The reward of candied haws clearly served as an effective incentive. In the lessons that followed, Da Niu and her sisters listened even more attentively, and their calligraphy became much more standardized than it had been in the morning. Even Han Xiaochun and Han Xiaodong were no exception; though they were older, they couldn’t resist the temptation of candied haws either.
Wang Lanhua returned from her natal home with a joyful face, announcing that her eldest sister-in-law was willing to teach the sisters embroidery.
Han Ze wasn’t surprised at all. He smiled and said, “Mother, please trouble yourself to take the children there tomorrow. Going once every other day is fine; they should stay home to study on the off days.”
Wang Lanhua agreed immediately. Once the children became familiar with the way, she wouldn’t need to escort them anymore.
Han Ze added, “As for lunch, they will eat at Eldest Maternal Uncle’s place. Do you think it’s better to give them silver or grain?”
“Let’s give silver.”
Wang Lanhua didn’t stand on ceremony. Although her eldest sister-in-law knew embroidery, she was in frail health and usually only embroidered small items to sell in town. She had to take medicine daily, and the family wasn’t wealthy. Asking her to teach the children was already a burden; it was only right that Han Ze was willing to provide silver or grain.
…
Liu Jiahua returned home with a dark expression. Han Jixue and Han Jiwen stepped forward expectantly and hugged their grandmother’s legs. “Grandma, where are the candied haws?”
Liu Jiahua’s mind was entirely consumed by the fact that Han Ze no longer acknowledged her as his mother. She was in no mood to worry about her grandsons’ snacks. She only wanted to find her old man to discuss a plan on how to win back Han Ze’s heart. With the two grandsons each clutching one of her legs, she couldn’t move, let alone walk. Looking down at their crying faces—faces she usually found adorable—she now found them incredibly annoying. How could they be so lacking in discernment? She impatiently pried their arms off her. “What candied haws? All you think about is eating! We’re almost at the point where we can’t afford a meal, and you’re still thinking about candied haws?”
Without another word to them, she hurried into the house.
“Old man! Old man!” Liu Jiahua called out in a sharp, urgent voice as she jogged in.
Han Xingwang walked out, frowning. “What happened?”
Liu Jiahua said with a grim face, “I just went to see that little brat Han Ze. From the way he talks, he really doesn’t intend to look after me anymore. That white-eyed wolf! All the hard work I put into him for nothing; he turned his back on me and refused to recognize me in an instant. I should have strangled him the moment he was born!”
Han Xingwang narrowed his old eyes and looked at Liu Jiahua heavily. “You are his mother. How could he not look after you? That is unfilial.”
Liu Jiahua shot him a look. “I said the same thing—that I’m his mother and it’s unfilial if he doesn’t care for me. You want to guess what he said?”
Han Xingwang watched her. Liu Jiahua gritted her teeth and said, “He said I lied to him and he doesn’t trust me. He even said that since I remarried, I’m no longer part of his family. He said his mother is now Wang Lanhua, and if he’s going to be filial, it should be to her!”
Han Xingwang wasn’t entirely surprised that Han Ze would say this, but it made things difficult. He changed the subject: “Did Han Ze go to town today?”
Liu Jiahua didn’t understand why he asked, but she answered angrily, “He went. He even bought candied haws, but when Jixue and Jiwen asked for some, he wouldn’t give them any. He took them all back to feed that silly son of his and those ‘money-losing’ girls.”
Silly son!
A glint flashed in Han Xingwang’s eyes. He remarked, “Han Maode has good luck in everything except for his descendants; his only grandson is a fool.”
Liu Jiahua said hatefully, “That’s retribution.”
Han Xingwang countered, “You can’t say that. Han Ze is your son, so Xiaoliu is your grandson and a cousin to Jixue and Jiwen.”
Liu Jiahua said dejectedly, “Han Ze won’t even acknowledge me, let alone Jixue and Jiwen.”
Han Xingwang smiled. “Jixue and Jiwen are Chengming’s sons; Han Ze’s heart is simply unsettled.”
Liu Jiahua said crossly, “Jixue and Jiwen are Chengming’s sons, and Han Ze has no normal son. Is he supposed to snatch Chengming’s sons…”
At this point, she suddenly looked at Han Xingwang. “Chengming’s wife is due in two months, right?”
Han Xingwang nodded with a smile.
Liu Jiahua’s eyes darted around. “Her belly is pointed; this one will likely be another boy.”
Han Xingwang just looked at her without speaking.
Liu Jiahua whispered, “What if we let Han Ze adopt one of Jixue or Jiwen? What do you think?”
Han Xingwang acted conflicted. “Jixue and Jiwen are my grandsons; I can’t bear to part with either of them.”
Liu Jiahua grabbed his arm. “Adopting them to Han Ze means they still keep the Han surname; there’s no difference. Once Han Maode dies, won’t I have the final say anyway?”
Han Xingwang frowned and remained silent.
Liu Jiahua continued to persuade him: “No matter which one we give him, as long as Han Ze adopts the child, he must agree to pay for both children’s schooling simultaneously. If he doesn’t agree, no adoption. Once they pass the xiucai exams, what will Han Maode or Han Ze matter? Right now, the education of Jixue and Jiwen is the most important thing.”
Han Xingwang tightened his fist, looking as if he were sacrificing himself for the sake of his grandsons. He gritted his teeth and said, “You’re right. Their schooling is paramount. For the sake of the descendants, I don’t mind.”
Liu Jiahua said, “It’s a grievance for you and the boys.”
Han Xingwang shook his head. “It’s fine. It’s all for the future generations.”
The two of them plotted beautifully, unaware that Xiaoliu wasn’t a fool at all. Even if Han Ze knew their scheme, he would only laugh it off.
..
Han Ze handed an account book to Han Maode. Maode took it and flipped through it, asking, “What is this?”
Han Ze poured himself a cup of tea and sat on a stool. “An account book of the rent Han Xingwang’s family owes us. When you have some free time, go to his house and collect it.”
Han Maode was startled and looked up sharply at Han Ze. “You’re serious?”
Han Ze said calmly, “When have I ever joked? Han Xingwang’s family is farming our land, eating the meat I provide, and wearing the cloth I send. I’ve raised that whole family to be fat and healthy, only for them to lie and plot against me behind my back. Dad, do you think I have such a good temper that I’d just let them off without doing anything?”
Han Maode shook his head and said, “When you were little, the kid next door, Erdan, stole your candy. His brother Dadan was there too, and you couldn’t beat the two of them. But two months later, you still found a chance to thrash Erdan. You hold a grudge over a single piece of candy; there’s no way you’d let Han Xingwang’s family off after they plotted against you like this. Collecting their back-rent is already letting them off easy.”
Han Ze narrowed his eyes and chuckled. “If you kill them with one blow of the club, there’s no fun left.”
Seeing his son’s smile, Han Maode couldn’t help but shiver. He felt a moment of pity for Han Xingwang and his son—of all people to provoke, they had to provoke this rascal. After the pity passed, he spat a few times. What did that crafty villain Han Xingwang have that was worth pitying?
…
The next day, before Han Xingwang and Liu Jiahua could even discuss the adoption with their son and daughter-in-law, Han Maode arrived with a group of people to collect the rent. Han Xingwang looked at Han Maode and asked with a frown, “Brother Maode, does Han Ze know about this?”
Han Maode looked at him impatiently. “Who are you calling ‘Brother’?”
Han Xingwang said good-naturedly, “Fine, fine. Not brothers then, alright?”
Han Maode waved his hand, thoroughly disgusted by Han Xingwang’s act. He said, “Don’t bother with the empty talk. Just one question: when are you paying the rent?”
Han Xingwang looked at him seriously. “It’s not that I won’t pay, but that land was given to Han Ze’s mother by him as a sign of filial piety.” Therefore, the concept of rent didn’t exist.
Liu Jiahua chimed in, “That’s right! That land was given to me by Han Ze to farm out of filial piety. What rent? We’re not paying!”
Han Maode didn’t even look at Liu Jiahua. He gave a cold laugh and looked back at Han Xingwang. “If you’re going to talk like that, this isn’t going to be pleasant. Liu Jiahua has already married you, yet she’s farming my family’s land? What, Han Xingwang—are you unable to support your wife, so even after she’s remarried, she still has to covet her ex-husband’s property?”
Han Xingwang’s old face turned beet red. “No matter how you look at it, Han Ze is Liu Jiahua’s son. A son must be filial to his mother. I have no reason to stop him, and you have no reason to stop him either.”
Han Maode sneered. “If Han Ze wants to be filial to Liu Jiahua, I have nothing to say. But even if Liu Jiahua ate until her belly burst, she couldn’t finish the grain from twenty mu of land in a year. Furthermore, she’s already married to you, works for you, cooks for you, and bears your children. You don’t support her, so why should my son? How can your skin be so thick?”
Because of Han Maode’s actions today, the area around Han Xingwang’s house was crowded with villagers watching the excitement. Hearing the whispers and pointing, Han Xingwang felt his face burning with shame; he was filled with intense hatred. Unfortunately, Han Maode seemed to have eaten gunpowder today; he had completely discarded his honest persona and dared to say anything. Han Xingwang couldn’t even find a way to refute him. But paying the rent was also impossible—if they paid, what would they eat?
He could only insist: “Han Ze needs to be here for this. If he doesn’t show up, I can’t give you the rent. After all, this land was a gift from Han Ze to his mother. How can I go against Han Ze’s filial intentions?”
Hearing Han Xingwang’s words, Han Maode felt he was seeing the true depth of the man’s shamelessness. He snorted, “Since you want Han Ze to show up, I’ll have him come.” Once he’s here, let’s see what else you have to say.
“No need. I’m already here.” Han Ze pushed through the crowd and walked in.
Liu Jiahua immediately rushed forward. “Han Ze, your father came to our house to collect rent. What do you have to say?”
Han Ze arched an eyebrow at her. “What is there to say? You rent my family’s land; it’s only natural to pay rent after harvesting the grain. If you don’t pay, and everyone else follows your example, wouldn’t my family lose everything?”
Liu Jiahua was choked. she said angrily, “How is that the same? I’m your mother! Your land is my land. Why should I pay rent?”
Han Ze blinked. “Yes, you are my mother; no one is saying you aren’t. But didn’t you once say that girls are ‘money-losing commodities’—that once they grow up and marry out, they are like ‘spilled water’?”
Liu Jiahua nodded. “I did say that.”
It wasn’t just her; didn’t everyone think so?
Han Ze looked at her and laughed. “I think the same way. A daughter who marries out is ‘spilled water,’ and similarly, a mother who marries out is a ‘spilled mother.’ You are someone else’s mother now and no longer part of my family. Since you are renting my land, how can you not pay rent?”
Liu Jiahua looked at him in disbelief. A mother who marries out is a ‘spilled mother’? He… how did he dare say such a thing? She was his mother!
Han Ze didn’t look at her again, but turned to Han Xingwang and his son. ” I’ll give you three days. If the rent isn’t paid by then, don’t blame me for being impolite.”
With that, he looked at Han Maode and said, “Dad, we’ll come back in three days.”
Han Maode grunted in satisfaction and followed behind his son, leading the group of people away in a bustle.
Once they were clear of Han Xingwang’s house, Han Ze looked at Han Maode. “Once the rent is collected, take it to the Wang family’s Eldest Uncle. The children are learning embroidery there; we can’t let them go hungry.”
Han Maode looked at his son and teased, “You’re actually willing to part with it?”
Han Ze rolled his eyes. “What’s there to be stingy about? It’s not like it’s coming out of our own granary. If I don’t see it, I’ll just pretend I don’t know.”
Han Maode: “…”
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152