After lecturing the Tian family, the mayor glanced at the trembling Qiao couple. The two were so scared that their legs went weak.
"As your daughter, it's really unfortunate. You don't feel sorry for your own flesh. Your daughter is about to be tortured to death. Instead of feeling sorry for her, you complain. Let me tell you. She did the right thing. Your daughter is not a girl bought by the Tian family. It's right that she doesn't want to be abused by them. It's also right for her to leave. You scolded her and found her embarrassing. Why do you want her home?"
Qiao Shicheng didn't know what to say. He couldn't possibly say he wanted to sell his daughter again to feed the family, right?
He couldn't say it, nor did he have the face.
However, his family was really in trouble. At this time, people were plagued by famine. There was not much food left after paying the public grain. There were still two months left until the middle of May. It was impossible to open the pot.
"M-Mayor, my family is really in a difficult situation. She's not in the Tian family now and living so well, so, we, we…"
"Wait, how is she well?"
"She, she dresses well, and she doesn't have to do farm work."
"That's it?" The mayor shook his head. "She was dressed well because she sold herself to Shopkeeper Lu. The clothes and jewelry belonged to Shopkeeper Lu, not her. She did not have to do farm work, but she had to do the work Shopkeeper Lu arranged for her to pay off her debts. You guys were still free, but what about her? Have you thought about it?"
Qiao Shicheng's head was stiff, and he looked unconvinced. It seemed he was determined to plunder some things from Qiao Mai today.
"But it's not easy for us to raise her."
Qiao Mai looked coldly at this poor, cold, and heartless couple who only had their son in their eyes.
"Didn't you guys exchange a hundred catties of wheat for the favor of raising her?"
"No, that's a betrothal gift. We just didn't give you a dowry."
Qiao Mai understood he was going back on his words. Shopkeeper Lu's heart also moved, but she did not interrupt.
"Then tell me a number. Let's see how I'll repay your favor for raising me. I already owe Shopkeeper Lu twenty taels of silver, and my salary is a hundred coins a month. I have to repay Shopkeeper Lu for twenty years. Name your price and let me see if I can repay Shopkeeper Lu's debt when I die."
Her words made the surrounding commoners laugh. She was openly mocking the Qiao couple.
Anyway, it was not the first time they had encountered such ridicule. They were poor and short-sighted, thus discriminated against wherever they went.
"F-five taels of silver?"
This was the number Qiao Shicheng had said through gritted teeth. After all, it was much more than the 100 catties of wheat.
"Write the Letter of Disownment and let the mayor be the witness. After you receive the silver, you are no longer my parents."
"Then, then ten taels!"
Qiao Mai's eyes suddenly turned red. She wiped her tears and said sadly.
"Alright, to repay you for raising me, I'm willing to sacrifice my freedom for the next few decades. We'll go our separate ways and have no relationship. Is there a kind-hearted person who can help write a disownment document?"
"I'll do it."
The mayor glanced at the unremarkable Qiao Mai.
"Madam Qiao, have you thought it through?"
"Yes. Father and Mother's family are poor. There's not much land at home. It doesn't matter if I work to death for Shopkeeper Lu as long as they are alive."
As she spoke, she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and sighed.
"Since ancient times, parents rely on their sons to support them in their old age. When a daughter marries, she belongs to the husband's family. Even if she gets divorced, the family will not allow her to support them. I didn't expect the Qiao family would rather break off their ties and ask for this money. There are really quite several people like this. It seems if they don't study, they don't know the etiquette. They don't know what parents are and what kinship is. Sigh."
The mayor was like a guide, explaining to the townspeople.
A kind bystander wrote two Letters of Disownment for Qiao Mai. The ink and pen were provided by Shopkeeper Lu. She asked the person to write a promissory note and handed it to Shopkeeper Lu.
"This is a promissory note for ten taels of silver. In the future, I will work for you for another ten years."
"Girl, think carefully. You'll have to work for me for thirty years. By then, you'll be old."
"Let me return the favor to my parents first. They are waiting for the silver to buy food."
Her words made it seem like Qiao Mai was a sensible and filial daughter.
Qiao Mai borrowed ten taels of silver from Shopkeeper Lu and came to Qiao Shicheng with the Letter of Disownment.
"If you press your fingerprint, this is yours."
Qiao Shicheng took the document without hesitation. Qiao Mai handed over the ink pad with red eyes. He poked his finger inside and pressed it on the document.
The Qiao couple both signed.
Qiao Mai took a deep breath and handed over the silver.
"After you take the silver, we will be strangers. In the future, you cannot disturb Shopkeeper Lu again. She is my savior."
Just like that, Qiao Shicheng and his wife lowered their heads and walked out of the crowd with silver in their hands.
Old Tian and his wife followed behind and rushed out of the crowd.
They didn't look at the calendar when they went out today. It was fine if they offended Shopkeeper Lu, but even the mayor had a problem with them.
Originally, this matter only spread in secret. Now that it had been confirmed on the surface, how could the Tian family go out in the future?
The Tian family was thick-skinned. They could bully their daughter-in-law, so they were not afraid of others knowing.
The only one who could not go out was their eldest grandson.
Tian Yaozu, 13 years old, studying in a private school in town. He might have to take the exam this year.
He had known about this for a long time but pretended not to know. Qiao Mai usually didn't make a fuss and had been silently enduring it. At most, the village would gossip a few words.
What he didn't expect was that Qiao Mai dared to rebel against the Tian family. This was something he never dreamed of.
Moreover, it had even spread to his teacher and classmates. His teacher and his classmates asked, making his face burn.
After he returned to the Qiao family during a break, he told his old man about this matter and asked them to solve it. It would be better if they could coax Qiao Mai back. If they couldn't, they could go to town to show their face and express their concern.
He didn't expect things to go contrary to his wishes. With Madam Tian Li's personality, she ruined things with just her mouth. She wondered how her grandson would complain when he returned home.
After the mayor chased away the onlookers, Shopkeeper Lu hurriedly bowed to the mayor.
"Thank you, sir, for upholding justice for us women today."
"This mayor is merely judging impartially. Later, I will remind the village chief of Peach Blossom Village and the Lihua Village not to make this happen again. It will be too embarrassing if it spreads to other towns."
"That's right. Even though they're happy to torment people now, they'll definitely suffer when they get old. Such things must be properly managed. Otherwise, who would dare to marry off their daughter in the future? When the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law fight, it'll be so chaotic. Don't you think?"
"That makes sense."
The mayor smiled, glanced at Shopkeeper Lu, and then turned to leave.
The embroidery workshop finally regained its peace. Shopkeeper Lu pulled Qiao Mai into the room and screamed when she saw the finished product on the table.
"Oh, this is really beautiful!"
"Yeah. I didn't have any money, so I ordered a yellow rosewood fan that cost three taels. It would be even better if I used sandalwood that cost ten taels."
"This is already very good. I think it's great. There's no problem selling it for 100 taels. If you add a piece of red silk cloth as the bottom, anyone will like this fan!"
Shopkeeper Lu turned around and went to the counter. She used a key to open the small cabinet behind her and took out a piece of red silk cloth. Then, she locked it and walked to the table.
She spread the cloth inside and placed the palace fan on top.
"Tsk tsk, what a beautiful palace fan!"
"Why don't we sell it in the shop?"
"No, I've decided to bring it to the county town myself. I have a good friend who is the wife of a wealthy family in the county. I'll sell it to her. She doesn't lack money. If someone fancies it, she will pass the message to me."
"This is great. It can make our Ruyi Embroidery Manor famous faster, but I don't accept orders."