If Zhang were still alive, Liu Qiaoer would naturally fight for her freedom.
But it is obvious that Zhang just wanted to displease the Liu family. She even hanged herself at the door of the Liu family. Talking about divorce now would obviously be unfair to Zhang's determination to commit suicide.
"The divorce was my idea. My mother didn't agree. I took her away because I was afraid she would be beaten to death by you."
"Now my mother's meaning is very clear. She would rather die than divorce. As the saying goes, you are a member of the Liu family when you are alive and a ghost of the Liu family when you die. This funeral should be held in the Liu family."
Mr. Liu Sanye knew very well about Liu Qiaoer's family affairs, but now that everyone is dead, there is no need to say anything.
"When Zhang wanted to divorce Liu Erzhu, you asked for 100 taels of silver. Let me ask you, did you give the 100 taels of silver to you?"
My aunt-in-law made a huge demand at the beginning and refused to let me go unless I gave her money.
Now that the person is dead, she has no way to defend herself.
"That's it. I didn't give you the money, which means the divorce was not successful. Come, set up the mourning hall in their main courtyard. Qiao'er, go buy a coffin for your mother. After three days of vigil, bury her in the Liu family's ancestral tomb."
The clan leader had spoken, and there was nothing Geng and the aunt could do no matter how unwilling they were.
They were unwilling to hold a funeral for Zhang. She had clan members above her and two daughters below her. Even if she had no son, she had to be buried in peace.
The clan has someone in charge of weddings and funerals. If there is something going on in a family, the whole clan will help.
Someone even called Liu Erzhu over from the county. Like Geng, Liu Erzhu became so angry that his face turned blue when he saw Zhang's body.
"Pah, why die at this time instead of earlier?"
Originally Liu Erzhu planned to bring her home before the New Year, but he was afraid that as time went on, her belly would get bigger and it would not look good to bring her home.
Now that Zhang is dead, his marriage can only be postponed.
The key is that she can only be a second wife, not a co-wife. Even if she dies, she can only be buried under Zhang.
If I gave birth to a son, I would definitely feel depressed and unbalanced.
Therefore, Liu Erzhu did not have a good attitude towards Zhang's death.
Liu Qiaoer followed her relatives and witnessed the complicated funeral rituals of ancient times with her own eyes.
After Zhang was carried into the house, she had to take a bath and rest, which meant wiping her body, hands, feet and face, and then changing into new clothes.
The next day, the coffin was carried in and the body could be placed in the coffin.
Then they would keep vigil for three days, notify the woman's family, relatives and friends to come and mourn, and on the seventh day, the body would be buried.
My aunt's two sons also had to keep vigil. Although my aunt had a lot of complaints and had to cook for so many people, after all, all the clan members were there, so she didn't dare to say anything.
After a few days of hard work, New Year’s Eve arrived in the blink of an eye.
Just as Liu Qiaoer and Liu Erniu were about to leave the Liu family, Geng stepped forward and stopped them.
"What are you two doing?"
Liu Qiao'er was a little confused: "Go home."
Geng put her hands on her hips and refused to let them go: "Neither of you have married yet, and you are still the daughters of the Liu family. You are not allowed to go anywhere in the future. Stay at home and observe mourning for your mother for three years."
Liu Qiaoer was completely confused. In ancient times, there was a concept of mourning, but mourning did not mean that you could not do anything. Why did he have to stay at home for three years
My aunt also came out of the house.
"The rules are like this, but it's hard to open your bun shop, so you can't just give up like this. After the fifth day of the New Year, let me and your two cousins go to sell buns."
Liu Qiaoer finally understood. After all, Geng still had his eyes on her steamed bun shop. When Zhang passed away, she was asked to observe mourning so that Geng could take over the steamed bun shop for herself.
"I said, I'm not the owner of the bun shop."
The eldest aunt showed a sly smile: "What do you mean it's not you? I have found out everything. You are the one who is busying around. Even if the boss has two children, we will take good care of them for you."
As long as the two children are well fed and well watered, the remaining money will all be hers.
The aunt-in-law had a nice idea. If Liu Qiaoer was detained by her for this, she would really have no place to complain.
Just as Liu Qiaoer was racking her brains to think of an excuse, she saw a carriage coming towards them in the distance.
"Qiao'er, I'm here to take you home."
In the carriage, Lu Yunzheng was wearing a green robe, a jade crown for long hair, and a black cloak. Even with his simple clothes, he looked very noble. His tall body was like jade, giving people a sense of oppression.
"Today is New Year's Eve, and your mother asked you to go home quickly for the reunion dinner."
At Zhang's funeral, Lu Yunzheng came to pay tribute and kowtow as the future son-in-law, but after all, the two had not yet married, so they needed to keep a certain distance.
The aunt stepped forward and separated Lu Yunzheng and Liu Qiaoer.
"Qiao'er just lost her mother, and it's not logical for her to go to her husband's house."
Unexpectedly, Lu Yunzheng took out a marriage certificate from his sleeve pocket: "Although Qiao'er and I didn't have a matchmaker or six engagements, and we didn't get married, she is no longer a member of the Liu family. Her indenture is still in the hands of the Lu family. My marriage to her only requires Madam Lu's consent."
"And just two days ago, I went to visit Madam Lu in the prison, and Madam Lu has agreed to marry Qiao'er to me."
Liu Qiaoer is just a maid and doesn't need too many etiquettes.
Lu Yunzheng stepped forward and grabbed Liu Qiaoer's hand, smiling gently: "Qiaoer, I'm sorry for putting you in such a hurry. I think you probably don't like staying at Liu's house, so I'm here to pick you up."
Lu Yunzheng has the marriage certificate and Liu Qiaoer's indenture contract in his hand, so whether to observe mourning is no longer up to the Liu family.
From the moment Liu Qiaoer was sold, she had to obey the rules of the master's family, not the Liu family.
My aunt-in-law was so angry that her eyes popped out, but she didn't recognize the words on the paper, so she had to give up.
However, Geng stepped forward and grabbed Liu Erniu.
"Liu Qiaoer can leave, but she can't."
Without Zhang, Liu Qiaoer would not bring any more money home, and she would have to deduct the money from her sister no matter what.
Unexpectedly, at this moment, Aunt Niu came hurriedly from the village entrance.
"Erniu, Erniu, come with me after your mother's funeral is over."
Geng got anxious when she heard this: "Why should my granddaughter go with you?"
Aunt Niu took out Liu Erniu's indenture from her pocket and said, "Her mother sold Erniu to me for five taels of silver. Look, this is her indenture."
It would have been fine if Liu Qiaoer was sold, but Liu Erniu was also sold. This time Geng was not happy about it and sat down on the ground, rolling around in a rage.
"Impossible, absolutely impossible, we didn't sell Erniu, this doesn't count."
The eldest aunt also tried to snatch the indenture from Aunt Niu, but Aunt Niu had been on guard against her. She turned around lightly, held the indenture and snorted coldly, "You don't have the final say. I'm going to find your clan leader."
Only now did Liu Qiaoer realize that before Zhang committed suicide, she had already thought of a way out for her two daughters.
Liu Qiaoer would naturally not be bullied since she had a husband's family, but she could not leave Liu Erniu alone in the Liu family, so she came to find Aunt Niu and even said that she wanted to sell Liu Erniu to his family.
Niu Dahu was a good boy, and Zhang had long regarded him as her son-in-law. Since the eldest daughter couldn't get married, she let the second daughter get married, and gave the five taels of silver from the sale to Liu Erniu as a dowry.
The date of the indenture was when Zhang was alive, and the fingerprints are Zhang's own. Even if they were taken to the government, the Liu family could not take Liu Erniu back.