Chapter 21.1

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The broken window was haphazardly patched with a few crooked wooden planks, barely keeping out the howling wind that sounded like ghosts wailing outside. The flickering flames in the fire pit cast erratic shadows, making the entire room alternately bright and dim.

After a brief, eerie silence, Xie Zheng spoke up: “I was overthinking. Let’s go with your plan.”

Fan Changyu quickly shook her head. Earlier in the day, people from the moneylender’s office had come to collect debts, and this man had seen it happen. If she really went ahead with the idea of ambushing Fan Da with a sack over his head, people might actually believe she was some kind of dangerous criminal.

Feeling rather embarrassed, she said, “If there were another way, I wouldn’t take such a risk. If something goes wrong, I could end up in court.”

Xie Zheng lowered his gaze slightly. His pitch-black eyes, reflecting the firelight, were devoid of warmth. Suddenly, he said, “If you’re not afraid of trouble, simply getting rid of Fan Da would be more straightforward.”

His tone was cold and detached, as if it wasn’t the same person who had just suggested she study the Dayin Code to face him in court.

Fan Changyu naturally understood the meaning behind his word “get rid of”. A chill ran up her arms, making her skin crawl as she widened her almond-shaped eyes in shock. “K-kill… someone?”

Seeing her reaction, Xie Zheng’s thick eyelashes swept down in a faint arc under the firelight. He turned his gaze to the blazing fire and said, in a tone that sounded anything but joking, “I was kidding.”

His voice was languid, carrying a hint of indifference. If someone had pushed him to such an extent, that person’s head would already be detached from their shoulders.

Teaching her the Dayin Code and suggesting she use legal measures was, in his view, the best solution from her standpoint. Although her temperament was tougher than he had initially imagined, she was still far from being truly ruthless.

As Fan Changyu’s suspicious gaze roamed over his striking face, he lifted his eyes slightly and met her stare head-on. “Shall I start teaching you the Dayin Code now?”

Fan Changyu immediately forgot the embarrassment of being caught sneaking glances and, with a bitter expression, nodded reluctantly.

She had never enjoyed studying. Books and characters gave her headaches, and the fact that she could read at all was thanks to her mother’s relentless discipline with a bamboo stick.

The ink, paper, and brush were stored in the southern room. Fan Changyu went to Xie Zheng’s quarters, carefully adjusting the lamp on the desk to brighten the wick for better lighting.

There weren’t any books on the Dayin Code in the house, so Xie Zheng recited a few relevant sections from memory for her to read and memorize.

This was crucial to securing her family’s property, so Fan Changyu gave it her full attention. Yet whether it was because of the late hour or because the legal jargon on the page was inherently soporific, her eyelids began to grow heavy as she read. Before long, her head started to bob, her eyelids battling each other as though she were a chicken pecking at rice.

Xie Zheng, seated on a bamboo chair nearby with his eyes closed in feigned rest, seemed to have eyes on the back of his head. The moment Fan Changyu’s head began to droop, he opened his eyes and lightly tapped his knuckles twice on the desk, the sound crisp and deliberate.

Fan Changyu jolted awake, clutching the few sheets of paper as she stifled yet another yawn. Her drowsiness was evident, with tears pooling at the corners of her eyes from the effort of keeping them open. Still, she forced herself to continue reciting: “Dayin Code: Household Ordinances, Section on Succession, Article Seventeen. For households without heirs, appoint the eldest if there are sons; if there are none, appoint a successor…”

“‘Appoint the eldest if there are sons’—how could there be sons if the household has no heirs?” A cold, cutting voice interrupted her from the side.

Fan Changyu flinched at the sound, like a student caught napping during morning lessons. Struggling to gather herself, she glanced at the law he had written down, then continued reciting with half-closed eyes: “For households without heirs, appoint a successor. If no successor is named, the parents or siblings shall inherit, and they must support any unmarried daughters. If the household invites a live-in son-in-law, he may not divide the property; the daughter shall inherit it…”

Xie Zheng’s voice interjected again, calm but precise: “According to this clause, your parents’ estate should rightfully belong to you in its entirety. However, your grandparents are still alive, and they’re ailing. Your uncle is idle and irresponsible. When you go to the county office in three days, if the other side invokes the Dayin Code: Filial Piety Chapter, then at least half of your parents’ estate would need to be allocated to your grandparents. Since your grandparents haven’t formally divided property with your uncle, that money will inevitably end up in his hands.”

Fan Changyu’s sleepiness dissipated by more than half, chased away by rising frustration. She frowned and hesitated before saying reluctantly, “Then… what if I bring my grandparents here to care for them myself?”

Xie Zheng glanced at her. “Are you close to them?”

Fan Changyu shook her head.

Her family had never been close to her grandparents, even when her parents were alive.

When her mother gave birth to Changning, it was a difficult delivery that nearly cost both their lives. The doctor had barely managed to save her mother, but warned that she might not be able to conceive again.

The elderly couple had come to celebrate the birth, holding baby Changning in their arms. Yet their words were laced with complaints, lamenting that her mother hadn’t borne a son. They suggested that her parents adopt a male child from Fan Da’s family, saying it would ensure someone to depend on in their old age.

Her parents ignored the suggestion, but the elderly couple returned home and spread rumors that her mother was jealous, unfilial, and whispering poison in her father’s ear to ensure the Fan family would die out.

Her father eventually made a trip to the old house to settle the matter. Things quieted down after that, but the relationship remained distant. Afterward, her father would only visit during major holidays, bringing a piece of pork to give the elderly couple. He never stayed for a meal, simply dropping off the gift and leaving right away.

Xie Zheng explained, “According to Article Eleven of the Dayin Code Supplement: Household and Marriage Ordinances, if you can gather testimony from neighbors proving that Fan Da has a gambling addiction, the portion of the estate meant for your grandparents can instead be managed by you.”

Fan Changyu, straightforward as always, frowned in confusion. “How is that any different from me taking care of the old couple myself?”