Unlimited estates for rural beauty-Chapter 22 Officially Disowning and Cleansing to Leave the Family
"Village chief, wait a moment," Feng Xi called out to the village chief who was walking out.
"Oh, Feng Xi, is there something else?" the village chief turned to see who had called him and stopped in his tracks to ask.
"Village chief, I would like to request with my sister to leave our clan, and we ask you to bear witness," Feng Xi said loudly, determined to break ties with the Feng Family. Who knows what other troubles might lie in wait for him and his sister if they stayed.
"This is... Feng Xi, look, everything has been cleared up, it was all a misunderstanding. Why are you taking it so seriously and insisting on leaving the clan?" the village chief said, trying to dissuade him awkwardly. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
"Village chief, don’t bother with that ingrate. To defy an elder in front of everyone and act so stubbornly, if that’s what he wants, then so be it. Let’s consider that the Feng Family no longer has this grandson," Feng Youcai said, his face red with anger.
"Big brother, please bring out the family record. Erase the names of Feng Xi and Feng Xuxu. From now on, the Feng Family will not acknowledge these two as our descendants," Feng Youfa said to his older brother, then turned to the village chief and spoke with heavy sorrow, "Village chief, please bear witness to this. Youcai is grateful for your service here."
"Ah, Youcai, why put yourself through this?" the village chief shook his head with regret.
"As of today, Feng Xi and Feng Xuxu will no longer be part of the Feng Family. No matter what happens in the future, it will have nothing to do with the Feng Family. Witnesses: Village Chief Feng Tiemu, scribe Feng Youfa. Four copies. On the tenth day of the fourth month in the fifteenth year of the Red Zeal Emperor’s Chunyang Calendar," a copy for the village chief, one for Uncle Youfa, one for Grandfather Youcai, and one for Feng Xi. After receiving them, each pressed their handprints on their respective copies, and with that, Feng Xi and Feng Xuxu were officially disowned by the Feng Family.
"Since you and Feng Xuxu are no longer part of the Feng Family, you have no right to the Feng Family’s property. As of today, please leave the Feng Family residence, and do not take a single thing from the Feng Family. Feng Xi, do you have any objections?" Grandfather Feng Youcai asked expressionlessly.
"Feng Xi has no objections," Feng Xi said, holding back tears as he bowed deeply to his uncle and grandfathers, including the village chief. Then he got up, took Feng Xuxu by the hand, and ran out of the courtyard.
"Master, everything has been checked. This is the information pertaining to Feng Xuxu’s family," Tian Yi said as he placed the documents on the desk and stood to the side.
Xiao Chen picked up the stack of documents on his desk. The details of Feng Xuxu’s life, from birth to adulthood, were all there. In just the past few months after recovering from a serious illness, she had somehow developed double-sided embroidery and even sold it to his own embroidery shop. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought, "Interesting, truly interesting."
"Master, just now Feng Xuxu and her brother Feng Xi have requested to leave their clan," Tian Yi added cautiously.
Xiao Chen, who was examining the documents, paused for a moment before continuing, "The reason?"
"Sources say it was because Feng Xuxu’s grandfather had arranged a marriage for her with an idiot, solely because the other party offered a hundred taels of silver as a betrothal gift along with ten acres of paddy fields. He intended to send Feng Xuxu over as a child bride. Outraged, Feng Xi took his sister and requested to leave the clan. They are currently residing at the home of Zhang Hui in the same village," Tian Yi reported in one breath, glancing up at his master, unable to understand why his master was so interested in a mere peasant girl.
Xiao Chen put down the documents, took up his teacup, and sipped slowly. Roughly fifteen minutes passed before he set down the cup and said softly with thin lips, "Keep watch over them, and report back immediately with any developments," then said no more.
"Yes, Master," Tian Yi bowed and turned to arrange as instructed.
On the twelfth of April, after two days of light rain, it finally cleared up. The azure sky was dotted with a few white clouds. Birds chirped and soared through the sky, some flying high, others low, in a joyous dance. Looking up at the distant mountains, which brimmed with green vitality, it was truly as if the spring rain was as precious as oil, bringing life to everything after its fall.
"Xuxu girl, time to get up. Why not sleep in a little longer?" Aunt Hui, hearing the sound of the door, came out of the kitchen and chided her gently upon seeing Feng Xuxu.
"Auntie, I feel like I’ve slept for such a long time. If I don’t get up now, my bones will start to rust," Feng Xuxu said, stretching her limbs as she spoke.
