After finishing lunch, Cuihua prepared to return home with Sun Wang.
Before leaving, she pulled Madam Zhu into a room and whispered, “Mother, ever since Second Uncle injured his leg, haven’t you been wanting to divide the household? Now the opportunity has come.”
Madam Zhu was simple-minded and looked confused. “What opportunity? Qianhua already suggested dividing the family before, but your grandfather would rather marry you off than agree. What opportunity could there be now?”
“Mother, Qianhua has been dumped, hasn’t she? That’s the perfect chance to split the household,” Cuihua said confidently.
“What does her broken engagement have to do with dividing the family? You little brat, stop speaking in riddles—if you have something to say, say it plainly.”
Seeing Cuihua dragging things out, Madam Zhu urged her impatiently.
“Her reputation is already ruined. Grandfather cares most about reputation, and besides, Second Brother is studying at the academy and is highly valued by him. Mother, all you need to do is have Second Brother complain to Grandfather, saying his classmates mock him over his cousin’s broken engagement and that he can’t concentrate on his studies. Then he can request a household division. For Second Brother’s sake, Grandfather won’t be able to refuse.”
Seeing her mother’s patience wearing thin, Cuihua finally revealed her plan with a smug expression.
“That’s right! Why didn’t I think of that? This really is a perfect way to divide the family.”
Madam Zhu slapped her thigh, suddenly enlightened, clearly approving of Cuihua’s idea.
“Mother, tomorrow evening after Second Brother returns from the academy, tell him about this. I’ll head back with Sun Wang now,” Cuihua reminded her before leaving.
She couldn’t wait to see Qianhua’s family being driven out in disgrace.
With Second Uncle injured and unable to earn money, life would only get harder for them after the split.
Just imagining Qianhua worn down by hardship filled her with satisfaction.
“Alright, I know. Be careful on the road,” Madam Zhu reminded her.
The next day, when Wenzhi returned from the academy, Madam Zhu indeed told her son the plan Cuihua had taught her.
Wenzhi also supported dividing the household.
He had long been unhappy with his Second Uncle’s family of three—earning nothing yet eating and drinking at home for free.
When dinner time came and the whole family sat around the table, Wenzhi suddenly spoke up. “Grandfather, I don’t want to go to the academy tomorrow.”
“What happened? Why don’t you want to go all of a sudden?” Old Master Liang asked in confusion.
His usually obedient second grandson was suddenly refusing to attend school.
“All my classmates know that Jiang Lin canceled Qianhua’s engagement. They all mock me over it, saying the daughters of the Liang family lack virtue—that’s why Scholar Jiang didn’t want her. I really can’t focus on studying anymore.”
Wenzhi wasn’t entirely lying.
Jiang Lin himself had also smeared Qianhua in front of his classmates.
After being forced to hand over one tael of silver, Jiang Lin’s mother was extremely resentful.
She spared no effort spreading slander about Qianhua among the villagers.
In just one day, rumors were everywhere.
Hearing this, Liang Second and Madam Liu felt deeply distressed.
They had already heard some village gossip that day but hadn’t expected even people at the academy to know.
“Even the academy knows? Does the teacher know too? Will this affect your future exams?” Old Master Liang asked anxiously, afraid this matter would impact Wenzhi’s prospects.
“The teacher has probably heard something. I don’t know if it’ll affect the exams. Grandfather, what should we do now?” Wenzhi asked, feigning worry.
Old Master Liang fell silent. He hadn’t expected Qianhua’s broken engagement to become public so quickly—or to affect his grandson’s studies.
“What else can we do? We can only separate their family. Father and Mother, don’t blame me for being heartless toward Second Brother’s family. Wenzhi is the only scholar in our household—he’s our Liang family’s hope for changing our fate. We can’t let Qianhua’s broken engagement affect his studies.”
Madam Zhu spoke with a pained expression, quickly bringing up dividing the household when she saw Old Master Liang hesitate.
“Eldest Sister-in-law, Second Brother’s leg hasn’t healed yet. He can’t farm or hunt. If you separate their family of three now, how will they survive?” Madam Chen couldn’t bear it and spoke up for them.
“Third Sister-in-law, Qianhua’s broken engagement has become known everywhere. Wenzhi can’t even hold his head up at the academy, and you’re still defending them? Are you hoping Wenzhi fails his studies?”
Madam Zhu glared viciously at Madam Chen, immediately redirecting her anger toward her.
If it hadn’t been for Madam Chen’s son testifying back then, Cuihua wouldn’t have been beaten or married off in such a hurry, and Madam Zhu wouldn’t have been scolded by her mother-in-law.
She even suspected Madam Chen had deliberately instigated it.
She now found fault with Madam Chen in everything—clearly full of schemes, yet pretending to be meek and virtuous before the elders.
“I think Madam Zhu is right,” Old Madam Liang chimed in. “Wenzhi still has exams next year. If he doesn’t even want to go to the academy now, what if he fails? We can’t delay Wenzhi for the sake of Second Brother. Old man, we can only split Second Brother’s family off.”
She had always been counting on her grandson to earn an official title so she could enjoy life as an official’s grandmother.
Now that Qianhua had lost Scholar Jiang as her fiance and frequently talked back, Old Madam Liang couldn’t wait to push them out.
“Second Son, what do you think?” Old Master Liang took a puff of his pipe and looked at Liang Second.
“Father, I’ll leave it to you. If you want to split us off, I have no complaints.”
Liang Second knew he had become a burden. Qianhua’s broken engagement had damaged her reputation and affected his nephew’s studies, and he felt deeply guilty.
“Second Son, Father has no choice. Wenzhi is our only scholar, and this matter has spread everywhere. I can only split your family off. Don’t blame me.”
Old Master Liang made his decision after a deep breath of smoke.
“Father, whatever you decide is fine.” Though his heart ached, Liang Second knew staying would only make things worse.
“Father, since we’re dividing the household, then split me and Wenjie off as well. If only Second Brother’s family is split off, the villagers will gossip. We might as well all separate.”
Madam Chen also wanted to split the household.
Over the years, the money her husband sent home had all been taken by her mother-in-law and spent on Wenzhi’s education.
Neither she nor her son had benefited at all.
“Chen, your husband isn’t home, and your health has always been poor. Even if we divide the land, you won’t be able to farm it. You and Wenjie should stay with us,” Old Master Liang persuaded her.
“Father, Wenjie and I should still split off. We can ask my brothers to farm the land for now. When my husband returns, he can take over. Besides, my husband sends us five taels every October. If we split the household, Wenjie and I can live on that money alone.”
Madam Chen, usually obedient, refused to yield this time.
Her words were carefully chosen—she was clearly stating that once the household was divided, the money her husband sent home would be hers to keep.
Of the three daughters-in-law, Madam Chen was actually the shrewdest.
She usually didn’t compete because the elders favored the youngest grandson, leaving her no need to fight.
For years, her husband had sent five taels annually from the army, yet not a single coin had reached her hands—it had all gone to fund Wenzhi’s studies.
Once the household was divided, she could finally keep that money.
Five taels was enough for her and her son to live comfortably for a year in the countryside.
That was why she refused to give in this time.
Old Master Liang was taken aback. The usually meek third daughter-in-law was acting completely out of character.
“Third Sister-in-law, you should stay with us,” Madam Zhu said anxiously. “A woman raising a child alone will have a hard time.”
She panicked at the thought of losing the silver sent by the third son—Wenzhi’s education cost a great deal, and without that money, how would they manage?
Old Madam Liang also asserted her authority. “Chen, in my opinion, you and Wenjie should stay.”
“Thank you for your concern, Sister-in-law and Mother,” Madam Chen replied firmly. “Second Brother is being split off. If Wenjie and I stay, this division is meaningless. Either we all stay together—or we all split.”
Hearing this, Old Madam Liang and Madam Zhu fell silent. Neither of them wanted Second Brother’s family to remain.
Even Old Master Liang, seeing how Qianhua’s broken engagement had affected Wenzhi’s studies, no longer wished to keep them. In his heart, nothing was more important than Wenzhi’s education.