Chapter 3, Selling one's own grandfather's land without a twinge of conscience

A cup of tea has been brewed for drinking, and after drinking, it has been steeped to the point where its color is barely discernible. If it were a young and inexperienced person waiting for so long, they would surely be restless and anxious. However, Wang Kefan remains calm and composed, slowly sipping from the teacup, as if the bland tea holds endless flavor

The only thing that displeased him was that he had thought Wang Kefa, being young and inexperienced, would easily yield to a few casual threats. Unexpectedly, he brought up County Magistrate Xu Bingzhong, creating an unforeseen complication.

Wang Min furrowed his brows, making an effort to appear sorrowful, yet the excitement in his eyes could not be contained: "If the court pursues this matter, the entire Wang family will not escape the court's punishment! I have made up my mind; to ensure the safety of my entire Wang family, I have no choice but to expel your father from the clan!"

In the household, the women, children, elderly, and the weak naturally have no concerns, and they can simply stay in the old residence to recuperate. However, it is best for the virtuous nephew, being the eldest son in the family, to go out and avoid the situation for a while

In that case, how should my entire family be settled?" he inquired calmly, as it was not the time for a head-on confrontation

The nephew pays his respects to his uncle. Wang Kefan rises and performs a formal bow, extending his greeting to the ground

Two to three hundred acres of prime paddy fields are worth several thousand taels of silver. With Xu Bingzhong there, do not even think about taking them for free. Do you really think the magistrate of Chongyang County is just a decoration?

Wang Min nodded as a form of acknowledgment, then took a seat at the head of the table, wearing a stern expression and refraining from laughter, embodying the authority of an elder, while the corner of his eye coldly scrutinized Wang Kefan

Oh, hehehe... This is indeed a reasonable statement. How does the young nephew plan to negotiate? Wang Min turned his anger into joy, nodding with a smile. It seems he intends to bargain. Although this young man is still inexperienced, his words reveal a sharp wit, so he should not be underestimated

In the early days of the year when Li Chuang occupied the entire Shanxi province, all the civil and military officials of Shanxi surrendered..." As Wang Min spoke halfway, he suddenly raised his voice and glared at Wang Kefan, saying: "I have received reliable information that your father has also surrendered to the rebels! This is a grave crime of confiscating property and exterminating families, do you understand?!"

This can also be considered a warning, it seems that today's events are not simple at all

Wang Family of Hengshili, led by the eldest son Wang Min

How to handle the farmland and properties at home

Wang Rui, the father of Kai Ge, was driven away, and the family estate was handed over to Wang Min for management. It is a well-calculated scheme, with each link tightly connected. Under such relentless pressure, they aim to completely devour the family's assets

A sound of footsteps approached, and as the door curtain was lifted, Wang Min finally made his appearance

... ...

He and Wang Kefan's father, Wang Rui, are cousins, and they shared a certain bond during their childhood. However, as Wang Rui continued to excel in the imperial examinations, Wang Min faced countless reproaches and ridicule over the years. Out of jealousy, the brotherly affection had long since dissipated, and he wished for Wang Rui to be slain by a sword of Li Zicheng's Shun army, so that their old father could witness the fate of a petty person who had achieved success.

However, as it stands... my father is currently missing, leading to rampant rumors. I can understand the difficulties my uncle faces, so it would be best to handle this matter with some flexibility

Wang Kefan's voice was calm and steady, yet it conveyed an undeniable firmness. Wang Min was slightly taken aback, and her face had already changed color.

The matter of expelling the clan should be handled discreetly, and we can postpone it for now. The situation in Shanxi will surely reach a conclusion within a few months, at which point my father will naturally be vindicated. If my father truly acted as a traitor, I will allow my uncle to deal with him according to clan regulations, and I will have no objections whatsoever.

The Wang family is most notably represented by Wang Zongyi from the Zhengde era, and Wang Min is the direct third-generation descendant of Wang Zongyi. Benefiting from the legacy of his great-grandfather, Wang Min has consistently held the position of the head of the Wang family, enjoying a revered status within the family.

Being impatient for a moment, one's eating manners are too unsightly!

Wang Kefan raised his eyebrows slightly, and the other party had indeed made arrangements early, and their first move was so ruthless.

Since my nephew insists on moving out of Hengshi Village, it's better to deal with these properties. In my opinion, whether it's private land or clan land, they should all be priced and sold.

With my uncle here, how could I let you suffer any loss? How about this: as long as you sell all the land in your family to the clan, my uncle will act as a guarantor, ensuring that you receive the full amount in cash without any deductions

Dear nephew, have you received any news about your father recently

Wang Kefan nodded, and the opponent's cards have been revealed. The early bird catches the worm. In fact, Wang Min has set his sights on his own family's property.

Thank you for your concern, Uncle. Chongyang is a strategic location where we can inquire about my father's whereabouts conveniently. However, there is another tricky matter. After my mother and I moved out, no one has been managing our farmland. Over time, the tenants may become negligent, which is a real problem...

If Wang Kefan has any intention, if under the unintentional temptation, Wang Min only feels shortness of breath and heart palpitations.

However, Wang Min's ability in studying is far inferior to his great-grandfather. He wasted more than ten years in the imperial examination, failing every time. After turning thirty, he saw no hope in the imperial examination and decided to donate money to become a supervising student, focusing on becoming a wealthy man.

To be a person, leave room for maneuver. Plan before taking action. The subtleties in this can only be understood, not spoken to others!

Such a spendthrift is not worth missing out on; if we do not take advantage, it will only benefit outsiders! Since this is the case, we might as well let our own uncle take full advantage of it!

My father is strong both externally and internally, he is dignified and resilient. I, as his nephew, am willing to guarantee with my life and property. Even if my father were to face danger, he would never surrender to the enemy! Such rumors are detrimental to our Wang family, so I kindly ask my uncle to be cautious in speaking about it in public. There is a hidden warning in these words. We all share the surname Wang, and Wang Rui has been slandered, which brings no benefits to the entire Wang family.

Although firmly believing that Wang Rui has already betrayed, it is prudent not to rush into making a definitive decision. If Wang Kefan is wise, he should first secure benefits and wait until the situation is clearer before dealing with Wang Rui.

Chaos is approaching, Wang Kefan has no leisure to contend with a country landlord for family property, and since Wang Min has stepped forward, it gives him a chance to use his influence.

In order to seize dozens of acres of ancestral land, Wang Min did not hesitate to take action against his cousin Wang Rui's family. However, from the implication of Wang Kefan's words, it seems that he no longer desires even the private fields.

Wang Kefan made a solemn promise without any psychological burden. After a few months, the situation changed, even if Wang Rui really surrendered to Li Zicheng, Wang Min would not be bothered by this as long as he was not out of his mind.

Nephew's words are not wrong. Those lazy, cunning villagers deceive the master's family by all means and turn the good, high-quality farmland into barren land in just two or three years. We cannot let them go unchecked! Wang Min pointed to a chair next to him and said with a smile, "Nephew, please sit down. If you trust your uncle, let me help manage these properties."

The north is in turmoil, Li Chuang is causing trouble, and my father hasn't sent a letter for a long time.

Initial purchase intention has been reached. Land prices in Huguang are currently high, and there is nowhere to buy even with money in hand. However, Wang Kefan's family owns about 300 mu of land, with more paddy fields than dry fields. The initial price is not expensive, it is simply a great bargain that fell from the sky.

Unexpectedly, Wang Kefan suddenly changed the topic.

Are you trying to scare the children? Unfortunately, you have chosen the wrong target, as Wang Kefan firmly pushed back.

It is rare to find such good land; at worst, I can spend some money to persuade Wang Kefa to sell it to me...

The magistrate of Chongyang County, Xu Bingzhong, was a successful candidate in the seventh year of the Chongzhen era. He shared a bond of mutual respect with Wang Rui. If matters were to escalate before him, Wang Min would certainly find himself at a disadvantage. Xu, confident in his own scholarly achievements, believed he could stand on equal footing with the magistrate and contemplated confronting him forcefully on the spot

It is laughable that this uncle, despite his meticulous scheming, ends up in a pitiful state, with a narrow vision. As the Qing army advances southward, Huguang will fall into prolonged turmoil, and amidst the destruction, what use are these lands and properties?

"Hmm, what else?" Wang Min took a sip of tea noncommittally, showing greater interest in Wang Kefan's other conditions

Wang Kefan arrived at Wang Min's residence and was left waiting in the side hall, sitting idly for more than half an hour

Land is the most important means of production in this era, without exception. Aside from the descendants of impoverished families, very few are willing to sell their land. On the contrary, landlords will never feel that their holdings are too much; whenever there is an opportunity, they will still seek ways to acquire more land.

My father is as innocent and pure as the bright moon; in time, the truth will become clear. As the truth of this matter is still unknown, if it is necessary to expel my father from the clan, I, as his nephew, will have no choice but to go to Chongyang County to seek justice from Magistrate Xu

Absurd! You are merely a newly crowned youth, on what grounds do you guarantee for your father

Wang Kefan had been gone for quite some time, yet Wang Min remained unable to contain his excitement.

Wang Min is confident that he has seen through Wang Kefan—possessing a modicum of cleverness, yet being young and impetuous, lacking an understanding of the ways of the world, and inevitably facing obstacles in the future

The words were sharp, hard, and cold like nails, and Wang Min was caught off guard, his rarely seen old face turning red. He was at a loss for words, feeling extremely awkward, and a wave of regret surged within him

The property and farmland remain unchanged, and the old residence is still occupied by your mother, so I will not disturb her. Wang Min said kindly, However, we still need to maintain appearances; I will take care of your family's ancestral land, and we will publicly state that it has been returned to the clan.

The land is the foundation of a family’s livelihood through farming and education; how can it be easily sold? Wang Kefan, this prodigal son, sold the family land just to save face; it is truly heartbreaking to see a son sell his father's land without remorse. Even if Wang Rui had not died at the hands of Li Chuang, he would have surely been driven to his grave by his son’s actions

Wang Rui's private fields amount to as much as two to three hundred acres, mostly consisting of high-quality rice paddies. Suddenly presenting such a significant temptation, Wang Min could not help but feel a surge of excitement.

Uncle is right; my father is in trouble, and my mother and I are in need of money. It would be better to sell these properties, but I am worried that we won't get a good price and won't receive cash.

At this point in the conversation, Wang Kefan finally found a seat. He sat down calmly and said, "Uncle, you are naturally trustworthy, but before my father clears his name, it is best to avoid any suspicion. I do not wish to trouble you, esteemed elder."

A clan against a family, elders against juniors, and with the added burden of a large hat prepared for treachery and betrayal, it has already become an overwhelming force akin to Mount Tai, leaving no fear that Wang Kefa will not bow his head

This... is not very good, is it? Your esteemed mother is weak and sickly; she should be resting at home. Wang Min's words were meant to persuade, but he felt a sense of relief inside. After all, Wang Kefan is a young man, proud and arrogant, unable to endure any grievances; he would move his entire family at the slightest disagreement, which is quite childish and laughable. Just right, just right, Wang Kefan and his mother moving away from Hengshili is indeed a good move to sever ties. Would I still be reluctant? Even if Wang Rui truly betrays us, the Wang family will have explanations to deal with it. Just right, just right, Wang Kefan and his mother moving away from Hengshili is indeed a good move to sever ties. Would I still be reluctant? Even if Wang Rui truly betrays us, the Wang family will have explanations to deal with it.

To prevent any potential repercussions for the entire Wang family, I plan to move my mother out of Hengshili and temporarily reside in Chongyang County.