Chapter Thirty-One: Pampered Like a Child!

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“No one said he isn’t allowed to be filial. He can still be filial without splitting up the family,” Zhao Wei said.

“Mother is still alive. Why are you talking about splitting up the family?” Zhao Yi snapped angrily. “Are you in such a hurry to divide the family property that you want to anger Mother to death?”

Everyone in the Zhao family nodded repeatedly and chimed in.

“No splitting up!”

“Absolutely no splitting up!”

Zhao Zheng was not angry. He simply said, “Fine, we won’t split up. I spent ten taels of silver to support Mother in her old age. The two of you should each contribute ten taels as well!”

“And since I’ve paid my ten taels, there must be something to show for it. Uncle Xu, please write up an agreement for me. For the next few years, I won’t need to give Mother any more money or grain. Of course, if she falls ill, I’ll still provide someone to care for her.”

“You want to buy your way out of your obligation?” Zhao Wei glared at Zhao Zheng.

“I’ve paid ten taels. Why shouldn’t I be allowed to?” Zhao Zheng said coldly. “In front of all the villagers, I can swear that I have never mistreated Mother all these years. You can’t make me pay money just so you can play the dutiful son, can you?”

“I already said it. If you’re unwilling, give me back my silver and I’ll take Mother away. Don’t worry about whether I can eat my fill. If I ever let Mother go hungry, you can take her back at any time.”

“You just want to get the money back!”

“I want the compensation paid for my son’s death. Isn’t that reasonable?” Zhao Zheng refused to budge. “Either give me the money and Mother, or buy out the next few years.”

Zhao Yi pulled Zhao Wei aside.

“Third Brother must have someone advising him. Otherwise, with his brains, how could he have thought of something like this?”

“Who’s advising him?”

“Who else? It must be those two husband-killing jinxes in his household!”

Zhao Yi gnashed his teeth. “Those two jinxes have the faces of fox spirits. You can tell at a glance that they’re no good.”

Zhao Wei deeply agreed. “There’s no use talking about that now. So many people are watching, and the three village elders are here. If you ask me, we should just buy out a few years. There’s no way we’re paying him anything...”

Zhao Yi thought it over, then nodded.

“All right. We’ll buy out a few years. If he runs into trouble later, he’ll certainly come begging us for help.”

After discussing it among themselves, Zhao Wei walked over and said, “Mother is used to living here. Third Brother’s house is small and run-down. She’d only suffer there. Let’s buy out one year.”

“One year?” Zhao Zheng laughed. “Can you earn ten taels of silver in a year?”

The villagers watching the commotion also found this absurd and began speaking up.

“One year is far too little. It should be at least three or four years.”

“Ten taels of silver in the old days could buy dozens of measures of rice. Your mother couldn’t eat that much even in a lifetime.”

“The Zhao family’s eldest is going too far. Isn’t he clearly bullying his own brother?”

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Hearing this, Zhao Wei’s face burned with embarrassment.

“Three years. Three years at most.”

“Five years, or there’s nothing to discuss.” Zhao Zheng sat unmoved, while the village elders argued on his behalf.

Xu Youde said, “Two taels of silver a year is more than enough. Besides, there are still the two of you brothers. Counting all three of you, your sister-in-law will have six taels a year for her support. That’s plenty.”

The other two village elders nodded in agreement.

“I think five years is fair.”

Zhao Wei glanced at Zhao Yi. He could only nod helplessly.

“All right. Five years it is.”

“An oral promise means nothing. Uncle Xu, please write it down and have all three of them sign and seal it with their fingerprints,” Zhao Zheng said.

“That’s easily done.” Xu Youde turned to the old woman. “Sister-in-law, what do you say?”

The old woman was somewhat reluctant.

“Isn’t that too long...?”

“Mother, if you’re unwilling, come live with me. I’ll support you for the rest of your life,” Zhao Zheng said.

The old woman shook her head vigorously. Would she not go hungry three times a day at Zhao Zheng’s house?

At this rate, her old bones would be starved away within two months.

In the end, she agreed.

Xu Youde wrote up the agreement, and the three brothers pressed their fingerprints onto it. The document remained in Xu Youde’s keeping, so if another dispute arose in the future, it could be produced as proof.

Although Zhao Zheng had not recovered his silver, he had at least bought himself five years.

Besides, his silver and rice were not so easily taken from him. They would see who had the last laugh.

As for the matter of his adopted son, he would reclaim what was owed to him little by little as well.

Once the spectacle was over, the crowd dispersed.

But news of Zhao Zheng spending ten taels of silver to buy out five years of support spread throughout the village.

“Third Brother is utterly despicable. We’ll have to find a way to teach him a lesson,” Zhao Wei said, clenching his fists.

“Forget it. His son is dead, and he has nothing left to lose. Don’t drive him into a corner. What if he really fights you to the death?” Zhao Yi said.

Zhao Wei felt a little uneasy too.

“Hmph. Just wait. This isn’t over!”

...

When Zhao Zheng returned home, he began digging a cellar beneath the old wooden bed.

Yang Zhaodi and Zhang Xiao’e had also learned what had happened. Seeing their father-in-law working so hard, they helped him while comforting him.

“It’s only ten taels of silver. Xiao’e and I will earn even more in the future and support you properly, Father.”

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“Exactly. Once the harvest improves, I’ll raise chickens, ducks, and geese to sell. I guarantee everyone in the village will envy you, Father.”

Zhao Zheng smiled and nodded.

“Let’s not talk about such unlucky things. Today, we’ll finish the cellar. Then we can move the salted duck eggs and persimmon preserves inside.”

The three of them worked hard all afternoon and actually managed to dig out a square cellar.

It was not very large, but it was certainly big enough.

Zhao Zheng placed the old bed planks over the opening, filled the edges with soil, and found some pieces of timber to use as supports so that the ceiling would not collapse.

He then gathered some stones of various sizes from outside and laid them inside. With that, the crude cellar was complete.

They moved the jars of persimmon preserves and the salted duck eggs into the cellar, and only then did Zhao Zheng climb out.

At Zhao Zheng’s insistence, Yang Zhaodi heated a barrel of water for him to bathe. He washed himself in another room.

The weather was bitterly cold, so Zhao Zheng spent a few coins in the system shop to buy a sheet of plastic. He held it above his head, creating a makeshift shelter that kept the cold from biting quite so deeply.

After washing, Zhao Zheng felt refreshed from head to toe.

He had been transported to this era for so long, and this was still the first bath he had taken.

After putting the plastic sheet into the system warehouse, he decided that bathing was far too inconvenient. He would have to find a way to build a proper bathroom.

As for Zhaodi and Xiao’e, they were afraid of catching cold after winter began and did not bathe at all.

It was not only unhygienic; it also made them prone to skin diseases.

He put on his padded jacket, then pulled on the tattered, filthy clothes he had been wearing before and went outside.

“Father, hurry and get onto the heated bed to warm yourself. Be careful not to catch cold.” Zhang Xiao’e was extremely anxious. She handed Zhao Zheng a clay jar filled with hot water, tucked the quilt tightly around him, and then brought him a bowl of broth. “Sister-in-law made this mugwort tea for you. It was brewed with aged mugwort leaves to drive away the cold.”

Looking at the pitch-black mugwort broth, Zhao Zheng could hardly bring himself to drink it. But he did not want to disappoint their kindness, so he suppressed his nausea and gulped it down in one breath, silently repeating to himself, “It’s Chinese coffee. Chinese coffee...”

“There’s still a little left.” Seeing his reluctance, Zhang Xiao’e coaxed him like a child. “Be good, Father. Finish it all.”

Zhao Zheng took a deep breath and forced down the rest of the mugwort tea.

He had to admit, the stuff worked immediately. Before long, he began passing gas nonstop, as though he had a bomb tucked into his pocket.

Sweat also began to bead on his forehead, and warmth spread through his body. He sighed with feeling.

“Daughters-in-law really are the best. You’re both much more considerate than my son was. I feel as if you and Zhaodi have spoiled me into a child!”