This day, Mrs. Zhang came as usual to find Mrs. Yang to do embroidery, and incidentally, to have a chat.

"I heard that Zhang Yunzhu’s family is trying to find a wife for their son, but the matchmakers are quite unwilling to deal with them. They say Zhang Yunzhu was so angry at home he smashed a teacup," said Mrs. Zhang, sharing the latest gossip she’d picked up.

"Alas, with that family's reputation, finding a wife in this area won't be that easy," Mrs. Yang shook her head.

"Who isn't saying that? People of their kind treat their daughters with such disregard. They’ve sold off every daughter in their house; you truly won’t find another family in our district doing such a thing. Who would agree to be related to such a household? If a daughter marries in and then happens to bear a girl, that child will likely meet the same fate of being sold. Who could be as heartless as they are, selling their own flesh and blood?" Mrs. Zhang agreed wholeheartedly.

Mrs. Zhang took a few more stitches, then continued, "That’s not all. Doesn’t everyone in the village know what their son is like? I suspect people in the neighboring villages are well aware. Look at their boy; the family spent money sending him to school, but he skips class daily, always hanging out with the riff-raff from town. Once the money is gone, he only knows to come back demanding more. If they refuse, he argues with his parents. Who would marry their daughter to such a man? It would be like pushing her into a pit of fire."

"I imagine they’ll have to look for a bride much farther away," Mrs. Yang mused, thinking that if nearby families refused marriage ties with Zhang Yunzhu’s house, perhaps families further afield, unaware of their true nature, might agree to send their daughter over.

"True enough. If they spend enough money, they can still find a wife," Mrs. Zhang sighed, then thought of something else. "Oh, right, did you hear about what’s happening at the Old House?"

"The Old House? What’s going on? I don't usually go over there much," Mrs. Yang asked, puzzled.

"It’s all because Qingshan’s wife hasn’t been able to bear a child," Mrs. Zhang pursed her lips. "Qingshan’s wife has been married for several years and still hasn't conceived. The Old Madam and Eldest Sister-in-law are getting restless. They’re saying they’ll bring in a secondary, co-equal wife for Qingshan."

"What? A co-equal wife? What kind of nonsense is that for farming folk? What are the Old Madam and the others thinking, stirring up such turmoil in the household?" Mrs. Yang strongly disapproved of the idea.

"That’s what I thought too! A co-equal wife! Who knows how messy things will get! I heard Qingshan initially disagreed, but the Old Madam threatened that if he didn’t take a co-equal wife, she would have his current wife divorced and find him a new one, so Qingshan wouldn't be left without someone to see to him in old age. After that, Qingshan didn't dare say another word," Mrs. Zhang shook her head. She had never been fond of the Old House, and this incident only solidified her desire to avoid any entanglement with them.

"Divorce? How old are Qingshan and his wife? To be talking about divorce already! It’s not unheard of to be childless for a few years after marriage. Must they rush into things and demand a divorce like this? Third Aunt Zhang, this is no small matter. We must go to the Old House and try to persuade them." Mrs. Yang was shocked and stood up, ready to leave for the Old House.

Mrs. Zhang quickly held her back. "Oh, Second Sister-in-law, what good would it do if we went? It would only cause more trouble. Think about it, are the Old Madam and Eldest Sister-in-law the sort who would listen to our advice? Perhaps the Old Madam is using the threat of divorce specifically to force Qingshan and his wife to agree to the secondary wife. If we intervene now, the Old Madam might lose face and insist on the divorce. It’s better if they settle this matter within the Old House themselves."

When Mrs. Yang heard this, she realized Mrs. Zhang was making perfect sense. If she inadvertently made things worse, she would only be harming others. She quietly sat back down.

Mrs. Yang frowned, "The Old Madam’s actions in this matter... are too much!"

"You know the Old Madam well enough. Back when we hadn't divided the households, among the three of us wives, she only ever treated Eldest Sister-in-law well. Do you forget how she treated the rest of us?" Mrs. Zhang said bitterly. "I say, the Old Madam isn’t much better than Little Aunt’s former mother-in-law." She vividly remembered the suffering she endured after marrying into the Wang family.

Mrs. Yang didn't know how to respond. Although she knew what Mrs. Zhang said was true, her nature disliked speaking ill of others behind their backs, so she remained silent. Moreover, she felt the Old Madam was far better than Madam Liu; at least Madam Liu never considered divorcing them.

Mrs. Zhang embroidered a few more stitches and added, "It's only because we bore sons. If we hadn't given birth to sons, we likely would have been sent back home too. Haven't we seen Qingshan’s wife as a living example? It’s just because she hasn't borne a son. And she’s still young; it’s not like she can never conceive again, yet they’re already pushing to divorce her."

Mrs. Yang actually agreed internally with much of what Mrs. Zhang said but still said nothing, only letting out a long sigh.

"I know your temperament, you don't like speaking ill of people. Among this entire family, you are the only one with such a good nature. I noticed it when I first married in, which is why I only enjoy spending time with you," Mrs. Zhang smiled.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Yang laughed as well.

Meanwhile, back at the Old House, He Shi was already feeling hopeless. She had sensed this day coming faintly since Qingyun’s wife entered the household, she just hadn't expected it so soon. She thought the elders wouldn't make a move against her until Luo Yin was pregnant, but unexpectedly, the elders couldn't wait any longer.

She panicked the moment the Old Madam brought up taking a secondary wife because she knew no one in the family would stand by her, including her own husband, Wang Qingshan. Thinking of this man, who had always been timid and obedient to his parents, He Shi felt a surge of resentment. If society didn't make it so inconvenient for a woman to live alone, why would she ever want to stay with this man? He was utterly dependent on his family, not only useless but also constantly shirking responsibility. What good was being honest and simple? To put it bluntly, he was weak and incompetent.

When the elders wanted him to take a secondary wife, he only dared to mumble his reluctance in a low voice. But when the Old Madam loudly stated, "Refuse the secondary wife, and I'll have you divorced and remarried," he dared not utter another word. He Shi couldn't even be bothered to argue anymore. Let the family do whatever they wished; now she only resented why her own parents had married her off to such a household.

Wang Qingshan entered the room and saw his wife sitting blankly on the kang, unsure what she was thinking.

"Xiujuan, Mother is calling for you outside to cook!" Wang Qingshan looked down, slightly afraid to face his wife.

He Shi didn't move an inch, unclear if she had heard him or not.

"Xiujuan..." Wang Qingshan hesitated slightly.

"Just tell her I'm sick and can’t get off the kang," He Shi said, turning over to lie facing inward on the bed.

"Xiujuan, you aren't sick..." Wang Qingshan hadn't finished before he was interrupted.

"I told you to go, so go! Get out!" He Shi sat up and yelled at Wang Qingshan, not caring if Tian Shi could hear from outside.

"Alright, alright, I'll go now, don't be angry," Wang Qingshan said, walking out under He Shi's glare.

Whether intentionally or not, no one came to call He Shi for the midday meal at the Old House. He Shi seemed to have expected it and didn't mind. However, after eating, Wang Qingshan came back into the room and pulled a flatbread from his sleeve, offering it to He Shi on the kang.

"Xiujuan, you haven't eaten lunch. This bread is still warm, hurry and eat it!" Wang Qingshan whispered.

He Shi kept her head turned inward and made no sound, appearing to be asleep.

"Xiujuan? Xiujuan?..." Wang Qingshan called several more times.

He Shi suddenly sat up and slapped the bread from Wang Qingshan's hand onto the floor. "Who asked you to come here being hypocritical and bringing bread? I don't want it!"

Seeing He Shi enraged, Wang Qingshan silently bent down, picked up the bread from the floor, and walked out.

Even after venting her anger, He Shi felt miserable and cried again while sitting on the kang.

At this time, the only person at the Old House who cared for He Shi was likely Wang Guifang. Thinking that He Shi hadn't come out for lunch, Wang Guifang brought over a piece of bread she had secretly saved from noon to visit her.

He Shi had finished crying and was staring blankly on the kang again, not noticing anyone enter.

"Xiujuan?" Wang Guifang called softly.

He Shi turned her head, "Little Aunt, you’ve come."

"What's wrong with you..." Wang Guifang didn't finish the question. After all, this entire situation was caused by her own mother. No matter how much she tried to persuade, her words would lack conviction. She couldn't possibly say her own mother, the Old Madam, was wrong, and she couldn't bring herself to speak ill of the Old Madam. So, she just took out the hidden bread and offered it to He Shi. "You didn't eat lunch, did you? Eat quickly."

He Shi looked at the bread offered to her but didn't take it, only asking, "Little Aunt, I've already prayed to the Goddess of Fertility, why haven't I conceived yet? I’d even be happy with a daughter!"

Wang Guifang’s nose stung, and she suppressed her tears. "You surely will. The Goddess of Fertility we prayed to is very efficacious!"

"If I can't conceive now, what good will it do if I conceive later?" He Shi seemed to be talking to herself.

"How can you think like that? As long as you conceive, you'll have support in the future!" Wang Guifang urged.

"If he marries a secondary wife in the future, where will I stand?" He Shi sneered. "Perhaps he'll even find me a nuisance, taking up space, and try to divorce me to make room for someone else!"

"You are worrying needlessly. Qingshan didn't want to marry a secondary wife either, did he? He still cares about you deep down," Wang Guifang said anxiously.

"What use is that? He still listens to whatever the elders say. Did you see him dare to object even once?" He Shi scoffed.

Wang Guifang didn't know what else to say. Qingshan’s nature was indeed soft. Asking him to defy his family’s wishes was likely something he couldn't do.

"Little Aunt, do you know, I really want to divorce Qingshan and leave. Since I have no prospects staying in the Wang family anyway, it would be better to leave this place and cleanse my sight," He Shi admitted.

Wang Guifang immediately became alarmed. "What nonsense are you speaking, child? A woman always needs some reliance in her husband's family. If you divorce, think about how outsiders will view you, and how they will view your mother's family. Don't you know how harsh the world is toward women?"

He Shi chuckled lightly. "Don't be angry, Little Aunt. I’m just thinking aloud. It hasn’t reached the worst stage yet, at least the secondary wife hasn't been brought home, right?"

Wang Guifang felt even sadder hearing He Shi say this. Did this mean that only once the secondary wife was married in would she consider the possibility of divorce?