Upon hearing that the land was to be sold, Chen Zhanliang flew into a rage, pointing his finger at Chen Zhancai and launching into a tirade of abuse.
"You unfilial descendant, what kind of terrible idea is this? You even want to sell the land! You're becoming more and more outrageous!"
"If things continue like this, you'll ruin our family one day! You inhuman wretch, aren't you afraid our ancestors will crawl out from under the ground and slap you?"
Sun was furious. "Third son, you are shameless and beyond redemption. Do you have any conscience at all? The land is the lifeblood of farmers. We rely on the soil to make a living and on farming to support our families. Have you lost your mind or been kicked by a donkey? You actually want to sell the land. Why don't you go eat shit?"
"I don't think his brain's been filled with water or kicked by a donkey; it's just been covered in shit." Chen Zhanliang finished speaking and glared fiercely at Chen Zhancai.
Chen Zhancai's face turned red, and he clenched his teeth. "Stop lecturing me. If you're so capable, come up with a solution. The matter at hand is urgent. The only valuable thing our family owns is the land. What can we do if we don't sell it?"
Are we just going to wait for them to come to our house and cause trouble? For them to sue us for marriage fraud at the county court?
When that time comes, none of us will escape; we'll all have to go to court and be punished. Not only will we have to return the money, but at best, each of us will receive twenty strokes of the cane; at worst, the men will be exiled to the army, and the women will be enslaved for generations. You can decide for yourselves which is more serious.”
Chen Zhanliang and his wife were taken aback by these words and lowered their heads, remaining silent.
Old Chen shook his head and sighed, "Third brother, what you said is true, but the land is the foundation upon which farmers depend for survival. It is the wealth left by our ancestors and passed down from generation to generation. If I sell it, I will have no face to face our ancestors in the future!"
"Father, to be honest, I'm also reluctant to sell the land, but we have no other choice right now. You have to think long-term. As the saying goes, 'Give up a small plot of land, and you'll gain a bright future for generations to come.' We're dealing with an emergency, not squandering our wealth."
If I can get through this hurdle now, I'm 120% confident that I'll pass the imperial examination next year. Not only will our taxes be reduced, but I'll also have the opportunity to participate in the imperial examination.
If we're lucky and work hard, we might pass the imperial examination next year and become a scholar. Then our family won't just be an ordinary household, but a powerful and influential official family.
If you enjoy farming, your son can easily get you a hundred or two hundred acres.
You can hire a few farmhands, sit down on the edge of the field, drink tea, and crack melon seeds.
"And if I give you two maids to serve you, you'll be living the life of a real tycoon!"
Chen Zhancai spoke with great emotion, and once again painted a rosy picture for Old Man Chen.
After hearing these words, Old Man Chen's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and a smile appeared on his face. He waved his hands repeatedly, "No, no, I've suffered most of my life, I dare not order pretty girls around. We'll just hire a few more farmhands."
Seeing that Old Man Chen was almost overjoyed by the hype, Chen Zhanliang sneered, "Dad, these are all baseless rumors. Wake up and stop dreaming."
"Shut up. What do you mean by 'not a word'? Since the third brother said he's 120% sure he'll pass the imperial examination next year, then our family's good days are just around the corner. You can enjoy the good life with him."
"Alright, Dad, stop with the empty promises and get down to business." Chen Zhanliang really wanted to swear.
Old Man Chen was so angry he was speechless. He looked at Old Woman Chen and said, "Old woman, don't play dumb. You're in charge of this family. Tell me what to do."
Old Mrs. Chen was initially hesitant, but after hearing Chen Zhancai's rosy promises, she was immediately captivated and thrilled.
Although things are tough right now, my son's future is still the most important thing.
Once the third son makes a name for himself, the entire Chen family will rise to prominence, and they will never again have to fawn over money or bow down for a pittance.
When she is freed from her lowly status, she will live in a grand mansion, dressed in fine silks and brocades, eating delicacies from land and sea, and having maids serve her. Why wouldn't she be happy to do that?
The more she thought about it, the happier she became, and she couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Alright, let's do as the third brother says, it's settled then."
Old Chen nodded with a smile, "Yes, we'll listen to the third brother."
"Dad, Mom, we can't sell the land!" Chen Zhanliang was furious and objected. "Think about it carefully. We have a lot of people in our family. If we really sell the land, how will we eat in the future? This is no joke."
Old Mrs. Chen glared at him impatiently. "Second son, shut up. Didn't you hear what your third brother just said? Once the third son brings glory to the family, he'll have everything he could ever want. Why are you still worrying about this? This matter is settled. We'll sell four acres of land to plug that fifty taels of silver hole first."
"Mother, you actually believe what the third son says? What if he still fails to pass the imperial examination?"
Old Mrs. Chen was furious. "Pah! You jinx! If the third son doesn't pass the exam, I'll sew your mouth shut so you can stop spouting nonsense."
"You're just spoiling him. Sooner or later you'll be the one who suffers the most." Chen Zhanliang rolled his eyes.
Chen Zhancai raised an eyebrow, looking smug. "Second brother, don't always look down on me. Let me tell you, your brother has ambition. Sooner or later, I'll show you how I'll make the Chen family live a life of luxury."
Chen Zhanliang waved his hand impatiently, "Alright, alright, stop making empty promises. If you're really capable, then stop plotting against the family and stop selling other people's daughters all the time, or squandering the family fortune left by our ancestors. If you can do that, I, as the second brother, will be burning incense in gratitude."
"You, you, you, don't underestimate me." Chen Zhancai was so ashamed that his face turned completely red, and he was extremely embarrassed.
Old Mrs. Chen couldn't stand it anymore and glared at him, "Second son, stop being so sarcastic. Third son is right. If our family wants to live a good life, the responsibility rests entirely on his shoulders."
Sun frowned and said with a gloomy face, "Alright, Zhanliang, we are just ordinary people and our words carry no weight. Mother won't believe us no matter what we say. Let it be, we won't interfere anymore. At worst, we can separate the family and live separately in the future, which will be easier."
Chen Zhanliang was filled with unease. All the money had been taken by his third son, and now, unable to plug the financial hole, they had to sell land.
This year was already a year of disaster; after paying taxes, there wasn't even enough surplus grain to last through the winter.
If we were to sell a few more acres of land now, my family would probably go hungry this winter.
But what could he do if his parents insisted on doing it this way?
“Wife, you’re right.” Chen Zhanliang glared at Chen Zhancai. “Third son, this family has given away everything they could and couldn’t have for you. Since your parents are counting on you, you’d better not let them down.”
After venting his frustrations, he fell silent...
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