CMWKSD -Chapter 84 Severing Ties

But no one dared to ignore Jiu Yue’s words—not Shen Mei, not Su Ruo. This matter still had to be told to Hu Chunhua.

However, Hu Chunhua was so frightened by Jiu Yue that she didn’t dare show herself in front of her.

On the tenth day of the tenth month, they decided on the departure date. Aside from the five Ji brothers, only Jiu Yue would be going.

A couple of days earlier, Jiu Yue had gone to buy a horse and even specially ordered two luxurious large carriage frames, wanting to ensure comfort on the journey.

Everyone had been busy packing their things these past two days.

After Ji Dajiang went up the mountain, the Ji family acted as they pleased, as if his presence—or absence—made no difference at all.

Yet Li Xiaocao, after Ji Dajiang left, often stood staring blankly at the location of the woodshed.

It gave Jiu Yue the impression that she had lost all purpose in life.

Jiu Yue shivered. Li Xiaocao’s behavior reminded her of something in modern terms called Stockholm Syndrome.

She didn’t understand it, but she could only respect it.

With departure scheduled for early tomorrow, Jiu Yue felt no sadness at leaving. People come and go…

No one stays by another’s side forever.

Su Ruo entered the room carrying a package. Ji Yiqing was busy packing.

Jiu Yue watched Ji Yiqing, silently signaling: my heart is with you.

Su Ruo’s eyes glistened with tears. “Yueyue…”

Jiu Yue shivered all over. “Mom, just call me Jiu Yue.”

Su Ruo uttered a couple of “oh”s and handed the package over. “I made each of you a cloak. I heard it’s even colder in the capital than here during winter.”

Jiu Yue thought it probably wasn’t much different—they were both northern regions—but she accepted it anyway.

Su Ruo gently squeezed Jiu Yue’s shoulders. Her feelings for Jiu Yue were truly complicated.

Without Jiu Yue, life in the Ji family would not have been so good. She would have been constantly beaten down, caught between human and ghostly treatment.

Yet it was also because of Jiu Yue that the Ji family deeply feared her.

Su Ruo didn’t know if such a feeling was right or wrong. Family shouldn’t be like this.

But they tried to maintain good relations, while Jiu Yue didn’t care.

Su Ruo sighed, reminded Ji Yiqing of a couple things, and finally left.

Jiu Yue clicked her tongue twice and opened the package to find her cloak was made of fox fur.

Though it was multicolored fox fur, it was still a single coat.

It had to be worth at least a hundred taels.

Su Ruo must have used almost all of her personal savings just to make a few cloaks.

Jiu Yue casually placed the bundle by the kang. “We can just drape this on the carriage later. No need to tie it up separately.”

Ji Yiqing glanced at Jiu Yue. He quickly looked away.

Before all the belongings were packed, cries and shouts could be heard in the courtyard, with a few curious villagers following behind.

“Xiaocao, poor child of mine.”

Jiu Yue and Ji Yiqing exchanged a look—so they really came.

Well, while they were all here, it was better to resolve this matter quickly. Once Jiu Yue left, the family would be even more timid.

Jiu Yue thought Hu Chunhua probably had no fighting spirit left now.

A few people gradually emerged from the house.

Ji Weizhou looked at Li Xiaocao in confusion.

Seeing their grandmother, aunt, and uncle rushing in, while her mother just stood there helplessly crying.

Ji Xiaoya clutched Li Xiaocao’s hand desperately. Li Xiaocao was like a rootless floating duckweed, being pulled here and there.

Meanwhile, the Ji family stood silently watching.

Li Xiaocao’s mother collapsed onto her daughter, wailing, “My poor daughter!”

She repeated this over and over. But when Ji Dajiang had passed away a couple days earlier, she had been specifically informed. Yet only Li Xiaocao’s mother came.

People only see what’s immediately in front of them.

Right now, Li Xiaocao’s family only thought that taking her away would earn a dowry, one or two taels, maybe two.

They couldn’t see that Ji Weizhou was studying, with a bright future ahead. What they would gain would far exceed a few taels.

Moreover, the cousins were now all quite promising.

Li Xiaocao was weak, and the Ji family, now in a prosperous state, didn’t dare help her family under Jiu Yue and Hu Chunhua’s watchful eyes.

Since wealth wouldn’t reach her family, they would take the tangible benefits they could see—like a dowry.

Li Xiaocao’s mother touched her daughter’s face.

Li Xiaocao had once been the flower of the village, attracting many suitors. But in the end, Ji Dajiang had obtained her through despicable means.

The Li family regretted it deeply, but there was nothing they could do—Ji Dajiang was ruthless.

Jiu Yue and Ji Yiqing slowly walked to the front hall and watched the farce unfold.

They were also curious how Li Xiaocao would choose.

After all, anyone with eyes would choose to remain a widow in the Ji household.

Of course, if Li Xiaocao could find a better match elsewhere, Jiu Yue wouldn’t intervene.

At this moment, Hu Chunhua, showing the demeanor of the matriarch, coldly watched the Li family crying and wailing.

“In-laws, your daughter has a hard life. Does that mean my son should suffer?” Hu Chunhua thought of Ji Dajiang and wanted to curse Jiu Yue, but dared not.

Jiu Yue let out a quiet, cold laugh.

Li Xiaocao’s mother wiped her tears. “In-laws, I won’t argue with you. My daughter has been in the Ji household, bore Ji Dajiang a son and daughter. There’s no reason she should remain a widow her entire life!”

“You!”

Though women in Daqi were of low status, interactions between men and women were not strictly prohibited. Even the Emperor encouraged widows to remarry.

After all, only women could bear children. Widows who remarried could still give birth.

Moreover, the Emperor was not a lustful ruler. His harem only had one empress, two consorts, and a few lower-ranked concubines.

By example, officials’ households also had few beauties. Many officials had only a wife and a concubine, some only a wife.

Courtesans were considered mere objects, not even people.

Hu Chunhua had just heard from Shen Mei and Su Ruo yesterday, and didn’t expect to encounter them today.

Perhaps Ji Dajiang’s death had opened her eyes.

So Hu Chunhua, rarely, asked Li Xiaocao, “Xiaocao, what do you want to do?”

Li Xiaocao opened her mouth and cried. Ji Weizhou stared blankly at his mother, then looked at Jiu Yue.

In his mind he shouted, Say you won’t remarry, say you won’t return home, say you’ll stay with the Ji family! Say it! Say it!

But Li Xiaocao only cried.

Crying wouldn’t solve anything.

Perhaps her family had instilled in her the idea that her maternal side was her true support.

So Li Xiaocao couldn’t summon any courage besides crying.

Perhaps she was also scared out of her wits by Jiu Yue.

Su Ruo couldn’t bear to watch and wanted to step forward, but Ji Chaomian pulled her back, shaking his head.

The others didn’t intervene either.

After all, this was a matter for the elders. The younger generation had no right to interfere.

Ji Shan remembered what Su Ruo and Shen Mei had said yesterday: if Li Xiaocao left, she must sign a document severing ties.

Now, this generation of Ji family was on the verge of great fortune. Even if Ji Weizhou and Ji Xiaoya had no parents, so what?

Following older cousins and uncles, they could live well. Jiu Yue would soon take Ji Weizhou to the capital to study.

Ji Xiaoya could earn 300 wen a month rolling medicine balls.

It was better for Li Xiaocao to leave than to stay weak and pathetic, watching others succeed.

“In-laws, if you take her away, that’s your choice. But the moment she steps out of my Ji family’s door, Li Xiaocao will have no connection whatsoever with my Ji family or any member of it.”

Li Xiaocao’s mother’s face changed. “What do you mean?”

Hu Chunhua sneered. “What else could it mean? Severing ties!”