Dong Mu He works

Chapter 292: Severed Thoughts

    

ading to Qingzhou to study. With a letter of introduction from his teacher, he wasn't worried about getting into the city.Behind him followed Xu Huai Lian, woodenly pushing the cart. On the cart were...Xu Maoyuan's anger reached its peak, but it failed to intimidate others. Xu Huai禮 remained nonchalant, dragging his lame leg with a reckless abandon, as if he had nothing left to lose. "Why would Big Uncle say such things If it weren't for Xu Huaiyi being unfilial first, would our brothers even consider taking him to court No one wanted to ruin him. It was his own doing. If he had been filial and kind to us, who would have harmed him We sincerely hope he thrives, the more successful he becomes, the happier we are. After all, one stroke of a pen cannot write two characters named Xu. His success is also the glory of our old Xu family, isn't it"

Xu Huai-ren nodded in agreement, his face expressionless. "Second brother is right, if he's unrighteous, don't blame us for being unjust!"

Xu Maoyuan stared at him in disbelief. Xu Huaiyi was usually a bit eccentric and liked to take advantage of others, but in Xu Maoyuan's impression, Xu Huairen, as the eldest son, had always been honest and upright. How could he say such shameless words "Huairen, you...you are the older brother, how could you..."

Have you fallen so low

Xu Huai Ren heard the regret in his words and wryly tugged at the corner of his mouth. What kind of eldest son was he Which of the brothers below truly respected him Even his own parents cherished the fifth brother the most. He was nothing more than a figurehead, earning money for the family. During their escape, the baseness, shamelessness, cruelty, and darkness of human nature were laid bare. He was no longer the kind person he once was. Back then, he tried hard to be a good older brother, but now, he only lived for himself.

Just as you please.

"Uncle, we have nothing now..."

So, what else is there to worry about

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the Lao Xu family members grew even more somber and lifeless. Wang Suyun let out a heart-wrenching wail, "My poor Xiu Zhu, my poor Xiu Li, how can mother bear such pain..."

Xiu Zhu and Xiu Li, both daughters of Xu Huai Ren, were ten and eight years old respectively. They were the most beloved granddaughters in the old Xu family, not only beautiful but also expected to marry well when they grew up.

But now, both of them are gone. Only Xu Sanlang is left in the big house. He is five years old this year. He was hungry along the way and his head drooped listlessly against Wang Suyun's arms. He didn't know if he was sick or just out of energy, not saying a word.

Xia Zhao subconsciously put her hand on her abdomen, where her child once was. The joy of pregnancy hadn't lasted a few days before turning into heart-wrenching sorrow. Until now, she hasn't recovered.

Seeing her actions, Xu Huai-lian raised his head and addressed Xu Mao-yuan, "Uncle, our food and silver have been stolen. My mother is paralyzed, my father is ill, my second sister-in-law and several nieces are gone, I've lost my son, my second brother has a limp, and my fifth brother has a wounded arm. There's no one in the family we can rely on. If you don't help us, all of us, young and old, will only have death left…"

Xu Maoyuan subconsciously said, "I didn't say I wouldn't..."

Xu Huai-lian looked at him, his eyes unreadable. "How can you afford to take care of everyone There are so many people here, some sick, some disabled. You can help us find housing and provide food, but what about the medical expenses They're a bottomless pit. Are you willing to help our family fill it If you are, then my nephew won't say anything..."

Xu Huai Li heard this and nonchalantly took over the conversation, "That's right, Uncle. If you can take care of all of us, we'll live with you and never bother Xu Huai Yi again. What do you say Will you take charge"

Xu Huai-xiao, upon hearing this, burst into laughter and jumped in front of his father, angrily saying, "What right do you have What right do you have to make my father responsible for your entire family We split our families over twenty years ago. We're two separate families. Do you want to cling to my father Yes, my father is the clan head and your uncle. Given your current hardships, it's only natural that he should lend a hand out of both reason and compassion. But there's no reason to just fill the bottomless pit of your family! Don't even say our family doesn't have the capacity; even if we did, we wouldn't allow you to leach off us."

No wonder Xu Huaiyi was willing to take the blame of being unfilial and split up the family. He would rather be ridiculed as a son-in-law who moved in than live at his own family's home. He would rather have people in the village whisper about him being cold-blooded and heartless, and directly refused to let the old Xu family move in, not even bothering with face saving! That’s because he saw through the true nature of this family too clearly.

This family is greedy and shameless. Once you get entangled with them, it's like being stuck with a leech, impossible to shake off. Will there ever be peace in your life again

He glared at them, furious.

But those people remained unmoved, showing no shame on their faces. Instead, they argued with him, righteous and bold. Xu Huai-li said, "What makes you say that Is it because your uncle stopped us from looking for Xu Huai-yi Then why don't we bring our entire family to live with you and take care of him We share the same ancestors, your uncle wouldn't abandon us in this time of need, would he"

Xu Huai Ren also said, “Uncle can’t just favor Xu Huai Yi. He should also think about us brothers. We are all nephews, how can he be so partial Is it because Xu Huai Yi is successful now and we are down on our luck, so Uncle goes to flatter Xu Huai Yi and step on the faces of us brothers”

Xu Huai Lian finally added, “We're not trying to make things difficult for our third brother. We are all brothers, and we will still rely on him in the future. How could we possibly harm him We just want him to help us out a bit. Once we get through this, we naturally won't bother him anymore.”

"You, all of you..." Xu Huai-xiao pointed at the group of people, his voice trembling with anger. These were nothing but scoundrels, shameless to their core! He had nothing to say to them. Turning his head, he said anxiously to his father, "Father, you absolutely can't agree!"

Xu Maoyuan at this moment, was also so angry his hands and feet trembled. He looked at his several nephews with a mixture of pity, anger, and regret in his eyes. Finally, he turned to Xu Maoshan, "You think the same way too You just have to cling to Huaiyi no matter what"

Xu Maoshan hung his head. “Big Brother, I can’t do it. I really can't just let them die. It's my duty to take care of my son and his mother. It's also right to help my nephews when they are in trouble. How can I shirk my responsibility Our Great Yong Dynasty governs the world with filial piety. Since he has studied, he should know this principle. We don't ask for anything else, just a warm place to live, hot food to eat, and someone to see them to a doctor. If he can’t afford the silver, then let Huai Ren and the others go work in his workshop to pay off the debt.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Huai Li's eyes lit up, and he quickly said, "What my father said makes sense. We aren't eating and drinking for free. We can help him with work! We can use our wages to pay for the meals and medicine. This isn't taking advantage of him, is it My eldest brother is good at keeping accounts, and both I and my fourth younger brother are strong. We can do any kind of work. We aren't afraid of hard work or losing out. Since we are brothers, we will definitely be more diligent and dedicated than anyone else."

Xu Huai Xiao is so angry that he doesn't want to speak anymore.

Xu Maoyuan opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but he didn't know what to say.

At this time, Elder Xu walked over, his face stern, and asked, “Are you still dawdling around Everyone else has already gone into the village for resettlement. Aren't you hungry or tired Do you still have the time to gossip here”

Only then did the Xu family realize, all the other refugees had already left, and they were the only ones remaining, along with a few onlookers.

Xu Maoyuan blushed and explained, "We haven't figured out how to settle this yet..."

Xu, the village chief, glared at everyone, his voice cold and sharp. "How are we going to arrange it How do you want to arrange it Didn't we all agree before Huaiyi is already building houses on the farm, helping everyone. In two days, they will be ready to move in, for free! No one has to pay a dime! Are there any objections"

Facing Xu, the village head, the members of Lao Xu's family showed a trace of fear. Xu Huai-li softened his attitude somewhat, "Village Head Uncle, the newly built house is damp and cold, how can people live in it Look at our family, the sick are sick, the disabled are disabled, living there isn't waiting to die, is it"

"You guys think we haven't thought of that Don't worry, there are kang beds in every house. Burn them all night and they'll be dry by morning. You won't feel cold lying on a warm kang."

"But we have no food to eat..."

"We've all thought about that. You guys are new here and don't have anything to eat, so everyone is helping out for now. But no one has the obligation to support others forever. After a while when you settle in, figure out how to earn money. Once you make your own money, you can eat whatever you want. Relying on others isn't sustainable."

Xu Huai-li immediately licked his face and asked, "Then how do we make money Shall we go to Huai Yi's workshop to work That works too. My elder brother used to be an accountant..."

Xu, the village head, saw through their intentions at a glance and let out a cold smile. "The workshop isn't short of people right now, and you shouldn't try to involve Huai Yi in this. This has nothing to do with him because the workshop is currently under my management. Huai Yi is focused on studying outside, and he doesn't interfere with the workshop at all. He entrusted everything to me, so if I disagree, there's no one else you can turn to."

He took it all upon himself, putting an end to the old Xu family's aspirations.

Xu Huai Xiao's heart was filled with contentment. Looking at the stiff faces of those from the Lao Xu family, he couldn't help but sneer inwardly. This was exactly how they deserved to be treated. His father was still too soft-hearted.

Xu Huai Ren refused to believe, "Uncle Village Head's words are all true Aren't you making excuses for Huai Yi"

Village Chief Xu, when questioned, didn't get angry. He calmly said, "When you settle down, just ask any villager around and you'll know the truth. I wouldn't lie to you about this."

When Xu, the village head, arrived, Xu Huai-lian's attitude became so rigid that he felt uneasy. Gritting his teeth, he asked, "Since you won't let us work at the workshop, how are we supposed to make money"

"Xu, the village head, said, 'How did you live in Xujia Village before Has your hunting skill disappeared And there's Huai Ren, who has experience working as an accountant. Finding a job in the city shouldn't be difficult. As for the others, you can follow the villagers to learn how to make tofu snacks and set up stalls outside. You can earn hundreds of copper coins every day. If that doesn't work, you can still chop wood. Everyone in the village knows how to do it. Just learn from anyone, right These are all ways to make a living.'"

Everyone was surprised, and Xu Huai Li couldn't help but ask, "Why can everyone in the village do this"

"That's what A-Li's mother taught her," the village head said casually.

"Who is A Li's mother" Xu Huai-li asked in bewilderment.

Xu, the village head, instantly darkened his face. "Who is A Li You all dare to call Huai Yi your brother"

When it was put that way, the people of the Xu family reacted immediately. Xu Huai-li blurted out, "It's Gu Shi, how is that possible How could she"

"She can go, why not" Xu Chang replied with a grunt. "Her father is a scholar, he's read ten thousand volumes of books and traveled thousands of miles, he knows a lot more than we do. He didn't just teach the villagers how to make tofu snacks and burn charcoal, he also taught the women how to make embroidered flowers. The tofu workshop wouldn't exist without her skills; all the dishes inside were her creations. You could say that without her, there would be no Gujia today, nor would Huaiyi have money to study..."

The Lao Xu family still couldn't believe it, as if they were hearing someone else's story. After all, in their eyes, Gu Huanxi was a cowardly and incompetent pushover. He only worked with his head covered, never showing any real skills except for being good at needlework.

"Xu Chang continued, "You just now were clamoring to stay at Huai Yi's home, acting as if you had the upper hand, thinking that by not taking you in, he was being unfilial, right Humph, you don't understand the situation at all. Huai Yi is a son-in-law who married into the Gu family, and has been cut off from the Xu family. There is documentation to prove it, so even if you accuse him of being unfilial, it won't work. Besides, the manor, workshops, everything in the Gu family now belongs to A Li's mother. Huai Yi has nothing, he relies on his wife to make a living. How could he take you in as well What kind of people would the Xu family become then Will your descendants be able to hold their heads high in the future"

"No, this can't be..."

Who would believe this

Xu Huai-xiao sneered, "How is that impossible Everyone in the village knows this. Not only the workshop and courtyard, but even the farmlands are under San Di-mei's name. Huai-yi is at the Gu family, he can't do anything, everything is decided by San Di-mei. So, even if you go to pressure him, it won't work. Who caused all this It was you! You sold him to the Gu family for fifty taels of silver and now you want to suck his blood again Is that possible What kind of status is a son-in-law Don't you know The Xu family and the Gu family are now two families, neither can cling to the other. Just give up on that idea."

Having said that, he quickly mumbled to himself in his heart, "I'm sorry, Huai Yi. In order to get you out, I had to humiliate you first. You must understand, right"

Xu Huaiyi sat in the classroom, sneezing several times in a row. He thought to himself, "Could it be that my daughter-in-law is thinking of me" After class, he took advantage of the opportunity to go to the restroom and slipped into the car. Of course, Gu Huanxi wasn't there, but she left him a note explaining about finding Xujiacun disaster victims.

Especially Lao Xu's situation, this one paralyzed, that one limping, and a few missing people, she wrote very clearly. In the end, she reminded him not to come back recently. Only when he wasn't there could she go out and handle Lao Xu's family affairs, so it wouldn't implicate him.

He responded with a few words under the note, then stepped out of the RV. His mood couldn't help but feel downcast. Li YunTing noticed this and asked him, "What's wrong"

Xu Huaiyi certainly couldn't bring up the family troubles. "I'm going to see my master tomorrow, I'm a little nervous."

Li Yunting raised an eyebrow. "Are you still nervous"

Xu Huaiyi chuckled, "Look at what you're saying, I'm a person, wouldn't I be nervous"

"I see that you are very composed in front of Master Sun."

"Facing only Master Sun, I wouldn't be nervous at all. But going to the Sun residence, with so many people there, and supposedly even Chancellor Sun himself... I'm afraid I might get stage fright."

"That makes sense," Li Yunting said, "Sun Shangshu is indeed very imposing. I hear that everyone in the Sun family respects him greatly."

Xu Huaiyi heard this, and immediately forced a bitter smile. "The more you say it, the more afraid I become."

"Then, we'll go with you."

"Good buddy!"ssic. Who would have believed itGu Huanxi flashed a smile, but didn't expose the matter. If you were talking about someone who hasn't been to school recently, this progress would definitely be amazing...