"The living are passers-by, and the dead are returnees. Heaven and earth are a reverse journey, and they are sad for eternity. ”

The life of the eldest lord is between heaven and earth, living in peace and comfort, in the family to glorify the ancestral industry, in the country with small and weak to win the best of his ability to be loyal. does not yield and power, does not flatter and foreign, and uses his iron bones, family and country feelings to interpret an ordinary and extraordinary life.

The funeral of the eldest lord caused a sensation in the city of a hundred miles and a thousand villages. At the funeral, the eulogy of the county magistrate Hao gave the highest conclusion on the coffin: "A rural village man, who has no talent to learn to be rich and five cars, and has no ambition to prosper the country and build a country, only for the plague he did not hesitate to use his own money to sprinkle lime for the whole village, and did not hesitate to take risks to burn the rotten dead in order to control the epidemic. We are proud to have such a folk soul, and sincerely praise him for his ordinary and simple life. ”

Although everyone is very sad about the departure of the eldest master, the myths and legends of his departure make people have more blessings for him.

The Ren family compound was grabbing the crops in the field in grief, and everyone's mood was particularly heavy. At the end of the autumn harvest, there was a private discussion about the separation of the family. The wind was blowing from the backyard.

After the full hall was finished, he came back and sucked his father's long cigarette pouch rod dullly, the bubbles on the corners of his mouth had suppurated, and the tea on the table of the Eight Immortals was poured, and he didn't drink a sip, and his chest was so tight that he couldn't breathe these days.

Ren Fu knew that he had something on his mind, and when he saw his emaciated appearance, he said distressedly: "It's still early after dark, you go out for a walk." Why don't you go to the eldest brother's house and sit down. ”

Ren Fu's words reminded him, and the full hall nodded at her and said, "You're right." I'll go sit in my brother's house. ”

The eldest brother Chuntang is tall and thin, he is a very honest and honest person, he usually doesn't say a word, and only cares about doing his own work. When the eldest lord was alive, he rarely let him do things, and he did several things that made the eldest lord very dissatisfied, so he did not teach him to do things in the future, and only cared about letting him do some farm work.

The family style of the Ren family adheres to family harmony, diligence and thrift, honesty and trustworthiness, and strict self-tolerance. The eldest lord treats his children even more strictly. Chuntang, Mantang, and Qingtang have not dared to have any abruptness under the words and deeds of the eldest master since they were children.

Mantang came to the eldest brother's room, and the sister-in-law hurriedly handed over the tea and said, "You two are talking, there is still work to be done in my yard." ”

Mantang smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, you are busy with you." I don't have anything to do, I just talk to my eldest brother. ”

When Chuntang saw the second brother coming, he looked up, and then smoked by himself, and didn't say hello.

Mantang said: "Big brother, Dianwen, Dianwu will pick them up in a few days of vacation." ”

Chuntang: "Hmm", and then stopped talking.

Man Tang then said: "Big brother, I brought my father's sheepskin whip, so let's keep it for Dianwu." Dianwu, this kid likes this. ”

Chun Tang took a puff of cigarette and said slowly: "A little child, what can you like, don't spoil things." You'd better keep it. Dianfu is three years old, and it's time to go to a private school. The baby's learning should also be grasped, the baby is smart, and he will be able to produce a personal appearance in the future. That's it, it's all up to the children to glorify their ancestors. After speaking, he glanced at Mantang, and glanced at Mantang's sheepskin whip on the table with his spare eyes. His reverence for his father came from the heart and he was proud to have such a father.

This is the most important thing that the hall has heard the eldest brother say, and it is also the most complete sentence. Mantang poured a cup of rice tea for the eldest brother and said, "It's good to drink some rice tea at night." Big brother, I want to call the third brother, do you think it's okay? ”

Chuntang knew Mantang's intention, and he nodded to Mantang. He continued to smoke his cigarette.

Mantang asked his subordinates to find the third brother, and then the sister-in-law came into the house and brought a plate of puff pastry and said: "The puff pastry brought by her second aunt, you two taste it, it was brought by her eldest brother from Changchun." ”

Mantang took a piece and handed it to the eldest brother, Chuntang took it and took a bite of the puff pastry and said, "Our father loves to eat this." ”

Both brothers were silent. Qingtang came in and shouted, "Big brother, second brother, you are all here." He sat down.

Mantang handed Qingtang a piece of puff pastry, Qingtang took a bite and said: "This is Changchun Xu Ji's puff pastry, the second sister-in-law brought it, our father loves to eat this bite the most." ”

Mantang smiled bitterly and said, "Big brother just finished saying that our father loves to eat this." In the future, I will buy Xu Ji's. ”

With tears in his eyes, the brother was silent for a long time. It's still Mantang who opened his mouth first.

"Big brother, third brother, what do you think about the backyard clamoring for a family separation. Any plans? ”

Qingtang said helplessly: "Dividing the family is actually to divide our brother into three parts." The eldest brother's family is a family of 4, the second brother, your family plus the baby who has not yet been born is also a family of 4, my daughter-in-law will give birth next month, and my family is a family of three. There were eleven of us. The second uncle's family is left with your cousin's family, and their family went to Nanjing with his uncle, and it is said that he has a son and a daughter, and now he doesn't know anything about it. ”

Mantang took a long breath and said, "Hey, when my father was alive, my father took me to the school to find him, and there was news of him at the beginning, but after a few trips, there was no news." Now he can only contact us, and we can't contact him. ”

"The fourth aunt that the third uncle is looking for will be here tomorrow." Chuntang suddenly burst out with a sentence.

"Do we want a winery or an oil mill? Who is the shop for? The yards are all taken care of by the second brother, do we want the yards? How to divide the newly built four-gate mansion? Should we call Steward Liu to ask about the family's situation? Qingtang said it in one go.

"Listen to the third uncle, don't participate, don't come nonsense." Chuntang's voice was quiet with determination.

"Are we still divided? I don't know anything. Qingtang said.

"No distinction. Full house. "Chuntang's speech is always so concise that it can't be concise.

Mantang has been listening to the conversation between the eldest brother and the third brother, and he didn't interject a word, and when he heard the eldest brother say that he would be in charge, he hurriedly said: "It's still the eldest brother in charge." I'm in the back to help out. ”

Chuntang finally glanced at Mantang and said loudly: "You are in charge." After saying that, he went into the east room and hung the two brothers in the atrium.

Qingtang persuaded Mantang and said: "Second brother, if the eldest brother asks you to be in charge, you will be." When Dad is here, you and Dad don't do everything together. Now you make us do things, and no one can do it. Our family depends on you. Second brother. ”

Mantang lowered his head, burst into tears, and said in a choked voice: "It would be nice if Dad hadn't left." ”

As the saying goes, "it is difficult for a clean official to decide family affairs", not to mention the separation of large families, there will always be such and such family trivialities, trivial things, which are inexplicable and unreasonable.

Since the death of the eldest brother, the third master has automatically assumed the role of the big boss, and the role of the patriarch has naturally taken over. His father's evaluation of him was: "Cowardly and greedy, there is never enough." ”

After the death of the second master, the eldest master gave Guitang more money for him to learn and support his family, and the third master dared to be angry and did not dare to speak, and later Guitang went to Nanjing to cut off contact with his family, and the third master muttered behind his cold words: "Sprinkle a lot of money and raise a white-eyed wolf." ”

The fourth aunt and some distant relatives of the seven aunts and eight aunts who usually don't come and go often were picked up early by the third elder Desheng, and Yin Ge Lao, who had prestige in the village and usually walked closer, was also invited to the seat.

The second master's family can't be contacted, the third master's house is ruled by the third master, and others are not allowed to enter the room to discuss, the eldest master's family has three brothers, Chuntang, Mantang, and Guitang, and the eldest master's only daughter Xiyan has already been married and can't enter the room.

A long bar table is placed on the west side of the middle hall of the third master, and some pen and ink are placed on the table. I don't care about family affairs, and I focus on taking care of my children.

Today, the fourth aunt and the elder Yin Ge sat on the front of the long table, and the others sat on both sides according to their seniority. The third master took out the "Score Sheet" prepared by himself in advance and asked Steward Liu to read it out to everyone.

After Steward Liu got the "Score Sheet", he couldn't help but sneak a glance at Mantang, and then quickly fled his eyes.

Man Tang clearly saw that Steward Liu's hands were trembling. He remained silent and quietly waited for Steward Liu to read it.

Steward Liu's voice was also a little trembling, much different than before, and he felt that something was going to happen.

The third master saw that Steward Liu was slow to read, so he urged again. Steward Liu lowered his head and began to read out: "Discrete order." Today, there are three sons of Ren Desheng and his eldest brother Ren Debao: the eldest son - Ren Chuntang, the second son - Ren Mantang, the third son - Ren Qingtang, and the second brother's only son Ren Guitang (because I am in Tianjin, I can't come, and all the things that are separated are entrusted to Ren Desheng with full authority. Signed the distribution of family property.

Pre-family rules: All family assets are distributed according to the number of people, regardless of gender. The excluded people are: "Daughters who leave the cabinet, unborn people, and people who have gone out after their steps." ”

The total population of the long house is nine; The total population of the second room is four; The third room has two sons and six daughters, except for the eldest daughter and the second daughter, the total population of the rest is 22. The total population on the list was thirty-five.

Relying on the virtue of the ancestors, the descendants are ashamed of the assets: 288 acres of fertile land, an oil mill and a winery, a shop with a commercial courtyard, 18 horses, 6 horses, 8 cows, 2 young cows, 16 pigs in a large circle, and 38 large and small sheep. The inventory of wineries, oil mills, and shops was converted into silver taels and the silver taels owed by the outside, as well as the family's savings, were divided equally according to the number of people. There is also an old house and a new house that has not yet been completed. The furniture of each house is furnished, and the courtyard raises chickens, ducks, geese, dogs, and small livestock.

Because Ren Guitang's family now lives in Tianjin and cannot return to their hometown to take care of their ancestral business, they will be entrusted by their third uncle Ren Desheng and returned to Ren Guitang in the future.

According to the above statistics, the distribution is as follows: Dafang Yimai and three sons inherit the ancestral industry directory "Liangtian inherits 50 acres in the south of the village and 15 and a half acres in the west of the village; One shop with a commercial courtyard, four horses and each pregnant with a foal, two cows and one with a cowboy, four pigs, one next month, 10 sheep, of which 6 ewes have two pregnant cubs. The old house is a legacy of the ancestors, and the long house should be inherited. The deposits, payments, and foreign debts are to be counted by Steward Liu, and they are divided according to nine-thirds of the total amount. ”

Mantang heard that it was really unbearable, he first suppressed the dissatisfaction in his heart and then asked calmly: "Third uncle, Qingtang's daughter-in-law and my daughter-in-law are both pregnant with babies, even if there is one child and one baby, the number of our group should be eleven." How could it be nine? ”

Desheng looked at Mantang, said with a gloomy face, "Your eldest brother hasn't spoken yet." Besides, if you are pregnant, you can give birth to a baby, and if you give birth to a baby, you can't take it, how can you count it? Isn't my fourth brother and daughter-in-law also pregnant? I didn't count the number of people. ”

Standing up and saying to the third master: "Third uncle, whether my fourth brother-in-law is pregnant or not, Mr. Sun himself said that he is indeed inaccurate, he just suspects, isn't my fourth brother going to take his daughter-in-law to Changchun for examination?" If he is really pregnant, his child is also counted. We can't let our children be born without food. ”

When Desheng heard this, he immediately became furious, and shook the tea bowl on the table with a snap. "What kind of bastard is this, the ancestor's Wanguan family wealth will be without your unborn baby to eat? You weren't even born when I contributed to this family! A man with real backbone never earns family property, but has the ability to earn it himself. ”

Chuntang tugged at the placket of the full hall and pulled him to sit down. Qingtang's face was also very ugly, and he muttered in a low voice: "When our father was alive, what was not my father's head, what did he do, didn't he have a number in his heart?" What is the situation with your cousin, there is no letter to him, why did he return his family of four to him? My daughter-in-law will give birth next month, so why doesn't my baby count. ”

Chuntang glanced at Qingtang and said in a small voice, "Shut up." His voice was so small that he probably couldn't hear it when it came out.

The third master stood up, took back the "discrete order" from Steward Liu's hand, picked up the two copies on his desktop, handed them to the fourth aunt and the elder Yin Ge, and said, "Please take a look at what's wrong." ”

The fourth aunt shirked and said: "I'm just a witness, how to distribute it is still up to you to discuss, everyone agrees, I will testify again." ”

Elder Yin Ge took it and just glanced at it, and said meaningfully: "You can't be distracted by splitting up. Money is something outside the body, and people's hearts are left to those who come after them to comment. ”

The meaning of the two old men is obvious, they both feel unfair, but it is difficult for a clean official to cut off family affairs, let alone outsiders.

The third master also felt that he had done a little too much, and in order to round his embarrassment, he said: "The long-term work of the whole family will have to rely on me to support them in the future." Let's just say that the annual maintenance of the bridge on the west side also costs a lot of silver, can I care if you want it? ”

Chuntang stood up and came to the third uncle's side, poured a cup of tea for each elder, and said timidly: "I'll compensate the third uncle for my second brother." I also feel that the elders are worried about our affairs. ”

Chuntang looked at Mantang and Qingtang again, and then said, "Just do what the third uncle said." I sign. ”

Mantang and Qingtang knew that they couldn't refute the eldest brother's face, so they no longer refuted, and said in unison: "All the eldest brother is in charge." ”

Just as everyone was signing and drawing, Xiao Cui ran over and said in a panic: "Hurry, hurry, no, go to the front yard ......"

Know what's going on, and listen to the next breakdown.