Chapter 741: Chapter 663, Post a note_1 Chapter 741: Chapter 663, Post a note_1 Madam Yan called Yan Zhigao, Yan Zhiyuan, and Yan Zhiqiang over, and soon, everyone in the Yan Family grew anxious about what was unfolding.
Before long, Yan Wenxiu, Yan Wenjie, and Yan Wenhui were summoned as well.
This made everyone start to feel quite uneasy.
In the main courtyard, Madam Li was absentmindedly toying with her teacup, her brows more relaxed than before. After a while, she let out a sigh to Han Xinran, “The old lady is, after all, enlightened.”
Upon hearing this, Han Xinran felt her heart skip a beat.
Does this mean… the Yan Family is going to split up?
She naturally approved wholeheartedly of the idea.
As far as the main house was concerned, the people of the second branch were nothing but a burden. It was fine to spare some silver to support them on a daily basis, but the key issue was that the second uncle was too lacking in self-awareness and respect.
Keeping a mistress was an act that could tarnish the family's reputation; its impact was indeed very detrimental, outwardly causing people to speak ill of the Yan Family's morals, and inwardly, it could potentially set a bad example for the younger members of the family.
For a family to continue prospering for a long time, the family's ethos and rules are very important.
Then there was the acceptance of bribes, foolish enough to leave the evidence with the mistress. She almost thought her second uncle was an idiot.
And finally, her second brother Wenjie was of no help to grandfather and husband either. From what she could see, he had no investment value. Getting the second branch out of the way would definitely be harmless, if not beneficial, to the main house.
As for the third branch…
The third uncle and his wife were quite upright. Ever since she married into the Yan Family, she hadn't heard of the third branch causing any trouble. The whole family was quiet and well-behaved.
It was said that her third brother Wentao was ambitious and, along with her fourth brother, had gone to the Northern Frontier where battles were being fought.
Capable and knowing when to advance or retreat, the third branch might stay, after all, her husband also needed the support.
In the second branch, Zhu Qiyun also guessed the old lady's intentions. Seeing that her mother-in-law was still oblivious, only busy scolding and complaining about her father-in-law, she sighed and swallowed back her words.
The mistake her father-in-law made this time was too grave; both her eldest uncle and aunt were furious. Perhaps by splitting up and living separately, her eldest uncle and aunt might still consider their brotherly bond and lend a hand to the second branch when needed.
If they continued to live together, any small mistake by her father-in-law in the future could add new grudges to old ones, possibly burning through all the goodwill between the two families.
Yan Yihuan had a vague sense of what was happening, her face clouded with worry.
Without the support of the main house, the second branch would be no different from ordinary folks. She and her sister were getting older. What kind of good family would they be able to marry into in the future?
In the third branch, the Wu Family felt quite at ease. After all, the eldest brother and sister-in-law would not neglect them, whether the family split or not.
Now, she was mainly worried about her eldest son, who was at the Northern Frontier.
Wenxiu and Wenjie were married, but her Wentao hadn't even been promised to anyone. When would she ever get a daughter-in-law?
It was well into the night when Yan Zhigao and the others finally left the old lady's room.
Everyone seemed alright, except for Yan Zhiyuan, who was visibly distressed and needed the support of Yan Wenjie to walk.
Yan Zhigao glanced at him and pressed his lips together, saying nothing.
If his second brother had been as honest and well-behaved as his third brother, he would have been willing to support the second branch's family. Unfortunately, this brother was too tactless, “Wenjie, take good care of dad,” he said.
Yan Wenjie, who was pale, nodded. He truly hadn't expected his grandmother to suggest splitting up the family, and even sending the second branch back to their ancestral home.
Returning to the ancestral home… facing a group of farmers all day, with their faces turned to the soil and their backs to the sky, what prospects would the second branch have in the future?
Yan Wenxiu patted Yan Wenjie's shoulder and followed Yan Zhigao away.
Yan Zhiqiang, seeing the devastated look on Yan Zhiyuan and Yan Wenjie, wanted to offer some words of comfort, but he was stopped by his second son, Yan Wenhui.
Yan Wenhui spoke up, “Second uncle, second brother, it's late. You should go back to rest. We'll be going back now too.” With that, he quickly left, pulling Yan Zhiqiang along with him.
After they had gone some distance, Yan Zhiqiang finally said with dissatisfaction, “I wanted to comfort your second uncle, why did you stop me?”
Yan Wenhui couldn't help but feel helpless as he spoke, “Dad, Uncle's family was driven back to our hometown by Grandmother, while our third branch stays by Uncle Bo's side. Now, whatever our family says doesn't seem appropriate. With Uncle's temperament, he might even think we are showing off.”
With Third Brother absent, and both parents being honest people, it inevitably fell to him to step up and take the lead.
Yan Zhiqiang choked back a retort, knowing full well that his second brother was indeed like that, he didn't say more, and walked with his second son toward the third branch's courtyard. After a while, he sighed, “I never expected our family to divide so soon.”
Yan Wenhui replied, “Son thinks it's quite good actually. We can't always rely on Uncle Bo, Uncle Bo would get tired as well.”
Yan Zhiqiang nodded. Today, Mother proposed dividing the family, and neither Uncle Bo nor Wenxiu said a word against it, which showed they really wanted the split.
Seeing his father's troubled expression, Yan Wenhui smiled and said, “Dad, don't worry. Our third branch has Third Brother and me. Master said that next year, I will be able to take the exams, and though I'm not as good at studying as Big Brother, I believe I'll have no problem at least becoming a Scholar.”
Yan Zhiqiang lightly smacked his son's head, “Do you always praise yourself like this? You don't know how to be humble at all.”
Yan Wenhui lifted his head high, “Big Sister said that being overly humble is just like being arrogant, I'm only stating the facts.”
Yan Zhiqiang broke into a laugh, “Then just keep learning from your Big Sister.”
“Of course!”
Finding the military provisions was a great help from Sun Changze. Daohua prepared some silver and medicinal herbs to be sent to Deshou by Yan Shouhou, so that Deshou could relay them to Sun Changze.
After taking care of these matters, Daohua looked up to see Wang Manman with a complicated expression standing to the side and smiled, “Has Grandmother come to a decision?”
Wang Manman nodded, “The old lady has decided to divide the family and to have the second branch return to our hometown.”
On hearing this, Daohua's expression paused for a moment, “Grandmother has always been sensible. What Uncle did this time has left a lump in Father's heart. If they continue living together, it'll only make that lump in Father's heart grow bigger. It's better to divide the family now, while there's still some affection left.”
“Furthermore, the fact that Uncle accepted bribes behind Father's back is just deplorable. If not punished severely, others in the family may also become emboldened to commit other offenses in the future. That would be very detrimental to the family's development. Grandmother wouldn't just stand by and watch everything Father has worked so hard for be destroyed.”
Wang Manman nodded, “I heard from Grandmother Sun that after the lords left, the old lady cried.”
Daohua sighed, “The back of the hand and the palm are both flesh. Grandmother has made this decision with a heavy heart, and she must be feeling terrible.” With that, she stood up, “Let's go; I'll accompany Grandmother to sleep.”
The matter of the Yan Family splitting was dealt with quietly by both the eldest and the third branches, but the second branch made a commotion. Sun Family was angry with Yan Zhiyuan's infidelity, but at the moment, she had no time for that.
She knew very well that a good life was tied to staying with the first and second branches. If they just returned to the hometown, they wouldn't just lose face before the clan, the second branch would just become ordinary citizens. What future would her son and two daughters have then?
Watching Sun Family about to seek out the old lady, Zhu Qiyun hurriedly had Yan Wenjie stop her.
Daohua had already prepared for the possibility of Sun Family making a scene but, unexpectedly, the second branch was quiet the next day. Immediately, she said with a smile to Old Lady Yan, “Second sister-in-law is good-hearted. With her around, the second branch won't fare too badly in the future.”
Old Lady Yan, lacking in energy, responded weakly, “Hopefully.”
Daohua smiled and said, “Grandmother, although the family has divided, Uncle, Father, and Third Uncle are still brothers connected by blood. It's only a return to the hometown after all, it doesn't mean there will be no contact in the future.”
“As long as Uncle sees the error of his ways and reforms, wouldn't Father still look after him?”
Old Lady Yan nodded, “Hopefully Old Second will learn his lesson this time.”
With matters resolved, Daohua sent Yan Shouhou to Taohua Village to inform Gu Jian and let him know not to worry. Old Lady Yan was still ill, so she couldn't return for the time being.
In the following days, Yan Wenxiu started leaving early and returning late to tie up loose ends for Yan Zhiqiang.
As for when the second branch would return to the hometown, it was a matter that everyone tacitly chose not to inquire about.
On the eighth day of the eighth month, Madam Li suddenly received an invitation from the Yuan Family.
“Provincial Governor Yuan just unceremoniously arrested your father, and now they've sent an invitation for us to attend their Mid-Autumn Festival banquet. What is the Yuan Family's intention?”
Han Xinran looked at the silent Daohua before speaking hesitantly, “Could they be seeking reconciliation? Father and Provincial Governor Yuan both hold office in Zhongzhou, and relations have been tense.”
Madam Li frowned, “I've heard something about that Provincial Governor Yuan from Wenxiu. He doesn't seem like the type to swallow his pride and make the first move for peace.”
Daohua pondered for a moment, then said with a smile, “Mother, since the Yuan Family has already sent the invitation, let's go and see what it is all about.”
Chapter end
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