Yin Rao'er fell silent. Previously, her cousin had hinted that he wanted to be intimate with her, but she, a pure daughter from a good family, couldn't possibly do such a shameless thing before marriage. If word got out, how could she live? But judging by the current situation, it seemed she indeed had to be ruthless with herself.
She silently calculated. Although cousin didn't treat her as well as before now, he hadn't cut off contact entirely. Moreover, he had no heirs yet. Prominent families valued lineage above all. Madam Chen also had hinted to her. She needed to find an opportunity to see her cousin as soon as possible. If she had her cousin's child... then there would be a place for her in the Fang family's large residence. The Fang residence was truly impressive. After visiting once, she found her own family's mud-brick house increasingly unsightly.
Her thoughts were well laid, but she didn't expect the opportunity to come so soon.
Fang Yu had actually come to the village!
Hearing the servant Xuezhu announce Fang Yu's arrival, the entire Yin family rushed out of their house. When they saw the gifts carried by the Fang family servant, their faces lit up with delight. This scene showed no signs of their recent conflict—Fang Yu clearly remained their easy target.
"Nephew, you shouldn't bring so many gifts when you visit. It creates too much distance. If you bring so many things next time, Uncle will be unhappy." Old Man Yin's face crinkled into a smile, he hurriedly signaled Yin mother with his eyes to take the things.
Yin mother needed no urging, having already taken the packages from Xuezhu's hands. "Such fine pork!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "You're too kind, nephew. Please, come inside and sit."
Fang Yu took in the greedy expressions of the Yin family. He smiled and cupped his hands: "Nephew has specially returned to the village to thank Uncle and Aunt for your care over the years."
"What kind of polite talk is this? Your uncle and your father were good brothers back in the day. After he passed, it was only natural to look after you, an orphan, and your widow mother a little."
Fang Yu smiled but said nothing. When Fang Yu's father passed away, the Yin family had looked down on the Fang family. Even when Madam Chen passed by the Yin family's door, the Yin family, afraid she might come to borrow rice or grain, would close their gate and pretend no one was home. It was only after Fang Yu passed the preliminary imperial examination and became a Tongsheng that the Yin family gradually became warmer.
He couldn't be bothered to engage in hypocrisy with these people. To put it bluntly, apart from leaching off the Fang family, the Yin family hadn't even given the Fang family a single cabbage. Last time, when the original owner fell into the river, the Yin family didn't even visit. They were truly of no use to the Fang family whatsoever. After observing the formalities, he went straight to the point: "I presume my cousin has explained things clearly to Uncle and Aunt upon her return. You have been troubled with managing my several mu of farmland these past years. I have come now to take it back, so I can arrange whether to rent it out or farm it myself next year, lest it delay the spring ploughing."
The Yin family's faces fell immediately. They hadn't expected Fang Yu to really come for the land today. Old Man Yin said: "It's no trouble at all, no trouble. We've worked the fields all our lives, we'd feel unaccustomed if we were idle all of a sudden. Nephew, rest assured, we will definitely take good care of your ten mu of land for you. Uncle knows you've moved to the city, where getting vegetables and grain must be less convenient than before in the village. After next year's harvest, Uncle will send you several baskets of vegetables."
Fang Yu chuckled lightly. Did they truly believe a few baskets of vegetables would compensate for the use of his land? The calculation was truly transparent. He had initially suggested renting the land, and had they been honest about paying rent, he might have considered leasing it to the Yin family at a fair price. But since they were insatiably greedy, there was nothing more to say: "How can I trouble Uncle to make the arduous journey? I will hire some farmhands to work the land, it's more convenient to let them handle it."
Yin mother, growing impatient and less composed than Old Man Yin, blurted out directly: "Fang Yu, you're determined to tear down the bridge after crossing the river! Back then, it was agreed that those ten mu of land would count as Rao'er's bride price. Now you're in such a hurry to take it back? What, do you want to go back on your word?"
[过河拆桥 (guò hé chāi qiáo): lit. to tear down the bridge after crossing the river; fig. to abandon or betray those who helped you after achieving your goal.]
Fang Yu knew before coming that a war of words with these unreasonable villagers would be unavoidable. He replied bluntly: "Aunt, words without proof are empty. If you say I gave you these ten mu of land, does that mean I really did? Everything requires evidence. A signed agreement would be best, please produce it for me to see. You say these ten mu are the bride price? Then the bride price for the Yin family's daughter is truly staggering. One mu of good farmland is worth over ten taels of silver. You open your mouth and it's ten mu, a full hundred-plus taels! An ordinary family might not earn that much in a lifetime. I never knew the Yin family's daughter commanded such a bride price. In that case, why should farming families everywhere bother working? Just have more daughters and marry them off. Anyway, our Fang family cannot afford to spend so much silver to take a concubine."
"You!" Yin mother, who considered herself a skilled fighter in village disputes, actually found herself at a disadvantage against Fang Yu, a scholar. She nearly choked on her anger: "Very good! The boy who could barely string two sentences together now speaks with such reason!"
"Cousin, how can you be so cruel? Do you care nothing for our past feelings?" Yin Rao'er rushed out in tears, presenting a pitiable figure: "Do you mean to force our whole family to die?"
"Cousin, please do not accuse me so. How does reclaiming my family's land equate to forcing your family to die? By that reasoning, your family's refusal to return what is rightfully mine would be my own death sentence." Fang Yu said: "I can't be bothered to argue further. I have many matters to attend to. I came in person today to inform you all. After the New Year, I will send people to plough the land. If there are any fruits or vegetables left in the fields then, I won't be leaving them for Uncle and Aunt. There's still quite some time until the New Year, I believe it's fully sufficient to handle the land matters properly."
"But if the Yin family insists on being stubborn and we cannot part on good terms, then we'll see each other in court. Anyway, it's been some time since I last drafted a petition—this will serve as good practice."
Fang Yu placed his hands behind his back: "I take my leave now. Uncle, Aunt, there's no need to see me out."
The Yin family was furious, but had no way to deal with Fang Yu. They chased after him, shouting: "Don't even think about marrying our Rao'er in the future!"
Fang Yu didn't even turn his head, just waved his hand behind his back: "Then I wish cousin sister finds a new easy target soon~"
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