Returning to the matter at hand—the division of the family.
“Changfa’s wife, have you truly made up your mind to divide the family? Changfa has only just left with the two children. If he knew that the moment he was gone, the family split apart behind his back, it’d break his heart. Besides, the summer harvest is just around the corner. If you divide the household now, what about the crops?” the village head asked.
He had already been displeased with the Zhang Family for pushing Old Man Zhang into military conscription. It was unreasonable for a man in his fifties to go off to war while his sons and grandsons were still alive. This latest incident only made him think even less of them.
“Uncle, it isn’t that my mother wants to divide the family,” Zhang Laowu said before anyone else could speak, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Someone’s ambitions have gotten too big. They’ve decided they can’t stand the rest of us anymore and want to be the one calling the shots.”
“You don’t have to be so sarcastic,” Little Madam Zhao shot back immediately. “I simply can’t stand the sight of you. You’re already a grown man and a father, yet you spend your days doing nothing productive, letting your parents support your entire family. If I were you, I’d be too ashamed to show my face.”
“A mother raising her son is only natural. What’s there to be ashamed of?” Zhang Laowu retorted without backing down. “And who says I don’t work? Haven’t I gone out to the fields? Haven’t I gathered firewood? Haven’t I fed the chickens?”
“You’ve got the nerve to say that? You—”
“Enough! All of you, shut your mouths!” the clan chief roared, his face dark with anger. “Just look at yourselves! Not one of you has any sense of shame. An elder brother’s wife acting without dignity, a younger brother showing no respect—every last one of you has disgraced the Zhang Family!”
He turned to Old Madam Zhao.
“Changfa’s wife, what do you have to say? Don’t worry. We’re here to support you. No one’s going to run wild while we’re present.”
“Clan Chief, Village Head,” Old Madam Zhao began calmly, “I’ve decided to divide the family. A great tree grows new branches, and grown sons establish their own households. All the children are married now. My eldest grandson even has a family of his own. Living under one roof has become inconvenient. Even after the division, we’ll still be one family. The brothers can continue helping one another, and everyone can build a good life for themselves.
“As for the crops… with the drought these past two years, there’s no telling whether the fields will even produce much grain. Once the land is divided, each household can tend its own share. If one family can’t manage, the others can lend a hand. That’ll solve everything.”
“Mother…” Zhang Laowu called anxiously.
“Don’t say another word. I’ve already made my decision.”
His mother cut him off before he could continue.
Seeing that the matter had been settled, the village head asked, “Then how do you intend to divide the property?”
Old Madam Zhao answered without hesitation.
“There are five brick-and-tile rooms in our current house. The two rooms on the left will go to the eldest household, and the two rooms on the right will go to the fifth household. The room I’m living in will also belong to the eldest household after I pass away.
“The kitchen will go to the eldest household, and the storage room to the fifth.
“At the foot of the mountain, there’s another courtyard with two earthen houses. Those will go to the fourth household.
“The bowls and chopsticks will be divided according to the number of people in each family. As for cooking pots, each household can buy its own after the family is divided.
“As for grain, we only have coarse grain left. The eldest household will receive two hundred jin. The fourth and fifth households will each receive one hundred jin. I’ll keep the remaining forty or fifty jin for myself.
“As for the farmland, we sold five mu previously, so there are eight mu remaining. The eldest household gets three mu. The fourth and fifth households each get two. The last mu belongs to me and, just like my room, will pass to the eldest household after my death.
“From now on, I’ll live with the eldest household.”
“Do all of you agree with your mother’s arrangement?” the village head asked.
Zhang Laosi’s wife had just opened her mouth to object when Zhang Laosi quickly grabbed her arm and stopped her.
“No objections.”
“None.”
“I don’t have any either.”
The clan chief nodded.
“Very well. Then we’ll draw up the division agreement right now.”
“Hold on.” The village head turned back to Old Madam Zhao. “Changfa’s wife, what happens if Zhang Laosan comes back someday? What will he receive?”
“Village Head,” Old Madam Zhao replied, “there’s no telling whether Laosan will even make it back.”
“And if he does?” The village head’s displeasure was obvious. What kind of mother spoke as though her own son was unlikely to survive?
“If Laosan returns, he’ll get my room and my one mu of land. If he doesn’t come back, then there’s no need to save anything for him.”
“What about Laosan’s wife and child? How are they supposed to survive?”
Hearing that, Chen Yuan realized someone had actually remembered her.
She had to admit that the concern warmed her heart a little.
This village head really wasn’t a bad person.
“Laosan’s wife only gave birth to a useless little girl,” Old Madam Zhao said dismissively. “She’ll belong to someone else’s family sooner or later, so there’s no need to divide any property for her. Besides…” She lowered her voice slightly. “I hate to say it, Village Head, but I don’t even know whether Laosan’s wife will still be alive tomorrow.”
“What do you mean by that?” the village head asked in confusion.
“I checked on her this morning. She’s at death’s door. She’s breathing out more than she’s can breathe in. She probably only has a day or two left.”
“Why didn’t you call a doctor?”
“We did. Unless an immortal descends from heaven, no doctor could save her.”
Listening to Old Madam Zhao spin blatant lies with a perfectly straight face—without the slightest hesitation or hint of guilt—Chen Yuan couldn’t help but admire her in a strange way.
The village head fell silent.
He simply didn’t know what else to say.
“If no one has any further objections,” the clan chief announced, “we’ll have the agreement written up.”
Three copies were prepared.
One would remain with the family, one would be kept by the clan, and the final copy would be taken by the village head to the government office for official registration.
With that, the division of the Zhang Family officially came to an end.