Siheyuan: Five mouths waiting for food at the beginning

The next day, after get off work in the afternoon,

Zhao Shanhe did not go home, but went straight to the courtyard. It gets dark early in winter, and what if he goes too late and the gate is locked?

He was really thinking about the third uncle's decades-old wine. If he hadn't drunk too much yesterday and woke up when it was dark, he would have come here yesterday.

"Uncle, uncle, are you home?" Zhao Shanhe knocked on the door but heard no response. He wanted to climb through the window, but the window was frozen into ice and he couldn't see clearly.

Zhao Shanhe walked around the front yard, but didn't see anyone. He didn't know what they were doing in the middle of winter.

Zhao Shanhe came to the central courtyard again, and there was no one there. However, he heard someone arguing in the backyard, and the noise was quite loud.

Zhao Shanhe understood it immediately. This must be Liu Guangqi coming back, and everyone came to watch the fun.

Sure enough, when Zhao Shanhe arrived at the backyard, he found that almost everyone in the yard was there, all wrapped in thick cotton jackets, watching the show.

Liu Guangtian's wife and Liu Guangfu's wife were scolding Liu Guangqi's wife together. Liu Guangqi's wife was not to be outdone. She scolded back while urging Liu Guangqi next to her to help.

Liu Guangqi was unmoved. He was asked to quarrel with a few women, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. Second Aunt was crying beside him. People around were pointing and talking, but no one tried to stop the quarrel.

It seems that Liu Guangfu and Liu Guangtian haven't come back yet. Maybe the real battle will begin when these two brothers come back.

Anyway, at this time in the battlefield, Liu Guangfu's wife was the main force, and the words she cursed were obscene. Liu Guangqi's wife, who had been a rich lady since childhood, was her opponent. Liu Guangtian's wife stood next to Guangfu's wife and cursed from time to time.

Zhao Shanhe stood out from the crowd. He immediately spotted the third uncle who was hiding in the corner to watch the show. He walked over and pulled the third uncle over. The third uncle was like a little chicken and was pulled behind by Zhao Shanhe without any resistance.

"So it's you, Shanhe. I thought it was someone else. But don't be so forceful next time. Your uncle's little arms and legs can't withstand your pulling."

"Uncle San, you said you are also an old man in the courtyard, but you didn't go up to persuade them and just hid in the corner to watch the show."

"They are all a bunch of women. How can I, an old man, persuade them? Besides, what is happening to Lao Liu today is also what will happen to me tomorrow. I think when I die, my three sons and their wives won't be much better than them."

"Shanhe, Guangtian Guangfu is working for you, why don't you go up and persuade them, and everyone will give you face."

"Third uncle, do you think I'm a fool? You just want to watch the fun. Let me take over. As the saying goes, it's hard for an honest judge to judge family affairs. I can't handle this matter well."

"Uncle, to be honest, I came here today because I like your two bottles of wine. How about you name a price and I'll buy them?"

It’s not that Zhao Shanhe hasn’t thought of any ideas, but he would try not to interfere in other people’s family affairs, and if the problem can be solved with money, he would try to do so.

"Uncle, how about I give you fifty yuan for one bottle? A bottle of Maotai is only six or seven yuan."

"Shanhe, if you don't want to sell the wine, please help me find a solution. I can even give it to you."

"sixty"

The third uncle shook his head

"Eighty, uncle. Even the best wine would cost about this much."

"Shanhe, I'll say the same thing again. Give me some advice and I'll give you some wine. To be honest, I've saved some money over the years. Your third aunt and I don't spend much. What's the point of having more money? Are you going to be like Lao Liu?"

"Okay, then why don't we find a place where there's no one around to chat. There's too many people here and we might be overheard."

"Why don't you finish reading it before you leave?"

"Guangtian Guangfu hasn't come back yet. We just have a few words. It won't be too late for you to come over later."

"Okay, let's go to my house. Everyone is watching the fun and no one is home."

Zhao Shanhe followed the third uncle and walked quickly into his room.

"Uncle, you are really cruel. You didn't even light the stove in such a cold day. Aren't you afraid of freezing yourself at your age?"

"Everyone is outside now, it's a waste to heat up the stove, just heat it up at night so they don't get cold."

"Uncle, instead of saving this little money, you might as well use it to enjoy life. When the time comes, you can enjoy life, and after you die, you can just let the floods come.

Instead of relying on your son to support you in your old age, you might as well rely on yourself. If that doesn’t work, just pay some money and go to a nursing home.”

"I have a son here. If I go to a nursing home, they will be stabbed in the back."

"Shanhe, if you have any good ideas, please tell me now."

"Your sons are just after your little fortune, right? You can learn from Master Yi."

"Shanhe, this won't do. No matter how unfilial they are, they are still my sons. How can I give my property to others?"

"Uncle, please listen to me."

"You spread the word and let your sons know. Say more about the family property, saying that it will not be divided equally in the future and that whoever is filial will get all the property."

"Your sons will surely rush to curry your favor, but you must not easily choose an heir. Let them fight and scramble for it, or your good days will come."

"That's not right, Shanhe. I am like this now. I haven't said who I will give my property to, and they won't come to curry favor with me."

"Uncle San, you have calculated everything clearly. You ask them to pay money every month. They would like to pay less and stay away from you. Anyway, it will be divided equally in the end, and no one wants to suffer a loss."

"If you want to take something in advance, you must give it in advance. You stop paying for their retirement money, and then spread the word to the one who is most filial. Then you will see that they will rush to give you money and food in the future."

"Do you think the results will be the same if anyone can get it or if only one person can get it?"

"Also, you can't decide who will be the heir just because they are filial at the moment. You have to wait until the last moment, otherwise you will end up like the second uncle.

The second uncle had already decided on Liu Guangqi. Liu Guangqi thought that since everything was his, it didn't matter whether he was filial or not. The second and third brothers thought that there was no hope anyway, so they didn't care about the second uncle.

The second uncle was able to live a few more years because Liu Guangtian had some conscience, otherwise he would have died long ago.

You have to let them fight and compete. When you are gone, give your property to Auntie No. 3, and never give it to your son. Otherwise, Auntie No. 3 will have a hard time. Let them fight under Auntie No. 3, and Auntie No. 3 will have someone to take care of her in her old age. "

"What if your third aunt walks ahead of me?"

"The money is in your hands, isn't it different? Remember to mention more of the family property, because if it's less, they won't think it's worth it."

"Shanhe, you are still better. But why do you have to spread the word to imitate your uncle Yi? Can't I just go and find them?"

"Will the effect be the same if you take the initiative to find them or they take the initiative to find you?

You have to make them feel a sense of crisis. If they feel that you have to rely on them for your retirement, you can tell them that as long as they have money, there are plenty of people to take care of them. "

"Shanhe, you said I should exaggerate a little, how much exaggeration is appropriate?"

"You make your own judgement. Anyway, it's worth it for them to feel that being filial to you is worth it."

"Uncle Third, this matter is known to heaven and earth. It's fine if you and I know it, but don't let everyone know about it or it won't work."

"I understand, I understand. I won't tell your third aunt even if she does. Okay, I'll get you some wine."