Chapter 19
In the dimly lit room, Liu was puzzled, but remained silent upon hearing this.
"Boss, talk to the third brother."
Wen Shi glanced at his elder brother and had a rough idea of what was going on.
"Third brother, eldest brother wants us brothers to go to school in the county after the New Year, so let's not take them with us. The county is a glamorous place, and they..."
Wen Laoda stood there watching Wen Shi. As he was talking, he suddenly raised his head and realized that his younger brother was taller than him. This made him feel a little uncomfortable, but Wen Shi wasn't sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed), so he could only do so.
Wen Shi wasn't too surprised after hearing this, but then he threw out another question: "Brother, the whole family has put in all their strength to support your studies, and everyone in the village knows that. If we don't take them with us, it will damage your reputation the most. Do you want everyone to point their fingers at you and call you ungrateful and heartless?"
"As for the problem you mentioned, it is indeed something to be aware of. However, even if we go to the county, our brothers may not be idle. When I go to take the exam, I see that there are fields on the outskirts of the county town."
Wen Shi said in a deep voice, "Right now, it's better not to bring it than to bring it, but in the long run, it's better to bring it, since it's something that will give people something to talk about."
He knew in his heart that if he wanted to go far, he couldn't abandon these brothers. They didn't have much experience, and going out would broaden their horizons and prepare them for the future.
Looking at his older brother, Wen Shi felt only fortunate that his brother had resolutely left home to study a few years earlier.
His personal ethics are really terrible. He didn't even think about abandoning his brothers and only taking care of his parents.
"Third brother, things aren't as simple as you think."
Wen Chuanzong said somewhat angrily.
"If the brothers knew how much you despise them today, they would probably regret supporting your education."
The words were addressed to Wen Chuanzong, but Wen Shi was looking at his father, who had a complicated look in his eyes. As for Liu Shi, she hesitated several times before speaking.
"Third brother, what do you suggest we do to protect you and your eldest brother and prevent them from affecting or dragging you down?"
“It’s not difficult. Yingxiang told me before that she still wants to do business when she gets to the county. If the shop can be opened in the future, she will naturally need people. She knows a little bit about it. She can bring her brothers along and they can all do things and make money.”
"At worst, we can rent a few acres of land for them on the outskirts of the county. Even if they live in the county, they won't be idle. With you and Mom here, I don't think they would dare to do anything reckless."
“The brothers have broadened their horizons and are unlikely to break the law, so they naturally know what they should and shouldn’t do.”
After Wen Shi finished speaking, Old Man Wen immediately stood up and glanced at Liu Shi.
"That's settled then. You're in charge of this, boss. Go and get me all the money."
Old Man Wen had this idea all along. Wen Chuanzong paused in his steps, looking at his younger brother in disbelief, his expression extremely unpleasant.
"What, can't I order you around?"
"Dad, I didn't bring it. They're all in the county."
"you."
Old Man Wen was so angry that he took off his shoe and was about to hit him. Wen Chuanzong subconsciously took two steps back, and Liu quickly stepped forward to stop him.
"Okay, we can give it to them when we get there, it's the same thing."
"The New Year is just around the corner, so let's celebrate at home first. After the New Year, you and your wife should go to the county early to find a house and finalize the details."
“I can tell your wife isn’t an ordinary woman. She can earn money in town, so she can definitely do it in the county. It would be best if she could bring your brothers along and give them some work.”
“If they decide to quit, then we’ll rent land for them in the suburbs. They’re not good people here or here. They’re young and healthy, and we can’t rely on you and the eldest brother to support them.”
“There’s still land in this yard. I’ll ask around and see if we can rent it out so our whole family can go to the county.”
Wen Shi nodded.
Late at night, Yingxiang lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) and sighed as she listened to Wenshi finish speaking.
"Husband, are you confident you can keep your brothers in check?"
"My second brother is an honest man, very capable, and hardworking. As for the fourth brother, although he is not as honest, he wouldn't dare to do anything bad. The fifth brother is still young. He's gone out. I'll talk to Dad about it. He's quite smart. We'll find him a school to study at when the time comes."
Wen Shi already had a rough plan in mind.
"Let's go to the county to find a house. It would be best if we could find two small ones and live separately."
Yingxiang glanced at Wenshi with some surprise, then sat up. She had thought the same thing before, but hadn't told Wenshi.
“Then let’s stay near the county school, that way it will be convenient for you. When we get there, I’ll think about what we can do. We have family members here, and if we don’t want to do anything, we can rent land for them. They won’t have any objections if they can stay in the county.”
"Today, Dad asked my eldest brother for money again, but he didn't give it to me. However, when we got to the county, he still had to give it to me."
“We can just rent a room like before. It doesn’t need to be too big. We can find a smaller, more secluded courtyard for our parents. We won’t have to pay for it in the future.”
"good."
The couple had discussed this before, and now they have made a final decision. If they were to separate their household now, well, the disadvantages would outweigh the advantages.
The emperor ruled the country with benevolence and filial piety. If he was not famous, there would be no problem. But if he were to enter officialdom in the future, and someone became jealous and used this as a reason to impeach him, he would really have no way to defend himself.
This is also a worry for Wen Shi. He has worked so hard for so long, and he can't leave any hidden dangers for the future. No matter what, he can't abandon these brothers. It's even more impossible for Wen Chuanzong to go his own way.
All things considered, this is the best arrangement. Although they appear to be together, they don't actually live together. Each family member has their own things to do, and no one can really say anything about it, so there won't be any conflicts.
Recalling his father's attitude towards him today, Wen Shi felt that as long as he lived up to expectations in the future, he would be the one to call the shots in this family.
On the other side, Wen Chuanzong and his wife were cursing Wen Shi in their hearts.
"That third son is shameless. He'll know when things get out of hand. Dad was almost convinced, but then he pulled this stunt. Just wait and see."
Xiuyu was furious; she didn't want to involve her whole family.
But now, Wen Shi has also gained weight in Old Man Wen's heart, and judging from this, he is even more important than Wen Chuanzong. So, what happens next is not up to her.
"If the third son is willing, let him move in with his wife, parents, and other relatives. We'll continue living outside."
As for Old Man Wen and Mrs. Liu, they were lying on the kang (a heated brick bed). Old Man Wen suddenly said, "The third son is really promising. He is better at studying than the eldest son, and he is also a good person."
Upon hearing this, Liu's lips moved slightly. She hadn't been able to get a word in edgewise today, and she wasn't in a good mood either.
But upon closer examination, what the third brother said wasn't wrong. In this day and age, scholars all care about their reputation.
"The boss was just thinking about the brothers."
She couldn't help but defend her eldest son.
"He's 80% for himself and 20% for his brothers. In the end, he's selfish. The third brother came up with a solution right away. The eldest brother's wife is lazy, not as good as the third brother's wife. She knows how to earn money to help support the family."
"I'll tell the second brother and his family tomorrow morning that you should tell the matchmaker to get the fourth brother settled as soon as possible. It's been so long already, we'll go to the county next year."
Liu didn't speak, but nodded silently.
The next morning, as dawn broke, it was still a bit foggy because it had rained late last night. These past few days have been either rainy or snowy, and it's really freezing.
With the matter resolved, Old Man Wen was in a good mood.
He walked around his yard, and if he didn't want to have a backup plan, he would have sold the yard and the fields. He had thought so a long time ago, but as he got older, he gradually changed his mind.
It's something left by our ancestors, and now that we're wealthy, we don't necessarily have to sell it.
Looking at the small courtyard where he had lived for decades, he felt a pang of reluctance.
At the dinner table, after Old Man Wen finished speaking, everyone looked at Yingxiang, some of them excited.
"Don't worry, Third Sister-in-law. Your Second Sister-in-law and I are both healthy and capable. Just tell us what you need to do. We're all family."
“Yes, Third Sister-in-law, once my wife marries into the family, we’ll work with you. You used to sell food in town, and you’ll continue this business in the county. We’ll help you out.”
Wen Laosi was also excited. These days, you can make money by doing business without having to suffer hardship. It's definitely better than farming.
Yingxiang smiled and nodded, but didn't say anything.
This scene was particularly jarring to Xiuyu. In the past, the eldest son was the most valued in the family, and she, as the eldest sister-in-law, naturally had authority as well.
But right now, the fourth brother ignores her, and the second brother and his wife are also indifferent to her.
She held a cornbread in her hand, barely able to eat. In just one year, everything had changed.
Before we knew it, it was Lunar New Year's Eve.
The village children play in the streets every day, their laughter echoing in every household. This year, the village also has good news, with a good harvest, and everything is thriving and developing.
The villagers were in high spirits, and Liu had been receiving various gifts from time to time these past few days.
For Yingxiang, what she was looking forward to was living in the county afterward, and she figured there were only a few days left.
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