Chapter 27:
Old Li Tou and his wife looked at him warily, “Daqiang, are you really going to abandon your parents together with your wife?”
Li Daqiang gave them a reassuring look and said respectfully,
“Li Zuzu, Zhao Zuzu, Village Chief Uncle, this is Daqiang’s unfilial behavior. Of all the good deeds, filial piety comes first. Parents are alive and we don’t divide the family!”
“As the oldest brother in the home, I can’t disrupt the ancestral traditions! Let the old and young in the village poke at my parents’ spines!”
Parents are alive and children have private property—this is a very shameful thing…
Old Li Tou and Zhou Shi breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t in vain teaching him; the oldest brother is the most obedient in this family.
“Li Daqiang, you scum waste, no family division? Your own wife and children won’t survive, and you still care about those conventional, hypocritical so-called filial piety?”
Xiao Zhou Shi was so angry she nearly spat blood, going mad. She was wholeheartedly planning for this family, wanting to escape this quagmire and pave a future for the children…
Yet he was thinking of ridiculous filial piety. Could that thing make him earn silver, or let them eat their fill?
“Wouldn’t it be good to put my energy, time, and your strength into our own small family?”
“Would we still be living like pigs and dogs, a lowly despicable life? Do we need to fight for food and serve others?”
“Their whole family dragging us down, silver earned first going to others—is the future of our Yunliang and Muqing not important? Just because I’m the oldest brother, should I deserve it?”
Veins burst on Li Daqiang’s face, a hint of ferocity appearing as he said,
“Shut up!”
“Our Old Li Family is discordant precisely because of long-time daughters-in-law like you. We are one family—break the bone and the tendons are still connected. I, Li Daqiang, am the oldest brother in the home and should naturally be filial, support my parents, and help my brothers and sisters.”
“Hehe, it should be—exactly what is ‘should be’? Every time it’s like this. If your parents told you to eat shit, would you go too?”
“You, a foolish woman cannot be carved! Hmph! My parents are also doing this for the good of the family, for our good!”
Li Daqiang clenched his fist and held back. Xiao Zhou Shi’s words were like digging up his ancestral grave!
“Pah! You selfish little hussy, stop sowing discord there. Our Daqiang came out of my belly. You want to manipulate and control him? No way!”
Zhou Shi spat toward Xiao Zhou Shi, a flash of smugness in her eyes!
Suddenly, a wave of sorrow rose in Luo Zhi’er’s heart. Xiao Zhou Shi’s character wasn’t great.
But she was truly planning for her two children!
This Li Daqiang was a thoroughly foolishly filial man.
Regardless of whether his parents were right or wrong, even knowing it was wrong, he wouldn’t go against their will…
And even beautifying it by saying his parents were doing it for their good, without properly positioning himself.
Besides being their son, you are also your wife’s husband and the children’s father.
She truly despised this kind of man to the extreme—responsible to parents and brothers, yet wronging his own wife and children…
In other words, you’re willing to suffer for your parents, brothers, and sisters—why drag your own wife and children into it?
They have the freedom to not be willing. Why should they pay for your foolish filial piety, just because you contributed a sperm?
No wonder Xiao Zhou Shi always had cold eyes toward that Li Daqiang, with no emotional reaction.
She even said they were probably free love before—must be utterly disappointed!
Li Sanmao saw his wife fuming and held her hand, which she pinched painfully, “Wife…”
Luo Zhi’er glanced faintly at him…”What is it?” “Uh… nothing, nothing.”
She really couldn’t understand their logic.
Family division isn’t unfilial to parents either; it’s just more freedom for each.
Children live their own lives. She understood they feared not earning silver when old and having nowhere to rely.
And possibly Old Li Tou and the others felt no one to earn silver or do farm work, losing control and feeling insecure.
The Village Chief looked around at everyone’s expressions, thought for a moment, and said faintly:
“Family division isn’t a matter for one branch; it’s a result of discussion by the whole big family, and also a means to build this family better!”
“Of course, the main decision-makers are still your parents. See their plans. We uncles can only suggest. If needed to help supervise the family division process and property, we are duty-bound…”
The two ancestors stroked their beards and nodded.
“If your parents disagree, we can’t say much.”
Xiao Zhou Shi’s heart turned to ashes. So, it’s impossible? No…
Luo Zhi’er’s eyes flashed, and she said in a crisp voice, “Village Chief Uncle, are all the people in our village following the old tradition of not dividing the family while parents are alive?”
Everyone didn’t think she was asking nonsense. This Luo Zhi’er, besides loving to eat and drink and doing housework, had no other ideas…
She didn’t walk around much in the village usually and didn’t like chatting idly; probably didn’t know…
“Hehe, we actually don’t only follow that old tradition. When the tree grows big, it branches—there are a few households in our village that divided while parents were alive…”
“Like that! So how are they doing now?”
“Hehe, pretty good!”
Although they left some bad reputation among the older generation in the village.
Things like selfish, ungrateful wolves, unfilial, and such.
That was when the family was in chaos before, had to divide. Now their small families are doing quite prosperously.
Those who didn’t speak to parents before have started interacting again. During festivals, or any usual matters, they run over quickly…
“Do they give filial silver to their parents-in-law?”
The Village Chief didn’t expect her to ask so detailedly, thinking she was just inquiring for fun.
“Yes, for example, Zhao Shumao and Zhao Maogen’s families give about twenty coins per month per branch, it’s said.”
“Especially the oldest brother Zhao Shumao, new rice and flour from his fields are sent first to the two elders. Small vegetables and such are basically never lacking…”
“The second brother Zhao Maogen goes back and forth to town with an ox cart, often buying daily necessities, meat, and such. Anyway, it depends on their intentions!”
Old Li Tou had often badmouthed those few families for pioneering in the village.
Those Zhao Shumao and Zhao Maogen brothers were like that; a few years ago they nearly beat each other to death. No division wasn’t an option…
The two elders were on tenterhooks every day, initially also disagreeing…
“Rural people have land and fields, grow their own grain enough for two elders to eat. The young ones still give filial silver, quiet and no pressure…”
Old Li Tou and Zhou Shi’s faces were black as coal balls. They’d always heard the Zhao family at the village head divided, but didn’t know about the filial silver—turns out only twenty coins, what can that do?
How does that compare to holding all the family’s silver oneself?
Old Li Tou had often used Zhao Shumao’s family as examples to lecture the children, not allowing such thoughts, lest others laugh!
Of course, there was one household where the parents took the initiative. Many elders here thought they were sick.
His Old Li Family was harmonious, the whole family prosperous. In the future, several generations under one roof, sons, daughters, grandsons at his knee—how good…
He didn’t want two lonely elders living in a crumbling earthen house, staring blankly at home. He didn’t want his big house dream ruined!
Zhou Shi’s eyes rolled around. She resolutely didn’t want it. Now someone directs, if divided out, inside and outside the home she’d have to do everything.
Zhenzhu couldn’t help her; she still had to serve her.
This old man was cunning and hard to serve. She’d served him a lifetime; with a daughter-in-law married, she wanted to enjoy being served…
Why let those little hussies be free and easy, relaxed? Is being a young wife that good…
“As the saying goes, cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, pacify the world. If the family is often discordant, staying together has no meaning, right?”
Uncle Li looked at Old Li Tou and suddenly added…
“Hmph! Li Fuquan, don’t play tricks.”
“Your big family doesn’t divide, harmonious and good, living in a newly built big house, living prosperous good days, yet you come to our home to sow discord and make us divide. What are your motives?”
Zhou Shi shouted loudly, watching to scold him into slinking away tail between legs.
Sly old man with wiles, give him some face and he really thinks he’s the boss…
“I see you’re afraid our family will surpass yours, deliberately making trouble…”
“Hehe, Zhou Shi, you’re overthinking. My family is harmonious and lives in a big house, that’s true.”
“Because in my home there’s no daily chaos, no discord or fighting. I’ve lived half a lifetime; everyone knows what kind of person I am. Your so-called making trouble doesn’t exist at all…”
“My family members work together without jealousy or selfishness, wholeheartedly managing this home well. Family division is something the young ones don’t mention. If they did, I and my wife would definitely respect their wishes…”
Li Fuquan and Uncle Li calmly stroked their beards and said,
“To say something unpleasant, these young ones sometimes won’t leave even if we chase them away in front of me and my old woman!”
“Hehe!”
Li Fuquan said it with some self-satisfaction, very content. Zhou Shi and Old Li Tou itched with anger—was this showing off or despising?
Zhao Guangyuan, Li Zhengxin, Zhao Er, Li Zheng Sen and others nodded repeatedly…
This was true. His family had always been smooth, without the commotion like in Li Depei’s home. In this Zhao Li Village, it was still Li Fuquan’s family that managed the household well, of high virtue and prestige, respected and admired!
“Hmph! Show off a fart, behind closed doors, who knows!”
Zhou Shi muttered disdainfully. Old Li Tou glared at her.
After all, Li Fuquan was a respected elder. Fighting him openly had no benefit!
He’d always wanted to emulate Li Fuquan, but alas, no such good fortune!
He quickly nodded and bowed in apology: “Uncle Li, it’s my old woman who can’t speak properly. Don’t take it to heart. I’ll definitely discipline her well.”
“Hehe! How dare I! How could an old man like me quarrel with a long-haired, short-sighted old woman?”
“Since I’m the elder and she’s the junior calling me Uncle, I’ll be magnanimous and not quarrel with her.”
Zhou Shi was extremely unhappy… feeling like he’d taken advantage…
“But don’t blame me for not reminding you. Your wife is so reckless and ignorant, domineering in the home, an existence no one in the village dares provoke…”
“Hope she doesn’t offend some noble person outside. We’re one Zhao Li Village, one Old Li Family—one prospers all prosper, one suffers all suffer…”
“Moreover, your family’s Li Gui is still studying. If he passes the imperial examination and becomes an official, the people he meets outside are all prominent figures.”
“If she and your family’s Zhenzhu are like this, Li Gui losing his official position is minor—your heads could roll home anytime. That’s not a joke!”
The old ginger is still the hottest. These words weren’t just for show; they really woke Old Li Tou up at once.
Li Gui had long been fed up with these people in the family, disgust showing in his eyes…
