Seeing Liao Shi’s dissatisfied expression as she was about to speak, Old Master Ren continued: “However, I’m not an unreasonable person. When Father said those words back then, the Ren family only had these few coal mines in Yanzhou, which didn’t include the three I later bought in the south. So those southern mines can be divided among you. These mines have quite good profits, and I originally entrusted them to Second Brother’s management – he knows this best.”

Liao Shi’s expression finally softened. She had known about Ren Baoming’s instruction that the two branches shouldn’t divide the family or split the assets, otherwise she wouldn’t have endured until today to propose family division and asset splitting. However, she hadn’t known that the old man had not only left words but also written documentation.

It should be known that in the Great Zhou Dynasty, when descendants’ disputes over family asset division reached the authorities, ancestors’ written testaments served as the basis for official judgment on asset distribution.

Although Liao Shi knew that this division would disadvantage their side, she couldn’t say anything to refute it. Otherwise, if she truly angered Old Master Ren and he used Ren Baoming’s testament to suppress them, they wouldn’t even get those three coal mines. Still, Liao Shi couldn’t help feeling frustrated, since they were all the old man’s descendants – what was the point of such favoritism? Weren’t their branch also legitimate descendants?

Ren Baoming couldn’t be blamed for favoritism. In Yanbei, any family with some wealth would have the eldest legitimate son inherit most of the family property, because this could maximize preservation of the family’s strength from being dispersed among too many descendants, benefiting the family’s long-term development.

“What about that one million five hundred thousand taels you’re paying out? Surely we don’t have to contribute our share too?” Liao Shi said with an unpleasant expression.

Old Master Ren replied: “Most of that one million five hundred thousand taels came from Yanbei’s coal warehouses. The southern funds weren’t touched and will continue to be borne by the Yanbei side in the future. However, the annual sixty percent profit surrender includes all properties under the Ren family name. The profits from Jiangnan and capital warehouses will also be counted – this isn’t something I can decide.”

Liao Shi pursed her lips: “After all these years of the Ren family’s operations, there should be some savings in the public funds, right?”

Old Master Ren nodded: “There are indeed some savings, but in recent years they’ve all been spent on Jiangnan and capital warehouses. If you have doubts, I’ll give you the Ren family’s account books from these years. Moreover… the Ren family hasn’t divided yet. Since benefits are shared, risks should be shared too, so Second Sister-in-law should watch your words. Additionally, this residence and the retreat house in Yunyang City, as well as all farmland within Yanzhou, are considered Ren family ancestral property, only passed to the eldest son of the main branch, and won’t be divided – this is written in Father’s testament. As for the residences in the capital and Jiangnan, they’ll all be given to you. Whether you move out of the East Residence you’re currently living in or continue staying is up to you. Even after dividing the family, we’re still one family.”

Liao Shi heard that Old Master Ren’s words all seemed reasonable, but she just felt unsatisfied in her heart. However, Old Master Ren spoke with logic and evidence, and she couldn’t find reasons to refute him.

Liao Shi exchanged glances with Second Master, then said: “We need to discuss this matter further. Although you’re the family head, you can’t just decide how to divide everything unilaterally, can you?”

Old Master Ren said tolerantly, “Naturally. You can raise any opinions. As long as they’re reasonable requests, I can consider them. However, I still think Father’s words made sense – our Ren family isn’t exactly a very prosperous clan, so it would be better not to divide if possible.”

Liao Shi had waited decades for the chance to divide the family – how could she be willing not to? She immediately shook her head firmly: “Since we’ve already discussed this much, it’s better to divide.”

Old Master Ren sighed: “Then you should go back and discuss it first. We’ll talk about other matters after Second Brother’s letter arrives from the capital.”

Liao Shi didn’t want to stay here long either. Sitting in the guest seat felt awkward, no matter how she sat, so she immediately rose briskly and said to Second Master: “Shiyuan, let’s go back first.” After nodding to Old Master Ren, she left first.

Ren Shiyuan bowed to Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren, then followed her out.

As soon as they left, Old Madam Ren’s expression darkened.

Old Master Ren seemed somewhat tired and said, “Shizhong, stay. The rest of you may leave.”

Ren Shimin and the others then withdrew.

Seeing only the three of them remained in the room, Old Madam Ren finally spoke: “Old Master, are we going to divide the family with them? Now is when the Ren family is in difficulty – if we divide the assets at this time, won’t it be even more challenging?” At this point, Old Madam Ren’s face was full of resentment. “All these years, the Ren family has vigorously supported Jiangnan properties, investing most of the public funds there. Now that we can see improvement, it becomes theirs! That’s fine, but Liao Shi even wants us to bear that one million five hundred thousand tael debt alone. So she gets all the benefits while we bear all the troubles? She’s calculating quite well! In my opinion, we should follow Great-grandfather’s words – whoever insists on dividing the family gets division without assets! Let’s see what they make a fuss about then!”

Old Master Ren sighed, and Old Madam Ren couldn’t help but freeze upon hearing it. Someone like Old Master Ren was always strong-willed – he rarely sighed.

“Old Master…”

Old Master Ren said, “If we could avoid dividing the family, I wouldn’t agree to divide at this time either. However, looking at the current situation, dividing might not necessarily be a bad thing.”

Old Madam Ren didn’t understand: “How so?”

Old Master Ren leaned back in his chair and said calmly: “From my and Shizhong’s imprisonment and the subsequent events, the Ren family’s calamity still stems from Prince Yanbei’s attitude. Now we’ve refused the Zeng family betrothal, but if I continue interfering in capital affairs…”

Old Madam Ren was alarmed upon hearing this: “You mean to abandon those properties? But the Ren family has invested so much effort in them over the years.”

Old Master Ren replied: “I’m not abandoning them, which is why I’m using this family division opportunity to entrust all properties outside Yanbei to Second Brother. Jiangnan affairs will be managed by them in the future. I won’t interfere openly anymore – this also shows our position to Prince Yanbei.”

First Master Ren said, “Father’s meaning is to separate Yanbei and Jiangnan operations. This way, even if the court and Yanbei have conflicts in the future, we’ve already divided the family with Second Uncle on the surface. We operate Yanbei’s coal mines and warehouses, while Second Uncle’s side handles Jiangnan’s. Court-Yanbei conflicts won’t implicate our Ren family.” Old Master Ren had learned his lesson this time.

Old Madam Ren understood, but she worried: “But does Second Brother understand your meaning? If he’s like Liao Shi…”

Old Master Ren smiled upon hearing this and said lightly, “The Ren family has always had only one family head.”

After saying this, he looked at Ren Shizhong and said gravely: “Eldest, you remember this too – the Ren family has only one family head!”

First Master Ren lowered his head and agreed.

Old Madam Ren then understood. Old Master Ren wasn’t genuinely wanting to divide family assets – this was just an expedient measure he devised using Liao Shi’s desire to divide the family! The purpose was to minimize the Ren family’s risk when future conflicts arose between the court and Yanbei!

Thinking this way, Old Madam Ren’s frustration from Liao Shi’s behavior finally dissipated considerably.

Several days later, the Ren family received a letter from the Second Master in the capital.

In the letter, Second Master agreed to Old Master Ren’s proposed division method. Old Master Ren would get all the coal mines and warehouses in Yanbei, while the East Residence would take full control of Jiangnan and the capital’s coal mines and warehouses. The Second Master had been managing Jiangnan and capital businesses all these years, and those warehouses now had considerable monthly profits. In another year or two, they might surpass Yanbei properties. As for the Ren family’s coal mines, Second Master also knew about his father’s testament, so getting Jiangnan’s few mines wasn’t unfair treatment from Old Master Ren.

However, Second Master also proposed that while he had no other objections, since Jiangnan warehouses were just gaining momentum, if they surrendered sixty percent of profits to the government annually, he feared they couldn’t sustain operations. Therefore, he requested Old Master Ren to temporarily advance ten percent for him, so he would only pay fifty percent.

After receiving the letter, Old Master Ren replied, agreeing to advance ten percent of profits for the first three years.

Second Master readily agreed after seeing the reply. As for East Residence’s Second Madam Liao Shi, Second Master had presumably already written to her, so she didn’t come to cause more trouble.

Then came the handover between both sides. Jiangnan businesses had always been managed by the East Residence, so there wasn’t much to hand over. Second Master said he would have Fourth Master return soon to complete this matter.

Thus, in an almost peaceful atmosphere, the East and West Residences divided the family.

This family division seemed to have no impact on the Ren family from the surface. At least the Ren family’s younger generation hardly felt any difference between the divided and the undivided.

The Ren family’s affairs had temporarily concluded, and the third branch was also leaving Baihe Town to return to Yunyang City.

During the recent troubles, Ren Shimin had stayed at the Ren ancestral residence. Later, as Old Master Ren’s condition gradually improved, Ren Shimin went to Yunyang Academy every few days, though Li Shi, Ren Yaoqi, and Ren Yaohua still remained in Baihe Town.

Now, the third branch could legitimately return to their Yunyang City residence.

After Li Shi had stayed in Yunyang City for a while, returning to the Ren ancestral residence where she’d lived for over ten years felt uncomfortable. When the Ren family crisis initially occurred, the flower gathering Li Shi had planned to host at the new residence ultimately came to nothing. After returning this time, she could finally send out invitations, so Li Shi was in excellent spirits.