AD (QT) Chapter 130

Once Han Maode bought the hillside, Han Ze hired local laborers from the village to begin work on the manor. In his spare time, he drew up a design plan that only he could understand and, using that as a guide, directed the workers on how to build it.

Of the servants in town, he kept the old man and one boy; the old man was to guard the courtyard, and the boy was to serve as a page for Shubuo. The rest were brought to the village specifically to buy groceries and cook for the laborers.

With them around, Ge Hongbu and Wang Lanhua weren’t tired at all. In fact, there was no need for the mother and daughter-in-law to do anything regarding the construction. Later, considering the size of the household, Han Ze found a labor broker and bought three maids in their thirties to handle the heavy domestic chores.

Thus, the work in the fields was done by hired hands; the cooking for the construction was handled by the servants; and even the household chores—raising pigs, feeding chickens, cooking, and cleaning—were all taken over by the maids.

Ge Hongbu and Wang Lanhua, having worked for half their lives, felt entirely out of place being suddenly idle. With nothing to do, they spent their time on needlework. Seeing this, Han Ze bought another dozen bolts of fabric, outfitting everyone from the adults to the children in new clothes from the inside out.

When the villagers saw that their family had taken on servants, there was another wave of envy. Liu Jiahua, in particular, was not just envious but consumed by jealousy and hatred.

Exactly how wealthy had Han Maode’s family become that they were buying maids to serve them?

Her eyes turned red with spite at the thought.

Worse still, Sixth Aunt Han told the village that the maids were bought by Han Ze specifically to serve Wang Lanhua. Unable to restrain herself, Liu Jiahua went straight to Han Ze. Since he was buying maids for his stepmother, fine—then he had better buy one for her, his biological mother, as well.

Han Ze looked at her in surprise. “You want me to buy a maid to serve you?”

Liu Jiahua said indignantly, “You collected my back-rent and took back the land I leased—I won’t say anything more about that, since even though I farmed it, it was technically leased by Chengming’s father. But since you bought a maid for Wang Lanhua, you must buy one for me too.”

Han Ze frowned. “Those maids were bought to cook and wash for the household, not to serve any one specific person. Mother, you’re overthinking it.”

Liu Jiahua snorted. “The chores aren’t being done by Ge Hongbu or Wang Lanhua anymore. By buying maids, aren’t you just making life easy for them?”

Han Ze arched an eyebrow. “Mother, Ge Hongbu and my mother need to do needlework; where would they find the time for heavy chores? You’re imagining things.”

Liu Jiahua’s face darkened. “How much needlework could there be? Does it really require two people? It’s nothing but an excuse because you don’t want to buy me a maid.”

Han Ze lost his patience. “Mother, you’re right. I truly don’t want to buy you a maid. You aren’t part of my household. If I buy you a maid, the ones who benefit are Han Chengming and his family. Why should I be a sucker? If you want a maid, have Uncle Xingwang buy one for you. What’s the point in plotting against me?”

Liu Jiahua was choked. Her body trembled with rage as she pointed at Han Ze. “Well fine, fine for you… you white-eyed wolf!”

Han Ze looked at her and said seriously, “Mother, don’t feel like I’m being heartless. In this situation, no one could justify it. If you had stayed a widow after the separation, I wouldn’t mind supporting you or buying a maid for you. But you remarried, yet you keep coming back asking for things to supplement Han Chengming’s family. That doesn’t make sense anywhere you go.”

Liu Jiahua listened to Han Ze’s repetitive argument—essentially, that because she remarried, anything he gave her would just benefit Han Xingwang’s family, so he refused to be a sucker.

She asked furiously, “So you really won’t buy me one?”

Han Ze said, “I won’t.”

Liu Jiahua knew more words were useless and threatened angrily, “Wang Lanhua is only your stepmother. Don’t you regret this in the future.”

Han Ze replied, “Regret it or not, she is my father’s wife. As my father’s son, it is only right and natural for me to show her filial respect.”

Liu Jiahua seethed with hidden hatred. Right and natural. Since she had separated and remarried, she had effectively cut ties with Han Maode’s family. Even though she was Han Ze’s biological mother, wanting him to support her and buy her servants was no longer “right or natural.”

…

Han Ze watched her leave and then drove the ox cart to town to pick up Shubuo; tomorrow was the boy’s day off again. On the way, he ran into Han Chengming. Having learned from past experiences, Chengming didn’t even try to ask for a ride. He didn’t even greet Han Ze, simply keeping his head down as he walked toward town.

Han Ze gave a light chuckle and drove the cart in front of him, blocking his path.

Han Chengming looked at him with annoyance. So you have an ox cart, big deal! I’m avoiding you, so why are you bothering me?

Han Ze arched an eyebrow at his frustrated face. “Your mother came looking for me, wanting me to buy her a maid to serve her. Do you think I should buy one or not?”

Han Chengming’s mind whirred, and he said, “My mother is also your mother. Since she wants a maid, just buy her one.”

Han Ze gave a mocking laugh. “But my mother married your father; she’s in a family with you now. If she wants a maid, shouldn’t you be the one to pay for it?”

Han Chengming had to admit Han Ze’s logic held up, but if he had the silver, would he still be taking this attitude from Han Ze? He said, “My family is so poor we can barely afford to eat. Where would we get silver for a maid? You’re a wealthy son; what’s the big deal about buying one for your mother?”

Han Ze nodded. “You’re right, I do have plenty of silver. But who told Mother to discard me and marry your father instead? No matter how much silver I have, it’s mine; it has nothing to do with your family. If you and your father have any shame left, stop inciting my mother to plot against me and my father’s money. It makes people look down on you. Even if Jixue and Jiwen pass the xiucai exams in the future, people will point at their backs and say they only passed because their grandmother schemed for her ex-husband’s money.”

Han Chengming’s face turned from pale to green. He hadn’t expected Han Ze to be so ruthless as to say something so vicious. Although they truly did want Han Ze to pay for the children’s schooling, hadn’t they failed to get it?

Han Ze added, “As long as you don’t incite Mother to plot against me, I really don’t have the time to deal with you.”

Han Chengming’s face flushed. To say he didn’t want Han Ze’s property would be a lie; if there were even a sliver of opportunity, he wouldn’t give it up. But Han Ze had discovered the truth—that he wasn’t Han Maode’s biological son—and it had ruined everything. Regret was useless now.

Han Ze didn’t look at him again and drove off.

…

After picking up Han Shubuo, Han Ze planned to take him to see the courtyard house in town. Over at the school gate, Han Chengming saw Han Jixue and Han Jiwen and immediately asked, “Was there an assessment? Did you get a reward?”

The two boys looked at Han Shubuo with envy. They were all studying at the same school—why didn’t their Big Uncle ask Shubuo if he’d won a prize? Instead, their father asked them every single break. If they won, it was fine, but if they didn’t, they would be severely scolded. Consequently, they had grown to fear the end of the school week, terrified of their father’s temper.

Han Jixue shrank his head. “No.”

Han Chengming’s eyes bulged. “Was there no exam, or did you just not get a reward?”

Han Jixue whispered, “No reward.”

Han Chengming’s face darkened. He turned to Han Jiwen, who hung his head. “I didn’t get a reward either.”

Han Chengming’s expression was beyond grim. If they weren’t at the school gates, his fists would have already landed on the children. The two boys were so terrified they didn’t dare breathe loudly.

Watching from the side, Han Ze actually felt a bit of sympathy for the two kids.

Han Shubuo, however, spoke up: “Actually, Cousins Jixue and Jiwen study very hard. The teacher even praised their solid foundation in our class. I don’t know why their assessment results are always disappointing.”

The academy awarded prizes based on ranking. Originally, the top ten received rewards, but now only the top three were recognized.

Han Ze gently patted his head. “Your Uncle Chengming is being too impatient. Whether you get a reward is secondary; the goal of your studies is the Imperial Exams. Whether you can pass as a xiucai is what matters.”

Han Shubuo thought about it and felt his father was right. Caring too much about immediate gains and losses only made it harder to focus on studying.

…

One day, while Han Ze was resting at home, Yu Anzhi arrived in his carriage.

Upon inquiry, Han Ze learned he had come specifically for the flowers. Once Han Ze led him to the backyard garden to see the blooms, Yu Anzhi found himself unable to move.

He grabbed Han Ze’s arm and said excitedly, “Brother Han, are these for sale? I want them all!”

Han Ze smiled. “You know I’m a vulgar man; these flowers are wasted on me. Name a price and take them all.”

Yu Anzhi slapped his hands together. “Brother Han is a straightforward man! There are two more ‘Wei Zi’ here; I’ll give you a thousand taels for them. What do you think?”

Han Ze agreed readily. “Deal!”

Yu Anzhi’s heart relaxed. He looked at Han Ze with curiosity. “I didn’t know Brother Han was such an expert at raising flowers.”

What he didn’t say was that the flowers he bought previously hadn’t withered even after their usual blooming period; they had actually lasted much longer. This was quite extraordinary.

Han Ze laughed. “I’m just a countryman; I only know how to farm and grow flowers.”

Yu Anzhi sighed with emotion. “If you can always raise such precious flowers, that is quite a skill in itself.”

Han Ze just smiled and said nothing.

After buying the flowers, Yu Anzhi was in a hurry to get them home. He made an appointment with Han Ze to buy any future rare blooms before he departed.

…

Time flew by. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the village manor was finally completed. Every building was a brick-and-tile house, spacious and bright. After discussing it with Han Maode, they decided the entire family would move into the manor.

Over the course of nearly a year, Han Xiaochun and Han Xiaodong had learned many characters and begun studying the Four Books. Compared to Shuxin and her sisters, they were even more diligent, and their calligraphy was better. Han Xiaochun was already seventeen, and Xiaodong was fifteen; both were at the age to be married off.

Having taught them for so long, Han Ze had developed an affection for these two sisters. Seeing that their marriage prospects were stalled, he couldn’t bear to let them stay anxious. He went to town and asked Yu Anzhi to help look for suitable families.

Ever since he realized Han Ze’s flower-raising prowess, Yu Anzhi had grown quite close to him. He readily agreed to help with such a small matter.