completely different than before. It feels like this is our home."
"Mmm, I feel the same." Fang Shi had a gentle disposition. For her, as long as the family was together, it was better than anything else.
The young couple talked and tidied up as if it were an ordinary day.