Chapter 29: A Clean Break!

Li Dashan stood up with a feigned air of struggle. He cupped his hands toward the two great-uncles and said, "Third Uncle, Sixth Uncle, these are desperate times, and I have no other choice. I ask that you two please grant my request!"

Though he was over fifty, he hunched his shoulders, looking utterly miserable. Li Feng touched his nose and remained silent. As long as he stayed quiet, he would wait for the family separation to take its course. Perhaps the old man was just desperate to leave this wretched place as soon as possible, knowing deep down how much he had sinned and fearing to stay in the village any longer.

Faced with Li Dashan’s plea, the others looked up at the main beam in the center of the room. It had indeed collapsed from the roof, and the damage was particularly close to the head of the household’s seat. Perhaps Li Dashan was telling the truth.

"Alas!" The two great-uncles sighed deeply. "Then how do you intend to divide the property? The second son's family has been filial to you for so many years; you must not treat them unfairly!" the Third Uncle urged. He had seen with his own eyes just how filial Li the Second was and how much he had suffered; he could not allow Li Dashan to shortchange him.

"Ahem!" Li Dashan reached for his pipe, but held himself back. After a moment of thought, he laid out his plan. Fearing his uncles might be dissatisfied, he quickly added, "The eldest and third sons both have scholars in their families, which costs a lot of silver. I’ve been thinking, we should divide the land and settle the family separation once and for all. Since the second son is moving out, and the number of scholars in the eldest and third households is uneven, I’m afraid of creating bad blood between the brothers. I think it’s best to separate all the brothers at once."

The third son remained silent. With the second son moving out, there was little benefit for him to gain from this household anyway. Just as the old man said, the eldest house had two scholars, and he knew well how expensive that was; he certainly didn’t want to be left behind to support the eldest branch. Li Qingyun didn’t speak either. He had already passed the county examination, and the prefectural exam was all but guaranteed; he was just waiting for the college exam. His father-in-law had told him his scholarship had improved, and even if he didn’t place at the top, he would likely be admitted as a scholar, just perhaps not as a government-subsidized student.

Madame Wang stared at the old man in shock. Separating all the sons? They certainly wouldn't dare live with the second son’s family, so they would have to choose between the eldest and the third. The third... Madame Wang glanced at Cheng Xiuyun. A hen that couldn't lay an egg—after all these years, she hadn't produced a single son. If they moved in with the third, they would surely be the talk of the village.

As for the eldest, Madame Wang hesitated. He appeared honest and simple, but as his mother, she knew him better than anyone. If she were whole and healthy, he would surely be filial. But now... her ribs were injured, and every movement brought pain. She couldn’t exert herself, and the doctor had ordered complete rest. The old man’s leg was also injured; medicine and nutrition for both of them would cost at least five taels of silver. Could the eldest afford to provide that? She wasn't sure.

The people in the room had their own secret agendas. The two clan elders looked at Old Man Li, then at Madame Wang. It was clear the couple had already made up their minds; the family was going to be split regardless.

"Madame Wang, you are their mother. What are your thoughts?" The Sixth Uncle looked at her, his eyes full of expectation, hoping the usually decisive woman might offer a different path.

He was disappointed. The entire Li household was a nest of selfish and greedy people. When she first heard that Li Feng was a "jinx," she had wanted to drive him away, but she had only intended for Li Feng to leave alone—his sons and daughters were to be kept behind to toil like oxen and horses for the Li family. She even secretly regretted that the second son hadn't died on the mountain. He had been struck by a wild boar, and those who brought him back said he had only one breath left. She had buried her own children before and was used to it. The second son had five sons and two daughters, all of whom were obedient; if he died, she would be the one in charge. She felt that her life of ease had been ruined by Li Feng. As far as she was concerned, the family could be separated, but the second son shouldn't take a single thing with him.

Hearing the Sixth Uncle, Madame Wang looked up and said, "The old man has already divided the land; we shall follow his word. Once the property is divided, what they do with it is their own business. As for the family’s silver, the old man and I will not be bringing that out."

As soon as she spoke, the eldest and third households looked over. Li Qingbao knew the family’s finances; the second son’s family were hard workers and extremely frugal. Over the years, besides supporting his and the third’s households, there had to be surplus silver. He estimated at least fifty or sixty taels.

*The old hag is truly greedy,* he thought, *trying to hoard the second son’s money.*

The third son blinked and signaled his wife. Cheng Xiuyun immediately stood up—joking, that was their money! She had to fight for it.

"Mother, is there still money left in the family?" Cheng Xiuyun asked, feigning total surprise, as if hearing it for the first time. She smiled broadly and said, "Mother, since we are separating the family, we must do it thoroughly. You and Father just said you would be living with the eldest brother from now on. The second brother and we will each give you two hundred copper coins and a hundred jin of fine rice every year. With the extra filial gifts during the holidays, why do you need to hold onto the silver?"

Her words clearly implied that Madame Wang should hand the money over. She wasn't about to let these two old fools take all the money to the eldest son’s house.

"You..." Madame Wang was stunned. *One hundred jin of fine rice and two hundred copper coins? In her dreams!* The third daughter-in-law hadn't even cooked her a bowl of soup in all these years, let alone called her "Mother" with any sincerity. If not for her father being a scholar, she would have driven this unfilial wretch out of the Li house long ago. And now, she dared to demand her money?

Old Man Li clutched his pipe and remained silent, though his gaze lingered on the third daughter-in-law, his thoughts unreadable.

Li Feng stood to the side with his children, silently observing the eldest and third sons. The more he watched, the more interesting he found them. The eldest was cunning and deeply calculating—not a man to be underestimated. The third was selfish and manipulative, but lacked depth, his malice plain for all to see; he only required minor precautions. And then there was Cheng Xiuyun—greedy, brainless, and unworthy of concern. A mere woman of the inner chambers, she would cause no real waves.

In the midst of this family upheaval, Li Feng had already mapped out the true colors of them all. He had to admit, Old Man Li and Li Qingbao were two of a kind—a true father and son.