The aunt nodded forcefully, spitting at Ah Tie’s stepmother with shared hatred, "Pei, cruel stepmother!"
Yun Jiao then pulled Liu Lang and Xiao Chuan up, while Ah Tie’s stepmother also climbed up from the ground, unceremoniously spitting back, "I’m Ah Tie’s mother, what’s wrong with taking a piece of his clothing? His father and mother are still wearing tattered jackets, why should he wear such a thick new cotton coat?"
"Is there no sense of filial piety anymore?"
Mrs. Chen snickered, "Whose parents are you pretending to be?"
"Did you give birth to Ah Tie? Or have you ever raised him for a single day?"
"You drove Ah Tie out as soon as you entered the door, and you still have the face to ask for Ah Tie’s filial respect?"
Yun Jiao listened nearby, constantly furrowing her brows.
Mrs. Chen’s words seemed correct, but actually they weren’t.
The key point is, Ah Tie is currently her servant, according to the law, he’s her private property.
Everything of Ah Tie’s is also her private property, this isn’t about filial piety, according to the law, it’s about robbing Yun Jiao’s belongings!
Yun Jiao quickly said to Ah Tie’s stepmother, "Take off the cotton coat and return it to me, otherwise, let’s go to Zhao Lizheng’s place to talk."
She realized that trying to reason with these people was probably futile, better to let Zhao Lizheng deal with it.
Ah Tie’s stepmother sneered, "This cotton coat is mine when worn on me, you want it? No way!"
"What about Zhao Lizheng, you think I don’t dare to go? I don’t believe Lizheng can prevent Ah Tie from being filial to his parents!"
Everyone at the door started clamoring, "Let’s go, let’s have Zhao Lizheng judge it."
A group of people marched to Zhao Lizheng’s house in great numbers.
Passing by the Jiang Family’s place, Jiang Rong, Jiang Hua, and the Yang Family and Liu Family saw them, and followed to watch the commotion next door.
Zhao Lizheng often handled neighborhood disputes, so he wasn’t fazed to see so many people arriving. He simply called some of his sons and daughters-in-law to move stools for everyone to sit.
Once everyone was settled, Zhao Lizheng then asked, "What happened?"
Yun Jiao was about to speak when Ah Tie’s stepmother preemptively complained, "Uncle Lizheng, you be the judge."
She first pulled Liu Dagen over, pointing at the tattered cotton coat he was wearing, "Look at this, what Da Gen is wearing."
Then she tugged at the clothes she was wearing, "This cotton coat is thick, alright, but it’s not mine, my own cotton coat is even more tattered than the one Da Gen is wearing."
"It’s because Ah Tie, this child is filial, seeing me wearing tattered clothes, he took off his own cotton coat for me to wear."
She pointed at Mrs. Chen, "But this wicked woman insists I stole her belongings, came to our house causing a scene, wanting to snatch the cotton coat away."
Zhao Lizheng’s eyebrows twitched as he listened, while Yun Jiao gently explained the situation again.
After Yun Jiao finished speaking, Zhao Lizheng completely understood, and said to Liu Dagen, "Stop messing around, quickly have your wife return the cotton coat to them."
Liu Dagen hung his head without speaking.
Ah Tie’s stepmother protested indignantly, "Uncle Lizheng, you cannot be biased toward her, why should the cotton coat be returned to her? Isn’t filial piety not allowed anymore for Ah Tie?"
Yun Jiao then slowly took out the contract from her sleeve, "Not allowed!"
"Ah Tie is my servant, from the day I bought him, he and everything on him is my property!"
"Without my consent, taking off his cotton coat without permission is robbing my property, according to logic, I can sue you in the government office!"
After Yun Jiao finished speaking, the crowd began whispering and discussing.
They didn’t know there was such a principle.
Mainly because there were no servants at home.