Volume One, Chapter Nine: Frustration at Unfulfilled Potential

“Yes, you’re no longer young. Since your studies haven’t made much progress, it’s better to settle down first before building a career. Maybe bringing a new wife home could help shake off your streak of bad luck.”

Qiao Xun inwardly groaned. Last year, he had already turned down two marriage proposals, thinking that after convincing his mother, she would no longer bring up the topic of marriage. Yet today, she brought it up again.

Given his current situation, not marrying was actually the best outcome. Otherwise, he would only drag a good family’s daughter into his misfortunes, and with the endless string of bad luck surrounding him, who knew when some accident might take his life.

Lowering his gaze, Qiao Xun said somewhat gloomily, “Mother, before the provincial exam, I don’t intend to consider marriage. Please don’t waste your effort.”

Mrs. Wang narrowed her eyes. “What if the match I propose is for that Miss Jiang from today?”

Suddenly, a petite figure carrying a wild boar, running wildly around, appeared in Qiao Xun’s mind. Then he shook his head to dismiss the image of her dragging Li Zhiyuan along in a whirlwind. Instinctively, he refused, “...No, thank you. I’m fully devoted to my studies now; I don’t want to hold Miss Jiang back.”

Mrs. Wang ignored her youngest son’s words. Once a wife entered the house, this stubborn boy would soon realize the benefits of having a spouse.

“Alright, then let’s go inside and discuss the division of the family estate.”

“Okay.” Qiao Xun followed Mrs. Wang into the main hall.

An oil lamp sat on the Eight Immortals table, its dim yellow flame flickering in the breeze, casting a mournful light.

The spacious hall was filled with the village elder, clan elders, as well as Qiao’s eldest uncle, younger uncle, and several family members. The two daughters-in-law, who were constantly arguing about dividing the family’s property, sat anxiously in a room nearby. The door was slightly open, allowing them to clearly hear the discussions in the hall.

Such weighty matters discussed by the menfolk were off-limits to the women, but Mrs. Wang and Mrs. Zhao, the two daughters-in-law, were burning with anxiety, wishing they could decide everything on the spot. That morning, the younger uncle had said that apart from the old house and vegetable garden, all other money and land would be equally divided between the eldest and second branches.

After years of hard work, the eldest and second branches wouldn’t be taking advantage by receiving this share. However, the final decision on the division lay with the patriarch, Qiao Dashan.

Qiao Dashan had three sons: the eldest, Qiao Dahai, and the youngest, Qiao Dalin. As the middle son, Qiao Dashan had not been favored at home and was often overlooked by his parents.

Since the second branch had a son who could read, both the old man and old woman began to favor the second branch. Before their passing, they urged the entire family to unite and support Qiao Xun’s studies. It was only after Qiao Xun achieved the distinguished rank of provincial graduate that the elderly couple, weakened in health, passed away one after another. Only then did the three brothers begin living separately, though still close like a family.

Whenever any matter arose, they would speak up and face it together.

Because Qiao Xun had already passed the provincial exam and was the top candidate, with a bright future ahead, upon the family’s division, Qiao Dashan took the fifty or so taels of silver from the division to build this five-room blue-brick tile courtyard house. The elderly couple occupied one room adjacent to the hall, and the three sons each had a room. There was also one room divided into kitchen and storage. The family lived together, continuing to support the youngest son’s education with united effort.

The eldest branch lived next door on the left. The eldest brother’s family had one son and one daughter. The son, Qiao Dazhuang, had married and had a child, but his wife had passed away not long after. The daughter, Qiao Erxue, had married out. So, the eldest brother’s family did not need to divide property and lived harmoniously as a family of four.

The youngest brother had two daughters. The elder daughter, Qiao Huaniu, married two years ago to Taoyuan Village across the river. The younger daughter, Qiao Jiaoniu, was only fifteen and still lived at home, so no division was necessary.

Qiao the second brother believed his family should grit their teeth and pull together a bit longer.

Once the youngest son passed the county-level exam, the entire family would be exempt from corvée labor and taxes. Yet, the eldest and second branches were restless. Since the policy was enacted, the two daughters-in-law had been taking turns arguing over dividing the family estate.

The eldest son was a straightforward, honest man who buried himself in work and obeyed his wife in all matters. The second son was cunning, harboring his own small schemes and refusing to suffer any loss.

The quarrels were endless. Since the third son agreed to divide the family today, then so be it!

“No one is to regret this later, or I’ll take off my shoe and beat the mouths of those who keep causing trouble,” Qiao Dashan said sternly.

He raised his head and looked around the room, eyes settling on his three sons. “Since you insist on dividing the family, let’s do it openly today. Our family’s assets include this five-room blue-brick tile courtyard, twenty acres of sandy land, eight acres of fertile farmland, two acres at the foot of the mountain, the vegetable garden behind the house, and the silver stored in this box—twenty-one taels and three hundred wen.”

“This old house is unsuitable for any one of you three brothers to have alone, so your mother and I will continue living here. Since the third son is unmarried, he’ll stay with us. When we pass away, this house will belong to him.”

“As for the eldest and second branches, until your new houses are built, you may stay in your original homes. I won’t chase you away. You may continue to use the kitchen, but provide your own meals. Please agree on cooking times to avoid disputes.”

“Regarding the land and money, both branches have indeed contributed to supporting the third son’s studies all these years. But since the third son passed the provincial exam, the fifty taels awarded by the Qingzhou Magistrate, plus twenty taels from the Junxi County magistrate, along with gifts from the village and spontaneous contributions from wealthy county households to celebrate the top candidate—altogether, about one hundred and fifty taels—have been spent on daily expenses over these years, excluding the cost of building the old house. You haven’t truly had to pay much out of pocket.”

“Our hardest times were when your parents were still alive. Back then, we barely had enough to eat and worked hard every day, saving every tael. But since they passed and after the third son became a provincial graduate, and with the eldest and second daughters-in-law joining the family, when have we ever gone hungry? It’s just that your families have been short on funds. Only in the past three years of drought, with less silver on hand, did we cut back on food, eating one meal with dry grain and two meals with thin porridge each day.”

“Even so, our life is better than many in the village. Go look around—who else in the entire village has three meals a day? These tough years, we just need to grit our teeth and get through. How much savings will be made from three years’ worth of tax exemption? Once the third son passes the county-level exam, won’t that be more worthwhile?”

Despite his words, Qiao Dashan still harbored resentment deep down, blaming the eldest and second branches for their shortsightedness.

Once the family was divided, the eldest and second branches would lose the permanent benefits of exemption from taxes and labor when the third son passed the county exam.

Qiao Dazhuang, eldest son, remained silent out of guilt.

Qiao Xun, the second son, muttered, “Saving and saving, but we don’t see any silver. Better to divide the family, so we can be masters of our own house!”

Qiao Dashan glared at his second son and shouted, “I haven’t finished speaking yet. Why are you interrupting?”

Qiao Xun shrank his neck and fell silent.

Qiao Dashan continued, “The land and finances: since the third son says he wants nothing, the two acres at the mountain foot and the vegetable garden will stay with your mother and me. After we pass, these will go to the third son. The remaining twenty acres of sandy land will be split—ten acres each to you two brothers, and the eight acres of paddy field divided equally, four acres each, making fourteen acres apiece.”

“The silver totals twenty-one taels. Considering the third son will take the provincial exam next August, we’ll set aside ten taels, giving each of you five. The rest will be kept by us to support the third son. As for household belongings, each room’s contents belong to its occupants, while shared household items will not be divided. Once you harvest your crops and build new homes, you can buy new items.”

“As for your mother and me in our old age, we are still able to work, planting two acres to support ourselves. We don’t expect lavish gifts annually, only that you remember the traditional festival and birthday presents, and maintain harmony among yourselves. After we divide the family, it doesn’t mean a complete break. It would be best if, like with your eldest and youngest uncles, we continue to live as one family, working together to live well. When we pass, all three sons should contribute together to provide a proper coffin.”

“That is the arrangement for the division of the family. If you have no objections, we can draft the division documents now, witnessed by the village elder, clan elders, and your uncles. Once divided, no one is allowed to complain or grumble anymore. Do you hear me?”

Qiao Xun nodded, face full of guilt, and promised, “Alright, we’ll follow your instructions.”

Qiao Xun questioned, “Father, with only five taels each, when will we ever build new houses?”

Qiao Dashan’s eyes flashed fiercely, his small mustache twitching with anger. “Then why don’t you dismantle this old skeleton of mine and use it to build your new house? How’s that?”

Qiao Xun pouted and fell silent.

Originally, having heard his wife say that the third son wanted nothing, he thought they could at least get ten taels from the twenty-one taels of family assets. He planned to borrow some from his wife’s family and add some private savings to gather thirty taels, enough to build two blue-brick rooms and enclose a courtyard. He would expand later when he had more money.

Now, plans had changed and needed to be reconsidered.

Qiao Xun nodded, “I have no objections either.”

Many families in the village were dividing their estates recently, so the village elder and clan elders no longer tried to dissuade Qiao Dashan. Qiao Xun quickly drafted the division documents in five copies.

Qiao Dashan and his wife, the three sons, each kept one copy, and one was kept by the village elder for record.

Qiao Xun worked efficiently and soon finished the documents. The four men signed and sealed the papers. Qiao’s eldest uncle, youngest uncle, clan elders, and village elder, as witnesses, also signed and sealed the documents.

The division was completed swiftly. Qiao Dashan distributed the anonymous land deeds and silver evenly to the eldest and second sons, keeping only the two acres at the mountain foot and eleven taels of small silver for himself, thus ending the family division dispute.

Zhu Fuyu, the village elder of Huanxi Village, stood up, sighed deeply while looking at Qiao’s eldest and second sons, and lamented, “You two are truly foolish...”

With that, he took his leave along with several gray-haired clan elders. Qiao Dashan and his three sons accompanied them outside.

After seeing the village elder and clan elders off, Mrs. Wang and the two daughters-in-law emerged from the room.

Mrs. Wang looked coldly and sharply at the four of the eldest and second branches, her eyes like knives. “The family is divided. Are you all feeling satisfied now?”