Chapter 26: Using the Heroine's Household Registration to Purchase Farmland

"Perhaps, for her younger siblings, becoming servants is the beginning of a better life," Jiang suddenly remarked.

"The day before yesterday afternoon, when I visited my maiden home, I ran into the younger Madam Zhou and her son. They didn't see me, but they were talking about how they had previously intended to sell their sisters to Old Lady Jiang the Fat, saying that she offered a high price."

Others might not have known that there was something wrong with Old Lady Jiang the Fat, but the Zhang family members were all well aware of it. Old Man Zhang had warned them about her long ago.

Suddenly, everyone fell silent. There is always a pitiful side to those who are hateful! At least by selling her siblings herself, Bai Mianmian could ensure they were sold to a decent place.

"Grandma, Mother, Aunt, Third Aunt, Fourth Aunt, perhaps she has been harsh to me, but there is a reason for it, and I don't blame her. If she says anything unpleasant in the future, please don't take it to heart." Once Zhang Huilan put herself in Bai Mianmian's shoes, she felt that Bai Mianmian wasn't entirely in the wrong.

The women of the Zhang family had somber expressions. They truly felt that life in the future would be difficult.

"Don't just stand there; get back to work," Old Lady Zhang commanded.

Poor families have no time for leisure. The women of the Zhang family were busy with mending and washing. Mostly, it was because their children had just given them instructions, and they knew they had to avoid any further complaints or intentional taunts. A thorough cleaning was the perfect distraction.

When the men returned dragging the tiger meat, Bai Mianmian was sunning herself, while Zhang Huilan sat nearby, stitching shoe soles. She was stitching the soles that Bai Mianmian had requested. Both of them had changed into clean clothes, though they were wearing the children's garments and hadn't washed their faces.

"The tiger skin is severely damaged, so Manager Chen is only offering twenty taels. The tiger bones and the tiger's reproductive organ are worth one hundred and ten taels, and for the ten-plus catties of tiger fat, he's giving ten taels. The remaining tiger meat weighs two hundred and seven catties, and after cleaning the intestines and stomach, there are thirty-five catties," Zhang Qiang reported, suppressing his emotions. "If you are satisfied with this price, I will go and give him an answer. As for the meat for everyone else, I'll let my fourth brother handle the delivery."

The Zhang brothers were terrified and resentful of her; they would rather make an extra trip than cause any trouble.

Bai Mianmian didn't even get up. She was lounging in an unseemly, lazy posture. "Go and give him the word; the price is acceptable. By the way, tell him that your family wants to buy ten acres of land, and it would be best if the deed transfer is completed by tomorrow."

"My family is buying land?" Zhang Qiang looked at his daughter. Zhang Huilan was also bewildered, but she was quick-witted. She immediately looked at Bai Mianmian. "Are you trying to share money with my family?"

"It's not about sharing money; it's about borrowing your family's household registration to buy land."

"Ugh!"

"Why would I go out of my way to provoke a tiger?" Bai Mianmian retorted. This was a question that didn't need answering. "Of course, when you have money, you buy land and build a house. But is the family behind me someone I can afford to provoke? If this money is exposed, never mind the land or the house, they would skin me alive. That is why I want to borrow your household registration papers."

"However, I am not a person who likes to take advantage of others. Once the land is under your family's name, you can farm half of it. No rent is required, you only need to be responsible for the grain taxes and the cultivation and maintenance of my half."

Borrowing household registration to buy land was not a new thing. Scholars had the qualification to be exempt from taxes, though borrowing it under an ordinary family's name was unheard of. Of course, given her current circumstances, it wasn't surprising she had thought of this. However, they were not the kind of people who wanted to take advantage of others. In the eyes of the Zhang brothers, Bai Mianmian was not a good person. It was best to avoid any association with her!

Zhang Qiang refused without a second thought. "We won't lend our household registration, and we don't care to farm your land."

"Are you sure?" Bai Mianmian asked the little chubby girl beside her.

The young girl looked at her father and uncles, feeling even more conflicted. She sensed the pressure, but she also felt the unyielding persistence to achieve a goal. "Father, Third Uncle, Fourth Uncle, if you ask me, there's no harm in helping her. There isn't a single good person in the Bai family, and if people find out she bought land, it certainly wouldn't stay in her hands..."

"Come with me," Zhang Qiang said, unable to bear it any longer, and dragged his daughter toward the door.

Bai Mianmian continued to bask in the sun, her face a smear of messy powder. "The Village Chief will agree. If you are filial enough, you will do as I ask. Oh, and Grandma Zhang and the others have gone to the river to wash; you can go and ask them."

While Zhang Chao and Zhang Yuan were still thinking about how to solve the problem without lending the registration or helping manage the land, the father and daughter were arguing at the door. Zhang Qiang had a fiery temper and was already shouting. He had always been the one who doted on his daughter the most.

"Do you think your father doesn't know the reason? But do we really not have the right to know why? You've never suffered a day in your life; everyone at home humors you, and your brothers protect you outside. But you cannot be selfish and only think of yourself without considering them. Do you know how sad they are to see you being bullied and unable to speak up?"

"I'm sorry," the little girl sobbed. "I know I should say it, but I really don't know how! Father, I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry!"

"Second Brother," Zhang Yuan said, his heart aching. He walked quickly to the door. "Fubao has always been sensible. It’s not that she doesn't want to tell us; it’s that Father forbade it. Since Father doesn't want us to know, there is no need for us to know."

"That's right, Second Uncle. You know Grandpa's temper—what he says goes. Yelling at Fubao won't help," Zhang Hui also rushed over and pulled his cousin inside.

Outside the door, after the brothers spoke a few words, Zhang Yuan handed the meat distribution to Zhang Chao and left with Zhang Qiang.

"How do you want to distribute this meat?" Zhang Chao asked, composing himself. He patted Zhang Huilan's shoulder soothingly and gave his son a warning look. Zhang Hui offered a bitter, reassuring smile.

"Give everyone twenty catties. You decide on the innards; if your family wants to eat them, keep some, otherwise just give them all away." She didn't want to eat the innards of a carnivore anyway. "Boil the rest in one pot. My portion will be boiled in one pot. Whether you brothers keep or sell your share is up to you."

"We brothers each get twenty catties, too?" Zhang Chao was surprised.

Bai Mianmian pulled a wide, blood-red grin, her smile not reaching her eyes. "You don't have to take it if you don't want to. It's cold anyway, so I can eat it for quite a while."

"Tiger meat is very drying; you shouldn't eat too much of it," he kindly reminded her. "The Chen family also wants some tiger meat."

"Not for sale," Bai Mianmian said firmly.

Including the three Zhang brothers, there were only six people who had helped along the way. Dividing one hundred and twenty catties didn't leave much. The two little ones were in a similar situation to her, and since it had to be sent, the share for the Wei couple couldn't be skimped on.

"Go start the fire," she said, gesturing with her chin toward the little chubby girl.

The young girl was still sobbing.

"I'll go," Zhang Hui said, patting his cousin's shoulder. "You come and add the firewood for me, and I'll boil the meat."

By turning the passive into active, he didn't feel as resentful. Zhang Hui had suddenly found a way to cope. "Any instructions?" he asked.

Bai Mianmian shook her head. The Zhang family had no seasonings. If it tasted good, she would eat a few more bites; if it didn't, she would just treat it like medicine—it wasn't that hard to swallow. A tiger wasn't something ordinary people could eat, and she had no experience with it, so she didn't bother fussing.

The pot of water-boiled meat was ready, and Old Man Zhang and his son returned, bringing the bank notes that Manager Chen had retrieved. Having run into them on the road, they already knew most of the story without the family needing to explain much.