A Poor Man's Son-in-Law: He Picks Up the Daughter of a Duke's Mansion at the Start

At the end of May, it should have been Lu Xiaoshan's day off to go home, but he returned three days early.

That afternoon, Lu Qingyan was teaching Tao Hua to recognize the character "木" (wood)—he wrote "木" on the ground and told her it was the "木" of trees, and also the "木" of carpenter. Tao Hua studied diligently, while Shun Hua silently followed along.

The courtyard gate was suddenly pushed open.

Lu Xiaoshan stood at the door, carrying a tattered bundle on his back, his clothes covered in sawdust, and his face dusty. He didn't look like someone on a day off—he hadn't bought any snacks for his family, nor any clean clothes to change into, only exhaustion and dishevelment.

Zhao came out of the kitchen, still holding a spatula, and was stunned when she saw him: "Xiaoshan? Why are you back today?"

Lu Xiaoshan didn't speak, walked into the courtyard, and put his bundle on the ground. Lu Dashan stood up: "Second brother, what happened?"

Lu Qingyan also put down the branch and walked over.

Lu Xiaoshan looked up, his eyes a little red, but he forced himself to ask, "Where's Dad?"

"She's in the fields, she'll be back soon." Zhao wiped her hands on her apron. "You tell me first, what happened?"

Lu Xiaoshan was silent for a while before saying in a low voice, "I'm not going to town."

The courtyard fell silent for a moment.

"What do you mean you're not going?" Zhao's voice trembled. "Aren't you...aren't you almost finished your apprenticeship?"

"I can't graduate." Lu Xiaoshan gritted his teeth. "My master... doesn't want me anymore."

After he finished speaking, the courtyard fell into a deathly silence. Only the distant clucking of chickens and ducks sounded particularly jarring.

Lu Qingyan's heart sank. Three years of apprenticeship, almost ready to graduate, and being sent back now meant three years of work for nothing, and also meant one less source of income for the family.

Just then, Lu Tiezhu returned. Seeing Lu Xiaoshan, he was also surprised: "Why are you back?"

Lu Xiaoshan knelt down with a thud.

"Father, Mother, your son is unfilial," he said in a hoarse voice. "I have disgraced the family."

Lu Tiezhu dropped the hoe from his hand: "Get up and talk."

Lu Xiaoshan didn't get up, his head bowed: "Master... kicked me out."

Why?

Lu Xiaoshan remained silent for a long time before speaking.

It turned out that his three years at the carpenter's shop hadn't been easy. His master had a violent temper and would often beat and scold him. The other apprentices bullied him because he came from the countryside, and they would push all the dirty and hard work onto him. He endured it all, thinking that he would be fine once he mastered the craft.

Three days ago, an old woman came to the shop wanting a dressing case made as part of her daughter's dowry. The old woman didn't know anything about wood, so the craftsman used the lowest quality wood but charged her the price of good wood. Lu Xiaoshan couldn't stand it and secretly told the old woman the truth.

The old woman made a scene, causing the master to lose both his business and his reputation. In a fit of anger, he kicked Lu Xiaoshan out, accusing him of being a "traitor" and "ungrateful," refusing to refund a single penny of his three years of apprenticeship fees, and even saying that he had ruined the shop's reputation and had to pay compensation.

After Lu Xiaoshan finished speaking, the courtyard became even quieter.

Zhao covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face. Lu Dashan clenched his fists tightly. Lu Tiezhu's face was ashen, his pipe creaking in his hand.

"You..." Lu Tiezhu began, his voice hoarse, "Couldn't you just bear with it?"

"Dad, that's the money the old man saved up his whole life..." Lu Xiaoshan raised his head, his eyes red-rimmed. "My daughter is getting married, and she wanted to have a nice box made... The craftsman used rotten wood to fool us, I... I couldn't stand it."

"You can't stand it? You think you can ruin your own livelihood just because you can't stand it?" Lu Tiezhu's voice rose. "Three years! Three years of work for nothing! Your family is counting on you to graduate and earn money, and now..."

He couldn't continue and turned away.

Lu Xiaoshan knelt on the ground, his shoulders trembling.

Lu Qingyan went over and helped him up: "Second brother, get up."

Lu Xiaoshan refused to get up.

"Get up." Lu Qingyan pulled him up forcefully. "What's done is done; kneeling won't help."

Lu Xiaoshan finally stood up, but his head was still down.

Lu Tiezhu turned around and stared at him: "Go apologize to your master."

Lu Xiaoshan suddenly looked up: "Dad!"

"Go apologize!" Lu Tiezhu's voice trembled. "Tell him you know you were wrong, beg him to let you go back. Three years can't be wasted!"

"I'm not going!" Lu Xiaoshan retorted to his father for the first time. "I didn't do anything wrong! I wouldn't feel right earning that kind of money!"

"You're not happy? You think things are better at home?" Lu Tiezhu pointed to the yard. "Look at this house! Your third brother needs to go to school, your eldest brother needs to get married, and you have two younger sisters to support! If you don't earn money, how will this family manage?"

Lu Xiaoshan bit his lip and remained silent.

Zhao burst into tears: "Xiaoshan, just... just lower your head. Learning a trade isn't easy..."

"Mother, I'm not going." Lu Xiaoshan's voice was soft but firm. "I'm not going back to those kinds of masters and shops. I'll only suffer there and won't learn any real skills."

Lu Tiezhu trembled with anger: "Then what do you plan to do? Stay home and farm? We only have a few acres of land, how can we support so many people?"

"I...I'll go find work elsewhere," Lu Xiaoshan said. "There are other carpentry shops in town besides his."

"Who would want you? Your master has been in town for decades, how many people does he know? If he says you're bad, who would dare hire you?"

These words struck like a hammer blow to everyone's heart.

The courtyard was so quiet that you could hear the wind blowing through the jujube trees.

Lu Dashan finally spoke, his voice muffled: "Second brother... how about I go with you to apologize?"

"Big brother, do you also think I was wrong?" Lu Xiaoshan looked at him.

Lu Dashan opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Lu Qingyan looked at her second brother's straight back and red eyes, then at her father's trembling hands, and finally at Zhao Shi's tear-streaked face.

"Father," he said, "let Second Brother stay home for a couple of days. Haste makes waste."

Lu Tiezhu glanced at him, then at his second son kneeling on the ground, finally sighed deeply, turned and went into the house. The door slammed shut.

Zhao cried as she pulled Lu Xiaoshan, "Get up, get up... Mother will heat up your food."

Lu Xiaoshan stood up, his legs a little numb, and swayed. Lu Dashan helped him up.

The bundle was still on the ground, covered in dirt. Lu Qingyan bent down, picked it up, and patted it off.

The sun hung low in the west, casting long shadows on everyone in the courtyard. Tao Hua and Shun Hua stood at the doorway, too afraid to come closer, their eyes filled with panic.

That afternoon, the fragrance of honeysuckle still lingered in the Lu family courtyard, but no one went to look at the flowers drying in the sun anymore.