Everyone looked at each other in dismay.
This didn’t seem like something Song Daliang would do!
Severing the family ties would bring him nothing but harm and no benefit. Given his character, it was already surprising that the division hadn’t been delayed even further, so how could he possibly be the one proactively suggesting it?
Song Jiyun appeared thoughtful.
Eleventh Grand Master Song was furious, "So today, you deliberately chose not to come to your second brother’s seventh-seven ritual?"
The seventh-seven ritual was an important ceremony.
According to Buddhist and Taoist beliefs, when a person dies, their soul lingers in the world until the forty-ninth day, when ties with the mortal world are completely severed, and the soul is reincarnated; hence, on this day, all relatives and friends should come to bid farewell to the deceased.
Song Daliang’s eyes flickered, but his attitude was firm. He said, "Isn’t it as you said, once I and my younger brother have split, we are two separate families? Since we are two separate families, isn’t it up to me whether I come or not? What’s wrong if I don’t feel like coming?"
His words offended various clan elders of the Song Family.
After all, it was they who had decided on the separation.
By saying this, wasn’t he accusing them of making the wrong decision?
Moreover, because Song Daliang and Song Sanliang didn’t attend Song Youliang’s seventh-seven ritual, the Song Family had already lost face in front of the County Magistrate.
Immediately, a clan elder said angrily, "Are you planning to completely sever ties with Youliang’s family?"
Song Daliang, unconcerned and crossing his legs, said, "You look down on people, you want to curry favor with that dead girl, Song Jiyun, but don’t expect me to lose face to lift her palanquin like you!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
Indeed, as he said, there were indeed those who had reluctantly sided with Song Jiyun, and deep down, they were somewhat resentful and dissatisfied with a woman like Song Jiyun standing on an equal footing, even having authority over them.
At his words, they showed signs of shame.
But more people were dissatisfied with him, saying, "Remember what you said today. When something happens in your family, we too can disregard the rules, come if we want, and stay away if we don’t!"
"Pah!" Song Daliang was furious and unapologetically said to that elder, "Don’t curse me! What could possibly happen in our family? You think I’m like Song Youliang, that short-lived ghost, born with luck but not the life to enjoy it."
His words enraged Madam Qian, who stood up in anger, supporting her waist, "You are their uncle, how can you speak like that?"
Nanny Zheng hurried to support Madam Qian.
Madam Qian, with tears streaming down her face, took out a handkerchief and choked with sobs, "The seventh-seven isn’t even over yet, aren’t you afraid that our Youliang will come to settle the score with you tonight?"
Song Daliang shrank his shoulders in fear, then suddenly as if he thought of something, stiffened his neck, and said, "Let him come find me! I just want to ask him, how come we brothers were fine, and as soon as he passes, you don’t recognize me as your uncle? Did I do something wrong by arranging your family’s funeral?"
"Have you no sense of reason!" Madam Qian was extremely angry, pointing at him, at a loss for words.
Song Jiyun walked over, gently supported her mother’s back, helped her calm down, comforting her, and even smiled as she called out "Uncle."
Song Daliang looked up at her.
She said in a gentle, slow voice, "When is uncle’s Kiln Factory set to open? From your tone, you haven’t planned to invite us to offer our congratulations, have you?"
The crowd present clearly knew nothing about this and was immediately abuzz.
Song Daliang was startled and hadn’t expected Song Jiyun to be so well-informed; he had only just gathered the people for the Kiln Factory, and she already knew.
He just didn’t know what else she might be aware of.
He grew cautious, his expression revealing a hint of defensiveness, "What are you trying to do? We’ve already separated; this Kiln Factory has nothing to do with you all!"
Everyone seated understood.
Logically, when someone in the clan has the extra capacity to hire help, they prefer to hire from within the clan.
It is a way to support each other in difficult times, and because when outsiders make mistakes and lawsuits arise, the clan elders can discipline their own kin who err.
He was worried that once his Kiln Factory was operational, the Song Family would come seeking undue benefits; thus, he was eager to separate from the Song Family!
With a face as dark as the bottom of a pot, Eleventh Grand Master Song instructed the servant boy to fetch pen, ink, paper, and inkstone, "Write the Deed of Separation clearly and unmistakably now; from now on, whatever Song Daliang does will have nothing to do with our Song Family!
He also warned everyone present, "If anyone’s child dares to step foot into Song Daliang’s Kiln Factory, I’ll break his legs."
Song Daliang scoffed at this, and while Eleventh Grand Master Song was writing the deed, he picked up a tea cup and took a sip of tea, provocatively saying, "What is this? Even dregs are tastier than this!"
Madam Qian was very angry.
Song Jiyun gently patted her mother’s hand and leisurely said, "Then you don’t have to drink it!"
Song Daliang’s hand, reaching for the fruit, stiffened.
Although he was reluctant, he had to admit that deep down, he was quite wary of Song Jiyun.
But he could not afford to lose his composure at this time.
"You think I care for it!" Song Daliang sneered, taking a big bite of a bright red plum from the fruit plate, disdainfully tossed it back onto the plate, and said, "If it weren’t for the separation, do you think I would visit your house?"
"Oh!" Song Jiyun responded, raising an eyebrow, "Well, that saves both our families the trouble of mutually loathing each other."
"Eleventh Grand Master," she turned her head, "while you are at it, can you draft another deed for us? My great-uncle dislikes everything about our house, and we don’t want to shamelessly be slapped on one cheek and turn the other to be slapped too—write us a deed of disownment? From now on, let him take his lone path, and I shall take mine on the Fairway, no more dealings with each other."
The crowd was dumbfounded.
There had been clan members who separated from the clan before, but even after the separation, to protect each other’s dignity, they visited each other even more frequently. It was unprecedented to see both separation and disownment like this during their lifetimes.
But Song Jiyun was truly fed up with Song Daliang.
She reminded the Song Family elders, "This way, should any issues arise in our house, we won’t drag the great uncle along."
The crowd instantly recalled Song Daliang’s capacity for causing trouble.
They too feared being implicated!
Immediately, a Clan elder resolutely said, "That’s best! After all, Old Master Song wasn’t planning to associate with us anymore. With the disownment, it’s all the more proper."
Eleventh Grand Master Song also came to realize, emphatically declaring, "Done! I’ll write the Deed of Disownment too and take them both to the Yamen later."
Disownment, though frowned upon, given that the current County Magistrate cared quite well for the Song Family and Song Jiyun, he should support the Deed of Disownment.
Everything was unfolding as Song Daliang had hoped, but for some reason, he inexplicably felt uneasy.
People without a clan are like geese who have strayed from the flock; perhaps it was just the initial lack of habit?
He comforted himself, though not wanting his discomfort to show, he became even more arrogant, "You better not regret it!"
"You better not regret it yourself!" the people retorted, and before long, they had both deeds written.
Eleventh Grand Master Song and two other Clan elders, representing the Song Family, went to the Yamen with Song Daliang.
Song Jiyun’s arranged appreciation dinner for the Clan elders was not going to happen tonight.
She saw Eleventh Grand Master Song and others to the door.
But as Song Daliang was about to board his sedan chair, she stopped him and whispered with a smile, "How is Sister Cousin Tao doing?"
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