"My Lord is a Stone"《我家君王是石头》Chapter 36

Due to what happened before, the relatives banquet that night was somewhat awkward and uncomfortable, but the most awkward thing actually came from the master of the Zhao family’s fifth branch Zhao Zhen Kun.

Zhao Zhen Kun watched Zhao Jin Yu greet him, he haughtily said, “Older brother, are you sure this girl has the blood of the Zhao family? I can still remember over these past years no less than tens of people have come solely acting to be family.”

With these words, the joyous atmosphere in the house suddenly vanished, only an indescribable stifling undercurrent remained.

Zhao Zhen Kun’s wife Bai Shi was so shocked her face paled somewhat, she was Zhao Zhen Kun’s second wife, she was only thirty years old, she was very timid, she hurriedly urged, “Master, do you want tea?” Then quivering she handed over tea, who would have imagined however it was knocked on to the floor by Zhao Zhen Kun.

That teacup crashed onto the floor, immediately breaking into pieces, Zhao Jin Yu however felt…, this broken thing, really reflected the current state of the Zhao family.

Zhao Zhen Kun yelled, “You’re such an idiot wife, I’m talking about a serious matter right now, why are you butting in?” After he stared at Zhao Jin Yu continuing to say, “Older brother, don’t be fooled by someone and not know, I’m just thinking of you. Our main branch of the family only has this one heir, if she’s real then it’s a happy occasion, but what if she’s a swindler? If by chance something happens to you, wouldn’t our Zhao family’s property fall into the hands of a swindler?”

Zhao Xing Kun laughed grimly, saying, “I’m still not dead.”

“Older brother you really can crack jokes, can a person life forever? Do you still remember the Xu family’s Chuan Qi? We grew up together, he was younger than you by five or six years, who knew he would pass away last year from a serious illness.” Zhao Zhen Kun’s held a lot of insolence.

Zhao Xing Kun did not think Zhao Zhen Kun was so unbridled like this, he said, “Zhao Zhen Kun don’t tell me you want your fourth son to be brought up under the main branch? I’m telling you,  anyone is fine, just not him, proficient in all kinds of dining, wining, whoring and gambling, he’s even the worse at writing characters.”

“We don’t just have a fourth son in the family, we still have seven or eight sons, as long as older brother agrees, I will call them over immediately for you to pick, but do you agree older brother? I can tell you would give the family over to a stranger of unknown background than to willingly give it to people in our Zhao family!” Zhao Zhen Kun said without hesitation.

Zhao Tian Kun who sat at the side without saying anything drank a mouthful of dark green longjing tea, saying, “Laowu,[1] you really are acting unsightly, like a small-minded little household fighting over the family property.”

“Aren’t you anxious as well? Sending over your family’s sons and grandsons here every day, saying 

it’s to allow older brother to refine their calligraphy, but are you just wanting to benefit from being closer to him, spending every day together maybe older brother would consider one of them, and adopt them under his name.” Zhao Xing Kun rolled his eyes, coldly snorting, “But I’m afraid your scheme has been foiled, older brother found a female swindler from somewhere today, pretending she’s theirs biologically, they plan to get a son-in-law to pass on the family property.”

The second master Zhao Tian Kun and the fifth master Zhao Zhen Kun had never gotten along since childhood, they always treated each other tit for tat, who knew this time the second master did not actually refute it, rather with quite a grim expression he turned his head to say to Zhao Xing Kun, 

“Older brother, it’s not that I don’t believe you, our family has indeed had divine offspring, the inheritance of the main branch relates to our family’s continuation, in the past I always supported you, but now you really want a son-in-law, then I can’t agree to it.”

Zhao Jin Yu finally understood at that moment, it wasn’t that these people did not find her pleasing in their eyes, rather Zhao Xing Kun does not have an heir, making the people of the Zhao family covet it.

As expected, the more people the more quarrels, she also did not believe these people who have been reading the Book of Song and the Book of History since childhood, brothers who had been strictly educated and nurtured attentively by their parents would be so embarrassing, but people were naturally greedy, who would give up on getting hold of profit? That’s why these people happened to bring up the matter of family property, showing such an ugly appearance, sometimes she also didn’t understand very well how ancient people thought…, what father and son going into battle together, what the more people the more flourishing a family is, she could only see that because there were too many sons the family property being split then an awfully lot of arguing, it was like a palace scheme with a lot of shameful players, many century old families were broken apart bit by bit like this, then one day it would fall apart in a flash.

Zhao Xing Kun watched his two younger brothers joining in opposition against him, he was so angry he was green in the face, seeing Zhao Jin Yu not bowing but not stood straight in front of the fifth master Zhao Zhen Kun, he felt this fifth brother was getting more and more shameless, he actually embarrassed him at such a time.

How could Zhao Jin Yu have a standing in the family from now on? Isn’t this just slapping Zhao Jin Yu in the face, or hitting his.

“Fifth younger brother, if you still recognise me as your older brother today, you will hurriedly drink that relative tea, if you…” At the end of his speech Zhao Xing Kun dragged out the last syllable, his face gloomy like the sky before a storm, very chilly and dark.

The fifth master with a bitter expression, stuck out his neck and yelled, “If I don’t drink the tea then what will you do? Zhao Xing Kun! I will also warn you, don’t think just because you are the head of the Zhao family you can do whatever you want, back when father handed the family property to you he had hoped you would make the family prosperous, but it’s been more and more challenging for the family these years, our power has diminished from before, this is something everyone can see, your abilities are average, everyone can ignore these things, but you want the Zhao family to end with you…, not just me, ask the young and old in the house if they agree?” The fifth master got even angrier here, he suddenly stood up, placing the tea Zhao Jin Yu onto the table with a clank, shocking everyone there, his expression also became extremely unsightly, “I’ve said what I want, if you don’t handle the matter of a heir today, I won’t drink this tea even if I’m beaten to death, not only will I not drink, tomorrow I will gather the family elders, hold a family meeting, remove your incompetent self from the position as head of the family!”

The eldest master’s complexion ashen, his fingers trembled for a long time, he saw every single person looking at him…, however no one stepped up to speak on his behalf, his heart sank, a good while later did he then say with gritted teeth, “Fifth younger brother, is this your plan to have a life or death struggle with me today?”

The eldest master Zhao Xing Kun still held power, this sort of calm way of speaking still made the fifth master Zhao Xing Kun to withdraw his neck..., however he soon again puffed out his chest, showing a firm expression, he and the second master Zhao Tian Kun were different, he and his eldest brother’s relationship has always been bad, not even considering the matter of when the eldest master’s only son tragically died…, eldest brother has also always blamed him, thinking about it he was also somewhat wrongly accused, at that time eldest brother’s only son Zhao Ying Guan was holding his own illegitimate daughter, he had only said he wanted to break off ties with the family, he didn’t even care about his wife in labour, he had said to his eldest brother, what is the point of a person without loyalty or justice? He was simply making the Zhao family lose face, let him leave, just pretend the family has never had such a person, at that time older brother was clearly also extremely angry, he would never have thought the son he nurtured with utmost care could throw away his wife and child, a moral degenerate son, then blinded with rage he drove Zhao Ying Guan out.

Later when Zhao Ying Guan died tragically, his eldest brother placed the blame on him…, but what did he do wrong anyway? Having an illegitimate child with a woman of the Jianghu, and wanting to throw away his wife and child, not caring for his parents were things Zhao Ying Guan did himself, did he in fact take a knife and force Zhao Ying Guan to do them? It truly is ridiculous!

Anyhow eldest brother never was pleased with him, that’s why it made no difference if he was polite with his eldest brother, this being the case wasn’t it better just to put it all out there, whoever was justified could speak, he really couldn’t believe it, ignoring the disappointing fourth son, the seventeenth male in the youngest generation of his entire family was the best, he was also the best calligrapher, his heir would definitely be him.

The second old master had at first wanted to watch from the sideline, his and the eldest master’s relationship has always been good, thinking that just because his eldest brother had not spoken about it, but as the days go by eventually he would pick one of his children to be his heir, who would have imagined suddenly the granddaughter they never heard from would appear like this…, he knew immediately there was a crisis, afraid that eldest brother would pass on the family property to this girl’s husband.

However this didn’t mean he agreed with the fifth old master’s way, if he really demoted eldest brother from his position as head of the family, the heir really would be unpredictable.

“Fifth younger brother, just don’t talk so much.”

“Why? You’re afraid again? Worried your thoroughly cooked duck with fly away like this?” The fifth old master retorted with no trace of politeness, showing a rather malice smile, “Do you still want to play out brotherly love in front of me? Hehe, you really are an idiot, fawning on big brother like that, and making a few young ones to come and wait upon eldest brother daily, why do you think older brother still hasn’t decided on an heir so late? That is because eldest brother knew since the time eldest brother’s only son Zhao Ying Guan ran out of the house, it was you who secretly made those rascals take care of him! He sees you as the murderer who killed his son, why would he agree to have your child as his heir? Such wishful thinking!”

As soon as those words came from the fifth old master…, the second old master’s face became extremely unsightly, he almost immediately flat out denied saying, “Laowu, aren’t you just saying things you don’t know to destroy my relationship with eldest brother? You’re just jealous eldest brother shows consideration to me extremely.”

“Do you still not see?” The fifth old master pointed at a young man by the eldest old master Zhao Xing Kun, “Don’t you think he looks like a certain person?”

“Who is he?”

“The young master of the jinqian group, Xu Jia’s son!” The fifth old master continued to say, “At that time didn’t you bribe jinqian group’s Xu Jia to take care of Zhao Ying Guan, it was best for him to never return?”

The second old master’s face ashen, he couldn’t quite keep himself up and sat on the floor, using his shaking hands to continuously wipe his sweat, appearing to be both scared and frightened.

---

[1] Calling him number five indicating the order of birth.