Starting from a thatched cottage, the farmer embarked on the road to wealth through imperial examina

When the village head saw that no one in the Ye family raised any objection, he picked up his pen and began to draft the document.

It took about an incense stick of time to draft the document, and then he began to speak.

"This document has been drafted according to your wishes. It should have been circulated to your family and the elders present one by one, but there are so many people. In order to save time, I will read this document to everyone.

"it is good!"

Before the old lady and the people from the first and second houses could object, the women guarding the door cheered.

The old lady and others were now a little embarrassed, but thinking that after the division, everyone would know the specific details sooner or later, they stopped objecting.

The head of the village quickly finished reading the document, and the women guarding the door began to talk.

"With so much land, each family gets five acres?"

"That's right. In such a big house, they didn't get a room, but they got a few thatched houses on the farm."

“This is too extreme.”

"you do not say!"

"It's true. If someone didn't come out of your belly, you won't consider them as family!"

"what? What?"

Some young wives, when they heard an old woman say that the baby was not from her belly, immediately started gossiping.

"You don't know yet?"

The young wives all shook their heads, and the old woman spoke in a low voice with a gossipy look on her face.

"Xiaozheng, Xiaowen and Xiaowu were not born from the same mother. Xiaozheng was born to your uncle Quan Gui and his concubine Qin. It is said that Qin was tortured by Guo when she was pregnant, which is why she died during childbirth. Xiaozheng also developed a disease because of this, and has been weak since childhood."

When the young wives heard this explosive gossip, they were all shocked for a moment, and the raging fire of gossip was about to spread across the prairie.

The wives and mothers outside the door were immersed in gossip, the elders in the hall shook their heads after hearing the contents of the document, and the people of the Ye family remained silent.

Ye Changyan carefully observed the reactions of the people at the scene and smiled secretly in his heart. In such a situation, he must imprint the image of his own weakness in the minds of the onlookers. Most people in the world sympathize with the weak, and this can be regarded as a minefield in advance for possible changes in the future.

The village head looked at the Ye family members inquiringly.

"Do you have any objections to this document?"

No one in the Ye family said anything. Although the wives and mothers at the door were somewhat indignant, they saw that the elders of the village were still sitting inside, so no one said anything. The elders present all shook their heads dejectedly.

"Since everyone has no objection, I will make two more copies."

After saying this, the headman spread out the paper, picked up the pen and started copying. Since it was just copying, he finished it very quickly.

"This document is in triplicate. The old lady and the first and second wives will hold one copy together, the third wife will hold one copy alone, and the remaining copy will be kept by me."

As he spoke, the headman spread out the three documents and then continued speaking to the old lady.

"Aunt, since you can't write, just put your handprint on this document."

Under the guidance of the village head, the old lady stamped her handprints on the signature sections of the three documents.

"I know that you three brothers can write your own names to some extent, so please sign your names on this document."

The eldest and the second oldest suppressed their excitement and quickly signed their names.

The third son, Ye Xiaozheng, was looking at his son with a hesitant look on his face. When he saw Ye Changyan nodded at him firmly, he signed his name on the document.

Afterwards, the village head and the elders signed their names in the witness section. After the ink dried, they handed the document to the old lady and the third son of the Ye family, and they carefully kept the remaining copy.

Everyone was about to say goodbye and leave, but the eldest and second sons of the Ye family hurriedly invited them to stay for dinner.

According to the rules, when you invite someone to your home to settle a matter, you usually need to keep them for dinner, but right now the head of the village and the elders are unwilling to stay, so the eldest and second sons of the Ye family can only see them off awkwardly.

Soon, the news of the Ye family's division spread throughout the village at lightning speed.

"Have you heard that Mr. Ye was kicked out by the old lady?"

"I heard that Ye Lao San was born to a concubine?"

"No wonder, he's not a biological child. The old man is gone, so he kicked him out."

"I heard that we have to give gifts to the old lady during the four festivals!"

"She still has the nerve to accept tribute!"

"I feel sorry for your sister-in-law. She married a sickly husband and has three half-grown children to take care of."

"That's right. Sanlang and Wulang have been studying since they were young and have never done farm work."

"Erniu knows some housework, but she has never done farm work before."

"He and his sister-in-law have such a hard life. She is the only laborer in the family. How can these five acres of land support the whole family?"

……

The third branch of the Ye family was busy moving and had no time to pay attention to these gossips.

Ye Changyan had imagined that the conditions in the manor were not good, but he had never expected that the conditions in the manor were so bad.

Looking at this almost bare thatched house, Ye Changyan was a little shocked for a moment, and the other people in the family were a little dejected.

"Mom, help Dad to the east room to rest for a while, then make the bed and put away all the valuables. My sister-in-law and I will cook."

Lian thought that although her daughter had no talent for cooking, she could still cook to some extent, so she supported her tired husband and walked towards the east room.

There are a total of five thatched houses on the farm. There is a main room on the north side, with two rooms on each of the east and west sides. The east room is supported by trees and covered with some thatch, forming a kitchen with a roof but no walls. Next to the west room is a small shed made of thatch, which is the toilet. The original bamboo fence on the south side is already in tatters, but it just happens to form a small courtyard together with several rooms.

There is also a small vegetable patch in the yard. Cabbage and radishes are planted on one ridge, garlic sprouts and onions are planted on another ridge, and the remaining ridges are empty.

After waking up, Ye Changyan ate two meals in the old house. The food was so unpalatable that it was hard to describe. The key point was that the food was cooked by the cook specially hired by the old house. He never wanted to eat such unpalatable meals again, so Ye Changyan decided to cook it himself and asked his younger brother and sister-in-law to do it.

"Little brother, go pick some cabbage and radish and bring them back. Little sister, you light the fire and I'll cook."

The brother and sister were shocked when they heard this. The brother had been studying since he was young and had never done any housework at home. They both couldn't believe it, but still did it.

The brother and sister were completely shocked when they saw Ye Changyan washing rice, cooking, washing vegetables, cutting vegetables and frying. When did their brother learn all these?

Ye Changyan had some knowledge about food in his previous life. He didn't get anything from the old house after moving, and his family didn't have time to buy the things needed for the kitchen. Ye Changyan could only make do with what he had.

"Wulang, go and ask mom and dad to come out for dinner. Erniu, help set the table."

"OK."

The brother and sister agreed and started to act.

When the whole family gathered around the table, they saw that although there were simple radishes and vegetables on the table, they were fragrant and looked very appetizing, and they looked delicious.

"Did you do this, Erniu?"