In an instant, the entire main hall fell into silence.
Everyone was too stunned to react, staring blankly at the scene before them.
They watched as Yu Li picked up Yu Laoda like a chick, hoisting him off the ground where he had fallen, and shoved him in front of Old Madam Yu and Old Master Yu. She then pressed down on his neck, forcing him to kneel before them.
This all happened in the blink of an eye. Not to mention everyone else, even Yu Laoda himself hadn’t had time to react before he was forced to his knees.
When they saw the look of absolute certainty on her face, as if what she did was perfectly reasonable, everyone was dumbfounded, unable to utter a word.
It was as if this was how things were supposed to be, without any room for dispute.
“Ah…”
Chen Shi opened her mouth, her expression blank, letting out an indistinct sound.
Yu Qin and Yu Jingzong had never imagined things would develop this way. The siblings were equally dumbstruck, their mouths agape.
The first to recover was Old Madam Yu.
Perhaps after being repeatedly provoked by Yu Li over the past month, her resilience had unknowingly been strengthened.
Old Madam Yu shrieked, “Stop it! What do you think you’re doing?!”
Her voice was so shrill that it even cracked slightly, showing just how much Yu Li’s actions had shaken her.
This incident had agitated her far more than the day Yu Li smashed the pillar in the main hall.
Old Madam Yu’s outburst broke the surrounding silence, finally snapping Chen Shi, Yu Qin, and Yu Jingzong back to their senses.
“What are you doing?” Chen Shi shouted sharply. “Let go of him this instant! What kind of behavior is this?”
As the daughter of a scholar and someone who could recognize a few words, her tone carried a pretentious, formal air.
Yu Qin angrily rebuked, “Li Niang, you’ve gone too far!”
“Let go of my father!”
Yu Jingzong yelled as he leapt up, charging at Yu Li like an enraged young bull, intent on knocking her over.
Seeing this, Yu Qin’s eyelid twitched. She had a bad feeling about it.
Yu Li’s hand remained pressed firmly on Yu Laoda’s nape, not only forcing him to kneel but also making him bow his head, as if he were confessing to Old Master Yu and his wife.
When Yu Jingzong rushed at her, Yu Li didn’t even move. She casually swung a slap at him, sending him spinning like a top. By sheer coincidence, he crashed into Chen Shi, who had just started to get up, knocking her backward.
Mother and son collapsed into a heap.
“Mother! Jingzong!” Yu Qin cried out and hurried over to help them.
Her earlier bad feeling had been spot on. When she saw Yu Li’s slap land on Yu Jingzong, the scene overlapped with the moment Yu Li had struck Chen Jicheng before.
Chen Shi and Yu Jingzong were so dazed from the fall that they couldn’t get up for a moment. Yu Qin, with her limited strength, couldn’t manage to help them up either. The mother and son looked utterly miserable, tangled together on the ground.
Witnessing this, the members of the third branch felt a sense of finality, as though everything had reached its conclusion.
At this moment, they even had the presence of mind to think: So even Yu Laoda couldn’t deal with her. It seemed the Yu family was truly about to change hands.
Fortunately, they had quickly returned those two taels of silver; otherwise, the one being forced to kneel there right now would probably have been Yu Laosan.
The members of the second branch stared blankly at the scene, still unable to react.
Or rather, there wasn’t any need for them to react.
Yu Jin and her two younger sisters were clever enough to know that when their eldest sister acted, all they needed to do was quietly watch and not cause any trouble for her.
As for the couple of Yu Lao’er and his wife, they were completely stunned.
Just like the day Yu Li returned to visit her family, the couple couldn’t respond at all, and no one expected them to.
Old Madam Yu was initially furious that Yu Li would dare treat her eldest son this way, but as she saw the miserable state of Chen Shi and her son, her angry screams gradually weakened.
Although she didn’t want to admit it, deep down, she was quite afraid of this granddaughter who had undergone such a drastic change in temperament.
This fear had accumulated over the past month, especially as they realized that no matter what they did, they couldn’t seem to do anything about her.
Yu Li ignored the trio of Chen Shi and her son, turning her gaze toward Old Master Yu and Old Madam Yu. She said, “Grandfather, Grandmother, Eldest Uncle is kneeling. Do you have anything you want to say to him?”
She asked the two elders in a seemingly innocent manner, without any apparent hidden agenda.
But to the two of them, it sounded like a blatant threat, forcing them to take a stance.
The veins on Old Master Yu’s forehead pulsed violently. He was torn between feeling distressed for his son, who was being forced to kneel, and fearing what Yu Li might do next if she lost her temper again.
“Y-you… let go of the eldest first,” Old Master Yu stammered, trembling. “He’s your uncle. How can you treat him like this?”
Yu Li replied, “Didn’t he say to kneel? So now he’s kneeling. What’s wrong with that?”
Of course, there was something wrong!
Everyone present was screaming this in their hearts. Clearly, he had told her to kneel, not for her to force him to kneel! What kind of logic was this?
How could a junior forcibly make their elder kneel? Even though Yu Laoda was kneeling in front of the two elders, it was still Yu Li who was pressing him down to make him kneel!
As they spoke, Yu Laoda had begun to struggle.
However, the hand pressing down on his nape didn’t budge an inch. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn’t shake it off or move it even slightly.
Yu Laoda’s face gradually turned red with blood. His pride as a scholar wouldn’t allow him to lose composure by shouting or screaming, so he clenched his teeth and struggled in vain, trying to free himself from the hand holding him down.
Yu Li, however, kept pressing him down without letting go.
Her expression was calm and devoid of effort, as if she were merely holding down a large turtle. No matter how much the turtle struggled, it was futile.
How much strength does she even have?
Old Madam Yu was on the verge of tears, repeatedly pleading, “What will it take for you to let go of the eldest?”
Old Master Yu’s face was equally dark and grim.
Seeing his prized eldest son being treated like this by her, how could he remain unmoved?
Yu Li blinked, her gaze shifting between Old Master Yu and Old Madam Yu. Then she slowly said, “Didn’t he want to kneel? I’m just helping him kneel. Why should I let go?”
She was clearly intent on making Yu Laoda kneel for as long as possible!
In that instant, everyone present understood her intentions.
Old Master Yu felt a chill rise in his heart, a cold fear creeping into him as he found himself growing increasingly apprehensive of her.
Yu Laosan looked at his elder brother, who was being humiliatingly forced to kneel, and although he knew he shouldn’t, he couldn’t help but feel a subtle sense of schadenfreude.
He thought to himself, ‘Eldest Brother, so you can be this pathetic too!’
Normally, you pride yourself on being a scholar, looking down on us “mud-legged” farmers who toil in the fields.
But now, look at you—like a dog, being forced to kneel there by someone else.
And the worst thing I’ve ever faced was paying back two taels of silver.
Yu Laosan figured he’d much rather return those two taels than be forced to kneel like a dead dog.
Meanwhile, Chen Shi had gotten back on her feet, her hair disheveled, and was shrieking, “Yu Li, what exactly do you think you’re doing? Let go of your Eldest Uncle! This is absolutely outrageous!”
She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
The once docile, submissive Li Niang had done something so terrifying and unprecedented.
To her, this scene was utterly horrifying, completely unheard of. How could a niece forcibly make her elder kneel?
Chen Shi couldn’t accept it.
Yu Jingzong couldn’t accept it either. With a shout, he grabbed a stick from a corner and swung it at Yu Li. “I’ll beat you to death, you wretch!”
Although Yu Jingzong was only ten years old, he ate well and was sturdy and strong. For a half-grown boy, his strength wasn’t insignificant, and the stick sliced through the air with force. If it struck her, it would surely hurt immensely.
Yu Jin and her sisters instinctively cried out.
Just as the stick was about to land, Yu Li reached out and caught it steadily.
Yu Jingzong froze in place for a moment, stunned. Before he could react, the stick was yanked out of his hand with a terrifying force. Then, the stick swung back at him.
“Ah—!”
Yu Jingzong screamed as he was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into Chen Shi and Yu Qin, who were knocked to the ground, cushioning his fall. The three of them cried out in pain.
Old Madam Yu could no longer hold back. She screamed, “Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!”
Yu Li turned her head to look at her.
Meeting her gaze, Old Madam Yu felt a chill run through her, instinctively stepping back. But when she saw Yu Laoda still kneeling there and Chen Shi with her children sprawled out miserably, she couldn’t hold back her tears.
“Li Niang, please let go of your Eldest Uncle!” Old Madam Yu cried. “It was our fault. We shouldn’t have…”
She trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.
Yu Li said nothing, her hand still firmly pressing on Yu Laoda’s nape. Her gaze shifted to Old Master Yu.
Old Master Yu’s heart pounded as he looked at her, his voice trembling. “W-what exactly do you want?”
For the first time, as the head of the Yu family, Old Master Yu showed fear—fear of his own granddaughter.
Yu Laosan and the others could all see the fear on his face, leaving them stunned.
So even Old Master Yu could feel afraid?
In the Yu family, he held the highest status, always having the final say. No one had ever been able to make him compromise. He openly favored the eldest branch and could suppress any dissent, forcing others to work tirelessly for the family while supporting the eldest branch’s studies.
Yu Li said, “Grandfather, I don’t intend to do anything.”
Though she said this, her hand remained firmly pressing down, showing no sign of letting go.
Yu Laoda, forced to kneel there with his head hanging low, started to experience blood rushing to his head, dizziness setting in. Sweat soaked through his clothes, drenching the soft, close-fitting scholar’s robes he prided himself on. The fabric clung to his body, highlighting his miserable state for all to see.
Everyone could see just how pathetic he looked.
Old Master Yu stared at her for a long moment and finally understood something. A defeated expression appeared on his face.
He said, “Li Niang, you’ve misunderstood. The reason I called you back this time was to discuss the matter of dividing the family, especially since your Eldest Uncle is here.”
Dividing the family?!
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present instinctively held their breath.
Even Chen Shi, who had been dazed from her earlier fall, snapped to attention, her instincts telling her this was bad news.
Old Master Yu ignored their reactions and continued, “Let go of your Eldest Uncle first, so we can sit down and properly discuss the matter of dividing the family.”
Yu Li looked at him. “Really?”
“Of course,” Old Master Yu said firmly.
“Old man!” Old Madam Yu screamed, “We can’t divide the family!”
She had considered dividing the family before, but now that the old man had actually brought it up, she was unwilling.
Old Master Yu ignored her protests and continued to look at Yu Li.
After a moment of eye contact, Yu Li finally released her hand.
The moment she let go, Yu Laoda collapsed onto the ground like a dead dog, drenched in sweat.
Yu Laosan glanced at him, a surge of satisfaction welling up in his heart.
Old Madam Yu rushed over to help her eldest son, asking anxiously, “Eldest, are you alright? Are you okay?”
Yu Laoda glanced at her, then closed his eyes and fainted on the spot.
“Eldest!” Old Madam Yu was terrified.
“Husband!”
Chen Shi was also alarmed. Ignoring her own pain, she rushed to him, holding him as she sobbed, “Husband, you mustn’t have anything happen to you. If something happens to you, I’ll go straight to the county office to file a complaint!”
At the mention of “filing a complaint,” everyone present flinched.
The second branch, in particular, turned pale. Yu Jin and her sisters were so frightened their faces turned white.
If their Eldest Aunt really went to file a complaint, then their Eldest Sister would…
Yu Qin and Yu Jingzong glared at Yu Li with hatred, echoing, “Mother, you must file a complaint! Accuse her of disrespecting her elders so the magistrate will beat her with a cane.”
“Throw her in jail!”
“Disrespecting one’s elders is punishable by imprisonment!”
“You’d even be paraded around in a prison cart and pelted with rotten vegetables!”
The siblings took turns making up these exaggerated consequences, trying to scare Yu Li.
Little did they know what the actual penalty for defying elders was. They had simply heard bits and pieces from storybooks in the county town and operas performed by Miss Yang’s troupe, so they made things up on the spot.
Yu Li didn’t even glance at them. Her expression remained calm as she said, “Sure, but before you file your complaint, I’ll break Yu Jingde’s and Yu Jingli’s arms and legs first.”
As Chen Shi and Old Master Yu’s faces turned pale, she added, “You know I’m capable of doing it.”
At this point, she grew impatient. The constant bickering and chaos around her was irritating.
Annoyed, she said, “Forget it. Since we’ve already fallen out, why not save the trouble and let me break all your legs right now?”
With that, she raised the stick she had taken from Yu Jingzong, ready to smash it down on Yu Laoda’s unconscious legs.
“Stop!”
Old Master Yu’s voice cracked as he yelled.
In an unexpectedly agile move, he threw himself over Yu Laoda, shielding him.
The stick in Yu Li’s hand paused mid-air.
She spoke calmly, “Grandfather, step aside. I won’t hit you. I’ll break Eldest Uncle’s legs first, then head to the county and break Yu Jingde’s and Yu Jingli’s legs next.”
“No!”
Yu Laoda, who had been unconscious, suddenly opened his eyes, a look of terror flashing across his face for the first time.
He turned to Old Master Yu and said, “Father, let’s divide the family—quickly!”
Earlier, Old Master Yu had used the idea of dividing the family to placate Yu Li, and Yu Laoda had heard every word. He was terrified that Yu Li would truly break his legs and then head to the county to cripple his two sons.
Even if Yu Li were to face punishment from the authorities afterward, he and his sons would already be ruined.
His two sons were supposed to take the imperial exams, become scholars, and rise to official ranks in the future.
Yu Laoda couldn’t gamble with his sons’ futures.
Those were his most talented children, the vessels of his dreams of success in the imperial exams. He couldn’t risk even the slightest possibility of harm coming to them.
In this moment, Yu Li had firmly grasped Yu Laoda’s weak spot.
For him, his eldest and second sons’ scholarly paths were paramount. He could compromise on anything else, but not this.
Faced with Yu Li’s actions, which had already filled him with fear, he didn’t dare question the authenticity of her threats.
—
Seeing Yu Laoda suddenly awaken, the others were momentarily stunned. Then they heard him say he wanted to divide the family.
For a moment, no one cared whether he had truly fainted earlier or was only pretending. All eyes turned to Old Master Yu.
Dividing the family was a major decision—no one could take it lightly.
Old Master Yu quickly nodded. “Yes, yes, let’s divide the family.”
Like Yu Laoda, he too had pinned his hopes on the two grandsons to elevate the family’s status. He couldn’t afford to let anything happen to them.
Yu Li’s threat had also hit Old Master Yu and Yu Laoda’s most vulnerable spot.
In contrast, Yu Li had no weak points at all.
Threaten her with the second branch?
What was there to threaten her with? The second branch was already living miserably with no future prospects to speak of. They were like barefooted people unafraid of those wearing shoes.
When both Old Master Yu and Yu Laoda agreed to divide the family, the Yu family’s separation became an inevitable conclusion.
Yu Li casually tossed the stick aside, flinging it out the window.
She said, “Alright then, I’ll temporarily hold off on breaking Yu Jingde and Yu Jingli’s legs. But if any of you decide to file a complaint with the authorities, or go to the clan head or the village head, I’ll break their legs first. At that point, I’ll willingly accept any punishment, whether it’s from the clan or the authorities. I’ll have no complaints.”
After saying this, she kindly asked, “What do you think of that?”
Of course, they didn’t think it was okay!
Old Master Yu and Yu Laoda’s lips trembled uncontrollably, unable to utter a word.
This was a blatant threat.
“Even if I end up in prison or face other punishments, having my two cousins’ broken legs to keep me company doesn’t seem like a bad trade, does it?” Yu Li continued to ask, with apparent good intentions.
Everyone present: “..…” Of course, it’s not a loss for you—it’s a total disaster for the eldest branch!
Chen Shi couldn’t speak either. Clutching her chest, she struggled to breathe.
How could such a vicious person exist in this world?
She would rather accept punishment herself just to break Yu Jingde and Yu Jingli’s legs, even though they had done nothing to provoke her.
It was precisely because of these words that everyone present understood: Yu Li was dead serious.
If they filed a complaint with the authorities or sought out the clan or village heads, she would break Yu Jingde and Yu Jingli’s legs first, ensuring they would never have a chance at the imperial exams.
At worst, they’d all go down together, but Yu Li wouldn’t lose anything.
Old Master Yu trembled for a long while before finally speaking, “Don’t worry, that won’t happen. No one will file a complaint!”
As the head of the household, once he made a decision, no one else could easily defy him.
Yu Laoda kept his head lowered, saying nothing.
Old Madam Yu and Chen Shi’s eyes were red with anger and frustration, while Yu Qin and Yu Jingzong were furious but didn’t dare to speak out.
Yu Li finally looked satisfied and asked, “When will we divide the family?”
Old Master Yu remained silent for a moment before saying, “Tomorrow. Tomorrow morning, we’ll invite the village head and clan leader to oversee the division.”
“Alright!” Yu Li agreed, her tone sounding cooperative. “I’ll come over tomorrow morning as well.”
Hearing this, Old Master Yu’s mouth moved slightly, but he didn’t say anything.
What was there to say? If she wanted to come, they couldn’t stop her. With her keeping a close watch, there was no chance of favoritism during the division. If there were, who knew what she might do next?
Old Master Yu finally understood that this granddaughter of his was inherently reckless and unyielding.
She was like someone who walked barefoot and feared nothing—not even the threat of involving the authorities. There was nothing they could use against her, yet she had thoroughly grasped their weaknesses.
If they didn’t comply with her demands, there was no telling when Yu Jingde and Yu Jingli’s legs might be broken by her.
Unless they could be absolutely certain of overpowering her, ensuring she had no strength to resist, they couldn’t afford to tear things apart with her completely.
But right now, they simply didn’t have the ability to suppress her.
A living, breathing person with such terrifying strength—how were they supposed to subdue her?
At that moment, Old Master Yu even thought, If only Jingde and Jingli already had scholarly titles or held official positions in the court.
If that were the case, what would they have to fear from her?
No matter how strong or capable she was in a fight, she was just one person. Could she possibly go against the entire government?
For now, however, they had no choice but to go along with her.
Once the two grandsons achieved scholarly titles and had the power to suppress her, then it wouldn’t be too late to deal with her.
As Old Master Yu thought this, his eyes darkened with a heavy shadow.