Chapter 148

The wealthiest family members were undoubtedly Wen Shi and his wife. Recalling the unpleasantness he had experienced with Wen Shi before, and considering that he was the elder brother, Wen Chuanzong couldn't bring himself to do it.

Old Man Wen's pressure was driving him crazy.

Xiuyu's family is unreliable, and as for Amian's family, there's no point in even thinking about it, since he's not even his wife.

"Chuanzong, have you thought about what your father is telling you? Your father has already inquired about it for you. There is a primary school near Ping'an Village. You are a scholar, after all. It would be respectable for you to be a teacher."

“In addition to the monthly allowance, they can also receive extra gifts.”

Late at night, after Wen Chuanzong finished using the toilet, he was about to return to his room when he ran into Old Man Wen, who had just come out. Upon hearing this, Old Man Wen's body trembled, and his expression turned extremely ugly.

The sky was dark, but he could hear his father's words very clearly.

"If you insist on your own way, then you should move out with your whole family."

"Dad, you were the most supportive of my studies before. Even if I don't graduate right away, does that mean I'm still your son? Now, do you only care about the third and fifth sons?"

"I support your studies, but how can you face your family?"

Old Man Wen walked up to Wen Chuanzong.

“People have to learn to let go. Our family isn’t rich and can’t support that much. I’m making this clear to you today: the land we’ve acquired before won’t be yours, and it has nothing to do with your son.”

"Don't think that just because your mother and I love your two sons, we'll assume they'll get all of this. That's impossible. It's not just the land, but also this house. This house was built by our third son. Right now, it's for our whole family to live in. But if he buys a house in the city later, after your mother and I are gone, when the family is divided, this house will go to our second and fourth sons."

"The rooms we're giving you now are just for temporary accommodation. Don't overthink it. The front yard will go to the second son's family, and the back yard to the fourth son's family. I'm not worried about the fifth son; he'll definitely be better off than you in the future."

"If you don't want to be kicked out and homeless after your mother and I leave, you'd better make plans as soon as possible."

After finishing speaking, Old Man Wen headed towards the outhouse without looking back.

Wen Chuanzong stood there for a long time, feeling the cold wind blowing. He gradually came to his senses, but he was still unwilling to accept it. He did not believe that he would only be a scholar in the end.

If you hadn't understood it when you first heard it, you would have ended up relying on luck for your livelihood.

He would think he was very capable, but he and Xiao Wu lived up to expectations, while he alone did not have a good outcome. Thinking of this, Wen Chuanzong strode into the house.

Xiuyu was woken up in the middle of the night. She instinctively wanted to curse, but she didn't expect it to be Wen Chuanzong who came in.

What are you going to do?

Xiuyu was half asleep. In the past, the couple's relationship was okay, and they had two sons. But ever since Wen Chuanzong took a concubine, the two could not even pretend to be husband and wife. Whenever they were together, they would quarrel every three days and fight every five days.

Fortunately, Wen Chuanzong spends most of his time reading, so these past few years have been relatively quiet.

Wen Chuanzong lit a candle and then said, "I have something to tell you. We're not staying here anymore."

He thought about it for a long time, and finally made his choice. He didn't believe that God would let him down.

What did you say?

For a moment, Xiuyu thought she was hallucinating.

“My dad told me before that I should go out and find a job. If I continue to study, he will kick our whole family out. He wants me to give up, earn more money, support my children, and rely on them in the future.”

After regaining consciousness, Xiuyu sighed, but upon reflection, she realized it wouldn't do her any harm. Her two sons were older, so she would definitely pass on the favor to them.

“You are also the children’s father. If they are successful in the future, they will not treat you badly. I think what I said is correct.”

Wen Chuanzong remained silent for a long time. He looked at Xiuyu and then said, "We have been married for many years and our children are all grown up. You should know what kind of person I am. Although I have concubines, I have never bullied you, and A-Mian is no exception."

“If you don’t listen to me, then we’ll get a divorce. I’ll make her my legal wife later. The two children are grown up now, so we don’t need to worry about them.”

Hearing Chuanzong's words was like a bolt from the blue, leaving Xiuyu stunned for a long time, unable to comprehend what he meant by divorce.

To be honest, she had never thought about divorce before.

"Wen Chuanzong, do you not want to live together anymore?"

Her voice suddenly grew louder as she glared angrily at the person in front of her.

"It's not that I don't want to live like this, it's that you don't want to live like this."

"If you still want to be with me, then let's move out and live our own lives."

“Chuanzong, what kind of place is this? We don’t even have any land. How are we going to make a living? The children need to eat, drink, and go to school. Your little money isn’t enough.”

“A-Mian is definitely willing to come with me. I plan to find a house nearby tomorrow and rent a few acres of land to raise some livestock. If you don’t want to leave, then let’s break up. I won’t hold you back.”

"You, you."

Xiuyu was so angry that she couldn't speak. She understood to some extent what her father meant, which was ultimately beneficial to her.

But she didn't expect that Wen Chuanzong would become more and more principled and wanted to move out. He could live outside, but it certainly wouldn't be as good as living here.

She knew perfectly well what was going on. He said that renting land to raise livestock would produce some income, but who would suffer the hardship? The children needed to go to school, and she and that slut would have to do all the work. How much could A-Mian do?

“If you had been this principled before, you probably wouldn’t have ended up like this. I still remember how you abandoned my son and me for that bitch. Wen Chuanzong, you heartless bastard.”

“I did not abandon you and your children. I thought that if the business was successful, I would definitely come back and bring you with me. At that time, I only had two children. I couldn’t abandon them. Taking them out would be a long and risky journey. They were still young then, and you would have to take care of them.”

"I've delivered the message. Think it over carefully. Whether you want a divorce or to live with us elsewhere, as long as your parents are alive, you and your sons can still live here. After your parents are gone, your eldest and second eldest sons will be grown up and able to take care of you. It will depend on them then."

What do you mean by that?

Xiuyu was a little confused.

“Dad has already made it clear to me that the land and this house we have now will go to the second and fourth sons in the future, and have nothing to do with us. They are getting old, and you should know that the second brother’s wife will not tolerate you and me. As for the fourth brother’s wife, it’s hard to say. Rather than being passive in the future, it’s better to make plans early.”

Xiuyu's face turned even paler, but she knew that what she said must be true.

Originally, she had thought that even if the land didn't fall into their hands, they would definitely be given one or two rooms in the house. If her son became successful, his life would definitely be better, and she wouldn't care whether she wanted it or not. But if he didn't become successful, she would definitely still need to live there in her old age.

“I’ve made myself very clear. Think about it yourself. As for the third son and his wife, don’t even think about it. They don’t owe the family anything. Ever since the third son became successful, Dad has been praising him in every way. His wife clearly has a business to manage, but none of our family members can go there to get a meal this time. In addition, he also has children, now two.”

After Wen Chuanzong finished speaking, he went out. Later that night, he went to A Mian's room.

Amian immediately expressed her support and understanding, which made him feel much better.

"Don't worry, things will get better in the future."

He offered words of comfort.

"Sir, I believe you."

“If Xiuyu is unwilling, I will divorce him, and then you will be my wife.”

Amian was deeply moved. Her efforts over the past few years had finally paid off. She knew very well the difference between a legitimate daughter and a illegitimate daughter. After all, she had been a maid in a wealthy family before.

Old Man Wen didn't really kick the family out immediately; he made his words so definitively, partly out of consideration for Wen Chuanzong.

That night, none of them slept much. He wanted Wen Chuanzong to give up and think about the children. If the children were successful, he wouldn't have to worry about them in the future.

But to his surprise, Wen Chuanzong was so principled that the next morning at breakfast he told him he was going to move out with his family.

Xiuyu felt terrible, but she didn't want to get a divorce.

Her son hasn't even grown up yet, and she's already rashly agreed. Things might not turn out well in the future. Her son is a member of the Wen family, but she isn't.

She didn't want to come out, and in the end, she was forced to go back to her hometown at an advanced age.

Only by following Wen Chuanzong could she have a legitimate reason to be with him. No matter how much she hated him before, she could only tell herself to let go.

"Have you thought it through?"

Old Man Wen looked at Wen Chuanzong, and the others were taken aback.

"Eldest brother, just listen to your dad. He's doing this for your own good. It's great to live here."

"Mother, I've made up my mind. We'll go out and live our own lives."

"Alright then."

Old Man Wen was speechless. Once they were out, he couldn't control them anymore. They didn't eat or drink at home either. The second and fourth sons were puzzled, but they didn't say anything either.

Yuqin, who previously felt that the eldest son was taking advantage of her family, is in a much better mood now.

She has always felt that the elderly couple are biased, both in the past and now.

Wen Chuanzong acted quickly. In less than two days, he rented a small courtyard in the village. The courtyard looked a bit dilapidated, barely enough to keep out the wind and rain, and it was also very small. Its advantage was that the rent was cheap. In fact, it was not as good as the stone house in his hometown. All three rooms were thatched huts.

Xiuyu has one room, Amian and the children have one room, and he himself has one room. When the two older children come back, Xiuyu will live with him, and the two children will live in the room their mother is currently living in. Although it is a bit crowded, there is no other way.

He only returned to school after the spring. Now he has been completely idle for the past few months. It's impossible for him to just bury himself in books. Wen Chuanzong didn't stay long. He packed his things, took his luggage, and went out to find work to earn as much as he could.

The Wen family had lived in this village for several years and were quite familiar with some of the families.

It's really puzzling that Wen Chuanzong suddenly moved out with his wives and concubines and rented such a dilapidated little courtyard.

Most people were curious, but no one said anything, since it wasn't the elderly Wen couple who moved out with their families.

Before they knew it, the end of the year was approaching. Wen Xiaowu and the children returned. They were lucky enough to run into a merchant caravan heading to the capital when they arrived in the prefectural city, and they went to the capital together.

Xiao Wu also paid a visit to the prefect. He said that he had settled down in the capital, where his family was all, making it very convenient for him to take the exam.

The current prefect is not the same one who took the exam back then, and besides, it's not mandatory to send someone; you can go on your own if you want.

Old Man Wen was very happy to learn that all three of his grandsons had passed the imperial examinations, and he was even happier when he saw Wen Xiaowu.

"Where's my dad? Where's my mom?"

Upon hearing what Wen Chuanzong and his two children said, the hall fell silent. No one spoke, and Yuqin looked at her son, almost bursting into tears.

"Your parents have moved out."

The two children were initially confused, and after they understood what was going on, they were somewhat devastated.

"Grandpa and Grandma, we don't want to live there, we want to live here."

Jin Yu didn't say anything; he just stood there and watched.

These two kids weren't stupid. Realizing that Wen Chuanzong wouldn't listen to them, Old Man Wen finally hardened his heart and let them leave.

Of course, as he was letting the two leave, he added a sentence.

“If your father comes back and apologizes to me, then this matter will be over, and we can still be family.”

Let the two children talk and make a fuss with Wen Chuanzong; it might be more effective. Old Man Wen doesn't think he's wrong; he's always been like this.

This was the case with Wen Shi before, and it's the same with Wen Chuanzong now.

After Jinyu returned to his room, he didn't hide it from his parents and told them about how Old Man Wen had secretly given money to his two older brothers. Yuqin immediately became a little angry.

"It seems your parents still care about the eldest son's family. Even now, they still can't see that."

"Son, study hard and don't overthink things. Your parents are here for you."

Yuqin didn't mince words either, and privately told the fourth brother about it. The fourth brother felt it was unfair, so he went to see Old Man Wen, and then the family argued for a few more days.

In the end, it was Wen Xiaowu who mediated, and the matter was finally resolved.

"They're all a bunch of heartless people."

"Father, you can't do this!"

Wen Xiaowu looked at Old Man Wen.

"Either give them all or none of them. Why only give them to the eldest brother's two sons?"

"The second son and his wife are rich."

"That's money they earned through hard work, who would complain about having too much money?"

"They have no conscience."

Wen Xiaowu was speechless and didn't know what to say. With the family in such a state, he felt he couldn't keep it from Wen Shi and had to let him know.

He quickly sent out a letter. Of course, with him there, it wouldn't cause much of a stir. This matter wasn't a big deal, but it wasn't insignificant either.

Wen Chuanzong hasn't returned yet, and the two children can't find anyone to help them. They complain that the food there is bad and come over to eat every day. Madam Ma is a little better, but Yuqin, whether intentionally or unintentionally, only cooks a little when it's her turn to cook, so in the end, there isn't enough for the whole family to eat.

As the weather gets colder, charcoal fires are lit in the house.

Liu was too lazy to cook, so before going to bed at night she would always put some sweet potatoes and potatoes on the charcoal fire and roast them like that. Old Man Wen often joined her in eating them.

A few days later, Wen Leqian also had a holiday. He came back first and found that the atmosphere at home was not quite right, but he didn't say anything.

He wrote a good article this time and won some awards. Before going to Ping County, he came back to pack his clothes and bought two catties of meat for Old Man Wen.

"You are so filial, you are a good child."

Before leaving, Old Man Wen saw him off. Thinking about all the troubles at home, he looked much older. He used to think he was lucky, but now he realized he had been thinking too much.

"Be careful on the road."

"I know, Fifth Uncle, don't worry, you can all go back now."

Wen Leqian mounted his horse nimbly, waved to the Wen family, then, carrying his bundle, cracked his whip, and in the next second, the horse had vanished from sight.

Watching Wen Leqian ride away on horseback, Old Man Wen sighed.

When Wen Shi received Xiao Wu's letter, he was very happy, as it was a good thing that his younger brother was so hardworking and ambitious. However, after reading the second letter, he remained expressionless.

With the Lunar New Year fast approaching, he was waiting for his son to come over, but ultimately, all these problems at home stemmed from unfairness.

He saw this very clearly.

It's true that Old Man Wen was farsighted; he was willing to spend money to send Wen Chuanzong to study, hoping he would pass the imperial examinations and become an official.

It's not entirely untrue to say he lacks foresight. Now that Wen Chuanzong has reached this point, the family may not support him, but there's no need to go to such lengths, like not even letting him stay at home.

His father hasn't changed at all over the years.

That night, Wen Shi told Ying Xiang about it. Ying Xiang didn't say anything. She lay on the soft bed, her mood unaffected.

Even if they did live together, she would pretend she knew nothing about it.

As for her in-laws, there's no point in her saying anything as a daughter-in-law. She should just do her job well. If it weren't for Wen Shi, she wouldn't have any dealings with this family.

With many children comes many things to do; there's nothing that can be done about it, and the old couple are still confused.

Wen Chuanzong is the same. If he had had this backbone and mentality in earlier years, he might have passed the exam long ago, instead of ending up in this situation today.

Yingxiang turned over and quickly fell asleep.

Wen Shi is about the same. He's not in the capital right now, so thinking about it is pointless. Besides, he knows his family well. Even if things fall apart, they might get back together after a while.

If he writes back saying this or that, he might end up saying that the person in question isn't even human.

Before anyone knew it, Wen Yixin had turned 100 days old. The child was in great spirits and loved to smile at people. Yingxiang spent her days with him and was in a good mood.

It's cold, so we can't take him outside. Babies are delicate, so we can only keep him indoors for now. But when he gets older, he should spend more time in the yard, which is better for his physical development.

Half a month later, Wen Leqian arrived in Ping County.

He grew up in the capital. From the time he could remember, his father sent him to school and the family lived in that small courtyard. When they arrived in this unfamiliar county town, he led his horse carefully. After asking around in the town, he headed towards the county government office.

He traveled all day without stopping, only resting for a few hours at the nearest inn at night. He was able to eat and drink his fill in the morning and evening, and usually ate flatbread on the road for lunch.

His horse was really reliable; it didn't break down on the road because it was on the official road, which was safer, smoother, and more convenient.

He also spent some money on the journey. Although he was not an official, he was entitled to travel on the official road, but food and lodging were not free. Only officials going to various places to take up their posts, or those candidates going to the capital for the imperial examinations, could have free food and lodging at the post stations.

Wen Leqian's features were somewhat similar to Wen Shi's, but he was still young. Even though he was not tall, the soldiers stopped him as soon as he arrived at the county government office.

It was very difficult to get to the capital or even the prefectural city. The guards at the gates would question and interrogate people, and they would also need a travel permit.

But now that we're in the county, it's much easier, especially since Wen Leqian came from the capital.

The Pingxian County Government Office is quite old, and while it's not exactly dilapidated, it certainly can't compare to some government offices in the capital.

Wen Leqian stood at the door. Not long after he announced his arrival, Wen Shi came out. It was already afternoon, and the weather was gloomy. After nearly two years, it was impossible for Wen Shi not to miss his son when he saw him again.

"father."

"Come in."

In front of outsiders, Wen Shi was always very calm and reserved. He took his son to the backyard and asked the groom to lead the horse to the stable to feed it first.

As Wen Leqian walked in, he found that the county government office was quite large.

Yingxiang was coaxing the baby inside the house. The baby had just fallen asleep when the door was pushed open. She thought it was a servant, but it turned out to be Wenshi.

Immediately afterwards, Wen Leqian also came in.

This isn't the room where the couple lives; it's where their child usually sleeps, and it's very tidy.

"mother."

Unbeknownst to her, Wen Leqian had grown a lot compared to before. Not only had he grown taller, but he was now the same height as her and looked much stronger.

"Sweetie, come to Mommy, let me hug you."

After Yingxiang reacted, she quickly went over. It was cold outside, and although her son was dressed warmly, he was still chilled.

"Sit still, was the journey smooth?"

"Everything went smoothly, Mother, don't worry."

"He's so old, why are you still calling him that?"

When she was little, Yingxiang always called him that, and she still calls him that now that she's grown up. When she sees her son, she instinctively blurts it out. Wen Shi smiles and goes to the side to pour tea for her son.

"If you say that, then he's seventy or eighty years old, and he's still my son, that's what I call him."

"Are you hungry? Here are some cakes."

Wen Leqian nodded, picked up the pastries, and sat down on the soft couch with Yingxiang. They began to talk. There were still things to do ahead, so Wen Shi didn't stay long. There would be plenty of time in the evening.

"That must be my younger brother."

Not far away, on the cradle, looking at the little person lying inside, Wen Leqian got up and went over to take a look. Looking at this little person who shared the same father and mother as him, for some reason, he felt a strange emotion in his heart.

He couldn't help but want to get close to him. Just then, the child suddenly woke up, saw him abruptly, was a little scared, and immediately burst into tears.

Yingxiang immediately came over and started to coax him.

"This is my older brother."

"Don't cry."

After a while, the little guy quieted down a lot and stared at Wen Leqian curiously. Wen Leqian took off his outer robe and carefully took the little guy from Yingxiang's arms.

The baby was so soft that he didn't dare to use too much force. He held the baby carefully for a while, and then Yingxiang, worried that he would get tired, told him to put the baby down.

"You must be tired from the journey. Do you want to take a nap? Mom has already tidied up the room next door for you."

"I'm not sleepy."

“Then talk to your mother.”

"good."

Looking at her eldest son, Yingxiang felt a warmth in her heart. They were both her children, and she would never favor one over the other. The two had been exchanging letters, and Wen Leqian had told Yingxiang about his studies over the past two years, as well as some trivial matters in his life, and of course, about things at home.