The Rich and Powerful Chang An Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Xu Chang An's mother was a descendent from Yang Family in Feng Province, an old prominent family from generation to generation, and was well-known in the local area. When Xu mother unexpectedly got acquainted with Xu YongNian in the past, regardless of family opposition, she insisted on marrying Xu YongNian. The daughter persisted in marrying, the family had no other way than let her. However, as a result, Yang family was discontented with this marriage and did not care for it. Even after the daughter got married, afterwards, on the day of the bride's first visit to her parental home, she did not return. The daughter was married and moved into the bridegroom's home, thereupon the contact was cut off.

Perhaps if one had known earlier at home, thinking of that time when Xu mother was getting married, her mother had prepared a rich and generous dowry for her. Not to mention an ordinary household, even if to get married to a rich and noble household, that dowry was enough to take care of and completely worth to make Xu mother be set for her entire lifetime being wealthy and high rank.

Looking through mother's dowry list, Xu Chang An knew that there were some of the things listed were not going to come back to him, but there was not one single item he would leave to the Xu family.

“Momo, I have something to discuss with my father. Please go and ask him to come over.” In the ordinary course of events, whenever a son wanted to ask for a father to discuss things, he had to go in person, but Xu Chang An did not. He just wanted to be in the room where his mother had lived during her lifetime. In order to control his father's desire of his mother's things, he wanted to know to what extent his father could harden his heart.

Regarding Xu Chang An's instructions, Yang Momo did not usually ask the reason. In anyway, the master told her to do it.

Soon, Yang Momo and Xu YongNian came together. Xu YongNian's face was not looking good. Xu Chang An did not ask, directly and simply said: “Father, the day of my wedding with the First Prince is approaching near, so I made you come here to discuss the matter of my dowry."

Regardless of men and women, as long as they marry, the family should have provide the dowry, which was no one can say wrong.

"This is sure thing." The dowry matter, if it were not mentioned by Xu Chang An, Xu father would try to feign ignorance, went through the motions until it settled and passed. In any case, this son marriage was destined to be treated with a cold shoulder. So, giving some of random dowry was already good enough.

“Father, my idea is like this. I know father's official's salary is not much and there are lot of family members at home so there are a lot of extra expenses. Even if I want to marry but I am also Xu family member, I have to think about the people at home. How about this, father at will let me prepare for something is already fine. My mother's portion of dowry will make do for my dowry.” Xu mother had Chang An as her only son. Xu mother's dowry was Chang An's to be inherited. A married woman's dowry, the husband's family did not have the right to dispose of it. During her lifetime, she managed to set aside for her own children after her death. If there was no children, someone from her parental family would come and took it back.

When Xu Chang An words dropped, Xu father's calm and composed face soon darken. At the beginning of the conversation, he was still hugging himself with pleasure. Thought nothing of this youngster but who knew that this youngster had black heart, making little of Xu Family's things and was waiting to take the lion's share ah!

“Don't think it is possible!” Without Yang Shi‘s dowry support, solely just relying on his own small official's salary, how can he afford to provide for the large amount of people in Xu household!

*Yang Shi = Xu mother maiden name is Yang

“What did father's words mean? Mother had already passed away. You won't give me mother's dowry, could it be that you want to put it down for Xu Family? We in the Great Xiao Dynasty had no such custom like this.” Sneering in his heart, Xu Chang An spared the least bit of face intended to give this ‘good' father. Regardless, Xu Yongnian was still standing and Xu Chang An himself sat down. He took out the dowry excerpts from his sleeve, unfold it and handed it over to Xu Yongnian, so it would be better for him(XYN) to hastily made an inventory of all the things.

“I don't want any silver on the list, take it as my filial respect towards father and grandmother. There are the antique calligraphy and paintings, jewelleries, also the estate in Zhuangzi. Oh, that's right! There are also shops, still have to trouble father to prepare it for me. I want to give this dowry list to the Imperial House to review the list of things." This was Yang Shi's dowry, he as her only son to get married, taking away these things was a matter of course. But also, Xu Chang An marriage partner was nevertheless from the Imperial Family. If Xu Yongnian dared to monopolize the listed things by deduction and not giving, taking inventory of one's own dowry, that certainly the people of the Imperial Family would not consent. At the time when the charge of private possession of dowry of the deceased wife and children being issued, Xu Yongnian's back would not be able to rise again (will be ruined).

He was the appointed official of the imperial government, more than required to follow discipline and be law-abiding, also had to concern and take care to preserve his reputation. These two things were the same as he violate the law, already enough to make his government official career completely destroyed. His life would be over.

“You! You, this unfilial son!” Xu Yongnian, because of anger had already could not manage his esteem. All the scholars like the saying of 'the worth of other pursuits is small, the study of books excels them all'. But, wasn't the scholar human too? Scholars also required to eat, drink, and sleep; all these could not be done without silver. Thinking of Xu Chang An completely was fighting to empty out Xu Family's resources, Xu Yongnian, was overcome with regret. In the first place, he should not have consider the least bit of affection, should have handle those unfilial son and his mother to be send away to the Yellow Springs together!

*Yellow Springs = Underworld

He yet have thought in his mind that some of the Xu Family's things were not even a bit was genuinely owned by Xu Family. On the contrary, Yang Shi, who had already passed away, was the one provided support for Xu family for more than 10 years.

“Father is getting angry, are you thinking to give me eating unclean things? Father, you may want to think this carefully. If I, the prince's wife by marriage sanction of His Imperial Majesty to suddenly die at home, no matter what the cause, the Imperial Family will assemble only one reason, father is dissatisfied with His Imperial Majesty's imperial edict of marriage. Personally understood my full name was related to the affair of the Imperial Family's prestige, the emperor ought to unlikely show mercy." Xu Chang An who sat at one side, with cold eyes stared at his birth father. He knew his father regretted it. In fact, he himself also regretted it, if he was sensible and came to realize the truth earlier, he would not entrust his hope on this completely unconcerned father. As early as it was, now like this, his strong mother was unlikely to die in that wrong way.

Confronting the strong rising son who had already completely changed status, Xu Yongnian completely had no other ways and could only hatefully and regrettably leave. His heart was dripping blood, he had already twisted the paper of the recorded things into a ball.

"Young Master, you just now was impressive ah!" So many days later, the two yatou's faces finally showed a sincere smile. Xu Chang An had known earlier that they were peeping at one side, also knew that in their heart they were complaining of unfairness. He did not just come out for his sigh of relief, but also for them too.

“Merely the fox borrows the tiger's fierceness*. Nothing else.” Everything was as good lost as found*. He only used what he got to fight for a bit of his things.

*Bully people by flaunting one's powerful connections

*When there is a gain there is a lose

The joy of Chunyu was reflected on her face. She thought it might not be a bad thing for the young master to get married. If not for this marriage, young master would not know when he would be able vent his anger and take revenge for the deceased Furen.

*Furen = wife; madame

After leaving his son's courtyard with body trembled in rage, Xu Yongnian had no choice but go to his mother's courtyard with a thick skin. Since Yang Shi's death, Yang Shi's jewellery, his mother had took the most of it, next was the biaomei*, and there were also a few passing room Yiniang. He also at that time rewarded them when they served him comfortably. Mother and the few Yiniang* there were not a problem, it was that biaomei there … … Ai! No matter what, handle mother here first to ask for the return.

*Yiniang = Father's concubine

*Biaomei = Younger female cousin via female line

“What? How can this be Yang Shi's? Since she has married into Xu Family, then her stuff is Xu Family's. Why should that be given to that kid!” Xu Yongnian's father was a remote town's Xiucai* Gong*, nearly forty years still a Xiucai Gong. Afterwards, before leaving he had eyes greater than the crown of the head, however no one had a good opinion of him. He could only spend money inside the neighboring village, married a village woman and returned home to produce a male heir to continue the family line.

*Xiucai (one who passed the imperial examination at the county level in the Ming and Qin Dynasty/ scholar)

*Gong is a respectful designation for an elder; a respectful salutation

This Liu Shi did not know even one big word, let alone the law of the land. She recognized Yang Shi's things exactly as her own, when Yang Shi was still there, she provoked and demanded Yang Shi's dowry but Yang Shi fought many times. When Yang Shi died, she eagerly took more than half of the things and moved it into her own room.

Now listening to her son saying that those things were still Yang Shi's things, and had to give back to Yang Shi's only son, how could she understand and accept, naturally would not.

“Niang*! Do you want those things that was not ours or want the career of official position of your son?” Xu Yongnian did not expect that the easiest thing to do here was actually the beginning of running into a drawback. The hot anger in the heart no matter how he hold it down, yet could not keep under control, immediately a roar was coming out.

*Niang = ma/ mum/ mother

This old Liu Shi was frightened by her son's appearance, with fear and trepidation went to asked, “Is it really violated the law and had to be jailed?”

“Mother! State-owned country law of family have family rules. At home, you are the forebearer so the son can comply with you. But if you are at home, you can't disagree, even the Imperial Family can't disagree with law of the land! Do you want to carry those silver in your arms watching your son drop dead?

Now that the boy hates me to the marrow, he has completely ignored his father and son's affection. If you don't want to give it, wait for the boy go to the emperor to complain. Let us make the whole Xu family go to jail!" Xu Yongnian almost wanted to vomit blood. His body had no way to vent the anger out, thinking makes heart grew angrier, blood and breath were seething with anger, thus unexpectedly he really did vomit a mouthful of blood!

Xu Yongnian vomited blood and immediately the old Liu Shi fainted. The son was her god. The most important thing she loved were the silver and her son! This time the son did not need to come forward, and Old Liu Shi herself came forward, handled the Liu Shi niece and the few Yiniang at the house there to return the things they had took. Finally completely handed it over to Xu Chang An, obediently.

Only after the things were handed over, the old Liu Shi was not reconciled to it. Every day, she went to the front door of Xu Chang An's courtyard to scold and yell. Each time would scold for one sichen*. Did not know whether or not the old person lacking sleep, everyday even in the evening she had already get up to continue to scold.

*One of the 12 two-hour periods of the day (one sichen= two hours)

"Young Master, the Old Madame, she is really too much! You just got back your mother's things. How is she deserves to be a person's grandmother, really is not respectable like an old people!" These days, Xu Chang An did not respond at all. Yang Momo and these two yatou were not guilty of being angry, if not because of status, Chunyu really thought to confront and scold those people.

“What could she do? Anyway, it was already a person who has one foot into the coffin. Let her go, I don't care. We won't stay here after two days anyway.”

“Yeah, the day of young master's wedding is the day after tomorrow.”

The day after tomorrow, did not know what kind of person was the First Prince, however himself a bit knew how to vent anger. The coming future… could only take one step and look around before taking the next step.

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Chapter end