Chapter 66: Division of Estate Before the Spirit

Judging by this scene, anyone could tell something had happened.

The servants dared not ask more or look further, retreating step by step.

The sky was still early, and few visitors had come to pay respects; seeing the family seemed to have urgent business, they all quietly withdrew.

Tao Ji and Master Xuanmiao exchanged a glance, then with tacit understanding led the other monks and Taoists out along with their own children.

The vast ancestral hall instantly held only the Sun family, Old Man Qian and his men, as well as Wang Feiyin, Pan Yun, and Huiyuan.

The village head, also uneasy, seeing Old Man Qian's grim face and silence, couldn't help asking, "Old Man Qian, what is this?"

Old Man Qian bowed slightly to him, then turned his gaze toward the door.

Everyone followed his gaze.

Soon after, a middle-aged man carrying a ruler hurried in, "Father."

Old Man Qian saw the ruler he brought and turned pale, "I told you to bring the family punishment stick—did you bring this? When you misbehaved, did I ever strike you with a ruler? Where's the staff? Go get it!"

The middle-aged man muttered, "Father, this is my aunt's home, not ours."

Who knew? After hearing of his aunt's death, he rushed back overnight, hadn't even slept when he received his father's letter ordering him to bring the big cane used to discipline children—clearly trouble was coming. Qian Dahong wasn't stupid; now that his aunt was gone, their family's ties to his cousins had grown distant.

Old Man Qian snorted at him, then turned to Pan Yun.

Pan Yun's fingers twitched slightly, and the spirit of Old Man Sun, forcibly bound to her body, instantly broke free and floated out.

Seeing Old Man Sun's spirit emerge, Pan Yun gave Old Man Qian a slight nod, her gaze sweeping over the spirit-sealing talismans, then swiftly drawing a Tianmu Talisman beside her; with a flick of her finger, the talisman shot toward Old Man Qian.

Qian Dahong felt a flash of white light before his eyes, as if merging with his father's image—but when he looked closely, it was gone.

Just as he wondered, his father suddenly straightened up, his aura completely transformed.

Old Man Qian saw Old Man Sun's spirit, his confidence surging; he tossed the ruler back to his son and strode toward the talismans hanging and pasted on the wall.

A single glance revealed several talismans with holes torn through them.

He yanked them down, grabbed several, then turned and demanded sharply, "Da Chang, tell everyone—what kind of talismans are these?"

Sun Da Chang's face turned ashen the moment Old Man Qian tore down the talismans; when questioned, his expression darkened further. He avoided Old Man Qian's gaze, "Uncle, what are you doing? Let's talk calmly."

"I am talking calmly now," Old Man Qian said coldly. "If I weren't talking calmly, I wouldn't be standing in this ancestral hall—I'd be in the magistrate's court!"

Sun Da Chang's heart jolted; the other Sun family members also paled. Some shared his guilt, others gleefully watched.

Old Man Qian scanned them; aside from Sun Wuyi, who seemed normal, the rest of his nephews' eyes betrayed barely concealed greed—just as his sister's husband had said: all unfilial sons.

Old Man Qian's chest tightened with a dull ache, a sense of helplessness rising. He trembled as he pointed at the two gleeful ones, "What are you two rejoicing about? If you didn't do this, it has nothing to do with you, right? Unfilial brats! Unfilial brats! The man lying there is your father—your own father! He's been sealed by these yellow talismans, and yet you feel nothing but joy?!"

You two ungrateful sons are even worse than these two who knew!"

He glanced again at Sun Da Chang and stamped his foot in rage, "Just as vile!"

Seeing Old Man Qian's face flushed crimson with fury, everyone was stunned and terrified. Qian Dahong rushed forward to support him, "Father, calm down..."

The village head and elders were jolted, urgently asking, "Old Man Qian, what do you mean? What kind of yellow talisman is this?"

Old Man Qian's gaze turned icy as he fixed it on Sun Da Chang.

Sun Da Chang fell to his knees with a thud, crying out, "Uncle—"

Old Man Qian crumpled the yellow talismans in his hand and hurled them at Sun Da Chang's face, voice thick with cold fury: "Divide the estate! Today, with the village head and elders present, the Sun family shall divide the inheritance before my sister's husband's spirit! Da Chang, I am your blood uncle—I will preside over the division. You have no objection, do you?"

"I..." Sun Da Chang glanced at the village head and others.

Seeing their wary, suspicious expressions, their eyes darting to the coffin behind him, he realized that if he refused, Old Man Qian would surely expose the spirit-sealing talismans.

Once the spirit-sealing talismans became known, speculation would explode.

The first thought would be suspicion over his father's death.

Though his father's death wasn't his fault, there was no proof either.

His younger brothers were untrustworthy—if they falsely accused him of killing their father, and he had no evidence to prove otherwise, the presence of the spirit-sealing talismans might make them believe he was an unfilial son who murdered his father.

This—this—this was a capital crime!

Though Sun Da Chang didn't believe his uncle would truly do this, his uncle was now so furious he dared not provoke him.

He knew well: his uncle had a far fiercer temper than his father, and when enraged, he didn't care about anything.

Sun Da Chang bowed his head, gritted his teeth, and agreed, "Dividing the estate always requires an uncle as witness—no problem." Old Man Qian immediately turned to the other four nephews, coldly asking, "And you?"

All four were delighted, nodding quickly, "We agree."

That day, they hadn't finished arguing when their father choked and died, so no division had taken place.

Though the share Father intended to give them that day was small, it was still better than having everything now clutched by Brother Da.

These past two days, they'd been terrified, fearing news of how they'd driven Father to his death would spread, and hadn't had time to think clearly.

But now they realized: Father was gone, Mother was helpless, and any future division would depend entirely on Brother Da's mercy—how much would he give them?

Better to divide now while Uncle is here—perhaps Uncle will be fairer than Father?

Still... they glanced nervously at the crumpled yellow talismans on the floor, hoping Uncle wouldn't expose this—if he did... they couldn't stay here.

Seeing they all agreed, Old Man Qian forced himself to calm slightly, his voice icy: "Dahong, go get your aunt, and your two cousins—have them come listen too."

Sun Da Chang said, "Uncle, my sisters are married—they received dowries when they wed. The family estate doesn't belong to them; why summon them?"

Old Man Qian's gaze locked onto him. "When you married, you didn't just receive bride-price—after marriage, your father also gave you portions of private property to manage. So now, after dividing those, you plan to renounce all other family assets?"

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Sun Da Chang muttered, "We're different from them—they're married daughters..."

Old Man Qian kicked him, "Shut up. Your two sisters don't care about your share of land and shops—they're just your father's way of leaving them something to remember him by. He won't touch your Tian Zhai or shops!"

Sun Da Chang lowered his head, silent.

Old Man Qian turned to the village head and elders. "What do you think, Village Head and elders?"

The village head said, "It's only right. Though married daughters received dowries, if the elder left a will, their final wishes must be honored."

The elders nodded. "Yes, we're old. At the end of life, a small wish—let it be fulfilled."

Giving daughters something as a keepsake—everyone understands.

Old Madam Sun was helped out by her two daughters.

Pan Yun couldn't help looking up; she saw Old Madam Sun's face pale and her steps unsteady — clearly drained of qi and blood, looking as though she had suffered a terrible blow.

Master Qian had someone bring a chair for his elder sister to sit, and only after everyone had arrived did he begin: "When a tree grows tall its branches divide; when a household grows large it splits — this is the way of nature. Originally, with my brother-in-law gone, this is not the moment to divide the family, but what my brother-in-law could least set his mind at ease about while alive was precisely this matter.

Today I shall play the villain. Before my brother-in-law's spirit tablet I will divide the household. If the division is unfair, then if my brother-in-law bears a grudge when he returns, he may come to me — it has nothing to do with any of you!"

The village headman hurriedly said: "Master Qian is overthinking. Within Yushan County, who doesn't know the relationship between you brothers-in-law is as close as can be? And you are fair by nature. For the Sun family's division of property, no one could preside over it better than you."

Everyone echoed in agreement, "Yes, yes."

Who didn't know the Qian and Sun families were so close they could share a pair of trousers?

In the village yesterday, they heard that before Master Sun died he kept calling his younger brother-in-law's name, and even sent two groups of servants to the county to fetch Master Qian.

But before the man arrived, Master Sun had already passed on a step ahead.

Master Qian's gaze swept over his several nephews, and with a cold face he said: "Since no one has any objections, then I shall divide.

This division of the family is not something I can split however I please. First, I am following my brother-in-law's wishes; second, I am dividing according to the Great Ming Code!"

Master Qian said: "Of all the fields and shops, first set aside one portion as clan land — this portion is not to be divided, and is to be used solely for the Sun clan's sacrifices and for aiding the poor and comforting the weak. Village elders, you all have the records of this portion, don't you?"

The so-called village elders, in Sun Family Village, were all surnamed Sun — elderly men of advanced years and a certain moral standing.

They not only knew a great deal, but also carried a certain prestige.

The Sun clan's former head was Master Sun; now it is Sun Da Chang. Master Qian does not entirely trust this eldest nephew at present, so he addressed the village elders directly.

The village elders immediately nodded. "We know. The clan keeps accounts. Last year the head added another twenty mu to the clan lands. Every year, besides sending seasonal gifts to the village elders over fifty-five, the income goes to those few widowed and orphaned households — about one hundred catties of grain a year."

Master Qian nodded. "The clan lands stay untouched, to be managed jointly by the eldest branch and the clan. There is another portion — the two hundred mu downstream — to be used for the expenses of the charity school. The title deed for this portion of land has already been drawn up separately; it was my brother-in-law's wish while he was alive. Da Chang, you have no objections, do you?"

Sun Da Chang's mouth moved, but he said nothing. Behind him, Sun Er muttered: "Uncle, those two hundred mu are all top-grade fields. For the charity school's land, you could perfectly well pick somewhere else."

Master Qian glanced at him and said: "Even if this portion of land were not given to the charity school, it still wouldn't fall into your hands."

Sun Er thought about it and realized it was true — he still had his elder brother above him. Such a fat piece of land, he certainly couldn't snatch it away. So he obediently knelt properly and changed his tune: "Then I'll listen to Uncle."

Sun Da Chang: ……

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(End of chapter)