Chapter 25 Let's Split Up 2
◎Jinjiang exclusive◎
When Mr. Zhou was at home, he always hid behind Feng and acted as a commander, pushing Feng to the front and using her as a knife. So when he saw Feng following him, he not only did not stop her, but also felt relieved.
Feng has always been short-sighted and only cares about immediate interests. Knowing that the division of the family is inevitable, she focused all her attention on how to divide the family.
She didn't want to give anything to the third wife. Not only did she not want to share, she also wanted to get something from the third wife, such as the two hundred taels that Zhou Jin had hidden...
So when Zhou Ruiquan asked how to divide the family, he jumped out and shouted,
"How else can we divide it? Now our family has been implicated and is in exile! We have no house, no land, no money, what else is there to divide? It's just a few straw mats and a few grains of rice!
A few days ago, the third family shared a lot of the food they bought. As the old ones, we didn’t ask them for it. But we are both old now, and when we go to Liaodong in the future, we will probably have to rely on our children and grandchildren for support!
Even though the third son has passed away, he still has a wife and two sons. He has to be filial to their father, right?!
Since Brother Jin is making a fuss about separating, let’s first discuss who the two of us old people will live with and how we will be provided for before we split up the family!”
It has to be said that Feng was quite quick-witted. She instantly thought of elevating the division of the family to the level of filial piety. This was also what Feng relied on. No matter how the family was divided, Zheng was still her daughter-in-law, and Zhou Jin was still their grandson. It was natural and unquestionable to support them.
Moreover, she openly and secretly revealed the fact that Lord Zhou had caused the entire clan to be exiled, so that the people around who secretly hated Lord Zhou would stand on their side.
Feng thought to herself, the old man wouldn't dare offend the Zhou brothers, so what would an old woman like her fear? She didn't believe that the Zhou brothers would let the Song bailiff beat her just because she told the truth!
If they really dared to hit her, she wouldn't be afraid. There were so many people in the exile group who had been implicated by Lord Zhou. Who didn't hate Lord Zhou's family? If they hit her, there would be so many people who would not accept it! Even the yamen runner Song might not be able to suppress them!
But she had forgotten what Lord Zhou loved to do most in his life. After hearing her words, Lord Zhou didn't even think of hitting her. Instead, his debate spirit ignited, and he started debating with her with a glare and a beard...
"Feng! What do you mean by that?! What do you mean by being exiled because of me? If any other branch of the family said that, I really would be ashamed to answer them, but since your family said that, I have to have a word with you!
When your family came to Beijing to seek refuge with me, you only brought a few chickens with you. You ate and lodged at my house. Did I ever ask you for a penny? Did I ever look down on you?
What did you two say at the time? You said you'd work like slaves in your next life to repay my kindness! Later, when you were managing your property and doing business in Kyoto, was there anything I didn't send your butler to help you with?
How come you've lived a good life relying on our family for so many years, but now that our family is in trouble, you're the one who got you into trouble?!"
"Hmph, if I had known that one day I would be exiled because of your family, I would have severed all ties with your Zhou family's direct branch!"
When Feng was interrupted by Lord Zhou, she couldn't help but speak out her true feelings. Lord Zhou wanted to stop her but it was too late!
"So that's what you meant?"
Although Zhou Ruiquan had complained about his younger brother, Grandpa Zhou, openly and secretly, he always stood on his brother's side in front of outsiders. After hearing what Feng said, he immediately questioned Grandpa Zhou.
Feng's words could be regarded as the women's secret complaints. If Mr. Zhou dared to say it, it would be equivalent to offending the entire branch. How could Mr. Zhou dare to respond to Zhou Ruiquan's words? He could only scold Feng.
"What nonsense are you talking about! We're talking about dividing the family property with the third branch. If you have something to say, say it nicely. If not, go back immediately!"
"Just say it!"
Feng has been cooperating with Old Man Zhou for most of her life. She can understand what he means with just one look. She immediately realized that he wanted her to stop offending the legitimate branch and only talk about the support from the third house.
So he said, "Since Brother Jin is making a fuss about splitting up the family, then it shouldn't be wrong for us to ask for supplies from the Third House, right?!"
It is the duty of filial piety to one's parents. Even Zhou Ruiquan could not find any reason to excuse Zhou Jin's family, so he asked Feng Shi,
"So how much supply do you plan to have?"
Feng and Old Master Zhou exchanged a glance, and thinking that Zhou Jin only had about 200 taels on him, she said:
"I don't ask for much either. Just give us two hundred taels a year, please!"
"Isn't this enough for you?"
Zhou Ge Lao, who was standing by, couldn't stand listening any longer. If two hundred taels were put in the past, Zhou Jinniang and the others might not have been able to come up with it.
But now? They are exiled prisoners. Even if they go to Liaodong, Zheng's mother and the others are weak and small, and Zhou Jin is just a teenager. It's good enough to have food to eat. Where can they earn two hundred taels?
"Haha, grandma, why don't you and grandpa come live with us? Then, I'll ask my uncles to provide you with 400 taels of silver every year. I promise to take good care of you two."
Zhou Jin sneered after hearing this.
Feng thought to herself that if we live with you guys, we will be pissed off to death by you guys in a few days. Even if we are not pissed off to death, we will be pissed off to death by you moms. Her family has never had a smooth life since they have been associated with you moms!
"Hmph, you're dreaming! You're the one who has to divide it up, and you're the one who doesn't get the supply. Do you think you'll just have to do nothing and let the Zhou family support you for so many years in vain?" Feng jumped up and down.
"Haha, since grandma doesn't want to, then forget about living with us," Zhou Jin shrugged nonchalantly, and continued, "But since we're going to split up the family, we should split up first and then talk about supplies, right? Why don't you take out all the silver we've secretly hidden and divide it equally among the families? As long as you divide it fairly, even if it's just a straw mat for our three families, your grandson will provide for you as much as he should. By then, don't even mention two hundred taels a year, even three hundred taels will do!"
Zhou Jin said with a smile, and mercilessly pointed out the fact that Feng had hidden the silver.
Now, not only Mrs. Feng and Old Master Zhou, but also Zhou Ruiquan and the others nearby, as well as the crowd watching, were all panicking. Everyone knew that they had hidden something secretly, but they couldn't say it out loud? Wouldn't that be giving the yamen runner Song a handle to arrest them all?!
"Don't talk nonsense, I don't have any private money!" Feng hurriedly denied.
"Whether there is one or not, just look through it and you'll know." Zhou Jin snapped his fingers and shrugged.
Everyone...
"You little brat! What nonsense are you talking about?! Can that thing be reversed?!"
Seeing that Zhou Jin was about to make a big deal out of this, Zhou Ruiquan angrily hit Zhou Jin and then whispered angrily to Mr. and Mrs. Zhou:
"I say you've almost had enough. Do you still think today's incident isn't big enough? Do you want this brat to make trouble in front of Sergeant Song and give him something else to do?!"
"We can't just ask them to pay nothing, can we?!" Feng grumbled in dissatisfaction, "I can't afford two hundred taels, but at least I have to pay ten or twenty taels!"
Zhou Ruiquan...
Although he was somewhat disgusted with Feng's pettiness, Zhou Ruiquan was also somewhat unhappy with Zhou Jin's behavior of disregarding the interests of the entire family and threatening his grandparents by informing the yamen runner Song.
In his previous life, before the apocalypse, Zhou Jin had done at least eighty jobs to earn money, and he had become very discerning. Seeing Zhou Ruiquan's expression suddenly change, he naturally guessed what Zhou Ruiquan was thinking, so he whispered:
"Grandpa, clan leader, please rest assured. Although I am not talented, I understand the principle that everyone prospers and everyone suffers. If I hadn't been forced into a desperate situation by my grandmother, I would never do anything that would harm the interests of the entire clan!
Do you think this is okay? I'm willing to pay a hundred taels as compensation to my grandparents. Although my mother married into the Zhou family, our third room has been eating and using her dowry, but after all, we have the Zhou family's blood in our veins!
This hundred taels is our third wife's way of repaying our grandparents for their kindness in raising us. But the prerequisite is that our grandparents must also agree to accept this hundred taels, and in the future, their support will no longer be the responsibility of our third wife.
In addition to the separation documents, we must also provide a written agreement for our family!"
Zhou Jin didn't want Grandpa Zhou and his wife to come and pressure them every now and then with the excuse of filial piety, nor did he want to argue endlessly with his grandmother over a few taels of silver, which would only cause the Zhou clan leaders to have opinions about him. It was too much of a loss, so he might as well just spend money to save trouble and take a step back.
He felt it was worth spending one hundred taels in exchange for Mr. and Mrs. Zhou never bothering their family again!
Feng was still a little dissatisfied, but Old Man Zhou knew that this was the limit of Zhou Jin's concessions. This kid clearly didn't want to give up a penny! If Feng pressed him any further, this kid might really make a desperate move and do something like have the Song yamen runners search them. By then, not only would their silver be lost, but the other clansmen would probably not let them off either.
So before Feng spoke, he nodded in agreement.
No matter how dissatisfied Mrs. Feng was, she didn't dare to offend Mr. Zhou in public.
Since both parties agreed, the next thing would be easy. Zhou Jin went to Li Mao to borrow paper and pen, and Zhou Ruiquan came forward to write two documents for the separation of the family property.
It was specifically stated in the division document that the third branch of the Zhou family would separate from the Zhou family and set up its own business from today onwards. The third branch would give one hundred taels of silver to Mr. and Mrs. Zhou in one lump sum as support and funeral expenses for them. Mr. and Mrs. Zhou would be supported by the first and second branches in the future, and the third branch would not have to pay any expenses in the future.
Lord Zhou and Zhou Ruiquan signed their names as witnesses, and then Zhou Jin and Old Man Zhou pressed their fingerprints on it respectively, and each kept one. Zhou Jin also gave Feng one hundred taels of silver in front of Lord Zhou and his brothers, and the family was divided.
The author has something to say:
Splitting up the family business and still paying for it?? This life is unbearable!!! Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or provided me with nutrient solution between 2022-06-12 07:51:14 and 2022-06-13 11:29:53~
Thanks to the little angel who irrigated the nutrient solution: 1 bottle of Fengying;
Thank you very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!
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