Zhang Qiquan took a deep breath, his eyes reddening in rare moments. "Father, Mother, I was raised by you, but I have done right by this family. It is you who cannot bear to see me doing well, thinking that I have no descendants, and are unwilling to leave me a single penny. Your favoritism extends all the way to the back of Shili Mountain. Why do you blame me for being unfilial?"
"You still want to say your parents are wrong? There are no parents who are wrong in the world." Old Mrs. Zhang wailed, her sobs both feigned and genuinely tinged with fear. "Tell me, do you not want to take care of me anymore? I am your mother, how can you not take care of me? You unfilial thing, it would have been better to have given birth to a dog than to have you."
The old lady at the village entrance is always like that; if she can't win an argument, she starts arguing illogically.
Although Zhang Qiquan was not afraid, he was still aggrieved.
Liu Cui, however, could no longer contain herself. She rushed forward like a madwoman, standing in front of her husband, and unleashed a torrent of abuse on Old Madam Zhang: "You call yourself a mother, but have you ever shown him any affection? Which family sends their child away to become an apprentice at thirteen? Why not one of the other two? Why are you taking advantage of the most filial child? Is this what a mother is? You're just picking on the weak. Let me tell you, you're not my mother. If you bully my husband again, I'll fight you to the death."
Some things are left unsaid not because they are mute, but out of filial piety.
But parents always seem to pick on the one who is more filial.
But even filial people can be driven crazy at times.
The usually gentle Liu Cui suddenly uttered these words as if she were insane, which startled Old Mrs. Zhang.
Other villagers were talking about it. Some sympathized with Liu Cui, some secretly cursed the Zhang family, and some couldn't help but stand up to uphold justice.
Qian Cunzheng frowned and shouted, "The Zhang family, you've gone too far!"
Grandma Zhang plopped down on the ground and remained silent for a long time.
Zhang Qiquan had recovered. He sniffed and was about to take the opportunity to promote the land purchase.
Suddenly someone pulled at me from behind.
As soon as he turned around, he saw Jiang Sheng's smiling eyes.
“Uncle Zhang, look over there.” She pointed to the opposite side.
When Zhang Qiquan turned his head again, he saw Zheng Ruqian walking over in a flamboyant manner, waving a folding fan in his hand. He looked a bit like the noble young master he had seen in the prefectural city, but something seemed to be missing, making him look rather awkward.
"Ahem." As soon as Zheng Ruqian stood still, he flicked open his folding fan and said in a deliberately charming manner, "You are the Zhang family? Perfect timing. Zhang Qiquan signed a contract with me, saying he would help me earn fifty taels of silver a year, but he didn't earn any and even lost money. Today I came back with him to ask for the money back. Since you are family, just return the fifty taels of silver."
He opened a piece of paper with a long message written on it, ending with Zhang Qiquan's name and a bright red fingerprint.
The Zhang family was all startled.
They were illiterate, but they recognized Zhang Qiquan's name and knew that the red handprint and red seal were official documents that had been approved by the government.
In other words, the fifty taels are a foregone conclusion.
The two Zhang brothers were terrified. They exchanged a glance and ran away.
They are just brothers, they don't have much of a relationship, it's fine to ignore them.
Zhang's parents also wanted to run away, but Zheng Ruqian stopped them.
“You are his parents. You should enjoy the money he makes, and you should also bear the losses when he loses money,” Master Zheng said with a sinister smile. “Fifty taels of silver, not a penny less.”
The old lady Zhang, who had been spitting as she spoke just moments before, was quite frightened and repeatedly said, "No, no, no, we have no relationship anymore, he is not my son."
"Really?" Zheng Ruqian was skeptical.
“It’s true, it’s true.” Old Zhang pointed around. “Everyone in the village is watching, and even Village Chief Qian is watching. From now on, the third son won’t be our son anymore.”
All the onlookers spat on the ground.
They thought others were making money, so they clung to them asking for more. Now that they're losing money, they're slipping away like dirt.
Anyone who gets stuck with a family member like that is doomed.
Qian Cunzheng was also heartbroken for Zhang Qiquan, and shouted, "Since that's the case, then write a letter severing ties."
In the village, the approval of the village head and fellow villagers is enough for someone to sever ties with their parents.
But Jiang Sheng and Zheng Ruqian were still worried. After discussing it, they took out the profit-sharing contract signed by Zhang Qiquan, which successfully scared away the Zhang family and also obtained the letter of severance of kinship.
Once the matter was officially registered with the government, the life and death of Zhang's parents would truly be irrelevant to Zhang Qiquan; even if he filed a complaint with the authorities, no one would care.
Zhang Qiquan and Liu Cui were deeply grateful and enthusiastically promoted the land purchase.
"This is Young Master Zheng, who has come to our village to buy land to grow green beans. He will give priority to hiring the families who sell the land, and will be paid by the day. Those who sign long-term contracts will receive even better treatment."
Qian Cunzheng also spoke up for him and acted as guarantor.
The villagers lowered their guard, and those who were short of money were eager to sell. At first, there was one family selling land, but soon it became two, three, and five families.
Before long, they bought six acres of land.
At the market price of five taels of silver per mu, that's thirty taels.
Zheng Ruqian acted quickly, immediately asking Qian Cunzheng to help draft a contract, and the money was exchanged for the contract on the spot.
Once the official channels are clear, these lands will be transferred to the names of Zheng Ruqian and his sister, making them true minor wealthy landowners.
The main entrance of the village.
Zheng Ruqian is discussing with Zhang Qiquan how to offer preferential treatment to the people who buy land, thereby attracting more people in Shili Town to sell their land.
Zhou Zhiqiang, who had just received the news, came running over cursing.
Jiang Sheng whispered in Aunt Zhang's ear, "So this is what a good-for-nothing is like. Even when it comes to causing trouble, he's lagging behind others."
Zhang Xianglian was initially a little nervous, but upon hearing this, she chuckled and completely forgot about her last bit of nervousness.
What does she have to be afraid of?
She was just her husband; they had already divorced, and he didn't even have the debt of raising her to threaten her.
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