The clan elders also noticed Old Zhou’s expression.
Seeing them look over, Old Zhou imdiately said, "There’s no way around it; our family is still waiting for the rent to be put in the pot this year. Even though Manbao has a salary, in the capital, you even have to pay to buy a bunch of greens. Even if we don’t buy at and only eat greens, that little money isn’t enough."
The clan elders almost blurted out, then why do you all choose to stay in the capital?
But seeing Zhou Man looking so satisfied and thinking of the day when Ms. Qian arrogantly declared that Zhou Man must be filial as she raised her, they held back their words and said nothing.
After returning, the clan elders reported the matters about the fields to the Patriarch.
Patriarch Xia frowned and asked, "Is she telling the truth, or is she trying to deceive us? What does this an? Trying to urge to give her the rent? Or is she afraid we’ll co asking for more in the future?"
"I don’t think so; she seems to know quite a bit about farming. She stood in the field for a while estimating the wheat yield with us. I looked carefully and found her estimate doesn’t differ much from ours. But even so, when she talked about last year’s drought, she didn’t even blink and said the rent for this year is waived to support the widows and set up the clan school."
"Yes indeed, but her eldest uncle is so stingy if he wasn’t keeping an eye on her. I’m afraid the land leased by Officer Xu would also be donated to the clan."
"Look at the Zhou Family, it seems they aren’t really well off in the capital."
"Look at the clothes they’re wearing; do they look like they’re not well off?"
"Losing face is not an option here; it’s our Xia Family’s territory, naturally, they should dress better. If they don’t, who would respect them?" A clan elder said, "But officials, I’ve heard the court gives out cotton and silk. The clothes they’re wearing don’t look like the fabric sold outside. It might be from the governnt."
Even the son of Patriarch Xia said, "Dad, I heard yesterday that the two brothers from the Zhou Family changed the locks on the house, and people say they’re planning to go to the old market to buy so second-hand furniture to supplent it and rent out the house later."
Patriarch Xia: "... Are they really that poor?"
He looked incredulous. "Not just the Zhou Family; look at her and the Bai Family’s two sons’ attire and accessories, do they look like they’re short on money? Don’t be deceived by her."
"She’s already so assertive; why would she deceive us?" A clan elder said, "Her attire is indeed good, but an official, after all, must look presentable. She doesn’t want to be outdone in social interactions, let alone other things?"
"As for the Bai Family’s two sons, they’re noble families, after all; they still have so foundation."
Patriarch Xia ca to his senses and asked, "Why are you suddenly speaking well of her? What’s your intention?"
The clan elders were silent for a mont, then said, "Actually, we don’t have an intention. Didn’t you suspect her of having ulterior motives? We just thought maybe she’s really struggling."
Patriarch Xia snorted coldly, "No matter how hard it is, it doesn’t change her sinister intentions. At this ti, asking us to establish a clan school, it’s completely sinister..."
"You can’t say that; she has a point. There are too few people in the clan studying. Previously, there was no school field. Now that there is one, it’s enough for the teacher’s fees. The clan just needs to take turns to cultivate it. Why stop the children from becoming successful?"
"Studying not only costs the teacher’s fees but also books and paper, the teacher’s als, and seasonal clothes, let alone needing to build a school, all of which require money..."
"There are so many people in the clan; they can contribute when the ti cos."
Patriarch Xia was a bit annoyed, "Wulang and Qilang are about to take the prefectural school exam. Once they pass, in two or three years, they can try the Ming Exam. Even if they can’t pass the top scholar exam, they can still try other exams. By then, choosing an official would require the family’s support..."
But Wulang and Qilang aren’t their grandsons. Why should they use their money to support them?
In the past, there was no choice. Now they can also send their own children to study, can’t they?
Patriarch Xia saw that things seed to have returned to the starting point of recent disputes and suddenly didn’t want to speak anymore.
What exhausted him even more was that even his son and grandson didn’t agree with him. Clearly, they also wanted to send their children to school rather than support their cousins.
Patriarch Xia wearily waved his hand and asked, "Where are they?"
"They went to Xia Yi’s house, saying that they’re the closest branch, and they must take a look anyway."
Patriarch Xia just thought, Were they going there to provoke?
Manbao wasn’t really going to provoke anyone. Even if she went with that intention, she couldn’t show it. There was a whole line of Xia Family youths following her, all her cousins and nephews, though she didn’t recognize any of them.
Xia Yi’s house is at the edge of Hongtian Village, with fields in front and a few houses behind.
Upon arriving, Manbao nodded with satisfaction. As expected, it was very shabby, with several mud houses, the outer walls peeling off, the yellow mud walls pockmarked, and so parts even allowing a view inside.
It was still sumr, but co winter, people could surely freeze to death.
Manbao walked over, sighing as she approached, and asked, "Didn’t Uncle Yi ever repair the house before?"
A cousin answered, "He only cos back once or twice a year, staying for three or four days each ti; who would want to repair it?"
The main thing is, who would have thought Xia Yan’s granddaughter would actually survive and co back? And not only co back but actually manage to make the clan cough up what they’ve eaten.
Manbao sighed as she looked at Xia Yi’s house, tutting inside. This place was practically made for her, no wonder her father always bullied him.
This is destiny.
Xia Yi’s two sons and a daughter stood in the yard glaring at Zhou Man and her group, not letting them in.
Except for the young girl about seven or eight years old, the other two were about the sa age as Manbao, although she looked at their height and firmly believed they were younger, so she smiled and asked, "Are you my cousins?"
The three glared at her without answering.
The youths following her noticed she didn’t seem to mind and liked her more, explaining proactively, "They are indeed younger than you."
Among the following youths, so were quite a bit older than her, aware of past matters. As sotis adults would ntion it at ho, they unreservedly revealed, "Back then, your grandfather said he wanted to adopt, so Uncle Yi waited. But he only started arranging a marriage once your mother was about to get married, so they’re all younger than you."
Manbao: ...
Bai Shan couldn’t help but lower his head and chuckle.
Manbao felt a bit uneasy and glanced at Xia Yi’s yard, noticing quite a bit of furniture outside. She sighed, "How can this be? Leaving them exposed like this, even the best furniture will get ruined. Why not move them inside?"
That sa young cousin answered, "It’s a ss inside; how can we place them? Who knows if there are pits in the ground?"
It’s truly exasperating. They must’ve been certain they’d never return to live here, so they deliberately let the place deteriorate beyond repair.
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