The Madam Huang stood in the courtyard with Chen'er and the others, her face clearly displeased as she demanded, "Yunqi's mother, what are you saying? Who has bullied your daughter? How could we possibly mistreat her?"

Yunqi quickly pulled her mother back, whispering urgently, "Mother, don't say any more. It's not what you think. No one has bullied me; I am well here. Please don't cause a scene." She then turned back to Madam Huang and the others, saying, "Mother, it's fine, my mother hasn't understood the situation. I'll take her back now."

Yunqi's words slightly softened Madam Huang's expression. Out of respect for Yunqi, Madam Huang hadn't intended to press the issue of what Yunqi's mother said. She took a few steps back into the courtyard with Chen'er and the others to sit down.

Unexpectedly, Yunqi's mother refused to yield. She shook off the hand Yunqi held onto her and declared, "Daughter, even if you are a docile person, this is too much! To be bullied like this and not dare to speak up—today, Mother will stand up for you! Though our family isn't wealthy, we still have someone who will champion their daughter."

Yunqi's mother spoke deliberately loudly, aiming her words squarely at Madam Huang and the others. This time, Madam Huang abandoned any deference to Yunqi's feelings. She shot up from her stool with a sudden jerk and boomed, "Yunqi's mother, you had better make yourself perfectly clear today! When exactly did we mistreat your Yunqi? Did we strike her, curse her? Or have we deprived her in some aspect? What gives you the right to cause such a ruckus in my home today?"

"Hmph, Dabao’s mother, don't think that just because you shout loudly, I'm afraid of you. If you want me to speak, I will lay out every grievance today, so we can settle this account and you can see precisely how you usually treat my Yunqi."

"Your family, you all look like you're well-off, generous, and concerned with appearances, but in reality, you are far worse than small households like ours. I won't speak of matters before the marriage. Let's talk about what happened after she married into your home. My Yunqi has been here less than a few months, and just for using some of the silver Dabao gave her to buy necessities, you, the mother-in-law, have badgered her so much that she couldn't sleep properly for several nights."

"Our Yunqi hasn't borne a child for less than a year, yet you wail to the heavens and earth, constantly feeding her all sorts of strange concoctions. Now, after just over a year without a child, you are plotting ways to drive her out. Setting aside other matters, these things alone clearly show that you are bullying my Yunqi."

"My Yunqi is an honest person who suffers in silence, but I, as her mother, usually restrain myself, thinking these are your family's affairs. But you are growing more outrageous by the day; I simply cannot tolerate it anymore." Yunqi's mother rattled off a torrent of accusations.

Madam Huang’s expression shifted upon hearing the words of Yunqi’s mother. She hadn't realized the severity of the matters Yunqi’s mother knew about their family. It seemed Yunqi had confided quite a bit. She shot a cold glance at Yunqi and retorted just as loudly, "Since you, my in-law, claim to know our household affairs, you shouldn't interfere. Yunqi is indeed your daughter, but once she marries into our home, she is our family, my daughter-in-law. How I discipline her is entirely my prerogative. I have never heard of a mother-in-law needing a relative's permission to manage her daughter-in-law."

Hearing Madam Huang's words, Yunqi's mother let out a cold laugh. "Dabao's mother, if your management was appropriate, I wouldn't say a word; I would even thank you for disciplining my daughter well. But is what you do truly discipline? To put it bluntly, you simply cannot tolerate your daughter-in-law. However, I won't argue these past matters with you today; let bygones be bygones. Today, let's discuss the matter of Yunqi’s womb. Tell me, what does your Lin family intend to do about it?"

Madam Huang had prepared for this confrontation the moment she saw Yunqi's mother storming out to pick a fight. Although she already had a plan in mind, she certainly wouldn't reveal it directly to Yunqi's mother. She maintained her cold tone and asked, "Yunqi's mother, you are aware of Yunqi's situation regarding her pregnancy, aren't you? She hasn't borne a child for so long, and now the physician has declared she cannot conceive. What do you think my Lin family should do?"

"Hmph, just because you say she can't bear children, does that make it so? What right do you have to say such things? Matters of childbirth are not guaranteed even by physicians. Many people are initially told they are barren, yet later give birth to several children. Don't forget what our family does; I have seen these things too often." Yunqi's mother spoke dismissively.

Madam Huang felt a surge of anger mixed with the urge to laugh at such unreasonable talk. "Yunqi's mother, I won't argue this point with you; it's an argument that can't be resolved. I admit such things happen, but our family cannot wait indefinitely like this. Yunqi has been married into our home for over a year. Because she cannot bear children, we haven't done anything drastic. Just the cost of medicine alone these past months likely exceeds a hundred taels of silver. If we follow your logic, how much more money and time must we spend waiting for Yunqi's condition to improve? My dear in-law, perhaps you can give us a definitive answer."

Yunqi's mother remained stubbornly unreasonable. "What definitive answer can I give? I am not an immortal! If even the physicians cannot be certain, how can I possibly know? All I know is that the marriage is not over yet, and no one can definitively say my Yunqi cannot bear children. Unless you bring someone to tell me that the physician has confirmed my daughter will never be able to conceive in her life—only then will I allow your Lin family to do as you please."

"My in-law, are you unaware? We rushed to town this time precisely to bring Yunqi to see a doctor. These past few days, our entire family consulted several physicians about Yunqi’s ailment. The doctors stated that Yunqi is simply unable to bear children now, or at least not for the next few years. Before you came out here to cause trouble, did you not inquire about these facts?" Madam Huang said coldly.

Yunqi's mother had not known about this. In her haste, she had rushed out before Yunqi could explain. She had assumed Yunqi merely needed a period of recuperation. Hearing Madam Huang’s words now, she looked toward Yunqi, standing to the side, with disbelief.

Yunqi, standing nearby, had a pale face and vacant eyes. She paid no heed to her mother, simply standing there blankly.

Seeing her daughter like this wracked Yunqi's mother with pity. She stopped arguing immediately, but her mind raced. No matter what, her daughter absolutely could not be cast out by the Lin family. A woman with children, even if divorced by her in-laws, at least has a child beside her in old age, even if life is difficult. If Yunqi were cast out, what would become of her later in life? She had to secure some provision for her daughter.

With this thought, Yunqi's mother resumed her contentious behavior: "The doctor you hired is your family's doctor. How am I to know if there wasn't some trickery involved? I need to take Yunqi to see a doctor myself. Over these next few days, I will take her back to let her father examine her."