Making money, taking exams and supporting the family

chapter 6: The gong severs family ties

“What? Separate the family and cut off ties!”

Now it was Lin Sangui’s turn to panic.

Separating was one thing. Although there was a saying in the countryside that “as long as parents are alive, there is no separation,” trees do branch out, and it was not uncommon for children to establish their own households. As long as the family was willing, no one would say anything.

But cutting off ties was different. It would take a huge rift to reach the point of cutting off ties, especially when it was the son who voluntarily proposed it. It would become a lifelong stain on his reputation!

“Ze ge (elder brother, but in this case, eldest son), although your mother is troublesome, every family has its quarrels and conflicts. But if you cut off ties with your father, what will you do? How will you continue to participate in the examinations?” Lin Sangui was not angry; he was just anxious and worried.

After all, he and Chen Shuju were a couple. If the eldest son cut off ties with his mother, it meant cutting off ties with him too. How could he bear the thought of his eldest son not recognizing him?

“Father, I’m not cutting ties with you. I’m only cutting ties with my mother and second brother. I’m doing it so that I can continue participating in the examinations in the future. Otherwise, I’m afraid I won’t even know how I’ll die.”

Lin Ze understood Lin Sangui’s feelings, and he had no intention of cutting ties with him.

Although he was not the original person, he could not ignore the debts and grudges left behind by the original body. Even if he could not truly treat Lin Sangui as his own father in a short period of time, since he had become “Lin Ze,” he had to carry on with whatever the previous owner of the body had left behind, whether he liked it or not.

He could easily dismiss those who held grudges against him, but he could not disregard Lin Sangui. As long as Lin Sangui did not cause him trouble, he did not mind taking care of this hardworking man who had toiled for his children all his life, even if he was just standing in for the original body.

Moreover, this was an era of feudal society where the weight of the character “filial piety” pressed heavily on everyone. Lin Ze needed to pull Lin Sangui, his “father,” into his camp.

Although Lin Ze’s words were a bit heavy, Lin Sangui still could not understand. After all, cutting off ties was a significant matter in this era.

“Ze ge, if there’s something, talk to your father. We can’t cut off ties. If you cut off ties, how will others view you and our family? You don’t know anything else, and if your reputation is tarnished and you can’t participate in the imperial examinations in the future, what will you do…”

Lin Sangui worried.

He tried to prevent Lin Ze from taking this step, not only to maintain the reputation of the Lin family but also for the sake of his son. After all, apart from studying, the eldest son had no other strengths. If this path was cut off, how could he live after separating and cutting off ties?

However, the effect of separating and cutting off ties was different when it reached Chen Shuju’s ears. She was more than willing for Lin Ze to separate and cut off ties.

“You old fool, if he wants to separate and cut off ties, let him! This unfilial son is a source of misfortune just by staying in the family. If he is unlucky, it will affect the whole family. Who knows if his strange illness is contagious? If it ends up preventing our second son from passing the imperial examinations in the future, what should we do? We must separate. We must cut off ties! Severing this family relationship will cleanse it!”