Chapter 1587 - 1576: Honest Fool

Chapter 1587: Chapter 1576: Honest Fool

"Third son, let me ask you one question, no matter how I ask, you refuse to help your big brother and fourth brother, right?" Old Lady Wang stared at Ye Qiu intensely, her gaze as sharp as a knife.

Ye Qiu stood firm, resolutely saying, "Yes."

"Good, good." Old Lady Wang coldly laughed, "You’re truly my good son. Are you going to disown even me, your own mother? Are you planning to cut off ties with me?"

"Mother, I don’t mean to disown you, please don’t force me." Pain filled Ye Qiu’s face. At this moment, the Jia family couldn’t bear to watch anymore, but lacked the authority to speak.

"I am forcing you now, what will you do? Third son, if you don’t help your big brother and fourth brother, do you believe I’ll report you to the government for being unfilial? I’d like to see how Cong Ying and Cong Zi will get married in the future, being the daughters of an unfilial and unjust man."

Ye Qiu’s expression turned genuinely cold. He let out a bitter laugh, "It seems mother really sees me as nothing of a son! Yet, I’ve done nothing unfilial towards you. The government’s a place that stands for reason and evidence."

"Is that so?" Old Lady Wang’s eyes brimmed with calculation, "What if I say I’m moving into your house starting today? My health’s not good; I need you, my son, to personally take care of me."

Ye Qiu knew what she meant. She was forcing him to stop doing business. Wearing exhaustion on his face, he said, "We’ve already divided the family assets; you and father are with big brother."

"But I like having you, my son, take care of me. To show his filial piety, big brother can only send me to you. Can you throw me out? How will the government judge then?"

"Mother wants to put me to death, it seems mother truly lacks motherly love for me." Ye Qiu sighed deeply, his expression full of sorrow.

Old Lady Wang gave a disdainful nod, "You’re the one who first disregarded brotherhood, I’m doing this for your good."

Ye Qiu laughed loudly, "Did I truly disregard brotherhood first? Is this really for my good, mother? We’ve come to this point, and you’re still saying these superficial words to me. Does your conscience truly pass?"

"I’ll ask you one final time, will you help your big brother and fourth brother?"

"Fine." Ye Qiu restrained his expression and answered loudly.

Ye Xia and Niu Xue Mei immediately turned to look at him but then lowered their heads, for Old Lady Wang left him no choice.

Niu Xue Mei’s eyes were filled with despair. Their family finally had a peaceful life, why couldn’t her mother-in-law leave herself and her husband alone?

"But I have one condition." Ye Qiu also stared intently at Old Lady Wang, "Otherwise, we’ll fight to the death, and no one will make any money."

"What’s your condition?" Wang Hong immediately asked upon seeing Ye Qiu finally agree.

Ye Qiu ignored her, continuing to stare at Old Lady Wang.

Old Lady Wang compromised, seeing that she truly cornered her third son this time, leaving no room for any relation in the future.

"Speak."

"I want a document severing parental ties, from now on Ye Qiu and you will no longer be a family. I will no longer owe any filial duty to you and father. I’ll no longer have to obey any of your commands." Ye Qiu spoke each word clearly, "I demand to leave this family."

His words genuinely shocked everyone because nowhere in the world was there a concept of severing parental ties. Saying this is extremely rebellious, a scholar’s reputation would be ruined, possibly becoming a deadly point of criticism in officialdom.

But he wasn’t a scholar, so it was still acceptable. Although the world didn’t have the term "sever parental ties," family feuds were not uncommon; none was as dramatic as him demanding a proof of it.

"Third brother." Even Ye Xia couldn’t help but advise, "This too will impact your reputation and Cong Ying, Cong Zi’s reputation. Don’t be impulsive."

"I’m not impulsive." Ye Qiu smiled bitterly, "After today, I’ve realized as long as I don’t leave this family, I’ll be oppressed forever. I’ll never be able to properly protect my wife and daughters."

"Sanlang..." Niu Xue Mei murmured, "Don’t make things hard for yourself, I can manage. We’re just giving up a portion of business, we aren’t forced out. We don’t need to make so much money."

"No, I must obtain this document, mother, what do you say?"

"Well, well, well, to think I gave birth to such an unfilial son." Old Lady Wang’s lips trembled as she spoke.

"Mother, just say whether you agree or not. If not, do what you will to make things difficult for me, but no one will be making a business."

Ye Chun and Wang Hong nervously looked at Old Lady Wang, fearing she’d disagree. They thought severing relations wasn’t a big deal since they got the money-making method.

Gazing at their eager eyes, Old Lady Wang pondered if severing ties with the third son was worth it for them, knowing she’d lose all leverage against Ye Qiu and couldn’t rely on him anymore.

But thinking of the two grandsons needing education and the unmarried fourth son, she could only nod.

"Fine, if that’s the case, today we’ll return to the village, ask the village chief and neighbors to witness. I, Ye Qiu, willingly give the braised dishes business to big brother and fourth brother, but henceforth have no association with the Ye Family, father and mother cannot demand my filial duty anymore, we’ll establish this agreement, severing parental ties." Ye Qiu’s voice was strong, his expression cold.

Old Lady Wang gritted her teeth and finally uttered "Fine," then added, "But you can’t teach this business to others in the future."

"No problem."

The Jia family watched a money-making business slip away, not without sorrow, hence feeling more discontent with the Ye Family, never having seen such a mother and brothers, greed overcoming family bonds.

Ye Xia shook her head looking at Old Lady Wang, "Mother, you’ll regret it. I’m married out and have brothers. In the future, when you and dad are old, I can only visit occasionally. Now you’ve driven away the most dutiful third son. Do you think big brother and fourth brother will truly care for you? Mother, you’ll end up alone without care."

Ye Chun immediately retorted to her, "Are you trying to spite us because your business was taken? Mother loves me, how could I not care for her? Do you need to speak?"

Ye Xia sneered, "Fine, we’ll see."

Old Lady Wang knew her daughter’s words were true. She knew long ago the nature both she and her husband bore. Big brother and fourth brother inherited it fully, daughter Ye Xia partially, only third son was an anomaly in this family, too honest and genuine. Perhaps it was for this reason she never liked him? Because he was unlike her and her husband.