Chapter 94: The Renouncement Letter

"Clan Leader, why would Cousin Jing owe someone 100 taels? Is there some misunderstanding?" Chen Xiao Mi asked.

Clan Leader Chen Ding was not sure why Chen Jing owed 100 taels of silver. Grandma Chen just said that Chen Jing was conned, but she refused to explain it in detail. There were more rumors in the village that Chen Jing was addicted to gambling.

What the Clan Leader was sure was Chen Jing did owe money, and if he might be beaten to death if he couldn't return the money on time.

There were already many people in the village who knew that Chen Jing owed money because of the fake exam paper. However, everyone was tacitly hiding it from the Chen Clan Leader, so Chen Ding was still kept in the dark.

Grandma Chen said angrily, "Why do you care so much? You need to give us the silver. If you don't, I'll hang myself at your store tomorrow."

Chen Xiao Mi glanced at Grandma Chen and said, "When you forced my father to venture his life in the deep mountain, you said the same thing. In the blink of an eye, my father has been dead for so many years, and you are still alive and kicking. Grandmother, if you want to hang yourself because of Cousin Jing, who am I to stop you?"

There were many villagers who were in the ancestral hall watching the Clan Gathering.

As soon as Chen Xiao Mi said this, some villagers from other clans burst into laughter. Grandma Chen was so angry that she shivered. "You, you..."

"Your grandmother is talking nonsense," Grandpa Chen came out to smooth things over, "Xiao Mi, help me. I know you are doing so great now, we are really struggling, please help us!"

"Everyone is responsible for their own business. Chen Jing is the one who created this disaster. Naturally, he is responsible for it. Why are you holding this gathering and forcing me to help him?" Chen Xiao Mi replied.

"Your cousin Chen Jing, he is just a poor student. He doesn't have any savings, it's our family who has been supporting him, but you are already working, two taels of silver per month, so capable," said Chen Shou Xin.

Chen Xiao Mi glanced at Chen Shou Xin and said, "Uncle, I'm so flattered!" Didn't you used to say that Cousin Jing would bring glory to our family, me and my brothers were just burdens?!"

Chen Shou Xin knelt in front of Chen Xiao Mi and said, "Xiao Mi! In the past, I've said a lot of wrong things, but please have mercy! If you don't help us this time, we won't be able to survive."

"Uncle, didn't you say that hunting can bring in some quick cash when you forced my father to do it? If you go into the mountain now and hunt a few bears, surely you can bring in enough silver to repay the debt," Chen Xiao Mi's lips curled.

"You uncle is not a hunter, how can he venture his life in the mountain? You bastard, do you want your uncle to die?" Grandma Chen broke out into curses.

"The first step is always difficult. My father wasn't a hunter either, but he still did it, didn't he?" Chen Xiao Mi said coldly.

The villagers couldn't help but talk about that story. Back then, Grandma Chen complained of being hard up and forced Chen Xiao Mi's father to venture his life in the mountain despite the fact that he was no hunter.

Grandma Chen looked at Chen Xiao Mi with hatred, she was angry at Chen Xiao Mi for raking up the past.

"Xiao Mi! Forget about the past, you are leading a great life now, that what matters," Chen Ding chimed in.

Chen Xiao Mi glanced at Chen Ding and said, "Clan Leader, I really don't have money. Isn't this gathering all about Cousin Jing? How come I don't see him anywhere?"

Chen Xiao Mi felt disdainful in his heart. Chen Jing hid behind others like a coward and benefited from other people's hard work.

"Your cousin is now bedridden, he got beaten up, Xiao Mi! Please pity your cousin," Chen Shou Xin sighed.

Lu Lin looked at Chen Shou Xin with disbelief, he knew his person was extremely cruel and merciless. It was him who sold Xiao Cai back then, but now he was bowing to Mi, surely he was able to stoop or stand erect at his will.

Lu Lin looked at Chen Ding and pretended to be confused. "Clan Leader, so Cousin Jing is not going to show up at this gathering held for him?"

Chen Ding frowned and looked a little embarrassed. The clan gathering was usually a discussion of important matters in the whole clan, and this time, the gathering was to discuss private matters of Chen Jing, and Chen Jing was hiding in his own house.

Chen Ding originally did not intend to hold a clan gathering for this matter, but Grandma Chen and Grandpa Chen kept begging him and he didn't have the heart to decline his old friends.

"So Cousin Jing is now in trouble, we are here to offer advice and suggestions, right? Clan Leader, I understand the fire burns high when everybody adds wood to it, so how much silver are going to contribute?" asked Chen Xiao Mi.

Chen Ding's face darkened, so did the other elders.

Chen Ding only promised Grandma Chen and Grandpa Chen that he would help to persuade Chen Xiao Mi to open his wallet, but he didn't intend to chip in.

Chen Shou Xin who was kneeling on the ground was in an awkward position for Chen Xiao Mi ignored him, he had no idea whether he should pick himself up from the ground or keep kneeling on the ground.

"Xiao Mi, you have been independent for years, but you are a Chen, your family is really having a hard time now," an elder from the Chen clan tried to smooth things over.

Chen Xiao Mi pouted and said, "My eldest Cousin has a son, right? Why not sell that kid? He could be worth a few taels of silver."

"You bastard, what nonsense are you talking about?" Grandma Chen fumed.

Chen Xiao Mi showed a cold smile. When his father died, his uncle Chen Shou Xin planned to sell Cai and Mai in the name of 'for their own good'. "My Uncle knows it the best, just like when he tried to sell Cai and Mai, we are selling this kid for his own good, otherwise he will be starved to death."

Most people in the village knew what happened in the past, and when they heard Chen Xiao Mi mention it, they could not help but feel 'what comes around goes around'.

Chen Shou Xin lowered his head, anger simmered inside him, but he couldn't talk back.

"Xiao Mi! Let's forget the past, like I said earlier, you are leading a great life now, Chen Jing is your cousin, you need to help him," Chen Ding chimed in.

Chen Xiao Mi pouted. Chen Jing had never regarded him as a cousin.

"I don't have money, but I have a house in the village, I spent 10 tales buying it, then I did some renovation and built one more room, now it is worth at least 20 taels, I can sell it at a reasonable price." Chen Xiao Mi said.

"No, you can't sell that house," Grandma Chen retorted suddenly.

Grandma Chen had sneaked into Chen Xiao Mi's house a few times already. Chen Xiao Mi and Lu Lin had been staying in town. Grandma Chen had long regarded the house as hers. She just waited for a suitable opportunity to pry open the lock and move in.

Chen Ding glanced at Grandma Chen and said to Xiao Mi, " You don't even have a place to live in the village if you sell it. Think about it."

The Clan Leader was worried what if Chen Xiao Mi lost his job in town, he would be homeless if he sold the house.

Chen Ding thought that Chen Xiao Mi was rich, and he felt sorry for Chen Jing, so he thought Chen Xiao Mi who was earning 2 tales of silver per month should make generous contributions to help Chen Jing out.

Rumor had it that Chen Xiao Mi and Lu Lin had commissions from selling products in the store, so Chen Ding was convinced that they were rich.

However, when he heard Chen Xiao Mi say that he wanted to sell the house, the Clan Leader felt that he shouldn't force a Bio like this.

After all, Chen Xiao Mi still had two younger brothers and a baby son.

Chen Xiao Mi glanced at the Clan Leader and felt a little strange. Chen Xiao Mi knew very well that Grandma Chen didn't want him to sell the house because she wanted to take forcible possession of it, but the Clan Leader was doing it in case he ended up homeless.

Chen Xiao Mi suddenly felt that the Clan Leader didn't lose all his conscience.

What Chen Xiao Mi just said provoked an uproar from the onlookers.

"Chen Xiao Mi wants to sell his house!"

"Is Chen Xiao Mi really not rich?"

" Chen Xiao Mi has two brothers and a baby to support after all."

......

Grandma Chen bitterly regretted stopping Chen Xiao Mi from selling the house.

Grandma Chen had long regarded Chen Xiao Mi's house as hers. So she subconsciously rejected selling 'her' house on hearing Chen Xiao Mi's suggestion.

However, on a second thought, Grandma Chen realized that house was not hers, but the silver from selling the house would be hers.

"Sell the house, sell it," Grandma Chen corrected herself.

The villagers gazed at each other in speechless despair whispered to each other.

The villagers soon figured out what Grandma Chen was up to and they looked at Grandma Chen with a sneer.

Chen Ding looked at Grandma Chen angrily. "Keep your mouth shut before you make up your mind!"

Grandma Chen lowered her head after being scolded by Chen Bai. It was hard for her to convince the Clan Leader to hold this gathering, she didn't want to offend him.

"Xiao Mi, I agree. You don't live in this house anyways, it's a good idea to sell it," Grandpa Chen said.

Grandpa Chen noticed many villagers looked at him with a strange expression after he said that.

Grandpa Chen had no choice. What Chen Jing owed was not a few taels of silver, but one hundred taels.

Chen Xiao Mi's house was in great condition after the renovation. They would get a good price for it.

"Even if the house is worth twenty taels, there is still eighty taels left!" Grandma Chen said.

Chen Ding said angrily, "I can't let Xiao Mi repay all the money for Chen Jing."

The reason why Chen Ding agreed to hold the gathering was twofold, Grandma Chen and Grandpa Chen went on and on about how poor they were, plus he secretly disliked Xiao Mi for his reputation.

However, seeing how Grandma Chen forced Xiao Mi to take the whole responsibility, he felt that they had gone too far. There were so many people in the Chen family, it didn't make sense to force someone who lived separately for so many years to take all the responsibilities.

Chen Ding felt like he needed to uphold justice.

Chen Xiao Mi glanced at Chen Ding and said, "Apart from the house, I can offer ten taels more, but I have a request..."

Chen Ding asked, "What request?"

"Renouncement Letter, I want to sign a Renouncement Letter. From now on, the Chen family and I will be strangers. If anything happens to the Chen family, if someone died or broke a leg, they shall not bother me. Likewise, my life has nothing to do with them. Please witness the renouncement letter, Clan Leader."

Grandma Chen looked at Chen Xiao Mi and said excitedly, "Clan Leader, he cursed my family! I can't believe I have such a grandson!"

"My father died because of you, and you are complaining about me. Aren't you afraid that he will come back to haunt you at night?" Chen Xiao Mi said disdainfully.

Chen Ding's face darkened. He vaguely felt that Chen Xiao Mi's words were too unpleasant, but thinking about Chen Xiao Mi's reputation, he wasn't that surprised to hear that.

Chen Ding looked at Chen Xiao Mi and said, "Xiao Mi! Is that really necessary?"

"If they don't sign the letter, they won't get one tael of silver from me. Clan Leader, you open your purse to help Chen Jing if you don't think that's necessary," said Chen Xiao Mi in a fearless way.

Chen Xiao Mi thought to himself, 'Everyone in the village knows I have renounced that family, but they still force me to give them money now, this is all because I have no written evidence!'

Chen Ding was indignant, no way would he give money to Chen Jing.

It didn't occur to Chen Ding that Chen Xiao Mi had nothing to do with Chen Jing either.

"If you want a Renouncement Letter, fine, but you need to give us 30 tales of silver besides the house!" Grandma Chen gritted her teeth.

Thirty taels plus the house, that was about 50 taels.

"Thirty!" The onlookers were shocked.

Chen Xiao Mi stared at Grandma Chen for a while and said, "Okay."

Grandma Chen felt she should have asked for more when Chen Xiao Mi said okay without a frown. Grandpa Chen shot a warning look at her and she shut her mouth.

Many villagers felt that Chen Xiao Mi had suffered great loss this time, they thought the Chen family had gone too far. It was Chen Jing who caused a disaster but Chen Xiao Mi was the one who had suffered.

Chen Xiao Mi was a Bio. It was not easy for him to support his family, and now he had to sell his house.

A few onlookers talked loudly that the Chens were so despicable. Grandma Chen didn't care what they were saying. All Grandma Chen had in her mind was Chen Jing was saved, they could cover the other 50 taels by themselves, Chen Jing didn't need to be beaten up again.