Chapter 52.4

Translated by Aviana

Thank you Sntorr, ZainabuAlmasy, and Leier for your support! Bonus Chapter (2/2)

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Yang laoyezi was aware that something was wrong with his words, but these spiteful words full of barbs just kept coming out of his mouth one after the other without a filter.

Perhaps, because he had received too much stimulation this day, or maybe it’s because once you mount a tiger, it’s hard to get off, or perhaps it’s because laosan, who had never once resisted, rebelled today for the first time ever, throwing him off guard….

骑虎难下 (qí hǔn án xià): if you ride a tiger, it’s hard to get off (idiom); fig. impossible to stop halfway

A sense of resentment even began sprouting in his heart towards laosan’s wife, Yao-shi, feeling this situation was entirely caused by her. Otherwise, why would his obedient third son clamor about wanting to separate from the family…

How foolish! When a problem crops up, people never consider introspecting themselves first to see if they had erred; rather, they tend to take their anger on the other people carelessly. And Yang laoyezi wasn’t an exception to this notion….

Yang laoyezi had never thought of separating the third branch. Because, in his heart, he was acutely aware of who was the major workforce in the family and who they were relying upon.

In the past, most of the work was done by Yang Tiezhu and the third branch’s husband and wife. But now, Yang Tiezhu has become crippled and wants to get separated from the family. He might possess mixed feelings of sorrow, guilt, remorse, and such towards his second son. But all these feelings wouldn’t be able to resist He-shi’s resoluteness to create a fuss or those few masked dark thoughts in his heart…

After all, Yang Tiezhu was already crippled. Even if he felt distressed and pained, it is also a fact, which could not be changed. However, the impending plight the family has to face is hovering over their heads….

Now that even the third branch’s husband and wife are clamoring to separate, Yang laoyezi truly felt as if the flesh was being dug from his heart.

It wasn’t that he treasured the third branch’s husband and wife in his heart. Rather, it was due to the plight that the family was about to face——

In the future, who will work at home from here on?

Even though Yang laoyezi’s brain was in a mess owing to all the chaotic happenings of the day, this one thought struck in his brain in a split second….

After the loss of lao’er, he can’t lose laosan as well.

Thus, he didn’t hesitate to employ the pretext of laosan lacking a son, wishing to have such thoughts dispelled from the third branch’s husband and wife, even if his words were laced with a trace of threat…. He was well aware that his son’s biggest weakness was him not having a son….

Was it selfishness?

Perhaps, it was selfishness, or perhaps it wasn’t selfishness, but something else! It wasn’t something that could be probed over or definitely remarked on by anyone.

Glancing at his father’s flapping lips, Yang Tiegen’s brain suddenly became sobered and became clear-headed, like never before.

He wanted to chuckle lightly as a slight indescribable sorrow bubbled up in his heart. Sensing his hand being grasped, his eyes moved to gaze at Yao-shi’s deformed face. Her face was severely bruised and swollen, truly a tragic sight. But her eyes shone with reassurance and decisiveness….

Suddenly, the bubbling emotions in his heart calmed down.

“Father, you don’t have to mention such things. If without a son, my bloodline would cease to exist in the future, then so be it.”

Yang laoyezi was dumbfounded as he looked at his son as if he had never seen him before.

Yang Tiegen wiped away the tears on his face, feeling slightly dejected, and loudly said, “Just give me the property share in the same way as second brother’s. I know there aren’t many grains left at home, so I don’t need them.”

Yang laoyezi was stunned; his hands began violently trembling. He wanted to pick the tobacco pipe only to find that his hands were shaking so violently that he could not do even such a simple action.

While in a trance, I heard laosan asking the Village Chief, “Uncle, please help me draft a document.”

Yang laoyezi felt torrents of sharp pain and anguish in his heart, accompanied by a tinge of desolateness….

When Yang Tieshuan and his wife saw that their old father and mother were overwhelmed by them, Yang Tieshuan wanted to say a few words but could only shut his mouth resentfully.

Wang-shi was a little unreconciled; thus she interjected, “Separation is fine. But, in the future, who would look after father and mother should still be properly discussed, right?”

Still in a trance, when Yang laoyezi heard these words, he silently nodded. Then, he heard his voice mechanically say, “We, this old couple, still need to live. In the future, whichever son separates would need to support us both. It would be best if this is clearly mentioned in the document.”

Regarding this, the second branch and third branch didn’t have any objections. Since time immemorial, supporting one’s aged parents had been heaven’s law and earth’s principle.

Yang laoyezi heard his voice once again say, “Each son will give us a dan of grains along with a tael of silver.”

石 (dàn): dry measure for grain

The voice that came out seemed to be very unfamiliar, making Yang laoyezi unable to recognize it as his own voice. But, he knew that this was his voice…..

One dan of rice was equivalent to 120 catties. But few taels of silver are a bit excessive. After all, each branch only gets two mu of fields. If they gave a few silver taels on top of dan of grains, they would have nothing much left with them.

Clan Elder Yang and the village Chief glanced at the people from the second branch and third branch.

Lin Qingwan and Yang Tiezhu didn’t find it as a huge amount. So long as they could separate from the family, it was fine. Thus, they glanced at the third branch’s husband and wife.

Yao-shi pondered over it for a while before determinedly nodding to Yang Tiegen. Yang Tiegen, too, carefully contemplated over it. If worst comes to worst, they would have to endure a bit of hardship in the future. But as long as they were happy, everything would be worth it. Thinking as such, they too nodded their head in consent.

Clan Chief Yang stroked his beard as he said with fairmindedness, “This time when separating, the two branches weren’t given any grains. Thus, this rule would be enforced from the next year. Anyways, there are only two months before the new year.”

At this point, it would be difficult for Yang laoyezi to take back his words; thus, he could only nod his head woodenly.

Soon the separation document was drafted. Apart from Lin Qingwan, who knew how to read, everyone else was illiterate.

Lin Qingwan picked up the four documents, of which two were original while the other two were duplicates, and gave them a read before nodding at Yang Tiezhu.

He dipped his finger in the ink and put his fingerprint on the document without a word.

Seeing that his second brother had stamped the document with his fingerprint, Yang Tiegen, too, stamped the document with his own, without any hesitation.

No matter how unreconciled Yang laoyezi was at this point, the matter was already concluded. He, too, took the paper and stamped his fingerprint with trembling hands.

After stamping the documents, he flung the papers on the tables and shut his eyes, his complexion pale…..

Good, good, now everything is finished…..

It doesn’t matter if they go after they leave there wouldn’t be any noises and disputes….

Lin Qingwan took the papers that belonged to them with a delightful smile. The third branch’s husband and wife clutched the separation document, feeling sad yet also happy, making them feel a bit complicated.

The episode of this family’s separation was one climax after the other, truly stunning them beyond their imaginations.

Seeing that there was nothing much to oversee, Clan Chief Yang and Village Chief stoop up from their seats, intending to leave.

Usually, during such situations, according to norms, the family ought to invite the elders, who had come to resolve the dispute, for meals.

But Yang laoyezi had just received a huge blow and just remained seated, without any words. Yang-shi and Second Yang laoyezi sent the two elders out. Lin Qingwan and the others also followed behind them.

Second Yang laoyezi requested the Village Chief and Clan Elder Yang to stop by his place for dinner, saying that they had been a huge help and were troubled to oversee the dispute for a long time. Thus, he wanted to express his gratitude by offering them a meal instead of these pitiful children.

Village Chief and the Clan Elder Yang had no reason to decline; thus, with no other choice, they agreed.

Glimpsing at the few children standing at the side, with pitiful appearances, Clan Elder Yang recalled shrewish He-shi and said while facing towards the main room, “Yang Shuan, control your woman from hereon. Don’t let her make it difficult for these few children. In the future, if she makes trouble again, I will surely convene a clan meeting and have her divorced out.”

There wasn’t any reply from the main room, but Clan Elder Yang was sure he had heard him.

Reaching out his hand to pat Yang Tiegen’s shoulder, he said, “In the future, if your mother makes things difficult for you, you can come and find your grand-uncle, alright.” Clan Elder Yang’s seniority was higher in the entire clan, and even Yang laoyezi has to address him respectfully as ‘uncle’. In that sense, it would be fitting to say, Clan Elder would be a grand-uncle to Yang Tiegen and a few others.

All the youngsters nodded their heads. His words made Lin Qingwan even happier.

Second Yang laoyezi also invited his eldest sister, Yang-shi, to go with them. Yang-shi glanced at the few children and their pitiful appearances before shaking her head, declining his invite, saying that he should accompany Village Chief and Clan Elder Yang.

Second Yang laoyezi understood his eldest sister’s intentions and led the two elders to his place.

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