Third Brothers Wife brought over two sets of linen clothes and explained somewhat fearfully:
"I was worried that as your body grew, your current clothes wouldn't fit, so I prepared these early."
Qin Sang wasn't angry and placed the clothes in Er Fu's hands:
"Mhm, Er Fu, go change into these. Don't wear those clothes ever again."
Tian Erfu nodded and took the clothes:
"Thank you, Mother."
Qin Sang pulled a small porcelain bottle from her bosom and handed it to Si Jin:
"This is an ointment for removing scars. Apply it to your second sister's back. Do it once a day from now on. Since she's young, these marks will fade."
Tian Sijin gripped the bottle tightly and nodded:
"Mother, I'll remember to apply it for Sister every day."
Qin Sang took Eldest Girl's hand and instructed Er Fu:
"Once you've applied the medicine and changed your clothes, come to the main hall. I have something to ask you."
Tian Erfu gave a soft "mhm."
A short while later, the eldest and third sons came running back excitedly:
"Mother, Mother..."
Tian Wenmo's voice sounded from outside:
"Eldest Brother, Third Brother, wait. Mother and the others are busy inside."
Qin Sang waited until Er Fu and Si Jin came out before letting Eldest Brothers Wife open the door.
"All of you, come in."
Seeing Qin Sang's solemn expression, the joy on the faces of the eldest and third sons immediately vanished as they strode inside.
Qin Sang told Er Fu to sit and asked:
"Er Fu, now that you've calmed down, tell me—do you still want to go back to Butcher Hu's house?"
As soon as Qin Sang finished speaking, Third Brothers Wife spoke up defiantly:
"Wait, Mother, you aren't still thinking of sending Eldest Sister-in-law back to that beast's house, are you? Aren't you just forcing her to her death?
When others asked about her back then, you always said she was living a good life in the Town. Was that a good life?
That wasn't a life fit for a human at all."
Tian Sangui looked at his wife in shock. Had she lost her mind?
Criticizing Mother?
Tian Sangui kept trying to cover her mouth, but Zhao Huan slapped his hand away:
"Why shouldn't I say it? When you married me, I was wondering how your family could suddenly afford ten taels of silver.
Later, I found out it was because you sent your daughter to be someone's second wife. If my family hadn't heard Mother-in-law saying she was living well in the Town and eating meat every meal, they might not have agreed to let me marry you."
"Mother-in-law is also a woman who married into this family. If you were stuck with a husband like Butcher Hu, could you have survived?"
In the main hall, everyone except Qin Sang herself stared at Third Brothers Wife in astonishment.
On the contrary, Qin Sang looked perfectly calm.
She wasn't angry; Third Brothers Wife was scolding the Original Body. She hadn't committed those wretched deeds, so she didn't take it personally.
However, she had to maintain her authority as an elder:
"It's not your place to criticize my actions."
Third Brothers Wife felt a bit guilty:
"I... I'm just empathizing.
Does Mother really want the next trip to the Town to be for collecting your own daughter's corpse?"
Qin Sang looked at her indifferently. Among the younger generation in the family, Third Brothers Wife was indeed the boldest.
"Then tell me, what should be done?"
Seeing that her mother-in-law wasn't angry and was even asking for her opinion, Third Brothers Wife stepped forward:
"Of course, we should let Eldest Sister-in-law come home. Just buy her back the same way she was sold.
The money from selling her was used for San Gui to marry me, so San Gui and I will take responsibility for that money."
As she spoke, she pulled out a cloth bundle from her bosom and spread it on the table.
It contained both broken silver and copper coins:
"This is the bride price your family gave me. My father let me bring it all back, and I haven't touched a bit of it.
I imagine Butcher Hu won't let her go easily; even if he agrees, he'll ask for more money. These copper coins are the rewards San Gui and I earned—they're all here."
Seeing the money Third Brothers Wife produced, Qin Sang was truly surprised.
Someone who used to be lazy, slippery, and obsessed with money was actually being so generous now.
She was, after all, a girl raised with doting care by Carpenter Zhao's family. With her family's support, she had the backbone to speak her mind.
If this were Eldest Brothers Wife, Da Hua certainly wouldn't have been able to say it so easily.
If Da Hua said she couldn't go on with her life, her parents would probably be the first to object.
It wasn't that her parents were cruel, but rather the social environment of the time.
Just because the Original Body claimed their daughters couldn't bear sons, no matchmakers had visited them to this day. If an eldest daughter were also divorced and sent back home by her husband, the girls of the Zhou Family would truly have no future.
A hint of admiration appeared in Qin Sang's eyes:
"You're willing to part with it?"
Third Brothers Wife said righteously:
"Of course I'm not willing, but if San Gui and I have to live our lives on Eldest Sister-in-law's blood, I can't do so with a clear conscience.
Originally, I kept this money in case life here became unbearable, so I could buy some land near my parents' home to build a house and start our own branch. That's why I've been saving it. Looking back, it's lucky I didn't touch it.
Now that the family has income from herbs and mosquito coils, and with you here, Mother, San Gui and I aren't afraid of not being able to earn this money back. Right, San Gui?"
Tian Sangui had even fewer objections. The money wasn't his to begin with, and Er Fu was his own sister. If his wife was willing to bring out the money and he still objected, how could his wife ever respect him?
"I have no objections, as long as Second Sister is okay.
Mother, although Huan'er's words were harsh, she means well for Er Fu. She didn't mean to defy you, so please don't be angry with her."
Qin Sang nodded:
"I'm not angry."
Then, Qin Sang looked at Er Fu:
"Mother made a mistake before, and now I want to make it up to you. You've heard what your sister-in-law said—do you want to come back?"
If she hadn't experienced this day and night, Tian Erfu certainly wouldn't have dared to say she wanted to come back.
She feared Butcher Hu, and she also feared the mother who had sold her.
But now she knew that Mother had changed.
Tian Erfu summoned her courage and said:
"I want to come back, Mother. Is that okay?"
Qin Sang finally felt relieved. She had truly feared that Tian Erfu would say that as long as that bastard repented and stopped hitting her, she would be willing to keep living with him.
Fortunately.
Qin Sang smiled:
"Why wouldn't it be okay? When I said yesterday that I would bring you back, I never intended to send you back there."
Tian Erfu's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at her mother.
She was overjoyed.
But then she became a little worried:
"I'm just afraid Hu Danian won't agree."
Tian Sijin pointed at the money on the table:
"He still wouldn't let you go for over ten taels of silver?"
Tian Erfu shook her head and explained:
"Si Jin, you don't understand. He's a butcher and isn't short on money. While ten taels is a lot, if he wants to marry another wife, it'll cost more than just ten taels."
Tian Dazhuang stepped forward and said:
"Don't worry. If ten taels won't do, then twenty. Mother, I can also contribute the money you gave me."
Tian Sijin also spoke up:
"Right, I've also saved three hundred copper coins."
Eldest Girl climbed onto a stool:
"Grandma, I don't want Eldest Paternal Aunt to leave home again. I have money too."
Tian Wenmo hesitated for a moment, then handed over the dozens of copper coins he had saved in his bosom.
He was going to be a high-ranking official in the future; he couldn't have a sister who was bullied by her husband's family—that would be very shameful.
Qin Sang looked at the pile of money on the table, then looked up at the large family in the room. Finally, there was a sense of unity and collective effort.
She pushed all the money back:
"Who said I was going to buy Er Fu back from Butcher Hu?"