Chapter 14: Dividing the Family Property

As soon as Li Daniu opened his mouth, it was like stuffing bitter herbs into everyone’s mouths.
The daughters-in-law immediately fell silent and tugged on their husbands’ sleeves.

“All these years, I’ve never used my age to take advantage of you,”
Father Yu finally spoke. He didn’t dare look at the expressions on his sons’ and daughters-in-law’s faces and kept his head lowered.
“But your youngest brother is still a child—you can’t eat well while leaving him with nothing.”

“You’re right, Father,” Second Brother Yu said slickly. He’d already come up with a plan last night, even though the discussion hadn’t gone well.
“Each of our five families can give up a piece of farmland or wasteland.”

Every family had a small patch of barren land, after all.
Since it hadn’t been improved yet, they might as well toss it to that newborn brat and let him struggle with it.

Hearing that, Father Yu was just about to nod when Yu Nuan immediately interjected:

“Second Brother, that land you’re offering—it’s for little Gou Wang. But what about Father and Mother’s share?”

Li Daniu gave her an approving look. This girl’s sharp.

“Hey! You Niu, the adults are talking—what are you butting in for? Go on, stay out of it…”
Third Brother Yu snapped, having heard yesterday that his elder brother had lost face because of her.
And today she still dared to meddle—what a troublemaker!

If not for her, how would the two elders have even thought of dividing the property?

“Third Brother, I’ve been the one caring for Father and Mother all these years. Even if I’ve done nothing great, I’ve still put in hard work.
What’s wrong with me speaking a few fair words?”
You won’t let me talk? Then I absolutely will!
Let’s see how angry I can make you! This is about charging forward with boldness!

“Even though they say ‘don’t air family shame outside,’ since we’re dividing things up today,
I’ll just speak plainly. All these years, the grain you gave to Father and Mother—each family only gave eight catties a year…
Are you feeding a dog with that?!”

Yu Nuan’s voice grew more agitated as she spoke,
as if venting a lifetime’s worth of bottled-up anger.

Only then did Father Yu and Village Chief Li and the others realize: So that’s what’s been eating at her these past few days.
No wonder she’s been so fired up lately…

Eight catties of grain? That’s barely enough for a beggar—let alone aging parents!
She mentally calculated the numbers:
Each of the five households had at least six to seven mu of land.
Even if the year wasn’t a great one, and assuming the lowest yield and a 20% loss,
each mu still produced at least 120 to 160 catties of grain per season.

Subtracting the government’s one-third tax,
five mu would still leave about 400 catties of grain per household per season—
And that’s just from one harvest.

Yet each household only handed over less than ten catties to the elderly couple?
That’s utterly heartless.

Village Chief Li and the other villagers present were shocked.
They all turned to look at Father Yu—How had he survived all these years with so little?
These sons were no better than ungrateful wolves.

They also silently sighed at how prideful Father Yu was—
keeping his lips sealed tighter than a needle’s eye.

Father Yu’s face went pale. He had never wanted to bring such things out into the open.
First, because people would talk about how heartless his sons were, staining the Yu family’s reputation;
Second, because he felt it reflected poorly on him as a father.

But in Yu Nuan’s view?
This was classic “saving face while suffering inside.”

“You’re just talking nonsense! What do you even know?!”
Third Brother Yu shouted angrily, rolling up his sleeves. He pointed at Yu Nuan and cursed,
“How is this any of your business, you married-off woman?”

“Shut up! How is it not her business? You Niu has been the one taking care of the two elders all these years—don’t you feel the least bit ashamed?”
Village Chief Li rubbed his temples—family matters were always the hardest to settle.

“There are two options,” Village Chief Li said firmly.

“One: Divide the land.
What belongs to Gou Wang goes to him.
What belongs to your parents also must be accounted for.
I have a record of the land each of your families holds,
so which plots go where isn’t for you to decide.”

He paused to let that sink in, then continued:

“Two: Don’t divide the land.
But each household must, every year, contribute a share of their harvest.
Three-tenths of each mu of land’s yield goes to the two elders and to Gou Wang.
If your parents pass away in the future, then it becomes two-tenths to Gou Wang.

Even that is still generous to you.

Also, these two barren hills belong to your father—
so from now on, don’t go up the mountains picking things without permission.”

Once he finished, Village Chief Li fell silent,
leaving the Yu brothers to discuss among themselves.

Their wives immediately began chirping and crying in protest.
Losing nearly 200 catties of grain a year all of a sudden—none of them could bear it.

No one wanted to give up their hard-earned grain.
They had all conveniently forgotten who the land had originally belonged to.

Only now did Yu Nuan realize—they were actually a family with mountain holdings!
But why wasn’t anyone fighting over the mountains?
Probably because farmland was more valuable, and there was nothing particularly rare in the mountains. You couldn’t exactly plant crops there either.

Final verdict of the discussion?
No verdict at all.

Village Chief Li had run out of patience:
“If you all won’t agree, then go settle this at the government office.
By then, it won’t just be a matter of reclaiming the farmland. They’ll ask how you’ve supported your parents all these years.

You might even be slapped with the charge of filial impiety—
And once that happens, the whole region will be pointing fingers at your backs. You could end up in jail.”

“Wuwuwu~~ We can’t go to the government!”
The daughters-in-law broke into loud wailing.

If this matter really went to court, they’d lose their land, which meant losing their livelihoods.
And if labeled as unfilial, their family name would be shamed for generations.
They wouldn’t be able to walk with their heads held high ever again.

Father Yu’s eyelid twitched.
He’d had so many children hoping some of them would bring honor to the family.
Go to the authorities and sue them? He’d never do that.

“Old Li, maybe we could just—”

“Father—!”
Yu Nuan cut in quickly, almost overcome by a wave of helplessness.

She knew it—this cheap dad of hers wasn’t someone whose mindset could be changed overnight.
She had already guessed Father Yu’s thinking:
he would never cross that bottom line.

But as the saying goes: A soft-hearted person is often an unlucky one…

Hearing her voice, Father Yu looked over at her, then sighed heavily and turned his head away.
His chest felt tight. He wasn’t sure if he was pressuring his children, or if they were pressuring him.

Mother Yu sat silently, holding Gou Wang in her arms.
Sister-in-law Zhao sat beside her, keeping a close eye on her condition.

Now that everything had blown up, it was better to settle things clearly.

“Father, how cruel you are…”

“Oh, give it a rest already!!”
Yu Nuan couldn’t take it anymore.
Whining was one thing, but now they were guilt-tripping too?

“Brothers, let’s not forget: there are gods three feet above your heads.
You know full well whether Father and Mother have been kind or cruel to you.
Stop pretending to cry over them now.

You’re not young anymore—half your bodies are already buried.
If your own children follow your example one day, you’ll end up far worse than this.

If we can’t settle it today, we’ll meet at the county office tomorrow.”

Yu Nuan’s expression hardened. Her eyes swept sharply across the Yu brothers.
But after a second, she lowered her gaze again.

The brothers froze at her stare.
A strange unease crept up their spines—because retribution never misses.
They’d heard of people being struck by lightning for being unfilial.

And their own sons and daughters were just outside, overhearing everything—
Suddenly, their confidence started to waver.

After a long silence—

“We’ll give grain, not land!” Eldest Yu was the first to speak.
Land was a farmer’s lifeline. Giving up 30% was better than losing it all.

“My family agrees too…”
One by one, the rest grudgingly followed.

“Good. Old Zhang, write up the statement!”
Village Chief Li raised an eyebrow and smiled, signaling one of the notary witnesses.

Then he added, “And the debts you owe your father and mother from the past ten-odd years—we’re settling that now too.”

“WHAT?!!”
The brothers were struck like lightning.

Wails and shrieks echoed through the courtyard again.
Even the sons outside were about to burst in and argue.

“Later, send your sons home to fetch the following:
—Fifty catties of rice per household
—Thirty catties of flour
—If you’ve got chickens, bring chickens; if not, bring pigs or rabbits. Either way, ten catties of meat
—One catty of salt, two catties of cooking oil
—Since Old Fifth moved to another village, whoever took his land must pay his share too.”

Without caring if they could bear it, Village Chief Li rattled off the list as if reciting scripture.

“When your father and mother left with Yu Nuan back then,
They didn’t get a single thing from you—not a stone, not a tile.

All they received were a few pots and pans—no tools, no furniture.
Each household will now provide one bolt of cloth
And, together, come up with three full cotton quilts.”

BOOM.
Everyone felt dizzy—this was no village head, this was a bandit chief.
Here to rob them clean!

They came to divide the household,
and it was about to bankrupt the entire family.