Chapter 295 - Visiting Their House (1/2)

Madam Zhao couldn’t lower herself to do this. At the beginning of the year, when everything was fine, she stayed at her maiden home and enjoyed a comfortable life. But to rush back to Dongshan Village when there wasn’t enough food to eat, she really couldn’t do it! However, her maternal family was really running out of resources. They had been eating porridge for the past few days, and Doudou looked apparently thinner. She could eat less but she felt very distressed when she saw her clever and lovely son’s thin and listless face.

Just as she was struggling with whether she should go back to Dongshan Village, her husband returned from the prefectural city. Seeing that his originally chubby son had become so thin that even his chin had become sharp, Yu Bo immediately brought the mother-son pair back to Dongshan Village. The maidservant who served Doudou had long been sold by Scholar Zhao’s wife at the beginning of the disaster year. They could barely feed their own family, so how would they have enough food to support a stranger?

Madam Zhao finally found out that her mother-in-law and father-in-law were divorced when Yu Bo’s family of three got back to Dongshan Village. She inwardly scolded her mother-in-law for being stupid. If Father-in-law was still with the family, Second Brother-in-law would give them ten taels monthly, which would be enough for the entire family to buy food. Well, wasn’t it great now? They ended up with nothing. Moreover, the two families became enemies who didn’t talk with each other.

Seeing her younger son’s family returning, Madam Zhang was so happy that she slaughtered the only hen in the pen. Without food, the chicken didn’t lay any eggs. It was better to kill it to make stew for her son and grandson rather than raising it! She also grabbed a handful of white rice, which she treasured the most, to make porridge for her precious grandson to eat.

Yu Bo and Doudou were the only ones who had a share of the chicken soup and porridge, while everyone else could only watch them eat. Madam Li immediately felt dissatisfied and shouted, “In order to support the family, my husband goes fishing in the sea every day without fail. Why aren’t we allowed to eat? It’s not right to be biased like this. If you only care about your younger son, then let’s divide the family! Mother should just live with your younger son!”

Madam Zhang was so angry that she moved the basket of coarse grain pancakes closer to herself, glared fiercely at Madam Li, and said, “You’re an expert at stirring up the household. Don’t think that I don’t know that you encourage your husband to save a private purse and keep at least half of the money he made from selling fish every day! You gluttonous and lazy wretch, you sleep late in the morning and eat more than everyone else. You want to split from the family? Okay! You three, get out of here and live somewhere else!”

“The family should be divided fairly! When Yu Hai separated from the family, he also got a run-down house. So why aren’t we given a house when splitting from the family? Mother, Dashan is also your biological son. You can’t just be partial and give everything to Third Brother-in-law ah!” Unlike Madam Liu, Madam Li wasn’t someone who was easy to deal with. It was impossible to drive them out!

Madam Zhang didn’t argue with her. She stared at her eldest son and asked, “Dashan, what do you think? Do you also want to separate from the family?”

Yu Dashan was used to being subdued by his mother. Seeing that she was looking at him with eyes filled with rage, he slightly moved his mouth, and then lowered his head. He didn’t dare to even make a sound. Madam Li was so angry that she mercilessly pinched his arm.

Yu Dashan summoned up his courage and stammered, “Mother, it’s my duty, as your son, to support you. However, I don’t have the ability to support Younger Brother’s entire family! Moreover, you’re being too biased and giving everything to Younger Brother’s family. My family’s Heizi is also your grandson. He does laborious work at the docks every day, but I have never seen you make delicious food for him…”

When Madam Zhang heard this, she knew that her simple and honest son had also become dissatisfied with her after being egged on. If her eldest son really separated from the family and moved out, how was she, a nearly dying old woman, supposed to support her younger son’s studies?

Madam Zhang lamented while crying, “Dashan ah! I raised you up with so much effort. In the most difficult times, Mother had never thought about abandoning you. Now that you’re all grown up, you want to be independent and not care about your mother, is that right?”

“Mother, I didn’t say I’m not going to care about you…” Yu Dashan, who was still a dutiful son, hastily explained.

Madam Zhang smacked her leg, sniffled her nose, and said, “Then what do you mean? Your younger brother didn’t have much to eat in the prefectural city, and has become bone-thin. Also, Little Doudou, who was originally such a chubby child, is so skinny that he barely has any meat on his body. They are your biological younger brother and nephew. How can you complain about them?”

Yu Dashan looked at his younger brother, who had lost a lot of weight, and his nephew, who was scared and hiding in his mother’s embrace. He lowered his head with shame.

Seeing that her son was feeling somewhat remorseful, Madam Zhang struck the iron while it was hot and said, “At the beginning of next spring, your younger brother will take part in the county exams. After passing the county examinations, he must immediately participate in the imperial examinations held in autumn. If he passes that, he will be considered a provincial official. Scholars who pass the provincial exams can purchase an official title…”

“Mother, I won’t donate to the government for an official title. I will pass the metropolitan exams and palace exams with my own abilities. I can’t guarantee placing first, but I will at least get into the top three. Those in the top three positions are imperial scholars who will be given an official position in the imperial court!” Yu Bo confidently said.

When Madam Zhang heard her younger son’s words, she immediately beamed with delight and said, “Yes! My son is determined! Just focus on studying and don’t be discouraged!”

Yu Bo briefly hesitated, then asked, “I heard… Second Brother’s Little Shitou is also participating in the county-level examinations next year. Is it true?”

Madam Zhang curled up her lips and said, “Who knows! With how much Little Shitou plays and eats, he will be taking the exams in vain!”