Having lost both land and money, Xu Tiezhu burst into tears upon seeing Xu Li.
"Fourth brother, please have pity on me, I can't live anymore!"
Xu Li said coldly, "How could you not survive? The money you made selling your brothers isn't enough to feed you for a lifetime."
Liu Ermei still tried to act tough, but Xu Li shouted, and Changming and Bo Mu rushed over and slapped her twice.
Liu Ermei cried out, "I'll fight you to the death! How dare you hit your elder sister-in-law?"
"Do you deserve to be called human?" Xu Erlei, standing next to Xu Li, looked at Liu Ermei and Xu Tiezhu. "Our parents entrusted us brothers to our eldest brother, but you sold us off one by one. I became a servant, my third brother was sold to a coal mine, and my fourth brother was sold to the palace to become a eunuch! How can you be called human? Even beasts are better than you."
Xu Tiezhu then realized that it was Xu Erlei who had returned.
The two brothers didn't argue with them much. They finished repairing their parents' graves and built a small ancestral hall with two rooms next to the graves.
Xu Erlei still needs to go and find his third brother.
Xu Li said to Xu Tiezhu and Xu Dalang, "I'm going back this time and I won't be coming back. Erlang is going to be adopted by me, right? Let's get the adoption formalities done."
Xu Erlang's eyes lit up with excitement.
Xu Tiezhu and Liu Ermei were also invigorated.
but--
"I disagree!" Xu Dalang was the first to object.
Xu Sanlang: "I disagree as well."
Xu Tiezhu: "I raised him all these years, you can't just adopt him off like that. He's sixteen now, he can do all the chores at home, how can it be that he's been filial to you for nothing?"
Liu Ermei: "Yes, you must give us... 1,600 taels of silver."
Someone must make up for the money from selling the land.
As soon as Liu Ermei said this, Xu Tiezhu and Xu Dalang both stared at Xu Li expectantly, worried that this might anger him.
Xu Erlei remained expressionless, but his heart was burning with hatred.
If his fourth brother hadn't told him not to make a move, he would have punched Xu Tiezhu right now.
Xu Li: "Fine, but you are not allowed to look for Erlang again. No matter what he inherits in the future, you are not allowed to ask him for money."
When the villagers heard how readily he agreed, they were filled with envy, wishing they could say, "I'd be willing to give you my son."
Just as Xu Tiezhu was about to say "okay," Xu Dalang asked, "How will you treat him in the future? Will you send him to the palace to become a eunuch?"
Yes, Xu Li was born a eunuch. Could he bring Xu Erlang into the palace to become a eunuch?
Xu Erlang's expression also changed drastically.
Xu Li sneered, "I'm different from you. Don't worry, I'll ask His Majesty for a title for him, and he'll get the general's mansion His Majesty bestowed upon me, as well as all the jewels and silver His Majesty has given him. I'll also arrange for him to marry a lady from a prominent family to be his principal wife and manage the household affairs..."
Xu Erlang jumped up excitedly.
After two months of living a life of debauchery, he had become completely accustomed to his "young master" status. Asking him to return to Xu Family Village would be more painful than killing him.
With such good conditions provided by his fourth uncle, his parents should be satisfied, right?
To everyone's surprise, Xu Dalang was the first to jump out: "No, I disagree!"
He looked at Xu Tiezhu and his wife and explained, "Sixteen hundred taels of silver is less than a set of clothes for them. We raised him all these years, why should we give it away for free?"
Liu Ermei said, "Yes, yes, it will take two thousand six hundred taels."
Xu Dalang: "Five thousand taels."
Liu Ermei: ...My eldest son is right!
Xu Li looked at Xu Erlang's pleading expression, gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, let's draw up a contract. Neither of us can back out."
As the adoption papers were being prepared, Xu Erlang excitedly told Xu Li, "Fourth Uncle, once the adoption procedures are completed today, I will start calling you Father!"
Xu Li patted him on the shoulder, but looked at Changming not far away, who quietly gave him a hand gesture.
Not long after, as Bo Mu was writing a document, Changming excitedly muttered to Xu Dalang beside him, "This little bit of money is just for a meal."
After it is written, both parties must put their fingerprints on it, and the ancestral hall will be opened to change the affiliation of Xu Erlang in the genealogy.
Xu Li said, "You all have to put your fingerprints on this. If either Yilang or Sanlang changes their minds, it will be too troublesome. Erlang's future status is very important, and you can't possibly try to get involved with him."
Liu Ermei said, "Hurry up and put your handprint on," and was about to do so without hesitation, but Xu Dalang grabbed her and said together with Xu Sanlang, "You can't put your handprint on."
Liu Ermei, Xu Tiezhu, Xu Li, Xu Erlang: "Why?"
“He will never come back, which is equivalent to severing ties with us. Five thousand taels of silver is not enough. We need ten thousand taels of silver, one thousand taels of gold, plus two courtyards in the prefectural city.”
Everyone: !!!
Xu Li stared intently at him. Xu Dalang, undeterred, swallowed hard and said again, "Father, Mother, we need to leave here and go to the prefectural city."
Liu Ermei and Xu Tiezhu realized what was happening and said, "We can't put our fingerprints on it, that would be too easy on you."
Xu Li picked up the contract, looked at it again, tore it up in a few quick movements, scattered the pieces of paper, and said, "I will not adopt this son."
Liu Ermei and Xu Tiezhu panicked: "You promised to adopt me, why don't you want it anymore?"
Xu Dalang and Xu Sanlang were also a little flustered: "It's a business transaction, we can ask for a price, and you can bargain!"
"Heh, I only meant well by adopting him to help you share the burden, but you're going to sell him to me? Ten thousand taels of silver, one thousand taels of gold, plus two courtyards in the prefectural city? Are you sure Erlang is worth that much?"
Xu Li led the horse and said to Changming and Bomu, "Let's go!"
Liu Ermei and Xu Tiezhu shouted, "Can't we not add a yard?"
Xu Erlang also ran over and pleaded, "Fourth Uncle, Fourth Uncle, they changed their minds, it's ten thousand taels, you can't abandon me..."
Xu Li turned to look at them: "Don't even mention ten thousand taels, I don't want even one tael!"
Xu Tiezhu's family was dumbfounded.
Xu Li mounted his horse, reined it in, turned to look at them, and said, "By the way, I have something to tell you: I am not a eunuch!"
His Majesty rescued me when I entered the palace. I'll marry immediately and have as many sons as I want. So, I have no shortage of sons!
They spurred their horses and rode away.
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