The Clan Leader of the Fan Family must know what kind of people Fan Tong’s mother and sister-in-law are.
But the core of this matter has nothing to do with the character of the mother-in-law and sister-in-law.
Old Mrs. Fan and the Fan Family’s sister-in-law mistreating Gu Honglian doesn’t mean they treat others in the clan badly.
Considering the status of daughters-in-law in their husband’s families during these times, Gu Honglian’s situation is too common. The clan leader would probably even think Gu Honglian is making a fuss.
They might even say, why hasn’t any daughter-in-law in any family gone through this?
To put it bluntly, this is just a family conflict. Old Mrs. Fan and the Fan Family’s sister-in-law could easily claim Gu Honglian is lazy, greedy, and unfilial, which would place them on the moral high ground.
Moreover, if even Fan Tong does not stand by Gu Honglian, who in the clan would dare to speak up for her?
For a rural family to produce a scholar is not easy, and Fan Tong is the cherished one of the clan, so naturally, the clan values Fan Tong’s opinion.
Furthermore, it wasn’t frowned upon for a man to beat his wife in this era.
In summary, the clan leader would not side with Gu Honglian.
Tong Huaqiong spoke, "It’s useless to go to the clan leader about this. To be frank, there’s not a single village where a husband hasn’t beaten his wife. In our village, Tian Fugui almost beat his wife to death before, did the clan interfere? If it were brought before the clan leader, he’d only say it’s a family matter and at most mediate a bit, but afterward, Honglian would still be bullied by them."
"Honglian would have to escape from the Fan Family like Pandie and divorce."
"I don’t want a divorce."
Gu Honglian turned pale at the mention of divorce.
Even if Fan Tong hit her, she felt it was the instigation of her mother-in-law and the sister-in-law, and Fan Tong was also forced into it by them.
As long as Fan Tong didn’t kill her, she wanted to firmly keep her status as a scholar’s wife.
What should I do, who can stop the old hag and the bitches of the Fan Family?
Gu Honglian still thought it was the fault of the mother-in-law and the sister-in-law until now.
Fan Tong was not at fault.
"My poor daughter." Mrs. Gu cried while holding Gu Honglian.
Mr. Gu raised his eyelids. At this moment, he believed that his eldest daughter-in-law did not come to watch a joke, so he asked in a negotiating tone, "Then what ideas do you have?"
Tong Huaqiong looked at Wu Na and said, "When Rui Nian’s wife first married into the Gu Family, didn’t you all want to bully her? Do you dare to bully her now?"
Wu Na spat out a sunflower seed shell and said, "I certainly wouldn’t dare. Whoever dares to bully me, I will chop them."
As soon as she said this, Mrs. Gu and Mrs. Jia trembled.
Whether or not Wu Na could actually kill them, they didn’t know, but they had experienced the terror of being chased around the courtyard by Wu Na wielding a knife.
It was extremely frightening.
Tong Huaqiong smiled and asked Wu Na, "What would you do if Rui Nian hit you now?"
Wu Na said, "Hit him back. I can’t beat him in a direct confrontation, but he has to let his guard down sometimes. When he’s asleep, I can tie him up and cut him with a knife, use a rope to strangle him, or even poison him."
Gu Ruinian said darkly from the side, "Don’t say anymore."
Tong Huaqiong looked approvingly at Wu Na.
Even though she and Wu Na didn’t eat from the same bowl, Wu Na’s mental state was the right one for resisting the unfair treatment from the in-laws and domestic abuse by men.
Gu Honglian looked steadily at Wu Na, and she had once sworn never to live a life as crazy as Wu Na’s daily life. Now her own life wasn’t even as good as Wu Na’s.
At the very least, Wu Na could fight back when bullied by Mrs. Gu and Mrs. Jia.
Tong Huaqiong said to Gu Honglian, "Ask your family to support you, but that can’t last. Unless you stand up for yourself."
"The biggest problem in your situation in the Fan Family isn’t your mother-in-law and your sister-in-law, but Fan Tong," Tong Huaqiong pointed out the problem.
Gu Honglian widened her eyes and mumbled, "Fan Tong was forced by them too. One is his mother and one is his sister-in-law, what could he do?"
Gu Honglian defended Fan Tong.
Tong Huaqiong glanced at Gu Honglian’s swollen cheeks and said, "Stop deceiving yourself. That hand is on Fan Tong’s body, if he doesn’t raise it to hit you, who can make him? Would he go to jail or face execution if he didn’t hit you? At most his mom would make a fuss."
Gu Honglian lowered her head.
"Besides, the reason your mother-in-law and sister-in-law bully you is because Fan Tong allows them to. Fan Tong just thinks you want to be a scholar’s wife and don’t dare to leave him; that’s why they dare to bully you. If Fan Tong respects and protects you, do you think they would dare? You know Magistrate Yao, right? His wife is not only illegitimate but also a merchant’s daughter. Magistrate Yao’s biological mother wasn’t happy with her son’s choice of wife and sent people to torture her. The moment they reached the provincial city, Magistrate Yao sent them away."
"Is your mother-in-law or sister-in-law an imperial decree or is the Fan Family an untouchable great family? Or is Fan Tong an official who values his reputation for filial piety?"
Under Tong Huaqiong’s persistent questioning, Gu Honglian’s gaze darkened.
Since getting married, Fan Tong has never stood on her side.
He’s always told her to endure.
Gu Honglian asked, "Elder sister-in-law, what should I do? Is there any way to make Fan Tong stand by me?"
Tong Huaqiong said, "Rather than trying to get Fan Tong to stand by you, you should make him fear you. If Fan Tong hits you, hit him back. As for your mother-in-law and sister-in-law, do what Wu Na does to your own mom and sister-in-law."
"Use their own methods against them."
Mrs. Gu and Mrs. Jia blushed.
Mrs. Gu wanted to curse Tong Huaqiong for hitting her where it hurt, but considering Tong Huaqiong came to help her daughter, she held back.
"Fight, fight until they are subdued. Domestic violence only has zero occurrences and countless ones. If you don’t subdue them this time, they will bully you even more relentlessly in the future."
Gu Honglian said, "But if I hit Fan Tong, what if he doesn’t like me anymore?"
Tong Huaqiong felt like rolling her eyes.
Mrs. Wei quickly said, "Fan Tong never liked you, little aunt. He married you because he valued the potential help from Jingzhe and her uncle. Whether you hit him or not, his feelings won’t increase or decrease. What you need to do is to subdue him so you can peacefully remain a scholar’s wife, not have this so-called affection!"
Like, really, what are you thinking?
If he liked you, would he allow the Fan Family to bully you?
Tong Huaqiong said, "Fan Tong is still reluctant to break this marriage, so just stay peacefully at your maiden home now. In a few days, Fan Tong will surely come to take you back. When he comes, whatever you do, don’t be soft-hearted. Let Da Han and Feng Nian hold him down, and you beat him up, until he kneels and begs for mercy."
"After beating him, don’t go back with him to the Fan Family. Beat him three times in a row, then make it known that you want the clan leader to bring your mother-in-law and sister-in-law to apologize to you, only when you’re satisfied should you go back."
Tong Huaqiong asked, "Can you do that?"
Gu Honglian stared blankly at Tong Huaqiong.
To make her hit Fan Tong, she just couldn’t bring herself to do it.
Tong Huaqiong spread her hands and said, "I knew you were useless, doomed to be bullied. Since you’re unwilling, you might as well swiftly return to the Fan Family now, wait for them to bully you to death, and have the Gu Family mourn over your coffin."
These words changed Gu Honglian’s expression.
Having said her piece, Tong Huaqiong turned and headed for the door.
"Elder sister-in-law," Gu Honglian cried out, biting her lip, "I’m willing to try."
Tong Huaqiong didn’t look back and walked directly out of the Gu Family home.
Gu Honglian wrestled with her thoughts continually, sometimes hating Fan Tong for hitting her, wishing to grind him into dust, and other times worrying that beating him might alienate him from her forever.
As she thought about it, she began to cry.
Three days had passed, and Fan Tong hadn’t come to fetch her, nor had anyone from the Fan Family.
Gu Honglian felt she was about to break.
She didn’t want to return to the Fan Family embarrassingly like this.