Chapter 20: Birth determines destiny

Her expression was icy and behind her were five burly men propping up the scene. The eldest and second eldest sons of the Liang family were relatively stable due to their age, but the ninth one had a playful and smiling face, with the thickest skin and the thinnest lips.

"I have to say, even though we all know that after my aunt passed away, you legitimized a concubine, now we are talking about my aunt's dowry. Having this Zhang person staying here, constantly representing the position of the prime minister, is that appropriate?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Shimei almost burst out laughing!

That ninth brother really had a way with words!

Having a woman speak for herself after being taunted and ridiculed, Liu Fuyun had to speak up. "So, are all of you nephews here to claim back the dowry of your deceased wife?"

As expected of the leading civilian official, one remark turned the situation around!

When a daughter marries, the dowry is given. After the person is gone, the family comes to claim it back? The dowry is already a family matter of the Liu family, there is no reason for the maternal family to get involved.

The arrogance of the literati, looking down on the military, was starting to emerge.

As the eldest son of the Liang family, Liang Xun said solemnly, "Your Excellency, we are not here to claim back our aunt's dowry. We only heard that our cousin, who was bestowed the Emperor's favor, is getting married. With our aunt deceased, our mother is worried about our cousin and that's why we came. If we have done something wrong, our mother will come personally to take care of our cousin."

"But my prime minister's residence does not lack a lady of the house!" Liu Yan'er was indeed the one who couldn't control her temper.

By speaking up, she became the target of their attacks!

Liang Xun didn't speak to a young girl for fear of lowering his status, so Liang Yi, who was not much younger, said, "Miss Liu, right? Your mother, in the presence of the late prime minister's wife, is nothing but a concubine! Do you want our aunt, the matriarch of the Liang family, to talk to a concubine?"

The family of the wife, as well as the wife, is equal. At that time, Mrs. Zhang was just a concubine, in front of the Liang family, she would always be one!

If the matriarch of the Liang family were to come to the prime minister's residence, Mrs. Zhang would not have the qualifications to entertain her! Even if she was reluctantly allowed to entertain her, she would still be inferior!

This point made Mrs. Zhang, who had been the legitimate wife for eleven or twelve years, furious, but she couldn't refute this reasoning!

The background determines destiny!

"You..." Liu Yan'er looked at the group of handsome, sturdy men with a fierce air, and didn't dare to confront them. She could only turn her accusation toward Liu Shimei, "Elder sister is so powerful, she found so many helpers from your maternal family to come and pressure father!"

"That's quite an interesting statement," Liu Shimei thought that there was no need to talk to someone like Liu Yan'er, so she naturally picked up the conversation, "Liu Yan'er, do you want me to tell everyone about how you drugged me, sent me into that alley, and arranged for men to violate my innocence... in detail?"

That jade pendant is still in her hands!

With her words, the faces of her five brothers instantly turned cold.

Having grown up in a military camp, they had been exposed to weapons for a long time, and had some sinister air about them. With all of them frowning in unison, it was quite intimidating!

Liang Yi stepped forward and said, "Sister, is that story true?"

Don't be fooled by his appearance: even though he looks like a young lad with a smiling face and is always carefree, when he doesn't smile, that murderous air isn’t much less than his older brother, Liang Xun!

Liu Shimei remained silent, and Liu Yan'er, frightened, paled and quietly took a step back, arguing, "I've said that I didn't do it!"