Liao had waited for decades and finally waited until the opportunity to divide the family property. How could she not agree to do so? She immediately shook her head and said firmly, "It has come to this point. It is better to divide it."
Old Master Ren sighed and said, "Then you two should go back and discuss it first. We can discuss the rest of the matter after my second brother receives a letter from the capital."
Liao didn't want to stay here for long. She felt uncomfortable sitting in the guest seat, so she stood up and said to the second master, "Shiyuan, let's go back first." After that, she nodded to Old Master Ren and left first.
Ren Shiyuan bowed to Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren and followed them out.
As soon as they left, Mrs. Ren's face fell.
Old Master Ren seemed a little tired and said, "Shizhong stays. You all can go out as well."
Ren Shimin and others also retreated.
Seeing that only the three of them were left in the room, Old Madam Ren finally spoke: "Grandpa, do you really want to separate from them? Right now is a difficult time for the Ren family. Wouldn't it be even more difficult to divide the family property now?" At this point, Old Madam Ren's face was full of resentment. "Over the years, the Ren family has tried their best to support the industries in Jiangnan, and has paid most of the public money. Now that it is showing signs of improvement, it has become theirs! That's fine, but Liao actually wants us to bear the debt of 1.5 million taels alone. Does she want a share in all the good things, but we have to bear all the bad things? She has a good plan! In my opinion, we should follow what Grandpa said back then. Whoever insists on dividing the family should divide the family but not the property! Let's see what they can do!"
Old Master Ren sighed, and Old Madam Ren was stunned when she heard it. Old Master Ren was always a strong person, and he rarely sighed.
"Old Master..."
Old Master Ren said, "If we can avoid splitting up the family, I wouldn't agree to do it at this time. But now it seems that splitting up may not be a bad thing."
Mrs. Ren was puzzled: "What do you mean?"
Old Master Ren leaned back in his chair and said calmly, "Judging from the imprisonment of Shizhong and me and the events that followed, the Ren family's current calamity is likely due to the attitude of the Yanbei Palace. We have rejected the Zeng family's marriage proposal, but if I intervene in Kyoto..."
Mrs. Ren was shocked when she heard this: "You mean to give up those properties? But the Ren family has invested a lot of effort in them over the years."
Old Master Ren said, "I'm not giving up. That's why I'm taking this opportunity to divide the family and hand over all of our assets except for Yanbei to my second brother. From now on, the affairs of Jiangnan will be left to them. I won't interfere publicly anymore. This is also a way of making a statement to the Yanbei Palace."
Mr. Ren said, "What father meant was to run the industries in Yanbei and Jiangnan separately. In this way, even if there is a conflict between the imperial court and Yanbei in the future, we have already separated from my second uncle and others on the surface. We will run Yanbei's coal mines and coal warehouses in Yanbei, and my second uncle and others will be responsible for Jiangnan. In this way, the conflict between the imperial court and Yanbei will not involve our Ren family." Old Master Ren learned his lesson this time.
Old Madam Ren understood, but she was worried and asked, "But does my second brother understand what you mean? If he's like Liao..."
Upon hearing this, Old Master Ren smiled and said lightly, "There has always been only one head of the Ren family."
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