Chapter 875 - 876_1
Chapter Eight Hundred and Seventy-Six
But Yang Xiaochuan adamantly refused to agree, and the situation became deadlocked for a time.
"Xiaxia, what do you think we should do about this?"
Nobody had expected Land Officer Yang to actually turn to Yang Chuxia for her opinion.
Thus, for a moment, six eyes were all fixed on Yang Chuxia.
Ms. Luo was filled with hope and plea, wishing Yang Chuxia would side with her.
Yang Xiaochuan’s look was one of entreaty. He desperately wanted a son, and since Ms. Luo couldn’t bear him one, if he wasn’t even allowed to marry Ms. Hong or take a concubine, wouldn’t he be doomed to end his family line?
As for Ms. Hong, she’d rather be a concubine than a maidservant. After all, a maidservant was there to serve people, while as a concubine, one still had hope – hope that, eventually, birthing a son might even surpass the principal wife wasn’t out of the question.
Alright, in her heart, Ms. Hong actually wanted to live a good life in Yangshu Village, and therefore it made no difference to her whether the indenture was taken back or not.
Yang Chuxia looked at the three of them, bypassed the two women, and asked Yang Xiaochuan, "Fourth Uncle, what if this Ms. Hong also cannot bear a son?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiaochuan faltered. He hadn’t considered this possibility at all, indeed, he never doubted that Ms. Hong could bear a son.
Yang Chuxia, however, didn’t skip over the topic and continued, "Would you continue to buy someone else to come back or think of another solution?"
After pondering for a moment, Yang Xiaochuan said, "If she still can’t bear one, I will adopt; anyway, our branch of the family must not be without a son to continue the lineage!"
Upon hearing this, Yang Chuxia sighed internally, thinking it was just as she had expected.
If he really decided on adoption, Old Yang would certainly agree, and even Land Officer Yang wouldn’t be able to object. Adoptions were typically from close relatives or from within the clan. Upon a close count, it was clear that the Yang Family’s generation, like Yang Xiaochuan’s, had mostly just one son each—all treasured greatly. Looking among Yang Xiaochuan’s own brothers, the original second branch was not an option. The first branch had only Qingbao who could not be adopted, leaving only the third branch with two children.
Yet, the issue resurfaced. Now that the third branch had accumulated substantial wealth, what did the fourth branch have? They had neither land nor houses, nor money. Why would the children willingly agree? Even if the elders decided, once the child were adopted into your branch, how could he possibly hold any affection for the fourth branch?
In the end, it boiled down to the third branch itself. The larger their estate grew, the more they valued lineage and progeny. With just two sons, they yearned for more—how could they ever agree to adoption?
This, once again, presented a significant problem, and one even harder to resolve.
Yang Chuxia had already pondered this issue in her mind upon sitting down, which was why she had posed this question to Yang Xiaochuan.
Now with Yang Xiaochuan’s definite response, Yang Chuxia had her answer. Both of her younger brothers were paragons of virtue, and it was needless to say their parents would be loath to part with them. Besides, each held their share of the family assets, with land deeds written in their names, and shops that would be labeled likewise in the future. For her brother to bring such a hefty inheritance into the fourth branch was as good as her being dead – otherwise, just the thought of the fourth branch’s past attitude made her sick to her stomach.
So she said, "This matter is easy to deal with, yet also difficult, all depending on what you, Fourth Uncle, have in mind."
"Out with it, don’t beat around the bush," Land Officer Yang said.
Yang Xiaochuan also nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Land Officer Yang.
Thus, Yang Chuxia spoke with a smile, "It’s quite simple. Since Fourth Uncle isn’t willing to wrong Ms. Hong and the two young cousins surely can’t be without their own mother—given how unreliable a stepmother can be, one needs only to look at my father and Brother An to know the fate of a stepmother’s child. So, Fourth Uncle, why not just enjoy the blessings of all under one roof?"