The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress-Chapter 980 - 957: Glory in Troubled Times 25
The Old Master was almost driven to death by his two sons.
He used to think the Third was honest, the Eldest smarter than the Third, but now it seems he had been terribly mistaken. Despite judging people for most of his life, he had never truly understood his own third son.
He just realized now, the Eldest is truly foolish, unbelievably so.
The Third, however, is sly and cunning, silently pushing the Eldest to split the family, then managed to travel with the Fourth and Lao Liu all the way from the Capital to Southern Yi, clearly enjoying much more comfort along the way. Arriving in Southern Yi, the Third was able to build three large brick houses at lightning speed. This kid seemed invisible in the Duke Mansion, yet placed outside, he’s truly a master of living.
"Fine, fine, since the Third isn’t welcoming us, we’ll leave."
The Old Master slapped Xiao Jue out of frustration: "Hurry up and move, rent a house somewhere, and find the village chief to discuss getting a plot to build a house."
"Is that alright?"
The Eldest was still pondering over the house-building matter.
Xiao Yuan, holding Anning, looked back at the Old Master who had already walked out, both anxious and pained, tears streaming down: "Father, can’t you accept my wife? She’s already in this condition, yet you won’t stay to help us with house guarding, insisting on leaving. You’re letting outsiders think your third son only cares for his wife and neglects his parent, right? Father, if that’s how it is, I won’t mind my wife anymore, I’ll stay with you, is that okay?"
He meant what he said and placed Anning on the ground.
Xiao Fu and Xiao Yin cried wretchedly.
Xiao Yin ran over to kneel before the Old Master: "Grandfather, my father might not mind his wife, but I can’t abandon my mother. She’s my mother. I beg you, Grandfather, lend us some money to treat my mother. She needs a doctor, she needs medicine, and something good to eat. Earlier, when Eldest son’s wife was sick, my Grandma sent ginseng, bird’s nest, lingzhi, and deer antler to Eldest’s room relentlessly. Now my mother is like this too. Grandfather, you can’t ignore her, grandfather, I’m begging you."
Xiao Yuan pulled Xiao Yin: "Daughter, don’t burden your grandfather. We won’t seek treatment anymore, no treatment. If your mother dies, I can’t live either, the rest of you will... follow your Fourth Uncle’s family in life. Both your Fourth Uncle and Sixth Uncle are kind-hearted, they won’t forsake you."
"Father, please quickly take my mother to see a doctor, my sister and I will kneel and beg our grandfather, we will kneel properly, won’t let anyone say you’re unfilial to our grandfather."
This kept the Old Master from leaving.
If he walked away now, others would say he disregards his daughter-in-law’s life, seeing his granddaughter kneel and plead while he walks away would truly be heartless.
He was nearly exploding with anger: "Third, are you forcing me?"
"Father, you are forcing me."
Xiao Yuan retorted.
Xiao Fu helped Anning sit upright, letting her lean on himself: "Grandfather, my parents are the most filial to you and Grandma in usual times, now you can’t ignore it and act as if nothing is happening, can you?"
The Old Master understood. This was the Third family pressuring him to speak up.
His face flushed red; he took several deep breaths and bent to help Xiao Yin up: "Good child, quickly rise, I know your father and you are filial, alright, quickly get your mother treated, your fourth aunt is there to look after you, don’t be afraid, quickly seek treatment, grandfather doesn’t have money now, later I’ll ask Grandma if she has money, if she does, I’ll send some over, okay?"
Xiao Yin stood up naturally, wiping tears as she spoke: "We don’t want money, my father said, even if we must eat chaff and swallow wild herbs we must not trouble our grandfather, if truly unlivable, we can sell the five of us, absolutely no trouble to grandfather and grandma."
Xiao Fu exclaimed urgently at Xiao Yuan: "Father, my mother’s breath is weakening, quickly take her for treatment."
Xiao Yuan looked at the Old Master, as if he didn’t dare move without him saying anything.
The people in the village urged, "A Yuan, quickly take your wife to see a doctor, your father didn’t say you’re unfilial, right, hurry up, she followed you, gave birth to five children for you, you mustn’t ignore her, don’t chill the hearts of your wife and kids."
The Old Master closed his eyes momentarily: "Alright, quickly find treatment, I know you’re filial."
Only then did Xiao Yuan urgently rush over to pick up Anning and run, running fast and furious, showing that his mind wasn’t devoid of his wife, but his father’s standing in his mind outweighed that of his wife and children.
Hui Family sighed, then patted Xiao Keke’s head: "Ke’er, your father better not turn out like your Third Uncle, otherwise how will we survive, mother and child?"
The villagers, watching the Old Master leave with Xiao Jue, started discussing amongst themselves.
They said the Old Master of Xiao Family sure knew how to raise sons, rearing six filial sons, marrying wives and having children for a word from their father, watching as their wives were nearly gone and not daring to take them for treatment.
And then the words spread and twisted.
By evening, villagers said Old Man Xiao was heartless, was surely one who favored concubine over wife, he valued sons born of concubines over those of legitimate wives, almost forcing the legitimate son to death when running out of money for Southern Yi travel. He miserably expelled the legitimate son who had no cent, yet the legitimate son remained filial, while Old Man Xiao, relying on the filial piety, savagely degraded, truly a sin.
Even though Jingtian Village is big, only a few hundred people reside here, one passing word to another, within not long the entire village knew the matter.
Then this message reached the Old Master, making him so angry he fainted.
Old Madam was also severely angry, she insisted on getting up from bed: "I’ll find the Third, I must ask him if he wants to force his own parents to death."
The Old Master, with a sullen face, said: "What’s the point, isn’t this already humiliating enough? You go to the Third... haha, I, as a father, went once, have you heard the village gossip? If you go again, the Third couple will make a fuss, and then our reputation will be completely ruined."
Old Madam hesitated, coupled with her genuinely poor health, she dared not go upon his restraint.
After a while, the Old Master said to the Old Madam: "Tomorrow find some things to send to the Third’s family, lest the villagers say we’re heartless."
"No sending."
Old Madam was dissatisfied: "The branch has split, I won’t send them anything, if I have things I’ll keep them for my grandson."
Mrs. Zhao stayed by the Old Madam’s side, hearing Old Master wanting to send things to the third branch, she instantly cried holding a handkerchief: "Father, what else do we have in this family? There’s little money, nothing left after building houses. Father, it’s not that we don’t mind the Third, we truly can’t. We managing well is fortunate enough."
The Old Master’s face darkened further.
Since the family seized assets, he noticed none of his sons paid heed to him, even wives dared to confront him, clearly Eldest Son’s Wife didn’t want to take care of the Third.
He wished to say more, but then considered, now all household finances and possessions lay in Mrs. Zhao’s hands. Their smooth Southern journey owed much to Zhao Family’s money and resources. If he rebukes Mrs. Zhao, who knows how she’ll retaliate, then the Eldest would be upset too.
This thought deeply distressed the Old Master.
A senile old man, his words at home carried no weight, truly feeling like an old, useless thing.
"Forget it, do as you wish."
The Old Master waved his hand: "I can no longer manage this household, none listens to me."
Mrs. Zhao lowered her head silently, implicitly refusing to follow the Old Master and Old Madam’s lead anymore.
Even Old Madam felt considerable grief within.
