By now, Princess Wulan had already straightened her dress. Since childhood, she had been exceptionally beautiful, treasured by her chieftain father like a precious jewel. Not to mention being insulted like this, even if she merely disliked a horse slave, she could have them whipped to death.
Hearing Tang Dayong not only fail to avenge her but even hesitate in his promise to marry her, she immediately grew furious.
Unable to contain herself any longer, she raised her whip and recklessly lashed out at Tang Tian.
Tang Tian had just been pleased by her elder brother’s quick thinking in inviting the villagers over.
Since Tang Dayong had chosen Dark Night Returns and proposed demoting his wife to a concubine, he knew full well the disgrace of the matter.
Now, by making a scene and ensuring everyone knew, it would only benefit her and her children more.
But in that moment of distraction, the whip was already upon her.
Startled, Tang Tian reacted swiftly, grabbing Tang Laotai’s skirt to block it.
Caught off guard, Tang Laotai stumbled and took the full force of the whip.
She let out a sharp cry of pain and lunged forward toward Li Erye.
Li Erye’s son, who happened to be in the crowd, rushed forward to shield his father, enduring two lashes himself while firmly seizing the princess’s whip.
“Let go, you lowly slave!” Princess Wulan refused to release it, and in her struggle, the healed wound on her arm reopened, staining her sleeve with blood.
Tang Dayong’s expression darkened. He kicked the Li family members aside and stepped forward to embrace the princess.
“Princess, are you alright? Does it hurt? Let go quickly!”
The room, which had just quieted down moments before, suddenly descended into chaos again!
The Tang family, the Li family, and the villagers were all entangled, creating a tumultuous uproar.
Tang Tian shielded her mother and two brothers, moving aside to avoid being caught in the fray.
Princess Wulan, driven mad by pain, shrieked, “Husband, kill them all! They hurt me—these wretched commoners deserve to die!”
Second Grandpa Li, finally catching his breath and leaning on his son, paled at these words.
“Tang Dayong, I don’t care who you’re marrying now, but today she struck first. We’re in the right no matter where this dispute is settled! Why should we be executed? Since when does a woman rule the Daqi Kingdom?!”
Tang Dayong, seething with suppressed rage and unwilling to bow in apology, coldly ordered his servants, “Prepare the carriage and horses. We leave for the capital at once!”
With that, he scooped up Princess Wulan and strode out the door.
Princess Wulan continued to curse, but unable to resist Tang Dayong, she was eventually carried into the carriage.
They had arrived in high spirits but departed like stray dogs—a outcome Tang Dayong had never anticipated!
During times of starvation on the battlefield, in the heat of fierce combat, and at celebratory feasts where honors were bestowed, he had often fantasized about the glory of returning home in triumph.
Yet when that day finally arrived, it was marked by such humiliation!
He lifted the carriage curtain, watching the village fade into the morning light, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.
Li Qiushuang must relinquish her position as wife!
Nothing would stand in the way of his climb to power!
He gestured for an attendant to approach and whispered a few instructions…
Back in the Tang family courtyard, Tang Laotai was still rolling on the ground, beating her chest and wailing as if her heart would break.
“Ah, I’m so furious! My son finally came home, and you drove him away! You’re just jealous, you can’t stand to see our family doing well! You don’t want our family to marry a princess! Black-hearted, rotten-livered scum, may you be struck by lightning and die a terrible death!”
The villagers listened angrily. They had gathered because they heard someone came to the Tang family in the middle of the night, fearing someone might be bullying them, never expecting things would turn so ugly.
When all was said and done, it was all Tang Dayong’s fault—that ungrateful wretch!
He abandoned his good wife and children, insisting on marrying that violent “ancestor” who only knew how to fight and kill!
No matter how noble her status was, what did it matter? There would come a day when he would regret it!
Thinking this, the villagers looked at Li Qiushuang and her three children with even more sympathy…
Tang Laotai was still causing a scene, but the villagers didn’t want to listen anymore and simply went home.
Tang Tian quickly called her brothers and pulled her mother to leave.
Sure enough, Tang Laotai scrambled to her feet, intending to chase and beat Li Qiushuang, but she was a step too late—the mother and her four children had already left the house. Furious, she started cursing her son and daughter-in-law again!
Tang Tian had no time to deal with this, focusing solely on getting to the shack.
Fortunately, the sky was already bright by then.
Li Qiushuang staggered like a walking corpse but didn’t make it to the door before she completely passed out.
Years of hope had turned into bubbles.
The man who had personally promised to grow old with her had become monstrous, wielding a knife to shatter her heart and soul!
This must be… a nightmare!
“Mother! Mother!”
Tang Tian mustered all her strength and, together with Tang Chuan, dragged their mother onto the kang. Tang Chuan collapsed beside her immediately.
He had coughed up blood earlier, and now, anxious and exhausted, his face was paler than paper, as if he might depart at any moment.
Tang Tian couldn’t worry about anything else. She directly fetched springwater from her space and hurriedly poured it into her mother’s and brother’s mouths.
Before Tang Chuan could express his surprise, he felt the springwater was exceptionally cool and sweet. His throat no longer itched, and breathing felt a little easier…
A flicker of life returned to his eyes. After being half-dead for over a decade, it seemed he had finally touched… hope at this moment.
Tang Tian was also gulping down large mouthfuls of water, filled with deep regret.
If she had known they would face such a situation, she should have stockpiled more medicine back then. The springwater from her space could only regulate the body—for treating illnesses, it worked far too slowly.
In their current situation, their mother had been betrayed by their scum of a father, as if a nuclear bomb had destroyed their entire world. There was a real risk she might contemplate suicide, even taking her three children with her to see King Yama.
After all, such things were common even in modern times, let alone in Great Qi, where husbands were regarded as the ultimate authority!
If they wanted their mother to live, aside from their scum father having a change of heart, it would depend on them, the three children.
But their father, who seemed sentimental and righteous on the surface, was actually a petty man solely focused on seeking wealth and glory, utterly ungrateful. Even if he did have a change of heart, she would never want him back.
In fact, she was even glad he wanted to marry someone else. If handled well, she and her three siblings could break away from the Tang family—completely severing ties and gaining true freedom…
That left only one last option: to cure her brothers as quickly as possible, or at least significantly improve their condition. If their mother saw hope, she would be willing to live on!
Tang Chuan rested for a while, finally regaining a bit of strength. Just as he was about to ask his sister about her ability to summon things out of thin air, a water dipper was shoved into his hand, and beside it sat a full bucket of springwater.
“Big brother, keep drinking water, drink as much as you can! Drink all you’re able to!”
Tang Tian pulled her second brother over and shoved him toward their eldest brother, making the two of them hydrate like water buffaloes. Meanwhile, she rushed to start a fire, preparing to heat the rice porridge and steam buns.
Tang Dayong had disrupted their triumphant homecoming and torn away their hypocritical masks of ingratitude. The Tang family was eager to reach the capital to enjoy their newfound wealth and status—they would absolutely not let her and her three children go!
They must eat their fill, for only with full stomachs would they have strength to fight!
Soon, the rice porridge was heated, and the steamed buns were toasted crispy outside and soft inside.
Tang Chuan had drunk his fill of water and couldn’t eat anymore, while Tang Hai happily gnawed on a bun with relish.
After finishing her meal, Tang Tian saw her mother still hadn’t woken up, so she could only feed her another half bowl of water.
At that moment, the dilapidated wooden door was knocked on again.
Tang Tian instantly put away their things, and Tang Chuan struggled to prop himself up, shielding his mother.
The wooden door was opened, but the person behind it was beyond their expectations!