The sickly son died young? After the marriage exchange, I will bring prosperity to his entire clan f

Ling's father also noticed the unspoken tension between the children, but he didn't ask any questions.

After dinner, Ling's mother said, "From now on, Fourth Brother's wife doesn't need to do anything at home. She just needs to cook for Fourth Brother every day."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sound of a bowl falling to the ground and the porcelain shattering followed.

Everyone looked over and saw that the bowl in Liu's hand had fallen to the ground, and the bowls that had just been gathered up and stacked together were now... all broken into pieces.

Ling's mother did not speak out in anger. Although she felt sorry for her daughter-in-law, she just watched without saying anything when she saw that her daughter-in-law was not in a good mood.

Ling Sanlang hurriedly stepped forward, reaching out to pull Liu away and check if she was alright, but Liu shook off Ling Sanlang's hand.

She looked calmly at Ling's mother and asked, "Mother, is there no one else in the family besides my fourth brother?"

Ling's mother frowned.

Upon hearing that things were about to go wrong, Ling Sanlang stepped forward, grabbed Liu Shi, and pulled her outside, saying, "Mother, Liu Shi isn't feeling well today. I'll buy the broken bowls."

"Let her go, let her finish speaking," Ling's mother said calmly.

When Madam Ling spoke, Ling Sanlang reluctantly let go of Liu's hand, but he still gave her a warning look. However, Liu completely ignored him.

Liu said calmly, "Mother, from the moment I entered the family, everything was put first for my fourth brother. I accept that. Even after my child was born, the child was still put last, and everything was still put first for my fourth brother. I accept that too."

“But now, just because of my fourth brother, does that mean I have to sacrifice Sanlang? He is the father of my child, how can he go to the army?”

"Third sister-in-law, don't worry, the third brother isn't going," Ling Dalang quickly stepped forward.

"Liu, if you keep talking nonsense, I'll divorce you!" Ling Sanlang shouted.

Liu's previous calm vanished, and she began punching and kicking Ling Sanlang. The woman, whose composure had crumbled, yelled as she hit him, "Fine, you'll divorce me! If you don't divorce me today, you'll bury me alive!"

"What did you say to me when you married me? You said you would take good care of me for the rest of your life and never leave me without a family. But after taking care of me for a few years, you want to leave. What happened to your promise? You haven't kept any of the things you promised me. What right do you have to yell at me? What right do you have?"

Ling Sanlang's eyes reddened, "Don't be silly, I can't take care of you, but you can..."

A sharp "snap" interrupted Ling Sanlang's words.

Ling's mother appeared in front of Ling Sanlang at some point, raised her hand and slapped her son, and the air instantly became quiet.

"What kind of soldier? Who told you you were going to join the army? Are you trying to rebel?"

Ling Sanlang knelt down with a thud. The shards of broken porcelain were still there, and now... he knelt down firmly.

Even Du Mingxian, who was standing to the side, felt pain just looking at it.

"Mother, please let your son go. The imperial court is conscripting soldiers, which is also an opportunity for your son. Your son wants to be a person of high status."

"Shut up, you'll never be able to join the army in your life."

"Mother, I..."

"Da Bao," Old Man Ling said, and Ling Sanlang could no longer continue, "Go and get the whip for driving the cattle for me."

Da Bao knew that his grandfather was angry, so he didn't dare to disobey and hurriedly ran over to get it.

Ling Sanlang remained stubbornly kneeling on the ground, "Father, even if you beat me to death today, I will still join the army."

Father Ling sneered, his gaze sweeping over Ling Erlang and Ling Dalang, "You two want to go too?"

Ling Dalang and Ling Erlang knelt down together and said in unison, "Father, your sons want to go."

"Okay." Ling's father laughed, a loud laugh that sounded almost manic.

Du Mingxian stood to the side, afraid that her father-in-law might faint.

Da Bao brought over the whip and saw his father kneeling on the ground. He was a little anxious but didn't dare to speak. He handed the whip to Ling's father.

Father Ling stood up, walked behind his three sons, picked up the whip and lashed them all with it, holding nothing back, being fair and impartial, giving each of them a lash.

Ling's mother was heartbroken and clenched her hands tightly, refusing to speak.

Ling's father then gave each of them a second lash.

At this moment, Ling Silang rushed over. He had gone to the outhouse after eating and heard the commotion. By the time he arrived, the second lash had already fallen. He hurriedly stepped forward and knelt on the ground with a thud, "Father."

Ling's mother felt an increasing pain in her heart, but this time she did not stop her youngest son.

Ling's father looked at his fourth son, then at the three in front of him, and his vision blurred with anger.

Seeing that Ling's father was not in a good condition, Du Mingxian hurriedly stepped forward. As soon as she rushed forward, Ling's father collapsed. She caught him and hurriedly pinched his philtrum, crying, "Father."

Ling's father didn't fall to the ground; Du Mingxian caught him.

However, Ling's father's collapse terrified everyone else.

Ling Dalang took off running outside; he was going to find a doctor.

The Ling family was in chaos. When Ling's father was placed on the bed, Du Mingxian gave him some basic first aid. He had already woken up and saw everyone gathered around the bed.

He waved his hand and said, "Go out, all of you. You're all grown up now, and I can't control you anymore. Once I can get back to my senses, I'll divide the family property among you."

Ling Erlang and Ling Sanlang were terrified.

In the village, it's always the case that the parents don't separate the family while they're still alive. Now that the father has proposed separating the family, how can this be allowed?

Ling Erlang and Ling Sanlang wanted to kneel again, but their mother told them to go outside, so they had no choice but to go outside and kneel at the door.

Du Mingxian brought a bowl of warm water from the kitchen, with a drop of spiritual spring water in it, and handed it to Ling's mother after entering the main room, saying, "Mother, feed Father some water."

"it is good."

Only the elderly couple remained in the house. Ling's mother fed Ling's father water, muttering, "They're all grown up now. I always thought these children were all obedient."

Ling's father felt that the water tasted particularly sweet today, and he felt better after drinking it. Then he spoke in a hoarse voice, "They want to climb the ranks and see if they can cure Si Lang's illness."

"Silang wants his children to go to school, they..."

They all meant well for each other, but faced with Ling Silang's illness, everyone felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

Ling's mother said, "After the family splits up, I want to live with Si Lang."

Traditionally, after the family splits up, the parents live with the eldest son.

"Alright, I'll live with Silang."

Ling's mother smiled, "Fourth son's wife is a good one. If Fourth Son really doesn't make it in two years, we'll prepare a dowry for her and marry her off like a daughter. Then it'll just be the two of us."

"Okay." After a long pause, Ling's father said, "When I collapsed just now, I was thinking, are we being too biased?"

Ling's mother's expression darkened. "How could I not know that we are biased? But if we don't favor Silang, he won't survive. Back then, that wolf wanted to eat Dalang and the others. If it weren't for my big belly, it would have been for Silang's sake. Who can really say what's right and wrong?"

The elderly couple were talking inside the house.

Three people were kneeling outside. The children at home didn't go out to play today; instead, they all went back to their rooms.