Chapter 9
You Erlang of the You family passed the provincial examination, and the celebratory banquet for the villagers was set for the 26th. The You family invited everyone in the village, clearly intending to make it a grand affair.
In the Jiangnan region, scholars were highly respected and admired. Because of this, even farming families who could afford to eat would send their children to private schools for a couple of years, so many people within the same magistrate's office were literate.
Though education had become commonplace, those who truly excelled in their studies and earned scholarly honors were still the exceptional few.
The You family had long been one of the prominent surnames in the village, descended from the first farming households who settled in Mingxun Village during its reclamation. Generations had passed, yet their lineage remained unbroken.
Their ancestors included hunters, butchers, traveling merchants, and craftsmen. When the You clan was united, they had flourished for two generations. However, by recent generations, their cohesion had weakened, and with no particularly outstanding descendants, the position of village head, held by the You family for three generations, had passed to the Ji family. From then on, their decline became more pronounced.
That said, while the Ji family had also been among the first farming households in Mingxun Village, their earlier generations had been far less illustrious than the You family. Yet in recent years, as the You family declined, the Ji family had been quietly rising.
Both surnames were the most prominent households in Mingxun Village, sustaining the village for generations. The two families interacted frequently, their relations intricate, yet they were no strangers to covert rivalry and fierce competition.
Although the You family's last two generations had been lackluster, their ancestors had left them a solid foundation. Their fields and woodlands still accounted for the majority of the village’s land. While they were not extravagantly wealthy, they lived comfortably with ample food and clothing.
The You family prided themselves as one of the village’s great surnames, setting high standards for marriage.
You Erlang’s father had five siblings, making him the fourth eldest. Though his health was poor, this did not stop the You family from seeking a suitable match for him.
Initially, they had settled on a family of decent means, though the ger was broad-built and plain in appearance. The You family thought this would suit their fourth son well, as he needed someone to manage his household affairs.
The two families had agreed on the arrangement, but before the wedding, the eldest daughter of the Sun family seduced the fourth son of the You family. The two cooked raw rice into cooked rice - engaged in illicit relations before marriage, effectively forcing the You family’s hand.
[生米煮成熟饭 (shēng mǐ zhǔ chéng shú fàn): lit. to cook raw rice into cooked rice; fig. to force a situation to a point of no return]
The You family looked down on the Sun family, who often struggled to make ends meet. Yet the eldest Sun daughter threatened to kill herself at the You family’s doorstep if she were not allowed to marry into their household, creating an ugly scene.
With no other choice, the You family gritted their teeth and brought her in.
Though the eldest Sun daughter got her wish, she cost the You family face in the village and forced them to compensate the originally betrothed family heavily.
The You family loathed this daughter-in-law, and tensions between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law ran high.
However, the eldest Sun daughter had not enjoyed many years of comfort before the fourth son of the You family passed away. The You family, resentful of You Sunshi’s earlier coercion, not only failed to support the widow and her child but instead blamed her for cursing their son to death. When the family property was divided, she received next to nothing.
[尤孙氏 = You (husband's surname) + Sūn (maiden name) + shì (clan marker), Sūn of the You family]
The other uncles and aunts of the You family, having witnessed You Sunshi's actions over the years, treated her coldly, nearly neglecting the mother and children entirely.
You Sunshi endured years of hardship, but she was resourceful. Despite poverty, she managed to educate her son.
Once You Erlang earned the title of xiucai, the You family’s attitude changed dramatically. The uncle who once refused to lend even a candle now sent money to the fourth branch. The third branch, once full of harsh words, bought expensive writing materials. The fifth branch frequently delivered poultry, fish, and meat.
Even the married aunts and their husbands sent lavish gifts.
You Sunshi was shrewd. Though she harbored resentment, she understood the importance of maintaining family ties. She accepted everything without complaint.
To outsiders, the branches of the family appeared closer than ever, as if past quarrels had never happened.
Now that You Erlang had passed the provincial examination, the entire You clan was overjoyed. The different branches pooled money to set off firecrackers, honor their ancestors, and host a grand feast… The fourth branch contributed nothing, yet the other branches treated You Sunshi with newfound respect, consulting her on every matter.
It was no surprise the You family changed their tune so quickly. Not only did a successful exam candidate have the chance to become an official, but the most immediate benefit was tax exemption.
The You family already owned substantial fields and woodlands. Now, with a juren (provincial graduate) in the family, they would no longer need to pay taxes under his protection.
Within a couple of years, the You family was bound to prosper.
“Now you see why, even two days after returning, the You family is still setting off firecrackers and celebrating.”
During breakfast, the crackling of firecrackers echoed outside as Zhao’s mother explained the dynamics between the village’s prominent families to Huo Shu.
Life had been hard for Zhao’s mother in recent years. With her bedridden husband and her son away for corvée labor without news, she worried constantly about food and clothing.
Without a capable man to manage the household, the villagers, who bullied the weak, often took advantage of her.
Because of this, she never spoke of other families’ affairs outside, fearing gossip.
In the past, when her husband was still alive, she could confide in him. But in recent years, she had been alone, with no one to talk to indoors or out.
Huo Shu was a man of few words and not one for idle chatter, so she enjoyed sharing village gossip with him.
Thank you for the update!
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