Chapter 11

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In the main hall, the sound of the conversation lingered, but Chen Xishi and his wife remained silent for a long time.

The reason was simple: Chen Laoer's behavior this time was too unexpected. In their memory, he had always been a quiet and submissive person, never one to stand out. How could he suddenly become so assertive?

The simple-minded couple didn't understand that a gentleman can tolerate what others cannot, but there are limits to what he can endure. No matter how poorly they treated Chen Xiliang in the past, he could tolerate it because he felt that, at nearly thirty, it was normal for him to still be a burden. However, this time, his son was being abused, and one of them was even at risk of being exiled. This far exceeded his tolerance, so he had to stand up for himself.

Actually, Chen Xishi and his wife didn't want to take the matter to the authorities. The Song Dynasty valued "filial piety and kindness," and filial piety comes before kindness. They knew that if the matter became public, they would face too much gossip. So they only wanted to use the serious charges to pressure Chen Laoer and seize the family property.

Now, after all the twists and turns, it seemed they were back on track, but the situation had reversed, and Chen Laoer had taken the initiative.

Could the couple directly say, "We want to divide the family"? After a long silence, Chen Xishi finally managed to say, "Let's not talk about the past. Family matters should not be aired outside. Let's not mention it again..." Chen Xiliang had never even been to Chengdu, and the thought of the matter reaching the authorities made him hesitant.

"That can't be settled like this," Hou Shi insisted, though she was only being stubborn.

In Chen Sanlang's view, this was the perfect opportunity to "pursue the enemy to the bitter end." Given his nature, he would seize the chance to regain his dignity and at least turn the tables.

However, people are different. Chen Xiliang didn't have such calculations. He simply said, "Big Brother, draw up the terms, and I'll follow them." This unexpected gesture of yielding the initiative greatly disappointed Chen Sanlang.

"How can we live together after all this?" Chen Xishi looked distressed. "I think we should divide the family."

"Divide the family..." Chen Xiliang looked up with a hint of melancholy, his gaze falling on the portraits of his great-grandparents hanging in the hall. He finally closed his eyes and said, "I'll leave it to Big Brother's judgment."

Chen Xishi was already at a loss and couldn't regain the upper hand. He sighed, "Since that's the case, I'll roughly outline the division. We'll go to the authorities later to sign the contract. Don't think I'm trying to take advantage; it's just that going to the authorities would damage our reputation. It's better to divide things amicably."

"That's fair," Chen Xiliang nodded.

"Don't worry, I'll be fair and won't let you down," Chen Xishi said, then had his son bring the family property ledger but didn't open it. "Our Chen family has been here for four generations, making a living by burning charcoal. Over the years, we've accumulated this ancestral home, a charcoal yard, and a bamboo grove. We used to have some farmland, but with four children studying, the expenses have been too high, and we've sold it all. Recently, considering your long-term expenses, we even sold the bamboo grove." He paused, looking regretful. "It was the best bamboo grove in the area, producing the finest charcoal, and we got 300,000 coins for it. This 300,000 coins should be enough for your expenses, and even for your son's future studies."

Chen Xiliang nodded. The economic level of the Song Dynasty was comparable to the late 1990s, with one coin having the purchasing power of one yuan.

"These three properties are all we have. As the eldest, I should inherit the ancestral home," Chen Xishi said. "As for the charcoal yard, you, a scholar, don't know about the outside world. The government has been levying 'Xiaxia money,' and business has been poor, barely profitable. That's why we had to sell the bamboo grove."

"Since that's the case, give me the charcoal yard," Chen Xiliang finally interjected.

"Uh, you've spent your whole life studying. Do you know anything about burning and selling charcoal? Do you even know which door to knock on at the market? I, your brother, have no other skills, only to manage this business. And you, you're about to go to the capital for the exams, and once you pass, you'll be an official. Isn't it beneath you to do this kind of work?" Chen Xishi said. "So, take the 300,000 coins. It's much simpler and more convenient."

After saying this, he nervously looked at Chen Xiliang, hoping his flawed and unreasonable arguments would fool this "bookworm"... But it seemed Chen Xiliang wasn't as naive as he thought, which made him uneasy.

What Chen Xishi didn't notice was that his son, Chen Dalang, was making faces and shaking his head at Chen Xiliang.

"Fine..." Chen Xiliang, seemingly oblivious, pondered for a moment and agreed.

"Don't..." Before Chen Xishi and his wife could speak, Chen Dalang couldn't hold back. "Father, you can't do this to Uncle Laoer. That's not 300,000 coins, but..."

"Shut up!" Chen Xishi, full of anger, stood up and slapped Chen Dalang, shouting, "Get out!"

Chen Dalang, afraid to disobey his father, covered his face and walked out. As he passed Chen Xiliang, he whispered, "They're all IOUs..."

"You traitor!" Chen Xishi, his face red with embarrassment, threw a teacup at Chen Dalang, hitting him on the back. "I don't have a son like you!"

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In the main hall, the situation was now at an impasse due to Chen Dalang's outburst.

After a long silence, Chen Xishi resorted to being unreasonable. "There are only 300,000 IOUs, nothing else."

Chen Sanlang's eyes widened. He had seen shameless people before, but never one as shameless as this.

"I've already said," Chen Xiliang, his face as calm as a well, replied, "Fine."

Chen Sanlang's eyes widened even more. He thought, "Knowing it's a trap, he still jumps in. This is too, too... something..." But Chen Xiliang's next words made his heart clench. "However, in addition to the contract, you must sign a statement promising not to mention today's events. If you do, the charcoal yard, the ancestral home, and all the family property will be mine."

Chen Xiliang didn't realize that this was exactly what his brother and sister-in-law wanted. They had no intention of publicizing the matter; they just wanted to seize the family property. Now, someone was offering them a pillow when they were about to sleep. How could they refuse?

They quickly exchanged glances, seeing surprise in each other's eyes. They had expected Chen Laoer to argue and demand a larger share, but he had agreed to the IOUs, making him the biggest fool in the world. As for the additional statement, they would sign it. It was a family scandal, and who would want it known to the world?

Worried that Chen Xiliang might change his mind, they immediately had Chen Silang fetch pen, ink, paper, and a brush. They signed the contract and the statement, waiting only to register it at the county office to complete the division.

Holding the freshly signed contract, Chen Xishi smiled broadly, pretending to be magnanimous. "Brother Laoer, go and pack up. You'll need many things for your new life."

Chen Xiliang nodded, dried the ink on the statement, carefully put it in his sleeve, and, after bowing to his brother and sister-in-law, picked up his son and left the main hall with Chen Sanlang and Chen Wulang.

When they reached the courtyard that had once been his, they saw Chen Dalang with a swollen face.

Chen Xiliang asked with concern, "Dalang, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Uncle Laoer," Chen Dalang said urgently. "What happened in the end?"

Chen Xiliang handed the contract to Chen Dalang and carried his son into the room.

Chen Dalang unfolded the contract and was stunned. He followed Chen Xiliang inside. "Uncle Laoer, why did you still take the IOUs..."

"I should have a clear conscience," Chen Xiliang said calmly as he packed his books. "Although your parents abused my son, I've been a burden to the family for thirty years and spent a lot on my studies. The charcoal yard is your father's livelihood. How could I take it from him?"

"But why did you take the IOUs for 300,000 coins?"

"Consider it a way to clear Chen Sanlang's name," Chen Xiliang said as if it were a trivial matter.

Chen Dalang was taken aback. At fifteen, he didn't understand the world's harshness. But Chen Sanlang understood... Those two were so greedy that they would even harm their own nephew to seize the family property. Even if Chen Xiliang had the upper hand in the argument, they would still be resentful and might cause trouble later.

Chen Sanlang, though not well-versed in the world, understood human nature well enough to guess the truth... He remembered how Hou Shi, when her chicken was stolen and she suspected Liu Houzi, had accused him of being a thief. Liu Houzi had vehemently denied it, saying, "I am a good man; how could I steal your chicken?"

Anyone living in the Song Dynasty knew the importance of being a "good man" (a person with a clean record). Whether renting a house, opening a shop, going to school, or traveling, a clean record was essential. Those with a criminal record or bad reputation couldn't get a guarantee from their neighbors, as they would be held responsible if the person committed a crime.

Without a "good man" status, one could either join the army or engage in lowly professions, effectively ruining their life. Often, no evidence was needed; a bad reputation was enough to destroy someone.

From the moment he entered, Chen Xiliang had prepared for unfair treatment. His earlier show of strength wasn't to get more property but to make his brother and sister-in-law realize he wasn't an easy target and would fight back if provoked.

Everything he did was to ensure Chen Sanlang didn't lose at the starting line... The Chen family's wealth was worth more than a million coins, but Chen Xiliang didn't hesitate to give it all up, just to secure a clean record for his son.

At this moment, Chen Sanlang didn't fully understand Chen Xiliang's deeper intentions or the principles of a gentleman. He had many objections to this seemingly foolish decision... Was it really necessary? How would they live as a family in the future?

But he was moved by Chen Xiliang's selfless love. Even if Chen Xiliang didn't know he wasn't the real Chen Sanlang, he had to... well, be a good son...

Chen Sanlang bowed his head deeply, gritted his teeth, and, imitating a scene from a TV drama, tried to kneel before Chen Xiliang.

"Stand up, a man's knees are worth their weight in gold!" Chen Xiliang sternly said. "Stand tall and be a man!"

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Note: Don't worry about the characters' ages or other details. Sometimes, things have to be contrived to fit the story. Some characters and timelines may be adjusted, but the book is the final authority.

The next update will be tomorrow morning at 8:00.

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