Chapter 3: Living Under Someone Else's Roof

"It should be so, but your family has always been the second branch of the Su family, farming the land. How can there be any reason for equal division?" someone commented

Fang Yingwu got up from bed, stepped out of the room, and in the dim light, he saw a young woman, around twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, with an unremarkable appearance, pouring out the water used for cleaning a frying pan in the courtyard.

Some people also say: "Young man, what does it matter if your uncle scolds you a few times? Just endure it. You are not young anymore; you should not be lazy and cause your elders at home to become angry."

Uncle Er walked over and reproached the other party without distinguishing right from wrong: "I heard everything clearly just now. At such a young age, you show no respect for your elders. Do you wish to lead a life of idleness? At my age, I still have to work in the fields; what makes you think you are above that? You two families are originally one, and should naturally live in harmony. Why are you being so petty?"

Perhaps the old man in the village is of such caliber, Fang Yingwu sighed, and could only endure for the time being. At the same time, he did not forget to console himself, reminding himself that he was fundamentally on a different level from these villagers who only cared about trifles, so why bother to keep calculating endlessly.

Cousin returned from the village school, and thinking of this, Fang Yingwu felt an indescribable anger. Fang Yingyuan also understood the frustration in his cousin's heart, and being stared at by his cousin made him anxious; he did not dare to speak and quickly ran back home.

These principles had indeed never crossed Fang Qingtian's mind. He had always felt that his nephew was taking advantage of him by consuming his resources without contributing, yet he completely overlooked the fact that the eight acres of land did not entirely belong to him; at least half of it belonged to the Chang family.

It is evident that the uncle's family intends to force him to submit and work in the fields as a laborer, as employing him would certainly be cheaper than hiring long-term or short-term workers

Fang Qingtian saw his nephew daring to retort without regard for hierarchy, and he became furious. Several neighbors who were also heading to the fields noticed the standoff between the uncle and nephew, and they gathered around to advise: "Let reason prevail; do not let familial harmony be harmed!"

However, the outside world is very exciting, and Fang Yingwu is eager to explore it. Therefore, he is absolutely unwilling to confine himself to this mountain village. Once he becomes a son-in-law, not only will his social status plummet, but he will also lose his freedom.

Fang Yingwu recalled from memory that the woman pouring out the dirty dishwater was indeed his aunt. She turned around and was startled to see her eldest nephew silently standing under the eaves on the east side, his gaze deep and mysterious in the darkness. She was taken aback and hurriedly lowered her head, carrying the iron pot as she rushed into her own house

Fang Yingwu could not bring himself to beg for food, akin to a summer insect that cannot comprehend ice! When he sulked back into the house, the sky had completely darkened. After groping around for a long time, he could not find any lighting, such as a candle. He did not know how many times he had lamented today that the quality of life was simply unbearable

Amidst various daydreams, Fang Yingwu fell into a deep sleep once again; he was truly exhausted today

Observing the crowd, Fang Yingwu sneered a few times and said, "Since the villagers are all here, I must speak some reason as a younger generation. These eight acres of land were passed down from my grandfather, and the two families have never been divided; they can be considered communal property. Upon closer examination, the produce from the land should rightfully belong to half of each family, should it not?"

As the sun began to set, Fang Yingwu was ultimately compelled to work in the fields for a full half day, leaving him exhausted and weary. When he dragged his fatigued body to the village entrance, he encountered his cousin Fang Yingyuan

Fang Yingwu quickly dodged to the back of the crowd. At that moment, an elderly man passed by and exclaimed, "What kind of behavior is this!" Fang Yingwu looked over and saw that it was the oldest among his living relatives, known as his second uncle.

The sharp-tongued little brat! The intention to take advantage was exposed by his nephew in front of the crowd, causing Fang Qingtian to become furious and embarrassed, his face reddening as he rolled up his sleeves, ready to resort to violence

If one is naturally calm and enjoys tranquility, seeking only a life free from worries about food and clothing, and wishing to live peacefully through this lifetime, then marrying into the wealthy Wang family, which has only a single daughter, and living leisurely with a beautiful wife by the quiet banks of Huaxi, is indeed a choice worth considering

Fang Yingwu turned his head to look at the kitchen again. If he was not mistaken, the kitchen door was locked, and it was obvious who it was meant to keep out

It is futile to engage in discussions with these confused individuals; the divine dragon does not converse with mere mortals. Therefore, it is best to first wade into the fields and plant the rice seedlings

In fact, Fang Yingwu has completely misjudged the issue of talent competition, especially regarding the candidates from Chun'an County... Although he specializes in history, his focus remains relatively macro, making it impossible for him to be thoroughly familiar with the vast array of local historical records. However, it is not a bad thing for a person to have hope; it is certainly better than despair.

Furthermore, if the nephew stubbornly refuses to agree to the Wang family, he will have his educational opportunities cut off and will have to work in the fields, effectively becoming an almost free labor force for the family, requiring only a few meals to sustain him

It is said that Fang Qingtian's little calculations are quite astute. Firstly, if his unproductive nephew were to go to the Wang family as a son-in-law, he would be relieved of a significant burden, and the second branch would be able to completely monopolize the eight acres of land.

The nephew is slacking off, and the losses are all his own! Thinking of this, Fang Qingtian scolded relentlessly, saying: "You freeloading debt collector, still pretending to be dead here!"

Without further ado, let us mention that Fang Yingwu has sent away the young lady of the Wang family and returned to the edge of the rice field, still pondering over his future. Suddenly, a loud shout interrupted his thoughts, "You little rascal! After half a day of not watching, you are indeed here slacking off!"

Moreover, it is currently the spring season when resources are scarce. With www.hetushu.com, meals are irregular, and a poor family certainly thinks that every little bit saved counts, even if it is just one bowl. If someone is sleeping during mealtime, it indicates that they are not eating.

However, today is only the first day of rice transplanting, and Fang Qingtian has already seen his nephew deliberately slacking off by the field, wasting precious farming time, having not even splashed a drop of water. He immediately felt his small plans thwarted and a surge of anger rising within him

Immediately, he retorted without any courtesy: "Uncle, please speak with more respect. If we were to carefully calculate the accounts, it would be unclear who owes whom. After all my calculations, not only have I not been freeloading, but I fear that you might even owe me a few stones of rice!"

What is the yield of half of four acres of rice field? This is a profound arithmetic problem, which is four multiplied by one and a half stones, then divided by two. He astonishingly arrived at the result in an instant, without any hesitation, which is truly remarkable

Wait... Is the water that Auntie poured out the water used for washing the pot? That means the food in the pot has already been eaten? In other words, there is no dinner left?

At this moment, Fang Yingwu was situated on a lush hillside, gazing at the distant, verdant peaks that rose in succession, and he smiled confidently. Being born in a remote mountainous county may not be a bad thing; at least the level of competition for talent is lower, making it easier to stand out. His confidence stemmed from this.

Today, feeling extremely fatigued and exhausted, Fang Yingwu could not help but lie down and take a short nap. When he opened his eyes again and looked out the window, the sky had darkened slightly, and at that moment, the issue of his empty stomach became prominent.

He is resolutely opposed to this. Firstly, he does not want to be taken advantage of as a nearly free workhorse; secondly, he does not wish to be so exhausted; and thirdly, he still harbors remnants of a lofty mindset from his past life

Fang Yingwu's contemptuous smile suddenly froze, and he was instantly filled with anger. What kind of day is this, that he can't even manage to have a proper meal in a whole day

Moreover, he also harbors a vague intention to take advantage of the situation—after all, his elder brother has already become a scholar and is receiving imperial and educational stipends, so naturally, he should be a bit accommodating towards his younger brother who is struggling to make a living, especially since he has shown promise.

Faced with his second uncle's indiscriminate defense of his uncle, Fang Yingwu felt a surge of anger in his heart, unsure whether the old man was genuinely confused or pretending to be so. Why was he fixated on his laziness? Could he not see that the fundamental issue lay in his uncle's attempt to use him as a labor force even cheaper than a tenant farmer?

Even though he is in his own home, it feels as if he is living under someone else's roof, troubled by the need for three meals a day, his fortune is truly unfortunate! Han Xin had the kind-hearted woman who offered him food, but who will bring him meals?

Finally, Fang should boldly conclude: "My dear uncle, the amount I consume each year is certainly not enough to reach these three stones, and you have even profited a bit. So, uncle, what reason do you have to repeatedly insult me as someone who eats for free? To put it bluntly, it is only natural for me to eat and drink for free at your home, and in fact, I do not even consume enough!"

Those who have a guilty conscience cannot bear to see others succeed! Fang Yingwu scoffed disdainfully and prepared to search for food to satisfy his hunger

Fang Yingwu believed that he was in the right, and as the representative of the elder branch, he was entitled to enjoy an annual allowance of three sheng of rice, which was sufficient for a hearty meal every day. However, at this moment, holding onto the principle was of no use; his uncle's family simply refused to feed him. It was like a scholar encountering a soldier; what could he do?

Fang Yingwu stared in astonishment at his uncle, wondering how such a trivial matter could provoke such a great anger from him

Fang Yingwu continued, saying: "Indeed! It is true that all the farming is done by your uncle. Therefore, when combined, half of the eight mu is cultivated by your second branch, while the other half of the eight mu is equivalent to the land you have rented from our first branch! It is just that this account has not been settled for many years! According to the prevailing circumstances, the rent is fifty percent, so half of the harvest from the four mu should belong to the first branch as rent. Calculating at a yield of one and a half shi per mu, logically, uncle, you should pay the first branch three shi of rice as rent each year!" According to the prevailing circumstances, the rent is fifty percent, so half of the harvest from the four mu should belong to the first branch as rent. Calculating at a yield of one and a half shi per mu, logically, uncle, you should pay the first branch three shi of rice as rent each year!

Several onlookers from the village expressed their astonishment, wondering if this young man had suddenly become enlightened today, as his thoughts were so sharp and he was able to calculate so swiftly

Fang Yingwu turned his gaze towards the sound, only to find his uncle with an extremely unfriendly expression. Just as he was lost in thought, his uncle had already stormed up to him, waving a palm the size of a large fan, with saliva nearly splattering onto his face

Does the young master not have enough plain rice to eat? Don't tell me you were born without the sense to choose the right family! The work in the fields is quite busy, yet you still have the leisure to wander around and slack off!

Upon hearing this, Fang Qingtian's expression changed, and the surrounding villagers could not find any justification, remaining silent.

If Brother Yingwu were to be five years younger, he could be reported as a child prodigy to the county, some thought.

However, despite his dissatisfaction, Fang Yingwu found it inappropriate to confront this elder in charge. Otherwise, arguing with someone of his grandfather's generation in front of so many people would harm his own image and reputation.

Fang Yingwu understood that it seemed his uncle's family had not invited him to dinner, which was undoubtedly a form of revenge from his uncle for daring to confront him today

With his cultivation, he would not stoop to pointing at the west wing and cursing loudly in the courtyard, yet he could not help but curse inwardly. His uncle's family is truly a prime example of the petty and calculating nature of small-minded individuals; their vision is so limited! They deserve to be poor for a lifetime!

Although this uncle is quite muddled, he represents the rules and order of the rural common folk, being a top figure within the Fang family clan. Fang Yingwu, being of a younger generation, cannot challenge him unless he possesses the strength to break the constraints of the clan, such as passing the imperial examination like his father did.

Seeing this, others dispersed. A fair official finds it difficult to adjudicate family matters; in this situation, what can outsiders say about the rights and wrongs involved

Even clay figurines possess a certain temperament, let alone Fang Yingwu, who has a character marked by a degree of pride and arrogance. It is easy to imagine how his uncle, having met him only twice, has already scolded him several times.