Chapter 5: Division of the Family

The unexpected guest shattered her beautiful dream. The maid, Qiuye, reported from outside, "Madam, the eldest lady has arrived." Zhang, Zhao Zhuo, and Mi were all taken aback. Although she was the daughter-in-law of their nephew, she was still a young woman. Zhao Zhuo immediately retreated to the bedroom to avoid her. Mi, fearing the children would make noise, took her daughter to the east room. Zhang then instructed someone to invite Jiang in, leaving only Chun Cao to attend to her. Chun Cao lowered her head, hesitating as she stood behind Zhang.

As she is still a little child, the entire family is currently confined to a small old courtyard, leaving her with little space to move. She primarily spends her time in the room for eating, drinking, and other activities, which is why she has begun to learn to walk on the kang. The original self probably had not started learning this yet, so when the elders saw her wobbling and taking a few steps, they were overjoyed. Her older brother clapped his hands, encouraging her to take a few more steps. Each time she lifted her foot, he would laugh and pick her up, and even her grandmother, Zhang, who usually maintained a calm demeanor, happily praised her granddaughter as "smart".

Zhao Zhuo and Mi Shi listened and both felt delighted, nodding in unison: "Mother is very thoughtful"

Zhang sighed: "I know that both of you are unwilling to accept this and do not understand why Zhao'er, as the legitimate son, cannot inherit the title. When the Duke was alive, he always valued his eldest son. The first wife, Madam Qin, had difficulty bearing children, and only had your elder sister, a daughter. Aside from Aunt Qian, who gave birth to a son, the Duke had no other offspring for many years, and he was often away at war, not knowing when he might meet his end. To prepare for the future, the Duke had early on designated an heir. Who would have thought that later, due to unforeseen circumstances, he married me as a secondary wife, and I gave birth to Zhao'er, which led to uncertainty regarding the title's succession. However, the Duke was getting older, and it was uncertain how much longer he could hold on. The eldest son had already grown up, had children of his own, while you, the legitimate younger son, were still young. If anything were to happen to the Duke, how could a child like you support a household? This is why the heir was not changed in the records. But the Duke had already told me before his passing that once you succeeded in the imperial examination, he would seek a title for you, allowing you to establish your own household and live comfortably. Who would have thought he would leave so suddenly..."

She raised her head to look at her son and daughter-in-law, and continued: "The title has already been bestowed upon your elder brother, so you need not dwell on it any longer. He acts unjustly, and there are those who cannot overlook it. However, now that the Duke has just passed away and the court is currently in favor of him, if someone were to come forward to report him at this time, the court would likely let it go lightly, considering his status as the Duke's eldest son. The person who reports him may not necessarily benefit from it. Therefore, it would be better to set aside these matters. Let us move out and live our lives. While observing the mourning period, Zhao'er should diligently review his studies. Although you are young, you have already achieved the status of a juren, and you are quite talented. Once the mourning period is over, it would be even better to take the imperial examination and return as a jinshi. This dynasty is different from the previous one; the sons of nobles and distinguished families must take the imperial examination to enter government service, whether in civil or military roles. Otherwise, they can only cling to their family businesses for a lifetime and are not allowed to hold positions of real power. Your elder brother lacks both literary and martial accomplishments, and in terms of future prospects, he cannot surpass you."

Grandmother and the others are discussing the matter of dividing the family estate. Early this morning, the lord and his wife invited the Zhang family over, specifically to discuss the division of the estate. It seems they truly have no intention of showing any consideration. The properties in the capital have mostly been allocated to the eldest branch. Since the old gentleman's ancestral home is in Fengxian, Shanghai, he has considerable farmland in the countryside. Therefore, the lord allocated ten acres of land and five hundred taels of silver to his half-brother, along with several family members he is accustomed to, as a way to send him off.

Mother Mi did not think so. Upon hearing her husband's words, she could not help but cry out: "This is too much! The Hou family has so many properties in the capital, and there are over 10,000 acres of land in our hometown of Fengxian, yet they only allocate you 1,000 acres! In the past, when the Duke was alive, your annual expenses for food and clothing were no less than 500 taels, but now the Marquis only gives you 500 taels upon dividing the family assets. Is this not akin to sending you off like a beggar? If the Duke were to know of this in the afterlife, I cannot imagine how heartbroken he would be!"

Zhao Zhuo fell silent; how could he not feel humiliated in his heart? Even though he had anticipated that his elder brother would no longer allow him and his mother to reside in this household, he had thought that the other party would merely act according to the rules, and that what was due to him would still be allocated. However, the current situation is truly worse than that of the collateral branches of the clan. But what could he do? Zhao Jiong has now inherited the title of Marquis of Jiannan, as per the emperor's decree and his father's wishes during his lifetime. If he were to cause a disturbance, it would only bring shame to his father's legacy and tarnish his own reputation.

Zhao Jing listened as his father recounted the specific terms of the family division to his mother, and he felt that it was not too bad. Although he had crossed over to a noble family, being separated from the family seemed somewhat unfortunate, yet with wealth, property, and people around, one should not expect to live too comfortably.

Zhao Jing once again revealed a toothless, radiant smile, making an effort to amuse her elders. This smile was very sincere, as she was already envisioning the happy days of the future

Zhao Jing's wife, Jiang, entered and respectfully greeted the elderly matriarch. Her complexion was pale, and she appeared quite fatigued, clearly worn out from taking care of her sick son over the past few days. Zhang inquired and learned that Ze Ge'er had already recovered, so she comforted her, saying, "It is good that the child is fine; you must not be careless in the future."

Zhao Zhuo's mood settled, and he began to turn back to comfort his wife. Mi was originally a gentle and gracious person, but she had momentarily lost her composure due to indignation; now she was gradually calming down. Zhang informed them: "A few days ago, I had someone purchase a residence in the area around Drum Tower Street, with three entrances and exits, which is sufficient for our family to live in. During these days, Mama Lu has been tidying up over there, and some of our belongings have already been moved. Once the new marquis sends over the land deeds and silver that Zhuo'er is entitled to, we will set off."

Zhao Zhuoxin understood that his mother was speaking the truth. The founding emperor of this dynasty had a peculiar temperament and held great prestige, which led to the establishment of many rules that differed from those of the previous dynasty. One such rule was that the descendants of meritorious officials must first pass an examination before they could enter government service. Given his elder brother's abilities, it was uncertain whether he could pass this examination. Even if he did pass, he would not be able to attain a high position. In that case, although he would hold the title of Duke of Jiannan, it would merely be an empty title. Once he obtained the degree of Jinshi and entered the court as an official, would his brother still dare to treat him with such disrespect as he did today?

Although the old gentleman passed away too suddenly, causing his second wife's legitimate son to fall into an awkward situation, his loving care during his lifetime was not insincere

Jiang spoke softly in response, and then said: "I just heard from my grandson's wife that the matter of the division of the family has been settled?" She quietly glanced at Chun Cao, who was standing behind Zhang.

She lowered her head and silently shed tears. It was evident that although the Duke was much older than her, their feelings for each other were genuinely good. Seeing her true emotions, Zhao Zhuo and Mi also couldn't help but feel sad.

Zhao Zhuo sighed: "Am I not angry? It is just that my mother said that the most important thing now is to move away from here as soon as possible, so that we do not have to rely on others for our basic needs. As for money, my mother has her own savings, and I also have some silver that my father gave me, which is enough for our expenses for ten years. We can manage it slowly in the future."

For Zhao Jing, who has recently crossed over, although life is not very convenient at present, it is not particularly uncomfortable either. There is no worry about food, drink, clothing, or daily necessities, and there are people to attend to her. Although the elders often lament that the house is too old and dilapidated, the total area of the main house alone exceeds one hundred square meters. Excluding the main room used as a hall, the east room is over thirty square meters, where her grandmother stays with her. The west room is the parents' bedroom, while her older brother and the attendants around him occupy no less than seventy square meters of the side room. The remaining wet nurses and maids share another room. Aside from the slightly dim lighting and a bit of stuffiness, the living conditions are really not bad. The courtyard outside is planted with many flowers, grasses, and trees. Although it has not been pruned for years and appears somewhat untidy, it is still very beautiful with vibrant flowers and lush willows.

It is a stone as beautiful as jade. In the Book of Songs, there is a line that goes "充耳莹". This was said by her young father, Zhao Zhuo, while he was reading to her, and the character "莹" gave Zhao Yingjun a sense of familiarity. She remembers that when she was young, her parents once mentioned that they named her "Yingjun" in the hope that she would be a person as transparent and pure as jade. She almost immediately accepted this new name (later she was referred to as "Zhao Jing"). She remembers that when she was young, her parents once mentioned that they named her "Yingjun" in the hope that she would be a person as transparent and pure as jade. She almost immediately accepted this new name (later she was referred to as "Zhao Jing")

Mi'shi choked with emotion: "Am I really crying for money? I am also the daughter of a scholarly family, and my dowry alone is enough for the whole family to live on. I am only feeling wronged for the Second Master! You are the legitimate son of the Duke, raised in luxury since childhood, cherished by the Duke, held in the mouth for fear of melting, cradled in the palm for fear of falling. Because of your frail health, you were allowed not to learn martial arts, and because you love reading, they personally sought out renowned teachers to guide your studies. When have you ever suffered such humiliation?" You are the legitimate son of the Duke, raised in luxury since childhood, cherished by the Duke, held in the mouth for fear of melting, cradled in the palm for fear of falling. Because of your frail health, you were allowed not to learn martial arts, and because you love reading, they personally sought out renowned teachers to guide your studies. When have you ever suffered such humiliation?"

The spring grass suddenly shivered

Zhang felt the temperature of her little granddaughter. Looking down, she saw the child gazing at her with round eyes, gently rubbing her hand against her grandmother's face, as if she understood the sadness in her grandmother's words and was comforting her. Zhang couldn't help but smile and took her granddaughter's hand: "Good child, at such a young age you already know how to be filial to your grandmother, your grandmother appreciates your kindness"

Zhao Yingjun's health gradually improved, indicating that the old doctor at Huichuntang possesses remarkable medical skills. In the face of the teasing from her grandmother, parents, and wet nurse, she began to show a "toothless" smile, playfully charming them and bringing them joy.

The people at the Chang family residence probably still do not know about the matter regarding the house; they will move over within the next few days, which is quite efficient and straightforward

Zhao Jing sat in his grandmother's arms, seeing her in tears. After a moment of hesitation, he reached out his small hand to wipe away her tears

Zhao Jingxin thought to herself, if only her body were a few years older, if this room had better lighting and ventilation, if she could have some meat during meals instead of having to drink milk, then life would be even more comfortable

During this time when the whole family is troubled, there is little she can do with her small stature, apart from being cute

Zhao Yingjun thought to herself that her performance might be somewhat outstanding, but it was not exaggerated, right? This is fine; having "learned" to walk, it would not be abnormal to then "learn" to speak in more complex sentences. If she were to continue pretending to be a little baby, she would either suffocate from boredom or stifle herself.

As for the legitimate mother, Madam Zhang, they had no intention of providing for her, under the pretext of "giving the younger brother an opportunity to show filial piety," allowing her to leave with her biological son. Among her servants, only two personal maids remained by her side, while all others were strictly forbidden to follow. Madam Niu even intended to seize her private property, but fortunately, Duke Jiannan was not foolish; he considered that Madam Zhang still held the title of the Duchess of the County. If matters were pushed too far and a disturbance arose, he would not have the upper hand before the Emperor. Therefore, he relented and allowed her to take everything from her room, including furniture and clothing, which amounted to a considerable sum of wealth. Additionally, her former dowry maids had now married the household's hereditary servants and had children, thus their entire family was now under her name and would no longer be considered the Duke's servants.

Of course, she was also well aware that as a young child, such thoughts were not very realistic. Even her grandmother, father, mother, and older brother were all in mourning, and their daily meals primarily consisted of vegetarian dishes, which were quite simple in style, though the taste was still quite good. Her mother, the Mi family, spent a considerable amount of money each day to manage the kitchen; otherwise, how could they enjoy such treatment

Another thing that made Zhao Yingjun happy was that she finally knew what her name was now—Zhao Jing.