Zhu Wencai’s face turned as red as Zhu Wenhua’s. He couldn’t answer any of Kang Rui’s questions. There was a burst of laughter around, as Fourth Aunt Wang said loudly, “Hey, and you have the nerve to say that your sister is Shijing’s mother?  Let me tell you that his mother would be happy if Shijing was killed. In the past, she was pushing Shijing to his death, but now she has the guts to think about Wang Shijing’s family money all day long?”

“Yes!”

“She simply treated Shijing as her own enemy.”

“If Shijing didn’t marry Yunan, a powerful wife, Shijing would have already been forced to die.”

“Shijing should have broken off the kinship with them a long time ago. Such a mother was simply trying to kill him all this time.”

Zhu Wencai and Zhu Wenhua felt ashamed and even Old Lady Wang, hiding behind her brothers, didn’t dare to look up. Kang Rui shook his head and said, “You don’t regard Shijing as your relative and family member, so why are you forcing Shijing to treat you as relatives and family members? If he still had nothing like before, would you still want him as your relative?”

The Zhu family could not answer and Old Lady Wang also didn’t dare to answer, but someone answered for them. “If he was still the same as before, they would wish they didn’t have a family member like him and a son like him!”

At this time, Zhao Yuanqing came back. Wang Dali was also dragged over by Wang Xing and Sun Dajiang. Zhao Yuanqing ran up to Elder Cen and handed out the separation deed with both hands. “Dean Cen, here is the deed.”

Elder Cen didn’t take it but said, “Please read the contents of this deed little brother and let everyone listen.” Zhao Yuanqing blushed because Elder Cen just called him ‘little brother’!

“Let me do it.” Zhao Yuande reached out to take the deed from his younger brother and opened it. He looked at Wang Shijing and seeing him nod slightly, Zhao Yuande started reading.

“Today, I, Wang Wenhe, patriarch of the Wang clan of this village, am writing the deed of separation between Wang Shijing and his family. His mother Wang Zhu, his father Wang Dali, his brothers Wang Tianyan and Wang Zhisong…”

The inside story of Wang Shijing’s separation from his family was known to the villagers, but the specific content of the deed of separation was not very clear to everyone. None of the people present at the time were particularly eager to pass it on. But now in front of all the villagers, Zhao Yuande read out every word of the deed between Wang Shijing and his family, which meant that both Zhu Wencai and Zhu Wenhua wanted to dig a hole to bury themselves. 

According to the deed, Wang Shijing returned every grain of rice he got from the family when he was first separated and really left the house without taking anything away. It was clearly written in the deed that from now on, that family and Wang Shijing’s family ties would be completely severed and there will be no relationship between the two parties. It was really written very clearly in black and white. Zhu Wencai and Zhu Wenhua wanted to slap their younger sister. What kind of evil was she trying to do this time?

Sighs were heard from all around. Old Lady Wang was really too cruel! This was simply pushing her own son to death! If Shijing hadn’t married such a powerful wife as Shao Yunan, he would have really suffered.

Wang Dali, who was dragged here by force, kept his head down and kept quiet from the beginning. When the reading of the deed was finished, Elder Cen asked, “Wang Dali, Wang Zhu, do you recognize what is written in this deed?”

Wang Dali nodded sullenly, but Old Lady Wang, gritting her teeth, shouted from behind her brother, “I can’t read so I didn’t know! The patriarch wrote it! I didn’t know anything!”

Wang Wenhe almost spat out a mouthful of blood as Zhu Wencai and Zhu Wenhua turned sideways and wanted to drag away their sister, who was hiding behind them and refuse to recognize her. But Old Lady Wang still shouted as she struggled. “I didn’t know. I can’t read so how could I know what the patriarch wrote?”

Elder Cen grabbed Wang Shijing, who was so angry that the veins on the back of his hands were coming out. Meanwhile Kang Rui just calmly asked, “You say you can’t read and write, but your hand print is pressed on it?”

“They forced me to do it!”

“Do you still want to make trouble?” Fourth Aunt Wang was the first one to curse out loud, then the other villagers who couldn’t stand it also pointed at Old Lady Wang and cursed. But Old Lady Wang was not stupid. She knew very well that if she admitted the deed in front of these two powerful people today, then she would never be able to squeeze her son again. Her son’s family fortune would also have nothing to do with her, so even if she was beaten 30 times again, she absolutely wouldn’t admit it.”

Elder Cen also became very angry, so Kang Rui stepped forward and said in a cold voice. “You said you were forced. Then I’ll ask you. Did you receive all the family wealth that Shijing got during the first family separation?”

“I don’t know.”

“You still want to deny it in front of Elder Cen?!” Zhu Wencai raised his hand and slapped Old Lady Wang hard. Old Lady Wang covered her face and sat down on her buttocks, making use of her acting skills and started to cry.

Kang Rui did not ask Old Lady Wang anymore and just looked at Wang Dali who hung his head down in silence. “Wang Dali, your wife does not recognize it, so I want to ask you if you also deny it?” Wang Dali was silent, so Old Lady Wang yelled, “You dare to admit it! If you dare to admit it today, I’ll kill myself right in front of you!”

“You are too shameless Wang Zhu!”

“When the deed was written, the village head was present, but you still don’t admit it. How can you be so shameless!” Zhao Lizheng was so angry that his face turned red. “I was not the only one present at that time. You can’t deny it even if you want to!”

“I won’t admit it! You forced me to do it!” Old Lady Wang sat on the ground and shook both her legs and hands, determined to deny it till the end. The villagers who were watching wanted to slap this old woman.

Kang Rui spoke in a stern voice. “Wang Dali, I am asking you. Do you admit it or not?” Wang Dali slowly raised his head, his cloudy eyes looking at Kang Rui before he slowly turned to his eldest son, who was already green in the face and wore a black eye patch. After a long time he slowly nodded. “I, admit.”

“Aaaah–!” Old Lady Wang got up and was about to hit Wang Dali, but was grabbed by Zhu Wencai and Zhu Wenhua, who winked at the Zhu clansmen around them, making several young boys come over to put down Old Lady Wang.

“Fuck you! What admit? Since when is it your turn to take charge of the family!” Wang Dali ignored his wife’s madness and looked at Wang Shijing as he spoke. “This deed, I recognize it.”

Old Lady Wang screamed, “I don’t recognize it…!” Wang Dali, “He has returned the entire amount of the family property that was divided to him. The clan patriarch and village head was also present at that time.”

This Wang Dali was not a hopeless case. Kang Rui turned to Elder Cen, “Teacher, Wang Dali admitted that the deed is true. It’s also true that Shijing has no more involvement with that family. It’s just that Shijing is from that family, making this matter more difficult.”

The surrounding area quieted down and even Old Lady Wang stopped howling. Wang Dali’s eyes blinked, while Wang Shijing looked at Kang Rui, wondering what his intention was. Elder Cen stroked his beard, looking at Wang Dali and said, “Wang Dali, I ask you. Are you the master of your family’s affairs?”

“I am woooo-” Zhu Wenhua covered Old Lady Wang’s mouth, as Wang Dali blinked again before he nodded slowly. “I can make the decision.”

“Woooo!”

Elder Cen nodded with satisfaction. “It’s good that you can make the decision.” He looked at Wang Shijing. “Shijing, do you still insist on what is written in the deed and still want no more involvement with this family?”

“Yes!”

“Wang Dali, I ask you again, are you willing to comply with what is written in the deed and become a stranger to Wang Shijing?”

“… Yes.”

“Wooooooooooo!”

Elder Cen raised his voice. “Wang Dali, Wang Shijing, do you two decide from now on, to cut off the father-son relationship?”

Wang Shijing, “Yes!”

Wang Dali, “… Yes.”

Someone around couldn’t help but whisper, “How come Dean Cen is really letting Wang Shijing and Wang Dali decide?”

“Why do you care so much! Is it possible that Shijing and Uncle Dali want to make a decision now?”

Elder Cen ignored the doubts around him and said, “Shijing, Wang Dali, your father and son relationship has come to this point, so I won’t comment on who is right or wrong. But you two are father and son after all. Shijing, without Wang Dali, there would be no you. At least, he and Wang Zhu gave birth to you, so you can’t forget this kindness.” Wang Shijing did not say anything, but the struggling Old Lady Wang also did not move.

“Shijing, would you like to give a sum of silver to pay off your father-son love and mother-son kindness with Wang Dali and Wang Zhu?”

“Willingly.”

“Oooh!”

“Wang Dali, do you wish to receive a sum of silver to let Wang Shijing move from your family tree and have no more half-hearted relationship with your family?”

“Wooooooooo!”

Wang Dali looked at Wang Shijing for a long time, but this son’s face did not have a trace of affection for his father. There was only indifference. Wang Dali spoke slowly, “It is not necessary.”

“Wooooooooooo!” Old Lady Wang began to struggle again, even fiercer than the last time. Wang Shijing said loudly, “I’ll give 500 taels of silver to move out from the family tree.”

Wang Wenhe’s body shook and he was about to open his mouth, but his son Wang Shiping pulled him back. Wang Wenhe looked at his son in panic, but Wang Shiping shook his head seriously.

Old Lady Wang no longer struggled. There were discussions around her. Zhu Wenhua asked to let Old Lady Wang speak and she immediately shouted, “Only 500 taels?!”

Wang Shijing… “You think it’s too little? Then I’ll get Yunan to do the math for you to see how much less it should be.”

Kang Rui, “Shijing and this family already have no ties. If you think it’s too little, that’s fine. After all, Yunan is the head of Shijing’s family, so Shijing has no private property, right?”

Wang Shijing replied honestly. “In my family, Yunan is in charge. So I still have to discuss this 500 teals with him. If you think it’s too little, then forget it.” Old Lady Wang became anxious. “Only 500 taels! Not even a single penny less!”

She was worried about how to get the money from this son, but she didn’t expect to get 500 taels of silver so smoothly. So what if he was removed from the family tree, if she could deny the deed, she could also deny the family tree!

Elder Cen, who could tell Old Lady Wang’s plan at glance said, “Bring a pen and paper.”

 

Edited by: Jaisland

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