Although Han Maode has lived a wealthy life in recent years, his life has not been as satisfactory as he wished because of Liu Juhua's affair, his son's distance from him and his closeness to Han Xingwang's family, and his only grandson being a fool and mute.
He often strolled around the village and saw villagers gathered together chatting and laughing. He would wonder if these people were talking about his family, saying what sin their family had committed to have five granddaughters in a row and the only grandson was a fool. Whenever he thought of this, he could not feel happy even if he ate white flour buns and rice every meal.
The son was raised in a wrong way, and he treated his enemies more kindly than his father. Whose fault is this? It is the fault of the father. He is a useless father who cannot even take good care of his only son.
When it was late at night and everyone was asleep, he wanted to slap himself dozens of times, hating himself for marrying Liu Juhua, a selfish woman who was obsessed with sex and had caused his only son to be so estranged from him.
But God was kind to him after all, and actually let his son know about Han Xingwang, Liu Juhua and their plan. He knew very well what kind of person his son was. He had inherited Liu Juhua's personality. Liu Juhua and Han Xingwang dared to plot against him like that, so he was just waiting to see them bear his son's wrath.
But his son said that his grandson was not stupid and could be cured. He felt that the haze above his head had dissipated and he felt like he was alive again. If his grandson could get better, he would not care about Liu Juhua's previous calculations.
Unexpectedly, the grandson not only got better, he could speak, and also read with his son. The son said that the grandson was talented in studying and planned to send him to study in town.
When the villagers knew that they were planning to send their grandson to study in town, they said many mean things to him in private. They thought that their grandson was stupid to begin with, and even if he got better, he wouldn't be that smart. It would be a waste of money to send him to school.
He didn't care about this at all, because his grandson was doing well. Although his family didn't have much else, they still had some money. In the future, they would be able to find a capable grandson-in-law. As for whether his grandson could become famous through studying, he didn't care that much.
But ever since his grandson went to school, he would always come back and tell him that he had received rewards from the teacher. He used to not care much about it, but gradually he began to wonder if his grandson was the incarnation of the God of Literature, and that in the future he might really be able to pass the imperial examinations and become a high-ranking official
Now that his grandson had ranked first in the county, how could he not be excited? He wanted to tell everyone in the town about it.
However, what his son said was right. His grandson had just passed the county examination, so it was not appropriate for him to be too high-profile. Even so, he still changed into the new clothes his son bought for him in the county, carried the new pipe his son bought for him in the county, put on the new shoes his wife made for him, and went out staggeringly.
He knew very well where the villagers liked to gather and talk. He squinted his old eyes, with a smile on his face, and walked leisurely and familiarly to the crowded places. When he stood there, the people who were talking suddenly stopped talking and all looked at the new navy blue satin robe on him.
A villager who was about his age joked, "Brother Maode, why are you willing to wear such bright clothes today?"
Han Maode glanced at him and patted his clothes: "Nothing, Han Ze took Shubo to the county to take the exam, and brought me a few sets of clothes, saying that the styles in the county are nice. Don't you think this is a waste of money? But he bought them, and now he's not working, so he can wear them."
The man laughed dryly: "Brother, you are enjoying yourself."
Han Maode sighed, "What kind of blessing is this? I still have to support Shubo to study."
After hearing what he said, the man asked, "How did your Shubo do in the county exam?"
Han Maode took a few puffs of his pipe and said, "It's not that great. I just got first place in the exam. I'm said to be the first in the county."
"First place? That's incredible."
"It's nothing, it's just a county exam, it's still a long way to go. In the future, I will have to go to the provincial government to take the academy exam. Only after passing the academy exam can I become a scholar. There are many talented people in the provincial government, so it's very difficult."
"It's okay. Isn't Shubo only nine years old?"
"Yes, Han Xingwang's two grandsons are older than my Shubo. They ranked 170 or 180 in the county exam this time. They are not worried, so why should I be worried?"
"Han Chengming's two children started school earlier than Shubo, so why didn't they do as well as Shubo in the exams?"
"How should I know that?"
"Too... ... "
Han Maode showed off his grandson in the village and also publicized the test results of Han Chengming's two children before returning home satisfied.
In less than half a day, everyone in the village knew that Han Ze's son Han Shubo was extraordinary. He actually got the first place in this exam. Han Chengming's two sons did not score higher than this other son, but they only ranked 170 or 180.
When Han Ze heard the rumors in the village, he knew without a doubt that it was the old man who did it. He felt helpless and sad, but he could also understand the old man's desire to show off. After all, there had been nothing in the family for him to show off for so many years.
At this time, Han Chengming and his son also returned home. Han Xingwang and Liu Juhua already knew the exam rankings of Han Jixue and Han Jiwen, and naturally they had also heard the rumors from the villagers.
Liu Juhua couldn't help but sneer: "The villain is successful."
Han Xingwang said slowly: "It's not Brother Maode's fault. After all, although his family has been wealthy over the years, nothing outstanding has happened in the family. A few years ago, Han Ze's son couldn't speak, and he felt bad. We should also understand him."
Thinking of how Han Ze went to the county to buy clothes and cigarette holders for Han Maud, but didn't even buy her a piece of cloth, she couldn't help but swear, "What understanding? If Han Maud hadn't married me, he wouldn't have had a son, let alone a grandson. And Wang Lanhua has been married to Han Maud for so many years, but she can only give birth to a girl, right?"
After all, she always felt that Han Maode had treated her unfairly. Even if she had done something wrong to Han Maode, Han Maode should have treated her well because she had given birth to his only son. Instead of treating her like an enemy like now, and not giving her a penny even though the family had endless money to spend.
But Wang Lanhua only gave birth to two girls for him, but raised her ex-husband's two sons and hired a maid to serve her. How could she be willing to accept this
She was unwilling but there was nothing she could do. Han Ze, that black-hearted man, would rather be filial to his stepmother than care about her, his biological mother. What could she do
Han Chengming sat on the chair, scratching his hair in distress, frowning, "Dad and Mom, how are Han Ze and the others? We can't take care of so many things now. It's almost April. I specifically asked the teacher in the academy that the prefectural examination requires five villagers and one scholar to recommend. Last time, our family spent 14 taels of silver just for the recommendation. This time, we don't have 15 taels of silver. Can it work?"
One county examination cost him twenty or thirty taels of silver. The provincial examination had to be taken in the provincial capital, and the travel expenses, board and lodging expenses plus the money for the recommender would cost him less than 40 taels of silver.
He now regretted supporting both of his sons to study at the same time. It cost too much money to study for the imperial examination. If he only supported one son to study, he could at least save half the money. Thinking of this, he turned his eyes, looked at his two sons, and had some ideas in his mind.
He looked at his two sons and said, "You guys go out first. I have something to talk to your grandparents about."
Han Jixue obviously noticed the change in his father's expression, and walked out calmly. When he got outside, he looked at Han Jiwen and said, "You go and play. I'll wait for Dad here. I'll talk to him later."
Han Jiwen didn't suspect anything and turned around and ran out. He was almost exhausted from studying and taking exams these days and was eager to go out and play.
Han Jixue saw him run out and quietly lay down by the door.
Han Chengming waited until his two sons left. He said self-deprecatingly, "Dad, I have discovered that it is simply impossible for a farmer to support two children to study for the imperial examinations. Especially since our family is an outsider and we don't have much land. My two younger brothers haven't started families yet. Even if we saved some money in the past, it would not be enough for the two children to study for the imperial examinations."
Han Xingwang also knew this. He looked at Han Chengming and asked, "So what do you want to do?"
Han Chengming sighed: "I can only support one of the two children. It's not that I'm cruel, but I really can't afford it."
Han Xingwang frowned, obviously disagreeing: "Although their ranking this time is not ideal, they are still young and may pass the examinations in the future. How can they just give up?"
Han Chengming looked at Han Xingwang helplessly: "I don't want to give up any of them, but my family doesn't have that much money."
Han Xingwang frowned and looked at Liu Juhua, and asked, "His mother, what do you think?"
Liu Juhua certainly didn't want the two to give up any of their grandchildren, so she said without thinking, "Of course they all have to go to school."
Han Xingwang smiled and said gently: "It's about the money..."
Liu Juhua paused and looked at him: "As for the money, what can an old woman like me do? I can only rely on Chengming to earn it. He is his son. If he doesn't earn the money, who will?"
Han Chengming smiled bitterly and said, "Mom, even if I had ten hands, I couldn't earn that much money."
Han Xingwang sighed, "I offended Brother Maode and Han Ze so much. If I hadn't offended them, I could have rented them hundreds of acres of land. Why would my family be so poor?"
Speaking of Han Ze, Han Chengming suddenly thought of Han Ze's yard in the county town. He asked, "Dad and Mom, how much property did Uncle Han Ze give Han Ze? Over the years, he has bought land and yards, and even bought a large yard in the county town. Where did he get the money?"
Han Xingwang said in a deep voice: "There is not much property, but just more than 200 acres of land and a few hundred taels of silver. How much is left after spending all these years?"
Liu Juhua's eyes sparkled: "Where did he get the money to buy the land and the yard?" Her eyes suddenly widened: "Could it be that he did something bad?"
Han Chengming's eyes also lit up. If he did something bad, could they use this to threaten him and ask him to give them some money
Han Xingwang snorted, "What bad things do you think Han Ze could do to get so much money?"
Han Chengming and Liu Juhua were stunned. "Where do you think he got the money from?"
Han Xingwang frowned in deep thought, and suddenly his pupils widened slightly, "Han Ze has been growing flowers for the past two years, and even built a garden specifically for growing flowers. If the flowers were useless, would he have spent so much effort on them?"
Han Chengming suddenly realized: "Dad, do you mean that Han Ze's money might have been earned from selling flowers?"
Han Xingwang nodded: "It's not possible, but very certain. I didn't think of coming here before, but now the more I think about it, the more I feel that Han Ze made money by growing flowers. A few times I saw people driving a few carriages to bring flowers, I think they were the nobles who bought Han Ze's flowers."
When Liu Juhua heard that Han Ze had made money, she didn't feel happy, but angry, aggrieved and unwilling. She said angrily: "No wonder I often saw Wang Lanhua wearing new clothes in the past two years. I think it's because Han Ze made money. What an ungrateful man, what an ungrateful Han Ze. He made money, but instead of spending it on me, his biological mother, he bought clothes for my stepmother and bought a dowry for his sister who is not born from the same mother. He is so kind!"
Han Xingwang said, "Han Ze really shouldn't have done that. Logically, Han Ze's uncle's property belongs to their Han family. As your mother, he has remarried, so he doesn't have to give it to you. But he should be filial to you with the money he earned."
Liu Juhua stood up suddenly: "No, I have to go find Han Ze."
Han Xingwang pulled her to sit down and said, "Why are you in such a hurry? You know Han Ze's personality very well. We need to think about it slowly. If you go there rashly like this, will he pay attention to you?"
Liu Juhua thought about the times she visited Han Ze and what he said, and she felt that she had been impulsive.
Han Jixue stood up outside the door and quietly returned to his room. He clenched his fists. His grandparents and father were blinded by the money, but he was not. He knew his uncle's character better than anyone else. Even if he earned the money himself, no one could take it from him if he didn't want to, not even his grandmother or his uncle's mother.
Since grandma couldn't get money from uncle, one of him and Jiwen would have to stop studying and take the imperial examination.
Han Jiwen!
He narrowed his eyes. He didn't expect that Jiwen would do better than him in the exam this time. It seemed that this kid's knowledge was not much worse than his. Given his father's temperament, who would study and who would go home to farm in the future could only be determined by the exam rankings. He clenched his fingers and his face was gloomy. If Han Shubo was the big obstacle on his road to success, then Han Jiwen was the small obstacle.
Since they are obstacles, they must be eliminated one by one. Otherwise, how can he achieve success smoothly
Han Xingwang and his friends didn't know that Han Jixue had heard their words. They were still discussing how to "impress" Han Ze. Han Chengming said, "Why don't we prepare a table of food and wine and invite Han Ze to come over for a drink. After a few drinks, when Han Ze is drunk, won't he be at our mercy?"
Han Xingwang also said: "Even if he doesn't let me control him, we can still get closer by eating and drinking together. You are his mother, and with a few nice words, even if he has a heart as hard as stone, he will soften a little."
Liu Juhua stood up and said, "Then, Chengming goes to buy groceries, and I go to call Han Ze?"
Han Chengming thought of the money that was about to arrive, and he sighed excitedly, "I'm going to buy some groceries." He walked a few steps, turned back, and held out his hand: "Mom, money?"
Liu Juhua glared at him, but still gave him the silver.
Han Chengming took the silver, weighed it, and walked away humming a tune.
Liu Juhua walked quickly to Han's garden. Han Ze was planting and watering flowers in the garden. She walked over and said with a smile, "Is Han Ze planting flowers?"
Han Ze looked up at her, nodded, and continued to water the flowers with the kettle.
Liu Juhua laughed twice: "Growing flowers is good, growing flowers is good..."
Han Ze lowered his head and asked while watering the flowers, "Why are you here?"
Liu Juhua said quickly, "A few of the kids have passed the county exam, so I want to celebrate. Can you come over for lunch?"
Han Ze glanced at her and said, "I'm busy. I won't go."
Liu Juhua was anxious: "We've prepared wine and food for you, how can you not go?"
Han Ze put down the kettle and said, "Mom, what do you want to talk to me about? If you have something to say, please tell me. I don't dare to eat your meal."
Liu Juhua looked a little uncomfortable and said angrily, "I asked you to go for a meal, so what? Are you making excuses? Can't I, as a mother, cook a meal for my son?"
Han Ze smiled and said, "Mom, it's possible for you to cook for Brother Han Chengming, but I've never eaten a meal cooked by you since I was a child, and I'm not greedy. Besides, someone cooks for me now, so I don't need that meal."
Liu Juhua was speechless and her face turned pale. She really had never cooked for Han Ze.
Han Ze smiled and said, "Okay, Mom, don't be angry. Just tell me what you want to say. There's no need to do unnecessary things."
Liu Juhua gritted her teeth, hating and hating, and could only ask loudly: "I heard that you made a lot of money selling flowers?"
Han Ze did not hide it: "Yes, I made some money. I earned it with my own ability. I didn't steal or rob. What's wrong with that?"
Of course there's nothing wrong with that.
Liu Juhua looked at him and said bluntly: "Since you have earned so much money, I have no money to spend, so give me some money to spend."
Han Ze said with a smile: "Mom, why are you asking me for money? You don't have any money, you should go to Han Chengming and Uncle Xingwang, why are you looking for me?"
Liu Juhua looked at him and said, "You are also my son. I am not greedy for Han Maode's money, but you should give me some of the money you earned yourself, right?"
Han Ze hummed: "I can give you silver."
Liu Juhua said happily: "Really?"
Han Ze smiled and said, "As long as you and Uncle Xingwang get along, I will support you."
"What did you say?" Liu Juhua's eyes widened, and she pointed at him angrily: "You want me to get together and separate? What are you thinking?"
Han Ze was also helpless: "Mom, you are Uncle Xingwang's wife now, you belong to Uncle Xingwang's family, not my family. Even if my money is not given by my father, but earned by myself, it doesn't make sense for me to support someone else's family."
Liu Juhua's eyes turned red and she roared, "But you are my son!"
Han Ze also said: "But you didn't want me at the beginning and remarried."
Liu Juhua felt so choked up in her chest. If she had known Han Ze was such a person, she would have strangled him to death. How could he be so infuriating
Liu Juhua pointed at him and threatened: “I don’t care, you must give me the silver, otherwise, I won’t leave.”
Han Ze asked her: "Not leaving? Do you agree to separate?"
Liu Juhua covered her chest and shook it.
Han Ze ignored her and looked at the servant next to him, saying, "Go to Han Xingwang's house and ask Han Chengming to come over and bring his mother back. Otherwise, let his mother and father separate and stay at my house. What if my parents misunderstand?"
Butler: "..."
Han Ze glared at him and said, "Go quickly."
The servant ran away in a hurry.
Liu Juhua's face turned pale: "..."
The author has something to say:
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