A Pitiful and Ridiculous Group of People

Old Lady Hua, dressed in a tea-colored embroidered silk robe adorned with five bats, held a string of Buddhist prayer beads in her hand. With a stern expression on her face, she exuded an imposing aura.

Upon seeing Old Lady Hua, Hua Shuyue hurriedly went over to support her, expressing concern, “Grandmother, why did you come down? It’s cold outside, and we told you not to get off the carriage!”

“If I didn’t come down, how could I see her true colors?” Old Lady Hua glared at Hua Qianqian. “In the past, you were always pitiful. If people didn’t know any better, they would think you suffered greatly in both the Hua and Yongning Earl’s Mansions. Hmph, little did I know that behind closed doors, you were so cunning and ruthless! How could our noble family raise a girl like you?”

Seeing Old Lady Hua trembling with anger, Hua Shuyue quickly interjected, “Grandmother, please don’t get angry. What if it affects your health?”

Old Lady Hua’s expression softened slightly when she saw Hua Shuyue.

She patted her hand and said in a deep voice, “Both of you are daughters of the Hua Mansion, but how can there be such a difference between you?”

Then, she turned her gaze back to Madam Li and scolded, “It’s all because of your cultivation that she has become like this, a good-for-nothing daughter!”

Madam Li, not wanting to lose face in front of her family, lowered her head even further and hurriedly said, “It’s my fault. I will definitely teach Qianqian a lesson when we go back.”

After speaking, she turned her head to look at Hua Qianqian and added with a hint of reproach, “You have gone too far this time!”

She walked over to Hua Qianqian and whispered, “No matter what your reasons are, go back to the Hua Mansion with us. I have promised your mother-in-law to hand over your dowry to them for management. Let this incident go, but if it happens again, even I won’t be able to help you!”

Li Yuanbang didn’t expect that even her aunt would treat Hua Qianqian this way.

He was so angry that the veins on his forehead bulged.

“Aunt, do you not know how the Yongning Earl’s Mansion treated Qianqian? You made her endure silently, and now you even want to give her dowry to them!”

Madam Li looked at her nephew disapprovingly and said, “Yuanbang, when a woman marries, she belongs to her husband. It’s natural. Her dowry will be left for her children in the future. What’s the difference between giving it now or later? By giving her dowry now, she can still win her husband’s heart!”

With a hint of annoyance on her face, Madam Li continued, “Yuanbang, don’t interfere in Qianqian’s affairs anymore! She is already married and needs to avoid suspicion. If you keep being with her, it will ruin her reputation!”

Upon hearing Madam Li’s words, Li Yuanbang clenched his fists in anger.

However, she was his aunt, and he couldn’t just hit her.

He couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Hua Qianqian, only to see a misty layer in her eyes. But soon, that mist seemed to solidify into ice.

“I won’t go back. Since Xiao Yan has written a divorce letter, we have no more ties. If you want to send the dowry to Yongning Earl’s Mansion, then marry another girl into their family. Don’t come looking for me, and don’t even think about taking my dowry!”

Hua Qianqian’s round face was filled with determination.

In the past, she would have felt heartbroken due to her biological mother’s favoritism, but now she found these people laughable and pitiful.

Old Lady Hua, seeing Hua Qianqian’s stubbornness, slammed her pear wood cane on the ground, making a loud noise.

“Wicked child! How can you, a woman, ask for a divorce? Where will you go after that? Our Hua Mansion cannot tolerate an abandoned woman! Do you want to make your grandfather a laughingstock in Jing City?”

“If the Hua Mansion cannot tolerate me, then I will sever ties with you!”

Hua Qianqian glanced coldly at the people in front of her.

“All these years, I served you as like a slave in Hua Mansion, repaying the debt of giving birth to me. If you still feel unsatisfied, then I will repay you with some of my own flesh and blood!”

As she spoke, she drew a dagger from her waist and swung it towards her own arm.

Unexpectedly, a large hand grabbed her wrist, and the sharp blade instantly left a long gash on the person’s arm.

“Brother!”

“Brother!”

Hua Qianqian and Li Yuanbang exclaimed simultaneously, while Li Yuan’s brow remained unfurrowed despite the blood flowing from his arm.

However, when his large hand tightly held Hua Qianqian’s hand, he couldn’t help but cough lightly.

Everyone was stunned by this scene, especially the members of Hua Mansion.

They never expected that the once timid Hua Qianqian would dare to wield a knife in front of them today!

Hua Jingli frowned as he witnessed the blood flowing from Li Yuan’s wound, unable to comprehend how a simple apology from Hua Qianqian to the Xiao family had escalated into this situation!

“So foolish! Harming yourself for these things!”

Li Yuan’s voice was low and filled with reproach, yet his concern couldn’t help but reveal itself in his eyes.

Hua Qianqian never expected Li Yuan to take the blow for her.

She had put strength into that strike, intending to sever all ties with Hua Mansion.

Seeing Li Yuan bleed so profusely, her heart felt as if it had been tightly grasped, almost forgetting to beat.

Nevertheless, she quickly went to tend to Li Yuan’s wound.

Li Yuan didn’t stop her, but his lips tightened, and his voice softened.

“Since you have already divorced, has he written the divorce letter?

Hua Qianqian nodded.

“It was personally written by Heir Xiao, and I have affixed my handprint.”

Upon hearing the mention of the handprint, Li Yuan’s brow furrowed slightly, his gaze darkening as he noticed Hua Qianqian’s injured hand.

“Now that you have already signed the divorce letter, why all this unnecessary talk? Once you marry out of the Hua Mansion, you are no longer Miss Hua; and after divorcing, your relation with Xiao family has also over. You have no more ties to the Yongning Earl’s Mansion or Hua Mansion!”

“Yuan’er is right!” At this moment, Old Lady Li, walked out of the room.

Her face, usually filled with kindness, now carried a hint of authority as she spoke coldly.

“Bang’er, drive these unrelated people away from our home. If they refuse to leave, report their intrusion to the authorities!”

Although Old Lady Li was usually gentle, she had once been the mistress of the General's Mansion and had experienced many things.

The accumulated grace and dignity of her could not be ignored.

Upon hearing Old Lady Li’s words, Madam Li hurriedly glanced at Miss Hua beside them, anxiously saying, “Mother, why are you favoring Qianqian at a time like this? You’re not helping her, you’re harming her! What future does she have after divorcing Xiao Yan? What will she do? Her reputation is ruined, who would want her? Xiao Yan is a talented young man in Jing City. It’s already good enough that Qianqian can find such a husband. Instead of being the wife of an Earl’s heir, with her talent and beauty, is she supposed to marry an average? Mother, there’s still time for Qianqian to apologize and go back! The Yongning Earl’s Mansion is not so unreasonable!”

Hearing Madam Li’s words, Old Lady Li’s eyes turned red with anger.

“How can a mother speak ill of her own daughter like this? Qianqian is the best girl in the world, deserving of the best young man in the world! I’ll leave these words here, our Qianqian will definitely marry the best young man in the world!”