The Lucky Farmgirl-Chapter 1929 - 1904: Hidden Black Beneath White

Manbao and the others mainly talked about what they discovered today, then said, "Tomorrow morning, we’re going to honor our grandparents with Xia Dajiang, Dad, Mom, you two should come along too and meet Xia Dajiang."

They continued, "The Xia Family should arrive at the County Governmental Office around noon. Once we finish eating, we can go meet them. The whole family can go."

Manbao said, "The tombstones of my grandparents are still quite intact, which means someone must have been taking care of them annually, though I don’t know who. But I’ve decided, no matter who it is, I will give them some gifts."

Manbao said, "If it’s Xia Dajiang, I will give him the shop. If it’s another relative, I will give them the reclaimed land."

Old Zhou listened with a slight heartache, but he didn’t object, he only said, "You decide."

Even Ms. Qian couldn’t help but look at him; he would grumble for days when giving the shop in the county to Daya, but how come he’s being so generous this time?

Old Zhou said to Manbao, "The main thing is that the ancestral graves are intact, which is good. I remember your great-grandfather was the only branch. You should also look after his graves."

Manbao agreed.

Then, Old Zhou brought up the property, "If it can be reclaimed, you should reclaim it. That’s what your parents left you."

He said, "Your father is listed in the Xia Family’s genealogy; he’s a man and shouldn’t bear this injustice for nothing."

Everyone: ...

Manbao said awkwardly, "Dad, I don’t think my father felt aggrieved."

Both Bai Shan and Bai Erlang agreed, after all, the Xia Family not only saved Zhou Yin but also gained a wife for free. Which genealogy doesn’t matter?

The name might not sound good, but as grown men, why fear bad reputation?

Young Bai Shan and Bai Erlang didn’t have much prejudice against marrying into a family.

Ms. Qian couldn’t stand Old Zhou’s instigation, so once he was almost finished eating, she asked him to check on the horse, "Have a look if the shop staff provided good feed; don’t let them fool you. These horses belong to our in-laws and are valuable. We need to take them back properly."

Old Zhou finished his meal cleanly and went to the stable to check the horse.

After he left, Ms. Qian said to Manbao, "Don’t listen to your dad. We came back with you for two reasons: one, to help you find your family; and two, to let the Xia relatives know about your parents’ whereabouts, so they can rest assured and understand that it wasn’t that your parents didn’t honor their promises, but they were just no longer around to return."

Manbao nodded.

Ms. Qian said, "Although that property sounds substantial, you don’t really need it to live well nowadays. There’s no need to tear family ties over it. Besides, we don’t have much standing in this matter."

She said, "We didn’t plan to have you change surnames. Your parents left fourteen years ago, let alone your father marrying into the family. Even in our village, if someone hasn’t returned for five or six years and dies without descendants, their property would be taken back by the family and redistributed."

Bai Erlang said, "But Uncle Zhou was forced to leave."

Ms. Qian just smiled, "That’s why even among relatives, there should be closeness and distance. I’m a coarse person and illiterate, know little, but I understand that disputes over property are frequent in villages, even in our Qili Village that seems harmonious, there have been such cases. Haven’t you seen people argue over land when you were following your Second Sister-in-law around?"

Manbao nodded.

"Did you see them pulling village and family people in while disputing over land?"

Manbao said softly, "Second Sister-in-law said that Dalv’s wife secretly sent gifts to Dazhu’s wife."

Ms. Qian didn’t expect Two’s wife to share such talk with Manbao, after a brief silence, she laughed and said, "Exactly. So don’t be afraid, ask around who is close to your grandparents, build a good relationship, then visiting relatives here won’t be hard in the future."

"Regarding those properties, there’s no need to force it," Ms. Qian pondered, "Let them return it if they wish, test the waters. If not, give them away graciously, let the entire clan, whole village, even those ten miles surrounding you know. Spread word that it’s your understanding, and it’s your grandparents and parents’ benevolence."

Manbao showed a similar pained expression to Old Zhou, "Give it all away?"

Ms. Qian pointed at her forehead, "Just like your dad, learning nothing but your Old Zhou Family’s stinginess."

Bai Shan and Bai Erlang bent over laughing, nearly burying their faces in their bowls.

Manbao grumbled, giving away the shop or land is fine, but giving away all three things?

She brightened up, saying, "Right, there’s closeness and distance in this. I can let the shop and land go, but I must reclaim the house my parents lived in."

Ms. Qian didn’t oppose this time; she heard from Manbao that the current resident’s wife seemed quite unfriendly towards Manbao.

Even if returning to the family, it isn’t possible to indulge endlessly, otherwise people might think Manbao is easy to bully.

Thinking of this, Ms. Qian said, "Look at the situation; the house must be recovered. As for the land, since Xia Yi is your closest blood relative there, divide a portion from the ones you can’t reclaim for him; it’s your grandfather’s care for him."

On the side, Zhou Wulang couldn’t help opening his mouth wide, "Mom, isn’t that making them fight?"

Zhou Dalang knocked his head, "How stupid, it’s letting them fight."

Ms. Qian glanced at him, and Zhou Dalang immediately corrected himself, "No, there’s nothing of the sort. Since they’re closest relatives, they can’t gain nothing. Others can still get some land; this is called fairness."

Bai Shan and Bai Erlang nearly dropped their chopsticks in shock, looking at Ms. Qian, and then turning to Manbao, deeply suspicious that Manbao was actually Ms. Qian’s biological daughter.

Manbao kicked the two under the table to make them behave, then asked her brother and Fifth Brother, "Did you find out anything today?"

"We found the shop," Zhou Dalang said, "It’s a silver shop, though their craftsmanship is average, business is passable."

He hung around the shop area today, asked around from many people, and learned quite a bit, "I heard the shop belongs to Xia Dajiang’s son. I heard Xia Dajiang’s craftsmanship is excellent; many nobles from elsewhere seek him for silver jewelry. Sometimes, an intricate set of silverware can sell for a thousand taels of silver."

Zhou Dalang found it hard to comprehend; a set of jewelry of few taels sold for thousands because of craftsmanship was shocking.

Zhou Dalang continued, "I inspected and asked around, and I heard that Xia Dajiang previously agreed with his former employer, Hu Family, to only make silver items for Hu Family for life. That’s why the silver items at his family’s shop are all made by his son and grandson; he never personally crafts, so the silverware is average."

"However, Hu Family also supports their shop’s business, ordering simple silver items from them, ensuring they don’t lose money." Zhou Dalang paused, then said, "I even saw the shop owner today, a man named Xia Rui, he seems about my age and kept asking who I was when he heard I was there to inquire about the shop’s owner."

He smiled sheepishly, "You know, big brother’s not a smooth talker, afraid to say too much and expose us, so I just asked around briefly and left."

Manbao said, "It’s fine, I met his dad today, and I can see him again tomorrow."