Traveling to Daliang Kingdom starts from falling into the water

It's a register of social interactions. There's no other way; the eldest daughter-in-law is still not very literate, and the youngest daughter-in-law is in postpartum confinement, so she has to take on this responsibility.

Liu nodded, glancing at the notebooks spread out on the kang table. "There are still some inventory receipts that haven't been delivered yet. I won't be able to relax until Sanya finishes her double postpartum confinement."

Hearing her tone of utter indifference, Gu Erzhu couldn't help but pat her forehead and laugh, saying, "Mother's heart will ache if she hears this."

"That's why I'm only telling you," Liu said with a smile, then hesitated for a moment. "Is Mother worried that she can't control you because Uncle is also on your side?"

Gu Erzhu did not deny it, "That's somewhat true. It's mainly because my uncle got impatient. My uncle usually doesn't take action, but when he does, he doesn't show any mercy."

"I used to avoid contacting my uncle because I didn't want to put my eldest uncle in a difficult position, and also because when I wanted to marry you, my uncle made my mother kneel before my grandparents' graves."

And this thing?
Mrs. Liu was shocked. "How come I haven't heard of this?"

How could I possibly mention to you that back then, my mother lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) for two days without eating or drinking because she didn't want me to marry you, and no matter how my aunts tried to persuade her, she wouldn't listen?

"Not many people know about this. Only my aunt who was still alive at that time, and my eldest uncle and aunt and second uncle and aunt. My eldest aunt and second aunt would never tell you these things."

Also.

Not to mention that her second aunt never spoke ill of her mother-in-law in front of her, even if her eldest aunt heard her mother-in-law scolding her, at most she would tell her to her face that her mother-in-law had gone mad.

“Now that Uncle has taken action, if Dad angers Uncle again, it won’t be as simple as just whipping him. As long as Uncle is still alive, Dad shouldn’t dare to act recklessly.”

Liu didn't quite believe that her great-uncle had such power, but upon closer reflection, she realized that the old man hadn't sent any of his sons or grandsons to look for the child's father these past few days.

"My mother always makes my father the bad guy. If I'm not mistaken, for at least the next six months, my father won't dare to stand up for the eldest son again because of his favoritism."

Without my father standing up for us, and seeing so many guests coming to the capital this time, and with Liu Lang about to become a scholar, my mother got scared. She was afraid our family would run away.

If our whole family runs away, who will she rely on to enjoy happiness? If I run away with Liu Lang, no matter how filial Lao Si is, he can't control his wife, nor will he even try to control her.

The third son is the most honest, but the fifth son is not much different from our sixth son. The fifth son's wife is not like the third daughter, so it is impossible to take her to live with us in our old age.

Besides, even if Mother wanted to run away with our family, she'd still have to see what Liu Lang says. That's why she's not worried that my husband and I can't handle Liu Lang.

Liu was taken aback when she heard this. It was so complicated? But, given her mother-in-law's character, she had to admit, "You, as her son, really understand your mother's thoughts."

"That's why I said my mistake was the biggest. Back then, I didn't understand that the more I argued with my mother, the less she would like her daughter-in-law. I'm sorry you had to suffer, my wife."

"Why bring this up again!" Liu glared at Gu Erzhu reproachfully. "It's all in the past. Besides, I'm not much better than anyone else. I can't persuade my children to be closer to their grandparents."

Gu Erzhu wasn't surprised to hear this. Although his mother wasn't like some mothers-in-law who not only scolded but also hit their daughters-in-law, she wasn't exactly a good person.

Especially because he himself had chosen his wife, his mother had often made veiled criticisms of him in the past. It's already quite good that the two of them can get along like this now.

“It’s not that I resent my parents for not liking my three children. I’m just afraid that if the children listen to me, they still won’t be able to warm my parents’ hearts. It’s better this way.”

Yes, not only does he dislike his daughter-in-law, but he also doesn't like his child.

Rome wasn't built in a day. Seeing the mother-in-law being kind and the daughter-in-law being filial, one should be content. Don't blame the mother; the child is her lifeblood. It's already good that a mother who treats her child like her life doesn't hold a grudge when her child isn't treated well.

"As for me, no matter what my mother thinks, it is our duty as sons and daughters-in-law to take care of them. There is absolutely no reason for me to go back to the mud pit of the main house in order to fulfill my filial duty."

That's why we've divided the family property. The two elders have already given a lot to the eldest son's family, and I'm never envious. But I'm not willing for our family to keep suffering losses to cover the eldest son's family's expenses.

"Don't tell me you're unhappy, I'm also very upset." They blew me dry and still weren't satisfied, they don't even want to spare my young son and his wife, what kind of good thing are they thinking!

"I'm not going to say anything more, it's making me angrier!" I can only deceive myself. Who told me to be stuck with these parents? They're so old, every day they live is one day less. I'll just have to bear with it.

Unable to bear it any longer, Gu Erzhu decided to avoid seeing his sons and keep his distance. He then suggested dividing the family property. "What do you think about us dividing the family property between our two sons when our grandson turns one?"

The topic shifted rather quickly, suddenly turning to dividing the family property among their sons. After a moment of surprise, Liu shook her head, "Sixth Brother won't agree to it. If the family property is divided, his brother won't be exempt from corvée labor."

"I meant separating the family but not the household."

No separate households?
Liu immediately realized what was happening.

Although my daughter-in-law has a lot of dowry now, and my two sons have long since managed their own affairs, and all the family's assets are under my daughter-in-law's name, it's not much different from dividing the family property, but!

Upon closer reflection, it is different from a family division. There is no written agreement for the division of the family property; it relies solely on the children's character and the affection between them.

"This is what I'm thinking: once the village houses are expanded, our whole family will move back. Erlang will stay there, and Liulang can stay wherever he wants."

Otherwise, whenever guests come to visit, the young couple will give gifts to their eldest and second grandsons, and they will have to pay back all those generous gifts later.

In these social interactions, it's always the young couple, Liu Lang and his wife, who suffer losses, while their eldest son and his wife gain the most. Liu Lang and his wife don't seem to care, but we, as parents, can't pretend to be oblivious.

If we, as parents, try our best to treat everyone equally, and we, as the two of us, play the bad guys, Sanya will understand our thoughts. Even without Liulang, Sanya and Huniu can get along well for a lifetime.

If the two of them get along well, what do we have to worry about? If Erlang has any difficulties, with Sanya's personality, even without Liulang saying a word, Sanya will not let Erlang and his wife suffer any losses.

"Just you wait and see. Sanya knows exactly how much silver we're adding this time. As soon as she sees Liulang, she'll make him come and tell us not to let Huniu suffer any losses."

"..."

God!

Liu laughed heartily, rubbing her forehead. "Even fortune tellers can't out-foresee you, husband of the child. Sanya said this to me before I came back from Sanya's place."

She even taught me to secretly slip money to Tiger Girl when it was dark and no one was around. I said, "Do I need you to teach me this?" Do you know what she said? She said, "Mom, nobody dislikes being favored."

That's why they say Sanya is so thoughtful, no less so than her son. Gu Erzhu shook his head with a smile, "This child thinks even faster than I do, there's nothing she doesn't worry about."

You told her that you'd take care of things at home, and that she should just focus on recovering after childbirth, right? If you don't soothe her and scare her a little more, she won't stay still.

"Yes, I've had so many worries since I was little, it's not something that can be changed overnight." (End of Chapter)