Old Man Huang was well aware that things had spiraled out of his control, but he was truly unwilling to accept it.
Originally, they wanted to find some help for their eldest son's family, but in the end, it all came to nothing, and their son was also dragged into it.
“No,” he declared definitively, “I disagree.”
"What good is it if you disagree?" Old Lady Huang sneered. "If you don't want the eldest brother to lose his position as clan leader, then stop causing trouble and get things done quickly. That way, everyone will still have some face."
"Mother," Huang Shi said sadly, "I am your son too!"
“That was before,” Old Mrs. Huang waved her hand. “Your father favored you and I favored your brother. It was just fair. Don’t blame anyone. You’ve already received what you deserved. This old woman shouldn’t ask for more.”
She couldn't possibly be indifferent to her own son, but she dared not get too involved.
The old man puts all his attention on his eldest son. If he also cares about him, then his younger son would be too pitiful.
Besides, just as she said, she didn't stop her eldest son from getting his share of the family property, and she had no objection even if her younger daughter-in-law returned all of her share.
As for this heart, so be it if it's skewed; even five fingers aren't all the same length!
"Old woman, the eldest son is also your own flesh and blood, and he has been filial to you for so many years. How can you be so heartless?"
"If I'm cold-hearted, what are you?" Old Mrs. Huang retorted indignantly, "A beast?"
"you……"
“Grandpa, Uncle,” Huang Lao Er urged, “It’s fine to argue, but can’t we wait until we’re done with this? We can’t keep dragging this on, can we?”
“Yaya,” Old Man Huang turned his head, “Are you really sure? If you really change the family genealogy, there will be no room for maneuver. You, and the house you are living in now, will also be taken back.”
Now, Old Man Huang is only thinking about forcing Jiang Nuan to back down, and has completely lost his former composure.
Although Huang Shi was very angry, he felt that this matter was inappropriate. "Dad, there is no need to take the house back."
It wasn't worth much money to begin with.
This courtyard is considered above average in Huangjiakou, but it didn't cost much, just a little over ten taels of silver.
What Jiang Nuan gave her far exceeded the family property she received after the division of the family estate.
"What do you know?" Old Man Huang scolded. "Do you think the second branch of the family is getting better and better? It's all because the feng shui of the house is good."
The water there is sweeter than other places, not to mention everything else.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Nuan felt speechless.
“Yes,” she said without saying anything, “we can move out tonight.”
Anyway, the courtyard in town had already been tidied up.
"The land deeds have been returned, but the crops in the fields are not yours either."
"Why should we?" Huang Lao Er was very indignant. "We cleared the land, we planted the crops, and we'll be able to harvest the wheat in another month. Why can't we harvest the crops?"
That makes no sense!
“The land deed is mine, so it’s mine,” Old Man Huang sneered. “I said I won’t let you take it, so I won’t let you take it.”
"That's outrageous!"
"Second brother," Jiang Nuan scolded softly, "stop talking."
As she spoke, she turned her head and said, "I agree with that. It was originally yours, so it's only right to take it back."
"And the second son's grave must not be buried on the second son's land."
"You're utterly inhuman!" Old Mrs. Huang's bloodshot eyes flashed with astonishing hatred. "Fine, it's fine if you don't bury me. The second son doesn't want a father like you either."
"Father," Huang Shi said, flustered by the sudden chill in the hall, "calm down."
This is going to create a permanent feud!
“I’m very calm,” Old Huang said with a cold expression. “If you’re not going to sever ties, then let’s do it completely. I’ll pretend I never had this son, and he can’t take advantage of me in any way.”
“These are all things that should be done, I agreed,” Jiang Nuan looked directly at Old Man Huang, “Now can we change the family tree?”
“Change it, why not change it?” Old Huang said through gritted teeth. “Since you think you’re all grown up, let you fly for a bit. When you fall down, you’ll know your own worth.”
"Thank you for your advice, sir. I will keep it in mind."
"snort!"
In the end, Old Man Huang still revised the family genealogy.
Such an important event should have been witnessed by the clan elders and announced to the ancestors in the ancestral hall, but both sides, each with their own agendas, subconsciously kept it a secret.
Jiang Nuan finally breathed a sigh of relief after watching the ink on the family tree dry and be stamped again.
"Mom, let's go back, pack our things, and move."
"Ya Ya," Old Mrs. Huang twitched her hand as she touched the silver note, looking very conflicted, "Should we give her this silver note or not?"
Old Man Huang was ruthless, and she didn't want the old house to gain even a penny of advantage.
However, she also felt that if she did that, she would be no different from Old Man Huang.
She didn't want to become such a cold-blooded and ruthless person.
“I’ll stay,” Jiang Nuan sighed softly, “to settle the debt of gratitude for my life.”
We should always leave people with something to look forward to, otherwise, if we push them too far, who knows what uncontrollable things might happen.
“Alright,” Grandma Huang nodded, “Let’s consider this the second son’s last act of filial piety to his father.”
She took out the silver notes and said, "Take these silver notes if you want, or tear them up if you don't. In any case, this old woman has a clear conscience."
With such a sum of money, as long as they behave themselves, it would be enough for the eldest son's family to live on for three generations.
Even if you buy land, you can buy 300 acres and become a landlord.
The two families had already separated, and by doing this, it was a way of giving the eldest son an explanation.
"Mother," Sister-in-law Huang couldn't accept what had happened today, "Are you really going to go with them? You're even abandoning Father?"
"Sigh," Old Mrs. Huang patted her daughter-in-law's shoulder, "From now on, be kinder to yourself. Don't just rely on men. Neither your husband nor your son is as reliable as yourself."
Upon hearing this, Old Man Huang felt a piercing pain surge into his heart. "Am I not good to you?"
Although he was indeed a bit too harsh on his second son, he did not do anything to wrong his wife.
"What's so good about it?" Old Mrs. Huang found it ridiculous. "You treat my son and grandson like this, and you expect me to be grateful for your kindness?"
If she hadn't gone to such extremes, she wouldn't have left herself no way out.
Why can't we just live a peaceful life? Why do we have to be so calculating?
The good relationship has been worn away, and now you're saying all this, doesn't it seem a bit sentimental?
"I……"
Old Huang wanted to explain, but he didn't know where to begin.
Since ancient times, the eldest son and the legitimate heir have been valued, which is the foundation for the growth of a family. He made a mistake.
“Perhaps,” Jiang Nuan said thoughtfully, “the old man was moved by his own words.”
To be honest, the old man wasn't wrong about the old woman. He never beat or scolded her, and he trusted her a lot. He never let her go hungry or cold in her entire life.
However, humans are different from animals; it's not that simple.
Besides myself, there are people who are more important than my own life, and hurting them is more painful than hurting myself.
Jiang Nuan felt that the old lady insisted on separating from the old man not only because of her guilt towards her youngest son, but also because she didn't know how to face the old man.
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