Chapter 52.2

As soon as He-shi left, the room became silent.

Clan Elder Yang and Village Chief exchanged a glance and began discussing in a low voice.

Thereafter, Clan Elder Yang solicited Yang Tiezhu and Lin Qingwan’s opinions. Yang Tiezhu’s reply was still the same as the previous one—to separate. He then asked Yang laoyezi about the same, who remained wordless with his face covered in his palms.

Clan Elder Yang cleared his throat and began speaking: “Although with father and mother still alive, separation is not allowed. However, sometimes when living together is no longer possible, it’s better to separate. However, separation without any asset division is simply not acceptable, and Yang jia would even be criticized by fellow villagers for being unfair in handling the matters. Yang Shuan, how the family assets would be divided would be left up to your decision. However, let me be clear. You know well in what situation Tiezhu and his wife are in, so don’t go overboard. If you are unreasonable, we won’t sit idly and watch. I will have all the elders in the clan come here and help you in the separation of the family together.”

Yang laoyezi could decipher that the timber had already turned into a boat, and even the Clan Elder had spoken up. Laoer and his wife’s attitude also appeared to be resolute. Moreover, his wife was also not someone, who could sit still without causing trouble day after day. They might as well have the second branch’s husband and wife separate out, and settle this matter thoroughly and peacefully.

木已成舟 (mùyǐ chéng zhōu): lit. the timber has been turned into a boat already (idiom) / fig. what is done cannot be undone

loaer: appellation used to address the second child in the family

With such thoughts, he stood up from his seat and brought the title deeds of the family’s assets without any words.

After contemplating for a long time, Yang laoyezi slowly began speaking, “Our family has altogether 12 mu of land, all of which are, more or less, with a good soil. As for the house, it is in front of all you to see. And silver——” with a pause, he took in a deep breath before resuming, his voice dull and hoarse, “All the silver has been given laosi for his exam, this you also know. Totally, there are four sons in the house. It would be reasonable to say that each son should be provided with three mu of land. However, we, the old couple, are still alive, and there is still a son and a daughter yet to be married. Thus, for laoer’s share, I can give two mu of land, and as for the house, he can keep the room he is currently staying in. Additionally, he can pick up a few farm tools. These are the only ones I can give you.”

亩 (mǔ): classifier for fields/unit of area equal to one-fifteenth of a hectare

laosi: appellation used for the second child in the family

However, Yang laoyezi didn’t mention anything about livestock at home. Not only did he not mention the cattle, pigs, and a dozen hens the family has, but he also didn’t mention Yang Tiezhu’s medical fees that they owe. But Lin Qingwan didn’t have any expectations of getting anything from the start. She would be satisfied so long as they cleanly could separate from the family without any hitches.

Upon hearing this, Yang-shi felt something amiss and asked, “What about the grains?”

Grains are the foundation of life for the village folks. Even if he split up fields and the house, cultivating anything is impractical in this cold weather, and the house cannot be eaten. If the grains aren’t given, what would the two children eat, drink the northwest wind?

喝西北风 (hē xī běi fēng): lit. drink the northwest wind (idiom); cold and hungry

Although the two had a bit of silver saved, at the moment, Yang Teizhu isn’t in any position to move, while Lin Qingwan is also pregnant. Thus, that silver had to be broken up and spent wisely. Yang-shi wanted to consider everything for these two children.

Naturally, Yang-shi had also heard Yang laoyezi deliberately ignore Yang Tiezhu’s medical fees ‘ debt ‘. But upon seeing Yang Tiezhu and Lin Qingwan not raise a word against it, she, as a creditor, too didn’t have the heart to mention it.

“Grains?” Yang laoyezi appeared a bit startled when the topic of grains was raised. Rubbing his old face, he replied in a dull and hoarse voice, “After paying the grain taxes, more than half of the grains were sold to pool over the silver for laosi’s exam. There aren’t many grains left at home, otherwise…. otherwise, He-shi wouldn’t have done….”

Yang laoyezi didn’t finish the rest. However, everyone listening could understand what the unspoken words were.

It means that because there wasn’t any silver nor food at home, He-shi had thought of expelling the two out. She didn’t want to raise two useless people in the family.

Clan Elder and Village Chief were dumfounded upon hearing him, not sure what to say.

Yang-shi still wanted to speak further, but Lin Qingwan tugged her from the side.

“Let it be. This is enough. We don’t need grains,” said Lin Qingwan; Yang Tiezhu also nodded his head from the side.

Upon seeing that both the involved parties had come to a consensus, Clan Elder Yang and Village Chief soon afterwards had one of them bring the ink, paper, and inkstone to draft a document for separation. It just happened that they also had a scholar in their family; thus, there was no shortage of such things at home.

Wang-shi wanted to speak up a few words, but when she recalled that Clan Elder Yang and Village Chief were presiding over the separation, she figured it would be impossible to simply throw the people in the second branch out.

On second thought, two mu of land aren’t much. Their family still had ten mu of land. But what distressed her the most was that second branch’s room. She had originally intended for her Dalang and other sons to take over that room once the second branch’s people were thrown out.

(In case you have forgotten, Dalang is Wang-shi’s eldest son. )

Yang Tieshuan could grasp the situation better than his wife and clearly understood this matter set in stone. The gains won’t make up for the losses if they try to separate them and annoy the Clan Elder. Rather, they might as well simply remain silent without a word.

He-shi sneaked to the door of the east room and eavesdropped on the conversation happening here. When she happened to hear that the second branch would be getting two mu of fields, she immediately wanted to go out and object to it. But when she recalled Clan Elder and Yang laoyezi’s words, she didn’t dare to interrupt them and forcibly suppressed the surging anger in her heart, with no other choice.

The third branch’s husband and wife exchanged glances. Yao-shi’s pair of eyes were brimming with the appeal, while conflict loomed in Yang Tiegen’s pair of eyes.

The gleam in Yao-shi’s eyes gradually dimmed out. Yang Tiegen closed his eyes with a stamp of his feet and nodded to Yao-shi before marching forward.

Just as they had finished drafting the document for separation, and both parties were about to sign, Yang jia’s third branch’s husband and wife unexpectedly dashed into the main room and knelt on the floor with a ‘bang’.

Clan Elder Yang was flabbergasted as he promptly stood up to help the two up.

“What’s wrong?”

Yang Tiegen’s face writhed in anguish. But recalling his wife’s skinny and shriveled appearance and his two little kids who were as thin as a rake, he could only cover his face and sob as he sorrowfully spoke to Yang laoyezi, “Father, you, you, please have me separate from the family too! I implore you!”

When Yang laoyezi heard his words, he was significantly shocked beyond words, and only could point a trembling finger at him, unable to believe what he heard, “You, you…you repeat what you have just said…”

Yang Tiegen crouched on the ground as he kept shaking his head, “Father, I also don’t want much. Just separate me from the family, just like my second brother. I also don’t need grains. Just take me as an unfilial son, I really can’t live like this, really can’t live…”

Yao-shi wasn’t someone who was witty with her words, nor she could lay out a plan step by step like Lin Qingwan. Thus, while Yang Tiegen spoke, she kept kowtowing her head on the floor beside him, begging Yang laoyezi. The number of times she kowtowed weren’t any few, and soon her forehead started bleeding.

Lin Qingwan quickly stepped forward to pull her up. The floor was hard and was made up of bricks. If Yao-shi continues to kowtow like this, she will knock herself to death.

But Yao-shi kept kneeling on the ground, adamantly refusing to get up, as she washed her face with tears. Her thin and pale face was entirely drenched with tears and snivels; coupled with the traces of blood on her forehead, she cut an extremely sorry figure, looking pitiful.

“Father, I beg you! I beg you… I beg you, please have pity on us, I beg you…” Yao-shi kept repeating such words as she once again resumed kowtowing.

Lin Qingwan’s nose was sore as she tried to restrain the tears in eyes her from dripping down to no avail.

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