The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 147 Rejection

Chapter 147: Chapter 147 Rejection

As she was pondering, she caught sight of Wang Yongping’s figure approaching from afar, prompting her to immediately cast Song Chongjin to the back of her mind.

Upon seeing his little sister standing not far away, Wang Yongping hurried over with a jog, "Little sister, why haven’t you gone home yet?"

Wang Yongzhu, not seeing Wang Laozhu behind him, asked, "Why are you alone, where’s dad?"

Wang Yongping looked around and said in a low voice, "Dad is at Lizheng’s house drawing up the deed."

While speaking, he gestured for Wang Yongzhu to follow behind him, "Let’s talk on the way."

Wang Yongzhu naturally had no objections and followed behind him, listening to Wang Yongping recount in detail the affairs he and Wang Laozhu had managed these past few days.

Initially, the Li Family Patriarch was somewhat reluctant to use the land to pay off the debt. He had his eyes on the three mu of paddy fields owned by Li Dagui’s family, thinking of taking the opportunity with Li Dagui’s situation to buy those fields.

For peasant families, everything else is superficial; it is the land that is fundamental.

However, the Wang Family Patriarch advised him to settle the matter sooner rather than later to avoid unnecessary complications. Now with Li Dagui bedridden, unconscious, and Li Jinlong inexperienced, procrastination could lead to trouble if the land wasn’t transferred promptly. Should Li Dagui get better, or Li Jinlong recover, he had schoolmates who might interfere, and everyone involved could end up with nothing gained for their efforts.

He also hinted that the Wang Family was willing to give up one mu of the three mu paddy field, using three mu of dry land to settle the debt instead.

This meant that the Li Family Patriarch still had room to maneuver.

The Li Family Patriarch, fearing the unforeseen, thought that monopolizing the three mu of paddy field was too conspicuous and settled for reaping the benefits discreetly. Acquiring one mu would suffice for now.

After much thought, he changed his approach and invited several older, respected members of the clan to his home for a consultation.

The underlying message was that the deadline for settling accounts with the Wang Family was drawing near, but it seemed that Li Dagui’s family intended to default, unwilling to sell their house and land, and desired to remain a part of the Li family.

Some of the sympathetic Li family elders claimed the Wang Family’s demands were too harsh and questioned if yielding didn’t show fearfulness toward the Wang Family. They argued that casting Li Dagui’s family out so abruptly would be disgraceful for the Li family. How could they hold their heads up in Qilidun from then on?

Others who supported the Li Family Patriarch pointed out that Li Jinlong’s actions were too malicious to go unpunished. Besides, the Wang Family’s Scholar had already warned that a person like Li Jinlong should not be recognized in his profession. If matters weren’t resolved quickly in favor of the Wang Family, a single complaint by the Wang Family’s Scholar to the government office would spell the end for the Li Family.

It is well known that a Magistrate can exterminate a family, and a County Official can ruin it. Once you get involved with the government office, it’s not something you can easily settle.

This warning frightened the elders, and then the Li Family Patriarch, through much persuasion and by giving subtle suggestions, indicated that the Li family property could be reacquired. As for the price, since all were members of the same clan, it was naturally subject to negotiation, inviting interested relatives to sign up quickly ––

Peasant families value having many descendants for prosperity. As children grow up, space becomes scarce. Hearing this, the eyes of many lit up.

The issue of settling debts with the land thus logically proceeded.

In the end, the Wang Family acquired two mu of paddy fields and three mu of dry land as compensation, with the Li Family Patriarch securing one mu of paddy field, and the Wang Family Patriarch also managed to buy one mu of dry land cheaply.

The courtyard belonging to Li Dagui was offered at a low price in debt to an elder in the clan’s eldest son. The remaining dry land had long been eyed by others.

Ultimately, the Li Family Patriarch, still somewhat conscientious, left two mu of dry land each for Li Jinhu and Li Jingou. Now, after the harvest of crops from the paddy and dry lands, fifty percent of the yield would go to Li Jinhu and Li Jingou, serving as a way to silence the critics and provide an explanation.

Then, accompanied by the Wang Family Patriarch, several of his own clan members, and the father and son of the Wang family, they proceeded in a grand entourage to the Li Family. They took advantage of Li Dagui’s incapacitated state to write the deed, and pulled his unconscious hand to affix his thumbprint, thereby finalizing the matter.

They then hurried to Lizheng’s house for the transfer of land ownership and stamping of the seal.

Since Lizheng was a Li family clan member and had benefited from the deal, he handled the matter without objection.

The Song Family Patriarch, Song Chongjin, the Wang Family Patriarch, the Li Family Patriarch, and several elders were called upon to witness and sign their names and thumbprints on the deed.

The Li Family Ancestral Hall was opened up again, and Li Dagui’s family of four was expelled from the clan register, and their names were stricken from the genealogy.

With that, the matter was thoroughly settled.

All that was left was to wait for the right time, when naturally, someone would drive Li Dagui’s family out.

At this moment, Wang Laozhu was still exchanging pleasantries with a few clan leaders.

Whereas Song Chongjin had already left early after completing his role as a witness and signing his name. He hadn’t wanted to come, but Wang Yongping and Wang Laozhu thanked him; without his keen observation, where would they be today?

Wang Laozhu had also privately asked Wang Yongping to offer Song Chongjin the opportunity to purchase two acres of dry land at a low price. Though the mother and son of the Song Family had settled in Qilidun, they didn’t own any land to their name, which was a very thin foundation for a peasant family.

Now presented with this opportunity, the Wang Family didn’t want to treat Song Chongjin unfairly and thought of transferring two acres of the land they had acquired from the Li Family to him.

For any ordinary family, such an offer would’ve been eagerly accepted.

Wang Laozhu had already made up his mind – by transferring the land, he would have barely repaid the debt of gratitude to Song Chongjin, and after that, it would be best for their families to have less involvement with each other.

To his surprise, after a moment of stunned contemplation, Song Chongjin actually refused!

This left Wang Laozhu, a man accustomed to the ways of the world, completely dumbfounded!

Could it be that Song Chongjin had lost his mind? He could rely on his physical prowess to make a living hunting in the mountains while he was young.

But he seemed to disregard the circumstances of his own home, with a mother who was a bottomless pit of illness. Without land, they were like rootless duckweed, and no family would want a son-in-law from such a household.

Although two acres of dry land might be meager, owning it would mean striking roots in Qilidun. Later on, with the opportunity to clear more land or buy some, and finding a suitable wife to start a family, within a generation or two, they would become an integral part of Qilidun.

No one could utter a word of gossip then.

For such a favorable opportunity, if his own son had been so ungracious as to refuse, Wang Laozhu would have whacked him with the tobacco pipe.

But this was someone else’s son, and moreover, a benefactor to the Wang Family. Wang Laozhu suppressed his irritation again and again, yet he could not help but show a displeased expression. Firstly, he was upset by Song Chongjin’s inability to appreciate kindness; secondly, he was troubled by a question: Song Chongjin had helped their family so much, yet he was unmoved even by the offer of land at a low price. How would they repay this debt of gratitude? And if a more demanding situation arose in the future, what then?

Wang Yongping also couldn’t understand what had gotten into Song Chongjin. Getting two acres of land at a low price was such a bargain!

However, changing his thoughts, he leaned closer to Song Chongjin and whispered, "Is it because you’re short on silver? It doesn’t matter. You can pay when you have the money! What’s our relationship, do you think I would fear you reneging on the deal?"

If Old Granny Zhang had seen this, she would have used her shoe to beat this treacherous wretch to death.

Song Chongjin shook his head, "It’s not a problem of silver coins. I appreciate your goodwill, but I truly do not need it! You know the situation with my family. Even if I bought the land, it likely won’t end up in my hands. Why should I make others benefit at my expense?"

Since Song Chongjin had put it that way, there was nothing else Wang Yongping could say, only shaking his head in sympathy for him.

Although Song Chongjin didn’t take the land, he didn’t refuse to be a witness.

He even reminded Wang Laozhu that having the deed wasn’t the safest; it would be best to spend some money and find a time to register the deed at the county Yamen, obtaining an official deed from the government office to make it absolutely secure.

Upon hearing this, Wang Laozhu was moved, considering his second son was in the county, and could probably get to know some people, who might be able to settle the matter inexpensively.

He thanked Song Chongjin for the suggestion. After hearing from Wang Yongping what Song Chongjin had said, his opinion of him improved somewhat.