Chapter 593: Imperial Examination Family-Building System (2)

Wang Shi favored her eldest son the most, not only because he looked like her, but also because her eldest daughter-in-law was her own niece from her maiden family.

The second son simply looked like her, with a flat nose and a face that was narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. The third son, however, completely inherited his father's handsome and upright appearance.

When her husband was still alive, Wang Shi did not dare to be too partial.

Now that her husband was dead and the family had not yet divided, the house deeds, land deeds, and money were all firmly held in her hands, and she had the final say in all matters, big or small; naturally, Wang Shi's partial heart leaned toward the eldest and second families.

The Song family had originally built three main rooms, but later, as the family grew, they successively built two side rooms, and then added an ear room to each side of the main rooms. The woodshed and the latrine were built in the corner of the backyard.

After Song Minghua passed away, Wang Shi redistributed the family's living quarters:

The center of the main rooms was the hall, which was also the place where the whole family gathered to eat; the east room was Wang Shi's bedroom, and the west room was given to the eldest son and his wife as their bedroom.

Among the grandchildren, Song Jinfang and Song Jinmei had already married, so naturally, there were no rooms left for them in the house.

The eldest grandson, Song Shuyuan, whom she loved the most, had also taken a wife and had a child, so Wang Shi allocated the west side room, which was warm in winter and cool in summer, to his family of three.

The three granddaughters, Song Jinyun, Song Jinlan, and Song Jinzhu, were not yet of marriageable age and were similar in age, so they lived together in the east ear room.

The east side room was given to the second son and his wife to live in with their young son, Song Jiabao. When Song Jiabao grew up, this side room would serve as his wedding room, and the second son and his wife would then move to the east ear room after the three granddaughters were married off.

The remaining west ear room was allocated to the third son's family.

As for how a family of four could live in one ear room? The old lady did not care.

If one were to speak of earlier years, she would not have divided it this way.

In earlier years, the third son was heroic and strong, a well-known hunter in Qinghe Village; unfortunately, he encountered a fierce tiger while up in the mountains two years ago, and although he escaped the tiger's mouth, he injured his waist and had been bedridden for years, becoming a burden to the family.

Another person who only ate without producing was the third son's family's scholar, Song Yanqing.

When her husband was alive, Wang Shi could not say much; after all, if the family produced a scholar, it would not only bring honor to the ancestors but also reduce taxes—with such tangible benefits dangling before her eyes, she was barely willing to pay the tuition fees every year, even if it pained her.

But who told this grandson to have such bad luck? He slipped and broke his leg on a rainy day; not only did it cost money to have a doctor make a trip, but the medical fees for the treatment were actually several dozen silver, which was practically robbery! That unscrupulous doctor even said he was only responsible for setting the broken leg and did not guarantee it would recover as it was before the injury.

Wang Shi's face changed instantly, and she was determined not to pay.

If it could be guaranteed to recover, and he could go on to pass the scholar exam, the saved taxes could offset the medical expenses spent.

But since it could not be guaranteed, it meant that even if she spent several dozen silver to treat his leg, he might still end up with a limp when he could walk in the future.

A cripple meant he would have no chance with the imperial examinations!

Then why bother treating it at all!

Couldn't she buy a few plots of land with those several dozen silver and rent them out to earn rent?

Because of this, Wang Shi found the third son's family quite an eyesore.

The third son was bedridden year-round; Lin Shi's maiden family had long since fallen into decline, let alone relying on them for support—it was good enough that they didn't need support from her; and the grandson she had counted on to earn a degree had fallen unconscious and broken his leg.

As for the nine-year-old granddaughter Song Jinzhi... Wang Shi didn't even spare her a glance; she had no shortage of money-losing granddaughters.

Thus, seeing that the third son's family could no longer bring benefits to the Song family and would only become a burden, Wang Shi decisively divided the youngest son's family out.

While it was called dividing the family, it was actually no better than being kicked out with nothing—

Aside from the ear room they were currently living in and one mu of poor land at the foot of the mountain, they were only given a few bundles of worthless firewood and a broken clay pot.

How was a family of four supposed to live on this little bit?

Even the current village head, who came to preside over the division, could not bear to watch.

But what did Wang Shi say?

"The family doesn't have much income all year round. The third son is like a piece of trash, bedridden year-round, and the little one broke his leg—doesn't it cost money to hire a doctor for them? As for grain, the autumn harvest is coming soon; the output from the land divided to them belongs to the third son's family—is that still not enough?"

The village head could not bear it: "The mountain land lacks fertility; how can the output of that one mu of poor land be enough for four people to eat for a year? The summer harvest has just passed, and there is still quite some time until the autumn harvest, Minghua's wife..."

Wang Shi's face hardened: "No! No matter how much you say, there is no grain! The family is already unable to make ends meet!"

In the end, it was the village head who could not bear to see Song Zhisheng's family suffer and had his youngest son secretly send over a few catties of millet.

【Host, while it is unfair for the Song family to divide the family this way, it is actually a good thing for you! No matter how much dowry you give, it won't fall into the hands of that old hag, and you won't have to look at that old hag's face after you marry over. Moreover, if you spend silver to hire a doctor and put in the effort to heal Song Yanqing's leg, your mother-in-law will surely be grateful to you, and from now on, you will have the final say in this family...】

"......"

Xie Yang felt her brain throbbing with every word.

"Wait! I really can't stand this sticky sweat all over me. System, help me keep an eye on the surroundings. I'm going down to the river to take a bath; warn me if anyone approaches."

The satin dress, which was tight like a bodysuit, was extremely uncomfortable when stuck to her body after sweating. Seeing that the passing river was clear to the bottom, she tested the water temperature and didn't feel cold after being baked by the June sun for half a day. Xie Yang couldn't help it and jumped straight into the river for a soak.

She took the opportunity to redeem a Physical Fitness Potion and drank it.

The points from the previous plane were quite considerable, even after filling the empty Aircraft Cargo Hold before leaving, which caused the Jump Administration to deduct a full fifty thousand points, she still had a surplus of thirty thousand.

If she didn't take a Physical Fitness Potion to improve her physique in this bloated body, she was truly worried about suffering a sudden death at any moment.

She hadn't taken it earlier because she was on the road; what would she have done if she had excreted a layer of pitch-black filth?

Now, at least she was in the river...

It was just a pity for the little Fish and Shrimp in the river.

Xie Yang said "Amen" in her heart, then held her breath and began to scrub with a bath towel in her left hand and a bath stick in her right.

In the clear river water, circles of pitch-black oily residue quickly rippled out with her as the center.

Fortunately, this river was frequently visited by villagers, so there were almost no Fish or Shrimp to be seen, and if there were, they were just tiny fry.

As soon as they touched this rippling oily sewage, the little Fish and Shrimp cleverly darted far away—it was too smelly! Run, run! They almost went belly-up!

Xie Yang took the Physical Fitness Potion and expelled the toxins from her body; only then did she feel like she had come back to life.

She scrubbed off the sticky grease from her body and used a fruit-scented shampoo made with Spirit Spring Water to wash her thick, black hair over and over again.

By the time her body and hair were thoroughly clean, the satin dress she had scrubbed and hung on a tree branch by the river before entering the water had also dried.

Although there was plenty of clothing stockpiled in the Aircraft Cargo Hold—besides modern attire and Manchu-style dresses, there were also many exquisitely embroidered Hanfu, some of which were light, breathable, and comfortable fabrics—this body couldn't wear them!

She could only make do and put on the original one.

But after putting it on, why did it feel much looser than before the bath?

Could it be that detoxing can also help with weight loss?