"Father, Mother, I know you have never liked me, favoring only my elder brother and younger sister. You believe I am a jinx, that my birth caused the family’s crop yields to drop. Fine, I accept that. For all these years, I have worked like a beast of burden for this family, and my wife and Yun’er have toiled from dawn till dusk. It is my own incompetence that has made them suffer," Zhao Gao said, his voice choking with emotion.
"You unfilial son, are you accusing us? I should have strangled you the moment you were born!" Hearing Zhao Gao dare to point fingers at her, Madam Li flew into a rage, stepped forward, and slapped him across the face.
Zhao Gao knelt on the ground, stunned, unable to recover from the blow. This was his mother’s true face, he realized. He had worked himself to the bone for this family, only to be met with a mother who wished him dead. Zhao Gao felt a deep ache in his heart, and thinking of the suffering his wife, son, and daughter had endured over the years made it even harder to bear. It was all his own fault for being useless, thinking that if he did all the chores, he might eventually earn a place in his parents' hearts. But look at the result: he, Zhao Gao, had been a joke all these years.
He was their biological son and still suffered such inhumane treatment; one could only imagine how much more his wife and daughter had endured. They had even allowed the eldest branch to shove Sanlang into the river. The most laughable part was that even after the truth came out, his parents still protected the eldest branch, protecting their so-called "eldest grandson of the Zhao family." Was Sanlang not their grandson, too? They were usually stingy toward the second branch, but toying with Sanlang’s life was something Zhao Gao could not forgive.
He and Madam Chen had only this one son and one daughter. Because Madam Chen hadn't been able to rest properly during her pregnancy and had continued to work in the fields until labor, Sanlang was born frail. Zhao Gao had poured his heart and soul into raising Zhao Yan. Yet, the son he cherished as a treasure was treated like dirt by his own family. Zhao Gao felt a profound sense of sorrow; he had completely given up on his parents.
"Father, Mother, if you want to sever ties, then let us sever them. This way, I can no longer bring you any misfortune. This is the last act of filial piety I can offer you." Zhao Gao bowed his head three times to Zhao Dahe and Madam Li until his forehead was swollen and bruised.
"You said it yourself—severing ties. Don't you dare go back on your word, Second Brother," Younger Mrs. Li said. Seeing Zhao Gao propose the severance himself, she imagined the Zhao family’s assets falling into her pocket soon.
"Sister-in-law, I am not the one proposing this. The Village Chief suggested splitting the family, but you all refused. It was Mother who insisted on severing ties with me. The Village Chief and the clan elders are all here to witness this. Do not speak nonsense," Zhao Gao retorted. For the first time, he pushed back against Younger Mrs. Li, and he felt an instant, refreshing surge of satisfaction he hadn't experienced in years.
"You scourge, how dare you speak to me like that? When your elder brother returns, I will have him beat you to death!" Younger Mrs. Li could not stand Zhao Gao’s defiance. In her eyes, a person like him was only fit for labor; he had no right to speak in the Zhao household.
Zhao Gao’s eldest brother, Zhao Yuan, worked as a waiter in a tavern in town, and Younger Mrs. Li felt that because he worked in town, he was certainly superior to the "mud-legged" villagers. As Zhao Yuan’s wife, she considered herself someone of status and naturally looked down on Zhao Gao.
Zhao Gao had grown up in Zhao Yuan’s shadow. He was the foil to his brother’s life—the more relaxed and comfortable Zhao Yuan’s life was, the more painful and torturous Zhao Gao’s became. Zhao Gao harbored resentment toward Zhao Yuan; it wasn't just that his parents favored him, but that Zhao Yuan often bullied him, sometimes with words and sometimes with blows. As a child, Zhao Gao often worked while nursing his injuries.
It was only as Zhao Gao grew up and became stronger through labor that things changed. Because of his parents' partiality, Zhao Yuan had never done farm work, and he had managed to eat himself into a fat man even when the family was struggling to put food on the table. In Zhao Yan’s memory, he had seen his "cheap" uncle a few times. Compared to modern standards, Zhao Yuan wasn't truly fat, but in an era where everyone was starving, his weight was conspicuous, earning him the nickname "Fatty," especially when contrasted with the skin-and-bones appearance of the second branch.
It was no wonder Zhao Gao hated him; Zhao Yuan was truly detestable. He spoke as if he had eaten waste—his words were foul and jarring, perfectly replicating all the shortcomings of Zhao Dahe and Madam Li. Hearing Younger Mrs. Li mention Zhao Yuan, Zhao Gao felt not a ripple of emotion. He used to fear Zhao Yuan’s scolding and beatings as a child, but now, Zhao Yuan’s flowery, clumsy fists posed no threat. As for enduring verbal abuse, Zhao Gao was an expert. Having been scolded by his parents since childhood, he was immune to it. After these thoughts, Zhao Gao felt even more detached. He just wanted to sever ties and leave. He had given up on this house; even if they had no money, he had never seen a single coin of what he earned anyway. Every cent had gone into his parents' pockets and eventually flowed to the eldest branch or his younger sister.
Zhao Yan’s books were borrowed from the Village Chief. A single book cost seven hundred copper coins, sometimes even over a tael—they couldn't afford them. Madam Chen’s clothes were riddled with patches, and they were looked down upon in the village. His daughter was already growing up, but while other girls had new clothes for the New Year, his daughter only wore the hand-me-downs his younger sister had discarded. They were old and tattered, and even if she didn't have new clothes, he, as her father, couldn't even afford to buy her a single silk flower. Zhao Gao felt utterly useless.
"Father, Mother, give me your word. Split the family or sever ties—whatever you decide, I will do. Take this as my final act of filial piety," Zhao Gao pleaded again. Despite his deep resentment, he needed them to make the final decision to avoid being labeled unfilial, which would be important for Sanlang’s future exams.
Watching his father continue to kneel and beg, Zhao Yan felt a bitter taste in his mouth. He loathed these crazed people of the Zhao family even more, but as a junior, he couldn't step forward too brazenly, or it would implicate his father. Zhao Yan could only endure silently; a gentleman’s revenge is never too late.
"Dahe, I won't interfere in your family affairs. Decide for yourselves. But think carefully: once ties are severed, Zhao Gao will no longer be your son," the Village Chief said, unable to watch an honest man be pushed to this point.
Seeing the Village Chief speak, Zhao Dahe hurriedly replied, "Village Chief, then let's sever them. Our Zhao family cannot handle the bad luck of the second branch. Better to be rid of them early."
"Village Chief, my old man is right. If they want to leave, let them go. Our house has no room for these pests. It’s better to sever ties sooner rather than later. I’ll just pretend I never gave birth to this curse," Madam Li added, eager to drive them out. She hated the second branch with a passion.
"Village Chief, hurry and write the severance agreement. My parents have agreed. But let's be clear: once ties are severed, they are no longer members of the Zhao family, and they won't get a single copper," Younger Mrs. Li said with gloating satisfaction.
The Village Chief looked at the kneeling, silent Zhao Gao and the cold, indifferent Zhao Dahe and Madam Li. Every family had its own troubles. "Zhao Yan, go get some paper and a brush; I will write the severance agreement," the Village Chief said to the boy standing nearby. He despised the cold and stingy nature of Zhao Dahe and Madam Li, and he had no patience for Younger Mrs. Li’s maliciousness. Only Zhao Yan was worth any respect in that house.
Because the original owner had copied books at a bookstore to earn money, he had saved some paper. Zhao Yan followed his memories to find the supplies. Just as he was about to stand up, he remembered this was the ancient era—no ballpoint pens; he still needed to grind some ink! After a bit of effort, he prepared everything.
The Village Chief quickly drafted the agreement. Since Zhao Gao was illiterate, Zhao Yan confirmed the contents, and Zhao Gao pressed his thumbprint. Zhao Dahe was also illiterate. After Zhao Wei read the content, he said excitedly, "Grandpa, there’s no problem. Quickly press your thumbprint, so Second Uncle and his lot won't be part of our family anymore."
Hearing this, Zhao Dahe felt a pang of unease, but the thought of the bad luck the second branch brought made him want them out immediately. With the prints pressed, Zhao Yan took one copy, Zhao Dahe took one, and the Village Chief kept the third. The severance was complete. From this day on, he would never have to be with these vicious, narrow-minded people again. Zhao Yan felt refreshed and invigorated.