Chen Zhanshan pleaded, "Mother, you can't kick us out just because the third son is studying. If you kick me out, the villagers will call me unfilial."
While parents are alive, the family remains united. But now that both parents-in-law are alive, separating the family is considered unfilial. If they are driven out, the villagers' scorn will drown them.
Moreover, if they were to be driven out now, they would only face certain death in this famine.
Lin's face was pale. "Mother, calm down. Don't get sick from anger. It's all my fault. I'll apologize to you."
A smug glint flashed in Old Mrs. Chen's eyes. She couldn't control others, but the eldest couple were honest and timid. Could she really not handle them? Now they knew fear!
She cleared her throat. "Zhanshan, it's not that I'm biased and want to kick you out. Just obediently marry Qingya to Butcher Li, and this matter will be over."
From now on, we'll work hard to earn money to support your third brother's education, hoping he can pass the imperial examination and become a scholar as soon as possible, so you can live a decent life too.
Chen Zhanshan swayed, and the chill in his heart deepened.
This year has been bad. Although my family has more than ten acres of land, there has been little rain in the first half of the year, so the harvest will definitely be halved.
After paying taxes in the fall, the remaining grain might not even last through the winter.
Even if they went out to do hard labor or dig for wild vegetables, they could barely avoid starving to death.
If the third son insists on studying and doesn't marry off his daughter, he definitely won't survive this winter.
If you marry your daughter to Butcher Li, she will only face death.
He looked desperate. "We can't sell Qing'er!"
Old Mrs. Chen said indifferently, "I'll give you two choices. First, agree to Qing'er's marriage. Second, separate the family. You all move out. From now on, I am not your mother, and I don't have a son like you."
"Mother, you're trying to drive your son to his death!"
Chen Zhanshan felt utterly desolate. His family was on the verge of starvation, yet his parents continued to favor and indulge their third son.
Although he had gotten used to his parents favoring the third child over the years, his eyes still instantly welled up with tears when he heard that his mother wanted to separate them from the family.
Chen Qingqing curled her lips in a mocking smile.
I've seen shameless people before, but I've never seen anyone this shameless. They speak with such righteous indignation, but in reality, they are selfish and self-serving.
Since you are so heartless, don't blame me for being ruthless too. I possess unparalleled medical skills, and once I am rich, I will show you no mercy whatsoever.
She took Chen Zhanshan's arm and said, "Dad, since Grandma wants to separate the family, let's do it. If we keep lingering and cause Grandma any harm, you'll really be branded as disloyal, unfilial, and unjust."
Madam Lin was terrified. Was this girl joking? Did she know what dividing the family property meant? It could mean people would starve to death. Dividing the family property at this time was tantamount to suicide.
Madam Lin quickly reached out and pulled her, "Daughter, don't say anything. Don't worry, Mother won't let your grandmother kick us out."
"Mother, don't worry. Even if I starve to death, it's better than being beaten to death by Butcher Li. At least I'll die in your arms, and I'll feel happy."
Chen Qingqing then said calmly,
"Besides, my father doesn't agree to me marrying Butcher Li and going to my death. What if one day he secretly enters the palace to become a eunuch in order to support my third uncle? Mother, are you willing to let him go?"
Lin choked on her words. Her daughter's words seemed to make sense. Separating the family might offer a glimmer of hope. If they didn't separate, her daughter would be sold, her husband would lose his dignity, and her fate might be even more tragic.
Thinking of this, she sighed softly, "Aren't you afraid of going hungry after we separate?"
"Don't worry, as long as we're with our parents, our family will definitely get better and better."
Grandma Chen glared at Chen Qingqing. This girl seemed to have really changed; she had become sharp-tongued and even knew how to sow discord.
I told them to leave casually, but this girl seemed really happy about it. She must be playing hard to get.
Old Mrs. Chen snorted coldly, "Qing'er, have you thought this through? Once the family is separated, you will no longer be descendants of the Chen family. In the future, when your third uncle passes the imperial examination and is exempted from taxes for farming and from corvée labor by the government, it will have nothing to do with you."
Chen Qingqing laughed dismissively, "What kind of bullshit scholar is this? I don't care. If I wanted to, my little brother could pass the imperial examination just as easily."
Old Man Chen laughed as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. "Qing girl, you think you can support Xiaohan's education? The school in town charges two taels of silver a month for tuition. Aren't you afraid of biting your tongue when you talk big?"
Chen Qingqing laughed arrogantly, "It's just two taels of silver. Over the years, all the money my father earned has gone to my third uncle for tuition."
Why not use this money to support my younger brother? Why put all your eggs in one basket with someone who has been trying to pass the imperial examinations for over ten years and still can't even become a scholar?
"Who knows, it's not impossible for my younger brother to study so hard and become the top scholar in the imperial examination."
Old Mrs. Chen spat and spoke fiercely.
"You brat, how dare you spout such nonsense? Take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror. Your whole family are just a bunch of poor, brainless bastards. You'd starve to death without me. You want to become a top scholar? You're dreaming!"
"Boss, give me a straight answer today: are you going to marry Qing'er to Butcher Li, or are you all getting out of here?"
Seeing Old Mrs. Chen's aggressive attitude, the last glimmer of hope in Chen Zhanshan's eyes collapsed. "Mother, your son is unfilial and cannot serve you and Father. I hope you will take care of yourselves."
"Fine, very well. You're actually willing to throw away your old mother for a worthless piece of trash."
"Mother, please don't hurt your son. It's you who don't want me anymore. How could your son bear to leave you?"
Old Chen frowned. His eldest son was the main breadwinner of the family, and they couldn't do without him, whether in the fields or on the mountain.
Although the second son was never idle when things were busy, he was lazy and cunning. He would either poop or pee, or he would be thirsty, always looking for something to avoid doing his work.
If the eldest son's family is really separated, who will do these chores?
A glint of light flashed in his eyes. "Honey, calm down. A family isn't something you can just divide up like that."
"Why can't they be distributed? What's the point of keeping people like them who do nothing but eat and do no work? They should be distributed as soon as possible; they deserve to starve to death!"
Chen Zhancai was so anxious that he kept stamping his feet. Most of the money he used to spend on schooling in town was earned by his eldest brother through hard labor. If the family splits up, who will support his education?
The little grain grown in the fields is simply not enough to make ends meet.
"Mother, you must calm down, we can't separate the family!"
Liu Fengjiao was also anxious and annoyed, thinking to herself, "What's wrong with this old man? Why is he talking about dividing the family property? If the family is divided, who will marry Butcher Li?"
We can't just return the betrothal gifts, can we? How will our husbands go to the academy to study then?
Although the eldest son is getting older and earns less money than before, even a small amount is still money, and he still contributes a considerable amount to the family income.
Lin was also very capable; the household couldn't do the laundry and cooking without her. Now that she's gone, who will do these chores?
No, I have to say something to my mother-in-law; I can't let her make a foolish decision.
Liu Fengjiao feigned sincerity and said, "Mother, Zhancai is right. We can't separate the family. If we do, the villagers will laugh at us."
......
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