Since harvest season is over, farmers are free for a period of time. The food at home recently improved and has dried fish and kelp. This is the contribution of Ye Zian. He recently met a group of traders from a distance and bought sea products worth 4 silvers from ping city, and planned to sell it in shanto town. When he went to big hotels to sell sea products, the big hotels had fixed connections with traders and would not accept it. And the small hotels were not interested in buying expensive foods and he was too lazy to sell them at the town market as a hawker. Thus only a small amount was not sold, rest is used at home .
On one evening all the members of the family were present in the main courtyard, and were having their dinner.Suddenly they heard the sound of horse boots coming from outside, “clo tok, clo tok, is there anyone here? There is a letter from the borders.” I suddenly got up and rushed out, finally my long awaited letter came. I was followed by other members of the family. Madam Ye was actually faster than me in running out, this is not because of her love for Ye Qui, but for his salary.
Madam Ye opened the letter but there was no money inside it, only a letter. Her excitement finally extinguished. But there is no one in the family who knew to read except Ye Zihao and he is in town. Patriarch Ye knew few characters but couldn't read a full letter. I spoke “Mother, can I go to the village head’s house and ask him to read the letter.” Madam Ye agreed with my suggestion, “Yes, I would come with you, I want to know why he didn’t send back the money.” Me and madam Ye both went together to the village head’s house and called out, “Village head are you in.”
Village head opened the door and came out. “Sister Lan (village head is the cousin of father Ye), what is the matter? Why did you both come out in the dark?” Madam Ye smiled at him and handed over the letter in her hands to the village head, “Ye Qui’s letter came from the border today, can you explain what is written in it.” Village head lighted the oil lamp placed near the door steps and read the letter. After reading the news, he sighed.
“Sister Lan and Hui Juan, it is bad news. It is said that in the final battle he had suffered a heavy injury which was difficult for army doctors to cure and he approached an outside doctor in the town and spent all the salary for the treatment. From what I could see that wound should have been very bad and it may not allow him to walk in this life.” Boom, my glass of heart shattered, ‘I am never going to have my freedom’ echoed in my brain. Ye Qui will never agree to be separated in this condition, and even if we separate I would be the maid of a medicine bag for the rest of my life. In this era, more people die because of infection than the wound. So Ye Qui is going to need a lot of medicine every year. Poor farmers could not even afford to get a cold, then how are we going to manage such a heavy injury. And if he died on the way home, these bastards at home are going to either sell me as a slave or divorce. Why god, why me.
Madam Ye, her mind was also shattered hearing the news. He lost all the money for an injury, and still can’t walk. Why didn’t he just die. If he comes back home alive, she is going to need a lot of money to spend on him or else villagers are going to spread that she has enough money to spend on her younger son to study but no money to save the life of her elder son. This is going to affect the reputation of Ye Zihao, and for scholars reputation is everything. Even if they pass the exam, if they have a bad reputation then they would not get appointed in any good positions. She knew that rascal Ye Qui wouldn’t do her any good from a young age. Oh God, please let that bastard die on his way home.
Both of us walked back in a stupor, and even forgot to take the letter back from the village chief. Somehow we reached safely back home without falling in a ditch. Both of us were immersed in our thoughts and went back straight to our room without going for dinner. And that night in every courtyard there were different discussions going on and finally reached one conclusion to drive out the second branch from the house.
Next morning every family’s daughter-in-law slowly moved towards Madam Ye and started stating their concerns and wanting to drive us out. In Madam Ye’s room, “Mother, do you think the second sister-in-law Juan has changed lately? I remember the day she argued with us about 2 months back. I think it would be difficult for the family to remain in peace like this. Why don’t we separate”, sister Lian placed all the words correctly and stated her wish. Madam Ye knew what she was indicating, but she can't just drive her out today, when the letter of her son’s injury came only on yesterday. You know there are no secrets in the village. Village chief might have said this news to his wife and daughters, by this time it might have already spread all around the village. “Let me think about it, all of you have no work to do. Scram”.
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Two days passed by and the hostility of other sister-in-laws towards me have increased. They would constantly nit pick my actions and fight with me at every chance. “Is this how you clean clothes, the stains are not gone at all. If you just dipped the clothes in water then you can’t call that act as washing”, shouted by Kong Hua and threw the cloth in her hands towards my face. I caught the clothes in my hands and directly threw it out of the window. “I am sorry, I am not an expert in washing clothes like you, you might have professional knowledge in cleaning clothes from your mother. Why don’t you take it out for all of us to see.”. Kong Hua was trembling in anger and pointed her finger at me and shouted “You”.
“Calm down sister Hua, she is trying to anger you to affect the health of your baby. Well she is right, we came from normal families, not like her, the daughter of a clan leader and married off with a cow as dowry”, said the ever silent third daughter-in-law Ye Fang. Even the weakest member Ye Fang has raised her head against me. I was about to argue back, but then Madam Ye shouted “enough, this family can’t support a daughter-in-law like you. Fang, call the men back home and Lian, bring the village head and elders of Ye clan. Let’s separate”. Atlast all the daughter-in-laws got the result they wanted and were happy. They rushed out to carry out their duties. I too entered my courtyard and changed my dress and dragged my daughter into the courtyard. It is time for war.
Soon the main courtyard was filled with family members and others and many villagers were standing near the house to see the fun. The village head cleared his voice and asked “Patriarch Ye what would you give to the second son’s family during separation ?” Everyone awaited for the answer. Father Ye answered, “I would give him 1 acre of medium field and 1 acre of low grade field along with 4 silvers and 1000 pounds of rice.” Everyone present felt it was normal. This is how it is divided to an unfavoured son under normal circumstances, but now that Ye Qui is injured it is a bit cruel. Village head announced “If both parties agree I will write the agreement.” Father Ye replied “Ok”.
“No, I don’t agree. I would not agree unless everything in the house is divided into six (5 sons and parents) parts and we get one share”. If it was a normal condition I would have agreed, but now Ye Qui is sick and I don’t know how to make money.I don’t think I can sell paintings in Shanto town again. By this time, it might have already spread that there is a lady con-artist selling fake paintings in town. And I sold the paintings in 4 different shops that day and also showed at some shops who didn’t buy thinking there was some trouble behind it.
Now all the members present gasped, usually no one in Ye clan dare to oppose Ye clan leader, but now his own daughter in law opposed him in front of many people. Madam Ye felt she lost her face and retorted angrily back. “What right do the women in the family have to shout in front of the patriarch of the clan”. Is she trying to shut me up using the clan name, like I am scared. “Mother, I am not shouting at the patriarch of the clan, I am stating my needs to my father-in-law. It is you both who instigated my husband to go to the army and now that he is injured, you want to drive us out? Fine we will go but you should give me back 30 silver, my husband's salary for the last 6 years or I don’t agree for separation.” Madam Ye’s face blacked hearing this. “No way, then what about all the food you ate and the clothes you wear. If you want money then we would give you only 15 silvers and nothing more”.
Did she take me for a fool, 2 acres of land itself will take 15 silvers, is she only replacing land for money. “Either you have to agree with my condition of 30 silvers or divide everything in the family into 6 else there is no separation. But if my husband dies in your home then I would take my child to Zihao’s school in town and would kill myself and my daughter. Let him sell our dead bodies to study.” Now everyone present was shocked, they have never known I had such an aggressive side. I stayed strong on my stand no matter all the weird looks I received.
Mother Ye wanted to strangle me, she would have already done that if she was not stopped by her daughter-in-laws.Village head looked in disgust and said “is this how you speak to elders Hui Juan”. I stared back at him sharply, I remember from memories that it was the village chief who forced my husband to leave for war. “But now that there is a problem, is any of you, the Elders, here to help us? No, you all want to drive us out to the fire pit.”
Father Ye was so angry hearing this, he shouted “enough, let's do as she says. But from this moment both you, your husband and your daughter are not a member of my Ye clan”.