The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 1)

Chapter 111 - Fighting to the Death

Li Shi had just been pointing fingers and cursing at everyone in the Song family, and Old Master Song, who had no intention of letting her off, immediately made a decision upon hearing her words: "Open the ancestral hall! Write to ask the second son to draft a divorce letter!"

This woman could no longer be kept; even if it wasn't for her hiring someone to kill, and even if it wasn't to hold her accountable for her past wrongs, the Song family could not keep a daughter-in-law who harbored malicious intentions.

Old Lady Song promptly instructed the First Lady and Nanny Huang, "You both take people to sort through the Second Lady's dowry and ask the Li family to count it. If everything is in order, have it taken back."

The First Lady acknowledged the order, nodded slightly to Nanny Huang, and headed straight to the second branch.

Li Shi was already acting deranged, her nails digging into her mother's flesh without her even realizing it. She just kept crying and laughing, laughing and crying.

All these years, she had devoted herself to Song Yi, even going so far as to harm Cui Shi, yet in the end, she had fallen into the hands of Cui Shi's daughter... She felt a mix of bitterness and despair, suddenly directing her anger towards her own mother.

When she first married in, she had wanted to take action against Song Chuyi and her brother, but her mother had insisted that she first put on a facade, warning her not to provoke the displeasure and suspicion of Song Yi and Old Master Song.

But after waiting and waiting, she hadn't seen Old Master Song or Old Lady Song's suspicions dissipate; instead, she had let Song Chuyi grow in stature.

If she were to be divorced now, what would happen to Song Chuning?! What would her years of suffering and love count for?! Song Yi could easily marry another pretty girl as a replacement and forget about her in just two or three years, while she would have to return home and end her life on a three-foot white silk rope? How could she accept that?!

How could she accept that the daughter of Cui Shi would forever stand above her own daughter, and that her own daughter would be reduced to the status of a concubine's child?

Old Lady Li felt a sharp pain as her daughter gripped her, about to speak when she saw her daughter's gaze fixed intensely on one of the pillars in the main hall, and her heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Before she could reach out to pull her back, Li Shi had already run head-first into the round column in the main hall.

Old Lady Li immediately fell into shock, her eyes rolling back as she let out a cry and rushed over.

Unfortunately, it was too late. Li Shi had evidently made up her mind to die, and with all her strength, she slammed into the pillar, instantly causing blood to gush out. In no time at all, her eyes had lost their focus, and her breathing became shallow, with more air escaping than entering.

At almost the same moment, First Lady Cui covered Song Chuyi's eyes, repeatedly instructing Nanny Niu to shield her eyes and take her outside.

With Li Shi dead, the situation took another turn. Old Master Li, his eyes red, looked at Old Master Song and said, "One life for another. This can be considered as her repayment for Cui Shi's life..."

With someone dead, there was naturally no reason for a divorce for a deceased person.

Old Master Song and Old Lady Song exchanged glances, suddenly feeling a heavy sensation in their hearts.

Even in death, Li Shi continued to bring trouble to others. While she had died before the ancestral hall opened and before the divorce letter was written, Song Chuyi and Song Yan would now have to observe mourning for three years on her behalf.

"It's really making me regret not filing a complaint to the authorities, so she could die in a more disgraceful manner," First Lady Cui said coldly, her expression completely devoid of emotion, as if she were merely speaking to herself. "What if we end up killing another one? What should we do then?"

Both Old Master Li and Old Lady Li froze in place.

Li Shi's death did nothing to quell the anger of the Cui family. If Old Lady Li went unpunished, judging by First Lady Cui's tone, it seemed she really intended to take the matter to the Emperor.

However, he was now serving as the chief at the Imperial College, the highest institution for scholars in the realm. If the Emperor found out about the turmoil in his household and the harm brought upon by his wife and daughters, not only would his reputation be ruined, but he would also likely be ridiculed by the world...

Eldest Master Li rushed to kneel on the ground, his expression filled with sorrow. "I am willing to take the punishment on behalf of my mother!"

First Lady Li could not pull him back in time and, feeling both angry and anxious, she rushed down to kneel beside Eldest Master Li. "I, too, am willing to bear the punishment for my mother-in-law."

"That doesn't make any sense," First Lady Cui said, unwilling to speak further with the Li family. She pressed them for a clear explanation. "You're not the ones who killed her. Why should you bear the punishment? Whoever committed the crime must pay with their life; this has been the way of the world since ancient times!"

Old Master Li was about to be promoted to a fourth-rank position as a weaver, and if he got entangled in this affair now, his career would be ruined. Weighing the two harms, Old Master Li decided to take the lesser evil, and he said in a deep voice, "No need to discuss further! First Lady Cui makes a valid point. My wife has committed a heinous act... I cannot afford to be lenient any longer. I will send her to the family temple to take monastic vows and pray for the late Second Lady."

He couldn't let Old Lady Li die just like that; losing both his wife and daughter at once would make it difficult for outsiders to avoid ill thoughts. Moreover, if Old Lady Li died, Old Master Li would have to mourn for three years, and who knew if he would still be in his position after that time?

First Lady Cui also didn't want Old Lady Li to die so easily. This elderly woman had lived comfortably since struggling her way out of the fields and deserved to face some hardships to alleviate the resentment in people's hearts.

Thus, with a slight glint in her eyes, she smiled and said, "I've heard that there's a place called Cuiyun Monastery on the outskirts of the capital that's quite good. Many noble ladies go there to repent, which shows that it has its merits. If Old Master Li sincerely wishes to atone for his mistakes, why not send your respected wife there?"

Everyone's expressions changed slightly. Cuiyun Monastery was known as a place for daughters or wives of wealthy families who had made mistakes. The nuns there were all quite harsh, and the women had to work hard for their food, growing their own vegetables and farming.

Old Lady Li, holding her daughter, momentarily lost her senses and could only wail loudly.

In her life, her son and daughter were all that mattered to her; everyone else was insignificant. Even Old Master Li was just someone she considered a bedfellow and had little emotional attachment to.

Now that her beloved daughter was gone, she felt an unbearable headache and heartache. She couldn't muster the energy to listen to what was being said outside.

Old Master Li had no more room for bargaining. Furthermore, he truly despised Old Lady Li for her lack of respect and unreliability, which had led the Li family into this difficult situation. After some thought, he agreed. After all, it wasn't he who would suffer; he didn't feel much about it.

"During the holidays..." Old Master Li had just started speaking when he noticed that Cui Ying Shu and First Lady Cui were both looking at him, and he couldn't help but shake his head and sigh. "Forget it, let her think things over properly there."

Old Master Li grew worried about his granddaughter and looked earnestly at Old Master Song. "Although Jing Shu deserves her punishment, Ning'er is innocent, and she's still so young..."

Now that Li Shi was dead, Old Lady Li had completely offended the Song family. The only connection left between the Li and Song families was Song Chu Ning, and she absolutely couldn't get into any more trouble.