Jade Dragon Mountain, Zhao Family Village, within the borders of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
A group of people dressed in mourning hemp and white returned from the graveyard on the back mountain. The family leading the procession looked grief-stricken; a young girl of fourteen or fifteen sobbed incessantly as she clutched a memorial tablet.
Beside her, a woman was supported by two village women. Her face was a ghostly, sickly pale, and she looked as if she might collapse at any moment. Next to the young girl were two boys, her biological brothers. The one with a white bandage wrapped around his right wrist was Zhao Bin, and beside him was his younger brother, Zhao Yi.
Today, everyone had gathered to bury Zhao Bin’s father, Zhao Yan, better known as Zhao Laoda. He was a man who knew how to brew wine and hunt. No one could have imagined that such a man would die under the claws of a wild beast while hunting. Regarding this matter, the villagers all sighed with emotion, remarking that Zhao Laoda was a man of integrity and a true hero.
Zhao Laoda’s eldest son, Zhao Bin, had earned the rank of a Xiucai. It was originally supposed to be a joyous occasion that the whole village celebrated, making Zhao Family Village stand taller than its neighbors.
Because of this joy, Zhao Laoda had taken Zhao Bin and his nephew, Zhao Ren, to the back mountain for a stroll to see if they could catch some game. He had planned to hunt some quality goods to present as formal gifts to the teacher at the school as a token of gratitude.
Who could have predicted that misfortune would strike out of nowhere? Even a walk on the back mountain could turn into a disaster. They encountered a spotted tiger. Seeing his nephew about to die in the tiger’s maw, Zhao Laoda had risked his life to yank the boy away, saving him from being bitten to death.
However, he himself was bitten and suffered heavy injuries. In his attempt to save his father, Zhao Bin had also fallen and injured his right wrist. Zhao Ren had scrambled back to the village to deliver the news, but by the time the villagers arrived to help, Zhao Laoda had breathed his last before he could even be carried home. The tiger had fled upon seeing the crowd, allowing Zhao Bin to escape its jaws.
A joyous event had turned into a funeral. No matter the grief, the dead had to be laid to rest. The body had been kept for seven days. As the weather was hot, Zhao Xing had asked the villagers to help bury his elder brother, and it was only today that Zhao Laoda was finally laid to rest.
Upon returning to the house, the Village Chief and several clan elders did not rush to leave. They stayed behind, for they had things to say.
“Daxing, your elder brother met his unfortunate end saving your son. How do you plan to settle your sister-in-law and your nephew and niece now? Bin’s hand was injured in the fall—and his right hand, no less. This hand needs treatment.”
The Village Chief sat down and was the first to speak. He knew very well that the old matriarch favored the second son, Zhao Xing, and had never treated the eldest son well.
Hearing this, the old matriarch rushed over to speak first, her face as grim as a coffin. “Since Laoda is dead, we should discuss dividing the family. Laoda made quite a bit of money from brewing wine before; his mother should pay for the medical expenses herself.”
Her words were utterly heartless, as if the deceased were a total stranger and not her own son. There wasn’t a trace of grief on her face.
“What… divide the family? Daxing’s mother, do you have a conscience? Laoda died for the sake of your young grandson, and before his bones are even cold… you want to kick the whole family out? Aren’t you afraid my Fourth Brother will crawl out of his coffin and slap you across the face?”
The Village Chief trembled with rage. This old woman was truly devoid of all humanity.
“Mother, you must speak with a clear conscience. It has only been three years since Father-in-law passed away, and we handed all the money we earned over to you. Where would I get any money? You are forcing our entire family to die.”
Mrs. Xu forced herself to stand and speak, her eyes filled with tears of grief and indignation. In just seven short days, she had become wasted away to skin and bone.
“There is no place for you to speak here! Get to the side! I say we are dividing the family, and no one can stop me. I have the final say in this house.”
The matriarch, Mrs. Yan, glared fiercely at her eldest daughter-in-law, Mrs. Xu, her expression sharp and mean-spirited.
“Presumptuous! Fourth Brother’s wife, do you take us brothers for dead?”
With a loud bang, a gray-haired old man slammed his palm onto the table. He stood up and pointed at Mrs. Yan, rebuking her sternly.
The young girl, who hadn’t even had time to set down the memorial tablet, glared at her grandmother. She bit her lip hard, her eyes filled with hatred, her thin and frail body swaying unsteadily.
This was Zhao Feng. Zhao Laoda had doted on this daughter most when he was alive. Her father had been laid out for seven days, and the child, like her mother, was now nothing but a bag of bones.
Zhao Feng stepped forward to speak, but Zhao Bin caught her by the shoulder.
“Fifth Grandpa, I agree to the family separation.”
The handsome youth bit his lip stubbornly, tears welling in his eyes.
“What? Bin, don’t be foolish.”
The old man who had slammed the table was the fifth-ranked elder in the clan. Because of his high seniority, the juniors in the village called him Fifth Grandpa.
“Since this house no longer has room for us, we will simply leave. If we are to divide, let it be a clean and thorough break.”
Zhao Bin straightened his back, though his handsome face suppressed a deep sorrow. He forced himself to take charge; taking this chance to separate from his selfish second uncle might not necessarily be a bad thing.
“What will you do after the separation? Your hand needs money for treatment!”
Fifth Grandpa’s eyebrows stood on end with anger, his chest heaving.
“At worst, I’ll stop studying. I can read and do arithmetic; my schooling hasn’t been in vain. I can do other things to support my mother and siblings.”
Zhao Bin looked down at his fractured right wrist and closed his eyes briefly, his heart twisting like a knife. Father is gone. I am the eldest son. I must shoulder the responsibility of supporting the family and looking after my mother and siblings.
“Brother…”
Tears streamed uncontrollably down Zhao Feng’s cheeks. She refused to accept this. Her brother was clearly destined for greatness; he was the most talented scholar.
Zhao Bin took a deep breath and patted his sister’s shoulder. “Feng’er, don’t be afraid. Big Brother is here. There is plenty of good work out there. Whether it’s being an accountant or an apprentice, all require literacy. I still hold a Xiucai degree; we will find a way to survive.”
“See? Even Bin agrees to the separation. Let’s get on with it then.”
A look of joy appeared in the old matriarch’s eyes. She spoke with impatient haste, no longer even bothering to hide her intentions.
Fifth Grandpa looked at the matriarch, his expression dark and unreadable.
The Village Chief turned to Zhao Xing. “Daxing, you want to divide the family too? Aren’t you afraid people will point at your back? Your elder brother died to save your son!”
Zhao Xing lowered his head and remained silent for a moment, until his wife, Mrs. Ma, yanked hard on his sleeve.
“Husband…”
Ignoring the presence of outsiders, Mrs. Ma signaled him frantically with her eyes, terrified he might change his mind.
“Let’s divide,” he finally forced out after a long silence.
For a moment, Fifth Grandpa felt his vision blur and his head spin; his body swayed. Zhao Feng, being the closest to him, rushed forward to support his back with her shoulder, fearing he might fall, still clutching her father’s memorial tablet in her arms.
Fifth Grandpa opened his eyes and saw the child supporting him. He sighed and patted her.
“Then let it be so. Wife of Fourth Brother, do not regret this.”
Fifth Grandpa stared deeply at the old matriarch, his words carrying a hidden meaning.
The matriarch dodged his gaze and muttered, “If it wasn’t for the old man stubbornly refusing, we should have gone our separate ways long ago.”
Zhao Feng frowned, her face filled with indignant hatred.
“Your family is truly heartless. Aren’t you afraid of divine retribution?”
Aunt Yu from next door spat on the ground in disgust.
Mrs. Xu looked at her eldest son, her heart aching sharply when she saw his injured hand.
“Let’s divide,” Zhao Bin stepped forward to speak for the eldest branch.
“Fine, then we divide.”
Seeing that the tide had turned, Fifth Grandpa relented. Looking at the matriarch’s determined expression, he knew that if they stayed in this house, they would only suffer more abuse.
He looked up and sighed. Fourth Brother, in the end, your schemes were for naught. Your painstaking efforts have been wasted. Since it has come to this, do not blame me for no longer remembering the kindness you showed me in the past.
“It’s very simple. There are five mu of wasteland my family bought last year on the back mountain, and there’s also a house there. Those go to the eldest branch. Everything else belongs to us.”
The old matriarch stepped forward again to announce the division of assets.
“You… you… what did you say? You’re heartless! You’re worse than a beast! You have twenty mu of prime farmland and a tavern in the county town, yet you give the children only five mu of wasteland? Nothing grows there! Do you want the whole family to live on nothing but air?”
Fifth Grandpa and the other clan elders stood up, absolutely livid.
The old master of the Zhao family had been the fourth son, known as Zhao Lao Si. In his younger years, he was clever, smooth-tongued, and resourceful. He had gone away to learn the art of brewing wine and returned to slowly build up the family’s assets. His family was one of the few wealthy households in the village.
Zhao Lao Si had been sociable and willing to help his neighbors, brothers, and nephews, earning himself a lifetime of good will.
Zhao Laoda was the eldest son and took after his father. He was honest, helpful, steady, and hardworking. He had learned the craft of brewing from his father and eventually surpassed him. The father and son had worked hard together for years to establish that small tavern in the county town.
Zhao Laoda’s character was among the best in the village—a truly honest man. But Zhao Xing… hmph… hard to say.
“I have the final say in my house. It’s not like I didn’t give them anything. These assets were earned by my old man; I am the one who decides.”
The matriarch stiffened her neck and shot back disdainfully. I won’t give anything to that bastard. A bastard’s offspring are just a pack of little animals. Want my property? No way!
“Mother, give them some grain at least. Also, they can take their own personal savings and everything in their rooms with them.”
Zhao Xing looked at his sister-in-law and the three children with a flicker of pity and spoke with an air of great mercy.
“Daxing, you… you are truly something else.”
Fifth Grandpa was so angry he was seeing stars. Yan-ge, your death was not worth it! Your wife and children are being bullied by such cruel people!
“Daxing, even if Bin can no longer take the Imperial Examinations, he is still a scholar.” Have you thought this through?”
Eighth Grandpa was also full of indignation and felt compelled to speak, unable to watch any longer.
“Let it be. We won’t argue. We’ll move today.”
Zhao Bin looked at his grandmother, his second uncle and aunt, and then his younger cousin Zhao Ran, memorizing each of their faces clearly.
A gentleman’s revenge is never too late, even if it takes ten years. We shall see.
Zhao Feng shoved the memorial tablet into her mother’s arms and stepped forward, raising her voice. “It’s settled then. We take everything in our rooms with us.”
“Fine, go ahead and move it.”
Now that they had completely dropped all pretenses, the second branch didn’t care about a few small items since they had secured the lion’s share of the wealth.
“Uncles and Aunts, please help us move. It’s almost dark, and we want to move immediately. We are taking every single thing from our rooms.”
The Zhao family did not lack money. Zhao Laoda was an honest and kind man who doted on his daughter. Zhao Feng was the only girl in the village who went to a private school; she was unique.
Did anyone think the stingy and miserly matriarch would have agreed to that? It was an opportunity Zhao Laoda had secured by threatening to stop brewing for the family. If you don’t let my child go to school, I’m quitting. You can find whoever you want to brew your wine.
The matriarch had only agreed through gritted teeth. Now that the eldest was dead, she couldn’t wait to kick the whole family out so she wouldn’t have to look at them anymore.
Aunt Yu and Mrs. Xu’s families were neighbors and very close. She immediately called over Mrs. Li, Mrs. Qian, and other women who were friendly and quick-handed to help inside the house.
Zhao Feng jumped out to give directions alertly. They would move everything they could, leaving not so much as a single hair behind.