The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 590 - 588: Difficulties

Chapter 590: Chapter 588: Difficulties

Then, he began to weep over his own hardship.

He claimed it was out of sheer necessity, he had discussed it with his family, and his mother had been adamantly opposed. He knew then that it wouldn’t happen. His parents wouldn’t sell all their land just for him. After all, there were many in the family to support.

But he truly had no other choice, it was the only opportunity, and if missed, it would never come again. He was just a poor Scholar from the countryside with no connections or money to offer, so he was only respected in Qilidun. Beyond that, who would give him any regard?

Outside Qilidun, who would give him face?

Finding it difficult, that Master had appreciated his character and wanted to give him a helping hand. This was his only chance. If missed, he would spend his life in Jing County as a poor Scholar, teaching others for a lifetime.

But he couldn’t reconcile himself to that fate. From a young age, he had been exceptionally talented, becoming a Scholar was as easy as reaching into a bag. He knew his prospects were far beyond that.

Given the family’s limited means, after he failed the Graduate exams several times, the family was unwilling to support him further. He had to find his own way and carve out a path for himself.

So, after much deliberation, he still sold the deed to the land against his conscience. He thought, once he secured a position and established himself, with an income, he could buy back the land.

If everything went well, it would take at most half a year for him to return with the Silver.

The family only needed to endure hardship for half a year, and the days that followed would be better.

Indeed, in just half a year, he had saved enough Silver to redeem the land and finally had the face to come back and apologize!

Wang Laozhu had no reaction to the initial part of the speech, but his expression changed when Wang Yongan mentioned that he had finally made something of himself, gaining the favor of the County Magistrate and becoming his second Master.

No wonder Laoer seemed different upon his return; could this possibly be the so-called authority of an official?

Does this mean the Wang Family is now considered half an official’s family?

Wang Laozhu didn’t speak, but Wang Yongfu couldn’t hold back anymore, "Laoer, do you think your smooth talk can deceive us? We’ll leave aside the matter of you stealing the family’s land deed; why did you bring such a swindler, intent on taking my life? I did nothing to deserve your ill will, so why did you treat me this way?"

This was something Wang Yongfu could never understand. Truth be told, although he was the Eldest Brother, Laoer was the Scholar and despite not being home often, his word carried much more weight in the family.

The father always listened to him, and he, as the big brother, also hoped that once Laoer accomplished something, he could pull up a few nephews with him.

He put up with all the extreme demands Laoer made on the family.

In that situation, he hadn’t begged Laoer to save him, but was there any need for him to harm his life?

Suddenly, Wang Yongan displayed a face of the utmost grievance, "Big brother, you are wronging me! I was truly out seeking a good Doctor for you, and it was that Master who recommended the Doctor to me, saying he was a Divine Doctor from the Capital City. He even mentioned that his relative was sick and was cured by that Divine Doctor."

"That’s why I brought the Divine Doctor back, and after he gave you the acupuncture and medicine, didn’t you say you felt much better, big brother? How did it become me wanting to take your life?" As he said this, Wang Yongan paused.

"I was wondering why upon my return, big brother and sister-in-law were glaring at me with anger, even saying I came back to see if big brother was dead yet? But isn’t big brother doing well? Doesn’t this prove the Divine Doctor’s skills, being able to cure such a serious condition as yours?"

Wang Yongfu was not eloquent; he had a belly full of words to say, but he was confounded by Wang Yongan’s few questions, making it seem as if he was the one who had wronged Laoer.

Jinhoo stepped forward and said, "I fear you are unaware that the ’Divine Doctor’ you introduced is a fraud, and his medicine is no less than poison, merely drawing upon the body’s vitality, making it appear as though the sickness has been cured while, in truth, exacerbating the injury! When my father took that medicine, he almost lost his life. It was only with great difficulty that Doctor Ma managed to save him, and thanks to Uncle Chongjin finding a truly remarkable person, that my father’s injuries were eventually healed!"

"Otherwise, by the time you returned, the grass over our father’s grave might have grown taller than a man!"

Wang Yongan was a picture of surprise and dismay, along with guilt, "Eldest Brother! I truly had no idea about this, that the ’Divine Doctor’ was a charlatan! And that he almost cost you your life! This is all my fault. If I had known he was a fraud, I never would have brought him back! Eldest Brother, you must believe me, we’ve been brothers for so many years; how could I possibly do such a thing?"

Lady Qian saw her chance to interject, "Eldest Brother! Eldest Sister-in-law! Truly, my official husband was grateful, thinking that by introducing the Divine Doctor to you, Eldest Brother’s health had improved and everyone, in light of the Divine Doctor’s contribution, would not harbor too much resentment toward us. We really didn’t know he was a charlatan!"

Following behind, Wang Yongzhen heard everything and looked at Wang Yongan. Her second brother was the most accomplished among them. Hearing his words, she could tell they were filled with difficulty; and now, hadn’t he returned after earning money?

In a family, as long as he recognized his mistakes and returned, that was enough. Why hold on to so many grievances?

Moreover, seeing that Wang Yongan was being ostracized by his brothers and stepmother too, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of empathy.

She couldn’t help but speak softly, "Father, I think Second Brother is right. He and Eldest Brother are siblings; how could he do such a thing? Besides, we’re all family. Now that Second Brother knows his fault and has come back to admit his mistakes, why continue to dwell on his past errors?"

"Second Brother has come back from so far away; are we really going to cast his entire family out?"

Upon hearing Wang Yongzhen’s words, Wang Yongan’s eyes filled with tears, and he choked up as he looked at her, "Eldest Sister! It’s you who care about me—"

Wang Yongzhen’s eyes were already brimming with tears and, at Wang Yongan’s shout, they spilled over as she cried out, "Second Brother—"

This scene all but nauseated Wang Yongzhu, Old Granny Zhang, and everyone else present.

However, upon hearing Wang Yongan and Lady Qian’s defense, Wang Laozhu started to think that perhaps his second son had also been deceived. After all, he was no doctor, right?

He found it difficult to believe that his son, whom he had nurtured for so many years, would intentionally harm his own elder brother, to the point of fratricide and sowing discord. He would rather believe that Laoer had been deceived.

Especially when his eldest daughter was there urging reconciliation, he felt even more swayed.

Wang Yongan knew Wang Laozhu all too well. Seeing the shift in his father’s expression, he knew that his words had made an impact.

The only challenge left was their mother.

As expected, Old Granny Zhang coldly spat out, "Nonsense! Do you think you can smooth things over with your glib talk? Your father is a confused old man, easily swayed, and he might believe you, but I certainly do not! The day you stole the deeds wasn’t like today."

"You said as if there was no longer a family and warned us not to regret it! Well, I don’t regret it. Just like I said before, once you’re gone, don’t ever think of coming back!" Old Granny Zhang would rather believe in ghosts than in Wang Yongan’s words.

The old man was befuddled, lulled into forgetting the despair and hardship that afflicted the family back then by just a few words from Wang Laoer.

She wouldn’t forget!

If it weren’t for her daughter, this family would have been destroyed long ago.

And here he was, having recovered from his stroke, lying there requiring care, and now it seems the pain is forgotten as soon as the wound heals!