Chapter 19

At Sun Yixi’s house, Madam Sun leaned back in her chair, her head filled with the words that Jiang Ya had told her.

“That daughter-in-law of yours is very lucky. She caught the eye of a rich merchant who was passing by. He’s willing to pay five hundred taels of silver to take her to enjoy a life of luxury. If your three granddaughters go with her, then he’ll pay five hundred taels more. He’ll see to it that they aren’t separated. Don’t let this opportunity slip by. You aren’t pushing them into a fire pit. You’re sending them to a life of wealth and glory.”

In fact, Madam Sun had few thoughts of her own. All she could hear was that voice.

One thousand taels, one thousand taels…

One thousand taels of silver. That grocery store only earned twenty to thirty taels of silver a year. And that was with the whole family working hard every day. They had to worry about buying goods, ordering goods, and managing everything. They were always living on edge.

The money they earned each year had to be used on all the family expenses. They had barely enough for their grandson’s studies.

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But if she got her hands on one thousand taels of silver…

That grandson wouldn’t have to worry about studying for the imperial examinations. He could even buy a few dozen mu of land to rent out. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed like a good idea. She grew a little excited.

As for whether Jiang Ya’s words were true or not, she didn’t care at all.

“Mother.” Sun Yixi entered the main house.

Seeing Madam Sun’s old face turn red, he thought of Jiang Ya who had come today and suppressed the doubts in his heart.

“Yes?” Madam Sun replied.

She wasn’t even trying to hide her joy.

“Mother, I saw my younger sister-in-law, Han Qiao, this morning. She asked about the deeds for the land and house she’s living in. I thought she was going to come back and inquire some more after returning from her trip to her parents’ village, but, unexpectedly, she didn’t come.”

“If she doesn’t come then she doesn’t come. We have receipts for all the times Sun Yiming came asking to borrow money. How can she deny it?” Madam Sun said coldly, “You can go to Yiming tomorrow and explain this matter to him. In the future, you are not to lend him any more money.”

“He took the money and went off to drink and make merry all day. He didn’t do his job properly and neglected his studies. How can we count on him in the future?”

Sun Yixi didn’t say anything.

Madam Sun drew closer to him, saying, “Granny Jiang Ya told me something today…”

Sun Yixi was flabbergasted when he heard that. “Mother?”

This…this wasn’t okay at all.

“Think about it–a thousand taels of silver. How long would it take us to earn that? Guang Zong needs money for his studies, and so does Yao Zu. How can our tiny little grocery store make enough to raise two scholars?”

She was right, of course.

“Both the back of the hand and the front are made of flesh. Do you have the heart to draw lots on your two brothers? One will study, and his future will be bright. The other will man this grocery store and be a lowly merchant.”

Sun Yixi had no words.

But his hands clenched into tight fists.

In the past, he too once wanted to study and become a scholar, but a fortune teller told them that Yiming had a brighter future. So, he left school and returned home.

But the fortune teller had made a mistake. Yiming was not the type to study at all.

After taking the exam so many times, he still had yet to pass. He couldn’t even pass the first level.

“But mother, Jiang Ya, I’m not so sure she…” Sun Yixi wanted to say something but hesitated.

“That’s why we’re going to need a plan. We’re going to need Yiming’s help,” Madam Sun said.

Regardless of whether it succeeded or not, they had to make sure their names would come out of this incident unsullied.

Sun Yixi swallowed his spit, not saying anything.

“Why don’t you tell Sun Yiming to move to another town with his wife and children?”

“It will be far away, tucked away in the mountains somewhere. Han Qiao won’t see her family for several years, then, and her family won’t come looking. Gradually, we’ll be able to deceive them.”

Sun Yixi quickly asked, “How are we going to convince Yiming to do that?”

“We definitely can’t tell the truth.”

Sun Yixi frowned and tried to think of something.A moment later, he said, “Mother, how about this: I’ll tell him I’ll lend him more money as long as he agrees to move out of town. I’ll tell him the change of atmosphere will be better for his studies. Han Qiao can take care of him better, and so on. Once he’s settled, we’ll think of a way to get Han Qiao to come into town with her children, and kidnap them on the way…”

“When the time comes, we’ll tell everyone that Han Qiao is eloping with another man, and taking her kids with her”

This was killing two birds with one stone.

Madam Sun was silent for a moment before nodding. “That’s a good plan.”

With just a few words, the two had hatched a most devious plan.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Sun Yixi’s wife, Lady Liu, went to open the door.

“It’s Sun Yiming…” Lady Liu called out softly. When she noticed that Sun Yiming reeked of alcohol, she couldn’t help but frown. She felt disgusted.

“Sister-in-law, where’s my brother?” Sun Yiming said as he stepped into the door. “I’m going to look for my mother. I’m going to look for my mother.”

Stumbling and staggering, he walked towards the main house.

“Mother, Mother.” Sun Yiming shouted loudly.

Sun Guangzong and Sun Yaozu were living on the second floor. When they heard the noise, they came out to have a look.

“It’s Second Uncle.” Sun Yaozu said.

“He’s real annoying,” After Sun Guangzong said that, he turned around and went back into the house to study.

Sun Yaozu was still young, so his curiosity tempted him to peek out the window.

Sun Yiming came over drunk. Sun Yixi went forward to help him. Madam Sun’s eyes were full of disdain. “What are you doing here at this hour?”

“Mother, Mother…” Sun Yiming stepped forward.

Under the light, Madam Sun could finally see him clearly.

“What happened to your face?”

“That vicious woman, Han Qiao, beat me up. Mother, she wants to divorce me. She’s gone and turned the whole sky upside down. She actually wants to divorce me.” After Sun Yiming shouted, he couldn’t help but curse again. “That shrew! shrew!”

Sun Yiming couldn’t fight back tears as he cursed. “TShe and my daughters ganged up on me. They tied me up and beat me. Then, they threw me on the floor of the study for a night.”

“…”

“…”

Madam Sun and Sun Yixi were both stunned.

That was simply inconceivable.

How could that even happen? Han Qiao was timid and gentle. She was docile in everything she did. How could she tie up Sun Yiming and beat him if she didn’t even dare to scream when he pinched her?

She even got the kids to join in with her?

Impossible, impossible.

Madam Sun shook her head.

“You’re drunk. You’re spouting nonsense.” Madam Sun reprimanded him lightly.

“Mother, I’m not spouting nonsense. I’m not spouting nonsense. Han Qiao wants to divorce me. She wants to divorce me.”

Even though, he was the one who said it first.

Whenever he got drunk, he would beat her to vent his anger.

Now that he really was about to lose her, Sun Yiming changed his mind.

“Mother, are you even really my mother? Why don’t you believe me?” Sun Yiming said as he tugged on Sun Yixing’s clothes. “Big Brother, Big Brother, believe me! Han Qiao is crazy! She’s Crazy!”

“She forced me to make copies of Thousand Character Classic at home. If I didn’t write, she would beat me. She even hung a hemp rope on the roof beam and said that if I didn’t listen, she would hang me up.”

Madam Sun patted Sun Yiming’s arm. “The more you talk, the more ridiculous you sound.”

“How much have you had to drink tonight? Just how drunk are you?” Madam Sun said disdainfully.

“Send him back.”

When Sun Yiming heard that, he immediately refused. “I’m not going back. I’m not going back there. That vicious woman is going to beat me to death. I’m not going back.”

Shameless and crying, he barely resembled a man.

Madam Sun had no way to send him off, especially since she was ten months pregnant.

“Give him the side room for a night. Tomorrow, ask him for more details.”

Sun Yixi nodded.

He tried to help Sun Yiming to bed, but Sun Yiming refused to leave no matter what. He grabbed onto Madam Sun and said, “Mother, are you even really my mother?”

He asked Sun Yixi again, “Are you really my brother?”

Old Mrs. Sun was furious when she heard that. “If I’m not really your mother, I would have thrown you out long ago. You heartless bastard! Go to sleep!”