Cecilia Gu did the math and said, "Just in the years since I married into the Yin Family, the scattered expenses add up to at least twenty billion. That's money that had to be spent—after all, Grandfather took so much from the clan back then to build the original capital, didn't he?"
Mrs. Florence said, "Oh my, how much money was it back then? You don't even know how much you've paid back over the years. If you ask me, it's more than enough! Cici, have you ever thought about splitting up the family?"
Cecilia Gu deliberately put on a surprised expression. "Aunt Florence, what do you mean by that? We've never even considered splitting up the family."
Mrs. Florence grew anxious. "Are you out of your mind? Wouldn't it be better to save that money for the kids? You're just giving it away to outsiders... I don't mean anything by it, I just think, if the money stays in the family, it's fine no matter what. But over the years, too many people with different surnames have benefited, and that's just too much! It's not easy for you to earn money, right?"
Cecilia Gu just smiled and said nothing.
Over twenty years ago, when she first married in, the Yin Family only covered some of the clan members’ expenses.
Back then, they only spent a few million a year—fixing up the ancestral hall, repairing a few roads.
But somewhere along the way, none of the Yin Family daughters married out—they all brought in husbands instead.
So in twenty years, the town’s population more than doubled.
And every year, the Yin Family spent more and more.
And in recent years, it’s gotten out of hand.
The Yin Family relatives always came up with new excuses to ask Charles Yin for money.
If it wasn’t for road repairs, it was digging ditches—any excuse would do, and they’d get a big payout.
If Charles Yin objected, the clan elders would accuse him of forgetting his roots—reminding him that the Yin Family fortune started with the clan pooling together five hundred taels of silver.
Charles Yin didn’t want Cecilia Gu to be blamed by the clan, so he paid up for peace—whatever they asked for, he gave, and that just made them greedier.
It wasn’t until today, when a few families wanted to marry into Yina Yin’s line, that they suddenly realized half the money Charles had been spending all these years was originally theirs.
Now they all felt the pain in their wallets.
Mrs. Florence continued, "Just a few days ago, I heard some of the clan kids were making things difficult for Miles Field. I’ve already scolded them! Miles is a child you raised yourself. In the future..."
Cecilia Gu replied firmly, "Even if I raised him, he’s still a member of the Field Family. He’s already broken off his engagement with Yina, so the share we promised him won’t go to him. It’ll all go to Yina as compensation."
Mrs. Florence’s eyes lit up. "You really do love your daughter most, Cici!"
"Of course," said Cecilia Gu. "I’ve already discussed it with Charles. We’ll follow the Yin Family rules—our daughter won’t marry out, she’ll have a husband join us! In the future, whatever Yina earns, she’ll give a share to the clan, just like the rules say..."
Mrs. Florence quickly interrupted, "You can’t say it like that. Bringing in a husband can cause all sorts of drama. If you ask me, it’s better to marry out..."
"How could that be?" Cecilia Gu frowned. "If she marries out, that breaks the Yin Family rules, doesn’t it?"
Mrs. Florence gave an awkward laugh. "What Yin Family rule is that, anyway?"
Cecilia Gu smiled. "Aunt Florence, did you forget? Just the other day, you said yourself—the Yin Family has hundreds of rules, some written down, some not, but we all have to follow them. All these years, not a single daughter has married out, every one brought in a husband. Yina’s no exception!"
Mrs. Florence’s mouth twisted with bitterness.
That was the same line they used last year to bully Cherry Miller—now Cecilia Gu was using it on her.
If only she’d known...
Forget it, what’s the point of wishing she’d known?
If she’d known Yina would marry into her own branch, she would’ve stopped the relatives from squeezing Charles Yin dry!
It was all her money!
"Isn’t it all in the past now?" Mrs. Florence said awkwardly. "Cici, do you really have the heart to let Yina give away all that money for others to spend?"
"Aunt Florence, what are you really trying to say?" asked Cecilia Gu.
"I just think, when a tree grows big, its branches split. Our Yin Family has grown for so many years—it’s time to divide. Even if you split, you’re still part of the Yin Family, aren’t you? Aunt Florence knows you’re a good person, but you can’t be too honest. You have to think about the kids. It’s not easy for Yina to make money, and it all goes to outsiders—such a loss! Like you said, a lot of them aren’t even Yin Family, just outsiders who married in. Isn’t it a shame to let them spend the money? They never contributed to the Yin Family, so why should they get to use the money?"
Cecilia Gu looked hesitant and conflicted. "Aunt Florence, I don’t get to decide that."
"As long as you’re willing, Aunt Florence will help you," Mrs. Florence said, patting her chest. "We’re real family. If I don’t look out for you, who will?"
Cecilia Gu smiled. "You’re right, Aunt Florence. I’ll think it over."
As soon as Mrs. Florence left, Uncle Thomas walked in.
Uncle Thomas got straight to the point. "Your branch has done enough for the Yin Family. Whatever kindness there was is long repaid. Now there are more and more outsiders in town—why should the Yin Family support them?"
Cecilia Gu smirked to herself.
When they were spending other people’s money, they never complained about supporting outsiders.
Now suddenly it’s a problem?
Seeing Cecilia Gu stay silent, Uncle Thomas said, "How about this: I’ll try to convince the rest of the clan to let your branch split off as soon as possible!"
Cecilia Gu pretended to hesitate. "Split off? That’s not good! If we leave the clan, it’ll look like we’ve done something to harm the family. Uncle Thomas, we don’t want to split up."
Uncle Thomas grew anxious. "No, no, if you don’t split, you’ll keep spending all that money on outsiders every year. That’s all my—uh, that’s all your own money! How can you just give it away?"
Cecilia Gu said sternly, "Money isn’t the point. We can’t split the family! Charles and I agreed—our branch will never split!"
Uncle Thomas talked himself hoarse, but Cecilia Gu just wouldn’t agree.
When Uncle Thomas left, he looked completely unwilling to give up.
Originally, Uncle Thomas was just considering whether Charles Yin’s branch should split off, but now that Cecilia Gu is so determined not to, he’s desperate to make it happen.
Just for the sake of those billions in annual dividends, he’s determined to push it through.
He had to really think about how to make Charles Yin agree to split off willingly.
Mrs. Florence and Uncle Thomas somehow ended up on the same page, and both went to Grandpa Yin. The three of them each had their own agenda, but their goal was exactly the same.
After a little probing, all three agreed to split the family—starting with Charles Yin’s branch.
Mrs. Florence said with fake concern, "Charles is just too honest. He’s supported the clan for so many years—the debt is more than paid."
Uncle Thomas echoed her, just as fake. "Yeah, I feel the same way. We can’t lose our conscience, or we’ll have no face before our ancestors in the afterlife!"
Grandpa Yin stroked his beard and said, "Since you both agree, let’s find a way to convince the rest of the clan. We need everyone to support splitting off Charles’s branch."
"Grandpa, the clan has benefited from Charles for so many years—they won’t want to agree to the split," Uncle Thomas probed. "Do you have any good ideas?"
A sharp light flashed in Grandpa Yin’s old eyes. "All the hustle and bustle in the world is for profit. As long as you give them enough benefits, why wouldn’t they agree? All the daughters of the clan, married or not, have enjoyed the perks of the Yin Family. It’s time for them to give those perks back."
"What do you mean?" Mrs. Florence and Uncle Thomas asked in unison.
"Since ancient times, a married daughter is like water spilled out," Grandpa Yin said calmly. "What’s the point of always living at your parents’ home? The Yin Family doesn’t tolerate that kind of behavior. If you insist on letting your daughter stay, fine—then split the family!"
Mrs. Florence and Uncle Thomas’s eyes lit up!
Of course!
If Charles Yin won’t split from the clan, then just split everyone else off instead, right?
That way, only the three Yin Family Elders and Charles Yin’s four branches would be left. When his grandnephew (or grandson, or disciple) marries Yina, just give the other two elders a token sum—the rest of the money will all end up in their hands!
"That’s a great idea," Uncle Thomas said with a laugh. "Grandpa Yin truly is the pillar of the family! In this town, who doesn’t have a daughter? Who doesn’t have a son-in-law who married in?"
Mrs. Florence smiled and nodded. "Exactly. These families have lived and eaten in this town for years. If you ask them to move, they won’t want to. If they refuse, just split them off. This way, we and Charles’s branch remain the main family, and the others aren’t anymore. Charles doesn’t have to care about them at all!"
The three of them exchanged smiles.
The three Yin Family Elders moved quickly.
They soon gathered all the clan members in town for a meeting and announced the decision: Any family with a son-in-law who married in would have their daughter’s property and land taken back and redistributed to the male heirs. If they refused, they’d have to leave the Yin Family and start their own household.
The decision caused an uproar in town.
Just as Uncle Thomas said, who doesn’t have a daughter?
Who doesn’t have a son-in-law who married in?
Everyone had lived in town for generations—suddenly being forced out, who could stand it?
Wave after wave of people went to Charles Yin and the three Yin Family Elders, demanding answers.
Charles Yin said with a troubled expression, "I may be the clan head, but I have to follow the rules. The Yin Family Rules were set by the elders—I can’t do anything about it! When my daughter marries, she’ll have to follow the rules too. Absolutely no sons-in-law marrying in."