He turned to Mother Shen. “Do you acknowledge this severance letter or not?”
Shen Second Brother stiffened his neck. “A severance letter needs the official seal of the authorities. Without government documentation, what kind of severance letter is that?”
He had worked at the county yamen for a few days before and knew a thing or two about such matters. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have so readily agreed to write the severance document in the first place.
“They saw that my husband had died and had me write the severance letter to deceive the Su family — to gain their trust and secure the remaining compensation money and grain. But have you forgotten? Yes, I am the Shen family’s daughter, but I am also the mother of two children.”
Shen Yunzhi looked at Su Jingci with tear-filled eyes.
“They’re still so young. No matter how terrible I’ve been, I would never hand over all of the compensation meant for the Su family to the Shen family.”
She suddenly knelt before Mother Shen.
“Mother, you’re a mother too. If your natal family demanded that you abandon your two sons, would you agree?”
The villagers began pointing and whispering at the Shen mother and son.
“The Shen family is shameless — to think of such a vicious scheme to seize their son-in-law’s compensation money.”
“I heard their grandson is studying at the academy. Someone like that should be expelled.”
“Even if he passes the examinations, he’ll just become a corrupt official.”
Mother Shen’s face shifted from pale to green.
“I never intended to take the Su family’s compensation!” At this moment, she had to salvage her reputation.
“Oh… so I misunderstood you, Mother.” Shen Yunzhi had been waiting for exactly those words. “Since that’s the case, please return all the compensation money you previously borrowed. That way, these people won’t misunderstand you.”
“Your second brother is getting married. I’ll return the money when I have it,” Mother Shen deflected.
“If you don’t have the money now, that’s fine. Write an IOU.”
Mother Shen’s face changed abruptly. Shen Yunzhi truly wasn’t the same as before.
“Mother, surely you’re not just saying it without intending to repay?”
Shen Yunzhi pressed forward step by step, not giving her a moment to breathe.
Shen Lao’er’s face turned ashen. He was about to marry a scholar’s daughter — on the condition that his family carried no external debt. If news of an IOU spread, his marriage would fall apart.
“Mother, what do we do now?”
Mother Shen was irritated beyond measure. Not giving the money wasn’t an option — but giving it hurt.
“Mother, so many people are watching. Just write the IOU,” Shen Yunzhi urged.
“If it’s a loan, then writing an IOU is only proper.”
“The Shen family is doing well. Second Brother works as an accountant at a restaurant — his wages aren’t small. Much better than us peasants scraping food from the fields. You expect us to believe the Shen family has no money?”
“Didn’t the Shen family just rebuild their house? Brick and tile! Who can afford that without money?”
The crowd buzzed with discussion.
Furious but cornered, Mother Shen reached into her clothes and pulled out ten taels of silver.
“This is the money I borrowed from you before.”
Shen Yunzhi hadn’t truly expected to get it back. Now it felt like an unexpected windfall — she almost couldn’t suppress her smile.
“You are my daughter. Whether there’s a severance letter or not, that fact won’t change.” Mother Shen tried to soften the situation, offering her a way down.
“You’re the first child I carried for ten months. I love you no less than your two brothers. If you refuse to acknowledge me, it’s like carving my heart out with a knife.”
Mother Shen knew exactly where Shen Yunzhi’s weakness lay.
She lowered herself, played the emotional card, and used blood ties as leverage.
It was a tactic she had used countless times — and it had always worked.